I know I haven't been blogging much lately, I have been busy helping with a walk-through Nativity. It has taken a lot of time and energy, but it was worth it. Not only was it fun, but it was a powerful reminder of the reason for the season.
The Angels, two of which are my sisters and me (I am in the green dress and brown head-covering)
My sister Rose is the cute girl in Pink. I am sitting down talking to my sister Mikayla
Two of my sisters
To see more photos on the events Facebook Page
Age
Appropriate For: 13 and up for mild romance and
some mildly scary scenes.
Best
for Ages: 15 and up
Description:
The last place
twenty-four year old Keri McMillan wants to be is back home in Waterford Bay,
Oregon. But after two years at prestigious New York University pursuing a
degree in journalism, her bank account is drained. Keri is determined to move
home for one year - and one year only--- to make some serious money working for
her dad's log cabin company, but her goals all go up in smoke when the
company's new showcase home burns to the ground. Six months ago, Grant Dawson
bought the Waterford Weekly, a small newspaper in his father's hometown. Burned
out as a reporter for the L.A. Times and tired of all the inherent politics, he
welcomed the slower pace of this Oregon coastal town and the more relaxed
lifestyle producing a weekly paper. He enjoys being close to his dad again, a
quiet man who captains a whale-sightseeing boat. Grant is surprised at his unexpected interest
in Keri, the niece of columnist Luby Sanders. He thinks Luby is a hoot and
can't help but adore her. But she's also playing matchmaker, trying to interest
him in her niece. When Keri shows up at a log cabin fire in the middle of the
night, she's not the geeky college kid he expected. But he's not about to fall
victim to Luby's orchestrations.
Diane Moody is fast becoming one of my
favorite authors to relax with. Her characters are so endearing, her plots don’t
repeat, and faith always plays a key role in her stories. After the last tea
cup novella, I couldn’t wait to read the next one. So, I didn’t waste any time
starting.
Keri and Grant were both great
characters. Keri had some serious attitude issues at the beginning of the book,
which is understandable as she is going through a very emotional time. Grant
helps her to change her attitude, get on her feet and solve the case.
This book was fun. It wasn’t as humorous as the last book, but I really enjoyed it. There was a bit of mystery, and
two sweet romances.
If you enjoy nice, sweet romances, and
novellas with touches of mystery, check out this second book in the Teacup
Novella series.
Age
Appropriate For: 15 and up for mild romance and
some situations
Best
for Ages: 15 and up
Description:
It seems
everyone needs a second chance. Tracey Collins just left Washington D.C. after
her dream job became a personal nightmare. Back home in Jacobs Mill, Tennessee,
she quickly realizes she's not the only one needing a fresh start. Her sister
Alex is in the midst of a career change, finding new inspiration restoring
furniture. Their father, a former pastor who's had his own share of
disillusionment, now mentors a strange bunch of misfit bikers who do odd jobs
around town as ministry. Among them, an intriguing former attorney named Noah,
still running from a painful past, catches Tracey's eye. Secrets are uncovered
and hearts are restored in Jacobs Mill as they all work together to renovate an
old smokehouse into a new shop called Second Chances.
I have to admit that this was my least
favorite of my of the Teacup books so far. I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t my
favorite. Let me start with what kept me from loving the book before I go on to
what I liked.
I have to admit one of my pet peeves is
when people call things their babies
or children or talk about inanimate objects like they are people. In this book
Alex calls her projects her children and names them. And many of the motor
cycles have names and personalities to their owners. I know it is silly that it
bothered me, but it did.
The romance wasn’t as good in my mind. Not
as much based on character as much as the last two stories. However, I did love
how both of them help each other with their problems in the end. Tracy helps
Noah with his past, and Noah helps Tracy with a persistent and unwanted suitor.
I loved the historical mystery aspect
of this story. The story of the teacup in this novella was by far my favorite.
Maybe because I am a history buff. I can’t say anything more without giving too
much away.
If you need a quick light read, the
teacup books are for you.
Buy
it Here
Age
Appropriate For: 13 and up for mild romance
Best
for Ages: 13 and up
Description:
When her best
friend prayed for God to "blow your socks off," Olivia Thomas had no
idea that prayer would be answered only a few hours later. Stunned by such an
unexpected gift from someone she'd helped years ago, Olivia suddenly finds
herself with unlimited possibilities. She packs her bags and heads to Caden
Cove, a tiny coastal town in Maine, where she hopes to figure out what to do
with the rest of her life. Little does she know her reservation at the Captain
MacVicar Inn has put her in the path of a historic legend. Trevor Bass owns
Caden Cove's only bookstore and dabbles in real estate. All the locals know the
grouchy bookseller is an avowed bachelor, which explains their utter shock when
he invites a "tourist" to visit their book club. The mere hint of
romance sends the town into a frenzy wondering if the object of Trevor's
affections could be the next victim of the legend's curse. Will history repeat
itself once more in Caden Cove?
