Schooled ... my quick holiday read

So, I was returning Cross Country to the library and took a few minutes to browse the New Fiction shelves. The title of this book caught my eye and after reading the book jacket, I thought it might be a fun change of pace. Perfect for my holiday break. I'll let you know what I think.

From the book jacket:

"You're making how much an hour?"

"Two hundred dollars."

"Do you ride in on a pony?"

All she wants to do is teach. For Anna Taggert, an earnest Ivy League graduate, pursuing her passion as a teacher means engaging young hearts and minds. She longs to be in a place where she can be her best self, and give that best to her students.

Turns out it isn't that easy.

Landing a job at an elite private school in Manhattan, Anna finds her dreams of chalk boards and lesson plans replaced with board families, learning specialists, and benefit-planning mothers. Not to mention the grim realities of her small paycheck.

And then comes the realization that the papers she grades are not the work of her students, but of their high-priced, college-educated tutors. After uncovering this underground economy where a teacher can make the same hourly rate as a Manhattan attorney, Anna herself is seduced by lucrative offers--one after another. Teacher by day, tutor by night, she starts to sample the good life her students enjoy: binges at Barneys, dinners at the Waverly Inn, and a new address on Madison Avenue.

Until, that is, the truth sets in.

Cross Country - My Final Review

Finally. I finished it. I don't get to read as much or as quickly as I used to, but I don't think I can even blame the time it took to read this one on Preston. Even though he did manage to walk by and close the book announcing, "The End" several times as I sat on the couch reading. This time, however, I think the blame lies more with James Patterson.

In this novel, Alex is once again chasing a serial killer. And I'm not sure if it's the fact that most of the chase takes place out of the country that bothers me, because he's done that before, too. I think it was all the violence in this one. A lot of people die! It was a bit much for me. I'm also used to the camaraderie between Sampson and Alex, and there wasn't much of that either.

But as always, James Patterson ties it all up at the end in true Alex Cross fashion. So, overall I think Alex Cross fans will forgive Patterson and look forward to the next installment.

If you've read it, let me know what you think.

Cross Country

I'm in love with Alex Cross. I have been since Along Came a Spider. The whole movie with Morgan Freeman almost fixed that. Because in my head, Alex Cross doesn't look like Morgan Freeman. He's more of a hybrid of Will Smith and Denzel Washington. But I digress.

Cross Country is James Patterson's latest Alex Cross novel. I started reading it earlier this week and like all the novels before it just pulled me right in.

Yesterday, I took a little time away from my guys and had lunch and did a little last minute shopping. While eating, I was reading. And I realized something. Alex isn't the only character that I love. Can't believe I didn't notice it before, but I love Nana, Alex's grandmother. She reminds me so much of my grandmother. I guess the fact that Mother's no longer with me made the similarities resonate even more. Nana is caring, feisty and pretty much tells it like it is -- whether Alex wants to hear it or not. Mother was the same way.

I'll probably finish the novel sometime tomorrow. I'll let you know what I think. But be prepared, I'm very biased. After all, I am in love.