Sarah Holman's Blog, page 21

Looking back at 2020

 

Wow, what a year. During Christmas this year, I realized how grateful I am for this year. I know that might sound pretty crazy to some people. This year has been full of challenges, but it has also been full of a lot of good things as well. This time last year, I was in pain all the time because of a pinched nerve in my shoulder. 2019 had been a rough year physically.
2020 started off filled with people and a lot of fun, even if I was in pain. You can look back on my post HERE.
My word for the year was hope. I wrote about this at the beginning of the year HERE. This has been my focus throughout the year. It became more important through some of the things that came my way. 
The biggest thing I faced at the beginning of 2020 was the debilitating pain in my right arm. One of the hardest things was deciding what I should do. I prayed and was blessed by advice a friend who's a physical therapist and my parents. Eventually, I found an amazing PT who helped me find the problem, and over the course of eight visits was able to train me to deal with the issue myself. I'm pain-free! You can read some about this HERE and HERE.
Oh yes, and then the pandemic came. The lockdown came and it was hard, yet there were all sorts of wonderful things that happened too. You can read about some of them HERE. One of the biggest blessings for our family? Puppies! One of the hardest things...
I tore my calf muscle. It was the weirdest sensation. I was putting something up in my closet and it felt like someone had thrown a heavy object at my leg. I lost my balance and quickly pulled myself over to a chair. And then the pain came. For a few weeks, I was on crutches and couldn't put weight on the leg. You can read my post HERE. My healing has taken a long time. I still haven't been able to return to my morning runs.
Since I was turning 30 on the 30th of June, I decided to do something for each day of the month. It was a lot of fun. It really helped to, because it was hard to face turning 30 without being married. I'm not where I thought I would be but God has really blessed me. You can read what I did in my posts about my birthday HERE, HERE, and HERE.
I haven't posted a lot this year. I really struggled to have inspiration for any kind of writing, which was sad because I hadn't been able to write for so long I wanted to write and write. 
Perhaps one of the most valuable things that came out of this year was the affirmation that I truly believe what I say I believe about God, His goodness, and His power.
Covid has made life hard and I don't always like the restrictions, but I believe that no person is in power and no event happens apart from the will of God. I rested in that fact.I'm not where I wanted to be in life. I even cried some tears and asked God why I was still single. But at the end of the day, I know in my heart of hearts that everything that God has given me, and everything He hasn't is for my good. With every challenge, while I haven't been perfect, I have remained faithful in the knowledge that God has a plan and purpose in everything. Nothing is a mistake. With so much upheaval and so many Christians that were confused and struggling, I took great comfort in the solid foundation of my faith. 
Now, shall we look at how I did on my resolutions?

Well, I have to say that this year, for once, I think that I can safely say that all of these can be safely checked off as at least progress was made
 


I wanted to work on these because I already knew that I was allowing things to rob me of joy and that was affecting my speech. As the year progressed, it became even more important than the joy of the LORD was cultivated in my heart. One of the biggest ways I worked on this was to curb my grumbling habit. The Grumble-Free Year by Tracia Goyer went a long way in giving me some strategies. Another thing that helped me is to spend time focusing my thoughts on Jesus. There is nothing like focusing on how great our God is to put our problems into perspective. 

Both of these goals were achieved! It was fun to get so many books read this year, mostly from my to-read list on Goodreads. You can see my year in books on Goodreads HERE. It was very nice to have a bit goal to work toward when things were tough.
At the beginning of the year, with my first my arm and then a leg being out of commission (yeah, fun times), my family was amazing and served me in so many ways. Through the pandemic, we got a lot of extra family time and used it to it's full advangae. I was very grateful that I was able to see some ways to serve others, even though it looked nothing like I thought it would. 

Top 10 Books of 2020 (Which is more like 11)

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You can see all the books I read on my Goodreads page HERE.

This year, I accomplished my goal of reading 200 plus books. So this top 10 list is a smaller percentage of the books than normal. This is why I'm starting with my honorable mention/number 11 pick. 