This was such a sweet novella. I am
very sad that there is only one novella left in the series. Diane Moody is so
talented. Each of her books are unique and different.
I loved Olivia. I loved this story
about an older woman finding love. I think the subtle message of it being
better to wait on the right person even if that means waiting far longer than
we would like. This is a message that I think is very important for young
people today.
The only thing I didn’t like about the
book was the first kiss. I thought it came far too early in the relationship.
Except for that I loved everything about it. Olivia and Trevor have their
issues and work through them because they believe that their relationship is worth
fighting for.
The legend of Caden Cove, Maine was
delightful addition to the story. It kept the story moving and gave some
suspense to the story.
I highly recommend this whole novella
series.
I haven't done any movie reviews in a very long time. Today, I thought I would change that by reviewing the new Sound of Music.
When my mom told me about this, I rolled my eyes and said: "Right, like anyone could replace Julie Andrews." I wasn't even going to watch it. However, when I heard the first strains of music, I decided to watch for a few minutes. After the first few minutes I was hooked.
Yes, there were some sound issues, but that didn't keep me from loving it. Carrie Underwood brought a sweetness and a gentleness to the role that I loved. I have to admit that she seemed more like the type that would try to be a nun than Julie Andrews. I agree with some people that she wasn't the most amazing actress, but neither did I think she flopped. Her voice! She sang the songs so well!
As for Captain Von Trapp... Wow! They did a much better job with his character. You see him being pressured to change his loyalties, and he never wevers. He will not bow to the Germans, even to make his life better. I feel like I finally understand his character.
Some people thought the acting wasn't very good. I, however, saw it for what it was: This was not acted like a blockbuster film, it was acted like a stage production. The Sound of Music was originally a play that they made into a movie. This felt like a Broadway play which I enjoyed. If you are looking for film acting, don't try this. If, however, you love Broadway plays, you will love this.
The sets were so amazing! I love all of them. And set changes? How cool was it to be on one set and for a wall to rise and find yourself in another one. Very creative way to change sets, as well as impressive.
My real worry when I started watching was the romance. Every time I knew there was a romantic scene coming up, I held the control waiting to turn it off. I was pretty sure there wouldn't be anything too awful, but I thought they would up the romance. Although maybe there were a few extra "looks" and the kiss was a bit more passionate, I was pleasantly surprised. They really did keep the sweetness of the romance and didn't ruin it. They didn't have more scenes and excuses for Maria and Captain Von Trapp to kiss. I was so pleased and so impressed.
I may be among the first people to own this on DVD, I liked it so much, and I encourage you to give it a try.
Yes, there were some sound issues, but that didn't keep me from loving it. Carrie Underwood brought a sweetness and a gentleness to the role that I loved. I have to admit that she seemed more like the type that would try to be a nun than Julie Andrews. I agree with some people that she wasn't the most amazing actress, but neither did I think she flopped. Her voice! She sang the songs so well!
As for Captain Von Trapp... Wow! They did a much better job with his character. You see him being pressured to change his loyalties, and he never wevers. He will not bow to the Germans, even to make his life better. I feel like I finally understand his character.
Some people thought the acting wasn't very good. I, however, saw it for what it was: This was not acted like a blockbuster film, it was acted like a stage production. The Sound of Music was originally a play that they made into a movie. This felt like a Broadway play which I enjoyed. If you are looking for film acting, don't try this. If, however, you love Broadway plays, you will love this.
The sets were so amazing! I love all of them. And set changes? How cool was it to be on one set and for a wall to rise and find yourself in another one. Very creative way to change sets, as well as impressive.
My real worry when I started watching was the romance. Every time I knew there was a romantic scene coming up, I held the control waiting to turn it off. I was pretty sure there wouldn't be anything too awful, but I thought they would up the romance. Although maybe there were a few extra "looks" and the kiss was a bit more passionate, I was pleasantly surprised. They really did keep the sweetness of the romance and didn't ruin it. They didn't have more scenes and excuses for Maria and Captain Von Trapp to kiss. I was so pleased and so impressed.
I may be among the first people to own this on DVD, I liked it so much, and I encourage you to give it a try.
I spent my morning designing this...
I am currently reading...
I am currently Writing...
