New Releases

SPR’s book reviews of new self-published books

Scattered Legacy by Marlene M. Bell

Scattered Legacy by Marlene M. Bell Marlene M. Bell’s gripping third novel in the Annalisse Series, Scattered Legacy, is a thoroughly entertaining mob thriller that transports the reader to majestic Southern Italy.

New York antiques expert Annalisse Drury and automotive business owner Alec Zavos seem like the perfect stable couple, but drama is simmering under the surface of their relationship. After Alec is implicated in an embezzlement scandal and a former member of his company becomes a murder suspect, he and Annalisse will need to travel to his ancestral home in Bari, Italy to uncover the truth about his family’s ties to La Cosa Nostra. […]

2023-01-12T14:38:33+02:00December 6th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Catching Mozart by Benjamin Laskin

Catching Mozart by Benjamin Laskin A common-man adventure of epic proportions, Catching Mozart by Benjamin Laskin is an accessible slice of unusual prose that dances between philosophy, comedy, magical realism, and more.

JC, Manny, and Larry can only see dollar signs when their landscaping company snags a recurring gig in a fancy part of town, and while the yards on the block seem cursed when it comes to greenery, they’re eager for the challenge. The ancient old man at the end of the block and ominous warnings from nosy neighborhood kids set the stage for a bizarre tale of brotherhood, unexpected romance, desert mysteries, and […]

2021-11-29T08:24:41+02:00November 27th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: , |

Shooter’s Treasure by Kay A. Oliver

Shooter's Treasure by Kay A. OliverA seemingly pastoral tale of aging gracefully and finding long-sought peace, Shooter’s Treasure by Kay A. Oliver soon spirals into a rugged and thrilling love story with a healthy serving of wild west action.

Kristy Oaks – “Shooter” to her friends – is a divorced academic and a lifelong skeptic transitioning into retirement, but her newly purchased ranch holds dangerous secrets hidden just below the topsoil. She is quick to find indigenous allies and a local love interest, but her arrival also brings suspicion, gossip, thieves, and dirty cops who are led by little more than greed. Never one to […]

2021-11-18T10:55:10+02:00November 18th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: , |

A Buzz by Jacob Lightman

A Buzz by Jacob Lightman An imaginative and immersive plunge into a futuristic landscape set 6500 years in the past, A Buzz by Jacob Lightman is a sci-fi rainforest adventure amidst a barely recognizable world.

Jaway, Pama, Serra, Krizzles, and a myriad cast of other future soldiers lie at the heart of this story, as they try to unite The Land and avoid the insolent incursions, and explosions, of the Rebels. This classic premise of good and evil takes place in an insect-infested world that nature has begun to violently reclaim, which ends up posing more of a threat than enemy soldiers ever could. Many […]

2021-11-18T08:14:36+02:00November 18th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Elashom the Great Refuses and Other Stories by Erick Drake

Elashom the Great Refuses and Other Stories by Erick Drake A wide-ranging short story collection in both content and form, Erick Drake’s Elashom the Great Refuses and Other Stories is a lush, clever, and quick read for fans of the supernatural and strange.

The collection features six enchanting science fiction and fantasy tales, set everywhere from historical seventeenth-century England to the futuristic darkest reaches of space. Drake’s subjects also entertainingly run the gamut: the dead soul of a witch’s boyfriend trapped in a dreamcatcher, a surprising seance with a devilish twist written in play format, and a story about a declinatory sculptor inspired by the Biblical milieu of William Blake.[…]

Roots in Iran by Yasmine Mahdavi

Roots in Iran by Yasmine Mahdavi An uplifting work of non-fiction particularly geared toward young girls, Roots in Iran: Stories of Visionary Women by Yasmine Mahdavi recounts the lives of groundbreaking Iranian women and informs readers about Iran’s unfortunately undervalued culture and history.

The book focuses on fifteen influential women with ties to the country, such as the leading cancer researcher Mina Bissell, the prominent chess champion Dorsa Derakhshani, and the inspiring Florida legislator Anna Eskamani, alongside stunning illustrations by female Middle Eastern artists. The book also features sections and sidebars calling attention to related topics, such as the Iran-Iraq War, gender disparities in STEM fields, […]

2021-11-17T07:06:16+02:00November 16th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Five Seven Five by Barton Johnson

Five Seven Five by Barton Johnson A “Western-born author with Eastern sensibilities,” Barton Johnson delivers a one-a-day collection of intimate haikus with Five Seven Five. Drawing less on natural imagery and more on deep, personal introspection, these 17-syllable offerings are stark and powerful, each one polished and tightly edited for maximum effect.

Just as months and seasons have their own personalities, Johnson has grouped these haikus under loose themes – “January” questions independence and personal disappointment, “February” focuses on the trials and triumphs of family, “March” is a series of prayers and reflections on divinity, and so on throughout the year. Whether readers consume this […]

2021-11-12T04:41:20+02:00November 12th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

The Church Murders and the Cat’s Prey by F. Della Notte

The third installment of the thrillingly unpredictable Housekeeper Mystery Series, The Church Murders and the Cat’s Prey by F. Della Notte is a wild, bullet-riddled ride.

Navigating the assassination attempt of her dear friend Father Melvyn, Mrs. B. is back in the hunt for the would-be killer with quiet determination, wicket wit, and her feline-boosted sleuthing skills. The crime hits close to home, and brings her even closer to Detective Jake, adding strong emotional tension to an already taut narrative.

Balanced well between bursts of action, lightbulbs of discovery, intimate moments of reflection, and meticulously written dialogue, Della Notte […]

2021-11-08T05:15:24+02:00November 8th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |
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