"Not A Sparrow Falls" by Linda Nichols

"Not A Sparrow Falls" is a story about a woman in her mid-twenties who has found herself in a life that she would never have chosen.  In a desperate attempt to be free, she flees and finds herself making a new life for herself in a new place, as a new person.  Just when things are seemingly perfect and she has almost forgotten about what she left behind, the past catches up and she is forced to face it.  This is a story about faith and hardship...about being washed clean and experiencing true freedom in Christ.

I found the beginning of the book to be a bit cheesy and expected this to be a typical "Christian novel", filled with all the cliche Bible verses and "perfect" Christian characters.  While it does have some of that, I found myself enjoying the story and feeling along with a little bit of what the characters were experiencing.

If you are looking for a book to cozy up with on a Saturday afternoon, this is a good option.  It's an easy read, and well written.

I received this book from the Bethany House Publishers book review program and am under no obligation to write a positive review.

Rick & Bubba's Big Honkin' Book of Grub by Rick Burgess & Bill "Bubba" Bussey

Alright, I must admit that when I requested this book from the Booksneeze book review program, I had never heard of Rick & Bubba and I was fully expecting a cookbook.  And with pictures of onion rings, pizza, burgers and fried chicken on the cover, it had to be good food!

When I got the book I was disappointed that it is not a cookbook at all!  Sure, it has some recipes in it, and a few of them look really good, but if you are expecting a book full of down-home good cooking, this is not the book for you.  If you've never heard of Rick & Bubba before, they are a pair of comedians (I think?) who have a radio show and have written a few comedic books.  This is a book talking about how Rick & Bubba look at and experience food ("Hey, you gotta live") and it is good, clean humour...even including some biblical references!  This is more like the type of book I would give as a gag gift or have sitting in my bathroom than one I would have on a bookshelf.  But that said, it was entertaining to read, and I can only imagine what Rick & Bubba would be like live!

I received this book free from the Thomas Nelson Publishers "Booksneeze" book review program.  I was under no obligation to provide a positive review.

The Flowering Cross by Beth Ryan

The Flowering Cross by Beth Ryan is a well-written book, that gets across the true meaning of Easter while teaching some other solid Christian principles along the way.  Loving your neighbour, obeying your parents, and finding joy in Jesus are among those "bonus" values.

The book is about a little girl who shows the love of Christ to her neighbour.  The flowering cross is an image that is used for the new life that comes from what Christ did on the cross.

Additional "Faith Imprint" notes are included for the adult reading the book.  These are helpful suggestions for further explanation, included to help you share the story of Easter with a child.  Many pages also include a Bible verse that goes along with what's happening in the story.

I would definitely use this as a resource in teaching my children about the real meaning of Easter (aside from all the candy and the Easter bunny), and I believe children would also just enjoy it as a story, aside from intentional further teaching.  It is a cute story, packed with deeper meaning and Christian principles.

I received this book free from the Thomas Nelson Publishers "Booksneeze" book review program.  I was under no obligation to provide a positive review.