Lead Story | Self-Publishing Review

Review: The Golden Hearts Club by Cinda K. Swalley

An uplifting novel about two sisters who befriend a family on a California horse ranch, Cinda K. Swalley’s The Golden Hearts Club is a feel-good story about spreading kindness and finding love in the most unlikely of places.

Close-knit siblings Katie and Megan Summers decide to take an epic cross-country road trip following Katie’s college graduation. Katie is a little more nervous and hesitant to take the plunge; she’s a passionate romantic who’s just gone through a terrible breakup with a cheating boyfriend. She’s also struggling to determine the meaning behind the strange prescient dreams she’s been having – are […]

Michelle Hogmire2022-03-30T04:47:34+02:00March 29th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Contemporary Fiction, Romance|

Review: The Living Legend by Dan E. Hendrickson

Author Dan E. Hendrickson weaves a complex story of history, honor, and righteous justice in his new novel The Living Legend, a harrowing journey of vengeance.

Following the horrific death of his father, Tommy Williams redirects his life for the long game of revenge, joining the Navy SEALs to acquire the skills he’ll need for retribution. Determined to punish the assassin responsible for his father’s murder, but hiding that true intent from his superiors, he overcomes years of grueling training that molds him into a relentless and deadly weapon.

Makena Aalee is fighting a very different battle, determined to […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-03-28T03:42:11+02:00March 28th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Dan E. Hendrickson, International Thriller, Thriller|

Review: Worldender by Nick Nikolov

A pulse-pounding alien invasion novel, Nick Nikolov’s Worldender is a terrifying mixture of science fiction and horror.

When we first meet Lucy Castle, our unlikely hero, she’s participating in the illegal economy, dropping off some dangerous material for higher pay at her bike courier job. The drop goes south, but Lucy makes it out due to her physical prowess and exceptional combat skills. She then gets drunk and almost doesn’t make it on time to her second job, which is a fairly typical day in Lucy’s life – late nights, hiding her injuries – and she does it all for […]

Michelle Hogmire2022-03-29T02:54:05+02:00March 17th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Apocalyptic Fiction, Nick Nikolov, Science Fiction|

Review: Penelope and Ulysses by Zenovia

An unforgettable story of love, longing, and loss comes to life on a new stage in Penelope and Ulysses by Zenovia. The titular characters have been studied and admired for more than 2,500 years, so any author exploring such legendary lives must bring something truly original to the table, which Zenovia certainly achieves.

This work is written in the style of dramatic verse, with only a handful of acts and scenes, but stunning in its poetic grace and depth of storytelling. The eternal relationship between Ulysses and Penelope is at the forefront, as well as the machinations that led Ulysses […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-03-10T04:16:09+02:00March 9th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Classics, Poetry|

Review: Reflection (The Lenka Trilogy Book 3) by John Righten

Closing out The Lenka Trilogy with a nail-biter, author John Righten delivers yet another smart and adventurous thriller with Reflection. All of the lessons, enemies, losses, and sacrifices of a mysterious and selfless Irish heroine come to a head in a dangerous race against a Christmastime clock.

Lenka Brett remains as indomitable and entertaining as ever, taking up a tall task in South America to deliver essential medical supplies amidst a landscape of violence and outright corruption. The wear and tear of her previous two missions have clearly taken their toll on Lenka, both physically and emotionally, but […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-02-23T03:22:12+02:00February 19th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: International Thriller, John Righten, Thriller|

Review: Three Loves and Other Stories by Lata Gullapalli

An emotionally astute short story collection about characters confronting relationship difficulties, Lata Gullapalli’s Three Loves and Other Stories is an intelligent book about the essential nature of spirituality and the process of making tough decisions.

Gullapalli’s narrators are mostly women of Indian background, facing an important turning point in their work or personal lives. In the title piece “Three Loves,” Sia is a young woman who feels suppressed by her family’s regressive opinions on feminist issues, and she decides to move away, starting a new job and develops a relationship with a man named Matt. Eventually, her romance begins to […]

Michelle Hogmire2022-03-16T04:52:03+02:00February 18th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Short Stories|

Review: Your Little Big You Adventure by L. Owen Paxton

Author L. Owen Paxton delivers an uplifting and invigorating map for personal progress with Your Little Big You Adventure: The Secret to Discovering Your Enlightened Life. Drawing on ancient wisdom, philosophical traditions, and modern revelations regarding human psychology, this book encourages readers to live in their true identity by shifting their perspective to uncover their full potential.

Where this book veers away from traditional discussions about “enlightenment” is that it focuses on the enlightened self that already exists within each of us – our inner child, our most innocent self, our playful id. The idea is that within our […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-02-17T05:19:25+02:00February 16th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Self-Help|

Review: Sick as Our Secrets by Jim Christopher

The second title in the Utopian Testament series, Jim Christopher’s Sick as Our Secrets is an action-packed, white-knuckle blend of thriller and fantasy about an epic fight for the life of a boy with supernatural powers.

Hawk is a restrained and mysterious man, employed at Utopia Farms in the rural Texas countryside, a marijuana dispensary, which may be doing something shadier under the table. Hawk does what he can to keep the farm running smoothly, despite having to deal with inexperienced employees who are only in charge due to nepotism. Nearby, a strange woman named Irene and her disabled landlord, […]

Michelle Hogmire2022-02-15T07:52:53+02:00February 15th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Fantasy|