SPR’s book reviews of new self-published books
Ambitious’ Secret by Dameyon Allen
Posing hard questions about when we need to adjust our moral compass, Ambitious’ Secret: Hope’s Story by Dameyon Allen brings readers into the heart of Houston and its pulsing throb of hustlers, heartbreakers, and aspiring legends.
Hope is a fast-talking boss lady who knows how to work any player to get exactly what she wants. With her star on the rise, there seems to be no stopping her, until ambition collides with the unavoidable realities of an unforgiving game, in this brutal story of gritty city survival.
Allen’s visceral writing style is an uncut stream of consciousness, instantly immersing readers […]
Probing the complex emotions of a first responder and the physiological strain of getting by in America today, Wreck and Return: An EMT’s Journey Into and Out of Darkness by Tom Kranz is a powerful narrative loosely based on the author’s own dual life.
An insightful collection of personal essays and thought-provoking anecdotes, Deep Heavy Stuff: Thoughts and essays for enriching your life by Don Ake is an inspiring work of contemporary writing that is alternately raw, funny, and hopeful.
A new chapter of unbelievable escapades and impossible achievements awaits in The Further Travels and Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen by Ross Stein, a witty, whimsical, and poignant reimagining of the famous character.
Laying out a compelling argument for atheism, or at least a more intentional relationship to whatever faith you choose, Imagine There’s No Heaven: The Born Again Atheist by Frederick Von Heisenberg is a personal reflection on God’s potential existence, or lack thereof.
Obsession and desperation lead to scandalous deeds and sinister consequences in The Blythe Girl by Alex Webster, a fantastically dark period drama.
A richly imagined tale of cowboys, aliens, and an ethnographic clash of cultures, Starmen by Francis Hamit is a genre-bending adventure with enough historical touchstones to brilliantly blur the line between fact and fiction.
Following the money from a sleazy rip-off ring leads to bigger and more dangerous fish in Shitamachi Scam by Michael Pronko, a high-stakes hunt for justice in Tokyo.