Mr. Kiss and Tell

SO, good to read the characters again. Amazon writes, "The Neptune Grand has always been the seaside town’s ritziest hotel, despite the shady dealings and high-profile scandals that seem to follow its elite guests. When a woman claims that she was brutally assaulted in one of its rooms and left for dead by a staff member, the owners know that they have a potential powder keg on their hands. They turn to Veronica to disprove—or prove—the woman's story.
 
The case is a complicated mix of hard facts, mysterious occurrences, and uncooperative witnesses. The hotel refuses to turn over its reservation list and the victim won’t divulge who she was meeting that night. Add in the facts that the attack happened months ago, the victim’s memory is fuzzy, and there are holes in the hotel’s surveillance system, and Veronica has a convoluted mess on her hands. As she works to fill in the missing pieces, it becomes clear that someone is lying—but who? And why?". All in all, I say: READ IT if you're a marshmellow.

The Moment of Lift

Gates looks at what key things we need to bring women up out of poverty or their dire circumstances. She uses stories of women she personally has met with, too. Amazon writes, "'We need this message more than ever' Malala Yousafzai 'Powerfully illustrates issues that need our attention' Barack Obama 'Melinda Gates's book is a lesson in listening. A powerful, poignant, and ultimately humble call to arms' Tara Westover, author of Educated 'The Moment of Lift is an urgent call to courage' Brené Brown, Ph.D., author of New York Times #1 bestseller Dare to Lead A debut from Melinda Gates, a timely and necessary call to action for women's empowerment. 'How can we summon a moment of lift for human beings and especially for women? Because when you lift up women, you lift up humanity.' For the last twenty years, Melinda Gates has been on a mission to find solutions for people with the most urgent needs, wherever they live. Throughout this journey, one thing has become increasingly clear to her: If you want to lift a society up, you need to stop keeping women down. In this moving and compelling book, Melinda shares lessons she s learned from the inspiring people she s met during her work and travels around the world. As she writes in the introduction, That is why I had to write this book to share the stories of people who have given focus and urgency to my life. I want all of us to see ways we can lift women up where we live. Melinda s unforgettable narrative is backed by startling data as she presents the issues that most need our attention from child marriage to lack of access to contraceptives to gender inequity in the workplace. And, for the first time, she writes about her personal life and the road to equality in her own marriage. Throughout, she shows how there has never been more opportunity to change the world and ourselves. Writing with emotion, candour, and grace, she introduces us to remarkable women and shows the power of connecting with one another. When we lift others up, they lift us up, too.". All in all, I say: READ IT

Ashes

The 2 main characters from Chains are back together again. It's the end of the war  - there's more meat to this third book in the series. Amazon writes, "Return to the American Revolution in this blistering conclusion to the Seeds of America trilogy that began with the bestselling National Book Award Finalist Chains and continued with Forge, which Kirkus Reviews called “the best book you’ll ever read.”

As the Revolutionary War rages on, Isabel and Curzon have narrowly escaped Valley Forge—but their relief is short-lived. Before long they are reported as runaways, and the awful Bellingham is determined to track them down. With purpose and faith, Isabel and Curzon march on, fiercely determined to find Isabel’s little sister Ruth, who is enslaved in a Southern state—where bounty hunters are thick as flies.

Heroism and heartbreak pave their path, but Isabel and Curzon won’t stop until they reach Ruth, and then freedom, in this grand finale to the acclaimed New York Times bestselling trilogy from Laurie Halse Anderson". All in all, I say: READ IT

Forge

The 2nd book in Chains series. It focuses on the male main character, but it's so war heavy I got bored. Amazon writes, "

The Patriot Army was shaped and strengthened by the desperate circumstances of the Valley Forge winter. This is where Curzon the boy becomes Curzon the young man. In addition to the hardships of soldiering, he lives with the fear of discovery, for he is an escaped slave passing for free. And then there is Isabel, who is also at Valley Forge—against her will. She and Curzon have to sort out the tangled threads of their friendship while figuring out what stands between the two of them and true freedom.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT

The Christmas Scorpian

A quick fun read for anyone who is a fan of Jack Reacher. Amazon writes, "On Christmas Eve, Jack Reacher stumbles into a no-name bar in the California desert, desperate to take refuge from an unexpected snowstorm. Reacher came to Barstow for a little R&R. Instead, he’s sequestered in a dark little roadhouse with a bartender, a bewildered elderly couple—and two members of Britain’s Royal Military Police. They tell Reacher they were escorting a VIP to a top-secret meeting at a U.S. military base when they became separated from their charge. That’s when the threat came in from a notorious assassin: the Christmas Scorpion. Now they need a miracle to save the day. Or maybe all they need is Jack Reacher.". All in all, I say: READ IT

Page by Paige

This is written in a graphic novel style. I like how she gains her confidence and learns how to be a good friend. This would be inspiring for any child. Amazon writes, "Paige Turner has just moved to New York with her family, and she's having some trouble adjusting to the big city. In the pages of her sketchbook, she tries to make sense of her new life, including trying out her secret identity: artist. As she makes friends and starts to explore the city, she slowly brings her secret identity out into the open, a process that is equal parts terrifying and rewarding.

Laura Lee Gulledge crafts stories and panels with images that are thought-provoking, funny, and emotionally resonant. Teens struggling to find their place can see themselves in Paige's honest, heartfelt story.". All in all, I say: READ IT

Sing You Home

Religion - divorce - infertility - lesbianism. All these are themes in this Picoult novel. The closed minded people - chapters - in the books are very frustrating. Although there is kind of a happy ending - there are at least 2 characters that we never discover their ending. They just sort of disappear at the end. Well written and researched as always. Amazon writes, "Every life has a soundtrack. All you have to do is listen. 

Music has set the tone for most of Zoe Baxter’s life. There’s the melody that reminds her of the summer she spent rubbing baby oil on her stomach in pursuit of the perfect tan. A dance beat that makes her think of using a fake ID to slip into a nightclub. A dirge that marked the years she spent trying to get pregnant. 

For better or for worse, music is the language of memory. It is also the language of love. 

In the aftermath of a series of personal tragedies, Zoe throws herself into her career as a music therapist. When an unexpected friendship slowly blossoms into love, she makes plans for a new life, but to her shock and inevitable rage, some people—even those she loves and trusts most—don’t want that to happen. 

Sing You Home is about identity, love, marriage, and parenthood. It’s about people wanting to do the right thing for the greater good, even as they work to fulfill their own personal desires and dreams. And it’s about what happens when the outside world brutally calls into question the very thing closest to our hearts: family.". All in all, I say: READ IT