Category: P

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, L, Michael Bennett, P, RATING, Read in 2012, READING CHALLENGES 2012, SERIES

2012.13 REVIEW – Tick Tock by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge

Tara

Tick Tock
by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge

Copyright: 2011
Pages: 387
Rating: 4/5
Read: May 25 – May 27, 2012
Challenge: Mystery & Suspense 2012; Off the Shelf 2012
Yearly Count: 13
Format: Print
Source: Personal Copy

Blurb: A bomb set in one of New York’s busiest places is discovered before it explodes. But relief turns to terror when the police realize it is just a warning of greater devastation to come. The city calls on Detective Michael Bennett, pulling him away from a seaside vacation with his ten adopted children and their beloved nanny, Mary Catherine – leaving his entire family open to attack.

Bennett enlists the help of a former colleague, FBI Agent Beth Peters. His affection for Beth grows into attraction and then something stronger, and his relationship with Mary Catherine takes an unexpected turn. Another horrifying crime leads Bennett to a shocking discovery that exposes the killer’s pattern — and the earth-shattering enormity of his plan.

Review: I can always count on a James Patterson book for a great escape. For whatever reason, I always seem to fly through his books. And luckily, this one was no different. I had actually picked this book up last year and tried to read it but never got very far into it. So I decided to give it another shot and the pages just flew by.

I’m a sucker for Mr. Patterson’s books. I know there are a lot of people out there who don’t like him or his work. I have to admit that when you put out a gazillion books a year with your name on it, it is a little hard to make them feel authentic. And while a lot of people have issues with how he uses so many different co-authors, I don’t seem to mind at all. I just like the fun that usually comes with a Patterson book.

For me, while I like the Michael Bennett series, it’s not my favorite. However, there was something about this book that I thoroughly enjoyed. I like where Mike and Mary Catherine might be going. I like how the kids (yes, all 10 of them) each manage to have a small role in the book. And, as usual with Mr. Patterson’s books, it was a fun roller coaster ride of a story.

While these books will never win any great literary awards, I would definitely recommend this series, but definitely start with the first one (Step on a Crack).

5/5, Alex Cross, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, P, RATING, Read in 2011, SERIES

2011.64 REVIEW – Kill Alex Cross by James Patterson

Tara

Kill Alex Cross
by James Patterson

Copyright: 2011
Pages: 364
Rating: 5/5
Read: Dec. 19 – Dec. 24, 2011
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly Count: 64
Format: Print
Source: Library Copy

Blurb: Detective Alex Cross is one of the first on the scene of the biggest casee he’s ever been part of. The president’s son and daughter have been abducted from their school – an impossible crime, but somehow the kidnapper has done it. Alex does everything he can but is shunted to the fringes of the investigation. Someone powerful doesn’t want him too close.

A deadly contagion in the DC water supply endangers the capital, and Alex sees the looming threat of the most devastating attack the United States has ever experienced. He is already working flat out on the abduction, and this massive assault pushes him completely over the edge.

With each hour that passes, the chances of finding the children alive diminish. In an emotional private meeting, the First Lady asks Alex to please save her kids. Even the highest security clearance doesn’t get him any closer to the kidnapper – and Alex makes a desperate decision that goes against everything he believes. A full-throttle thriller with unstoppable action, unrestrained emotion, and relentless suspense, Kill Alex Cross is the most gripping Alex Cross novel James Patters has ever written.

Review: Oh how I do love a good Alex Cross book! This is one of the very few book series that I am actually caught up on. And considering I haven’t really been reading (this is the first book I’ve finished in December), I *knew* Mr. Patterson’s Alex Cross would not disappoint me!

As usual this book sucked me in from the first page. It brought flashes back to me of the very first Alex Cross book, Along Came a Spider, where Alex is involved in a high-profile kidnapping. The terrorist portion of the storyline was very interesting as well, especially considering *SPOILER*: one of the terrorists gets away *END SPOILER*

Let’s just face it, I’m a huge fan of the Alex Cross series. I have nothing bad to say about this book. All I can do is recommend this series and this book to every single one of my readers.

