
Hey there you QuT,
Today I have for you a list of all the independently published books that I read in 2021. A sort of companion post to this one will be up in a few days (ideally the first of January), and that one will be about 2022 indie book releases. So check back in for that later!
Today's post will just be going over each book I read one at a time and telling you my thoughts on them and the like. All books mentioned will be linked to so you can purchase them if you would like; simply click on their covers to be brought to the purchasing page. On the subject of purchasing these books, I thought it would be good to let you know that the majority of these books' physical copies are very cheap and many digital copies are free with Kindle Unlimited. So if you're in need of a book to read, definitely read on and look for something you might like.
Last note: The book's synopsis will be given, and then my review after that.
I will be doing this in the order which I read the books, with the exception of keeping series together.
Dragons' Bane by Melody Jackson
Synopsis: What would you do if someone offered you unlimited power? Would you take it? And more importantly, what price would you pay to keep it?
The Bane's power is little more than a legend in the land of Calest, one known by many but believed by few. But with a rival country now threatening to invade and once-peaceful dragons attacking their cities, a fairytale may be their only option.
Lena Maye wants no part in finding the Bane. She's seen firsthand how power corrupted her own country, and only wants to be reunited with her father. But in order to find him, she must join forces with the distrusting and arrogant Blaze Montego...who needs her help to find the Bane.
With tensions rising on all sides and secrets slipping that could change everything they know about the world, can they find a way to work together and save Calest without being corrupted by the very force they're fighting against?
Mini Review: This was a reread for me, so I won't spend to much time discussing it. It's a good book, though not the best in the trilogy, and it's held up over the years. The characters and worldbuilding are, both, endearing, and Jackson is excellent at weaving in subtle themes. I continued to pick up on things I hadn't noticed before, even after having read this book three-ish times previously.
I originally gave it 5 stars, and I still stand by that rating.
Dragons' Hope by Melody Jackson
Synopsis: I have chosen to not include the synopsis as it contains spoilers for the previous books in the series.
Mini Review: Dragons' Hope is the third installment in the Dragons' Bane trilogy by Melody Jackson.
It was the perfect conclusion to the trilogy. It concluded arcs and plots beautifully, and seemed to end the exact way that it should.
In general I would say that this is the best book of the trilogy, for now the characters are all at pretty dire points in their adventure, development, and experience, which makes everything very interesting and engaging.
I've said before to people who dislike Dragons' Bane, as in the first book of the trilogy, that they should stick with the series through the second book (Dragons' Might). I still do stand by that. But really, I don't think anyone can fully appreciate the first or second book without this wonderful conclusion to both.
That is to say, you should read this whole trilogy.
It was emotional, difficult, satisfying, funny, endearing, and so much more.
I gave it 5 stars.
Echoes by Miranda Marie
Synopsis: “You’ve started a countdown equivalent to a nuclear bomb detonation. And once the weapon latches onto a goal, there’s not a person on earth who can change it.”
Emma White is the most dangerous weapon the world has ever seen.
She’s not a child; she’s a hurricane, an earthquake, a force of nature. She’s been trained as the world’s most deadly assassin – capable of stopping and starting wars as easily as others breathe. Under her skin crackles the type of power that most people only ever dream about.
And she doesn’t remember any of it.
Adrae Silverman is the Queen of the Night. She’s clothed in darkness and washed in royalty, and Emma is her newest conquest. She wants the kind of power Emma wields, and is willing to do whatever it takes to make Emma remember – and embrace – what she was created to do. She’s going to rise into the skies, one way or another.
But Emma has made a promise to protect humanity – from a past she can’t even recall. To keep it, she must find a way to defy Adrae, and she must do it without the help of the hurricane under her skin.
Set in a surprisingly normal, modern-day world, Echoes mixes contemporary with science fiction and is told from the scattered, poetical style of Emma’s thoughts. Stunning comparisons and Emma’s breathtakingly raw honesty weave a heartbreaking story of Emma’s attempt to protect humanity – from her own past.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: This is the first part of a duology following the emotional and inward journey of a girl with a form of PTSD. It focuses on the inward turmoil of a young girl damaged by a dark past and her journey to overcome it. *The second part is set to release in Fall of 2018, and will complete the set - including answering many of the questions left unanswered in this first novel.
Mini Review: Echoes is book one of the Whispers of White duology by Miranda Marie.
