Book #8 - I, Alex Cross by James Patterson

I wonder if James Patterson's mind ever slows down long enough to sleep. Think about it. To put out a new book every couple of months the way he does, he must have ideas running through his mind constantly. And while we are on the subject of ideas, this books' premise was fantastic. I didn't have any idea who the bad guy was until Patterson told me. I was throwing shots in the dark trying to guess who it could be. Another great book by Patterson (and yes, there are a few of his I didn't like...Lake House for one) staring Detective Cross. I feel sorry for Cross because he has a family member die or get kidnapped in every book. I feel like I've read so many book in this series that I am a part of the family, and I'm just waiting for one of my family members to die. We are up to at least 3 dead members of the Cross family: his first wife (killed by a serial murderer), the niece who played the violin in Kiss the Girls (guess she didn't actually die), and now another long-lost niece in this one. Excellent, quick read that will keep your heart rate high until the last page.

Book #3 - Cross Country by James Patterson

Too bad school started today, or I think I would have stayed up late to finish this book last night. This one was like no other James Patterson I've ever read, and I think I've read 30 or so of his. Some things were very typical of the author: thriller, fast paced, hero almost dies 10 times, big twist at the end, etc. However, there was a huge difference in this book that struck a cord with me. There were about 50 pages in the middle that had nothing to do with the plot, and everything to do with the tragedies in Darfur and neighboring regions. It made me wonder if James Patterson has a passion for this cause and felt as though he has a media outlet to spread the word to millions of his readers (that may or may not know anything about the situation). He gave a heart breaking, disturbing, terrifying description of what the people of the African nations are facing. He described the hopelessness of it, and yet, through several characters in the book, like Moses, he showed the beauty and hopefulness of the African people. He didn't have to take Cross to Africa; there is plenty of horrible crime in the USA, and yet he did. I wonder if he did that to open eyes, our eyes, those of us that comfortably sit in our recliners and catch tidbits of Anne Curry or George Clooney, but feel unmoved and detached from the situation. Well, James Patterson got me on this one. I have been moved, terrified, and deeply troubled.