Sarah Holman's Blog, page 35

Five Childhood Favorites

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 Ah! There's nothing like the feeling of flying along on a bike in the crisp, autumn air is there? Like riding a bike, childhood favorites give you a feeling you won't ever forget.

1. All The Places to Love by Patricia MacLachlan My Mom read this book out loud to us so many times, I can probably still recite it. This was one of Mom's favorite books and it became one of mine. The pictures are amazing and the story is so sweet.  I think it was my first childhood favorite.
Buy it on Amazon HERE

2.  The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton Of all the picture books I read, I remember this one most of all. I loved the pictures in this one and spent a lot of time looking at the details, noticing the changes from page to page. It's a cute story too.
Buy it on Amazon HERE

3. The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh
This is the first book I remember reading over and over when I was young. The girl and I shared a name. And with this cover, she even looked like me at the age I was reading it. It fed my love for history, girls being brave, and my interest in different cultures. 
Buy it on Amazon HERE

4. In Grandmothers Attic by Arleta Richardson I don't know how many times I read this series, but it was a lot. I have early memories of my Mom reading this book and us learning about the real places that Mabel lived. While fiction, the stories were based on stories Richardson's grandmother told her. My sisters and I still talk about the stories here.

Buy it on Amazon HERE
5. Sarah's Journey Series by Wanda Luttrell
In my tweens and early teens, I read this series probably ten times. Not only did the main character and I share a name, but I was affected spiritually by this book. In Home on Stoney Creek, Sarah is always wanting what she doesn't have and hurts her family with her bad attitude. I felt like this book helped me in a lot of ways deal with the bad attitudes that were rooted in my heart.

Buy it on Amazon HERE

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Five Favorite Siblings

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Cuddling with my siblings under a blanket reading has to be one of the best feelings in the world. Today, I'd like to share some books that capture siblings well.

1. Charity's Diary Series by Elisabeth Allen This series is one of my all-time favorites. It is a powerful story where siblings are a key part. This is a series about Charity who wants to live her life for Jesus. It's a story about dealing with disappointment and finding strength and hope in God.

Read my review on Goodreads HERE
Buy it on Amazon HERE

2. Just Jane by Nancy Moser  I love how much research Moser does for all of her stories. I felt as if I had met Jane and Cassandra by the end of this book. I loved how the love of these sisters was at the center of this story.

Read my review on Goodreads HERE
Buy it on Amazon HERE

3. Becoming Niki by Ashley Elliott
This is still one of my favorite fictional books ever. It is a story about siblings who share a passion, but also are struggling to get along. I loved the whole feel of this story.

Read my review on Goodreads HERE
Buy it on Amazon HERE


4. Firmament: Gestern by J. Grace Pennington

This series is a favorite of mine. This book spent a lot of time on sibling relationships. It was an amazing adventure as well. I cannot wait for the next book.

Read my review on Goodreads HERE
Buy it on Amazon HERE
5. Happy Hollisters by Jerry West
I still remember Dad reading this book allowed to us. I must have read at least ten or so of the adventures of the Hollister siblings. I'm excited to see that someone has reprinted them and even put them on Kindle. If you have Kindle Unlimited, you can read them all for free! While not perfect, I loved how these siblings stuck together, played together, and solved mysteries together.

Buy it on Amazon HERE

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Five Historical Non-Fiction Favorites

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Another day and today we get to explore some of my favorite historical fiction books, which also happens to be some of my favorite reading, as I'm a history buff. Oh, and what is this...

Yes, I'm hoasting the book room today. Look at the end of this post for a free book!

1. Churches, Revolutions, and Empires by Ian J. Shaw This book is long, but it has become a favorite. It is eye-opening to see where so many modern church ideas got started. This is a book that traces the influence of the church on many of the social movements from the 1700s the early 1900s.
Read my review on Goodreads HERE
Buy the book on Amazon HERE
2. The 40 Most Influential Christians by Daryl Aaron
This is one of my favorite books on church history ever. It shows where a lot of schools of thought got their start. This book includes some influential people who had a bad influence, as well as those who were a positive one.

Read my review on Goodreads HERE
Buy the book on Amazon HERE
3. A Chance to Die by Elisabeth Elliot
I've read a few books on Amy Carmichael and always come away blessed and convicted. She lived her life 100% sold out to Jesus. This is my favorite book about her. One amazing saint writing about another.

Read my review on Goodreads HERE
Buy the book on Amazon HERE

4. John Adams by David McCullough

McCullough is one of my favorite historians because he is good at giving you the facts in an interesting way, but without any agenda. John and Abigail Adams have long been my heroes. This book is thick but worth the time.
Read my review on Goodreads HERE
Buy the book on Amazon HERE
5. Confessions of Saint Augustine
This was a recent discovery of mine, but it has pushed to the top of a lot of other books. I found the Penguin Classics edition to be very readable, and the style just amazed me. God is at the center of this story. Augustine was honest, yet he never went into graphic detail about his sin, he confessed it to his Savior. If ever I right my biography, I want to do it in this style.
Read my review on Goodreads HERE
Buy the book on Amazon HERE

Oh yeah! A free short story HERE

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Set sail with World Fiction

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Welcome aboard! Are you ready to set sail to distant lands? So am I! Some of my favorite books ever are on this list! First port of call? Ancient Babylon!

