New Releases

SPR’s book reviews of new self-published books

Geo by Topher Allen

Geo by Topher Allen A sweet, clever middle grade adventure about a group of rocks who end up on a treacherous journey in a vast wilderness, Topher Allen’s Geo is an absorbing book about the importance of asking questions and not letting fear define you.

Geo is a rock who works way too hard as a miner in the underground city of Golem’s Hollow. The town is largely controlled by a wealthy man named Mr. Noble, who is a dominant force in everyone’s lives. Geo knows that there’s more to Golem’s Hollow and Mr. Noble than meets the eye, but he’s too scared to […]

2022-01-17T08:36:40+02:00January 16th, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

All I Have: Celebrating Ceramic Artist Ruenell Foy Temps by Sheridan Hill

All I Have: Celebrating Ceramic Artist Ruenell Foy Temps by Sheridan HillAuthor Sheridan Hill celebrates the life and work of a gifted crafter of sculptural magic in All I Have: Celebrating Ceramic Artist Ruenell Foy Temps, a heartfelt homage to an inspired soul.

While this decade-spanning biographical collection of photographs captures Temps’ body of work, as well as the artist in certain intimate creative moments, the prose itself is also meticulously crafted, poetic, and seemingly awed by the work of this talented sculptor. The book takes readers through the fascinating history and unassuming achievements of this eccentric and fearless creator, and those who are unaware of Temps’ work will be […]

2022-01-17T05:29:25+02:00January 15th, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: , |

So Into Her by D.L. Yoder

So Into Her by D.L. Yoder Murderous schemes, long-buried secrets and desperate rescues abound in So Into Her by D.L. Yoder, an adrenaline-filled thriller with more than enough romantic tension to go around.

Paying for sins of the past while exploring new love in dangerous places, Yakiesha finds herself on the run with the enigmatic Marty, the man who replaced her recently murdered boyfriend at the head of a shadowy research team. Working together to stay alive, and to figure out who would be willing to kill them both over “Bluetooth for the brain,” these two make a wickedly smart and magnetic duo.

Delving into near-future […]

2022-01-14T07:51:06+02:00January 14th, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Rotten Fruit in an Unkempt Garden by Michael Nanfito

Rotten Fruit in an Unkempt Garden by Michael Nanfito A raw, unusual, and unforgettable memoir, Rotten Fruit in an Unkempt Garden by Michael Nanfito is a collection of personal essays, poetry, art, quotes, and reflections that encapsulate a remarkable life and an inspiring worldview.

Exploring outlaw living, alternative perspectives, and universal themes of lost love and opportunity, this patchwork offering of thoughts and memories is powerful and intimate. The opening section focuses heavily on religion, and Nanfito’s experience with patriarchal betrayals, both psychological and physical, and closes on a damning note: “We’ve yet to evict these faithless landlords / from the spaces that were always ours.” The writing then […]

2022-01-14T06:49:16+02:00January 14th, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: , |

The Living Wound by Shamir Kali Griffin

The Living Wound: Conquering Hope and Loss by Shämir Káli Griffin A stirring collection that feels both ancient and contemporary, The Living Wound: Conquering Hope and Loss (Urban Poetry & Soul Book 4) by Shamir Kali Griffin is a testament to resilience and healing, for individuals and for the world.

Like other books in this powerful series, this is a kaleidoscopic memoir in verse and experimental storytelling. As the title implies, these pieces reveal a myriad of griefs, both great and small, physical and abstract, societal and psychological. Painful confessions and nakedly honest revelations abound: “Today I took a breath praying to die / Hoping that this last one would be […]

2022-01-07T07:20:40+02:00January 7th, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Pricking Balloons by James C. MacDonald

Pricking Balloons by James C. MacDonald A mournful and musing collection of poetry in every form, Pricking Balloons by James C. MacDonald is both existential and immediate, dissecting a myriad of events, ideas, and feelings through his unique lens.

Divided into four sections titled with names of cities, some poems do feel tied to locations, but many others are biblical, philosophical, familial, and nonspecific. The New Orleans pieces feel like poetic questions, touching on sacred words and secret messages, ideals, and beliefs, but there are also intimate snapshot poems of tragedy and change, such as “The Little Girl in the Canal Street Mall” and “Crescent City […]

2022-01-04T11:01:24+02:00January 2nd, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Sortilege by Linda Gibson

Sortilege by Linda GibsonAn intricately crafted and gorgeously written inter-textual novel that weaves two interrelated stories together, Linda Gibson’s Sortilege is a must-read for fans of hybrid works and metanarratives.

In the contemporary plotline, a woman in her thirties named Emily (“Em” for short) is blundering through post-divorce existence after moving back home. The stories of two other women cross into Em’s tale, one of whom is reading a gothic-style novel that becomes the second main plotline of the novel.

Despite how confusing these braided pieces might sound, the author handles this Gordian knot of a narrative with style and grace. The novel […]

2022-01-03T11:01:49+02:00December 28th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Masters of the Craft by Don Gutteridge

Masters of the Craft by Don Gutteridge A poetic collection dedicated to writers who have changed the world with words, Masters of the Craft by Don Gutteridge is an impressive homage to the written word and a pleasure to read.

From Shakespeare and Shelley to Blake and Wilde, each poem upon these pages honors the skill and impact of a legendary lyricist. Importantly, Gutteridge knows the work of these masters intimately enough to gift them a worthy tribute: “the fury / of his fame could not save him / from the ruin of Reading Gaol / and he perished a pauper in Paris,” or “There isn’t a […]

2021-12-20T09:02:12+02:00December 17th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |
Go to Top