SPR’s book reviews of new self-published books
When Marie seeks to sell a precious heirloom to help her son with his future, against her husband’s wishes, she could never have predicted the chaotic series of events that would […]
Whether she is exploring the nature of her own dreams or the peaceful switch between seasons, the connections she makes between lived experience and spiritual satisfaction […]
For the uninitiated, this book does not take a scientific or sociological approach to explaining the modern world, but it does delve into the human psyche, examining ways we can tap into a higher spiritual guide to shape our destiny. By exploring different aspects of dharma, the book offers map for a spiritual journey, one packed with lessons that will not only benefit your daily […]
A Christian Revolution, Marnell believes, will occur during the End Times predicted in Revelations, and he proposes that time is now. We must choose between Babylon – the life of sin we are born into – or the mount of Zion, representing God and His plan. Marnell exhorts us to recognize and steer clear of the evil plots of Satan, who rules Babylon but will be destroyed in the final […]
A dark tale of troubled teens seeking a new way forward through their trauma, Someone to Kiss My Scars by Brooke Skipstone is a brutal and essential read. Highlighting many of the critical and widely overlooked issues facing young people today – self-harm, abuse, sexual identity, bullying and much more – this is a fearless novel with a message far deeper than the plot.
The intensity of the story, as Hunter and Jazz try to heal one another’s oldest wounds, is coupled with powerful prose and the reminder that everyone has secrets and scars, urging readers towards empathy, self-examination, and […]
When an alien and his craft crash-land in Afghanistan on a mission to capture a human and return home, a madcap hunt for the mysterious titular technology U-10 begins. Author Sam B. Miller II delivers an off-kilter, tongue-in-cheek sci-fi drama that has occasional echoes of Vonnegut, Douglas Adams, and even a dash of Asimov.
Ty Lavender, Lincoln Frost, and Koritt Diviak make for a captivating core of characters, despite being on opposing sides with decidedly different intentions. One wants to keep his soldiers safe and get out of the Afghan desert alive, another wants to take possession of the priceless […]
In Deep Rough, author Ray Keating drops his Swiss Army Knife in human form, Pastor Grant, into another nearly unbelievable mission. He is tasked with protecting the son of a controversial pastor in China; the only problem is that the son is an international golf star whose career is on the rise. With Chinese secret police and a whole cast of unsavory characters gunning for […]
Tales of murder, scandal and injustice from the rugged end of the 19th century in America hold a perennial appeal, and The Hub of Hell from author Beverly Porter has all of these aspects in spades. The book is a shocking glimpse into law enforcement of the past, and an impressively complete account of the strange autumn and winter of 1887.
Inspired by a single newspaper article, this true story is a well-researched reconstruction of the dramatic events and players surrounding a trio of imprisoned brothers in Minneapolis more than 130 years ago. Pete, Tim and Henry Barrett sit […]