This book is... tricky to describe. It's a sci-fi disguised in contemporary disguised in sci-fi. It's slow-burn, subtle yet direct, sweet, tragic, and rather confusing at times.
The confusion isn't a bad thing, and I believe it is very intentional from the author interview towards the back of the book. It seems that things get explained further in the second book, which I have yet to read but definitely look forward to.
The prose was very poetic and the narration was from an interesting perspective, and together these things made a very beautiful lens for the reader to look at each scene through.
I gave it 4-5 stars and do plan on reading the sequel.
*Part two has since been released and is able to be purchased here.
Skies of Dripping Gold by Hannah Heath
Synopsis: In an angry, frightened world where the Poison claims many lives, a young man’s belief in Paradise has collapsed into a distant dream. Gabriel can no longer place his trust in the existence of such a place. Not when his sister’s pain continues to sap her strength. Not when prayers for her healing go unanswered. As the Poison progresses, eating away at Lilly’s life, Gabriel sets off on a desperate climb to save her from death.
Struggling to discover the truth behind a world where the skies drip gold, Gabriel tries to maintain his disbelief in a God while clutching after hope for his sister’s salvation. But, as he climbs the cliff that is said to lead to Paradise, he begins to see: if he can’t bring himself to believe in a place of peace and golden skies, then how can he possibly hope for his sister’s rescue? How can he possibly hope for his own?
Skies of Dripping Gold, Hannah Heath’s debut short story, is a Christian dystopian about a young man's struggle to save his sister's life and rescue his own soul.
Mini Review: This dystopian short story was another tragic one. The amount of depth and... heftiness, for lack of better words, that Heath fit into such a short story was very impressive.
It would be wrong to say I "enjoyed" it, because I don't think I did. It was more of the kind of story you numbly stare at once finishing, not knowing what to do with yourself. It was good, just not necessarily enjoyable.
While this story was sort of allegorical and definitely had Christian themes, I imagine it can be enjoyed by people from all backgrounds. Though I do believe that Christians will benefit most from reading it; it isn't often that a story with a Christian background is willing to go deep, dark, and difficult, and that's definitely something that Christians need to see represented more frequently in art and fiction.
I believe I gave this one 4 stars.
(P.S. Want a signed copy of Skies of Dripping Gold for just a few extra dollars? You can get signed copies here!)
The Terebinth Chronicles #1-3 by Hannah Heath

Series Synopsis: One sorcerer. Four assassins. Uncover the stories of the warriors who will one day band together to kill the most powerful being in their world.
The Terebinth Tree Chronicles is a series of five epic fantasy short stories, three of which are currently published. They can be read as standalones or in order. If you like strong characters, colorful worldbuilding, heart-pounding action, and disability representation, this series is for you!
Mini Review: These short stories are mini fantasy adventures that interconnect and are leading up to a novel (series? I'm not sure) that Hannah Heath has planned. There are two more short stories to be released (I don't believe we have an ETA on that) before the mini series will conclude.
The three stories are Colors of Fear, Flames of Courage, and Sounds of Deceit. They were delightful, engaging, and intriguing (respectively). The first and last were my favorites, but Flames of Courage had its powerful points as well. I mostly just didn't care for the main character in that one.
Colors of Fear got 5 stars, Flames of Courage got 3.5 stars, Sounds of Deceit got 5 stars (I'd rather give it 6 stars, though I know that'd break the rating system).
(P.S. Want your copies of The Terebinth Tree Chronicles signed, for just a few extra dollars? You can get signed copies here!)
Healer's Bane by Hope Ann
Synopsis: Kynet never planned to be at the forefront of the rebellion. That was her brother’s hobby: rallying the people. Plotting against the leaders. Running into dangers she’d have to negotiate him out of.
That was before the Poisoner tried to kill her.
Left with strange powers in the aftermath of his attack, Kynet is even more convinced the rebellion isn’t worth it. For every life her healing saves, ten more are wasted.
But her quest to stop the carnage before war breaks out will bring her face to face with the man who tried to murder her... and with her own helplessness against a grim reality she may not be able to change.
Mini Review: This novella had a very hazy, aesthetic dystopian setting that instantly made me fall for it. I thoroughly enjoyed the setting, scenery, colors, etc. The plot was interesting enough, not over done but also not the most original.
The world building was intriguing, but there wasn't a lot of it given or explained.
