SPR’s book reviews of new self-published books
The Professional Security Manual Class 1, Urban Security by Charles White
The Professional Security Manual Class 1, Urban Security by Charles White might not sound like it, but it’s an inventive and hilarious take on a training manual, and one security guard’s over-the-top take on just what it takes to become a rent-a-cop. Covering important topics such as dealing with ghosts and how to use a stapler as a ninja weapon, this book will have you covered and then some. Mixed in with Charles White’s instructions are footnotes from a mysterious ghostwriter who finds himself imprisoned by Charles White, and ridiculing him the whole way through.
After the first footnote, it’s […]
Hope by Taryn Feldmann is a novel about abuse and recovery. Emily and Sarah have had a horrible upbringing due to their abusive father. Emily moves to New York with dreams of being an actor, while Sarah succumbs to drug addiction. When Emily learns of the healing power of a horse named Hope, she brings her sister to Wyoming to help put her on the right course. However, Emily falls ill to Leukemia and finds she needs the healing power of Hope as much as her sister. An emotional novel about overcoming pain and a troubled past.
Rise from Darkness: How to Overcome Depression through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Positive Psychology: Paths Out of Depression Toward Happiness is Kristian Hall’s comprehensive guide to overcoming depression. Combining personal history, a guide for both sufferers and friends/family members, and step by step instructions about how to lift yourself or others from the scourge of depression, the book covers depression from every conceivable angle with great erudition and empathy.
The Web Across the Water by M.J. Heywood is a thriller about an internet relationship gone awry. Lily Moore meets Bradley Jefferies in a chat room. She’s not seeking love, she’s seeking to swindle wealthy people out of their money. She’s got a system for finding heirs to fortunes. Brad, a wealthy American, might just be the one to stop her chain of thievery, as she considers love for the first time. Only Brad has sinister plans of his own. Unbeknownst to each other, they’re both laying a trap for the other. An entertaining and prescient thriller that combines elements […]
Imperia by Jason Hatcher is an epic fantasy about Fei Sei, the Red Empress, the ruler of an empire split in two. She has many enemies – Bamboo, a murderous concubine, as well as the Emperor, who are colluding with each other – and she’s been trapped behind enemy lines for decades. A revolution is brewing in the Empire of Heaven, and the Empress must make a chilling decision that will affect the future of the Empire. A fascinating fantasy novel that incorporates historical fantasy, horror, and some erotica into a highly-charged and captivating read.
I Am Not Dumb and I Am Not a Stinky Butt! by Joyce Knock is a spirited children’s story about one boy who’s taken a bit too much from a particular bully. A boy is teased by the class bully, Freddy, when he answers a question wrong in class (Freddy calls him “stupid”) and then when he falls down on the playground (he’s called “crybaby”), and then he’s called the name in the title. Finally having enough, he confronts Freddy in class and all the other kids offer their support, silencing the bully. It’s a sweet and important story, in […]
Second Chances by Lincoln Cole is a novel about big issues: racial discrimination and injustice, alcoholism, spousal abuse, and struggling to survive when society is stacked against you. The novel begins with Lakeisha who is facing virulent racism at an elementary school. When Lakeisha goes missing, her daughter, Nichole, must start caring for her younger siblings and picking up the pieces of a shattered life. She works with Richard, an attorney who got into the job with good intentions but has steered away from helping the common good, and he’s facing a crisis of his own. Nichole’s problems force both […]
The Sixteen Burdens by David Khalaf is the incredible first novel in a series about a fantastical alternate Old Hollywood. The stars of yesteryear weren’t just talented, they possessed supernatural abilities, and now they’re being kidnapped. Gray Studebaker – a street urchin who sells map to the stars – discovers the stars’ secret, and aims to save them from a nefarious adversary who is trying to steal their talents in order to create an unstoppable army.