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tweezle

Tweezle Reads

I read. I think. I write it down.

Currently reading

The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook: Wickedly Good Meals and Desserts to Die For
Gillian Flynn, Sara Paretsky, Harlan Coben, Kate White
Death of a Salesman
Arthur Miller
Conscripts: The First Book of The Off World Trilogy
Patrick Locke
Vivian Versus The Apocalypse
Katie Coyle
Hitler's First Victims: The Beginning of the Holocaust and One Man's Fight to End It
Timothy W Ryback
Charlie Chaplin
Peter Ackroyd

Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us

Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us - Michael Moss All I can say is WOW!! This well researched, well written and very informative book was worth every minute I spent reading it. The amount of information caused me to slow down, read thoroughly and take notice at what was being said. I swear, I will NEVER look at food the same way again! Thank heavens we just moved to an area with year round farmer's markets. I'm going to be shopping there a LOT more!

Highly recommended

Delirium

Delirium - Lauren Oliver This started out slowly for me, but really picked up in the second half of the book!! Now I must get my hands on the next in the series to see what happens...

An Amish Kitchen

An Amish Kitchen - Beth Wiseman, Amy Clipston, Kelly Long With three quick and easy to read novellas, "An Amish Kitchen" is the perfect book for those days you just want to curl up with a nice sweet book. Each story has a strong main female character that learns a lesson about love, hope and faith.

Although quite predictable, these stories will warm your heart and make you smile. Beth Wiseman's story appealed to me most, but they were all quite enjoyable. With a nice assortment of recipes in the back of the book, one will be sure to find some recipes that have to be tried right away. Make sure to try the delicious Granola and the Sour Cream Pancakes - they are both very good!

This book will appeal to those that love Amish fiction, clean fiction, and sweet romance type stories.

Christmas Stories: Heartwarming Classics of Angels, a Manger, and the Birth of Hope

Christmas Stories: Heartwarming Classics of Angels, a Manger, and the Birth of Hope - Max Lucado Truly a book full of heartwarming stories presented in a style that only Max Lucado can do. These stories will touch your soul and bring tears to your eyes as you snuggle up to get lost in faraway places in both past and present.

Of all the stories, my favorite has to be "The Answer is Yes". It's a story about a man and his daughter and how love will always be able to forgive - no matter how big the mistake. Make sure to have tissues on hand, as this one made me cry.

I also enjoyed how Max brought to life Joseph and his role in the life of Jesus. Joseph is not discussed much in the Bible, but this truly made me step back and consider how it must have been for Joseph and how it affected his life.

One other great piece worth mentioning is a short article on Santa Claus. This look at the man/saint is a fantastic piece that needs to be read by all!

Although all the stories and outtakes are good, the above three are my favorites. This book is certainly a must to everyone's library - and not just for Christmas!

Silent Night: A Rock Harbor Christmas Novella

Silent Night: A Rock Harbor Christmas Novella - Colleen Coble Colleen Coble is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Her books contain realistic places, characters and story lines that are guaranteed to keep you up well past your bedtime while you promise yourself just one more chapter...

"Silent Night" is one of those stories. A short novella that takes place around Christmastime, this story does not need the reader to have read the other books in the Rock Harbor series to enjoy and connect with the characters. I find it amazing that Colleen can have the reader become so involved within the span of a novella - it takes a gifted writer to accomplish that, and her gift shines with this story.

Bree Matthews is a very interesting character who's job is both heartbreaking and rewarding. She is quite realistic with her attitude towards her yearning for a special gift for her husband and her reaction to what he has asked of her. She is a character that I want to get to know much deeper. Her lovable character is responsible for me adding the Rock Harbor series to my TBR list!

This heartwarming and somewhat predictable novella is a must read for anyone who loves sappy yet mysterious Christmas stories. If you've never read a Colleen Coble story before, here's a great place to start!!

Fangs and Stilettos

Fangs and Stilettos - Anthony DiFiore I always knew there was something evil and supernatural about the fashion industry and this book proves it!

This was a really fun and quirky read with both characters you love or just love to hate. The humor and the danger kept this story interesting - interesting enough that I kept promising myself I'd stop when I got to the next "stiletto", but instead I'd have to keep reading to see what happened next.

