SPR’s book reviews of new self-published books
Greatest Ever tells the story of the New England Patriot’s miraculous win in Super Bowl 51 and the Patriot’s road to dominance in the NFL. With four Super Bowl wins under their belt, Brady and Belichick went into Super Bowl 51 against the Atlanta Falcons. Midway through the third quarter, the Patriots were down by 25 but came back in a […]
A captured slave, Eirick, crosses continents and battles an empire in this original world fantasy adventure. Eirick struggles to survive as human chattel as men in positions of power plot and scheme, with his path leading him to a man who may hold precious answers about his past.
The world and the nations in Ismark: The Marked Boy are all clearly developed so readers can visualize them quickly. The best part of JH Lillevik’s worldbuilding revolves around the diverse religions, faiths, and cults that populate this world. Though there are several mythical races in the story, they aren’t really involved […]
Layla-Rae Bryce is a woman with a deeply troubled life, and with a dark vocation: she works in the murder-for-hire industry, where clients can choose how victims die and watch the death streaming live. When Layla finally tries to raise herself up from the depths of despair, her employers may have other thoughts about her own fate.
Everybody Bleeds is a breath of fresh air in the thriller genre, when many crime thrillers star a disgruntled, middle-aged detective that is more trope than character. The novel’s cast of women, all old enough to have children and/or established careers, are perfect […]
Though the cover might suggest that this is a political novel, this is a true coming of age novel – […]
Guilt begins as a nice take on the middle-aged man adventure – men who are devoted to their families and careers, but the chances for adventure are fewer and farther between. However, things take a surprisingly dark turn, so the book isn’t a by-rote tale of middle-aged bonding, as the […]
Born in Kenya, presaging a life of international wandering, Brian Cox was the son of a US embassy professional, ex-boxer, and tennis addict whose domination resulted in Brian learning the game of tennis early on. He lived in Yemen, Vietnam, and Colombia, and attended college in the US, continuing his interests in tennis and Eastern spirituality. For many years he worked with Dennis Adams, his spiritual advisor and surrogate father. […]
Generous Fruits: A Survey of American Homesteading by Barbara Bamberger Scott is a fascinating history of the homesteading movement, from early settlers in America up to the modern day. Written from a “walked the walk” perspective, Scott shows an obvious passion for her subject, unearthing the challenges, successes, and missteps that American homesteaders have faced over the centuries.
There are a great number of books on homesteading that cover the nuts and bolts of going “off the grid” – how to maintain an organic garden, how to generate electricity, and so on – but few, if any, cover the storied […]