The Shepherd of the Hills by Harold Bell Wright, 326 pages

I've been wanting to read this book for ages since it's such an old classic (1907) and a standard in Branson. It was definitely a reflection of it's time and is filled with a good, solid, Christian message. I can't see my children or husband reading it but it wasn't bad.

Lies, Knives and Girls in Red Dresses by Ron Koertge, 87 pages

Cari had reviewed this retelling of updated and slightly twisted fairytales and it sounded intriguing. I'm glad I picked it up, these were a lot of fun and different.

A Catered Christmas Cookie Exchange by Isis Crawford, 312 pages

While these cooking themed mysteries are somewhat far-fetched at times, they are still enjoyable.

Duck the Halls by Donna Andrews, 310 pages

Another mystery featuring Meg Langslow and her wacky and kind of crazy family. I would have to say that I would seriously consider moving away from this town considering how many people end up dead. This is a funny and light-hearted series though, and always entertaining.

My Reading Life by Pat Conroy, 337 pages

This was the Readers Without Borders book club book for this month. It's basically a collection of essays covering people who have introduced him to great books or writers, and the books that have touched him and/or changed his life. I really liked the passion the author has for the written word, he talks about how some words just fascinate him, wanting to be rolled around in the mouth and enjoyed. I finished this book with a list of authors and books I wanted to try. I've avoided 'War and Peace' up to this moment, considering it a dry, overblown, never-ending dull book, but I now am seriously contemplating picking it up.

The Shore Road Mystery by Franklin Dixon, 178 pages

Another Hardy Boys book since I'm working my way through some of the early ones again. It's amazing how much stuff they have considering the time period the books were written in.

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers, 549 pages

This had been read and reviewed by numerous staff members, so it's been on my read list for a while. I always start to feel bad for the books that sit there on the list, just waiting for their turn, some of them for years.
Ismae has always been an outcast, marked by scars that show her as a daughter of Death. Given in marriage to a crude pig farmer by her abusive father, Ismae manages to escape her wedding night and make her way to the convent of St. Mortain, where she is trained to become a handmaiden of Death, handing out his will. She becomes an avid student, ready to show her devotion. As a final test before her final vows, Ismae must go to court and help look for a traitor. To do so Ismae must pose as the mistress of Gavriel Duval, who quickly starts to gain a place in heart. Ismae must decide which is more important, her heart or her devotion to Death?