Lead Story

Lead stories from SPR’s ever-growing independent book portal

Review: Growing Pains: Volume 1 (Raw Mind) by Evan McMillan

Growing Pains by Evan McMillan

Evan McMillan releases a torrent of biographical poetry in his raw and unabashed collection Growing Pains: Volume 1 (Raw Mind).

Notably, there is a clear autobiographical story woven through these bursting lines of passion and vulnerability. The poet is a man who has faced numerous heartbreaks and disappointments, he’s been failed by multiple systems, and he has even been betrayed by his own body’s desires, so the collection often feels like a cry of rage into the void.

As he explains in his introduction, there is “… no trying to say the right thing. It’s pure expression, spilling out […]

2021-04-28T04:39:35+02:00March 3rd, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |

Review: Beyond the Rainbow by James S. Bergquist

Beyond the Rainbow by James Bergquist

James S. Bergquist delivers a devastating novel of tragedy, deceit, and resilience with Beyond the Rainbow, a heartbreaking tale of perseverance.

After discovering a terrible secret about his troubled ex-partner and young daughter, Ethan does his best to move forward in the relationship and mend some very dangerous wounds. However, he also wields the dark secret like a weapon, or at least a looming threat, and consequently has his life ripped away by a cruel lie. Following the dramatic, stage-setting opening chapters is an in-depth peek at the criminal justice system, as well as the circuitous, time-intensive nature of […]

2021-02-25T08:13:07+02:00February 24th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |

Review: Foundra by Emmanuel M Arriaga

Foundra by Emmanuel M Arriaga

Timeless forces and fearless warriors collide in Foundra, a spectacular first installment of a new sci-fi series by Emmanuel M Arriaga.

When Neven Kenk, a genius-level engineer, is invited for a once-in-a-lifetime meeting with an ancient Founder at a legendary science institute, he has no idea the adventures that lie ahead of him. He is offered the chance the join the Founders’ Elite as a chief engineer, an incredible stepping-stone towards his aspirations of scientific glory. However, this job offer comes with some inherent risks to life and limb, not to mention having to be accepted by a crew […]

2021-02-16T08:09:45+02:00February 9th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |

Review: Cooking for Cannibals by Rich Leder

Cooking for Cannibals by Rich Leder

Combine a group of cannibalistic young-again octogenarians with a traditional tale of the fountain of youth and you’ve got a unique, dark thriller in Cooking for Cannibals – part zombie fiction, part something you’ve never read before.

Thirty-five-year-old Carrie Kromer is a behavioral gerontologist who works for Alsiko Labs, a top secret facility in the San Fernando Valley trying to develop an age-reversing drug. When the Greek Gods – Carrie’s nine lab rats – suddenly regain their youth, she realizes that their experimental drug actually works. Hatching an elaborate alibi, she steals the pills to help her elderly mother, who’s […]

2021-01-15T04:28:11+02:00January 14th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , , |

Review: Predator Moons by J.H. Ramsay

Predator Moons by J.H. Ramsay

Two unpredictable destinies collide in a far-flung corner of the universe in Predator Moons, a futuristic feast for the senses by J.H. Ramsay. Part dystopian fantasy and part space opera, this is an expansive and compelling story set in an endlessly layered realm of creativity and visionary imagination.

Traveling to the outer limits of the galaxy on two very different missions, the protagonists of this epic astral adventure don’t seem to have much in common, but that isn’t altogether true. Both are unable to resist change and progress; Isaiah is once again trying to escape a lifetime of slaughter […]

2020-12-01T07:10:34+02:00December 1st, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |

Review: Uri Full of Light by Holly Sortland

Uri Full of Light by Holly Sortland

Capturing the root, growth and revelations of romance during a tumultuous time in history, Uri Full of Light by author Holly Sortland is a vivid cultural snapshot and a delicate exploration of personal evolution.

Readers are immediately introduced to Hannah and Uri, the former a bold young woman with a penchant for white lies and profanity, and the latter being one of the few Jewish boys in his school – well-trained in letting conflict roll off his shoulders, to a point. This first impression is an important foundation, setting the tone for much of the authenticity that bubbles over throughout […]

2020-11-16T05:57:14+02:00November 15th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: Radical Mycology: A Treatise On Seeing And Working With Fungi by Peter McCoy

Radical Mycology by Peter McCoy

Radical Mycology is not just the title of this brilliant compendium on everything fungal, but also the name of the collaborative network co-founded by fungi expert and author Peter McCoy, who here examines the ecological concept of Permaculture, which is gaining traction as more people become aware of the healing properties of the humble mushroom in a quest to save the planet.

Mycology, the study of fungi, is an ancient discipline that can be traced to the beginning of human existence, and as Peter McCoy, a mycologist from Portland with many years experience of both the scientific and culinary […]

2020-11-13T09:44:53+02:00November 12th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |

Review: Enok and the Womb of Gods by A. SkoroBogáty

Enok and the Womb of Gods by A. SkoroBogáty

Author A. Skorobogaty weaves a remarkable origin story unlike any other in Enok and the Womb of Gods, a magical mixture of history and mythology. Pulling from ancient sources and stories known the world over, this novel expands the backstory of humanity, exploring traditions of worship and culture through the winding tale of Enok, a young slave willing to take the ultimate leap into the unknown.

This coming of age story finds Enok enmeshed in countless misadventures, barbarian battles, serpent-worshipping empires and even the early throes of romance, albeit from a prison cell. The plot is expansive and unpredictable, […]

2020-11-10T03:40:23+02:00November 9th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |
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