SPR’s book reviews of new self-published books
+ One by Brian Baleno
Investment banker Jake seeks to reconcile his workaholic habits and his life with girlfriend Kara as they navigate their maturing relationship in modern Chicago. Jake loves the thrill of making deals for his clients, while Kara teaches and volunteers. As narrator Jake informs the reader in + One, they are soul mates. Yet Jake can’t quite put Kara ahead of his work, often arriving late to dates and missing important events, putting their relationship at risk.
Author Brian Baleno weaves a poignant story that would be familiar to most modern couples. At the heart of +One is the eternal […]
Nigeria-based poet Joe Odey presents 100 poems touching on human hopes, connections and failings in Becoming a Whisper.
Basing his advice on the Eastern philosophy of the Tao Te Ching, counselor Chris L. McClish presents an appealing guide to self-help psychology in Accepting Life on Life’s Terms: Taoist Psychology for Uncertain Times.
Every family has its secrets, but for Jack Stone, the hidden parts of his family and his father’s ambitious inventions could very well change the course of the universe. In Infinity: The Secret of the Diamonds, young author Tejas Mathai welcomes readers into a world of fantasy and magic, unraveling a sci-fi thriller that pulls from all the best parts of various popular genres, both past and present.
In Captain Mullet and the Compass Rose, wisdom, longing and everyday life shuffle along for a curmudgeonly Navy veteran and a pony-tailed and pierced young man as they contemplate the profound and mundane in a small Florida town. The two meet as bridge-tenders, where the old man, Henry, resents the intrusion of young Eddie into life. Henry is stuck in a life of honor, complaint and routine. Eddie is youthful, free and bold, and challenges Henry at every turn.
Written by Gloria D. Gonsalves and illustrated by Nikki Ng’ombe, Jai the Albino Cow is a delightful picture book for young children that sparks imagination at every turn.
In Killer Competition, a new novel by Tom Kranz, the struggle for legitimacy and redemption plays out in dramatic, violent fashion.
Stan Skrabut, an instructor and tech expert, offers cogent suggestions for developing reading techniques to enhance professional success in Read to Succeed.