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, Jack Morgan, P, RATING, Read in 2011

2011.50 REVIEW – Private by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

Tara

Private
by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

Copyright: 2010
Pages: 363
Rating: 4/5
Read: Sept. 1– Sept. 3, 2011
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly Count: 50
Format: Print
Source: Personal Copy

Blurb: Former Marine Jack Morgan runs Private, a renowned global investigation company. It is where you go when you need maximum force and maximum discretion. Jack is already deep into the investigation of a multimillion-dollar NFL gambling scandal and the unsolved slayings of eighteen schoolgirls, when a horrific case hits close to home: His best friend’s wife, Jack’s former lover, has been slain. It nearly pushes him over the edge – until he pushes back and devotes all of Private’s resources to tracking down her killer. But Jack doesn’t have to play by the rules. As he closes in on the murderer, he must choose between revenge and justice – even as a workplace love affair threatens to blow the roof off his plans.

Review: Okay, so I will be the first to admit, I am a James Patterson fan. His books are always such mindless, easy reads for me. I can devour them in a couple of days. He’s got some great characters, even better villains and interesting storylines. I also know that people either love him or hate him. And I’m not stupid, I can only imagine that Maxine Paetro wrote 90-95% of this book. I know a lot of people have negative feelings toward him and the way that he constantly seems to have a new book out every month. Honestly, I’m okay with all of that stuff. I don’t really care, I’m not all that invested in who writes the books or who gets the money from my purchases (because let’s be honest, I don’t actually buy a lot of the books I read anyway, most of my books are either acquired used, given to me by my grandmother, or from the library).

But that whole line of thinking could be another post in itself. Personally, I liked this book a lot. I am very intrigued by Jack Morgan’s character. He’s definitely got some baggage and one heck of an evil twin. A former Marine, he saw some nasty stuff in combat and is dealing with some issues surrounding what he experienced. His father was in prison before he died. His mother died during the trial. And as I mentioned, he’s got a seriously wicked twin brother who has just as many problems as Jack does. At one point in the book Jack finally has to face what his memory has been blocking out from his time in combat. That revelation makes him seem to see things a little bit differently in regards to his personal life.

My one complaint with this whole book was that there were so many different storylines going on, I had trouble keeping them straight. There was the Schoolgirl investigation, the NFL gambling scandal and Jack’s best friend’s wife (who was Jack’s former lover) got murdered. Between unraveling those three separate cases, the reader also learns more about Jack and his family dysfunction and a little bit about what Jack went through in combat. It was really a lot to keep straight in 363 pages.

However, although the book was a little over-filled with the three separate investigations, I thought that it was a well written book. It kept me entertained and eagerly anticipating the next book in this new series. I’m very anxious to see what happens between Jack and Justine as well as what Jack’s twin brother will do next. Oh, and let’s also not forget that Jack has gotten somewhat involved with the Mob. Sounds intriguing, right?

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Nonfiction, P, RATING, Read in 2011, T

2011.49 REVIEW – Portrait of a Monster by Lisa Pulitzer & Cole Thompson

Tara

Portrait of a Monster: Joran van der Sloot, a Murder in Peru, and the Natalee Holloway Mystery
by Lisa Pulitzer & Cole Thompson

Copyright: 2011
Pages: 267
Rating: 45
Read: Aug 28– Sept. 1, 2011
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly Count: 49
Format: Print
Source: Library Book

Blurb: In May 2005, Natalee Holloway disappeared from a high school trip to Aruba. Five years to the day later, twenty-one-year-old Stephany Flores was reported missing in Lima, Peru. Implicated in both crimes was one young man: Joran van der Sloot. A twenty-three-year-old Dutchman, Van der Sloot has become the subject of intense scrutiny by the media and the public in the years since 2005. He was arrested and detained by Aruban authorities in connection with the Holloway disappearance, only to be released after questioning. In 2008, during a Dutch sting operation, he admitted to being present for Holloway’s death – but later recanted his statement. In 2010, on the five-year anniversary of her disappearance, a young business student in Peru named Stephany Flores disappeared, only to be found dead three days later in a hotel room – registered to Van der Sloot. He was arrested for the murder and confessed, but he later claimed he was coerced. This is the first book to offer a probing look at the man tied to two of the most sensational cases of the decades. Portrait of a Monster offers an unflinching look into the workings of fan international manhunt and a chilling portrait of an alleged killer.

