Alex Cross, Run by James Patterson

It started with a New Year's resolution:
1 book a week, 52 books in a year.
I kept reading, and it grew into something much more.

Back in 2011, I was an avid reader who had somehow lost my way with reading. Between working and being a full-time student, reading for pleasure had slowly fallen by the wayside.

I wanted to change that. So I gave myself a New Year's resolution to read one book every week for a year. I started A Book A Week on January 1, 2012 as a way to hold myself accountable and share what I was reading along the way.

I didn't quite reach my goal that first year, but I kept reading. I kept reviewing. And all these years later, I'm still here, looking forward to whatever book comes next. Some years I crush my goals, some years I don't, but my love for a good book has never wavered.

Reader. Blogger.
Book lover.

I'm a lifelong reader with a particular soft spot for mysteries and thrillers. I've always loved the genre, and I credit those stories—the twists, suspense, and need to know what happens next—with keeping me a reader as an adult. My reading has taken me in all kinds of directions since then, but I'll always come back to a good mystery.

I love creepy horror novels. A fascinating work of nonfiction can completely pull me in, too. And I've found plenty of favorites in science fiction, literary fiction, romance, and other genres I might never have picked up when I first started the blog. That's part of the fun. I never quite know what kind of story is going to grab me next.

When I'm not reading or writing reviews, you'll usually find me at home with my husband and our pets. I'm a classically trained musician and composer, an enthusiastic home cook, and a backyard gardener. There's usually a trip to look forward to or some new project that has caught my interest, too.

At the end of the day, I just really love books. There's nothing quite like discovering a story I can't put down or finding an author I can't wait to read again. Even when a book doesn't quite work for me, I still enjoy thinking about why and putting those thoughts into words. That's what keeps me reading, reviewing, and sharing it all here on A Book A Week.

Honest reviews, always.

Some of the books I review are ones I've purchased myself. Others are provided by publishers or authors in exchange for an honest review. Either way, what I write here is always what I really think.

Not every book is going to work for every reader, and that's part of the fun of talking about books. I'll tell you what worked for me, what didn't, and hopefully give you enough to decide whether a book might be right for you.

Good, bad, or somewhere in between, you'll always get my honest take.

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James Patterson is known as much for his fast paced, escapist thrillers as he is for his prolific output and controversial use of co-authors. The Alex Cross series, perhaps Patterson's most popular creation, is notable in that it is the only series that Patterson continues to author on his own. With Alex Cross, Run, the twentieth entry in the series, Patterson continues to give readers everything they have come to expect from this fantastic character.

Plastic surgeon Elijah Creem's life is in a downward spiral. It began when detective Alex Cross busted him in an underage sex scheme. In an instant, he lost his career, wife, and children. Now he is determined to escape. He turns to an old college friend for help. Together they begin to revive a game that they played years ago. Using his expertise of the human body and ability to disguise his looks, Creem's game soon takes a deadly turn, leaving bodies across D.C for Cross to discover.

But Alex has more pressing matters to deal with. Readers of the series will recall the way Patterson uses Cross's family as a means to manipulate his emotions and distract him from his job. He does this again, this time using the Cross Family's newest edition, Ava. Ava is a foster child who lost her mother the previous year. Despite her cautious personality, she seems to be adapting to her new family well. All of this changes when she does not make it into the prestigious private school that Jannie, Alex's daughter, is accepted to. Soon she becomes withdrawn and the Cross family fears she is using drugs. Unfortunate circumstances surrounding Alex's job soon force the state to remove Ava from the Cross home. Now Alex must try to solve the gruesome murders while dealing with an increasingly stressful personal life.

Recently I've noticed a shift in focus within this series. Before, it seemed that Patterson's main intent was providing the most thrilling and original mysteries that he could. Recently, probably beginning with, Cross, he has shifted his focus to his main character, Alex Cross. Originally I praised this decision, as it brought a fresh perspective and much needed depth to the series. This is the first time, however, that I feel this focus on character development has actually made the mystery suffer. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't enjoy the book, but I feel that the crimes, and there were a lot of them, took a backseat to Alex's personal problems. Hopefully the next installment with get back to the kind of unique mystery that made me fall in love with this series from the first book. Still, this is a fine continuation of Alex Cross's story.

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and GoodReads.

(2013: week 18, book 16)

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It started with a New Year's resolution:
1 book a week, 52 books in a year.
I kept reading, and it grew into something much more.

Reader. Blogger.
Book lover.

Honest reviews, always.

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