Sarah Holman's Blog, page 57

Adventure Between the Pages: The Sound of Diamonds

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I don’t think I have ever been so embarrassed about a book review. Seriously, I was one of the first people to read this book. I read it before a publisher looked at it. I cheered this book on and pre-ordered a copy. I was part of the original blog tour and the Thunderclap campaign. Why has it taken me so long to write a review? Yes, this is embarrassing, especially since it was such a good book.

Rachelle Rea Cobb has had a voice like no other since I first met her all those years ago. It is engaging, poetic, and just plain special. She is one of those authors that you feel as if you could be handed a random paragraph they have written and know that it was them right away.

I loved Gwyn in so many ways. Her wearing glasses and needing them to see well was such a realistic touch to the story. So often, the girls in books are physically perfect, and Gwyn having this defect was so awesome. Her emotions felt so real, and her struggle with whom to believe made my heart ache.

Dirk was a bit annoying at first, but I loved him very quickly. His fierce protectiveness of Gwyn, even when she doesn’t see the need for it was so sweet. He was a good match for Gwyn. As the book progresses and you learn more and more about him, it makes you love him more.

The faith element was woven in expertly. It neither dominated the whole story nor took a back seat. Redemption in salvation and in life were themes that were a huge part of the story. Rachelle, you did a great job.

The hardest thing for me about the story was the fact it had changed. I read a very early version so when I read the published version there were things missing and added. The ending felt quite different, but I expect that is because two books were added. Yet, I also had the privilege of seeing a great draft become an amazing published book. How awesome is that?

I highly recommend this book for those who love romance, adventure, and historical fiction.

And then she asked me to be the maid of honor

While I am excited for Rose, I have to be honest that it has been hard some days. After all, my best friend has a new best friend. Her time and thoughts are with her guy. Even when she is home, her heart is with him. This is an important transition for her. As her sister and friend, it is important that I encourage her to make the transition to Tim being her go to person.

Rose and I have shared a room for years and now we are splitting thing up. As we have gone through things, she regularly stops to take a picture for Tim or ask him a question. Facing the reality of Rose not being in the same house as me has been hard. Even harder has been facing the reality that our relationship has changed and will never be the same. I always knew this would happen, but it is quite another thing to go through.

Rose and I were mistaken for twins in our younger years. We looked nothing alike, but they way we acted almost as one person convinced some people we had that twin thing going. As it was, Rose is fourteen months younger than me and I have no memory of being without her. I have often teased that we are twins fourteen months apart.

Now she is getting married.

My sisters bought team bride shirts for all of us... except mine came and it had Maid of Honor on the front. I was really touched. I am excited to be standing up for my sister, my friend, my heart as her deepest desire, greatest wish, and largest dream comes true. When I cry on the wedding day, those will be tears of joy. Today's tears, those tears are for my lose. I am going to miss what has been even as my heart rejoices for what will be.

Come back here on Thursday to see plans for the bridesmaid dresses!

P.S. Have any of you had a sibling get married?

And then she got engaged

OH MY GOODNESS! Has it seriously been almost a month since I posted here? Yeah, my internet has been giving me fits and then...

See those happy faces? That is them right after my sister said yes! 
Yes, that is the ring. Isn't it pretty? Tim did such a great job at picking it out. It has both their names on it.
On the Monday after Easter, Tim took Rose to a park. They went to her favorite spot, a rock outcropping over the water. When it was time to leave he asked her:"Do you trust me?""Yes," Rose said.Tim led her to the very edge of the rock and had her face the water with her eyes closed. Rose heard a soft noise behind her."You can open your eyes now."She turned around and he was down on one knee, a ring in hand."Will you marry me?"
We heard the excited scream at our house... Okay, not really. She was an hour away. My sister, who had the courage to stand up for her convictions, struggled with singleness, finally has found the man of her dreams.
Keep reading here for updates on the wedding planning, and all that fun stuff.

Adveture Between the Pages: With Every Letter

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Age Appropriate For: 15 and up for romance
Best for Ages: 15 and up
Description: Lt. Mellie Blake is looking forward to beginning her training as a flight nurse. She is not looking forward to writing a letter to a man she's never met--even if it is anonymous and part of a morale-building program. Lt. Tom MacGilliver, an officer stationed in North Africa, welcomes the idea of an anonymous correspondence--he's been trying to escape his infamous name for years.
As their letters crisscross the Atlantic, Tom and Mellie develop a unique friendship despite not knowing the other's true identity. When both are transferred to Algeria, the two are poised to meet face-to-face for the first time. Will they overcome their fears and reveal who they are, or will their future be held hostage by their pasts?

