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

Review: Entropy Loop & Other Poems by Jeffrey Heath

Entropy Loop and Other Poems by Jeffrey Heath

An ambitious but unassuming collection of quietly brilliant verse, Entropy Loop & Other Poems by Jeffrey Heath runs the gamut of raw human experience, transcending the tropes and familiar emotions of contemporary poetry.

Cascading through visceral recollections of heartbreak tangled in abstract metaphor, these pieces explore the mercurial landscapes of memory. At first glance, it feels as though the author is processing grief and uncertainty right along with each reader, while hesitantly striving toward a more hopeful future. Using simple, accessible language to express profound and existential feeling is the telltale sign of a masterful poet, and Heath demonstrates that […]

2025-10-24T11:52:01+02:00October 24th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: Marianne by Alice McVeigh

Marianne by Alice McVeigh

Expertly adding to her expansion of Jane Austen’s ouevre, Marianne by Alice McVeigh is the fifth thrilling piece of an impressive historical fiction series.

Marianne, recently widowed but prone to unreasonable love, is offered condolences as often as invitations from the endless supply of eager new suitors in London, but her heart is distracted by the presence of her first true love. Navigating this new and overwhelming world of social climbing only becomes more complicated when her firecracker of a younger sister, Margaret, arrives on the scene to stir up trouble and swoon at the resultant drama.

Bouncing between the […]

2025-10-23T14:56:00+02:00October 22nd, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: Vandemonian Spirit by Missy Birch

Vandemonian Spirit by Missy Birch

An intense period drama laced with the timeless theme of love lost and found, Vandemonian Spirit by Missy Birch is a powerful tale of feminine resilience and the relentless pursuit of joy in the face of systemic indifference.

After a selfless act of desperation to save her sister’s life, Hannah Fearn lands in the hands of the law, and she is sentenced to seven years of servitude in Van Diemen’s Land, the colonial name for present-day Tasmania. Forced to leave her life of squalor, she hardens herself to the inevitable cruelty of the years to come as she sails to […]

2025-09-30T11:56:07+02:00September 30th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: The Reluctant Bully by Gary Rivera

The Reluctant Bully by Gary Rivera

A second thought-provoking Smoochie adventure, The Reluctant Bully: A Smoochie Family Story by Gary Rivera continues Madeline’s journey as she navigates the high hopes and dramatic lows of middle school.

With her victorious lunch-money treasure hunt still fresh in her mind, Madeline, aka Lynn/aka Smoochie, turns her attention to the worrying drama going on in her brother’s life. B hasn’t been himself lately – he’s quieter and more disconnected, and it seems like one of his high school classmates, Jordan, may be responsible for the shift. As Smoochie asks more questions and digs deeper into the history of her friends […]

2025-09-30T12:21:28+02:00September 29th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: No More 24/7 by Catherine Cowart Roe

No More 24/7 by Catherine Cowart Roe

A thorough guide to gaining your freedom as a dedicated business owner, No More 24/7: Entrepreneurs, Take Your Life Back by Catherine Cowart Roe is an invaluable resource for anyone who feels like they’re never truly off the clock.

Primarily focusing on the importance of running your own business without letting it overtake your life, this insightful guide touches on the most crucial aspects of entrepreneurial experience, from time management and delegation of responsibilities to self-care and mindfulness techniques, which gives the book the original pull of a self-help guide, rather than a by rote leadership or organization manual.

The […]

Review: Transcending Anxiety by Manal El-Ramly

Transcending Anxiety: From Fear to Freedom by Manal El-Ramly

A methodical and compassionate companion for those seeking to improve their lives, Transcending Anxiety: From Fear to Freedom by Manal El-Ramly brings the stark reality of inner turmoil to light and offers practical strategies to overcome this lifelong struggle.

The guide begins with an introduction to a unique model of anxiety, detailing how it can manifest in our Four Bodies – physical, emotional, mental, and egoic. These four aspects of experience form our overall relationship to life, and the presence of anxiety or fear in any one aspect will present itself in different ways. The text then illuminates the critical […]

2025-08-25T15:21:47+02:00August 25th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: Windslash: The Last Elemental by Chris Bennett

Windslash: The Last Elemental by Chris Bennett

An unlikely hero rises to save the world from a dormant evil in Windslash: The Last Elemental by Chris Bennett, an imaginative and energetic debut fantasy.

On the mythical island of Atlantis, a young student of the Wind named Timaeus discovers an incredible ability: he is able to tap into all four elemental powers – wind, fire, earth, and water – a rare gift only mentioned in prophecy and legend. This unexpected prodigy must master all four forms of elemental magic before he loses control or is consumed by his unprecedented access to such raw power. Forced to prove himself […]

2025-08-20T18:26:03+02:00August 20th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: Oh F*ck! Dinosaurs! by Dave Bruno

Oh F*ck! Dinosaurs! by Dave Bruno

Sardonically echoing Jurassic Park, Alien, and other classic stories of predatory monsters, Oh F*ck! Dinosaurs! by Dave Bruno is an amusing escape that also doubles as a character study of survival during times of absolute chaos.

A dozen post-collegiate friends with a whole trunk of tangled baggage embark on a weekend in the remote mountains of northern California. Rumors of savage animal attacks in the area and their own interpersonal conflicts already threaten their peaceful plans for hiking, camping, and some tipsy debauchery, but when this mismatched crew mistakenly enters a restricted government area, they wander their way […]

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