Review: I should preface this review with the fact that this will not read like my normal reviews. The subject matter at hand speaks to me in a way I can’t describe. I am of the opinion that Joran van der Sloot is a murderer. If you disagree with this, I am sorry but we will have to agree to disagree. I will not argue my opinion of Joran in the comment section and should I be attacked for my personal opinion regarding Mr. Van der Sloot (as I have been in previous reviews of other true crime books), I will delete any comments of that nature and will close the comment section completely.

I used to be a true crime junkie. I was obsessed with CourtTV and wouldn’t miss a single night of Nancy Grace’s show. I remember the Natalee Holloway case very well. I was in college at the time and was just in shock and awe at the entire situation. I honestly couldn’t believe that so many parents had allowed their children to go to a foreign country with so few chaperones. My parents would have never allowed it for me. Then I couldn’t believe how incredibly stupid and naive Natalee and her friends seemed to be. I understand that they were drinking, but where was the buddy system? They were in a foreign country, they were young, they were drinking, they should have never let Natalee go off by herself with a stranger. Or even if they couldn’t have stopped her, they should have immediately reported it to one of the chaperones. But once I took one look at Joran van der Sloot, I understood. He looked just like them. He looked like your average teenager. He was tall and good looking, he certainly would have caught my attention. He didn’t look evil. But then again … looks can be deceiving.

Fast forward five years. By this time I’m out of college and happily married. Then I hear on the news a name I remembered all too well: Joran van der Sloot. I absolutely could not believe that he was making the news again in connection with a young woman. But this time he made a big mistake: there was a body. Stephany Flores was another beautiful young woman who just happened to have the unfortunate luck of meeting Joran van der Sloot. Needless to say, I’ve always been intrigued by Joran van der Sloot and the Natalee Holloway case. But I really couldn’t believe it when he made the news a second time. He had seemingly fallen of the face of the planet, I always assumed he had moved on and dropped out of sight. Boy was I wrong.

This book was immediately intriguing to me just because of my fascination with Van der Sloot. In alternating chapters, the authors describe what unfolded in the Holloway and Flores cases. There were a lot of interesting tidbits included about Joran that I had no previous knowledge about. Some of the information that I had heard in the media was in direct conflict with what was reported in this book, so some serious questions have arisen in my mind as to certain aspects of both cases. I think I would have preferred this book to include a little more psychological analysis into the mind of Joran than what was included. They brought up numerous points that could have been explored, but this book didn’t examine those. To me, the lack of serious psychological analysis definitely makes the title of this book seem deceiving. To use the term “Portrait” and after reading the blurb, I was expecting more of a psychological book than what this turned out to be. Now, that in no way means that I didn’t like this book. I certainly did. And I definitely feel as if the authors offer a very good look into the two cases and how they unfolded. But seriously, Joran van der Sloot was the last person to be seen with two young women in presumably their last few hours of life, separated by five years to the day … you can’t tell me that there’s not something to that. Dates are important to people, and I think that the authors really could have explored that aspect of these two cases. Maybe someone else will sometime down the road; I definitely feel as if it would be interesting to analyze the psychology regarding the dates. Either way, it definitely makes me wonder what would happen if Joran van der Sloot was out of prison on May 30, 2015.

I will end this by saying that as I was in the middle of writing this review, I saw a tweet from Vinnie Politan (@VinniePolitan) that Joran van der Sloot has been officially charged with the murder and robbery of Stephany Flores in Peru.

Maybe Peru will finally get it right and we won’t have to hear about Mr. Van der Sloot and any other young women.