This year has not been a good one for me in my fiction selections. I have found some gems, but mostly I keep hitting mediocre or downright bad books. It has been almost enough to drive me to break my vow of not buying books this year. I decided to go back to some of the authors that I have loved. Sundin was one of them.

Wow! I cannot tell you quite how much I loved this book. I stayed up until midnight to finish it and sat awake for about a half an hour smiling and reliving parts of it before falling asleep. I actually cried while reading this book at one point, it was just that powerful.

One of the things I love about Sundin is her willingness to tackle hard issues. Not the things that the world calls ‘tough issues’ but the truly neglected issues of the heart that Christians like to ignore. Topics of friendship, redemptions, forgiveness, gossip and leadership were all covered. The overarching message, though, was one of living without a mask and taking a risk for friendship.

Mellie was such a wonderful character. I loved her to pieces and wanted to shake her at times. Yet she was so believable. Her flaws and her strengths made such a complete person that felt so real. Tom also felt very real. His struggle with leadership and doing what was right despite his past were so beautiful.

As always, Sundin did an awesome job with her settings. I always feel more educated after reading her books, for the historical things I learn are always in perfect harmony with the story. I look forward to learning more about the flight nurses while reading this series.

The romance was based on admiration of character, not physical attraction. It was such a wonderful break from the norm. The romance was very sweet and through letters for the most part, so based on character. Tom’s commitment to a girl he only knows on paper made me want to stand up and cheer. The kisses at the end were sweet, especially for how long the author made us wait for them.

I highly recommend this book for those who like romance, historical fiction, and faith-building stories.

Happy Days for my Sister

Rose has been the subject of several posts. I talked about her courage in 2015 and about how hard it was to watch her hurt in 2016 because she was still single. However, I have prayed for a while that God would bring a godly man into her life. The last three months, I have been blessed to watch her grow in a relationship with Tim.

I am so blessed to have a front row seat to watch my sister’s dream coming true. It hasn’t been easy for her to wait, there have been some really hard times, yet now it all seems worth it. Oh, our family also had an awesome time hiking on Sunday.

Where I am in the Holman Writing Adventure

I thought I would give you an update as to where I am with some various projects. I am really hoping that I can make a lot of progress this week.

Books I am preparing for paperback:Kate’s CapitolCourage and CorruptionEmmeline
Projects I am editing:Dreams and DevotionFather, Forgive them (an Easter short StoryCeaseless (A Tales of Taelis short story)
WritingA Tales of Taelis short storyKate’s Case Files #3
I am looking forward to sharing more about all of these projects with you. I wish I could work faster or at least not need as much sleep. However, everything will get done that God wants to get done.

Adventure Between the Pages: Finding Becky

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Description: Finding Becky is the third novel in the Winds Across the Prairie series.  Becky Haynes returns to Barton Creek after college with a new independent spirit that baffles her longtime friend Rob Frankston. Her new attitude toward her faith, family, and friends confuses her family. When a stranger moves into Barton Creek, Becky is flattered and taken in by the attentions of Geoff Kensington. As Oklahoma approaches statehood, strange accidents befall the citizens of Barton Creek. Rob has his suspicions concerning Geoff, but will he be able to find proof and convince Becky to return to the faith of her childhood before the town of Barton Creek is destroyed?

I have loved the first two books in this series. I had the privilege of meeting Martha Rogers a few years ago and her faith shines not only in her books but in her life. I was excited when I found a discounted copy of this book to read.

I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed in this story. I liked Becky but between books she became an annoying know-it-all. However, Becky got a lot of silly ideas stuck in her head. That would have been okay, but the change in her fell a little flat. As the other two books in this series were very powerful that was disappointing.

Geoff was a confusing character and he made me dizzy. Even at the end of the book I had no idea what kind of guy he was. As he is a big part of the story, this also made for a disappointing aspect of the story.

Rob was the best character. He loves Becky and doesn’t give up on her. With that says, he also doesn’t stand on his principles. Not giving up on someone should never means ignoring your values.
The setting was great. Being back in Barton Springs and seeing Lucy, Dove, and the rest was great. I felt so at home and cozy. While most of the book was disappointing, just being back in the setting I love was worth it.

