SPR’s book reviews of new self-published books
When a young boy disappears from the small town of Sandy Beach, everyone fears the worst, but there may be older and more dangerous forces at work than a mere kidnapping. Months later, Detective Bobby Justice is still on the case, and follows a lead to the Sand Beach Hotel, a haunting testament to a horrific beachside crime. The mysterious Marina Kerrigan, looming like a ghost over her hotel, is just one of […]
Divided into three thematic sections – “You,” “Me,” and “Us” – these lyrical verses are journeys into the arms of the divine, along with all the comfort and deliverance one might find along the way. The language is carefully chosen and laden with wisdom, asking readers to challenge themselves and their own ideas of satisfaction, becoming something of a work of self-help. Exploring the relationships we have with ourselves, our loved ones, and […]
Reminiscent of the pacing and subject matter of Charles Bukowski, at times, the poetry is gritty and raw, yet still polished. Reflecting on everything from laziness and responsibility to loyalty in relationships and the grind of work, these are everyman poems, shining an honest light on the exasperating business of being alive. “The Poem I Never Wrote” is a standout, capturing that unique tone of visceral human experience. Tired and begrudging as the […]
The moving and drama-filled novel Aren and Élise by Ettenig Sayam brings two very different people into a post-midlife romance that finds each of them navigating very unfamiliar territory.
When 50-year-old Haitian foreign language teacher Élise falls during a hike in Vermont, she is rescued by Aren, a vibrant 63-year-old engineer of Armenian descent who seems to have found the woman he didn’t know he was looking for. Sharing little in common beyond a history of political violence, the confident and charming Aren woos the shy and reluctant Élise with persistence, romance, and erotic sexual adventure, until the couple encounters […]
On the planet Eiyesa, the population can’t reproduce and could disappear while political rivalries threaten both the society’s stability and the young hero Sergen’s efforts against all the adversaries and obstacles that confront him. An innovative tale that interweaves multiple issues – politics, the environment, and discrimination alongside family bonds and struggles – the novel balances well the hero’s quest with timely themes.[…]
Still grieving the violent murder of their four-year-old daughter, Allison, seventeen years before, Lorraine and John Steads are now reeling from more unthinkable grief: their son Erik is in jail accused of killing his brother, Mat, while they were on their annual elk hunting trip. Erik swears it was an accident and that he only fired once, but when police find two bullet holes in Mat, his death comes under investigation.
As the search for the truth ensues, additional […]
Leaping from a silent valley in Wyoming into the world of megapowers and conspiracies, Clay, Ash, Baxter the Hound, and their neighbours embark on a dangerous journey chased by a ruthless secret military branch known as the U.S. Asset Command. Their valley destroyed, they soon realize that […]
John Castlemaine is dead, under grim and unusual circumstances, but his eternal soul must still be judged. Thus begins his existential wanders through an in-between realm, where he must examine the value and impact of his somewhat ignoble life. Castlemaine is an intriguing figure at the story’s center, introspective and empathetic, as he wanders the mysterious realm of RotaryPug. Somewhere between a nightmare, a hallucination, and a dire warning, the story is undeniably original, adding far […]