Last few chapters of A Different Kind of Courage
Age
Appropriate For: 13 and up (for mild romance and
reading level)
Best
for Ages: 13 and up
Description:
Fresh from a
Jane Austen tour in England, Maddie Cooper returns home to Texas, determined to
bring a touch of "Austen to Austin." She dreams of opening an
authentic English tea room and, like Austen's Emma, put into practice her
self-proclaimed gift as a matchmaker. But an airport mishap with a cranky Englishman
gets her off on the wrong foot (quite literally), especially when he moves into
the university guest house across the street. Can Maddie find a love for her
unapproachable new neighbor, or has she finally met her match?
I wasn’t feeling good, so I decided to
take the day off and read some books that I had been wanting to read on my
Kindle – some short books. First I read a Christmas book, and then I decided to
read a book by an author I have come to love – Diane Moody.
Tea
with Emma was perfect. Short, sweet, tea, and
Jane Austen. It wasn’t super deep, but there was a nice faith element as well
as some awesome lines. The characters were fun, quirky and flawed, even if
there wasn’t a huge amount of character development.
For those who have read Jane Austen’s
books, none of the plot twists will come as a shock. However, I think it only
added to the charm of this book. It was one of those books that is a relaxing
break from the serious 400+ page novels I am used to reading.
Overall, this is the perfect book to
curl up with for an evening when you need a light, happy read. The kind when
you want a sweet but not overwhelming romance (two kisses toward the end of the
book). In short, a charming little novella. I can’t wait to start the next one!
(Which is probably why it is already opened on my Kindle.)
Now that NaNo is over? What I am now? Here is a little peek at my to-do list.
Get Adventures and Adversities on to Kindle
Write the last few chapters of A Different Kind of Courage
Write some posts for MOHL
Format some books for friends
Read some great books (I have already read Tea with Emma)
Buy
it Here
Age
Appropriate For: All Ages
Best
for Ages: All Ages
Description:
Journey back to
a simpler time, to a small English village where nothing out of the ordinary
ever happens. Except at Christmastime. When a mysterious angel suddenly appears
in a lowly candlemaker's shop, the holy and the human collide in a way that
only God could imagine. Glowing bright with a timeless message, The Christmas
Candle will warm your heart with a surprising reminder of God's bountiful love.
I have been hearing and seeing a lot
about the movie that just came out based off this book. I am very eager to see
it and reading this little story made me want to see it even more.
Max Lucado has been one of my favorite
authors for a long time. I have read a lot of his non-fiction and a couple of
his books for children. This was the first Christmas story by him that I have
read.
This story was short and sweet. I know
there are a lot of people that hate short books but I am not one of them. I
often need a break from the books that are 500+ pages. This was perfect. There
was plenty of time to tell the story, without getting bogged down. Yes, there
wasn’t enough time to go super deep into characters, but it didn’t matter. This
story wasn’t about amazing people, it was about the message of an amazing God.
There wasn’t really any romance in the
story, unless you count the time when one of the ladies of the town tries to
push her daughter on the preacher. Romance isn’t a factor in the book which was
a nice change.
Some may find the supernatural visit from an angel who touches a candle farfetched and irritating, but I do not. I loved
this story and highly recommend this book to anyone who likes sweet Christmas
stories, books you can read in a couple of hours, and those who are not afraid
to believe.
I received this book from Thomas Nelson through BookSneeze
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.
#1 site I have used. Thousands of letters and first hand documents available online.
A blog all about Dr. Warren? This guy did a lot of the work for me by collecting a bunch of first hand/primary resources in one place.
You can not read about Warren without finding out about his good friend and fellow Physician, Dr. Benjamin Church. This blog really helped me find out more about him.
Wikipedia has been a wonderful starting point for my research and the text of many documents
You can not read about Warren without finding out about his good friend and fellow Physician, Dr. Benjamin Church. This blog really helped me find out more about him.
Wikipedia has been a wonderful starting point for my research and the text of many documents
You can now get my latest book on CreatSpace!!! It will come on Amazon and Amazon Kindle soon.
It has been a long Journey to get this book published, but it is finally here!
Adventures
and Adversities is an enchanting, faith-filled story, filled with endearing
characters who will whisk you away to another time and place for a marvelous
page-turning adventure!
~ Nicole
Sager, author of Heart of Arcrea
Author
Sarah Holman is a young lady with a heart for God and others. Based on her
desire to honor her Lord through her writing, I am pleased to promote
Adventures and Adversities. A story of faith and endurance that is sure to warm
and inspire.
~ Alica Willis,
author of To Birmingham Castle
Through
sorrow and suffering, Alditha and Will both learn what it means to trust in God
and true love. This story brings to life the medieval era I love best--and it
is an encouraging story of what can happen when two hearts turn to the One who
holds the past and the future.
