Series Sunday: Cross & Sampson

(Alex Cross #35) 

Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Read an installment of a series.
• Share your review/recommendation below.
• Include the title, author and series name.

My Series Sunday pick is Cross & Sampson, the 35th book in the Alex Cross series by James Patterson.

We got another one, fans! Detectives/Best Friends Alex Cross and John Sampson are better together than apart. In this latest installment of the series, Sampson investigates a suspected terrorist attack in DC. Meanwhile, Cross drops everything to look for a missing psychology grad student in North Carolina...his own son Damon! This fast-paced novel takes us across the States from FBI headquarters to DC streets, to off-campus apartments and police stations. Yet somehow, our favorite team of detectives remain tight productive partners.

"Let's walk back that cat." ~ 15%

Cross & Sampson is a bit different than the rest of the series but more like Cross Down which released in 2023. It is primarily written in Sampson's point of view with alternating chapters of Alex Cross written in third person. It was refreshing to hear directly from Sampson, so to speak. It also helped readers take a birds' eye view of Alex Cross' panic and emotions while trying to find his missing son. The ending may have been a little "oh that's it" but I enjoyed the storylines.

It amazes me how the Alex Cross series has over thirty (30) books and it stays consistent. The suspense has not ceased, the intrigue has not faltered nor have the murder scenes lessened. James Patterson, with the help of co-authors such as Brian Sitts, continues to deliver a strong series featuring Black main characters. Don't let the disappointing second season of the TV adaptation of Cross deter you. Read this instead! 

"Never trust the experts." ~ 55%

Happy Early Pub Day, James Patterson! Cross & Sampson will be available tomorrow, February 9.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Cross & Sampson

Author: James Patterson and Brian Sitts

Published: February 2026

Pages: 368

Edition: Galley

Genre: Mystery

Challenge: Keeping Up With Patterson

Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

Love Me Tomorrow

"A writer, a musician, and an artist were in the same room...It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but really, it was the start of the best idea ever." ~ 34%

From bestselling author Emiko Jean comes a new rom-com with a moving twist. What if your true love could write to you from the future? Emma Nakamura-Thatcher is 17 years old and cynical about love after her parents' divorce. A simple wish made at a festival—proof that love is real—turns into an adventure. She starts finding notes from someone claiming to be her greatest love writing from the future. It seems like a prank until the notes mention things only Emma would know. But which boy in her life is it?

The premise of Love Me Tomorrow is cute, light-hearted and a good romance read for young adults. Readers will find themselves cheering for at least one of Emma's potential loves. Is it Ezra the musical prodigy, boy next door Theo, or rich handsome Colin? With each letter, Emma tries to uncover which guy is proving his love.

I recommend this novel for high-schoolers. It is truly written for the youngest of young adults. I usually do not mind YA but this was simple with an obvious ending. This is written for those that love fairy tales!

Happy Pub Day, Emiko Jean! Love Me Tomorrow is now available.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Love Me Tomorrow
Author: Emiko Jean
Published: February 2026
Pages: 352
Edition: Galley
Genre: YA Romance Comedy
Rating: 🖤 🖤