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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Ali, the youngest of the Cross clan and the one who seems to be the exact image of his dad Alex Cross. He’s now is middle school, still as smart as ever and off solving his own mysteries. This one involves the disappearance of his friend Gabe.
We’ve seen Ali grow up in the other Alex across novels and now he’s coming into his own. This is aimed for teen readers, but if you’ve grown attached to the Cross family over the years (like I have) you will want to pick this up. An enjoyable story.
We’ve seen Ali grow up in the other Alex across novels and now he’s coming into his own. This is aimed for teen readers, but if you’ve grown attached to the Cross family over the years (like I have) you will want to pick this up. An enjoyable story.
Cute middle grade book. Since I've read all the adult Alex Cross books, this was fun to see it from Ali's point of view. The mystery wasn't too convoluted, which is good for a middle grade. The story kept me entertained and I wanted to keep reading.
Full disclosure: won this book in a goodreads giveaway. I initially entered because I thought it was a regular James Patterson book, not one for children. Alas I read it anyway. Only having read around 5 James Patterson books, this one did not seem up to the same caliber. This is probably because it was meant for children so I'm not exactly the target audience (I am 24 years old). None the less, here are some thoughts I had about the book.
1. Alex Cross, Ali Cross' dad who has his own series has a very prominent role in this book. I thought this book was about Ali, but half of this book was about Alex and from his prospective. Alex's story line almost felt like filler so the book could be more substantial. Also his story line felt like it picked up where another book left off. This made it feel like I was missing something and you couldn't read this book without reading the other Alex Cross books, so then what is the point of this book? Alex's story line could have been executed better so it impacted Ali without feeling like it was taking up too much spotlight. It was nice to have Alex's perspective, especially when there was an argument between Ali and Alex because you got to see both sides and how they felt.
2. Alex's story line actually did impact Ali a lot because Alex was going to court and being tried for accidentally almost killing someone (Alex went to question a suspect's father and the man fell down the stairs and is in a coma). Ali being in middle school is going through a lot with his friend missing, plus his dad's upcoming trial, and being bullied. I appreciated seeing Ali's growth in the book and how he learned to deal with bullies in the proper way. My biggest disappoint and something that seems to be very current issue in society is: males showing and talking about their emotions. Ali is clearly going through a lot in the book and not once does his dad really stop and take the time to ask his son how he is doing, getting him to talk out his emotions and frustrations with the progress of his missing friend, the bully at school, how he feels about his dad's trial. PLUS Ali thinks he shouldn't cry and people should never see him cry because his dad doesn't cry and you shouldn't show your emotions like that. EVERYONE NEEDS A GOOD CRY ONCE IN A WHILE TO GET ALL THE EMOTIONS OUT. This boy needs to learn that early on because otherwise he is going to grow up and not be able to know how to express his emotions and talk to someone about how he is feeling. James, good job in having Ali learning how to deal with bullies, even though he had to have a physical fight with one. Fine, learn from your mistakes, violence isn't the answer. But Ali and his emotions could have used a little more work.
3. Ali and Gabe. I enjoyed most of Ali's detective work and how he went about solving the problem. Plus the mystery with Gabe ended in a less predictable way than I thought (thumbs up). The one thing that bothered me and wasn't really answered was the comment about how Gabe doesn't eat lunch with Ali and his friends. This seemed like a throwaway detail to build Gabe's mysterious backstory. But it made me wonder if Ali was a detective, why didn't he ever try to figure it out? What did Gabe do every day during lunch? Why didn't he want to eat with them? I guess Ali didn't want to cross any personal boundaries, but wouldn't the detective in him want to know the answer?
4. This is pretty minor but bothered me. Ever time current culture was added for no reason. Naming Outpost was necessary because it was a major part of the book. But dropping Stranger Things, Marvel Avengers Movies, and "I was watching The Incredibles 2 with Nana..."(page 212) are completely unnecessary and really date the book. I personally think it makes the book less enjoyable to read years from now. But that's just me. (PS4 is excluded in my opinion because its equipment and not current entertainment).
5. Not sure if this was because I won the book early in a giveaway, but all the text conversations were hard to understand who was talking when without a lot of thinking and rereading. Didn't flow like a normal conversation because the returns and indenting made NO SENSE and didn't differentiate between speakers in the text. Example:
"Hey Alex, I know you're probably asleep, but I heard from
the desk
sergeant that you'd called in the return of those
two stolen weapons. Excellent news!
Alex texted right back.
I'm awake. Still working, but yeah.
Happy to have those in hand again, for sure.
