Cross by James Patterson

One of the things I love about James Pattersons' books is the short chapters. They're usually 3-4 pages long, which makes it ideal for traveling or for reading on the beach.

This book is a continuation of the Alex Cross series. Alex is a smart detective in Washington, DC. He's raising three children without a partner. Two of the children are without their mother because she was murdered years ago. This story is about who makes claim to that murder and what Alex does as a result.

I love all of these books, and this one was a great read as well. Highly recommended summertime book.

Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult

My love affair with Jodi Picoult continues. This is the story about a family with a mom, dad, and a 5-year-old son. The mom is an assistant district attorney, specializing in prosecuting child molesters.

She discovers her son has been molested.

That's how the book begins. The real story is who molested him and what happens as a result. The book has a couple of HUGE surprises in it, things I never saw coming. It was a quick read and a book that I did not want to put down.

The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

What a story. Jeanette Walls spent many years writing for such things as MSNBC.com and magazines. She's got a wonderful style of writing, and I read her column for years without knowing that she had written a book.

"The Glass Castle" is her life story, and oh, boy, what a story it is. It begins with her in a limo, leaving her Park Avenue apartment to head to a party. As they're stopped at a stop light, she looks out the window and sees a homeless woman digging in a dumpster. It's her mother.

This story is about how her parents raised Jeanette and her siblings, with virtually no money and no ambition. It's at the same time heart breaking and hopeful, showing that no matter how bad things are, there's always a way to make your life better if you have that desire.

I highly recommend this book. It's one you won't be able to put down.