Jess ADORES the Maximum Ride books, but neither of us really is into Daniel X. I have one of his on audiobook and it isn't my thing. But the first Maximum Ride books were great!
Y'all do know that he has help writing a lot of his books now - that is why there is sometimes another author's name on the title. I haven't had any problems with the ones he writes with other people, so it doesn't bother me.
Another thing that might be fun are the "doodle books". I mention them because I saw them at Sam's when I saw the last Patterson book there. They come in a pocket size (paperback size, about) and a larger size and each page has a different thing to provoke thought and creativity. A border or outline of something and you fill in the rest. My kids have always loved stuff liek this rather than coloring books but they can be hard to find. They were called Doodle Books and here are some of the pocket ones:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s...s=pocket+doodles&rh=n:283155,k:pocket+doodles
My kids both want big packs of sharpies for xmas. I laughed and laughed and laughed when J told me she wanted them. Girl is NUTS if she thinks she is getting permanent markers. she has to learn how to put caps on markers before she has a PRAYER of getting those, lol!!! thank you is worse than she is and I laughed when he told me that too! Gma said I was "mean" until I told her she was welcome to give them to Jess and Jess could use them on HER nice leather couch and pretty carpeting and new bedspread and sheets. All I heard to that was "Point taken. No markers for the kids this year. I like my furniture." Then we both laughed, lol!