5/5, Alex Cross, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, P, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, SERIES

2011.32 REVIEW – Cross Fire by James Patterson

Tara

Cross Fire
by James Patterson

Copyright: 2010
Pages: 356
Rating: 5/5
Read: June 26 – June 28, 2011
Challenge:  What’s in a Name 4 Challenge
Yearly Count: 32
Format: Print

First Line: It had been months since Kyle Craig had killed a man.

Blurb: Detective Alex Cross and Bree Stone’s wedding plans are put on hold when Alex is called to the scene of the perfectly executed assassination of two of Washington, DC’s most corrupt: a dirty congressman and an underhanded lobbyist. Next, the elusive gunman begins picking off other crooked insiders, sparking a blaze of theories – is the marksman a hero or a vigilante? The case explodes, and the FBI assigns Agent Max Siegel to the investigation. As Alex and Siegel battle over jurisdiction, the murders continue. It becomes clear that the killings are the work of a professional who has detailed knowledge of his victims’ movements – information that only a Washington insider could possess. As Alex contends with the sniper, Siegel, and the wedding, he receives a call from his deadliest adversary, Kyle Craig. The Mastermind is in DC and will not relent until he has eliminated Cross and his family for good.

Review: Without a doubt, this is my absolute favorite series. Ever. This particular installment was better than the last few have been. Kyle Craig is back in the forefront in this book and that always makes for a good story! We see Alex in such a happy place, as happy as I think he’s ever been since his wife was murdered. Every single time that I read these books it really makes me wonder how many more there will be. My biggest fear is that the series will eventually end. I know it’s inevitable, but I don’t want to have to think about it. Also, without revealing any spoilers, there’s something really interesting on the last page that makes me look forward to future books! I would highly recommend this book and this series overall!

4.5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, P, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, SERIES, Women's Murder Club

2011.23 REVIEW – 10th Anniversary by James Patterson

Tara

10th Anniversary
by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

Copyright: 2011
Pages: 395
Rating: 4.5/5
Read: May 13 – 15, 2011
Challenge:  TwentyEleven Challenge
Yearly Count: 23
Format: Print

First Line: This was the day I was getting married.

Blurb: Detective Lindsay Boxer’s long-awaited wedding celebration becomes a distant memory when she is called to investigate a horrendous crime: a teenage girl is badly injured and left for dead, and her newborn baby is nowhere to be found. Lindsay discovers that not only is there no trace of the criminal – but the victim may be keeping secrets as well. At the same time, Assistant District Attorney Yuki Castellano is prosecuting the biggest case of her life – a woman who has been accused of murdering her husband in front of their two young children. Yuki’s career rests on a guilty verdict, so when Lindsay finds evidence that could save the defendant, she is forced to choose. Should she trust her best friend or follow her instinct? Lindsay’s every move is watched by her new boss, Lieutenant Jackson Brady, and when the pressure to find the baby begins interfering with her new marriage to Joe, she wonders if she’ll ever be able to start a family.

Review: This was a really good book. But my goodness, edit edit edit! There were grammatical errors in this book, which isn’t usually something I come across in a James Patterson book. I understand that these things happen, but if I can spot them it always makes me wonder if anyone even edits/reads these books anymore! Spell check doesn’t catch everything! Anyway, grammar issues aside, I felt like this was a good read. I enjoyed the two plot lines that were going on. I enjoyed more character development with Lindsay and Joe and Yuki’s new relationship as well as Cindy and Conklin’s relationship progression. It’s always like getting together with friends when I read this series. I really like this series, and although I prefer the Alex Cross series, this is another one of my favorite series that I would highly recommend.

4/5, Alex Cross, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, P, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, SERIES

2011.13 REVIEW – I, Alex Cross by James Patterson

Tara

I, Alex Cross
by James Patterson

Copyright: 2009
Pages: 360
Rating: 4/5
Read: March 14 – 17, 2011
Challenge: TBR Dare; Mystery & Suspense Challenge
Yearly Count: 13
Format: Print

First Line: Hannah Willis was a second-year law student at Virginia, and everything that lay ahead of her seemed bright and promising – except, of course, that she was about to die in these dark, gloomy, dismal woods.

