Merry Christmas, Alex Cross by James Patterson

Synopsis:

It's Christmas Eve and Detective Alex Cross has been called out to catch someone who's robbing his church's poor box. That mission behind him, Alex returns home to celebrate with Bree, Nana, and his children. The tree decorating is barely underway before his phone rings again--a horrific hostage situation is quickly spiraling out of control. Away from his own family on the most precious of days, Alex calls upon every ounce of his training, creativity, and daring to save another family. Alex risks everything--and he may not make it back alive on this most sacred of family days. Alex Cross is a hero for our time, and never more so than in this story of family, action, and the deepest moral choices. MERRY CHRISTMAS, ALEX CROSS will be a holiday classic for years to come.

How fitting that I began this book during a snowstorm.

I loved the first half of this book. It was intriguing, horrifying, and sad all at the same time. Christmas is supposed to be a time of happiness but when a father holds his children and ex wife hostage it is anything but happy for them and Alex.

It kept me turning the page at a rapid pace and was a great read.

Once that was solved was when it went downhill and I had to force myself to keep reading. This is because it continued off of the story of The Family from the previous novel, and I wasn’t a fan of that whole story line or the characters involved. It started to drag for me even though the action was still at top speed.

If this book would have ended at the first half, it would have a perfect 5/5.

3/5 stars

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The Private School Murders (Confessions #2) by James Patterson

Synopsis:

In the sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller Confessions of a Murder Suspect, James Patterson keeps the confessions coming breathlessly as Tandy Angel delves deeper into her own tumultuous history-and proves that she can rise above the sordid Angel legacy.

Wealthy young women are being murdered on Manhattan's exclusive Upper West Side, and the police aren't looking for answers in the right places. Enter Tandy Angel. The first case she cracked was the mystery of her parents' deaths. Now, while she's working to exonerate her brother of his glamorous girlfriend's homicide, she's driven to get involved in the West Side murder spree.

One of the recent victims was a student at Tandy's own elite school. She has a hunch it may be the work of a serial killer, but the NYPD isn't listening to her...and Tandy can't ignore the disturbing fact that she perfectly fits the profile of the killer's targets. Can she untangle the mysteries in time? Or will she be the next victim?

I liked this book a lot more than the first book. The story was more interesting to me and grabbed my attention more. It helped that there were two to three interesting things happening at all times.

I am still not a huge fan of Tandy as the protagonist. She is too much of a know-it-all, but that is what makes her character. It is possible that I get more attached to her as I read more Confessions novels.

This was a good situation where the second book was better than the first, and I am grateful for that. I don’t regret my purchase at all, and it made me want to keep reading the series.

4/5 stars

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The Lords of Salem by Rob Zombie

Synopsis:

From the singular mind of horror maestro Rob Zombie comes a chilling plunge into a nightmare world where evil runs in the blood...

THE LORDS OF SALEM

Heidi Hawthorne is a thirty-seven-year-old FM radio DJ and a recovering drug addict. Struggling with her newfound sobriety and creeping depression, Heidi suddenly receives an anonymous gift at the station-a mysteriously shaped wooden box branded with a strange symbol. Inside the box is a promotional record for a band that identifies themselves only as The Lords. There is no other information.

She decides to play it on the radio show as a joke, and the moment she does, horrible things begin to happen. The strange music awakens something evil in the town. Soon enough, terrifying murders begin to happen all around Heidi. Who are The Lords? What do they want?

As old bloodlines are awakened and the bodies start to pile up, only one thing seems certain: all hell is about to break loose.

What did I just read? This was the most twisted book I have read in a long time, maybe the most twisted one I have read so far.  I have been wanting to see this movie for awhile, but I wanted to read the book first. So, when I got it for Christmas, I was super excited.

There were horror elements, there were gruesome scenes, and there were chapters that actually left me really creeped out.

It was an interesting experience to say the least.

That being said, I did actually enjoy the book. It held my attention with how strange and out there is was. It is easy to read the whole thing rather quickly because you want to find out what is happening. It is definitely not for people who cannot handle gore though. Reading through many of the scenes had me cringing in my seat.

The characters were all pretty interesting in their own ways. Heidi was a good protagonist and it was easy to root for her.

This book was good if you want an interesting horror, paranormal book. I wouldn’t have expected any less from the mind of Rob Zombie.

4/5 stars

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