Lead Story | Self-Publishing Review

Review: The Siegfried Contingency by Steven Laskin

The Siegfried Contingency by Steven Laskin is a gripping novel that will satisfy thriller fans and book lovers alike. With a dangerous book containing a world-changing secret sitting at the core of this fast-paced thriller, the author has leaned into an old framework, but also twisted it within a new setting and time period that features definitively unique characters.

When bookstore owner Carl Traeger is accosted by some no-nonsense German mobsters in his Seattle shop, demanding that he turn over what they seek – despite not being clear on what the object is – Carl realizes that he is in […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-03-01T12:57:19+02:00March 1st, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: LGBTQI+ Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: Urban Justice (Vigilante Justice Book 2) by John Etzil

Things can change fast in a small town, and a few weeks after Jack Lamburt handles the initial drama at The Red Barn and the violent fallout from the mafia, trouble is still lingering on the horizon. Urban Justice, the second novel in the Vigilante Justice series by John Etzil, picks up right where the first left off, welcoming back eager readers to Lamburt’s unique form of justice.

The sister of the Sheriff’s bartending lover is still missing, and despite using all the formidable tools at his disposal, Jack keeps coming up short. Inevitably, he has to leave the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-05-02T06:37:54+02:00February 27th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: The Sandbox by JW Patrick

An intense and unpredictable adventure set against a rich narrative landscape, The Sandbox by JW Patrick is a memorable new work of YA science fiction. When three young teenagers’ lives collide after a mysterious impact event, their worlds are thrown into a fascinating and potentially dangerous spiral driven by forces beyond their control or understanding.

The focal characters of this novel – Isla, Sonny and Dan – make for a brilliant trio of protagonists wrestling with powers they had previously thought were impossible. When they discover a world – The Sandbox – where they can do anything they want in […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-03-11T12:37:04+02:00January 27th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: The Scent of Distant Worlds by W.D. County

Leaving behind all you have known for worlds that humans have never seen may sound like a grand and honorable adventure, but troubles – both internal and external – are bound to arise. In The Scent of Different Worlds by W.D. County, the crew of The Far Traveler is on a mission to explore an inhabitable world in the Goldilocks Zone, a potential new home that can support life, but the sacrifices they must make are daunting no matter where or when you’re from.

The crew has the opportunity to explore some of the first intelligent life forms to have […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-01-28T12:07:27+02:00January 26th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Love, Time is Gone by Joseph Bartley Haltom III

In Love, Time is Gone, a new collection of poetry by Joseph Bartley Haltom III, loneliness and heartbreak are encapsulated in raw and powerful verse. Written for a long-lost love, April, a woman whom he has not encountered for many years, this book is weighted down by pain and regret, yet there are also some moments of hope that sporadically push through.

Saudade is a Portuguese word, commonly used in Brazil, that represents the feeling of nostalgia, longing, or desire for something that has been lost. There is no direct translation of this word in English, nor does it appear […]

SPR2019-03-11T12:28:13+02:00January 15th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Poetry Book Reviews|

Review: Unlocking the Natural-Born Leader’s Abilities by Salar A. Khan, MD, MBA

A successful example of what he wishes to convey, award-winning author Salar Khan uses his own life as an illustration of what constitutes leadership in Unlocking the Natural-Born Leader’s Abilities: An Autobiographical Exposé. Carefully presenting an objective picture, Khan shares his own memories to demonstrate the sorts of qualities a natural-born leader (NBL) would have, both innately and from training and experience.

Khan’s early life was rigorous: His parents were forced to migrate from India to Pakistan a few years before he was born, and six of his eleven siblings died by the age of four. When he was […]

SPR2019-01-22T10:28:25+02:00January 8th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Business Book Reviews, Leadership Book Reviews, Non-Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Butterfly Hill (A Matthys Rossouw Pursuit Book 2) by Brendan Le Grange

Combining global conspiracies, powerful ancient weapons and complex, unknowable motives, Butterfly Hill is a skillfully penned piece of suspense from Brendan Le Grange. Following on from his debut book, Drachen, this second installment can stand alone, although reading the first book will provide quite a bit more character backstory for the key players, including Hiko, Matthys and Gu.

Unlike many other “good cop chases bad guy” stories, the lines of morality are far from clear in this novel, and in fact, it’s difficult not to like the bad guy, despite his psychopathic tendencies. Hiko Shimuzu may be the antagonist, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-01-22T10:29:03+02:00December 18th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: Practicing Mindful Living by Dr. Debra Webb

In Practicing Mindful Living: A 365-Day Workbook for Mindfulness Practitioners, Dr. Debra Webb offers poetry, meditations and consultation to foster awareness each day of the calendar year.

A blend of self study and sage advice, Webb’s book presents a special, intentional guide to activities and concepts that can aid the thoughtful reader determining the overall tenor of his or her day. The entries begin with a short, directed poem. Here is an example, the entry for February 19th: