SPR’s book reviews of new self-published books
Nostalgia or Sunset by Aurin Shaila Nusrat Sheikh
Nostalgia or Sunset: A journey towards memories… by Aurin Shaila Nusrat Sheikh is an evocative work of prose and poetry that’s both wistful and melancholy. A passionate and expressive writer, Sheikh writes about love, nature, and everyday observations using language that is in turns abstract and direct.
Even when using melancholy or plaintive imagery, the feeling of these poems is one of thoughtfulness and reverence for one’s life and surroundings. Many of these poems are told from the first-person perspective, yet do not seem overly inward-looking or self-obsessed. The “I” could be the reader herself, so the collection gives a […]
Aaron Walsh is morbidly unhappy. Suicidal, but lacking the will to kill himself, he is a pure nihilist. There’s a reason that he’s 29 and lives with his mom: he’s a creep through and through. And now things are about to get worse. A woman comes into the computer shop where he works, which leads to a twisted obsession, and his damaged life might just fall apart completely.
The Anatomy of Cheating by Nesly Clerge is a riveting novel about infidelity and its consequences. Chelsea Hall has an idyllic life with her physician husband, Garett – that is, except for the fact that he can’t remain faithful. Chelsea is determined to make the marriage work, but she’s understandably miserable, until she meets an author named Luke, who’s also having marital problems, and Chelsea starts an affair of her own. From there, a thrilling book unfolds with a number of shocking surprises and Chelsea’s affair taking on a new level of revenge.
The Protector’s Promise by Tom Bourguillon is the second novel focusing on DeAndre Johnson – formerly a hitman, now a bodyguard – who’s tasked with protecting Kate Voltaire, the object of fan obsession. When Kate and DeAndre’s bond becomes more than professional, DeAndre may have to go back to his old ways as a cold-blooded hired gun in order to protect the woman he loves.
Duty and Betrayal: The SS Brotherhood and the NASA Connection by Toby Oliver is a riveting Cold War-era spy thriller in which former Nazi spies, American and British spies, a sultry double agent, and other intriguing characters are bent on righting the wrongs of the past, while trying to protect their countries in the present, many with conflicting objectives. A novel of well-drawn characters, Duty and Betrayal will have you continually trying to guess at people’s motivations.
Academic Betrayal: The Bullying of a Graduate Student is Loren Mayshark’s account of bad practices and mistreatment at Hunter College in New York City. Eager to get a master’s degree to become a history professor, that degree never materialized, as he became demoralized with a dysfunctional administration, ineffectual teachers, and bad policies, which are endemic to the educational system in the U.S. on the whole.
A Bed of Brambles (Draymere Hall Book 2) by Sam Russell is a romance about the steamy and turbulent relationship of Hettie and Alexander. They’ve been apart from each other for six months when Hettie comes back home. Their relationship, tumultuous as it is, picks up right where it left off, with the hope of doing it right this time. Hettie wants to manage her ambitions with her romantic life and opens up a livery stable, but soon finds she needs Alexander’s help, which may bring them together or break them apart.
The provocatively-titled The Cheating Boyfriend is not about adultery but in fact about a different type of relationship: the one between manager and employee. Hayes’ book is a guide for good managerial practice in which both employee and manager are open and honest so that the workplace relationship is as healthy as it can be.