John Staughton, Senior Reviewer | Self-Publishing Review

Review: The Last Refuge by Christina Bacilieri

In a once-magical realm now ruled by an iron fist, one young woman must liberate the forces within to change the world, and save those she loves, in The Last Refuge by Christina Bacilieri. A rebellious YA fantasy thriller with an apocalyptic edge, this first installment of the Stealing Sanctuary series is a stunning foundation for what’s to come.

Over a century ago, magic was outlawed and shuttered away behind the forbidden borders of Etabon by the Founding Ruling Board, who claimed that the elimination of magic would save the planet from constant war and an age of darkness. However, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-05-07T12:20:38+02:00March 29th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: YA Fantasy Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: From Utopia to the American Dream by John Czingula

From homemade bunkers in rural Hungary to the bright lights of Hollywood, author John Czingula takes readers through the historic highs and lows of a unique life in his memoir, From Utopia to the American Dream. Exploring the perils of living in a communist country and celebrating the freedom of opportunity in a new world, this book captures a fascinating and unlikely journey in the post-war era.

The book opens with a dramatically detailed account of wartime occupation, particularly because it’s depicted through the eyes of a young child, although the narrative voice is mature. As the specter of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-03-28T16:07:55+02:00March 28th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews|

Review: Bargaining Chip by Jim Parker

Putting a fictional spin on a real-world conflict, Bargaining Chip by Jim Parker is a bold and nuanced reimagining of Putin’s war against Ukraine, resulting in a tense and timely thriller.

In this slightly tweaked reality, the Russian superpower has found the scrappy Ukrainian military to be a surprisingly resilient enemy, and while victories and losses have been traded by both sides, the Ukrainian president knows that NATO and American support may not last forever. In a desperate attempt to turn the tide of war and take the fight to Russia, a daring counteroffensive is planned – one that will […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-05-03T15:25:00+02:00March 25th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Thriller Book Reviews, War Book Reviews|

Tribal Logic by Stella Atrium

Stella Atrium delivers the resounding final chapter of The Tribal Wars series with Tribal Logic, an electrifying conclusion to her speculative fiction saga.

Jesse Hartley is desperate to return to Dolvia to be with her father for the release of an imprisoned rebel, but a sinister scheme rockets her into even more danger. Relentlessly battling for trade alliances and dignity for tribal life after undergoing her own horrific violations in captivity, Brianna Miller is broken but not beaten. Navigating coups, wormholes, and vicious slavers, Hershel Henry is sent into the belly of the beast, but heroism requires sacrifice.

Deftly exploring […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-03-25T13:38:24+02:00March 25th, 2024|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: How to Get a Job and Keep a Job by Keith Calhoun-Senghor

Dissecting the intricacies of professional success and sharing strategies to rise above organizational chaos, How to Get a Job and Keep a Job: The Fundamentals of Organizational Politics by Keith Calhoun-Senghor is a practical collection of savvy wisdom. With the first few chapters focusing on the skills one needs to get a job, and the second half of the book explaining how to keep it, the book can help you move forward no matter where you’re at in your career.

For those readers unfamiliar with the term, “Organizational Politics” are “the dynamics, processes, and techniques by which power is […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-05-02T15:50:36+02:00March 22nd, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Business Book Reviews, Self-Help Book Reviews|

Review: The Buddha and the Bee by Cory Mortensen

Inviting readers on a wild ride from Minnesota to California, The Buddha and the Bee: Biking through America’s Forgotten Roadways on an Accidental Journey of Discovery by Cory Mortensen is an atypical adventure for wanderers and workplace dreamers alike. Part road guide and part diary, biking lovers can follow the well-laid route on these pages, learn to sidestep critical unpleasant lessons, and gain the confidence to take their own big swings of adventure without fear.

Pedaling through the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, the unforgiving Southwest desert, and the Sierra Nevadas, this is far from a casual trek, particularly given […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-03-19T14:27:08+02:00March 18th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Sports Book Reviews, Travel Book Reviews|

Review: Deferred Redemptions by G.E. Russell

A stark and intimate collection of four stories that explore the bonds of loyalty and the complex relationships humans have with change, Deferred Redemptions by G.E. Russell is an unassuming but powerful work of contemporary writing.

“Somewhere Sister” is the novella of the collection, detailing the lives of Esmeralda and Esperanza, two sisters living in Yuma with their mother and abuela, navigating the shifting sands of the border as they try to find love and keep their families safe. In a land where wives are quickly made into widows, Esperanza captures the heart of a charming Border Patrol agent, even […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-03-18T12:01:17+02:00March 17th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Short Stories Book Reviews|

The Bench by Frank C. Senia

Delivering an emotional reflection on connection, loss, and second chances, The Bench by Frank C. Senia is an uplifting portrait of love amidst graceful aging. Tenderly detailing the sunset memoir of Willy, who experiences a rekindled passion for life after reconnecting with an old crush, this touching story provides a perspective on intimacy that contemporary readers are rarely given. As revelations continue to shake the couple’s lives, the unlikely pair lean on one another for catharsis and comfort that only trusting companionship can provide. While more attention to dialogue authenticity and descriptive scene-setting would help pull readers even deeper into […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-03-14T11:40:40+02:00March 14th, 2024|Categories: Editorial Reviews|