While not my favorite, if you love the first two books in the series, you ought to read this one.

The Holman Writing Adventure continues… without a schedule.

The Holman Writing adventure continues… without a schedule. Most of you probably read my post about tearing up my schedule (add link). It has been a challenge as well as a blessing for me. While I feel like I am making time for the important things, progress on some of my stories is going much slower. Dreams and Devotion has taken very little of my time the last two weeks. People and events seem to be conspiring against this story… which is oddly appropriate for the story.

I thrive on my schedules, so to be without one feels odd. Yet, I am not roaming around the house without purpose. I still spend most of the day behind my laptop, working away, but sometimes, things more important than my work go on. Such as:

I spent some time getting Homeschooled Authors in order.
I chatted online with some friends going through a rough time.
I finally dusted my shelves.
I have worked in the garden some.
I have been able to be more available to my family.
I have been less stressed.

I admit, it is a little hard sometimes because I know that things are not going according to my hoped for timetable. I also want to be spending more time on my writing. Yet, I know that I am exactly were God wants me to be. There is nowhere I would rather be.

Welcome to my Room

Today I wanted to do something a little different. I want to invite you into my room. I cleaned it up recently so it is actually fit to be seen. I share this room with my sister Rose. As she works in town and I spend most of the day behind my computer it can get pretty messy.



This is my writing corner which you may have seen pictures of before.



This is where a lot of our stuff is stored.



And where our collection of miniature tea sets, my awesome books, and Rose’s crafting supplies are kept.



In case you thought I had taken over the room entirely with my books, this corner is all Roses.




This is the latest addition to our room, it is a nice place for us to do our hair and keep the bathroom open.


Thank you for visiting. Can you stay for tea?

What Should we Watch?

There has been a great debate going around my circle of friends: Should they or shouldn’t they watch the new Beauty and the Beast? It has been thoughtful, insightful, and, yes, ugly at times. Some of my friends are signing onto a Disney boycott while others are rolling their eyes and saying that some Christians are making a big deal out of something small. This begs a question from all of us:

Why is what someone else chooses to watch, or not watch, so important to us?

I’m going to admit something here: I’ve watched some things that I regret. I went through a time where I was struggling from depression and watched some things that were not healthy or God honoring. Many, if not most, of my friends and blog readers probably still consider what I watched not that bad. While some of the content wasn’t great, it’s pretty clean by today’s standards. It was relatively fine.

One day, I was with a group of girls and they were talking about shows they had seen. These all were very sweet godly girls, but one of them said something to me that bugged me. She made a comment that, of course I hadn’t seen them because I would never think of watching that kind of thing.
I became defensive.

I flaunted a series I had watched with some content in it that wasn’t that great. The girls smiled and I felt I had gained some respect. For a few moments, I delighted in that respect. I was watching relatively cleaner things they were watching, but I had showed them that I wasn’t the legalistic person they had thought I was. It didn’t take long for my delight to turn into pensiveness, and that pensiveness drove me to some unsettling conclusions.

#1 The only person I should worry about how they think about my choices is God.
#2 I was disturbed that I had been proud of the dirt in those shows.
#3 It was clear I had allowed some things into my life I shouldn’t have.

I liked the shows I had been watching. They were engaging and I found a lot of good in them. Yet, did they honor God? Since I felt that was a little too tough of a question (rolling eyes at self) I even gave myself an easier question: What did they make me think about? Did I come away thinking about themes of what was true, noble, right, and pure? I had to admit, I wasn’t coming away thinking about those things. I was upset with myself for allowing them in in the first place and upset at the conviction that I had to get rid of them.

Which brings me to the reasons I’ve chosen not to see the new Beauty and the Beast.
#1 By spending my money on something, I am giving my support. Just as I won’t buy or watch something that winks at intimacy outside of marriage, I won’t spend money on something that winks at the gay lifestyle. It doesn’t matter if it is a moment or a long scene.
#2 I was recently convicted (once again) that magic is never okay to God. Any time as it is treated as benign or good, it violates how God views it. This is hard for me as I have enjoyed Cinderella, Tangled, and myriads of other films that have “cute” magic.
#3 I want my entertainment to align with what I believe. My time is valuable and when I take the time off to watch or read something, I want to come away with profitable thoughts, not curse words, sensual ideas, or smiling at things God hates.

Now, if you are going to see Beauty and the Beast, can we still be friends? Of course! However, if you know someone who feels they shouldn’t go, honor their conviction.