The Stars Shine Bright by Sibella Giorello
From back cover:
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 Meadows.
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 anyways, having been confined to a mental hospital following a psychotic breakdown. Adding insult to her isolation, Raleigh's fiancé 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 while trying to determine if Jack is a friend or foe, and whether marrying her fiancé 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.
This book was just ok for me. I really like Sibella Giorello's wirting, but this book just didn't really work for me. I had trouble getting through it and it wasn't as enjoyable as the previous books. The plot itself, the whole racing thing, something I am not really interested in, was boring to me. The book was very well written and researched, and I really felt the author knew what she was talking about, it was just a little boring.
I love Ms. Giorello's writing, she has an amazing way with words and describing things. I enjoyed the characters in this book. The character development was good and all the secondary characters had good depth. It was just the plot that didn't work. This is one book I won't be reading again, but I definietly be reading the next book!
Murder in Miami by Noel Hynd
From back cover:
Between midnight and dawn most people are dead to the world, others are just
dead.
U.S. Treasury Agent Alexandra LaDuca travels to Miami to continue
her investigations into the murder-and-money laundering activities of the Dosi
cartel, an intrigue set in motion in Hostage in Havana. Sent there by the U.S.
Treasury Department to speak with a recent Cuban defector, she soon realizes
this key player may be no help at all.
A vast global money laundering
scheme fueled by cocaine profits. A woman who promises to put Alex in touch with
the spirit world. A lethal trap by the Dosi cartel. A handsome actor back in New
York who suggests that love and romance may soon return to Alex's life. All this
is what Alex is up against as she attempts to navigate a Miami underworld that
encompasses elements of the surreal and supernatural.
But can Alex emerge
from this world with her life--and her faith--intact? Can she get past the
painful tragedy of her past and discover God's plan for her future?
To put it bluntly, I really did not like this book. It seemed to drag on forever and I felt as though I would never get done with it. There were tons of unnecessary details, no character development (this is the fifth book and I still don't really know anything about Alex and her personality.) Since the book is based mostly in Miami, there is a lot of Spanish, but not a whole lot of translation. Which is quite frustrating to someone who doesn't know Spanish! Dialogue was pretty boring and I thought Alex's love interest was pretty lame. I was really missing Ben (the Veteran from the previous books, I don't really remember what happened with him, but I think he would've made a much better romantic interest.) There were a few times I kept hoping the plot would pick up and something interesting would happen, but it felt like even the author didn't know what to have happen and would kill someone else off just for the heck of it.
I don't really know what else to say about this book. I hate having to write such a negative review, because I don't like to be mean; but I just felt like I wasted so much time reading this and I kind of felt cheated by the story. I don't think I will be buying the next book.
Everyone loves free books, so I thought I would share some of the recent free Kindle books I've found. Enjoy!
Dead Reckoning by Ronie Kendig
From back cover:
When underwater archeologist Shiloh Blake finds herself in the middle of an international nuclear arms clash during her first large-scale dig, she flees for her life. Is the man trailing her and enemy or a protector sent by her CIA father? Who is he and how is he always one step ahead? Whoever he is, the only way to prevent a nuclear meltdown means joining forces with this mystery man. Will Shiloh violate her vow to never become involved in her father's web of intrigue and mystery? Will she reconcile with her past and with him? Will she allow God to help her through this ordeal of danger, mistrust, and uncertainty?
Read my review HERE.
Cool Beans by Erynn Mangum
From back cover:
Everything seems to be going perfectly for Maya Davis. She has a great job at a coffee shop, gets along with her parents, and is happily single. That is until her best friend unknowingly starts dating Maya's high school sweetheart, her annoyingly perfect brother moves back to town, and her co-worker starts showing interest in her. What is God trying to teach her about life, love, and commiserating over coffee?
Erynn Mangum is one of the few authors outside of the suspense/thriller category that I will read. Her books aren't too deep, but they're fun, humerous reads. And you can't go wrong with it since it's free, right?