This book was one of the sweetest I've ever read. Rachelle has been a favorite author from the first novel I read of hers. Her style is engaging, fresh, and full of beautiful prose. This story was not only well-told but one that I will be revisiting again soon.Kindle | Paperback | Goodreads | My Review


Nicole Sager is among one of my favorite authors and one of the few fantasy authors that I will buy everything they write as it comes out. This one was a birthday gift to myself.This is a story of a race of miniature people who are called to a big task. I love it! And the faith in Sager's books is always wonderful.Kindle | Paperback | Goodreads | My Review

This was a very fun story. It was a futuristic story that was full of adventure, great dialogue, and brilliant writing. This novel is written more for the general market than for the Christian, but it's clean and so much fun! I enjoyed every minute of it. Kindle | Paperback | Goodreads | My Review

This was one of those books that is hard to read yet it is also deeply impactful. It's about a girl who suffers abuse emotional and physical and the family that wants to adopt her. All the characters were vivid and realistic with good sides and bad sides. My favorite part of this book is how it showed the love of God and how it flows out of people in the end.Paperback | Goodreads | My Review


I loved this book because it's exactly what the title says it is. It's about the importance of living out your faith faithfully in your ever day. While it touches on how that will impact you in hard times, it's mainly about the everyday effects. It was encouraging and one I will be returning to.Kindle | Paperback | Audiobook | Goodreads 

I've found several wonderful books through the review of Gretchen Louise, a woman I've followed online since my teens. This was one of those books. It's a mystery with a cast of very non-typical characters. I love the strong faith of the main girl as well as her love for books. I've already read and loved the second book in the series and plan to read these books as they come out. Kindle | Paperback | Goodreads | My Review


This book...where do I even start. Wow! This book wrapped words around some things I've been trying to explain to others. It was impactful to me, but even more, gave me the words to explain why I find some aspects of how Christians talk about transparency to be bothersome. I love it because the author didn't attack anyone but gave a map for those who truly want to change. Kindle | Paperback | Audiobook | Goodreads | My Review



I loved, loved, loved this story. Again, it has a very non-typical cast, people of strong faith, and an ending that surprised me and pleased me at the same time. I loved this author's view of what singleness can be. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.Kindle | Paperback | Goodreads | My Review

This book was the one that surprised me the most in making it to this list. I grabbed a copy of the audiobook because I'm always trying to learn more about history and this book has been on my to-read list. I had bearly known about the existence of Hannah More, but through this book, I felt like I had found an old friend - one who modeled a single life devoted to Christ. Kindle | Hardback | Audiobook | Goodreads | My Review

Seeing a theme here? I guess having hit thirty, this year I was looking for books that would help me as I came to terms with my singleness. This book was like rain on a very dry place in my heart. It neither presented a rosy or gloomy view of singleness, instead, it explored the heart issues from a biblical perspective. I will be rereading this a lot in the future. If your a single lady, invest in a copy of this bookKindle | Paperback | Goodreads | My Review

One of my goals this year was to compline less and have more gratitude. This book was funny, practical, and honest about Goyer's own journey with her family to a grumble-free year. Other than the Bible, this book has impacted me the most this year in how I think. And it came at the right time, didn't it? I read it as the pandemic was gearing up and I needed to be on my guard against the grumbling that wanted to come.Kindle | Paperback | Audiobook | Goodreads | My Review

The Lady of Lanaria by Michaela Bush: A Review

 

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Find it on: Goodreads | Kindle | Paperback

Age Appropriate For: 12 and up for violence, some mildly disturbing thematic elements, and romantic themes
Best for Ages: 13-25

Description:  A kidnapped princess, a promise, and a kingdom cursed with mysterious plagues.

"Mark my words, Evangeline; if you set foot outside this tower, you will surely die."

Evangeline has spent her entire life hidden in an ancient watchtower, gazing through a window as the world passes her by. She heeds her mother's warning closely, the truth hidden from her always. When a young guard stumbles upon the tower, Evangeline's life is changed forever. As she strikes up a secret friendship with the guard, she learns about the Kingdom of Lanaria and the mysterious plagues that haunt all who live there. But as she delves into the world she barely knows, not everything her mother says adds up. Will they find the truth before it's too late?

A Rapunzel retelling

I was invited to the Facebook launch party for this book and it sounded interesting. At only $0.99, I knew I could indulge my curiosity. I snapped up a copy and downloaded it to my Kindle. A few days later, I was feeling bad so I listened to the book while I worked on a project and sat in bed (I love the Kindle Fires text to speech feature).