Can you tell me what time that happened?
Just before midnight, why?
We've had another run of robberies
in your neighborhood tonight. Three houses within a
six-block radius. Same basic pattern.
Alex sat back and reread that last text. Three more houses? That was seven in all.
And we're the only ones who had anything returned?
So far, yeah. Weird, right? And hey, I
know you're on admin leave, so you
didn't hear this from me, but we're at
406 4th Street, if you're curious.
The homeowner's in Florida.
We'll be covering this place all night. " (page 85)
1. Alex Cross, Ali Cross' dad who has his own series has a very prominent role in this book. I thought this book was about Ali, but half of this book was about Alex and from his prospective. Alex's story line almost felt like filler so the book could be more substantial. Also his story line felt like it picked up where another book left off. This made it feel like I was missing something and you couldn't read this book without reading the other Alex Cross books, so then what is the point of this book? Alex's story line could have been executed better so it impacted Ali without feeling like it was taking up too much spotlight. It was nice to have Alex's perspective, especially when there was an argument between Ali and Alex because you got to see both sides and how they felt.
2. Alex's story line actually did impact Ali a lot because Alex was going to court and being tried for accidentally almost killing someone (Alex went to question a suspect's father and the man fell down the stairs and is in a coma). Ali being in middle school is going through a lot with his friend missing, plus his dad's upcoming trial, and being bullied. I appreciated seeing Ali's growth in the book and how he learned to deal with bullies in the proper way. My biggest disappoint and something that seems to be very current issue in society is: males showing and talking about their emotions. Ali is clearly going through a lot in the book and not once does his dad really stop and take the time to ask his son how he is doing, getting him to talk out his emotions and frustrations with the progress of his missing friend, the bully at school, how he feels about his dad's trial. PLUS Ali thinks he shouldn't cry and people should never see him cry because his dad doesn't cry and you shouldn't show your emotions like that. EVERYONE NEEDS A GOOD CRY ONCE IN A WHILE TO GET ALL THE EMOTIONS OUT. This boy needs to learn that early on because otherwise he is going to grow up and not be able to know how to express his emotions and talk to someone about how he is feeling. James, good job in having Ali learning how to deal with bullies, even though he had to have a physical fight with one. Fine, learn from your mistakes, violence isn't the answer. But Ali and his emotions could have used a little more work.
3. Ali and Gabe. I enjoyed most of Ali's detective work and how he went about solving the problem. Plus the mystery with Gabe ended in a less predictable way than I thought (thumbs up). The one thing that bothered me and wasn't really answered was the comment about how Gabe doesn't eat lunch with Ali and his friends. This seemed like a throwaway detail to build Gabe's mysterious backstory. But it made me wonder if Ali was a detective, why didn't he ever try to figure it out? What did Gabe do every day during lunch? Why didn't he want to eat with them? I guess Ali didn't want to cross any personal boundaries, but wouldn't the detective in him want to know the answer?
4. This is pretty minor but bothered me. Ever time current culture was added for no reason. Naming Outpost was necessary because it was a major part of the book. But dropping Stranger Things, Marvel Avengers Movies, and "I was watching The Incredibles 2 with Nana..."(page 212) are completely unnecessary and really date the book. I personally think it makes the book less enjoyable to read years from now. But that's just me. (PS4 is excluded in my opinion because its equipment and not current entertainment).
5. Not sure if this was because I won the book early in a giveaway, but all the text conversations were hard to understand who was talking when without a lot of thinking and rereading. Didn't flow like a normal conversation because the returns and indenting made NO SENSE and didn't differentiate between speakers in the text. Example:
"Hey Alex, I know you're probably asleep, but I heard from
the desk
sergeant that you'd called in the return of those
two stolen weapons. Excellent news!
Alex texted right back.
I'm awake. Still working, but yeah.
Happy to have those in hand again, for sure.
Can you tell me what time that happened?
Just before midnight, why?
We've had another run of robberies
in your neighborhood tonight. Three houses within a
six-block radius. Same basic pattern.
Alex sat back and reread that last text. Three more houses? That was seven in all.
And we're the only ones who had anything returned?
So far, yeah. Weird, right? And hey, I
know you're on admin leave, so you
didn't hear this from me, but we're at
406 4th Street, if you're curious.
The homeowner's in Florida.
We'll be covering this place all night. " (page 85)
Solid middle grade thriller that I'm sure will do well with my mystery loving population. Quick and easy read.
