SPR’s book reviews of new self-published books
Please Fall In Love With Me (And Other High School Wishes) by Brandon Alvarado
It’s not an advice […]
The Fat Girls Club by Lila Johnson
The Fat Girls Club by Lila Johnson follows the lives of Sissy, Nicki and Angela who join together in an effort to lose weight. The novel had the possibility of being a bit superficial and weight obsessed – and indeed Nicki and Angela aren’t too happy at first about having their weight pointed out – but losing weight is a very real concern for most everybody, and the issue is handled sensitively, and humorously. It’s also an uplifting story about friendship and how important it is to have the support of friends during difficult times.
This isn’t just a lighthearted […]
The Street Called Straight by Elizabeth Polk
Character is key to this novel, but Polk expertly makes the character development part […]
Murphy’s Luck by Benjamin Laskin
Murphy Drummer is bad luck personified. As Murphy’s Law states: anything bad that can happen will happen. This is Murphy’s lifelong mantra. After a lifetime of causing havoc wherever he goes, he becomes the ultimate agoraphobe and locks himself inside so he can’t cause any more damage. Keeping himself busy with a multitude of hobbies, Murphy becomes the “Hobby Guy” with a devoted following. Eventually, Murphy has to leave the safety of his cocoon and comes in contact with his polar opposite: Joy Daley, who is touched by lady luck wherever she goes, and who might just change Murphy’s luck […]
Working the Devil by John Hagar
All in all, Working the Devil[…]
The Street Rod Mystery by Judy Iverson
The Street Rod Mystery by Judy Iverson is a spirited and engaging mystery about the disappearance of a young woman girl at a fifties car show. The girl is kept captive by a car-obsessed man who first fell in love with a 1959 Buick Electra 225 convertible. A huge manhunt begins for the young woman, while she tries to evade her captor, and we learn of his twisted impulses that led to the abduction, a plan that was thirty years in the making.
What makes The Street Rod Mystery unique is that it’s an ode to cars, as well as […]
ReLovenship (TM) by Mario P. Cloutier and Diane Sawaya Cloutier
ReLovenship (TM) Look Within to Love Again!: A Workbook to Attract “The One” and Much More in Your Life! by husband and wife duo Mario P. Cloutier and Diane Sawaya Cloutier is a how-to guide for securing a long-term relationship in a country with a 50% divorce rate. What exactly does ReLovenship mean? It’s the concept that you must love yourself before you’re ever a good mate for someone else. Far from this being an emphasis on narcissism or arrogance, ReLovenship is more of a spiritual concept in which people need to forgive themselves and open up to their better […]
Dismantling Evan by Venessa Kimball
Dismantling Evan is a moving and harrowing novel about coping with bipolar disorder – not just the disease itself, but how everyone reacts to those who suffer from mental illness. Evan Phillips is moved to a small town in Texas after suffering a nervous breakdown. Her parents hope that a new setting in a calmer environment will help her recover. All does not go as planned, as Evan’s family moves next to Gavin Ferguson, a teenager who has mental illness problems of his own. A group of gifted, but troubled, teenagers bond together, but become vicious targets as the town […]