A couple of people mentioned magic in their reviews. As well as a few elements felt a little like Tangled at first. However, can I just put to rest both of these possible issues right off the bat? There is talk about a family of witches that used to live and the king had them killed. And there is never any magic actually used in this book. All the major characters will have nothing to do with even the hint of witchcraft as it’s offensive to God. As for the Tangled-like elements, they were superficial. The story is radically different and, in my humble opinion, far superior.

As a fairy-tale retelling, this book was really, really well done. It had classic elements but also twists on the original. It had a life of its own, yet tied to the original enough to satisfying. Bush has a talent for this, and I would love to read more like this from her.

The characters in the were well rounded. They are not the cardboard cut-outs of many fairytales. Even the villains were given motivations that made sense. They were not so complex that it ceased to be a light read, but enough depth to make me love each of them. I loved how both sweet and strong Evangeline was. She was so, so sweet, yet stood up to others for what she believed, even when it cost her. And her skills? Just endearing.

The plot was fantastic. I found myself flipping pages, ready to find out what was going on. I really feel that Bush did a masterful job with coming up with such an interesting and believable plot. I loved every minute of it. The romance was very sweet.

The only negative thing? I would say there were a couple of references that made me pause because they didn’t seem to fit with the time period in which the story was written. To be fair, this wasn’t set in any real time or place.

With all that said, I highly recommend this book for those who like fairy-tale retellings, sweet romances, and fantastic plots.

A Penny Parcel by Avery E. Hitch: A Review

 

Find it on: Goodreads | Paperback

Age Appropriate For:15 and up (child abuse somewhat detailed and the emotional trauma of that is fairly detailed)

Best for Ages:15 and up

Description: In the year 1910, Luke Tanner, an upstanding social icon in the quiet but politically powerful town of Galesburg, Vermont, adopts Ashley, an abused orphan girl. Because the cost of processing the paperwork is a single cent, orphans like Ashley are called "penny parcels," seen by society as only worth that much. But Ashley doesn't want a daddy, she would prefer to remain in the security of the orphanage, where her past can remain secret. Luke's wife, Grace, and their son, Wesley, try to love Ashley and help her break through the emotional walls around her bruised and broken heart. But her inability to live up to Luke Tanner's standard of performance, as well as her tainted perception of family dynamics, isolate Ashley from those who care about her the most. With both of them waging war on their own personal battlefields, Luke and Ashley collide. Their conflicts initiate a sovereign tragedy.

I was not prepared for this to be one of those books that tears your heart apart and leaves you feeling deeply satisfied down to the very core of your being. I had loved what I had read about the author on her website years ago (it’s sadly no longer up) and had placed this book on my to-read list.

This story is not for the faint of heart. Yet, if you have ever dealt with children either in foster care or adoption or known someone who has dealt with abuse, I would say this story will be something you won’t want to miss. The author does not go into a lot of gory detail about the actual physical and emotional abuse (which is not sexual abuse) yet it is hard to read about. However, the emotional trauma that is caused by the abuse is vivid so be aware.

While most of the story is told from Ashley’s point of view, we also get to see the story from her adoptive father’s point of view. Both perspectives are well written, deep, and realistic. I felt every drop of the fear and anger, the pain and hurt, the mistrust and desperation they experienced. The emotional tide of this book just swept me along from page one until the end, which is why I am so glad I read it on a Sunday and devoted a day to reading. It. 

The spiritual value of this book is just amazing. You might think from what I’ve said before this that this book is sad and depressing. There were times when I thought it was going to be that way. Yet, the author built in the hope of our faith in a realistic and powerful way. It was a natural part of the story. When the breakthrough came, I almost wanted to stand up and cheer. As I said before, it was deeply satisfying.

This book is hard to do justice to in a review. However, it made me once again remember to show compassion to others. You never know what kind of trauma in their past is causing them to act the way they are. I only wish there were more books like this.

I highly recommend this book to older readers who want a soul-satisfying read, an emotional story that builds-up, or those who are interested in adoption.

Andora's Folly by Abigayle Claire: A Review

 

Find it on: Goodreads | Kindle | Paperback

Age Appropriate For:13 and up for violence and romance

Best for Ages:15 and up

Description:  A Pandora's Box retelling

Andora is a beautiful young woman with insatiable curiosity. Raised in splendor, she is spoiled by her privileged life. When a love letter is slid under her door, her life takes a drastically unromantic turn. Nothing makes sense—her arranged marriage, the gifts her parents bestow on her wedding day, or her new husband’s temperament.