Blurb: Pulled out of a family celebration, Detective Alex Cross gets awful news: A beloved relative has been found brutally murdered. Vowing to catch the killer, he quickly learns that she was mixed up in one of Washington, D.C.’s wildest scenes. And she was not this killer’s only victim … The hunt for the murderer leads Alex and his girlfriend, Detective Brianna Stone, to a place where every fantasy is possible, if you have the credentials to get in. Soon they confront some very important, very protected, and very dangerous people who will do anything to keep their secrets safe. As Alex closes in on the killer, he discovers evidence that points to the unimaginable – a revelation that could rock the entire world.

Review: Wow, let me just start by saying that the ending to this book is absolutely scandalous! I loved it! And honestly, it came a little bit out of left field for me, I usually have a pretty good grasp on the bad guys in Patterson’s books, but this one had an interesting ending for me. It’s classic James Patterson – short, enjoyable chapters. Engrossing plot line. Great characters. This is my all-time, absolute with a doubt, favorite series ever. I just love every single book a little more and more. This particular installment had quite a bit of sadness through the storyline, although something that will be inevitable if this series continues for much longer. After I finish every book in this series I keep asking myself: how many more will there be? Eventually the series will need to end, it’s just a matter of when and how. Of course, I will probably shed a slight tear when that day comes, but until then, I will continue to enjoy this series – I am trying to get my hands on the most recent installment, Cross Fire, but my library only has the audio book version, and the waiting lists at PBS/BookMooch are unreal (and I refuse to pay $12.99 for a Nook Book that I will devour in 2-3 days’ time).  Anyway, I highly recommend this series to anyone who may be living under a rock and have not experienced these books 🙂

3.5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, P, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011

2011.5 REVIEW – Alex Cross’s Trial by James Patterson

Tara

Alex Cross’s Trial
by James Patterson

Copyright: 2009
Pages: 380
Rating: 3.5/5
Read: Jan. 24 – , 2011
Challenge: TBR Dare
Yearly Count: 5
Format: Print

First Line: A few months after I hunted a vicious killer named the Tiger halfway around the world, I began to think seriously about a book I had been wanting to write for years.

Blurb: From his grandmother, Alex Cross heard the story of his great-uncle Abraham and his struggles for survival in the era of the Ku Klux Klan. Now, Alex passes the family tale along to his own children in a book he’s written – a novel called Trial. A lawyer in early-1900s Washington D.C., Ben Corbett fights against oppression and racism – and risks his family and his life in the process. When President Theodore Roosevelt asks him to return to his hometown to investigate rumors of the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan there, he cannot refuse. In Eudora, Mississippi, Ben meets the wise Abraham Cross and his beautiful granddaughter, Moody. With their help, Ben discovers that lynchings have become commonplace. He vows to break the reign of terror – but the truth of who is really behind the killings may break his heart.

Review: This is not your typical Alex Cross book, so if you’re looking for that, this installment might not be your cup of tea. First of all, this particular book is actually a book within a book. It starts out with a brief introduction from Alex Cross about how there’s a story in his family history that he’s always wanted to tell, and that the subsequent book is that story. Then the reader is taken back to Mississippi in the early 1900s. Lynchings have become a way of life in the small town of Eudora. But the President, Teddy Roosevelt, wants all of the violence to stop. Unable to step in because of his role as President, he sends Ben Corbett down as his “spy.” Ben then embarks upon an unforgettable journey. This is the story that Alex tells of, Ben Corbett’s time in his hometown of Eudora, trying to fight all the racism and violence. I was a history major in college, so the Civil War era and anything to do with racism, Ku Klux Klan, slavery, etc., will immediately attract me. That being said, this book will not be for everyone. The violence experienced by the black people of Eudora is not at all sugar-coated or covered up in this book. I found it to be a good historical story. But as I stated above, if you’re looking forward to another good Alex Cross book, you might want to skip this book.

