SPR’s book reviews of new self-published books
Tides by Philip J. Moss
Much of Tides by Philip J. Moss reads […]
Plagued: Book One: The Girl Who Chased The Shadows by Garrison Scott
In Plagued: The Girl Who Chased the Shadows, by Garrison Scott, readers are introduced to a world that has been irrevocably changed by an alien asteroid that destroyed all semblance of normalcy on Earth. More interestingly is the main character, Skyler, who is infected with an alien pathogen moments before the asteroid makes its deadly impact. This isn’t a normal infection, however, and as it begins to transform the infected survivors, the division and fear among those still alive becomes a new battle for survival.
The novel flows at a rapid clip and the characters are rugged and well-defined, […]
Lower World by Eloise Harmann
For fans of science-fiction fantasy, author Eloise Harmann delivers a list of classic touches that include a hugely diverse cast of characters, quotes by Neil deGrasse Tyson, and a weighty page-count, in this unusual underwater saga.
In Lower World, author Harmann writes a corporate tech-political murder-mystery that sees an underwater community, the tetrapeds, threatened by a landlubbing world. Teeming with information on marine life and geological features of the ocean’s floor, the premise explains that the Great Unexplored is not Deep Space at all, but the oceans of our own planet, offering a highly inventive world that skirts the […]
Mr. Wonderful by Daniel Blake Smith
Mr. Wonderful by Daniel Blake Smith delves into the life of an academic, juggling family and his teaching career. Concerned about his aging father who is dealing with medical issues, Brian is faced with an adopted adult son who just can’t seem to find his way in life and inevitably ends up returning home while on the run from a dangerous situation. The sudden arrival of his son adds to the upheaval and adds further strain to what seems like an already threadbare marriage.
Between the phone calls from his younger brother about their father, the wishes of his father’s […]
Budland by Tom Kranz
While there is typically nothing funny about murder, author Tom Kranz manages to draw out more than a few smiles in his new novel Budland. The protagonist and a professional smart aleck, Bud Remmick, finds himself in jail after killing his intolerable boss, and he doesn’t seem to regret the choice in the least. The novel skips back and forth between life behind bars and the life Bud left behind, giving readers a better picture of why a seemingly smart and driven man would throw his freedom away for a single act of reckoning.
Bud is a fascinating character […]
Jate’s Boy (The Michael Butler Saga Book 4) by Peter P. Sellers
Jate’s Boy, the fourth book in the Michael Butler Saga by Peter P. Sellers is a thrilling addition to the storied history of crime novels centered around horse racing.
Beautiful Sophia Butler is a harness racing superstar. Wherever she races, the fans follow. The governor of New York wants to increase revenues at the track by adding slot machines and needs Sophia to bring in the crowds. Sophia’s husband, Michael, who’s doing a five-year stint in a correctional facility, is offered early parole if he convinces his wife to race in New York state.
However, that’s no easy task […]
The Matriarch Matrix by Maxime Trencavel
The Matriarch Matrix by Maxime Trencavel is an epic work of science fiction spanning the distant past to the near future. The book takes place in various time periods and locations, from Siirt to San Francisco, to the ancient wars of the Black Sea, all following the tale of the titular entity known as Matriarch, and the lives she has changed over 12,000 years.
The book is largely a mystery thriller with a slight supernatural twist with the presence of the mythical Matriarch ever-looming in the background. What the Matriarch is, or what precise relevance it has to the overarching […]
Twisted Threads by Kaylin McFarren
Who knew that a tropical cruise could be a health hazard – and for some, even deadly? Such is the case in Twisted Threads, Kaylin McFarren’s high-octane cruise ship whodunit, her fourth offering in the Threads series.
Former geisha, Akira, is now a trained assassin for a notorious Japanese crime syndicate led by the cold-blooded Mitsui-san. Her final assignment before being set free is to board a cruise ship, then identify and kill the person responsible for the death of Mitsui-san’s sister, Keiko, found dead two months earlier. Her short list of suspects point to a wealthy couple, but […]