James Patterson has a new treat for his young adult (read: teen) fans with this long-awaited debut featuring Ali Cross. Many longtime Patterson fans will know of Alex Cross and his youngest—yet also precocious—son, Ali, who sees things outside of the box. While the entire Cross clan is gathered for Christmas, Ali has other things on his mind. His friend, Gabe, is missing and no one seems to be doing much about it. Ali wants nothing more than to help find his close friend, but the case seems to be gathering little but a peppering of snow over the holiday season. If that were not enough, his father, Dr. Alex Cross, is facing assault charges for a recent arrest that left a suspect in a coma after a fall. While the Cross family remains strong, Ali cannot help but wonder if he needs to do more to help the situation. He enlists the help of his father, as well as his step-mother, Bree Stone, to get some answers and to help fill in some of the blanks around Gabe’s location. Then, it’s time to enter the world of the tween, where social media and gaming takes over, allowing Ali to discover some new and disturbing clues that could help him with his search. As Alex is distracted with his own worries, young Ali takes a gamble or two to save his friend. Problem is, like his father, Ali sometimes forgets to put his safety first, which could have dire consequences. When Ali is able to reach Gabe through a video game they enjoy, this only leads to more complications and places both boys in a heap of trouble. A stellar piece by Patterson that will surely loop in a new generation of Cross fans, with a story that is equally appealing to those who have long enjoyed anything with CROSS in the title. Recommended for young and not so youthful readers looking for a great mystery, as well as Alex Cross fans who want a dose of something a little less intense.
I recently finished James Patterson’s latest Alex Cross novel, which saw an increase in Ali’s presence. It felt fitting to turn to this shorter piece to give Ali his time in the spotlight and to see if younger readers were getting the same intensity in their novels related to this DC family. Patterson does well to pull a new set of Cross fans in, setting a mystery with Ali in the middle. Ali Cross is a middle-schooler who has all the tools to live a 21st century life, including an online presence that keeps him in touch with his friends. However, he has Cross blood in his veins and if he is not going to excel in athletics like his siblings, he might as well take up sleuthing. The reader can see this throughout this piece, as Ali Cross comes into his own. He loves a good mystery and has the empathy to make his work mean something. Other characters help pave the way to a successful story, including Alex Cross, which enriches the entire reading experience. While it is hard to place this on the Alex Cross timeline of books, there is surely a little character development for Alex and Ali, though it might be in a vacuum and not entirely in line with the chronology of the larger Cross series (if that makes sense as I pen it now). The story was strong and helped introduce the reader to Ali Cross in such a way that readers will want to know more. With some eerie goings-on in the Alex Cross series and a few hints that Ali Cross has not tripped on his only mystery, Patterson keeps readers of all ages wondering what will come next in the Cross saga and how long until Ali takes over the spotlight, letting Alex relax and fade into the role of advisor, rather than ‘feet on the ground’ detective.
Kudos, Mr. Patterson, for another great piece in the Cross series. This one has remained solid and I do wish you would focus on those pieces that are stellar, rather than mass producing every idea brought to your feet, for money and acclaim.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
I recently finished James Patterson’s latest Alex Cross novel, which saw an increase in Ali’s presence. It felt fitting to turn to this shorter piece to give Ali his time in the spotlight and to see if younger readers were getting the same intensity in their novels related to this DC family. Patterson does well to pull a new set of Cross fans in, setting a mystery with Ali in the middle. Ali Cross is a middle-schooler who has all the tools to live a 21st century life, including an online presence that keeps him in touch with his friends. However, he has Cross blood in his veins and if he is not going to excel in athletics like his siblings, he might as well take up sleuthing. The reader can see this throughout this piece, as Ali Cross comes into his own. He loves a good mystery and has the empathy to make his work mean something. Other characters help pave the way to a successful story, including Alex Cross, which enriches the entire reading experience. While it is hard to place this on the Alex Cross timeline of books, there is surely a little character development for Alex and Ali, though it might be in a vacuum and not entirely in line with the chronology of the larger Cross series (if that makes sense as I pen it now). The story was strong and helped introduce the reader to Ali Cross in such a way that readers will want to know more. With some eerie goings-on in the Alex Cross series and a few hints that Ali Cross has not tripped on his only mystery, Patterson keeps readers of all ages wondering what will come next in the Cross saga and how long until Ali takes over the spotlight, letting Alex relax and fade into the role of advisor, rather than ‘feet on the ground’ detective.
Kudos, Mr. Patterson, for another great piece in the Cross series. This one has remained solid and I do wish you would focus on those pieces that are stellar, rather than mass producing every idea brought to your feet, for money and acclaim.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons