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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Say hello to the Thriller of the Summer!
There’s something terrifying in Bentley, Texas. Or is it something terrorizing Bentley? In this small football town with secrets to spare, there’s just as much menace lurking in the shadows as walking the streets in broad daylight.
After ten years, Joel Whitley has found himself back home at last. Concerned by the panicked messages he received from his younger brother, Dylan, Joel makes his less-than-triumphant return to the place that all but ran him out of town a decade prior. What’s surprising is not how much has changed since then, but how much seems to have remained frozen in time. And when Dylan goes missing shortly after his arrival, Joel will have to confront his own ghosts before trying to understand his brother’s.
This book is a lot, but in the best way. There’s obviously the mystery around Dylan’s disappearance, but that’s only a part of a larger one looming over the entire town. The Bright Lands is a nearly 500 page monster of a book that I absolutely tore through (sorry Nat, couldn’t wait xoxo), and the stakes only increase with every passing chapter. There’s horror and supernatural elements, along with some raunchier stuff that probably won’t make it to cable television. That’s fine, though, I prefer Netflix anyways.
There’s something terrifying in Bentley, Texas. Or is it something terrorizing Bentley? In this small football town with secrets to spare, there’s just as much menace lurking in the shadows as walking the streets in broad daylight.
After ten years, Joel Whitley has found himself back home at last. Concerned by the panicked messages he received from his younger brother, Dylan, Joel makes his less-than-triumphant return to the place that all but ran him out of town a decade prior. What’s surprising is not how much has changed since then, but how much seems to have remained frozen in time. And when Dylan goes missing shortly after his arrival, Joel will have to confront his own ghosts before trying to understand his brother’s.
This book is a lot, but in the best way. There’s obviously the mystery around Dylan’s disappearance, but that’s only a part of a larger one looming over the entire town. The Bright Lands is a nearly 500 page monster of a book that I absolutely tore through (sorry Nat, couldn’t wait xoxo), and the stakes only increase with every passing chapter. There’s horror and supernatural elements, along with some raunchier stuff that probably won’t make it to cable television. That’s fine, though, I prefer Netflix anyways.
Bruuuuutal. It started strong and died immediately. It begins as a murder mystery and quickly turns into a weird, sci-fi, culty mess.
The Bright Lands 3.75/5 Stars
•
The Vibe: Stephen King meets Grindr meets Friday Night Lights meets Agatha Christie Whodunit!
•
Review: This book is SO WELL WRITTEN. The story takes place over the course of a week and keeps a good pace overall (not too many lulls). I really enjoyed the accurate portrayal of small town USA, toxic masculinity and the harm that it can inflict on everyone. This book held my attention and was totally enthralling and enjoyable. I did get turned around a few times due to the extensive number of POVs and characters. There were a couple of times where I confused characters or forgot who was who and what they knew. I’m not a big sci-fi fan, so I didn’t care for that element, but that was not accounted for in my rating. I’m rating this 3.75 stars personally, but would definitely recommend to any Stephen King or sci-fi thriller fans! Bravo, John Fram!
•
The Vibe: Stephen King meets Grindr meets Friday Night Lights meets Agatha Christie Whodunit!
•
Review: This book is SO WELL WRITTEN. The story takes place over the course of a week and keeps a good pace overall (not too many lulls). I really enjoyed the accurate portrayal of small town USA, toxic masculinity and the harm that it can inflict on everyone. This book held my attention and was totally enthralling and enjoyable. I did get turned around a few times due to the extensive number of POVs and characters. There were a couple of times where I confused characters or forgot who was who and what they knew. I’m not a big sci-fi fan, so I didn’t care for that element, but that was not accounted for in my rating. I’m rating this 3.75 stars personally, but would definitely recommend to any Stephen King or sci-fi thriller fans! Bravo, John Fram!
{ @hanoversquarepress #partner}
I didn’t know what to expect when going into The Bright Lands. I kept hearing that it had a supernatural element and was like hmm I wonder how this will play out. Let me tell you! It played out well. That’s only a part of this novel. This is my first LGBTQ+ thriller and now I’m on the search for more! I’m not a football fan and still enjoyed the novel. I feel like that aspect made the book even better because of the whole “macho” attitude when it comes to football and not being able to be seen as your true self. This book is very bingeworthy. It’s been a long time since I was literally on the edge of my seat while reading book!
Be sure to pick this one up ASAP! So damn good!