As Andora begins to unravel the mysteries around her, she ignites a chain of events that have the power to sabotage her entire village forever. Only her new-found wisdom as a desperate peasant's wife can save her from her folly.

 

Read on Kindle Unlimited.

 

I remember we had this big book that I would spend hours looking at and reading as a kid. It had all sorts of historical information and stories in it. I can still remember the illustrations and the story of Pandora’s box. Really, what fascinated me most as a kid is how closely, in essence, the story was to the story of Adam and Eve. I was excited to read this retelling.

 

Abigayle Claire brought a lot of originality to this story. This isn’t a story explaining how evil entered the world, this is about two families and a girl that gets caught in the intrigue and mystery she never really wanted. And two gifts she’s told never to use.

 

This wasn’t a very long story, but it was full of a lot of emotion. I felt Andora’s emotions keenly. Abigayle Claire is a gifted writer, she pulled me right in. I had to keep flipping pages to find out if she would have a happy ending.

 

This story took several unexpected turns that will leave readers like me very happy.

 

I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy retellings of classic stories, those who enjoy novellas, and those who enjoy solid writing.

This author will be part of next year's A Very Bookish 4th of July collection!

What's been going on with me

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So, since I told you yesterday about how I finally had inspirating for writing, I though you might like a little bit about what I've been doing.

The last part of Octoer and first part of November, I was at the beach with my siblings

We try to get away every year for a few days. 



This year was so relaxing. All of our jobs have been keeping us busy and (like everyone else) have been made more stressful by the times we live in.  It was a wonderful time.
This is my stuff on the table after a work day. Work has been harder lately. Not miserable, but I'm grateful every time I get home. I also really enjoy my once a week french fries, usually at Chick-Fil-A.

A lot of my time has been spent promoting A Very Bookish Thanksgiving and A Very Bookish Christmas. Both these collections will go away at the end of the year. You can grab your copies before they go away HERE.
Thanksgiving was a lot of fun as usual. We emptied out our thankfulness jar and read over all the things we have been grateful for this year. It is always a very special time.
My Dad has had the roughest time of it of late. He's having very bad hip pain. We have been spending a lot of time getting him into the right doctors and trying different things to help him sleep. We finally seem to be making some progress.
I too a road trip with Mikayla. 
We met up with Jesseca Wheaton and Debough Cook. My sister Mikayla went to a concert with them. I just took off my mask for a quick picture as I was dropping her off. 
After dropping Mikayla off, I went to see my good friend Grace Pennington. It was a great visit. 

While I don't love the cold weather, I'm enjoying writing sessions in front of the fire and near the Christmas tree. 

When Inspiration isn't there and when it returns

 

Hey everyone!

I've missed all of you. I did not mean for so long to go without any posts. Every time I sat down to try to write a post, the words just wouldn't come. It wasn't that there was a lot on my mind, I've just had the worst case for writer's block I've ever had. 

It isn't that I haven't been writing. I've been trying to add words to my projects every day and I've also been spending a lot of time promoting A Very Bookish Thanksgiving and A Very Bookish Christmas. However, progress on my books has been painfully slow and things like blog posts just haven't been happening. While I could write, the inspiration that makes me want to write just hasn't been there.

I don't mind telling you, I was stressed about it. I know I shouldn't have allowed it to stress me out, especially since my Dad has been having some health issues (more on that coming in a new post soon). What is harder to say is that I've been dealing with some mild depression. I've found that I often feel that way when I'm dealing with my seasonal allergies. 

Yesterday, I came home and dutifully sat down to work on the next Kate's Case Files book. I hadn't made much progress and took a short break and puzzled over where to go next in the story. I sat down in front of the fire, next to our Christmas tree, and started writing.

The words started coming, not in the painstaking way they had been coming, but in an excited flurry. I almost started crying. I had been wondering, after almost two months of pecking away without much inspiration, if I would ever have that feeling again. I had been beginning to think that I might not be able to keep writing because I couldn't write for a few hours a day for weeks on end without inspiration. 

I wrote late into the night and woke up at six in the morning and wanted to get right back at it (and I'm a do-not-wake-me-up-before-seven girl). I'm getting excited about writing again, and I'm really looking forward to sharing more with all of you in the coming days. 

What have you been up to?

Top 5 favorite of the year so far

We have the boat room today. Let's get in one and float down the river of 2020 to see my top 5 of this year so far.

