Sarah Holman's Blog, page 21

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

Explore more fun by clicking the image below.

Five Hospital Heroes

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One of the things I look forward to most as the weather turns cooler is long walks. I love spending an hour or two walking along the country lanes around my home. a couple of my younger sisters get very excited about riding their bikes in the cooler weather.


1.  The Best Medicine by Anne Marie Rodgers (Hope Haven, #1) My sister Rose and I have been reading through this series together. We are quite attached to the characters from Hope Haven. These nurses each have different life struggles, but they share faith in God. This is a sweet series. Some books are better written than others, but they have to be read in order.Goodreads | Amazon
2. Trauma Plan by Candace Calvert  Calvert is my favorite author of mine. This was the first book I read by her and was based a lot on her own experience. Her characters are real, messy, yet find salvation, healing, and hope in Jesus.Goodreads | Amazon
3. Called for Life by Kent and Amber Brantly Samaritans Purse has been one of my favorite ministries for years. This is the true story of a doctor who served during the Ebola outbreak and contracted the illness himself. His courage and faithfulness are inspiring. He loves God and others in a hard time. It's a wonderful story. Goodreads | Amazon
4. Cherry Ames, Student Nurse by Helen Wells I remember seeing these books on the shelves of my grandparent's home. It would be many years before I started reading the series. They are dated, but they are fun to see not only Cherry, but the nursing profession as it used to be.Goodreads | Amazon
5. Critical Care by Candace Calvert  Another Calvert book and series. I just love the medical feel, the unique characters, and the faith that is powerfully shown.Goodreads | Amazon

Dear Reader, here are five epistolary books I adore.

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I always feel like fall is right around the corner when school supplies go on sale, don't you? All those kids trying on backpacks and getting excited about the school year.
For me, I grab some of my favorite pens that are on sale and drool over all those pretty notebooks.
Well, here are a few books you might want to stuff into your backpack. Books that in that epistolary category. This means they are told primarily through letters, diary entries, newspaper articles, etc.

1. Just Like You by Elisabeth Allen This book is out of print sadly, but it is my all-time favorite epistolary novel. Told mainly through Charity's diary entries, it is an endearing story about the spiritual growth of a young English girl. I really hope Elisabeth Allen republishes it some time. If you can get your hands on a copy, do!Goodreads | Amazon
2. Devotedly by Valerie Elliot Shepard This isn't fiction and I would not recommend it for younger readers. However, I loved getting to read the story of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot and their passion for Christ in this story. Their daughter allowed us to see them in a very personal and realistic way. She let us see their flaws and how Christ used them despite them. I loved reading their words. They inspired my own walk with Jesus.Goodreads | Amazon
3. Letters to Julia by Meredith Allady I love all of the Merriweather books. But this middle book is my favorite. I love how you only get to read the letters to Julia, and not hers. As her parents and siblings write to her, you are drawn into the life of this family. Trust me, it's a wonderful read.Goodreads | Amazon
4. Sincerely, Jem by Kate Willis I was an early reader for this story and I loved it from page one! It was originally was part of the A Very Bookish Christmas. It's a sweet Christmas story about a sweet young girl. It's also not a romance.Goodreads | Amazon
5. Home Fires of the Great War by Rebekah A. Morris Two families struggle during World War I. Two cousins send letters back and forth and share news and life together. This story is not only heartwarming, but there are also a lot of good lessons in it too.Goodreads | Amazon