New Releases

SPR’s book reviews of new self-published books

Invariant by A.G. Sullivan

Invariant by A.G. SullivanA psychological drama with an ominous edge, Invariant by A.G. Sullivan is a cleverly penned plunge into the possibilities of foresight and fate.

Six years after being summoned to a stranger’s deathbed to receive a mysterious message, David Bishop and his partner Hannah find themselves on a bizarre scavenger hunt that threatens to redirect their lives at every turn. Creepy coincidences and scattered clues are forming a prophetic pattern, which leads the pair on a sinister trail of breadcrumbs towards an unknown but predetermined future. When tragedy strikes, the enigmatic mission turns into a life-altering obsession, even though finding the […]

2025-07-02T15:02:01+02:00July 2nd, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Ready for Reality by Angela Troppa, LCSW

Ready for Reality by Angela Troppa, LCSWOutlining a comprehensive foundation for a healthy and self-sufficient life, Ready for Reality: Teaching Kids the Skills They Need to Thrive in the Real World by Angela Troppa, LCSW is an innovative guide for adults as they prepare children for the future.

Following a straightforward structure of seven broad units of knowledge (Household, Safety, Social Skills, etc.), with each divided into related topics, the content can be quickly navigated based on the child’s age, as well as the skills they need to sharpen. From step-by-step explanations of domestic tasks around the home and crucial safety lessons to proper mealtime etiquette […]

2025-07-01T17:52:23+02:00June 30th, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

A Year With Charlie Fine by Christopher Mahon

A Year With Charlie Fine by Christopher MahonFollowing the everyday wanders and wonders of an insightful and endearing public high school teacher, A Year With Charlie Fine by Christopher Mahon is a standout collection of observational wisdom and colloquial humor from the double-edged paradise of Los Angeles.

Whether musing on the foundations of friendship in our modern marketplace of life, the unifying power of music, the surprising nature of spiritual journeys, or the artistic soul of America, the tone is earnest and curious, making Charlie a charming focal point. “The Way The River Runs,” in which Charlie is transported to the artistic wilderness of an actual painting, […]

2025-06-30T19:19:39+02:00June 27th, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Commercial Excellence Playbook by Philip Bowler

Commercial Excellence Playbook by Philip BowlerA straightforward tool for self-evaluation of your own business, Commercial Excellence Playbook: Navigating the Path to Business Success by Philip Bowler is a high-level guide for targeted improvement across the critical layers of an organization.

Exhaustively detailing the essential aspects of commercial success, which can be difficult to pin down in their complexity, the author taps into his years of experience consulting for corporations of varying sizes, distilling his professional observations into practical strategies. Without mincing words or wasting time on exposition, this playbook jumps directly into techniques for improving customer relationships and confidence at each level of an organization […]

2025-06-10T14:19:52+02:00June 10th, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

The Spirit of Achievement by Jacqueline Miller Bachar

The Spirit of Achievement by Jacqueline Miller BacharA collection of essays and writing from a social historian and keen-eyed community observer, The Spirit of Achievement: Articles, Essays, Speeches by Jacqueline Miller Bachar is a neatly curated portfolio from a prolific time in the author’s career.

Beginning with insightful profiles on outstanding female achievers from Palos Verdes, California, and the surrounding area, these articles highlight stars in the fields of education, politics, religion, the arts, charity, community beautification, and more. Bachar has a delicate and intimate style to her storytelling, while the writing is also professional and journalistic, bringing these local figures and their achievements to tangible life.[…]

2025-05-28T15:31:02+02:00May 28th, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Life on the Ohio Frontier by Jacqueline Miller Bachar

Life on the Ohio Frontier by Jacqueline Miller BacharA first-person account of faith, resilience, and solitude, Life on the Ohio Frontier: A Collection of Letters from Mary Lott to Deacon John Phillips 1826-1846 by Jacqueline Miller Bachar is an eye-opening historical account, and personal labor of love.

Through twenty years of heartfelt and meticulously penned letters from sister to brother, readers are offered a visceral glimpse into the challenges of survival in 19th-century America. Prefaced with a brief family history and an explanation of the project by the author, who is a direct descendant of Mary and John, this epistolic story details Mary’s everyday struggles and discoveries on […]

2025-05-28T15:26:47+02:00May 28th, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

I’ll Fly Away by Marc Sapir

I'll Fly Away by Marc SapirA compassionate combination of end-of-life storytelling and medical reporting, I’ll Fly Away: Stories About Amazing Disabled Elders by Marc Sapir is an affirming collection of stories and essays centered on the myriad experiences of disabled seniors.

The author’s firsthand relationship with these patients as a Medical Director at the Center for Elders’ Independence in Oakland, California provides an uncut glimpse into the responsibilities, challenges, and rewards of caring for the elderly and infirm, as he simultaneously participated in and gathered these touching reflections from a unique population too often overlooked or hidden away. From hard-fought victories over illness and the […]

2025-05-23T15:21:49+02:00May 23rd, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: , |

Crossing the Sea of Shattered Glass by R.B. Bunn

Crossing the Sea of Shattered Glass by R.B. BunnPoignant and painful in its clarity, Crossing the Sea of Shattered Glass: A Voyage Through Grief by R.B. Bunn is a powerful collection of poetry that explores the universal experience of regret and loss.

Writing specifically about his uncle’s death and long struggle with addiction, Bunn’s poems range from deeply personal memories and anecdotal reflections to lyrical abstractions with dense metaphors about emotional processing. Pieces such as “Double-Edged Pill” and “The Price of a Bottle” are unflinching examinations of addiction and self-destruction, while “The Fishing Rod” and “Smoke” tenderly peel back the poet’s life and memory, as though longing for […]

2025-05-22T15:12:22+02:00May 22nd, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |
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