Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson - 4 Stars

Jade is a young African American girl who feels she needs to get out of the neighborhood she is living in. She has a scholarship to a prestigious mostly white private school, which is a great opportunity, but the other opportunites that come her way make her feel like they are more demeaning. Such as the Woman to Woman group Jade is invited to for "at risk" girls, which is more like a group for "poor black" girls. 
But Jade soon learns more about herself and grows through the group. The story explores that challenges that young black women face every day.

I thought this was a good story. Jade's character was strongly written and I enjoyed seeing her blossom throughout the story.

With Malice by Eileen Cook - 3 Stars

Her trip to Italy was supposed to be the time of her life, but Jill wakes up in the hospital with her leg in a cast and remembering nothing of the last 6 weeks.
Jill's wealthy father has had her transported from Italy to the US for the best medical care. Jill soon finds out that she was in an accident, one that the Italian government thinks wasn't so accidental.
Jill struggles to remember the events that happened in Italy and hopes that her memory isn't correct.

I kept waiting for some big twist or shocking moment in this book and it never came. It sort of slugged on throughout the story and ended on a bland note.