Review: The Stars Shine Bright by Sibella Giorello

The Stars Shine Bright by Sibella Giorello

Raleigh Harmon Series: Book 5

Thomas Nelson / 2012

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About the book:

After the FBI suspends her for bending its rules, Special Agent Raleigh Harmon is looking for a chance to redeem her career and re-start her life. 

Sent undercover to a thoroughbred horse track, Raleigh takes on a double life to find out who's fixing the races. But when horses start dying and then her own life is threatened, Raleigh realizes something bigger-and more sinister-is ruining Emerald Downs. 

Yet she's never felt more alone.

Her one contact with the FBI is Special Agent Jack Stephanson, a guy who seems to jump from antagonistic to genuine friend depending on the time of day. And she can't turn to her family for support. They're off-limits while she's undercover, and her mother isn't speaking to her anyway, having been confined to a mental hospital following a psychotic breakdown. Adding insult to her isolation, Raleigh's fiance wants them to begin their life together-now-precisely when she's been ordered not to be herself. 

With just days left before the season ends, Raleigh races to stop the killing and find out who's behind the track's trouble, all the while trying to determine if Jack is friend or foe, and whether marrying her fiance will make things better-or worse.

Raleigh is walking through the darkest night she's faced, searching for a place where the stars shine bright.

My rating:

My thoughts:

I was pleasantly surprised by The Stars Shine Bright and how much I liked it. This is the first book I've read by Sibella Giorello, so I didn't know whether or not I'd like it and if my not having read the earlier "Raleigh Harmon" novels would affect my enjoyment of this book. For the most part, I don't think it did. There were a few things that I think if I would have read the earlier books I wouldn't have found as confusing, but mostly things were explained very well.

The characters were nice and I particularly liked Jack. The story was good throughout with a little suspense sprinkled throughout - more so towards the end. The Stars Shine Bright did, at times, seem a little long - I don't know how to explain this well, but sometimes it seemed like the story should be almost done, but there were still a lot of pages left. I will say, though, I don't think I was ever bored while reading this book, but it wouldn't have been hard to put down either (until the end, then it was great).

I liked how the main character, Raleigh, was working undercover - it was interesting to read and neat to see some of the things she did (especially regarding the lie detector test).

Overall, The Stars Shine Bright was a good book that I enjoyed reading. I hope there will be another book in this series because the ending didn't seem finished and I'd like to see what happens next in Raleigh's life.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book for my review. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*

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~♥~

Novelist Sibella Giorello is celebrating the release of the latest book in her praiseworthy Raleigh Harmon series by giving away a Kindle Fire! 

Find out what the reviewers are saying here!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A brand new Kindle Fire
• The entire 5-book Raleigh Harmon series.

Hurry, the giveaway ends on 8/25/12. The winner will be announced on 8/27/12 on Sibella's blog!

Just click one of the icons below to enter. Tell your friends about Sibella's giveaway on FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.