SPR’s book reviews of new self-published books
The book deftly explores the economic power that millennials could hold in the demographic spread of society, and recognizes the unique position in history they represent – a pre- and post-Internet generation with a strange blend of psychological characteristics from both sides of that watershed. The focus is cutting-edge contemporary and offers a perspective that includes […]
Daughter of a career diplomat, Clarissa’s life begins by criss-crossing the globe, but her passion for art drives her forward, straight into a hunt for a historic treasure, and into an unexpected relationship that will come to define her life. This long-form tale of Clarissa’s life, along with some love and looting, is entrancing and educational, particularly her tête-à-têtes with Nathan, which are both flirtatious and fascinating to follow, making for an outstanding duo […]
Twenty-five years after witnessing the violent clash of religion and politics firsthand, Pastor Grant must once again unravel the deadly relationships of power – both divine and diplomatic. As is often the case, the theological and the political become tightly knotted in this fast-moving novel, specifically socialist philosophy and Christian dogma. The book also neatly explores the shadowy history of CIA interests, theological autocracies of the past and present, […]
Over the course of nearly fifty years, Jeffrey Cooper reliably sought and found himself on the cutting edge of technological advances that have shaped our 21st-century world. The fact that Cooper’s career at GE started four years after the first microprocessor was released, and has stretched well into the modern age of VR, AI, and quantum supercomputers demonstrates the breadth of the author’s […]
Recounting his “whale story without the whale,” the protagonist named Old, with wisdom to match his name, invites readers into his philosophy-forward memoir, laced with humor and potential answers to some of the biggest questions we face. From early childhood head injuries and illicit afternoons in barrooms with his grandfather to early missteps in romance, cliff jumping, and the looming clouds of war, it doesn’t take long for readers to forget that they aren’t reading an autobiography, propelled […]
Representing the sinful, lustful, self-aware, rebellious, and untamed nature of humankind, specifically womankind, Lilith and her ilk have long been cloaked in biblical shadows and mystical rumors. Beginning with her deflowering by Adam in the Garden of Eden, finding refuge in the arms of Samael the archangel, and her legendary manipulation of Eve’s appetite, this is a biblical story few have ever heard. However, Chiniche’s portrait goes much further, with Lilith existing in different forms […]
Shades of Thorne Creek by Alan Havorka is a fascinating social novel following the fate of a small town population in the mid-1970s trying to survive in the midst of industrial decline, for a searing and emotive portrait. Havorka brings to life the provincial frustration against a period backdrop, teasing out the delicate personal relationships that define people and the paths they take, with sometimes tragic consequences.
Our unnamed narrator arrives in Emery, South Dakota, a perfectly normal if somewhat barren Great Plains town that has clearly seen better days, organized around a local grain elevator. Having noticed with a […]
A grief-driven antihero with a dimension-leaping talisman and a drinking problem is about as unlikely a protagonist as one could imagine, but Sam is irresistible, oddly charming, and admirable in both his principles and passions. Seeing a character depicted in true love, and then facing devastating loss, is instantly bonding for the reader to follow this character wherever he goes, even beyond the bounds of reality itself. This quixotic quest […]