Memoir Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: From Woodstock to Wisdom by Vicki Thomas

A thoughtful reflection on choosing happiness and remaining relevant, no matter how many candles are on your cake, From Woodstock to Wisdom: A Boomer’s Journey to 80 by Vicki Thomas is a nostalgic and timely roadmap to the good life.

In this collection of “snackable” essays, the author artfully offers the wisdom she has gained through the trials, travels, and tribulations of a humbly impressive life, with a focus on maintaining a purposeful and satisfying existence in your golden years. Marked by sardonic humor and the willingness to laugh at her own expense, Thomas has a pitch-perfect narrative voice, making […]

Review: The Character Route Tree by Marc R. Schneider

A self-help guide focused on the development of moral integrity and internal strength, The Character Route Tree: A Memoir, a Method, a Mastery of Obsessive Character Development by Marc R. Schneider is an innovative manual for growth, resilience, and situational success.

Penned by an author with a lifetime of experience in navigating the challenges of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, this book is more than a strict resource for others with this diagnosis; it contains his remarkable personal story and the highlights of his life’s work, distilled into a usable reference for people of all walks of life, not only those with […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-04-02T13:32:22+02:00April 1st, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Self-Help Book Reviews|

Review: Belonging to the World by Barry Hoffner

An emotional adventure that transcends borders and the boundaries of devotion, Belonging to the World: A Journey from Grief to Connection in Every Country on Earth by Barry Hoffner details the author’s epic journeys through love, loss, and healing.

In 2017, Hoffner’s life was upended when his wife Jackie died suddenly while travelling in Africa, leaving him heartbroken and drifting in the face of unimaginable loss. Beginning with the fateful trip that led to her death and the subsequent months of traumatic fallout, this memoir shifts back to the past, laying out the decades of chance decisions and international leaps […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-04-08T16:26:09+02:00February 20th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Travel Book Reviews|

Exile of the Heart by Rasheed Abou-Elsamh

A raw account of the author’s long journey to find a place to truly be himself, Exile of the Heart: A Memoir Across Three Continents by Rasheed Abou-Elsamh is a vulnerably written and engrossing memoir.

Born to a Saudi father and an American mother, the battle between conflicting values and ideas was an unavoidable part of his identity, but one that he channeled into a free-ranging interest in the wider world. As Rasheed comes to embrace his homosexuality and recognizes the danger of that identity in Jeddah, he dreams of another life, somewhere his desires aren’t considered a crime. Moving […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-12-09T16:40:42+02:00December 9th, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: LGBTQI+ Book Reviews, Memoir Book Reviews|

Review: For Such a Time as This: Appointed to Rise by Amy Bragdon

A fearless collection of uplifting lessons and stories about the powerful potential we each possess, For Such a Time as This: Appointed to Rise by Amy Bragdon is a rousing call to life-changing action. Reflecting on her own biographical journey and the legacy she intends to leave behind, the author artfully distills a bounty of wisdom she has gathered along the way.

Structurally, the book presents ten Appointments – philosophical and personal truths that “will reframe your identity, restore your hope, and reignite your purpose.” These include embracing the purposeful “yes” in your life, choosing courage no matter the cost, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-11-26T13:55:57+02:00November 26th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Self-Help Book Reviews|

The Hurricane Within: Beyond the Storm by Ashlee Leppert

A raw and riveting peek into the post-service life of a bonafied hero, The Hurricane Within Volume 2: Beyond the Storm by Ashlee Leppert is a road memoir like few others.

While the first installment focused on her military journey and heroic efforts during Hurricane Harvey, this second part rounds out the full story of Leppert’s inspiring life. The text begins by probing the painful and profound moments of her formative years, from the death of her best friend and a brutal sexual assault to solidifying her relationship with God and taking that first leap of faith with the Coast […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-11-21T16:35:16+02:00November 21st, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Military Book Reviews|

Transient Anchors by Libère J. Ndacayisaba

A timely and powerfully told memoir about seeking a fresh future without losing your past, Transient Anchors: From Refugee Tents to Research Towers by Libère J. Ndacayisaba is a compelling tale of survival, support, and unwavering resilience.

As the author arrives in America for the first time, uncertain but eager to begin his studies in engineering, he recounts the fifteen years of harrowing journeys that had brought him to the other side of the world, far from his Fatherland of Burundi. The author’s non-linear storytelling carries readers across oceans and war zones, through refugee camps, college classrooms, and the mental […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-11-20T12:56:28+02:00November 20th, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews|

Triumphs of Tenacity by Yusra Mariyam

A stirring story of transformation through education, Triumphs of Tenacity by Yusra Mariyam is a rousing account of a Bengali immigrant’s journey from undereducated homemaker to distinguished university graduate.

After decades marked by deferring her dreams, Yusra embarked on an unlikely midlife venture to secure an advanced business degree from Anglia Ruskin University. In detailed and emotional recollections, she painstakingly details the intimate struggles of her academic quest through each demanding project and daunting disappointment. Relentlessly driven by inner strength and the example of her uncompromising family, Yusra overcomes every obstacle with grace – from digital illiteracy and time management […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-09-08T16:19:27+02:00September 8th, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Education Book Reviews, Memoir Book Reviews|