A few years ago I made a New Year’s Resolution to read more. For me that mean to start a book and then finish it! My first two years into my resolution I read 7 books each. Not a lot to most, but to me it was progress! I am by no means a “reader” but I do enjoy a great book with a great story. I love books that make me think and laugh and cry! Recently I’ve decided that I need to read a book a month. Here are books I’ve enjoyed:

Books that have had an impact my life:

1. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
2. The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne – LIFE CHANGING
3. The Secret Message of Jesus – loved this book. great at confronting your little view of Jesus and his power and message.
4. Left to Tell – oh my goodness one of the best books I’ve ever read. She survived the Rwanda genocide and lived in a bathroom with lots of other women for a few months. LOVE this book!
5. Girl meets God by Lauren Winner – memoir of her coming to Christianity. Fabulous book.
6. INTERRUPTED by Jen Hatmaker (2010)
7. A PRAYING LIFE by Paul E Miller (2010)
8. Anything: The prayer that unlocked my God and my soul by Jennie Allen (2012)
9. 7 by Jen Hatmaker (2012)
10. Wednesday’s Were Pretty Normal by Michael Kelley (2012)

Books that have broadened my world view:

1. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini – GREAT book! even better than THE KITE RUNNER by him which i also LOVED. this is a must read!
2. Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
3. a long way gone by Ishmael beah
4. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin – hard getting started in this, but once I got into it I LOVED it. about a man who started schools where no one thought he could.
5. Left to Tell – oh my goodness one of the best books I’ve ever read. She survived the Rwanda genocide and lived in a bathroom with lots of other women for a few months. LOVE this book!
6. The Kite Runner – GREAT BOOK! much better than movie.
7. Sarah’s Key – good fiction story about a girl that locked her brother in a cabinet to keep him from being taken away during a roundup in France.

Books about people that have done big things:

1. Angels of a Lower Flight by Susie Scott Krabacher – fabulous woman who does great stuff for the people of Haiti.
2. An Inperfect Man – great book about the man from the movie HOTEL RWANDA. he did amazing things during the genocide of Rwanda.
3. Left to Tell – oh my goodness one of the best books I’ve ever read. She survived the Rwanda genocide and lived in a bathroom with lots of other women for a few months. LOVE this book!
4. Night by Ellie Wiesel – survivor of the holocaust. Great book!
5. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin – hard getting started in this, but once I got into it I LOVED it. about a man who started schools where no one thought he could.
6. MURDER BY FAMILY by Kent Whittaker (2010) – a story of forgiveness from a father to his son who plotted to murder his entire family.

Books on adoption:

1. I’m Chocolate, You’re Vanilla by Marguerite A. Wright
2. BECOMING A FAMILY by Lark Eshleman
3. THE MIDDLE MOM by Christi Erwin
4. TODDLER ADOPTION by Mary Hopkins-Best

Books on parenting:

1. I’m Chocolate, You’re Vanilla by Marguerite A. Wright
2. Shepherding a Child’s Heart – great book for us on parenting. I need to read this one over and over again as well.
3. LUNCH LESSONS: CHANGING THE WAY WE FEED OUR CHILDREN by Ann Cooper
4. GOING PUBLIC by David & Kelli Pritchard
5. PARENTING THE HURT CHILD by Gregory Keck (2010)
6. OUT OF THE SPIN CYCLE by Jen Hatmaker – not really a parenting book, but one of my favorite devotionals for mothers.  EVERY mother should have this book.

Everything else ….

1. Ocean’s Apart by Karen Kingsbury
2. Water for Elephants
3. Unveiled by Francine Rivers
4. Atonement by Ian McEwan
5. 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper
6. The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks
7. The DaVinci Code
8. A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
9. TWILIGHT by Stephanie Myers
10. NEW MOON by Stephanie Myers
11. THE FARMING OF BONES by Danticat Edwidge
12. ECLIPSE by Stephanie Meyer
13. BREAKING DAWN by Stephanie Meyer
14. THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE by Audrey Niffenegger
15. EAST OF EDEN by John Steinbeck
16. MY SISTER’S KEEPER by Jodi Poucolt
17. EVEN NOW by Karen Kingsbury
18. Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich
19. a long way gone by Ishmael beah
20. Ana’s Story by Jenna Bush -
21. The Shack by William P. Young -
22. Giving by Bill Clinton -
23. same kind of different as me by Ron Hall & Denver Moore -
24. Justice in the Burbs by Will & Lisa Samson -
25. MINISTRIES OF MERCY by Tim Keller
26. THE COLOR OF WATER by James McBride (2009)
27. INTERRUPTED by Jen Hatmaker (2010)
28. A MILLION MILES IN A THOUSAND YEARS by Donald Miller
29. THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett (2011)
30. THE KIND DIET by Alicia Silverstone (2011)
31. BITTERSWEET by Shauna Niequist
32. FRONT OF THE CLASS by Brad Cohen
33. THE LAST SONG by Nicholas Sparks  (2010)
34. SOME GIRLS by Jillian Lauren (2010)
35. LITTLE BEE by Chris Cleave (2010)
36. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO by Stieg Larsson (2011)
37. TINY SUNBIRDS FAR AWAY by Christie Watson (2011)
38. THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE by Stieg Larsson (2011)
39. INCENDIARY by Chris Cleeve (2011)
40. THE SECOND TIME AROUND by Mary Higgins Clark (2011)
41. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Vergese (2011)
42. Heroes and Monsters by Josh Riebock (2012)
43. Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me by Ian Morgan Cron (2012)
44. Miniskirts, Mothers and Muslims by Christine Mallouhi (2012)
45. Expecting Adam by Martha Beck (2012)
46. Before I go to Sleep by S.J Watson (2012)

Books to my kids:

1. CHARLOTTE’S WEB by E.B. White
2. STUART LITTLE by E.B. White
3. THE JESUS STORYBOOK BIBLE by Sally Lloyd Jones – EVERY family should own one of these.  I have cried when reading it to my kids.
4. THE MAGICIANS NEPHEW by C.S. Lewis (2010)
5. THE LION THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE by C.S. Lewis (2010)
6. PRINCE CASPIAN by C.S. Lewis (2011)