December 2018 was an interesting month for me. Some might remember it as the month of Indiecember, a reading challenge for indie authors to read and review each other’s books. It was a crazy 31-day extravaganza!
But since I needed recommendations for some good indie books to read, I bit off more than I could chew and asked my Twitter-verse friends to link their books.
Honestly, I did get a little overwhelmed! I was already stressed out with finals, but more books on my to-read list was just the remedy I needed. Needless to say, I didn’t get to read everyone’s fantastic books. But I did review several, and I’m still working my way through the list.
Without further ado, here are some of the books I did get to read in December!
Rooted: A Poetry Collection, Cassandra Chaput
Beautiful messages accompanied by charming illustrations
With a collection of poetry as personal as this, the bravery and creativity that it takes to pen all these thoughts down are amazing to me. Most of the poems in this collection and subtle, image-driven, and really hit me in the heart. A few are a bit on-the-nose with its messages and certain subjects sometimes come at a strange place in the collection, but these are messages that are important to know, especially for the younger generation.
My favorites use some really emotional and beautiful imagery, including “Innocence,” “Waves,” “Grounded,” and “Turning Pages.” I also love the little interludes that felt like bits of advice sprinkled in. The personal quality is highlighted by the charming illustrations that accompany the text. I recommend giving this a read! I’m glad I did.
Cosmic Phases, Lenee H.
Great use of themes of the universe to convey feelings that are universal.
Truly, this poetry collection touched me with its bits of romantic ideas and spiritual imagery sprinkled throughout the pages. It’s split into three sections, Saturn, Jupiter, and Venus, each covering different themes and relating to different social issues.
At times, I felt that, as the poetry moved away from Saturn’s themes, the messages became a bit preachy. But while the Jupiter section can feel accusatory, Lenee H. uses some very effective Biblical phrases, which makes the section come across as a scolding rather than a rant.
My favorite section was Venus, mainly for its depiction of beauty and romance, bitter-sweet musings, and the universe-themed collection being tied together very neatly at the end. I found myself bookmarking page after page after page because I wanted to be able to come back and enjoy the feelings I had reading the passages for the first time.
If you love themed poetry, especially covering social, political, and spiritual issues, I would recommend giving Lenee H.’s collection a try!
Bitter and Sweet, Nicole Lemke
A beautiful journey of relationships and what it means to love.
There is such raw emotion in this collection of poems that it’s impossible not to get invested in the wording and analogies. The specificity in the miniature stories makes each one ring true.
As the installments lead deeper and deeper into the captivating feeling of broken or empty promises, self-love, and bitter-sweet relationships, there is a moment of innocent love and breath-taking beauty. Very real issues are brought up, but it’s done in such a human way. I highly recommend!
Over Ruled, Brittney Joy
Incredible magic systems and fun characters!
This book had me enthralled in its lore and magic, following the tale of two girls who don’t yet know that they’re linked in ways they could never have imagined.
I had a really good time being immersed in this story. There were twists and turns that I didn’t see coming, and the characters are likable and fun. Nova and Jade’s story had me interested from beginning to end!
The magic system is also really fun to learn about and be a part of (an example being the skin of elephants to make forgetfulness potion).
This is such an exciting and character-driven story, and I absolutely recommend it!
Shadowsoul, J.D. Evergreen
A fun world and likable characters, with some room for improvement.
I had a lot of fun with this book! The world and characters are engaging and feel very unique. The concept of Darkmor’s slaves is a great set-up for the main character, Claire, as she starts to explore the world outside her prison.
There were some parts that need a bit more editing, but that doesn’t distract too much from the main plot. Though I do feel like the main character should have been Lexa.
It did sometimes feel like the pacing got slow towards the middle, but the end finished very strong. I’m looking forward to reading the next installment of the trilogy!
—-
I really do recommend checking out all these books and read them for yourself. Indiecember was a fun time, and I can’t wait to do it again!
Also, Goodreads is a great place to find reviews and conversations about your favorite books and keep track of all your reading journeys over the years.
Rachel Sandell 