Sycamore Row by John Grisham

Seth Hubbard is dying of lung cancer and writes a questionable will immediately before his death, leaving everything to his maid. His family fights to the end, making all kinds of accusations and involving many lawyers.

Not until the very end of the book does Hubbard's reasoning make sense, bringing the novel to an interesting conclusion.

Like Grisham's A Time to Kill, this book is hard not to read in one sitting.

Submitted by Mrs. Caudill

The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Pötzsch and Lee Chadeayne

The Hangman's Daughter centers around a small German town's executioner, explaining how he is born into the job and how he protects not only his family but also the innocent. The title is a bit misleading; the book is not gruesome, but it offers a great history lesson.

This English translation was free on Kindle e-books for a while, making it a bargain as well.

Submitted by Mrs. Caudill

The Confession by John Grisham

In The Confession, John Grisham makes a valid case for abolishing the death penalty through the character of Donte Drumm, the town's star football player who sits on death row for the murder of a cheerleader nine years before--a murder which he did not commit. The story revolves around the race to save his life when the real murderer comes forward and confesses to a preacher who lives several states away. Allowing the reader to see what goes on behind the scenes in preparation for a lethal injection and in the court appeals process, the story also reveals the racial prejudices in a small Texas town where the condemned is black and the victim white.

Grisham does an excellent job of creating suspense and leaves readers with many questions about the Texas penal systerm.

Submitted by Mrs. Caudill

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

In this futurist novel, Katniss Everdeen volunteers for a sure death sentence to protect her sister, her community, and herself by competing with  friends and enemies in front of a live television audience. Along the way, she must overcome great obstacles and her own fears.

Even those who are not fans of science fiction will enjoy the novel. The plot is detailed, and Katniss's character is fully developed, making for an exciting reading experience.

Submitted by Mrs. Caudill

A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn

Alex Flinn does a sterling job with a modern twist on another well-loved fairy tale--Sleeping Beauty--but instead of being asleep for about a day, Euphrasia is asleep for 300 years. Princess Talia pricks her finger on the spindle causing the curse of sleep. Three hundred years into the future, two teenaged boys escape from an educational trip and discover this long-lost kingdom. Jack is one of the boys who finds Talia. He is compelled by her beauty to kiss her. This kiss breaks the spell, and Talia awakens to find this oddly-dressed boy as her prince. Doing the only thing she can do, she follows him back to his home. Unfortunately for Talia, Jack thinks of her as a royal brat; plus, he can't seem to get his ex-girlfriend out of his mind. Talia only has about a month to get Jack to tell her he loves her, or she and the kingdom will be thrown back into an endless slumber.

Will Jack tell Talia he loves her, or will his ex-girlfriend win his love?

Guest review submitted by RAWR!

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Kyle Kingsbury had everything: money, perfect looks, the perfect girl, and the perfect life; however, there was one thing he didn't have--a heart. He tore everyone down; no one was as good as he. Kyle's story starts when he asks ugly-loser Kendra Hilferty to the school dance so he can play a prank on her when he shows up with his girlfriend. His plan goes well, but what Kendra says to him affects him the most. After the dance he finds Kendra at his house, waiting to put a curse on him. Kyle then turns into what his true nature is: a beast. With only two years to find true love and break the curse, Kyle finds it almost impossible until Lindy walks into his life.

Based on the fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast, this story has a modern day twist. After reading the book, the movie might also be of interest.

Guest review submitted by: RAWR!