Amazon Description
Rain in December is young author Emily Rachelle’s first collection of poetry.
star-crossed lovers
I’ll reach to the stars
I’ll reach to the moon
I’ll reach through the galaxy far
To find you, my dearest,
My darling, my love,
And be in the place where you are.
Normally, I am not a poetry person. Although I enjoy the occasional rhyme, you won’t find me seeking out verse to read. This, however, was extremely enjoyable, and I’m incredibly glad I own a copy because this is something I will come back to.
The writing is simultaneously lyrical and poignant, beautiful and raw. Since it is written from a young adult perspective, I identified deeply with much of the book, which is split into four parts: Love, Laughter, Life, and Darkness. I already knew I loved Emily Rachelle’s writing from her blog (find the link below!), and this collection didn’t disappoint.
Love
This part was the longest, and my favorite by far. Each poem definitely shines on its own, but together they tell a story. It was very cool to read through the poems quickly, putting them together like puzzle pieces to create something more than the sum of their parts. (It read almost like Karen Hesse’s novel Out of the Dust, which is a novel written like a collection of poems.) And there is something for every stage of love in this section — there are poems that embody the floaty feeling of being in love and poems that crash down with us when we experience heartbreak.
Laughter, Life, Darkness
These sections were a mishmash of thoughts on life, some Seussical and Silverstein-esque, and some more serious. Even the more lighthearted poems made a point, however, as in “Worrywart.” When I read this, I was beginning to come up on finals, so it was easy to identify. These sections also encompassed life’s bigger wonderings. Everyone wonders if they will ever make a difference, and Emily addresses that. She makes the reader feel less alone. Though the poems speak to the struggles of life, they also speak to the hope we have in others, in outside opportunities, and in ourselves.
Emily Rachelle is a talented writer, and easy to identify with. While she writes from an obviously young adult perspective, her poems can speak to readers of all ages. Her ideas transcend time and experience and she has a unique way of putting them on the page. My only complaint was a few misspelled words in my Kindle version, and I wasn’t sure whether this was intentional for poetic purposes or not. However, overall, the quality of the book and the writing were fantastic, and I would recommend this for anyone — poetry lovers and otherwise.
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I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
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