Lead Story | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Bespoke Betrayals and Sartorial Secrets by Marc Kage

An intricate portrayal of the way work, life, and love interact with each other, set against the backdrop of industrial upheaval and social unrest, Bespoke Betrayals and Sartorial Secrets by Marc Kage is an impressive slow-burn of a novel. With the style of a literary novel and the intrigue of a thriller, Kage has achieved a remarkable blend of character nuance and suspense.

As the title suggests, the fundamental question at work in this novel is that of trust. Everyone is holding something back from everyone else, from business partners to romantic partners, or even family members, as Kage portrays […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-05-19T09:23:22+02:00May 18th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Literary Fiction|

Review: Prepping for Success by Anmol Singh

Boldly re-framing and curating ageless wisdom, Prepping for Success: 10 Keys for Making it in Life by Anmol Singh is a creative and concise guide for those seeking an ethical and innovative edge in professional development.

Though the idea of “making it in life” is broadly subjective, this straightforward and easy-to-follow collection of advice will objectively have a positive impact on one’s potential for success and happiness, given the breadth of insight collected here. From self-discipline and the pursuit of joy to honesty, noble values, and purposeful living, the author addresses nuanced and complex ideas with graceful simplicity.

Refreshingly, the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-04-17T08:21:43+02:00April 16th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Self-Help|

Review: Project Manager’s Handbook by Valentyn Bannikov

A matter-of-fact breakdown of a complex, dynamic, and essential position, Project Manager’s Handbook: Walkthrough for Beginners by Valentyn Bannikov is a comprehensive guide with an original lens.

Beginning with the most basic definition of a project and scaling up the discussion to the innumerable nuances of running an effective project team, this book is intuitively structured and designed for all levels of experience. Even the simplest concepts are illuminated with a fresh rhetorical perspective, from the unique aspects that define a project, versus a basic act of production, to new frameworks for conceptualizing scope, time, and cost for individual situations.[…]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-04-18T14:48:40+02:00March 30th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Business, Valentyn Bannikov|

Review: Scar Songs by W. Royce Adams

Exploring the complex and commonly overlooked emotional experiences of men, Scar Songs by W. Royce Adams is a bold and unabashed collection of stories that looks at fraternal friendship, along with grief, growth, love, and purpose.

These vignettes are candid glimpses into the lives of ordinary people, in large part, but they reveal that even the most forgettable interactions can have long-lasting impacts and echoes. Using an impressive economy of language, Adams captures the psyche and struggles of each story’s protagonist with a compelling rawness.

In “Thief Catcher,” a young man must pit his sense of duty and need for […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-03-29T10:55:32+02:00March 28th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Short Stories|

Review: Stumble and Fall by Amy Rivers

Dealing with the effects of trauma both at a personal and community level, Stumble and Fall by Amy Rivers is a cuttingly honest and raw novel. Through the story of Kate and Tilly, Rivers dissects the emotions and fears that many abused people go through, exacerbated by finding themselves caught in events much bigger than themselves.

Kate and Tilly are sisters who deal with trauma both in their professional and personal lives. While Kate has been assaulted in her own house, Tilly has been the victim of sexual abuse all through her teens, opening a ridge between her and the […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-03-21T13:42:37+02:00March 21st, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Contemporary Fiction|

Review: Delaware Before the Railroads by Dave Tabler

A brief yet beautifully detailed journey through Delaware’s past, and the colonial history of America itself, Delaware Before the Railroads by Dave Tabler is a revelatory peek into an oft-overlooked state, reading like a love letter to one of America’s first and most forgotten colonies. Topping out at just under 100 pages, this is an easy afternoon read for residents of Delaware, those interested in colonial lore, or fans of historical photography.

Despite having moved to Delaware only a dozen years ago, Tabler writes with the familiarity and affection of a lifelong native; his state-spanning explorations and historical tracking certainly […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-03-21T13:03:00+02:00March 20th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Dave Tabler, History, Photography|

Review: Coming Into Power by Tamara Smith

A fast-paced, engaging erotic fantasy, Coming Into Power by Tamara Smith is bursting with imagination and sensuality as well as consideration of issues such as trust, family, and the meaning of belonging. With its original take on the genre, thriller-like plotting, and sharply-drawn characters, the novel is a boundary-pushing, category-crossing story as sensitive as it is steamy.

As the title declares, the book is fundamentally a discussion of power, and how it grows as we become mature adults and fully ourselves. Of course, in a fantasy, this centers around the characters’ fantastical powers, whose superhuman abilities are frequently associated with […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-05-02T10:23:58+02:00March 13th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Paranormal Romance, Tamara Smith|

Review: This May Be Difficult to Read by Claire N. Rubman, PhD

Author Claire N. Rubman, PhD presents a revolutionary new take on a fundamental facet of childhood development in This May Be Difficult to Read: But You Really Should (for your child’s sake). The shocking fact that 42 million Americans are functionally illiterate in 2023 means that this book is more critical than ever, especially for those with the responsibility to teach.

As Rubman quickly explains, learning to read and learning to comprehend are two very different things, though they are often grouped together. She astutely separates these ideas, highlighting the reasons behind the growing rift between them, and offers […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-02-07T14:36:41+02:00February 7th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Education|