The prose was well balanced; it didn't go over-the-top and wasn't flowery, but was still often profound.
I really liked a certain side character, Lael (I really liked Lael), but in general the characters weren't very likable for me. I really wasn't a fan of the main character, specifically in the latter half of the novella, but she was alright.
Some beats didn't hit as hard as I think they meant to, but they all got the job done, so to speak.
The story in general seemed comfortable and confident, though not ambitious. It felt like a companion or introduction novella to a bigger series, and if it really were than I'd say it got the job done very well. But as far as I am aware, this is all that the Hope Ann fans have of this world presently, and so I'm going to subtract the "very" from that statement and instead say that it was done well.
I did enjoy it - especially the atmosphere; I'd reread it just for that - and it left me wanting more from the characters I did like, but I'm not really crazy about it either. Though that is often how novellas leave me feeling.
The quality, atmosphere, style, and world were all very good. It's just lacking a bit in a few other areas.
For a novella, it's 4 stars. For a general story, it might be a bit under that.
Shadow Road by A.E. Pennymaker
Synopsis: Brenorra Warring's father is going crazy. That's the only conclusion Bren can come to when a fire destroys everything they own, and his only answer is to take a job in the uncivilized Coalition Colonial Region on the other side of the ocean. Then disaster strikes at sea, and Bren is left with nothing but the clothes on her back, the things in her father's satchel, and the discovery that someone powerful is willing to kill to keep her father from reaching his destination.
Running for her life, Bren makes an alliance of necessity with two very different men. The first is fighting the same shadow organization that took her father, determined to tear it down no matter the cost. The other is a brilliant but icy war hero who has been branded a wanted man by his commanding officers. Both are enemies in their own right, and both have their own reasons for finding Bren.
Dragged into a terrifying game of cat and mouse, with no idea who to trust, Bren's journey will take her through harrowing navy battles and into a world of black-market slavery. Because, whether she's ready or not, the freedom of thousands now depends on her ability to keep from getting caught. In this spellbinding debut, Pennymaker blends the best of several genres, weaving a touch of steampunk flair through a wide-ranging political thriller, with edge-of-your-seat action, richly imagined settings, and amazing characters.
Mini Review: I really enjoyed this one. It was a good sea-fairing, lightly-steampunk adventure with well-done action sequences that kept me up late. The characters and plot were interesting, and I found the main character (Bren) easy enough to empathize with after the first ten chapters or so (please note that the chapters are very short). Generally, however, I wasn't her biggest fan.
I really appreciate the way that A.E. Pennymaker allowed slow moments/downtime in addition to high-stakes stress tests of action, with good middle ground moments in-between.
I wasn't big on the footnotes, but given the nature of the narration I both understand and respect Pennymaker's decision to use them.
I gave it 4 stars.
Shadow Dance by A.E. Pennymaker

Synopsis: I have chosen not to include the synopsis because it contains spoilers for the previous book in the series.
Mini Review: This is the sequel to Shadow Road, and it was a very interesting one at that.
The characters and world really came alive in this book, and the plot has snowballed into being something bigger than book one leads the reader and our main character, Bren, to believe.
Bren seemed represented far better in this book than she did the previous one, and thus became much more likable and relatable.
I'd say that pretty much everything that was okay or good in Shadow Road became good or great in Shadow Dance, and A.E. Pennymaker earned my trust because of this and how she handled certain plot points in the story. She's shown that she can grow both her story and herself as a writer, that she will utilize clichés and tropes in a refreshing and engaging way, and that she generally knows what she's doing.
I'm very much so looking forward to the next installment in this trilogy, and I gave this one 4-4.5 stars.
For Better and Worse by E.B. Roshan
Synopsis: Boris and Anna's first baby is due any day, but the thought of raising a child in the war-torn city of Dor fills Anna with dread. Because Boris is so focused on keeping his struggling business afloat, he brushes her fears aside.
When White Horse gangsters attack his illegal employee, Boris's attempt to protect him puts his own family in danger. Will doing the right thing cost him more than he's willing to pay? Will Boris and Anna live to see their second anniversary?
Mini Review: This is the fourth book in what I believe is an ongoing Christian dystopian series. I normally loath the concept of starting a series anywhere but at the beginning, but this is able to be read as a standalone and was an ARC read for me, so I made the exception.
