SPR’s book reviews of new self-published books
Wild Dragon Soul: Tales About a Journey to Find the Inner Artist by Tatjana Garibaldi
Wild Dragon Soul by Tatjana Garibaldi is described as “A collection of short stories, written in fairy-tale style, about a journey to find the inner artist.” While this may suggest a book literally about the creation of art, it is more abstract than that, but also quietly comforting. One might call these children’s stories for adults, while they could also be enjoyed by children as well.
The opening story, “Daisy,” for example, is about a flower growing underneath a goose’s nest. The flower can hardly be described as an “artist,” but it is about perseverance, getting help from others, and […]
“The secret is out! Investing in the stock market is like piloting a plane. Portfolio will take-off after taxi-time on the runway for about 15 years. Once airborne, it will continue to climb into the zone of unlimited growth. We do not hear anything about this in the press. It is one of the best-kept secrets on the stock market.
In Lies, Lies and More Lies, author Vivek sets out to prove that Hindutva is an ideology that doesn’t equate to Hindu fundamentalism. He states in the preface that he is frequently asked: “Does a billion-strong community really need protection?” He says yes they do, and his essays demonstrate why the author believes Hindus need protection, and how Hindutva “remains the sole bulwark against the spreading Islamic fundamentalism in South Asia.” Furthermore, according to the author, the English-language media has an agenda to vilify Hindutva.
Ettie Explores Earth: An Ettie the Explorer Adventure Story is a sweet and fun children’s book written and designed by Lynn Holland. In vivid and brightly-colored pictures, Ettie, a smiling alien in a UFO from Green Cheeze, learns about the solar system and the Earth. Ettie asks a series of questions about the planet and its animal inhabitants and readers are asked to identify them, beginning first with pictures and then by description, so the questions gets slightly harder as time goes on.
Picking up right where Gateways, Book I of The Elemental Chronicles left off, Victoria believes that she’ll be home tomorrow. After all, she defeated Ona, the mage who killed her father, and essentially saved the world. Or did she?
Mongolia Monologues is Joanne Nussbaum’s travelogue memoir about her time as a Peace Corp volunteer in Mongolia at the age of 53, following the death of her daughter. She wanted to work in sub-Saharan Africa, but instead was sent to Mongolia to work in youth community development. The book is a comprehensive overview of the whole trip – from applying as a volunteer, to the ins and outs of Mongolian culture, to the Peace Corps process, and the wisdom learned along the way. The memoir is told with good humor and optimism, even when things get tough.
Decay by Mark Lingane is the second book in his YA steampunk/science fiction series, “The Tesla Evolution.” Set in a war-ravaged dystopian future, Decay follows Sebastian, his friend Melanie, and others fighting off a cyborg threat to kill off humanity once and for all. Sebastian, along with some other survivors, find that they have enhanced psionic abilities.
Lost Library by Kate Baray is the first novel in the “Lost Library” urban fantasy romance series, which so far comprises three novels and three short stories. That investment in world-building is very evident in these pages: the book is both carefully detailed and fast-paced, which will appeal to more readers than those interested in romance.