SPR’s book reviews of new self-published books
Stainer by Iolanthe Woulff
Stainer by Iolanthe Woulff follows the life of Ben Steiner, a precocious but terminally uncool college student living in 1970’s New York City. Beginning on his 21st birthday, he meets the girl of his dreams, as well as the dynamic P.T. Deighland who’s a magnetic presence but doesn’t always have Ben’s interests at heart. As Ben awakens to new experiences, and struggles with breaking free from his conservative upbringing, his desire for acceptance may just end up being his downfall.
Though the cover might suggest that this is a political novel, this is a true coming of age novel – […]
Three men are going on the vacation of lifetime in the Swiss Alps, when it’s revealed that one of the men might be involved in some shady business practices. After a deadly avalanche, questions arise about one of the men’s motives, and if he’s really as innocent as he seems.
In Two Women & Too Many Men by Nancy Orchard, best friends explore the confusion, joy, and sensuality of rejoining the dating scene after they leave their cheating exes. Alix and Suzi’s story builds out from their friendship, which provides the foundation of the story. The two friends are there for each other between each casual lover and failed relationship, and they’re there when things go right, too. The story is filled with a number of steamy scenes, encompassing several different kinks, as the women experiment with their new-found freedom. It’s a tale about women learning what they want and […]
In Tennis with God: My Quest for the Perfect Game and Peace With My Father, author Brian Cox tells an engaging globe-trotting story about tennis, spirituality, and healing fractured relationships.
Generous Fruits: A Survey of American Homesteading by Barbara Bamberger Scott is a fascinating history of the homesteading movement, from early settlers in America up to the modern day. Written from a “walked the walk” perspective, Scott shows an obvious passion for her subject, unearthing the challenges, successes, and missteps that American homesteaders have faced over the centuries.
After fifteen years in solitary confinement in a California SHU (Special Housing Unit), writer C. F. Villa offers short poems and essays chronicling his prison experiences, along with memories of childhood in an indigenous family.
The Phantom Zeppelin (Churchill’s Children Book 1) by A.R. Grogan is an engaging middle grade historical novel following the exploits of a group of aristocratic children during World War II who work undercover for Winston Churchill. Christopher Finch, the child of a diplomat, is at the story’s center, who becomes one of Churchill’s spies, leading to incredible adventures for the typical 12-year-old boy in this informative and engrossing first book in the series.
Barry Wolfe presents a refreshing but often unconventional take on some of the little-discussed but real-life happenings in Human Resource offices in The Little Black Book of Human Resources Management.