Marciano was entertaining and somewhat annoying - more of a "girl" to me than his two sisters. I couldn't help but enjoy his character. And Candice Brown - I couldn't help but picture Candice Bergen (the character Kathy in "Miss Congeniality") throughout the whole story.

Written as a young adult novel, this story will appeal to both the teen as well as the adult. Make sure to add this to your reading list - it is the perfect read for those long drab winter nights when you need a smile (and some excitement)!

I received this book through the First-reads program.

Shattered Wings

Shattered Wings - Bryan Healey This engrossing and well written book was difficult for me to read because of the amount of emotions it stirred. The main character, John Lawer, was a man that I didn't like nor did I want to. He was a self-centered, egotistical drunk and a liar - all the qualities I loved to hate. There were times I almost felt sorry for him (I said almost) and wanted him to redeem himself, but then feeling would change and I wanted him to get exactly what I thought he deserved.

This will be one book I won't soon forget.

Please note - this book may offend some as it is about a homosexual man and his family.

Dead Men Kill (Audio)

Dead Men Kill (Audio) - L. Ron Hubbard, Jennifer Aspen, Lori Jablons, John Mariano Enjoyed the theatrical presentation of this book!! Great fun to listen to and perfect for Halloween!

Rogue

Rogue - Mark T. Sullivan, Jeff Gurner In this audiobook of Mark Sullivan's "Rogue", Jeff Gurner brilliantly brings to life Robin Monarch's world of espionage and thievery. Using different voices and accents, Gurner presents a believable portrayal of each character and draws the listener in from from beginning and holds their interest all the way through to the end!

The story centers around Robin Monarch who worked for the government but went rogue when he discovered what was really behind the assignment he was working on. In Robin's line of work, though, he is never safe and ends up tangled with the Russian Mafia.

The story line itself was good and deserves between 4 to 4-1/2 stars, but Gurner's talented presentation of the story popped it up to a 5 star rating for me.

If you are a fan of thrillers, spy novels, action novels or just a good story, this audiobook is one not to miss!

Thank you to Macmillian for offering this through the First-Reads program!

Hounded

Hounded - Kevin Hearne Atticus is everything Edward Cullen could only wish to be. He's HOT, he's powerful, he's charming, he's brilliant, he can fight like nobody's business, he's totally amazing AND he has a great sense of humor. But then again,what would one expect from a 2000+ year old Druid?!

I instantly fell in love with Atticus and the writing style of Kevin Hearne. Kevin has developed a fantastic character that will enchant the female reader and entertain the male reader. His style is captivating and his prose is brilliant! This novel was filled with all wonderful things that make a fantasy wonderful: witches, fae, faeries, werewolves, a druid, demons, gods and even Death himself! It was impossible to put down and if life demands that you have to (like mine did), you will obsess about it until you get a chance to pick it back up!

"Hounded" is definitely one of my favorites (if not THE favorite!) read of the year. I was so entranced with the story that I ended up ordering the next book in the series before I was half way through, so I wouldn't have long to wait before I get to snuggle up with Atticus again.

Highly recommended for all those who adore fantasy or just a strong and enchanting main character that has a fantastic sense of humor.

A huge thank you to Del Rey for introducing me to Atticus & Kevin Hearne through First Reads!!

The Telling

The Telling - Mike Duran Take a good long look at the cover of "The Telling" because that cover is perfect for what the pages between it holds. This novel is not for the faint of heart. It's dark, edgy, mysterious as well as a bit disturbing and guaranteed to make your heart pound. It's everything a good captivating page-turner should be, and then some!

Listed as Christian fiction, "The Telling" is far from an "in-your-face" Christian type of book. It is subtle and can be enjoyed by anyone who just loves a good and at times scary story. Mike Duran is a fantastic storyteller that captivates the reader from the beginning. As the story unfolds, you won't want to put this book down because you won't be able to wait find out what happens next. With short chapters, it's easy to do this, as you keep telling yourself that you'll only read one more chapter...