3/5, Alex Cross, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, P, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, SERIES

2011.4 REVIEW – Cross Country by James Patterson

Tara

Cross Country     
by James Patterson 

Copyright: 2008
Pages: 403
Rating: 3/5
Read: Jan. 17 – 23, 2011
Challenge: Mystery & Suspense Challenge; TBR Dare
Yearly Count: 4
Format: Print

First Line: Georgetown, Washington, D.C. The surname of the family was Cox, the father a very successful trial lawyer, but the target was the mother, Ellie Randall Cox.

Blurb: Detective Alex Cross pursues the most ruthless killer he’s ever encountered – to a land of sheer terror and back. It’s the worst crime scene Alex Cross has ever seen, and then more killings, each one more ruthless than the last, quickly follow. After one death comes terrifyingly close to home, Alex realizes he’s chasing a horrible new breed of killer. Digging deeper into the case, Alex and his girlfriend, Detective Brianna Stone, uncover a shocking Washington, D.C., underworld: a gang of teenage thugs headed by a warlord known only as the Tiger. When the Tiger’s elusive trail turns up in Africa, Alex knokws that he must follow. Unprotected and alone, can Alex manage to both survive and catch the killer?

Review: Okay, I’m not going to lie, this was not my favorite Alex Cross book at all. In fact, I actually considered putting it aside at one point. The entire portion of the book in which Alex was in Africa was not my cup of tea. I was a little sick of how cocky Alex got when he was in Africa. I mean, the guy is in a foreign country, not at all wanted there, and yet he goes around thinking that just because he’s a police officer in Washington D.C. will actually mean anything in Africa. It doesn’t work that way in foreign countries. Yet, Alex didn’t seem to comprehend that whatsoever. There is a lot of violence in this book, just a warning to anyone easily offended. I also felt like it was just a little too political for a fiction book. It just really wasn’t all that great in my opinion. I hope that the next book in this series is better, because this installment has left a bad taste in my mouth.

5/5, Alex Cross, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, P, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, SERIES

2011.1 REVIEW – Double Cross by James Patterson

Tara

Double Cross
by James Patterson

Copyright: 2007
Pages: 402
Rating: 5/5
Read: Jan. 1 – 5, 2011
Challenge: Criminal Plots Challenge; Mystery & Suspense Challenge; TBR Dare
Yearly Count: 1
Format: Print

First Line: At the time of his formal sentencing in Alexandria, Virginia, for eleven known murders, the former FBI agent and pattern killer Kyle Craig, known as the Mastermind, was lectured and condescended to by U.S. District Judge Nina Wolff.

Blurb: Alex Cross rejoins the D.C. police force to confront two of the most diabolical killers he’s ever encountered. Just when his life is calming down, Alex Cross is drawn back into a lethal game like no other. In Washington, D.C., a maniac stages his killings as spectacles in public settings. Alex is pursuing a genius of terror who has the whole city on edge. And the killer loves the attention – he even sets up his own web site and live video feed to trumpet his madness. In Colorado, another brilliant madman is planning a triumphant return. From his supermaximum-security prison cell, Kyle Craig has plotted for years an impossible escape. If he has to join forces with D.C.’s Audience Killer to get back at the man who put him in that prison – Alex Cross – all the better.

Review: Spoilers possible. This is the 13th in the Alex Cross series. This is one of my absolute favorite series *ever*. It’s amazing what kind of trouble Alex always ends up in (or rather, what kind of trouble always finds Alex…). In this particular installment, The Mastermind (a.k.a. Kyle Craig) makes another appearance – in the form of a pretty interesting prison escape. Alex is also having to deal with helping his girlfriend, Bree, and best friend, Sampson, with the Audience Killer case in Washington, D.C. I thought it was very interesting how Kyle Craig was brought back onto the scene by the author. But what’s even more interesting is that at the end of the book, he is still at large! It sometimes seems a little improbable in regards to how many big cases Alex Cross and the Washington D.C. police department have to deal with. And even though some of the situations that the author poses to the reader seem almost entirely impossible, I still love this series! As soon as I finish an Alex Cross book, I’m always interested to know where Alex will go in the next book. This is one of the few series that I have found that has not really gone downhill as it progresses. I highly recommend this book and series.