Sarah Holman's Blog, page 96

Thought of the Day: He is Strength

Sometimes, we need to be reminded that we may be weak, but God is strong.
Jesus loves me, this I knowFor the Bible tells me soLittle ones to Him belongThey are weak, but He is strong
~Jesus Loves Me

Posts you might also enjoy:         Thought of the Day: A Passionate God         Adventure Between the Pages: Unglued Devotional         “The One Who Gave the Vision Still Calls”

Adventure Between the Pages: A January Bride

Buy it HereAge Appropriate For: 13 and up for mild romanceBest for Ages: 15 and up
Description: Who can work in a house that's overrun by contractors and carpenters? Not Madeleine Houser, a successful novelist who gladly accepts the help of her octogenarian friend, Ginny, to arrange for a temporary office in the charming bed and breakfast owned by Ginny's friend, Arthur. Maddie’s never met the innkeeper––but a friendship grows between them as Maddie and Arthur leave messages for each other each day. To Maddie’s alternate delight and chagrin, she seems to be falling for the inn’s owner––a man who's likely many years her senior––and who she’s never even met.
I was so honored when BookLook selected me to be one of the review bloggers allowed to review two of the Year of Weddings novellas. I so enjoyed December Bride and I couldn’t wait to see if the series would continue to be as good.
This story was such a delight for me as a writer. After all, Maddie is a writer way behind in her word count and disasters keep happening at her house while repairs are made. Enter a kind next-door neighbor who has the perfect place escape to a pretty mansion. Okay, I admit it. I am so jealous that she got to write in such a perfect setting.
I laughed so much while reading this book. The misunderstandings and humors mistakes by the different characters was so much fun without being ridiculous. I really think this book would make an excellent movie.The only down side? I felt the that the author of the novella tried to add to much tension toward the end of the book, without the word count to fully explore and work out the issues. That however, was not hard to overlook with the other enjoyable aspects of the book.
The romance was sweet and not overdone. There were a couple of kisses, but nothing over the top. I also liked that the romance was based on a friendship first. Granted, it was far quicker than I would like, but it was nice to see none the less.
I highly recommend this book to romance lovers, writers, and those looking for a short, light read.
Was this helpful? Please vote it up on Amazon.
I received this book from Zondervan via BookLook in exchange for my honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.
Other posts you might enjoy:          Adventure Between the Pages: A December Bride          Adventure Between the Pages: A Match Made in Texas          Adventure Between the Pages: Three Teacup Novellas

Sometimes, God uses Fiction

There have been times in my life when I haven’t wanted to read the Bible. There have been times that God has felt distant or I was angry at him. There have been times that I have needed a push in my faith, but I wasn’t willing to take it. In these situation, God has often used fiction books in my life. That is right, fiction. Today, I would like to share with you some of the fiction books that God has most inspired me with.
Christy by Catharine Marshall:I read this book the first time when I was fifteen. It made me realize that head knowledge was not enough. I had to be ready to live out my faith even if I was placed in a harsh environment. I have reread this book twice since then (I normally read fiction books only once). It was life changing each time
The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis: For me, this was the most powerful C.S. Lewis. It impacted me more than any of is non-fiction works. Why? I was going through a very rough time in my life, a time when God was completely reshaping my faith. I was frustrating and angry, and felt like opening my Bible would lead to yet another guilt trip. I decided to reread the Chronicles of Narnia. I started crying while reading the scene where Shasta meets Aslan. Every bad thing that Shasta says has been wrong with his life; Aslan shows him how it was used for his good. After this, I started reading my Bible again and felt so much closer to God.
Sophia’s Heart by Lori Wick: No other book has impacted my view of others, especially immigrants more than this book. In a time I was becoming politically involved and I was starting to get drawn into the immigration debate, God used this book to remind me that He sees the heart. Sometimes, I judge people for their accent and assume things about them that are wrong.
Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Harnurd: This tale was a blessing to me. It really encouraged me to follow God no matter where he led. A Much-Afraid learns to trusts the Shepherd, I was learning not only to trust God, but also to see that the trials I was going through would be for my good.
From the Dark to the Dawn by Alicia Willis: Although this book is not yet published, I was very blessed to read and endorse this book. This is a hard book to read, but it really helped remind me what my faith was all about. It really has been one of the biggest reasons I have become a lot more faithful in my time I spend with God. This book also helped me resolve some the doubts that had been bothering me.
What are some fiction books that God has used in your life?

