SPR’s book reviews of new self-published books
Blood Will Tell by C.S. Donnell
This high-drama saga follows Amy throughout her life with all the events that her relationships bring. Difficult to pinpoint as one genre in particular, Blood Will Tell can be described as a New Adult drama that spirals into a thriller with some medical elements and horror thrown in to thrill readers who enjoy stories with a hint of romance and crime, as Amy shifts through many changes as she adjusts to each event.
A story told from many perspectives, Amy must overcome a powerful and destructive bond with her wealthy and heartless father to find love and independence, and learn […]
Finding Amelia by Lynsey Howell is a charming story for young children about Sara and her dog Zulu who excitedly visit an air show. Given the opportunity to fly in a bi-plane, Sara takes control of the plane and straight into a time portal cloud, where she’s soon joined by Amelia Earhart in the cockpit. There we learn about Amelia Earhart’s achievements, inspiring a love of flying for boys and girls alike.
In 2014, a ten-year-old girl asked her father if he could assist her in writing a book. That book was Emperor Norton’s Treasure Hunt, a “real life adventure” based in 1950s San Francisco – a local paper devises a treasure hunt with clues in their publication in order to boost sales and win the war for newspaper supremacy in the city. 
Kleptomaniac is an insightful and well-constructed argument on tithing and offerings at church, not only defending the author’s decision not to give money blindly, but also defending his right to seek the truth in Bible Scripture.
Titan by Michael Van Cleve is more than your usual post-apocalyptic novel. Though the blurb makes it seem like standard fare of surviving a nuclear holocaust and its after-effects, Titan veers more into science fiction than naturalistic post-apocalyptic wasteland, as the family at the heart of this novel has to fare a rise of a mutant population – the after-effects of radiation.
When Gina Martin’s mentor passes away, his dying wish is that she go to Paris and view the works of master painters, as inspiration for her own art. At the Louvre, Gina is captivated by a painting from the late 18th century, and she catches the eye of Jerome Dumont, a gallery owner from provincial Perigueux who collects that artist’s work.
Jimmy Porter is nothing special. At least, he never thought so, and neither did most anyone in his life. His dad dropped out of his life at the age of eight, and at 21 he hasn’t got much to write home about outside of a decent vehicle and a few good friends. But Jimmy is about to find out just how special he is, owing to a secret flowing in his veins, which can cure all disease…
Journeys of the Agenyre: Masters of the Will: The Hunt for the Golden Watch by Adrian Ray is a young adult fantasy novel with an intriguing premise, making for a good start to a new fantasy series. Aarron Hutches and Anna-Lisa Ammerson are Agenyre, otherwise known as Will Masters, who are able to bend elements at will. This is much more than standard elements like fire and water: they can bend spirit, heart, space, time, energy, and even more. The two teens go on a quest using their abilities to find a magical artifact split into four parts, which could […]