~ Rachelle
Rea, editor
Busy making the final push for NaNo what are you up to?
Most if not all of us have done it; I know I have many
times. I have wanted some new inspirational music, so I head to Youtube and
listen to a bunch I have saved on a playlist. Money is tight, but I want to see
a movie, so I go and watch it online. I need a picture for my post, I have the
perfect on Pinterest, so I use that. It works well, and it doesn’t hurt anyone
one, right?
Today, God really got a hold of me. I realized that I had
been doing all those things, because all my friends were, and I never stopped to
really consider it. I considered it after reading an artist who talked about how
many of his songs had been downloaded from YouTube but how few people were
buying his songs. I was angry at the people that did that, and then I realized
that I was just as bad. True, I don’t download music I haven’t paid for, but is
it any better to listen to it online?
What about all those photographers I have ripped off by using
their photos for my posts? Giving a link back to the pin I used doesn’t help
them. I am using their work without their permission which is… *takes a deep
breath* stealing. Not a fun word, but that is what it is.
What about the movies I have watched online? Yes, most of
them I have watched have not been pirated movies. I normally watch things on Hulu
or other reputable sites, but every once in a while I have wanted to watch
something that wasn’t there.
Over the next few weeks, I am going to go through my blog
and take down all pictures and links to things I don’t own. I will also be
deleting a lot of my YouTube playlists. I will no longer steal things for my
own benefit (and yes it is stealing) and then justify why it is okay. This may make some posts less
interesting, because I don’t have a gazillion images; this might make my
playlist more boring; it might mean I have to wait a few months to see some
things, but I know it is the right thing to do.
Will you join me?
I have created a Facebook group to
help inspire and encourage each of us not to use what we don’t own and find
helpful resources.
Image above was a free image from iStock jazzed up on
PicMonkey.
After taking the time to fix a couple of kinks, I finally ordered my proof yesterday for Adventures and Adversities.
The proof copy has shipped. As long as all is well with the proof, my next book should release sometime next week! I am so exited.
Are you interested it reading this book before anyone else? I am looking for some book reviewers! If you would like a PDF copy (mobi files should be coming soon) of Adventures and Adversities for free, contact me at thedestinyofone(at)juno(dot)com. By accepting the review copy, you are agreeing to read the book and post an honest review within 30 days of receiving it. You are also agreeing to post the review on Amazon and your blog (Goodreads reviews are also very much welcomed).
Description: One day Alditha is content living with her family, the next she is taking her friend's place to serve at the king’s castle. Her father's final instructions, to keep smiling and to do what is right, will be harder to live out than she ever imagined. She will face a royal nephew who delights in making people miserable, an angry servant girl who will stop at nothing to get what she wants, and noblemen who plot murder. Will she be able to keep the promise she made to her father? Will she find the faith she longs for during all her Adventures and Adversities?
Are you interested it reading this book before anyone else? I am looking for some book reviewers! If you would like a PDF copy (mobi files should be coming soon) of Adventures and Adversities for free, contact me at thedestinyofone(at)juno(dot)com. By accepting the review copy, you are agreeing to read the book and post an honest review within 30 days of receiving it. You are also agreeing to post the review on Amazon and your blog (Goodreads reviews are also very much welcomed).
Description: One day Alditha is content living with her family, the next she is taking her friend's place to serve at the king’s castle. Her father's final instructions, to keep smiling and to do what is right, will be harder to live out than she ever imagined. She will face a royal nephew who delights in making people miserable, an angry servant girl who will stop at nothing to get what she wants, and noblemen who plot murder. Will she be able to keep the promise she made to her father? Will she find the faith she longs for during all her Adventures and Adversities?
Age
Appropriate For: 16 and up for some subject matter
Best
for Ages: 16 and up
Description:
Samantha Moore
survived years of darkness in the foster care system by hiding behind her
favorite characters in literature, even adopting their very words. Her
fictional friends give her an identity, albeit a borrowed one. But most
importantly, they protect her from revealing her true self and encountering
more pain. After college, Samantha receives an extraordinary opportunity. The
anonymous “Mr. Knightley” offers her a full scholarship to earn her graduate
degree at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. The sole condition is
that Sam write to Mr. Knightley regularly to keep him apprised of her progress.
As Sam’s true identity begins to reveal itself through her letters, her heart
begins to soften to those around her—a damaged teenager and fellow inhabitant
of Grace House, her classmates at Medill, and, most powerfully, successful
novelist Alex Powell. But just as Sam finally begins to trust, she learns that
Alex has secrets of his own—secrets that, for better or for worse, make it
impossible for Sam to hide behind either her characters or her letters.
