John Staughton, Senior Reviewer | Self-Publishing Review

Review: The Young by Nicholas John Powter

A sword and sorcery adventure set in a vibrant and violent land, The Young by Nicholas John Powter is a compact father-and-son character drama in a wildly creative setting. In The Deluge, where gods of the day and devourers of the night are locked in constant struggle for the souls of the living, a grief-stricken warrior must once again don his armor to defend the realm against encroaching evil.

Sven’s pastoral retirement is shattered when a murderous cult leader attacks his home and nearly beheads his son, Fren, launching them both on an arduous quest to root out a sinister […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-09-23T16:05:27+02:00September 23rd, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Latest Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: Ten Years and Then… by J.J. DiBenedetto

The story of two star-crossed lovers who can never get the timing right, Ten Years and Then… by J.J. DiBenedetto is an honest portrait of connection that transcends conventional coming-of-age romances.

As Daniel and Nora begin their collegiate careers, falling in love is far from a top priority, but as their orbits continue to serendipitously intersect, the magnetic attraction feels impossible to ignore. Friendship soon shifts to flirtation, and it doesn’t take long before they’re meeting one another’s families and talking eagerly about the beautiful future they could build.

After two infatuated years, their diverging directions pull them apart, leaving […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-10-20T12:04:22+02:00September 22nd, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: New Adult Book Reviews, Romance Book Reviews|

Cerebral Eruption in Paradise by Fran Feavel Merkel

A blunt and detailed account of survival after catastrophic brain trauma, Cerebral Eruption in Paradise by Fran Feavel Merkel is a harrowing memoir of healing and the myriad challenges of American healthcare. Just months after retiring in Arizona, Francine Merkel experienced a ruptured brain aneurysm, plunging her into a shocking spiral of emergency treatment and an arduous journey of recovery. Merkel’s book chronicles both the how and why of her life-altering condition, as well as the nuances of her essential day-to-day care in the months and years that followed, which makes for intense but sympathetic reading. Whether you are a […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-09-19T13:53:22+02:00September 19th, 2025|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: The Museum of Art and Other Things by Stephen Meltzer

A cherished art institute careens toward economic catastrophe amidst a slew of small-town drama in The Museum of Art and Other Things: A Novel of Art, Identity and Redemption by Stephen Meltzer.

When the board of trustees at a Midwestern art museum learn that their passion project is practically bankrupt, they face an existential dilemma that even their grandstanding patron, Mrs. Etta Stern, struggles to solve. Unbeknownst to these scheming overseers of culture, their salvation may lie in the prodigal return of C. Malveaux, a hometown hero with access to a highly collectible cache of artistic treasures.

Charlotte’s homecoming is […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-10-16T14:18:03+02:00September 18th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Literary Fiction Book Reviews|

Mouse Visits Carlsbad Caverns National Park by Tricia Gardella, Illustrated by Ginger Nielson

A whimsical new tale about an American natural landmark, Mouse Visits Carlsbad Caverns National Park by Tricia Gardella is a playful and informative installment of this charming series.

After seeing a video of bats emerging from a legendary destination in New Mexico, Mouse transports himself to see the “flying mice” for himself, ending up on a guided tour of countless underground wonders. After befriending a local pocket mouse, the girl and boy mice explore the massive network of caves, touring geological highlights such as The Totem Pole, Longfellow’s Bathtub, and the Veiled Statue in the King’s Palace, while Mouse’s new […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-09-17T17:51:29+02:00September 17th, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Children's Book Reviews|

Review: Operation Reboot by James Hallenbeck

The future of humanity depends on returning to the past in Operation Reboot by James Hallenbeck, an imaginative time travel novel that rings with contemporary significance.

At the turn of the 22nd century, as the world spirals into chaos and barbarism, a secretive group of scientists finally unlocks the mystery of time travel. Their ambitions are risky, yet simple: travel five centuries into the past and start a new timeline for the species, one where European colonizers are prevented from spreading and slaughtering their way across America.

Upon arriving in the year 1607 in the lands of the Mohawk, the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-10-15T15:13:25+02:00September 17th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Time Travel Book Reviews|

Afghani by Brendon Patrick

Delicately exploring the dark legacies of war in the Middle East, Australia, and beyond, Afghani by Brendon Patrick is a relentless historical novel following two warriors on parallel journeys.

Lacking a clear path in life, Patterson reluctantly joins the Australian Army, but is soon shipped off to Afghanistan in support of America’s post-9/11 retribution, going to war against his own family history. Meanwhile, a century earlier, a well-traveled Afghani cameleer flees to Australia to escape a Khan’s wrath, only to find himself oppressed by new forms of xenophobia and systemic injustice. These alternating timelines reflect eerily similar themes of identity, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-09-12T12:23:07+02:00September 11th, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews, International Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Jinn: The Manga Series by Samay Saidi and Kamal Rahyab

A thoughtful adventure through Islamic tradition and folklore, Jinn: The Manga Series by Samay Saidi and Kamal Rahyab offers essential wisdom about family, purpose, and cultural roots.

While traveling home from class with friends and discussing the nuances of Orientalism, Tamina experiences what seems to be a seizure, but is actually something far stranger. As her body is rushed to a hospital, her mind enters a dream-like realm called the Berzakh, where she encounters a mythical Jinn who has been watching over her since birth.

After overcoming her disbelief, Tamina learns that one of her ancestors possessed a mighty gift […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-10-10T17:30:58+02:00September 11th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Comics & Graphic Novels Reviews|