Tiffany Mead’s Weblog

In my quest to turn off the tv and read more, here’s a few books that I’m trying to get through. I might even add a quick little ditty regarding how I felt about some of them…

Finished…

• The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini… okay so technically I “listened” to this book. I have to admit, I was SUCKED into this book within the first chapter. Such a great story about the power of friendship with a lot of twists and turns.
• When Men Become Gods: Mormon Polygamist Warren Jeffs, His Cult of Fear, and the Women Who Fought Back – Stephen Singular WOW! This book has absolutely shocked and saddened me. I can’t believe some of the things these women have lived through and overcame. This guy is absolutely LOONEY! Also, it gave a fairly interesting account of the origins of their religion. For the life of me I can’t figure out how anyone believes any of that stuff… too far-fetched for me!
• A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini – also another audiobook that I listened to. This guy writes friendship like none other!
• A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier - Ishmael Bean – This is the story of a boy who was kidnapped into the life of being a boy soldier in Sierra Leone. He was finally rescued by UNICEF.
• Angels and Demons – Dan Brown – This is another audiobook I’m feverishly trying to listen to before the movie comes out… I’m sure if it’s anything like The DaVinci Code, the book will be MUCH better than the movie… UPDATE – Yeah think I’m putting this one on the back burner. Just can’t seem to get into it – too much physics stuff that goes WAY over my head!
• The Shack – William P. Young – After hearing a lot of hype over this book, I decided to pick it up. It had me in tears and questioning some of my deep set perceptions of God and how He might see me. Obviously there are some ideas I don’t agree with in this book, but it’s always good to stretch the old noggin’ once in a while and figure out why I stand where I stand on certain things…
• Beautiful Boy – David Sheff – It’s a story of a man’s journey through his son’s addiction to meth. Don’t know what possessed me to read this one, but so far so good… Update – learned a lot from this book about meth… scared me to death! That’s some crazy stuff… so scary to think of how it affects the brain. Apparently the worst drug to try to detox from. Takes TWO YEARS!!!
• A Wolf at the Door – Augusten Burroughs – This is my latest book to read while at Books a Million… Update – yeah this was pretty much a waste of time. Kept thinking it was building up to something climatic happening, but it just never did!
• Wide Awake – Erwin McManus – This one just came in at the library so I snatched it up… dude says some profound stuff so I’m sure I’ll love it Update – Oh Erwin… I absolutely LOVE this dude’s writing. We had the pleasure of seeing him at Catalyst a few years ago and I have been teased since because dude is a deep speaker!! But still LOVE his writing!! Great book…
• Multiple Blessings: Surviving to Thriving with Twins and Sextuplets - Jon and Kate Gosselin Just started this one yesterday and am already half-way through it. A quick little read about their journey to get pregnant and then how they managed SIX babies! Update – this book was a little bittersweet to read with all the recent drama going down in their marriage but a fun read none-the-less.
• My Sister’s Keeper – Jodi Picoult Trying to read this book before the movie comes out later this week… two chapters in and I’m already hooked! Update – FINISHED… very quick, can’t put down kinda read. Think in my spare time [sigh] I’d like to read through some of Jodi’s other books… I was SOO proud… only cried once during this book and finished it before the movie came out!
• Choosing to Cheat – Andy Stanley I picked this one up from the library based on other’s recommendations… Daniel’s stolen it from me though! UPDATE - I stole it back Quick little read… interesting spin on the typical time-management books…

Currently reading…

• The Memory Keeper’s Daughter – Kim Edwards Was looking for a real page-turner… heard this one was really good.
• One For the Money – Janet Evanovich Okay so chicky-poo in my small group rants and raves about this series, so thought I’d give it a shot!
• Against Medical Advice - James Patterson Looking forward to digging into this one… wanted something a little different and happened to walk past this one at the library. Dude’s written like 492 books so hopefully it’ll be decent.
• East of Eden – John Steinbeck This dude wrote The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men, and many others…
• The Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger The movie adaptation is coming out later this summer… books are always better so want to read it before the movie comes out!

Up Next…

• Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God – Francis Chan
• The Secret – Beverly Lewis
• Left to Tell – Immaculee Ilibagiza
• The Pilot’s Wife – Anita Shreve
• Just Beyond the Clouds – Karen Kingsbury
• Infidel – Ayaan Hirsi Ali
• Velvet Elvis – Rob Bell
• sTori Telling – Tori Spelling
• Through the Storm – Lynne Spears
• American Wife – Curtis Sittenfield
• Dismantled – Jennifer McMahon
• A Million Little Pieces – James Frey
• Night – Ellie Wiesel
• Girl Meets God – Lauren Winner
• 90 Minutes in Heaven – Don Piper
• Love Walked In – Marisa de los Santos
• The Irresistible Revolution – Shane Claiborne
• Angels of a Lower Flight – Susie Scott Krabacher
• Atonement – Ian McEwan
• Same Kind of Different As Me – Ron Hall
• Sex God – Rob Bell
• Pleasures of God – John Piper
• What’s So Amazing About Grace – Philip Yancey
• The Jesus I Never Knew – Philip Yancey
• Future Grace – John Piper
• Barbarian Way – Erwin McManus
• Knowing God – JI Packer
• Can Man Live Without God – Ravi Zacharias
• The Sweetness of a Bitter Cup: Journey of a Pastor’s Wife – Stephanie Elzy
• Ocean’s Apart – Karen Kingsbury
• Redeeming Love – Francine Rivers
• The Farming of Bones – Danticat Edwidge
• The Last Sin Eater – Francine Rivers
• Audition – Barbara Walters
• Escape – Carolyn Jessop
• Death by Fire: Sati, Dowry Death, and Female Infanticide in Modern India – Mala Sen
• Still Alive – Lisa Genova
• Sarah’s Key – Tatiana de Rosnay
• The Memory Keeper’s Daughter – Kim Edwards
• Love in the Time of Cholera – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
• Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire – Jim Cymbala
• Evidence Not Seen: A Woman’s Miraculous Faith in the Jungles of WW2 – Darlene Deibler Rose