It is nice
to have a bunch of friends on Goodreads who also review books. I can see what
they are reading and what they say about a book before I review it. I got Dear
Mr. Knightley because I saw so many positive reviews coming across my Goodreads
feed. I was not disappointed.
When I read about the book, I truly expected a cute romance with a
lot of Jane Austen quotes. What I got was so much better. In fact, it was so
amazing that I know it will be on my top 10 books of the year. I stayed up
really, really late (or early if you want to get technical) because I HAD to
finish the book that day. It was too amazing to put down.
To tell
you how good it was, I will tell you I actually teared up twice during the
book, and I rarely do that with fiction. The story was so powerful. I felt so
connected to Samantha. Her victories were my victories and her bad days were my
bad days. I rode up and down her emotional roller-coaster and it left me
feeling so amazing that I had a hard time getting to sleep.
So what
made this book so powerful? The message hit home for me. Sam struggles with
hiding behind her favorite literary characters to protect herself from the
world around her. I saw myself in that. Sometimes, I hide behind books and
movies so that I don’t have to deal with what is going on around me, or I hide
behind them in conversations because I know people wouldn’t really like me if
they knew the real me. Sam’s struggle was in many ways my own.
I don’t
think any book since Catharine Marshall’s Christy has so deeply touched me and affected me. It
made me want to open my heart even more to those around me, even if it means
getting hurt.
Some may
find the faith element somewhat lacking. When Sam finds God, there isn’t a huge
deal made out of it. Surprisingly, this didn’t bother me in this book. Although
not directly addressed, I felt that Sam was always searching for God and she
found him through the people she was hanging with.
I loved
the setup of this book! Telling the whole story though detailed letters is
different and so much fun. It was a very engaging way of telling the story.
Yes,
there was romance. To be honest, I wasn’t very surprised by it. I guess being a
Jane Austen fan and an avid reader kind of gave away most of the plot twists where romance was concerned.
However, even knowing the plot twists didn’t take away from how much I loved
it.
I cannot
wait for Katherine
Reay’s next book! I highly recommend this to those looking not only for a good
story, but one that isn’t all fluff and fun.
I received this book from Thomas Nelson though BookSneeze
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.
Adventure Between the Pages
Adventure Between the Pages: You'll Get Through This by Max Lucado
10:48 AM
Age
Appropriate For: Ages 13 and up (some of the
stories shared)
Best
for Ages: 15 and up
Description:
You fear you
won't make it through. We all do. We fear that the depression will never lift,
the yelling will never stop, the pain will never leave. In the pits, surrounded
by steep walls and aching reminders, we wonder: Will this gray sky ever
brighten? This load ever lighten? In" You'll Get Through This,"
pastor and" New York Times" best-selling author, Max Lucado offers
sweet assurance. "Deliverance is to the Bible what jazz music is to Mardi
Gras: bold, brassy, and everywhere." Max reminds readers God doesn't
promise that getting through trials will be quick or painless. It wasn't for
Joseph--tossed in a pit by his brothers, sold into slavery, wrongfully
imprisoned, forgotten and dismissed--but his Old Testament story is in the
Bible for this reason: to teach us to trust God to trump evil. With the
compassion of a pastor, the heart of a storyteller, and the joy of one who has
seen what God can do, Max explores the story of Joseph and the truth of Genesis
50:20. What Satan intends for evil, God redeems for good.
This
year has been a rough one for me spiritually. There have been many ups and downs,
many moments of doubt and fear. I have struggled physically and emotionally,
and had to make some hard decisions. This book helped me though this last week
and reminded me that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Max
Lucado has always been one of my favorite spiritual authors. He doesn’t take me
on guilt trips, beat me over the head with the Bible, nor are his books simply
warm and fuzzy. They are soothing and convicting, gentle and persuasive,
inspiring without the guilt trip. Every time I read his books, my faith is strengthened, and I am challenged. This book was no exception.
I wish I
could have a couple dozen copies of this book to give away. If you are going
through a hard time, big or small, this book is a wonderful and powerful
reminder. We will get through this, and we are not alone. Lucado shares stories
both his own and others that are so encouraging. I found myself holding his
book in one hand and my Bible in the other to read the passages of scripture
that he quotes.
If you
are in need of some encouragement and support through a rough patch, I highly recommend
You’ll Get Through This.
Was this helpful? Please vote it up on Amazon.
I received this book from Thomas Nelson through BookSneeze
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.
Sometimes we need to be reminded of our faith to encourage us to keep writing.
