New Releases

SPR’s book reviews of new self-published books

Harvest Moon (By the Light of the Moon Book 4) by Jenny Knipfer

Harvest Moon by Jenny Knipfer

Two lost souls in search of timeless answers leave all they have known behind in Harvest Moon, Book 4 in Jenny Knipfer’s immersive and emotional By the Light of the Moon series.

The dual stories of Maang-ikwe and Niin-mawin show their vastly different experiences as indigenous people, but as their lives entangle, their natural alliance emerges. While navigating the perils of new social situations and cities, they both struggle to find a genuine balance between where they came from and who they are becoming.

Supported brilliantly by strong secondary characters and foils that leap off the page, rather than […]

2020-09-22T03:34:23+02:00September 21st, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

The Second Child by Regina Toffolo

The Second Child by Regina Toffolo

Author Regina Toffolo excavates the darkest corners of her life in The Second Child, a memoir spanning decades of childhood instability, familial uncertainty, alcoholism, mental illness, and the unexpected challenges of parenting.

Told in a deeply personal yet accessible way, this book explores the warning signs and roots of addiction, as well as the repercussions of grief and loss that can only be unpacked from the distance of age or experience. The recollections are told in a matter-of-fact way, akin to journal entries, but there are also gut-punch moments that feel both voyeuristic and surprisingly relatable. Navigating wide-ranging subjects […]

2020-09-21T04:50:21+02:00September 21st, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: , |

Umlac’s Legacy (Entangled Galaxy Book 2) by Jim Meeks-Johnson

Umlac's Legacy (Entangled Galaxy Book 2) by Jim Meeks-Johnson Author Jim Meeks-Johnson serves up a weird and wonderful space romp with his second book of the Entangled Galaxy series, Umlac’s Legacy: Rogues and Misfits.

After defeating Umlac, a ruler of the Immortal Ascendency, the Earthling heroine at the center of this series must deal with the deadly halls of cosmic power and the backstabbing blobs she now rules. The problem with loyalties divided across the galaxy is that conflict is inevitable, and these universally significant stakes make for epic storytelling. The author’s unique universe expands even further in this installment, yet the minute details of alien tech and […]

2020-09-16T04:05:20+02:00September 15th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: , , |

The Rebirth of Henry Whittle by Gertrude T. Kitty

The Rebirth of Henry Whittle by Gertrude T. KittyA story of deception, betrayal, and the desperate leaps of faith we go to for some sense of home, The Rebirth of Henry Whittle is a nail-biting novel from author Gertrude T. Kitty.

Navigating her lifelong trauma of isolation and abandonment, Phoenix Whittle takes a chance on stability by reconnecting with a mysterious uncle. Little does she know that her real uncle is long gone, replaced by a clever con, but that doesn’t mean their bond is any less interesting to watch as it develops.

Boasting a complex blend of heavy themes, ranging from mental health and bullying to dark […]

2020-09-09T07:56:56+02:00September 8th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: , , |

A Tissue of Lies by CD Wilsher

A Tissue of Lies by CD WilsherA tragic ghost from the past upends the life of a veteran lawyer in A Tissue of Lies by CD Wilsher.

Frank Connor is a lawyer who has spent his career defending murderers, but when he finds himself on the wrong side of an ex-client’s death vengeful spree, it feels like the small mistakes of his past are closing in. Connor begins digging into the old case, trying to protect or defend himself, but only ends up finding more questions and dead ends, as well as the whiff of a cover-up. When the freshly released and heavily financed Tyrell Sikes […]

2020-09-08T06:48:07+02:00September 7th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Despite My Odds by Denise Monique

Despite My Odds by Denise Monique

From the fearless fingertips of Denise Monique comes Despite My Odds, a powerful and painful memoir of an unconventional childhood, a traumatic youth, and a perseverant adulthood that is both compelling and heartbreaking.

Layla is an enigmatic focal point, one whom it seems the entire world is stacked against, but as her memories unfold, patterns emerge, systemic failures appear, and the long-term emotional weight of trauma becomes clear. From sexual assault and early encounters with police officers to dangerous relationships and chronically low self-esteem, this is not an easy book to swallow; it will choke you up and force […]

2020-08-28T03:20:59+02:00August 27th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Out of the Whirl by Ron Sanders

Out of the Whirl by Ron Sanders

Poet Ron Sanders has gathered a disparate and impactful collection of verse, capped by a parable-like novella in Out of the Whirl, a free-wheeling, experimental, and powerful collection.

Sanders’ poetry is both elemental and spiritual, tapping into universal and abstract themes of resilience and fortitude, faith and power, while using language that is natural and immediate. Pieces like “Masters of the Wheel” come across as nostalgic mythology, while “Dust to Dust” reads like a musing on the inherent pain of life – the crushing anxiety of existence. These are decidedly heavy themes, and many are expanded on in the […]

2020-08-27T03:43:45+02:00August 26th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Engage at Dawn: First Contact by Edward M. Hochsmann

Engage at Dawn: First Contact by Edward Hochsmann

The puzzling discovery of an abandoned and mysteriously destroyed ship launches a deadly race for power in Engage at Dawn: First Contact by Edward M. Hochsmann.

Primarily set onboard a Coast Guard Cutter, readers are immersed as a maritime crew come to life and seek out the unknown attacker – something from out of this world. Simmons and Ben make for a dynamic duo at the heart of this book, an unlikely team that balances duty and honor with deep respect and brotherly love. The added layers of shadowy government agencies with sinister intentions, hinted at from the first few […]

2022-06-08T01:35:45+02:00August 20th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: , , |
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