“Weaving in biblical passages and intimate personal anecdotes, Opelt delivers both a sharp critique of the emotional prosperity gospel and a soulful, autobiographical search for meaning. This provides much food for thought.”

“Holy Unhappiness is the gospel for our pain and difficulty. I can’t commend the tenderhearted approach that Amanda embodies here enough. A balm for the soul. And hope for our scars. What a glorious read.”

“Amanda’s lovely blend of reflection and memoir flows from a heart acquainted with grief and unsatisfied with the cheap remedies our churches and culture too often prescribe. This is a work of immense honesty and prophetic clarity.”

“For years I have struggled to be honest with myself when navigating my negative feelings. I would rush past them in my attempt to be faithful through trial. Amanda brings up a conversation that more of us need to be having about what the Christian life actually looks like. Holy Unhappiness will give you permission to be yourself.”

“Blending history with memoir...Opelt examines death rituals and reflects on her season of grief in this devastating debut…Poignant and erudite, this is not to be missed.”

“One of the best books I’ve read in ages…a profound, mystical, and even haunting book that will be a faithful companion to all of us who have seen trouble.”

“A Hole in the World is both generous and generative, a book that tenderly guides us into the fierce landscape of our own losses, because the author has dared to walk there first. Few of us today know how to speak of our sorrows, but in this book...Opelt gives us language for loss that is honest, hopeful, and gorgeously human.”