New Releases

SPR’s book reviews of new self-published books

Eyes Last Seen Dying by Colin Adams

Eyes Last Seen Dying by Colin AdamsA vibrant and fully imagined new fantasy world springs to life in Eyes Last Seen Dying by Colin Adams, a visionary and violent fantasy adventure.

Subtly weaving YA themes into this detailed and masterfully designed world, Adams heads this fantasy action adventure with a powerfully relatable young protagonist. Lena is fast and fiercely independent, but far from invincible, even if the worst enemies emerge from her own mind. Forced to grow up at an impossible pace after accidentally nudging the world towards chaos and ruin, she must sharpen her skills to protect against mounting enemies on all sides.

Steeped in […]

2021-04-22T08:16:28+02:00April 21st, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

The Buzz Boys by Edward Izzi

The Buzz Boys by Edward IzziA tenderly penned reflection on the broad spectrums of boys and men, The Buzz Boys by Edward Izzi explores quiet and forbidden trauma, and the unexpected bonds so many people form to survive.

In this generation-spanning exploration of hurt and healing, readers are carried along on a coming-of-age narrative of five devoted young men that stretches across decades. Though the author clearly states this to be a work of fiction, there are a multitude of intimate moments between characters, and expressions of raw emotion, that will feel profoundly visceral. Delving into triggering subjects like abandonment, sexual abuse, domestic violence, and […]

2021-04-21T05:32:40+02:00April 21st, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: , |

The Unexpected Journey: Fire and Gold by Dedrick L. Moone and Haelee P. Moone

The Unexpected Journey: Fire and Gold by Dedrick L. Moone Vulnerably sharing the defining moments throughout his tragic and triumphant life, authors Dedrick L. Moone and Haelee P. Moone deliver an inspiring tale with The Unexpected Journey: Fire and Gold. 

With a tone that vacillates between conspiratorial and revelatory, Mr. Moone and his daughter, the co-authors of this book, are compelling storytellers. Detailing a number of unjust and broken systems in America that makes the book hugely relevant, the book displays a keen memory, a suspicious spirit, and a fierce unwillingness to quit, resulting in a raw and gripping memoir. Some of the most powerful sections are the brief, self-reflective […]

2021-04-20T07:28:43+02:00April 20th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Witches of the Mount 1730 by Tom Schneider

Witches of the Mount by Tom SchneiderAn intrepid young writer is sent by Ben Franklin to chase down a wild and deadly story in Witches of the Mount 1730 by Tom Schneider, a dark and enchanted historical thrill.

Blending historical fact and fiction, the protagonist takes one wrong turn after another in his quixotic search for either madness or magic in the mysterious village of Mount Holly. Tapping into some classic tropes of witch trial fiction, Schneider creates a vividly envisioned world, in a spiraling story that moves quickly, blurring the line of reality, fear, expectation, and legend.

The novel certainly has a spooky and sinister […]

2021-04-19T07:08:48+02:00April 19th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: , |

FoxHide by John C. Hill

FoxHide by John C. Hill FoxHide: From HillCountry Farm by John C. Hill is a sugar-rush of a novel told through the eyes of an energetic young fox as he grows up wild and free, and learns about life – both the good and the bad.

Exploring the nuances of brotherly affection, risky adventure, hard lessons, and the pain of disappointment, this allegorical story is well-penned and strong in its messaging for young readers. There are long passages of lovely descriptions, and exciting bursts of action, coupled with the constant charm of Pawz, Boomboom, and Strike – characters it is decidedly hard not to love.[…]

2021-04-16T06:23:48+02:00April 16th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Short Poems, Long Tales by Rashid Osmani

Short Poems, Long Tales by Rashid Osmani Bridging ideas of science, spirituality, depression, friendship, violence, love for humanity, and much more, Short Poems, Long Tales by Rashid Osmani is a wide-ranging collection of poetry.

Osmani’s poetry addresses some of the biggest questions and most unifying elements of life, examining these topics with almost clinical attention. There is curiosity and uncertainty as well – a humility that makes the verses pleasant, comforting, and authoritative, all at the same time. The modern, free-verse approach allows Osmani to let his thoughts stream without obstacle, and while most of the pieces are quite short, a great deal of intention is packed […]

2021-04-13T09:42:49+02:00April 9th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Cessation by Michael DiBiasio-Ornelas

Cessation by Michael DiBiasio-Ornelas Michael DiBiasio-Ornelas dissects the perils of business, friendship, romance, failure, and America’s hollow dream in his thought-provoking novel, Cessation.

A gripping and emotional confession, this novel is also an artful vivisection of modern life, analyzing both the glitches in the matrix and the existential crises brought on by capitalism. The narrator, Aaron, is both in the machine and a self-aware critic of the system, trapped between the need for survival and the search for meaning. After his lowest point, with his business on the brink of collapse, he forms an inexplicable connection with Walker, a wanderer disconnected from the […]

2021-04-01T10:30:39+02:00April 1st, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Destiny Control by David Garrahan

Destiny Control by David Garrahan Evidence that truth is often more incredible than fiction, Destiny Control by David Garrahan is the spectacular memoir of a dauntless, determined, and extraordinary life.

Spanning eight decades, and capturing the atmosphere and energy of generations past, Garrahan vulnerably reveals the riveting details of his challenging childhood on the streets of New York, an identity-forging adolescence, and a truly exceptional adulthood. From the colloquial buzz of Brooklyn to the ring of Russian curses in the Pennsylvania countryside, Garrahan’s tumultuous life is anything but predictable. Chapter breaks peppered with old photographs give readers an even better sense of the author – […]

2021-04-01T05:21:17+02:00March 31st, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |
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