Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book has so many twists and turns, it's a beautiful maze. It had me sobbing at the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Outing, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Gun violence, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Addiction, Suicide, Vomit, Death of parent
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.5 STARS.
Thank you so much to John Fram and Hanover Square Press for the gifted ARC of THE BRIGHT LANDS! WOW this was such a fantastic debut novel
Thank you so much to John Fram and Hanover Square Press for the gifted ARC of THE BRIGHT LANDS! WOW this was such a fantastic debut novel
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.75 - stars rounded up - Loved that I got to read a gay horror/thriller novel.
I really liked that I got to read my favourite genre with a Gay main character. I definitely think I would be less willing to overlook some of these books' flaws if the lead was heterosexual.
The thriller aspects weren't really to my taste as I don't think it gives you enough to come up with your own theories and I also think the resolution is unsatisfying and too long. In fact, I think 100 pages could have been cut from this easily. I think this would have been better if it had just lent more into the horror aspects because I was creeped out by them.
In the end, I did like Frams writing and I hope he brings us more queer horror stories.
I really liked that I got to read my favourite genre with a Gay main character. I definitely think I would be less willing to overlook some of these books' flaws if the lead was heterosexual.
The thriller aspects weren't really to my taste as I don't think it gives you enough to come up with your own theories and I also think the resolution is unsatisfying and too long. In fact, I think 100 pages could have been cut from this easily. I think this would have been better if it had just lent more into the horror aspects because I was creeped out by them.
In the end, I did like Frams writing and I hope he brings us more queer horror stories.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Holy hell this book is so freakin’ phenomenal!!! Ten years after Joel has left his homophobic small town of Bentley, Texas, he receives some concerning messages from his brother. Dylan, the star quarterback for the Bentley Bisons and town hero, says he wants to quit football and get out of town. Joel flies home to check on his brother, but the same night that he arrives is the night Dylan disappears, and the nightmares plaguing everyone in town begin. With the help of Clark, a police officer and Joel’s high school girlfriend, they scour every corner of town, where everyone knows something and no one’s saying nothing, to find out what happened to Dylan. Over the course of the investigation, a phrase keeps appearing: ‘the Bright Lands’. What are the Bright Lands? What do they have to do with Dylan? Dark forces are lurking beneath the surface of this town, and not just figuratively.
Man, this was a bucking bull of a wild ride, ridden by a loose-wristed sheriff wearing leather assless chaps and a hot pink Stetson hat. Fram has written an EXCELLENT mystery, expertly dropping clues that propel you forward and make you suspect EVERYONE. The story is told from many perspectives, and it was so great because everyone was hiding something from everyone else. The plot is so gripping that it made me stay up late to finish it, and not like ‘ooh it’s just 30 more pages’, no, I had 100 pages left and I just knew I wouldn’t be able to go to sleep without knowing how it ends. And THE ENDING!!! The reveal was weird. I definitely didn’t expect it, but it was so bizarre that I think it lost some of its bite just trying to comprehend it.
The writing was fantastic too. On its surface, this is a mystery novel. But Fram never for a moment lets you forget that you’re reading a horror novel - the tone is so consistently sinister throughout the book. I also really appreciated its themes, and the way that it was so unapologetically in-your-face gay. This is easily one of my favourite reads this year!
Man, this was a bucking bull of a wild ride, ridden by a loose-wristed sheriff wearing leather assless chaps and a hot pink Stetson hat. Fram has written an EXCELLENT mystery, expertly dropping clues that propel you forward and make you suspect EVERYONE. The story is told from many perspectives, and it was so great because everyone was hiding something from everyone else. The plot is so gripping that it made me stay up late to finish it, and not like ‘ooh it’s just 30 more pages’, no, I had 100 pages left and I just knew I wouldn’t be able to go to sleep without knowing how it ends. And THE ENDING!!! The reveal was weird. I definitely didn’t expect it, but it was so bizarre that I think it lost some of its bite just trying to comprehend it.
The writing was fantastic too. On its surface, this is a mystery novel. But Fram never for a moment lets you forget that you’re reading a horror novel - the tone is so consistently sinister throughout the book. I also really appreciated its themes, and the way that it was so unapologetically in-your-face gay. This is easily one of my favourite reads this year!
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
WHAT. A. BOOK.
Pros:
Complete page-turner, especially as you get closer to the end.
THAT ENDING. Would not have seen it coming a million miles away. (This may be a con for some, but I’m just impressed with the author’s imagination!)
Cons:
Too many characters. I couldn’t keep track of who was who. It also seemed like sometimes a bit character would be referred to by their first name, sometimes their last name, and sometimes both first and last name. I had a super difficult time keeping track.
Definitely worth a read!
Pros:
Complete page-turner, especially as you get closer to the end.
THAT ENDING. Would not have seen it coming a million miles away. (This may be a con for some, but I’m just impressed with the author’s imagination!)
Cons:
Too many characters. I couldn’t keep track of who was who. It also seemed like sometimes a bit character would be referred to by their first name, sometimes their last name, and sometimes both first and last name. I had a super difficult time keeping track.
Definitely worth a read!
Amazingly atmospheric without being overly ‘wordy’. Loved the small town Texas vibes & the hint of humour laced throughout. One reviewer said ‘ like Stephen King but make it gay’ and I’d say that about right. Loved this book - the climax was disturbing, bizarre and weird but 100% entertaining. It had all the right vibes for a good, ominous ‘who dunnit’ but also some dark, spookiness too!