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

Review: The Actor by Mharlyn Merritt

The Actor by Mharlyn Merritt

Bizarre worlds collide with even wilder consequences in The Actor by Mharlyn Merritt, a non-stop ride through the realms of fame, sex, regret, and redemption. A burst of spontaneous brilliance from the first page to the last, this novel is a love note to the weird edges of celebrity, and a homage to a golden era of Hollywood that may have never existed outside the tabloids.

Known only as The Actor, the enigmatic protagonist finds himself in hot water after his lover mysteriously disappears, but that doesn’t stop him from shacking up with the next lit fuse of a person […]

Review: Cutout: White Knight Dark Knight by Don Helmig & Scott Robertson

Cutout: White Knight Dark Knight by Don Helmig & Scott Robertson

Following the prophetic writing of Cutout: Government Conspiracy, authors Don Helmig and Scott Robertson have expanded this series with Cutout: White Knight Dark Knight. Diving deeper into the global cabal of shadowy powers directing us towards doom, this dystopian allegory is frighteningly timely, given the state of the world.

With events set after the pandemic our real world has yet to handle, this is a near-future horror story of China’s rise to global power, and the struggles of an American president facing mounting pressure from all sides. From exploding lake houses and murderous Aussie intelligence agents to delicate moments […]

2020-11-02T04:08:25+02:00October 31st, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: Shadowshine by Johnny Armstrong

Shadowshine by Johnny Armstrong

A timely and fearless tale of courage in the face of insurmountable odds, Shadowshine: An Animal Adventure by Johnny Armstrong is a brilliant piece of creative fiction.

When Zak the “poet possum” realizes that his home and those he cares for are being threatened, he embarks on an epic journey into the unknown to rally support and find a way to protect the forest. Somehow, he must unite the Forest Folk to push back the dangerous humans and their allies, but there are secret suspicions and old enemies who stand in his way.

An incredibly intelligent and philosophical protagonist, Zak […]

Review: Soul Seeker by Kaylin McFarren

Soul Seeker by Kaylin McFarren

When a corrupted child grows into an unrepentantly evil young man, he must be stopped, and that will require the investigations of a horrified father and the services of a dedicated demon, in the colorfully complex fantasy by author Kaylin McFarren, Soul Seeker.

Firefighter Benjamin Poe is fed up with his lazy, complaining son Gabe, but those feelings amplify when there’s a fire at Gabe’s workplace, killing the three co-workers he particularly despised. Poe can’t help but try to learn more until he is confronted by a strange man with bright flashing eyes. Crighton is so well acquainted with […]

2020-10-27T08:10:47+02:00October 27th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: Black River Lantern by Alex Grass

Black River Lantern by Alex Grass

A surreal carnival of horrors, Black River Lantern by Alex Grass is a genre-spanning novel of dangerous powers, cruel fathers, and the secrets that shape our lives.

The Maravicos Carnival is a legendary institution in the town of Kayjigville, but so is the temper and ambition of Papa Maravicos, who will do anything to keep the family business thriving. After escaping from his father’s never-ending cycle of abuse and pain, Eddie Maravicos is dragged back to this torturous circus, armed with the surprising new power to read minds. It doesn’t take long for his father to capitalize on this new […]

2020-10-23T07:13:13+02:00October 23rd, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: Just Buy Her a Dress and She’ll Be Fine by Amanda Dodson Gremillion

Just Buy Her a Dress and She’ll Be Fine by Amanda Dodson Gremillion

The emotionally charged yet sensible treatise, Just Buy Her a Dress and She’ll Be Fine by Amanda Dodson Gremillion, is the moving story of postpartum depression and OCD as it played out in the author’s own life, and how that became a medium for guiding others.

Gremillion’s mental distress seemed to begin when she had her first child. She and her husband Jay had met in their early teens, courted for ten years, and married – happily, at first. Both wanted a child and when their daughter Aubrie Lynn was born, she was welcomed.

Soon afterwards, the problems set in. […]

2020-10-19T03:28:30+02:00October 13th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , , |

Review: The Commander by Dan E. Hendrickson

The Commander by Dan E. Hendrickson

Author Dan E. Hendrickson unleashes a wild and exhilarating ride with The Commander, an unpredictable high seas thriller in the Gulf of Mexico. Armed with enough action to satisfy those seeking a fictional adventure, but also plenty of rich character development and well-penned relationships, this is an unexpectedly complex read.

At the helm of this novel is Commander Jacob Edwards, a tough-as-nails captain of the First Responder, who suddenly finds himself deadheading into an international crisis. Juggling loyalties, national secrecy, and the lives of his men, this Coast Guard captain has a full plate of action that never seems […]

2020-10-02T02:42:47+02:00October 1st, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: Was Michael Jackson Murdered? You Be the Judge by Everett Watson

Was Michael Jackson Murdered? You Be the Judge by Everett Watson

Author Everett Watson peels back the mysterious events surrounding the King of Pop’s death in Was Michael Jackson Murdered? You Be the Judge, suggesting in no uncertain terms that foul play was undeniably involved.

Despite this globe-shaking death being classified as a drug overdose, the case is complicated by the involvement of Dr. Conrad Murray, the star’s trusted at-home doctor and the administer of MJ’s treatments. The author lays out his belief, based on extensive personal research and the synthesis of court documents and trial testimony, that Murray perpetrated premeditated murder after his underhanded, self-serving manipulation of Jackson was discovered.[…]

2020-10-06T03:08:58+02:00September 30th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |
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