Lead Story | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Carbon Zero by Craig W. Stanfill

A sobering thriller about AI insurgency and the slippery slopes of societal collapse, Carbon Zero (Dawn of the AI Dystopia Book 1) by Craig W. Stanfill paints an ominous picture of a future looming just over the horizon.

When Abigail Thompson finally gets a big break – presenting her impressive AI pet project to the big boss at Intelligenics – she has no idea how much everything is about to change. Through a series of oversights, assumptions, and a painful lack of preparedness, her Xerxes program is unleashed on the world with a singular goal: achieve carbon zero. What begins […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-09-22T13:00:02+02:00September 21st, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews, Speculative Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Relic Reborn by Iain Ralston

A dark fantasy bloodbath of noble knights and vengeful demons, Relic Reborn by Iain Ralston is an explosive, action-filled first installment of a new high-fantasy series.

Thousands of years ago, a demonic army from the plane of Shkigal was defeated and sent back to their realm, but not before their god and creator, Azzazul, sacrificed himself in a world-rending explosion to enable their retreat. Millennia have passed, the world has changed, and the names of the demon lords are barely remembered by the few human mages with the power to summon them.

On the mortal plane, the Syl ‘Van Knights […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-08-25T11:24:25+02:00August 24th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: Play Like He Would by Heath Hamrick

Tragedy and triumph collide beneath the Friday night lights in Play Like He Would by Heath Hamrick, a gritty true story of perseverance, honor, and the lasting impact of loss.

After a tough string of losing seasons and discouraging setbacks, “Slugger” Hamrick eagerly takes over as the head coach of the Bremond Tigers – a small and scrappy football team from East Texas. The town still remembers what vicarious victory and gridiron glory feel like, fueling dreams of young players and the excited hopes of a community. After a modest start at Bremond, Hamrick needs to deliver a playoff run […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-08-21T11:03:01+02:00August 20th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Sports Book Reviews|

Review: The Third Estate: Devil’s Tango by D.R. Berlin

An adrenaline-filled thriller of professional killers and family secrets, The Third Estate: Devil’s Tango by D.R. Berlin offers another twisted dose of conspiracy in the Third Estate series.

When a John Doe lands in the ER with a slug in his gut, Captain Sophie Allard does all she can to save him, but he seems far more interested in passing her a cryptic message about a top-secret dossier. It isn’t long before two assassins arrive at the hospital, determined to learn the man’s final words, even if that means dropping more bodies, potentially sabotaging Sophie’s nascent medical career. However, before […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-07-29T17:56:30+02:00July 28th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: Houdini: The Man Who Died Twice by Larrian Gillespie

Pulling back the curtain on history’s most legendary magician, Houdini: The Man Who Died Twice by Larrian Gillespie explores the spectacular career, enigmatic legacy, and murky final days of the macabre master of escape. Readers are pulled a century into the past to a time of glamour and illusion, where fame and fortune could be won or lost in an instant.

Delivering an impressive example of well-researched and riveting nonfiction, the book unfolds like a formal investigation – a presentation of verified facts and the players involved, alongside a dissection of the relevant clues and motives, allowing a theory to […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-07-28T12:34:22+02:00July 21st, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Biography Book Reviews|

Review: Goddess from the Machine by Daniel Rodrigues-Martin

A tech-heavy revenge thriller with a heady dose of dystopia, Goddess from the Machine: A Prequel to the Ark Saga by Daniel Rodrigues-Martin is a multilayered tale of relentless resilience.

After surviving more than a decade of abuse and horror as a slave, Reese was rescued by a telekinetic warrior named Kid, and then stayed by his side as he became the Vigilant, the secret protector of Machindoun, the Machinist City. Together, they chip away at the sprawling underground slave trade from the shadows, inspiring a new generation of community resistance and planting essential seeds of revolution.

When this noble […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-07-10T17:24:59+02:00July 9th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Where Agency Belongs by Dr. Matthew Weinberg

A thought-provoking dive into the forces that drive us and subsequently move the world, Where Agency Belongs: How Control, Trust, and Authority Broke – And How to Place Them Again by Dr. Matthew Weinberg is a timely testament to individual strength and collective potential.

At its foundation, Weingberg’s engaging treatise asks us to interrogate the philosophies that govern our daily existence, what drives our decision-making, and our choices to speak up or remain quiet. In a destabilized world that is becoming increasingly authoritarian, more digital than personal, and more tolerant of willful ignorance, the strength and scale of personal agency […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-05-13T16:37:44+02:00May 13th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Self-Help Book Reviews, Social Science Book Reviews|

Review: Imber by Deborah Mistina

A thought-provoking parable about the uncertain future of life on Earth, Imber by Deborah Mistina is a serious sci-fi drama with a helping of psychic intrigue and existential stakes.

Centuries in the future, the population of a tectonically erratic and disaster-ravaged Earth has all but given up on their home planet. A charismatic but corrupt leader has risen to power on the promise of an interplanetary exodus, but this utopian quest seems much closer to a pacifying dream than a legitimate reality. Against this backdrop, an unlikely cadre of strangers discovers their potential role in Project Pioneer – the imminent […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-05-04T15:01:14+02:00May 4th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Dystopian Fiction Book Reviews, Science Fiction Book Reviews|