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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
29.10.2023 update, i'm still thinking about this freaky ass book 🧍🏻
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There are so many mysteries in this book you won't be able to stop reading until you can figure them out.
What an amazingly unexpected book. I went into this thinking it would just be an interesting murder-mystery but BOY was I wrong. Great twists, tons of interesting, multi-faceted characters - I was hooked start to finish.
Popular high school football players go missing without a trace. In a small town where football means everything, this is disturbing. Many say that they were last seen going to somewhere called the Bright Lands. No one knows this place, where it is, or what happens there. A brother, girlfriends, and sister investigate what happened to these missing players. This story, that suspensefully builds to its explosive climax, is worth reading.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
EDIT: This feels more like a 3. Still a fun, great read with some dark content and I enjoyed the twist!
I’d give this a rating between 3.5 and 4. This book turned out to be something I didn’t expect in a good way! I love a supernatural twist. I think it was a little long and had too many POVs at times, which made it feel a little draggy. I also think certain trails and clues went over my head and I had a hard time following information that was being revealed.
This was still a creepy reading experience and I think it ended exactly how it should!
I’d give this a rating between 3.5 and 4. This book turned out to be something I didn’t expect in a good way! I love a supernatural twist. I think it was a little long and had too many POVs at times, which made it feel a little draggy. I also think certain trails and clues went over my head and I had a hard time following information that was being revealed.
This was still a creepy reading experience and I think it ended exactly how it should!
The Bright Lands by John Fram is a small town mystery with horror elements.
Bullied and humiliated for being gay, Joel Whitley left his small hometown of Bentley, TX behind him ten years ago. Now living in New York, he has a successful career and he enjoys all the perks of big city life. But after a series of troubling texts with his ten years younger brother Dylan, Joel returns to Bentley to find out what is going on. When Dylan vanishes, Joel will do whatever it takes to find him. He eventually teams up with Sheriff's Deputy Starsha Clark and together they attempt to learn the truth about Dylan and ultimately, their town.
Joel is wracked with guilt that his relationship with Dylan is distant and superficial. Which is why he vows to do better once he realizes something is wrong with his brother. Immediately after his return to Bentley, he is plagued by unpleasant memories and exhausting, terrifying dreams. After Dylan fails to return home after a weekend away with his football buddies, Joel and his mother fear the worst.
Dylan is a star quarterback and he is revered by everyone in Bentley. He tries to downplay his texts to Joel and goes forward with his weekend plans with his friends. In the aftermath of his disappearance, Joel discovers disquieting information about his brother that leads to more questions than answers. But he remains committed to exposing the truth about what happened to Dylan.
After Dylan goes missing, Clark is surprised when she is assigned to work with Inspector Grady Mayfield. They begin questioning the quarterback's circle of friends which is somewhat frustrating due to their lack of candor. As the situation worsens over the course of a week, Clark and Joel find help from very unexpected sources. And their quest for answers leads right to mysterious whisperings of the Bright Lands. Are Joel and Clark prepared for what awaits them as their investigation takes a shocking, horror-filled turn?
The Bright Lands is a riveting mystery with a large cast of characters and an imaginative storyline. Written from multiple points of view, the tension rises with every chapter. Exhaustion and fear are palpable as Joel, Clark and Dylan's classmates venture deep into the surrounding flat lands in hopes of finally uncovering the secrets that some of Bentley's residents are keeping. With plenty of action and suspense, John Fram brings this spine-tingling mystery to an edge of the seat, action packed conclusion. An impressive debut that I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.
Bullied and humiliated for being gay, Joel Whitley left his small hometown of Bentley, TX behind him ten years ago. Now living in New York, he has a successful career and he enjoys all the perks of big city life. But after a series of troubling texts with his ten years younger brother Dylan, Joel returns to Bentley to find out what is going on. When Dylan vanishes, Joel will do whatever it takes to find him. He eventually teams up with Sheriff's Deputy Starsha Clark and together they attempt to learn the truth about Dylan and ultimately, their town.
Joel is wracked with guilt that his relationship with Dylan is distant and superficial. Which is why he vows to do better once he realizes something is wrong with his brother. Immediately after his return to Bentley, he is plagued by unpleasant memories and exhausting, terrifying dreams. After Dylan fails to return home after a weekend away with his football buddies, Joel and his mother fear the worst.
Dylan is a star quarterback and he is revered by everyone in Bentley. He tries to downplay his texts to Joel and goes forward with his weekend plans with his friends. In the aftermath of his disappearance, Joel discovers disquieting information about his brother that leads to more questions than answers. But he remains committed to exposing the truth about what happened to Dylan.
After Dylan goes missing, Clark is surprised when she is assigned to work with Inspector Grady Mayfield. They begin questioning the quarterback's circle of friends which is somewhat frustrating due to their lack of candor. As the situation worsens over the course of a week, Clark and Joel find help from very unexpected sources. And their quest for answers leads right to mysterious whisperings of the Bright Lands. Are Joel and Clark prepared for what awaits them as their investigation takes a shocking, horror-filled turn?
The Bright Lands is a riveting mystery with a large cast of characters and an imaginative storyline. Written from multiple points of view, the tension rises with every chapter. Exhaustion and fear are palpable as Joel, Clark and Dylan's classmates venture deep into the surrounding flat lands in hopes of finally uncovering the secrets that some of Bentley's residents are keeping. With plenty of action and suspense, John Fram brings this spine-tingling mystery to an edge of the seat, action packed conclusion. An impressive debut that I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Incredibly dark but gripping!