SPR’s book reviews of new self-published books
Donald Trump: Zombie Hunter by Jon Davidson
Donald Trump: Zombie Hunter is the raucous and topical satire of the man of the moment, Donald Trump, as he wins the presidency, fixes everything overnight, and then is attacked by a hoard of zombies, all of which come in the form of his current opponents: Chris Christie and Rand Paul, among others. The story is filled with amusing references to moments from the campaign trail – such as Trump taking on John McCain’s heroism. If you’re a fan of the horror crossover genre, it’s a unique take that’s at once funny and revolting.
Though the short story may be […]
The Country of Innocence by Eric Fisher Stone is the surreal, literary novel about a strange place named Mexas, where the Southwest has become one giant state, and animals and humans can converse with each other. After moving to Mazatlán on the Pacific coast, the Montoya are taunted by demonic iguanas, and Mateo Montoya must travel the long distance to Mazatlán to reach his family, an epic journey that becomes increasingly strange and perilous.
Burn Zones: Playing Life’s Bad Hands is Jorge P. Newbery’s autobiography about going from rags to riches to rags again, and still staying strong along the way. Becoming a real estate mogul at a young age owning over 4000 apartment buildings and a net worth of tens of millions, it all came crashing down with a botched investment in Ohio. Newbury was arrested and ended up $26 million in debt. That’s not a typo.
Pipeline to Plenty by Paul Clifton is an exciting corporate thriller about building a pipeline in central Australia, which turns out to be a lot more complicated and dangerous than anticipated. James Clayton – newly marriage with a new child and new house in a wealthy section of Melbourne – is tasked with the monumental duty of building the pipeline, on the urging of the giant construction firm Robco. Things are not as easy as they seem as Clayton and his brother have to battle the rough Australian terrain, ambitious politicians, thieves, terrorists, and more, who all threaten to sabotage […]
Blue Sky, the second book in the Morrow Girls series, starts off where book one left off: after “Pecan” Marrow has struggled through an abusive marriage while trying to raise four dynamic girls, Blue Sky follows the life of the girls. The girls have broken spirits from their tumultuous upbringing, but they’re still plenty spirited. One by one, we learn the girls stories and how their past and family affected their present life. It’s not just a case of the girls against the world: it’s the girls against each other.
Don’t let the title fool you: this isn’t non-fiction, you won’t find any get rich quick schemes here. But it does speak to how Bernhart’s lead character, the regally-named Maxwell Smythe Brown IV, doesn’t take much of anything very seriously. A funny and engaging voice, Brown has a very good knack for getting himself into trouble. He’s a pretty dynamic guy: a professor, an Air Force pilot, married to a difficult but beautiful student. And then Brown’s life takes a turn for the fantastic: a collector of antiquarian maps, he learns the location of a treasure from the 17th century […]
Lucid Dreams and the Holy Spirit by Maria Isabel Pita is a fascinating account of one woman’s experiences with lucid dreaming over many years. Describing over 50 dreams, Pita explores the imagery of each dream and the ramifications for her life both personally and spiritually.
Juliet’s Journey by Kathy Gates is a delightful and comforting novella about traveling outside your country and your comfort zone. Juliet is a thirty-year-old graphic designer who decides to volunteer at an art school in the tiny village of Baiardo (a real place, the pictures of Baiardo are astounding). As sometimes can only happen in an exotic locale, Juliet learns to open up and be more comfortable with herself and her past.