1. Garden of Madness by Tracy L. Higley (Ancient Babylon)  This book is not for the faint of heart. It is dark in places, yet the light of God shines so brightly. It's one of my favorite novels of all time. It is set during the time of King Nebuchadnezzar madness. Higley always transports me in time and place, but there was just something very special about this story.Read my review HEREBuy it on Amazon HERE
2. Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon (Asia) I read this book last year with a friend and I was so amazed and inspired. Why classified as fiction, it is an account or Anna Leonowens and her efforts to teach and create a better future for Siam. I was really blessed by this book and highly recommend it to slightly older readers. It was one of my top ten books of 2018.
Read my review HERE
Buy it on Amazon HERE

3. The Shadow Things by Jennifer Freitag (Ancient England)
I still refer to this book on a regular basis. It is a powerful story about the gospel coming to a hostel culture. This is another book that isn't for the faint of heart. There are a lot of hard things but oh how amazing is the love and grace of God in the end.
Read my review HERE
Buy it on Amazon HERE
4. From the Dark to the Dawn by Alicia A. Willis (Ancient Rome)
This book is another that isn't easy, to read either. Yet, it is an amazing story about a young boy standing for what is right when it could cost him everything. It is also about redemption and the work of Christ to change lives.
Read my review HERE
Buy it on Amazon HERE
5. Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne (All over the world!)
I read this last year and I loved it! It is a fun, lighthearted adventure book that gives a glimpse into a lot of areas around the world.
Read my review HERE

Sail to one of the other ports of Five Fall Favorites!

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Five Real Heroes

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Having grown up on five acres in the country, I can tell you there is a lot to do when the air starts turning cooler. After all, even in Texas, it's time to start preparing areas for the animals to go when it is cold. That means extra hay for the chickens and goats, and making sure their shelters are free of holes. Barns are pretty important. Also, while I've always thought it sounded fun to curl up in the hay and read a book, I also know, as a farm kid, that can be hazardous, especially as it gets colder. Little critters want to stay warm too. However, life isn't always a cozy couch, as these heroes have taught me.

1. Joseph by Charles R. Swindoll
Joseph has been my hero since I was young. My admiration for him doing what was right when everyone around him encouraged him to do wrong, and when life could easily have made him bitter, has been an inspiration to me. This is my favorite book outside of Genesis about him. Someday, I would love to write a fictional account of his life. I've also watched the Sight and Sound DVD we have of Joseph a lot, probably more then any movie ever.
Buy it on Amazon HERE


2. Abigail Adams  Dear Abigail by Diane Jacobs

Out of all the historical charterers I've read about (and there have been many) none have drawn me like Abigail Adams. She was a strong woman who kept things running at home while her husband help form the United States. It wasn't easy. She had to learn a lot. She was educated, opinionated, and a loving wife and mother. I love that she had big ideas, but loved being a homemaker. Dear Abigail is my favorite book I've read about her so far.
Read my review HEREBuy in on Amazon HERE

3. Keren from He Who Lifts the Skies 
by Kacy Barnett-Gramckow
I devoured and adored the first book in the Genesis Trilogy, but the second book is one that has stuck with me and I recently reread. Keren is strong in both person and her faith in God when life is pretty horrible. I get tired of all the stories where people get angry at God when things go wrong. This story is about someone with unwavering faith.
Read my review HERE
Buy it on Amazon HERE
4.  Jim and Elisabeth Elliot Devotedly by Valerie Elliot Shepard

Both Jim and Elisabeth have been heroes of mine since I was pretty young. I read their love story and I was once again inspired by them. I love that their daughter let us see some of the big faults that her parents had. I don't agree with all of their decisions. In reading this book, I personally wanted to shake Jim a few times. However, they were real people, with real flaws, that lived lives sold out to Christ. I was inspired in my own walk with God from this book.
Read my review HERE
Buy in on Amazon HERE
5. Christy from Christy by Catherine Marshall


I've talked about this book a lot. Christy has been a hero of mine since I first read the book when I was fifteen. Her courage, her faith, and perseverance have inspired me. Her journey of  how to live out her faith when life was hard continues to push me toward Jesus.
You can read my review HERE
You can buy in on Amazon HERE

