SPR’s book reviews of new self-published books
The Pystead Group by James Pryor
A twisting, near-future novel about freedom, destruction, and the existential struggle for survival, The Pystead Group by James Pryor is both a chilling and thought-provoking dystopian read.
Philip’s life takes a drastic turn when he accepts a job offer to join the Pystead Group, cloistered on the secretive isle of Nevis. Resembling a contemporary cross between a cult, a corporation, a country, and a next-gen army, this shadowy colossus promises a brighter future, and the resources to build one, but there are plenty who seek to tear down this elite colony – both from within and without.
Bearing watermarks of […]


A romantic sojourn of an eager-to-please lover finding his way in the world, Secondhand Emotions by Will Entrekin is a steamy but unusual tale of sex and psychology.
A young woman learns that she’s inherited her great aunt’s grand estate after a personal tragedy in Cole Poindexter’s Inherit, a gripping debut thriller about vindictive family members fighting over money and property.
The first title in the Heights High series, Bowden Walker’s Showmances and Stage Kisses is a highly entertaining and nostalgia-rich work of young adult fiction exploring the sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll-fueled world of 1980s New York City.
Part memoir, part medical documentary, Bohunk’s Redemption: From Blacking Out to Showing Up by Bohunk is a wholly unique and compelling memoir about a medical professional who struggled with a variety of addictions and rose above each to become a crusader for change in both the medical and legal world.
A young Jane Austen scholar travels back in time to Regency England in Kimberly Sullivan’s romantic Dark Blue Waves, a captivating story about finding love and discovering where you belong.
A canny blend of expert quotations, insightful observations, and personal anecdotes, Jason A. Merchey’s Wisdom: A Very Valuable Virtue That Cannot Be Bought is an intensive, yet highly readable, study of the concept of wisdom across history.