Other posts you might enjoy:          Adventure Between the Pages: Christy          Adventure Between the Pages: Sophia's Heart         Worst Moment or Finest Hour           

Writing Saturday: Expanding Your Reach

Pieces of my Life: Laughter

My mom got this for me. It is perfect because in our house, there is both a lot of laughter and a lot of music.
Other posts you might like:         Pieces of my Life: My Bookshelf         Adventure Between the Pages: Tales for the Heartily Homeschooled         Writing Saturday: J is for Joy

Adventure Between the Pages: The Quilted Heart

Buy it HereAge Appropriate For: 13 and up for mild romanceBest for Ages: 15 and up
Description: Like a beautiful patchwork quilt, the three novellas in The Quilted Heart tell stories of lives stitched together with love and God’s unending grace. Once a week, Elsa Brantenberghosts the Saint Charles Quilting Circle at her farmhouse on the outskirts of the riverside town of St. Charles, Missouri. The ladies who gather there have all experienced heartache related to the intense hardships of the Civil War, and together, they are facing their painful circumstances with friendship and prayer. Can the tattered pieces of their hearts be stitched together by God’s grace?
I seem to be trying a lot of new authors this year. This novella collection is my first book by Mona Hodgson. I have seen her books around, and I was glad to finally get a chance to finally read not just one, but three of her stories.
There was one thing that I felt detracted from the stories. Often in the short pages of the novella, we would break from the main story and have a chapter about someone else. This was irritating as a novella really doesn’t have space for a lot of points-of-view.
Dandelions on the WindThis tale about a Maren Jensen, a mail-order bride who was rejected because she is going blind, was so sweet. The tension and the themes of redemption woven through the short pages of this story, showcased Hodgson’s talent. It is hard sometimes to show changing hearts within a novella, but she manages to do it.Maren was a wonderful heroine that captured my heart. Her faith and her vulnerability made her feel real and lovable.Bending Toward the SunThis story was my favorite of the collection. In a time when honoring your parents is laughed at, this story is refreshing. It was so nice to see a hero who does the hard thing, and stays away from the girl he loves to honor her father. It doesn’t stop him from praying and trying to change the fathers mind, but he honors the father’s request.Emily was a very likable heroine. She is caught between what her father wants for her, an what she wants. She too wants to honor her father, but struggles. I loved that she struggled and wasn’t a push over, it made the story more believable.Ripples Along the ShoreWe have heard a bit about Carolina in the other novella’s, but now she gets one all to herself. To be honest, I really didn’t think that there was a very good transition between her not trusting Garrett, and liking him.This story also doesn’t have the ending I had hoped for, probably since the author intends to continue their story in her next book.
Overall, this collection was enjoyable. It was nice to curl up and read three novella’s that were connected to each other. Was this helpful? Please vote it up on Amazon.
I received this book from WaterBrook Press in exchange for my honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.

Thought of the Day: A Passionate God

This year, I have been keeping a journal. This is the first time I have kept a journal faithfully for more than a week. At the end of each entry, I have been putting a thought for the day, Sometimes it is insight into my life, sometime it is a Bible verse, sometimes it is a random thing that pops into my head. I thought that this Monday, I would share one of those thoughts with you.


I will be sharing more of these thoughts with you in the future.

Other posts you might enjoy:
         Encouragement for your day; Pray and Sing
         After the Rain
         Adventure Between the Pages: The Gospel of Yes

Writing Saturday: How to Write a Negative Book Review

Finds of the Week 2/14/14

Articles and Posts I have enjoyed

Adventure Feels Like Today
~A wonderful reminder of what it means to be content~

Getting Started with Google Plus in 6 Simple Steps~ Great advice~ How to Organize Your Blog Archives (3 steps to sort your content)~More great advice~

Why Smattering is Good For You; A Letter to Bloggers
~I guess all good posts on blogging come with a round picture.~


Most Bloggers Think About Social Media the Wrong Way
~Can you tell I am into blog improvement this week?~


Word of the Week - Colors
~So good to know~


45 ways to avoid using the word 'very'
~Very helpful ;) ~


The Valentines! May the VOTING BEGIN!
~Some Valentine fun!~


Guy/Girl Friendships: Untangled
~So good~


Things I have written, Interviews I have given


Sarah Holman and The Destiny of One
~A fun interview~


Alone on Mars for Valentines Day
~What is Maria doing?~


Is Self-Publishing for you? Making your Decision.
~The last in a four part series~

Pieces of my Life: The Box

Last week we started a new series where I share little pieces of my world. We are working through my bookshelf.  And today I am going to show you what is inside this box.
This little box is where I keep some of my small collections and items.





Other posts you might like            Pieces of my Life: My bookshelf            Learning to Manage my time Well            Writing Saturday: F is for The Feudal System