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Snippet Saturday: Ceaseless

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If you read the story before, share your thoughts on the scene. If you haven't read the book...Well, now you can try it out. Remember, all my books are free to read if you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription. This story is set during the fall, so I thought it would be perfect for today.
Alfred kept distance between himself and the rest of the group as they left Sittell Manor. He did not feel like listening to Matthew and Barnabas chat on as friends, and he did not want to hear Gavin add his own smug comments. It was not hard to stay away from the rest of the group; none of them seemed to miss him at all.
“Wait!”
Alfred turned, and an older woman with white streaks in her brown hair ran toward him. He didn’t recognize her. If she wanted charity, she was coming to the wrong person. If she wished to complain about his mother or sisters, he would refuse to listen.
The woman stopped a few paces from him and covered her mouth with her hands, tears coming down her cheeks. Quickly, she removed her hands and spoke: “I feared I would never find you, or would not know you if I did.”
Alfred glanced around, but he was alone. Was the woman mad?
“You look just like your father, God rest his soul,” she crossed herself.
He wanted to run. He wanted nothing to do with the father that had abandoned him, his mother, and sisters. As if their reputation had not been bad enough before he left. No one wanted to be associated with them afterward. To think that a man would abandon a family was a horrible thing.
She smiled sadly at him. “Forgive me. I am sure you do not remember me. You were but a babe at the time they took you.”
He felt his brow furrow. What was she talking about?
“Did they tell you nothing? Did those you call Mother and Father now tell you that you were their child?”
Alfred took a step back, almost afraid of this woman. How could she know the story? Had his sisters planned this to mock him? He glanced toward some bushes, expecting to hear their cold giggling.
She moved toward him, withdrawing a leather string from around her neck. She held it out to him, and that is when he saw that a ring dangled from the end.

You can visit the Tales of Taelis series page on this blog HEREYou can get a Kindle copy of Ceaseless HERE

Classics with Kelsey and Sarah

I’m very excited to announce today a project I’ve been working on with my dear friend Kelsey for a few months now.

Classics with Kelsey and Sarah is a YouTube Series about the classic books we are reading together. We share with you what we think about them, what we’ve learned, and some other fun things.


Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel so that you make sure to receive the videos.

Add Sense and Sensibility on Goodreads or buy it on Amazon

Add Suit and Suitability by Kelsey Bryant on Goodreads or buy it on Amazon

The New and Improved...

After several months of work (mostly on the part of my amazing editor and cover designer) I’m very excited to let you know that Adventures and Adversities has been updated both inside and out.

I’ve wanted to update the books that I first published, especially with editing. I had planned the Destiny Trilogy to be the first, but plans changed. Honestly, I needed to start with a less daunting project.
If you have a Kindle copy already, you can get a free update by going to Amazon and selecting content and devices from the menu. Once you’re there, search for Adventures and Adversities and it will let you know that an update is available. Hit that and the new cover and editing updates will show up.
One change was made. On the advice of several people, I’m moving the Tales of Taelis from historical fiction, into fantasy. Before you worry, I don’t plan to have an allegorical faith element. Jesus, God, the Bible will still be there as they are in this world. I even still mention the holy land in the book. However, I’ve updated some of the place names, and such to reflect a fictional world. It was simply causing too much confusion and frustration for readers. So, I’m classifying as kingdom fantasy/non-magical fantasy.
I’m really excited to have the new paperback and kindle edition out! To celebrate, I’m giving away two copies of the Audiobook, which, I would like to note, will be staying the same.

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Book Review: Tutor, Nanny, Spit-up, Spy by Perry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick

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Age Appropriate For: All AgesBest for Ages: 13 and up
This book was so much fun! And thank you once again, Perry, for not doing what I’ve seen in so many books. This one involves kids and a young woman who doesn’t know what to do with kids. The children are neither demons nor angels, they are just…well… kids. Emily has a lot to learn, but also has some basic mothering instincts.
This story was fun because it brings in different cultures, quiet a bit of action, and a search for a traitor. I personally love it in spy books when you are looking to figure out who is the bad guy because they aren’t obvious.
I also really love how these books build on each other. While each one wraps up in a way, yet they are also continuing a story. You see a bigger story emerging from the smaller ones. Isn’t that cool?I highly recommend this series is for anyone who like spy stories, squeaky clean books, and realistic characters.

The Perfect Writer's Notebook

You may have seen my review of the WriteMind Planner. Perhaps you also have seen an update or two about it either on this blog or on my Instagram feed. Well, I'm still using it, now more than ever. I invested in the WriteMind digital pages because I was using it so much. I use it every day. I love it because I can move things around, pull pages out, and put sheets in easily.

I've used it almost every day since the day I got it, I'd say it's held up well.  

Earlier this year, I bought the prayer journal sheets. They've become some of my favorites. I use them for my morning devotional time.
On Sunday's I use these note-taking sheets. Yes, my handwriting is messy and I'm glad no one else has to get anything out of these notes. I bought a fun pack of stickers from Hobbly Lobby to dress up every month this year.

My monthly sheet, dressed up with the cute stickers.
My weekly plans, including my writing word-count goals.
Of course, most of this book is taken up with sections on books I'm working on or planning on.
Here is some of the sheets I filled out for my recently finished novella, Fanny's Hope Chest
What kind of planner do you use?