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Lead Story

Lead stories from SPR’s ever-growing independent book portal

Review: Stained Echoes by Jon Ring, Illustrated by Vinessa Sanford

Stained Echoes by Jon Ring

Crafting myriad worlds in a tightly penned collection of stories, Stained Echoes: Tales of the Mysterious and the Macabre by Jon Ring is an enchanting work of old-fashioned horror for readers who love to be spooked. Presenting a wide and weird variety of disturbing yarns, from ancient battlefield hauntings to the demons held deepest in our hearts, this book exhibits a mastery of the style.

A unique and impressive homage to the macabre pacing of Poe, the collection hums with sinister tension, often delaying its twisted payoffs until the very end of the story. The opening piece especially, “The Secret […]

2022-06-09T03:51:58+02:00June 3rd, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |
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Review: The Chocolate Clouds by Marc Remus

The Chocolate Clouds by Marc Remus

Author Marc Remus sends readers on a surprising and symbolic ride through the magical land of Foodtopia in his delectable children’s book, The Chocolate Clouds.

Henry’s family rose to wealth and prominence by securing the chocolate clouds and harvesting their bounty, ensuring plenty of food for Choco-Locoville and Sugarland. However, when the clouds suddenly disappear from his family’s property, Henry’s “normal” life melts away, so this health-conscious adventurer and his beloved cat embark on a grand quest to find them.

Daring to cross the Monster Mountains in search of his family’s most prized possessions, Henry learns the proper history […]

2022-05-31T08:13:45+02:00May 30th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |
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Review: Heretic (The Helios Rising Trilogy Book 1) by Chris Mayne

Heretic by Chris Mayne

A dark magical adventure into the far-flung future of humanity, Heretic by Chris Mayne is a bold, creative mixture of dark fantasy and dystopian fiction.

An explosive disaster rocks the city of New Tartarus, leaving countless dead in its wake, except for one man found in the center of the blast crater with glowing runes on his body. At first glance, Arlex is nothing but a young sapien underminer, a low-level laborer, but he is also a vortex of magical phenomena, displaying more raw potential than even the most powerful priests and magick-users of the Order.

Viktor, an acolyte healer […]

2022-05-04T08:58:04+02:00May 4th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |
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Review: The Happiness Journal by Viet Hung

The Happiness Journal by Viet Hung

An invitation to a more elevated form of living, The Happiness Journal by Viet Hung Nguyen is a thoughtful, comprehensive, and encouraging collection for those seeking change.

Composed of more than a decade of blog posts, and curated with an intuitive flow of ideas, this collection is full of uplifting and inspiring prose. As the author states in the foreword, the purpose of this book, and the entirety of their work, is “to inspire everyone to have a positive, well-rounded, peaceful, meaningful, fulfilled, energetic, and intense life.” The subsequent essays explore the tools and pathways to achieve such a life, […]

2023-03-11T18:31:05+02:00May 3rd, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |
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Review: Tell Me More by David W. Kolakowski

Tell Me More by David W. Kolakowski

Taking the terror out of public speaking through logic, preparation, and practice, Tell Me More: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting & Delivering Inspiring Presentations Fearlessly by David W. Kolakowski is a refreshing, real-world primer for anyone who gets nervous before getting behind a mic. In a book about perfecting and delivering top-tier presentations, the author cannot fail to meaningfully engage readers from the first page, or few readers would make it to the second chapter, but that is far from the case here.

The author is humble, yet meticulously knowledgeable, both in the physical act of delivering a great speech, […]

2022-04-21T05:21:35+02:00April 20th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |
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Review: Clouds Float South by Paul A. Broome

Clouds Float South by Paul A. Broome

Delicately skimming through two decades of life for one Tennessee family, Clouds Float South by Paul A. Broome is a subtly beautiful collection of interlinked stories about growing up and choosing who to become.

The broad time arc of this collection gives readers a piercing look into the Smith family as a whole, specifically via the experiences and dynamic youth of Alan, the narrator of these stories. His narrative voice also matures as the stories progress, from simplistic descriptions and observations to more lyrical, nuanced, and meaningful commentaries from his clever point of view. This seamless growth of the main […]

2022-04-12T04:30:54+02:00April 12th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |
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Review: The Golden Hearts Club by Cinda K. Swalley

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 […]

2022-03-30T04:47:34+02:00March 29th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |
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Review: The Living Legend by Dan E. Hendrickson

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 […]

2022-03-28T03:42:11+02:00March 28th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |
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