Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
Frightening and fascinating. Could be real, could be storied non-fiction, or completely made up. I couldn't decide until the end. 

It's a mystery and a thriller. Recommended if you like exploring possibilities of what lurks under the surface of good intentions and philanthropic investments. And if you like to speculate about secret societies, you'll love this one.

The Ball at Versailles by Danielle Steel

★★★ ☐☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

The world you no longer live in - unless you're rich and famous. This story weaves around debutantes, balls, young marriageable women on display in a short season of life. They may or may not want husbands - but off they go to be twirled and courted and feted at two grand events.

Steel remembers what it's like to be young and the drama of fitting in. She knows what the wealthy and status-driven will do to keep their place and understands the rules of high society. She offers a glimpse of a culture that has shifted to other methods for marrying off their young. 

You may like or dislike the women and their families but you'll want to know what and why as you keep turning the page. A good novel to tuck in the tote bag for when you need an escape and time to dream about dresses and jewelry and ballrooms.

Mad Honey A Novel by Jodi Picoult; Jennifer Finney Boylan

 ★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

Picoult is always a thought-provoking author. This tale of beekeeping weaves personal choices and consequences into the modern tale of gender and acceptance. It's current, morally fluid, and will resonate with those redefining themselves in post-modern ways.

I always enjoy the storytelling. This time around, the values are so far from my own that I found myself shaking my head as I was thinking about the distance between what is accepted and promoted, and what is healthy for society and families.

The High Notes by Danielle Steel

 ★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

Steel is a storyteller who understands the price of fame. She can share that in a good tale. She exposes how you look like a success when you have no life of your own, when your contracts belong to those who don't care about you, and when your private world seems against you. 

Then, when all is lost, here;s a story about being found. Some scenes are unrealistic and not relatable for those outside of the entertainment industry, but you can dream along and empathize with the musicians and their crews. 

This is a book about the highs and lows of fame, about the importance of people over money or acclaim. It's about making those you love happy because you know what really matters.