Anyone who enjoys such authors as Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti will certainly enjoy Mike Duran's "The Telling". Make sure to add it to your MUST read list!!

In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a favorable review.

Raven

Raven - Suzy Turner An interesting beginning to the Raven series, this book holds an air of mystery and intrigue that should appeal to most teens and tweens.

The main character, Lilly, is hard to connect with - not because the book is poorly written, but because it is indicative of her character. Lilly was kept protected and closely guarded, creating a socially backward child. When Lilly is finally socialized, she blooms but remains a difficult character to connect with. Her story is told from her point of view, but lacks much of the emotion I crave.

I enjoyed the story line and there is promise for the series, however, I was disappointed with the unoriginal vampire description and characters. Maybe this is because it is geared towards the younger audience with their craving to a kinder, more gentle vampire, but for me - it's already been done before.

This is still a decent read and did hold my interest. I wanted to see what exactly Lilly's story was, but at this point, I'm not sure I will continue with the series.

I received a copy of this book through the GR ER program.

Everybody's Daughter

Everybody's Daughter - Michael John Sullivan Book 2

Wish You Were Here

Wish You Were Here - Beth K. Vogt When one looks at the cover, one thinks "another runaway bride story", and it is, but, this one has a few surprises. What I thought was going to be a typical runaway bride story ended up being more involved and had a wonderful lesson on keeping secrets, control, and finally faith and healing.

Allison seems like a typical bride-to-be, but she gives in to everyone's wishes when it comes to planning the wedding - even agreeing to wear a gown she hates. When her future brother-in-law, Daniel, shows up at her apartment to help her move, she finds herself in a situation that causes so much doubt before the wedding, she ends up running away.

This was an enjoyable and captivating story. I enjoyed the characters as they felt quite real and weren't perfect. I adored Daniel, was frustrated with Seth, and wasn't sure at the beginning what I thought of Allison. As the story continued and I "saw" her for what she was, I started to connect with her. I enjoyed Allison's journey as she faced her monsters and discovered the many truths she had ignored because it was the "safe" thing to do and ended up really liking her at the end.

Make sure to add this delightful story to your summer must-read list, you won't be disappointed.

My Stubborn Heart

My Stubborn Heart - Becky Wade "There once was a girl who'd been praying for a husband since the fourth grade." This opening sentence hinted that this was going to be one charming read. I knew I was in for a treat and I was entranced by the whole story.

Kate Donovan's character was sweet, charming and cute, but wasn't lucky in the husband department. She longed for a home and family, but was really wondering if that wasn't God's plan for her. She was a character I really enjoyed.

Matt Jarreau was a famous hockey player that only wanted to be left alone. He had suffered a terrible tragedy and kept to himself. He didn't socialize and only went to his job and back home - content to be alone. There were times Matt really tugged at my heart.

As these two get stuck together, the struggle to connect/not connect is humorous and touching. I found myself involved in their situation and sometimes I became frustrated then absolutely thrilled at other times. As this story unfolded, I found myself enchanted by the characters and their situations.

If you love heartwarming romances, makes sure to add "My Stubborn Heart" to your must read list. This contemporary Christian romance will leave you feeling warm and satisfied!

The Shadow in the Garden

The Shadow in the Garden - Braden McElroy Braden McElroy has a wonderful gift of storytelling. His writing style reminds me a bit of C.S. Lewis, L. Frank Baum, Lewis Carroll and George MacDonald all wrapped up in one - but still with a flair of his own uniqueness, which creates a captivating and enchanting tale. His story is heart-touching and has a wonderful lesson about loss and grief. The main character, Luna is a child who has suffered a loss and is a totally endearing character. She is a very dimensional and someone that every child (as well as adult) will be able to identify and connect with.

Although written as a child's story, this is a tale that all ages will appreciate. Even though it's geared to those that can read chapter books, don't over look it for the younger child. I suggest considering this as read-aloud story for the whole family, as the detail and imagery will captivate all, and Luna's adventure could create some great discussions - especially if you are having a hard time helping a child with dealing with the loss of a loved one.

I loved "The Shadow in the Garden" and look forward to seeing more from Mr. McElroy in the future.

I received a complimentary copy for review. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.