1. Sick of Me: From Transparency to Transformation by Whitney Capps
My mother recommended this book to me and it was great. This book is written by a woman who grew up in the church and who has loved Jesus her whole life. I found this book not only relatable but also challenging. She confronts common pitfalls that keep us from actually being transformed by God and keep us where we are.Goodreads | Amazon 
2. The Retrievers by Nicole Sager Nicole Sager is one of only two fantasy authors that I will buy every book they write as it comes out. Her vivid worlds don't have magic and are true to the faith. This story was so fun and imaginative. This is the story about a race of people that stand about eight inches high. Goodreads | Amazon 
3. Through Waters Deep by Sarah Sundin  Sarah Sundin is one of my all-time favorite authors and this book has been one of my favorites of the year. I loved the mystery and adventure in this book, as well as the romance, all on the backdrop of the beginning of World War II.Goodreads | Amazon 
4. Living By the Book by Howard G. Hendricks
This book was required reading for our home school. However, it had been years since I had read it. I have to say rereading the updated version was a real treat. It was a great refresher course in how to dig into scripture. Goodreads | Amazon 
5. Kiera by Kate Willis  I just loved this book! I wanted to hug Kiera. She is a sweet girl in the near future when the world is at war. I loved her faith and her courage to stand up for what was right in a hard environment. the very mild romance was sweet and endearing. It's so, so good.Goodreads | Amazon

Read other top favorites of others here

How to do five things

There is nothing quite like the feeling of roasting your food over the fire and then watching it slowly die as you hang out with friends. Some of my favorite memories are around bonfires with my family and friends.


1. How to Listen so People Will Talk by Becky Harling This is a powerful book about how to listen to others and God. While small, it's a packed book, one a reread a lot. One of the things I like most about it is that it has practical steps to becoming better listener of both people and God.Goodreads | Amazon
2. Jazzy Jeans by Mickey Baskett I got this book in my teens. I was doing a lot of stuff with jeans and I did a lot of the projects in this book. My favorite was the skirt. It's a great way for both dressing up denim jeans and jackets, as well as repurposing old ones.Goodreads | Amazon
3. The 10 Commandments of Author Branding by Shayla Raquel This book has helped me a lot as an author with marketing, especially with newsletter writing. This is a fun, yet so helpful how-to for authors.Goodreads | Amazon
4. Write Well: A Grammar Guide by Rachelle Rea Cobb 
I am not good at grammar. That is why I've hired an editor all my books I've published in recent years (and I'm working on getting my first books edited slowly). However, I reread this book sometimes to help me with improving my day to day grammar. It's short but very, very helpful.Goodreads | Amazon
5. The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 
This isn't the cheapest cookbook, but it is one of my favorites. I feel like not only do I love how the recipes taste but they also it's full of helpful instructions. I also learn a lot from the book. Goodreads | Amazon

Find more instructinal favorites here!

Happy Holidays (other then Christmas)

I have the happy privileged of living in an area full of farmland. One of the things that you get to see in fall is all the old, dilapidated houses in barns that are tucked in among trees. As the leaves drop, you get to see these old treasures, tucked away and hardly visible for most of the year.

1. A Very Bookish Thanksgiving This book isn't out yet, but I'm so excited about it! Not only was I one of the authors, but the stories are so, so good! Make sure you get your hands on this because it's a temporary collection.Goodreads | Amazon
2. Paper Hearts by Courtney Walsh (Valentine's Day) This is a sweet story about a little town and the bookstore owner who is helping the town celebrate Valentine's Day in a unique way. It's a really sweet story.Goodreads | Amazon
3. An Easter Carol by Ashley Elizabeth Tetzlaff
I'm sad this book is out of print. It's an adaptation of A Christmas Carol, and it was powerful. It shows the importance of our hope in the resurrection and the joy Easter should bring. If you find a copy, grab it!
Goodreads | Out of Print
4. Honor All Men by Rebekah A. Morris (4th of July) This is a sweet short story about a grumpy old man who finds redemption and a reason to smile on the 4th of July.Goodreads | Amazon
5. Celebrate the Feasts by Martha Zimmerman (Jewish Holidays) This book has influenced me for a very long time. My parents first read it when I was a baby and they started celebrating some of the Jewish feasts. Passover is still one of the things I look forward to all year. This book is a great way to explore the biblical feasts and how celebrating them as a Christian can give you great insight into our faith.Goodreads | Amazon

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