I appreciated the way Roshan chose to portray war, marriage, and Christianity. While I'm not sure where this book falls concerning the target age (I would place it late YA to early NA), this is definitely a book that I believe would be good for younger people to read for the sake of the perspective it provided.
My biggest critique would probably be regarding our antagonist. He seemed very over-the-top at times, but that may have been intentional or there may be better background and set up in the books which came before this one.
Overall, it was an endearing and stressful (this is not a negative thing) book, with believably faulted characters and an intense environment, and I quite enjoyed it.
I do mean to eventually go back to book one and read the whole thing in order, but it isn't on my list of reading priorities.
I gave it somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars.
Held Captive by Grace A. Johnson
Synopsis: Captain Rina Blackstone is the most notorious female pirate to ever plunder the Seven Seas and the fiercest captain to ever sail the Atlantic. But one thing she has never been able to handle well is change. When one merchant ship raid takes a wrong turn and results in her capture, Rina has to escape before all the control she’s worked so hard to obtain falters.
Xavier Bennet was commissioned seven years ago to find the Duke of Rothsford’s long lost daughter. Those seven years have past without a trace of the woman except for the one letter he believes will lead him to her. When Xavier’s ship, the Jessica, finally crosses paths with the Rina, it’s all he can do to hope that somehow, someway, he’ll be able to find Lady Catherina and return her to her parents. Except the pirate captain he finds certainly surpasses his expectations and brings the one thing he cannot afford: trouble.
Lies. That’s all that spews from Xavier Bennet’s lips. Lies. And Rina is determined not to listen, not to believe. Only to wiggle her way out of his clutches before all the pieces come together and reveal exactly what she doesn’t want… the truth.
Mini Review: This book was fairly entertaining and it was good with keeping things happening. I really liked the concept of the story as well, and throughout the book there were moments where I thought "that sounds really cool," but then didn't enjoy the execution.
In general, this one didn't hit for me. The more important aspects of the story felt rushed, and many moments between characters and the characters' reactions seemed to come out of no where.
However, it does have my respect. For Grace Johnson wrote this book years back when she was thirteen, and as far as thirteen-year-old-debut-authors go, this is incredible. Unfortunately, that's just too specific of a category for the book to be passed off as incredible itself.
I do hear tell that Johnson intends to republish this book at a later date, and if this is true then I absolutely will be reading the republished version.
I also do intend to read on with the series itself, because writers often grow a considerable amount between books and I'm happy to give this series another go.
Until then, this one's staying at around 3 stars.
Jade by Joseph R. Lallo
Synopsis: This short novel, set in the same world as The Book of Deacon, follows the blessed and cursed life of Jade Rinton. Stripped of her family and kept in a tall tower by a fierce dragon due to the scheming of a mysterious stranger, Jade seems to be living in a twisted fairy tale. She soon learns, though, that fate has its own ideas of who should play each part, and that family is where you find it.
Mini Review: This book had me thoroughly fooled into thinking it was traditionally published. It wasn't until I went on an extensive rabbit trail of research that I found interviews and posts by the author revealing him to be, indeed, a self-published author.
That being said, it was very well done. It took the divinely simplistic yet not shallow approach that I so love to see in fantasy.
The story was very simple and sweet, the characters endearing, and the prose refreshing. The pacing and length of this "novel" (truly it's a novella at most and a short story at least) made it an story to read when you're in a slump, hangover, or just don't have a lot of time to get invested in a Sanderson-level fantasy.
I gave it 5 stars.
(P.S. If you join Lallo's newsletter, you'll get one of his full-length novels for free. I haven't read mine yet, but Jade has me excited to!)
Alright, there you have it, my friends! That's every indie book I read this year. My favorite on the list had to be Dragons' Hope by Melody Jackson; I had been waiting years to read it, and to finally get that done was thrilling.
I'm very thankful to have not disliked any of the books on this list. Sure I didn't like some all that much, but I didn't dislike any, which makes me happy since my aim is to support and encourage indies.
I'd like to challenge to read at least three of the books on this list during 2022, and then discuss the books with the Qummunity!
If you accept that challenge, let me know which books you intend to read.
And if you've read any of these books already, let me know what you thought about them!
Lastly I'd like to invite you to do your own guest post of your favorite indie reads, or to share that list in the comments below.
And that's all for now! I'll see you around the Qummunity.
Happy reading, and writing!
- Edna
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