I didn’t know what to expect when going into The Bright Lands. I kept hearing that it had a supernatural element and was like hmm I wonder how this will play out. Let me tell you! It played out well. That’s only a part of this novel. This is my first LGBTQ+ thriller and now I’m on the search for more! I’m not a football fan and still enjoyed the novel. I feel like that aspect made the book even better because of the whole “macho” attitude when it comes to football and not being able to be seen as your true self. This book is very bingeworthy. It’s been a long time since I was literally on the edge of my seat while reading book!
Be sure to pick this one up ASAP! So damn good!
Bentley is your stereotypical Texas Football town. When heir star quarterback Dylan goes missing though, everyone is a suspect. Well…to some at least. The cops have focused in on one person that is unlikely the actual murderer. Dylan’s older brother Joel has some truly awful memories of growing up in Bentley after being outed in a truly horrific way, but he is determined to find out what happened to his brother.
I wanted to love this one so badly. I know many people that adored this book, and I wanted to be one of them! However, I have come to realization recently that I need to search and find out if a book is character driven before I dive in. Character driven novels NOT for me. I gave this one 75%. I wanted to be dragged in but I found myself not wanting to pick it up, and when I did immediately getting sleepy. If you enjoy character driven novels, I highly recommend this one. If you don’t, I’d avoid. A lot of people compared this to Friday Night Lights but really the only FNL vibes I got was that it was a football town in Texas.
I wanted to love this one so badly. I know many people that adored this book, and I wanted to be one of them! However, I have come to realization recently that I need to search and find out if a book is character driven before I dive in. Character driven novels NOT for me. I gave this one 75%. I wanted to be dragged in but I found myself not wanting to pick it up, and when I did immediately getting sleepy. If you enjoy character driven novels, I highly recommend this one. If you don’t, I’d avoid. A lot of people compared this to Friday Night Lights but really the only FNL vibes I got was that it was a football town in Texas.
i have to admit my truth: stephen king’s IT did it better
(but this is still very engaging and obviously points for it actually being queer BUT still,, eddie kaspbrak,,,)
(but this is still very engaging and obviously points for it actually being queer BUT still,, eddie kaspbrak,,,)
Underneath their intense love for the Friday night lights, the town of Bentley, Texas only holds one thing closer, their secrets. Star quarterback, Dylan Whitley, has gone missing under strange circumstances. In the days leading up to his disappearance he told his brother he wanted to quit football and that he could no longer go somewhere known as The Bright Lands. Dylan’s brother, Joel, was shamed out of conservative Bentley many years ago when the town found out he was gay. Now he must risk his safety and self to return to his hometown. Along with Deputy Starsha Clark, these two will become unlikely allies on the quest to find out the truth about Dylan and Bentley.
THE BRIGHT LANDS is a compelling mixture of crime fiction and horror that sends the reader to a conservative Texas town straight from your worst nightmare. Bentley is a town fully obsessed with high school football. The residents all live for the Friday night lights and would do anything for the players. When strange dreams start to take over the town, the residents aren’t sure what to think, but an overwhelming sense of dread quickly takes over.
John Fram has created such a well-rounded story with THE BRIGHT LANDS that I truly felt swept away and immersed in Bentley, Texas. Through the use of multiple, alternating narratives, Fram was able to provide the reader with viewpoints from Joel, Deputy Clark, and several high school students who opened the doors for an inside look into Bentley. Joel easily stole my heart with his story of where his life is today, what he experienced in Bentley during his youth, and the many regrets he has come to hold over his lifetime. It was perhaps the students, however, that opened the door for me to truly understand the town and the secrets it contains.
While I am a huge fan of multiple narratives, there is certainly a point where they can become overwhelming or authors choose to include too many perspectives. Fram successfully navigated this concern by keeping Joel and Clark as the dominant narratives throughout the course of the story. The narratives from the high school students simply added another perspective when needed. These additional narratives never feel forced, but instead open the door for further exploration of Bentley.
One of my favorite elements of THE BRIGHT LANDS has to be the overwhelming sense of dread that Fram is able to convey within this book. From the opening pages you know something strange is going on, but like many residents in Bentley you have no idea what that thing is exactly. Fram drops subtle hints and revelations throughout the first 3/4 of the story, but it’s not until that last 1/4 of the book that things truly start pouring out at a breakneck speed. What an ending! The build up was phenomenal, but nothing could compare to how tense the ending was!
It’s hard to talk about how brilliant this book truly is without revealing some of my favorite parts of the plot. What you need to know is that this book is something you need on your TBR! This book is an escape into a world that will break your heart, make you smile, and completely blow you away! What are you waiting for?? Get your copy now!
A massive thank you to John Fram for sending me a gifted copy!
THE BRIGHT LANDS is a compelling mixture of crime fiction and horror that sends the reader to a conservative Texas town straight from your worst nightmare. Bentley is a town fully obsessed with high school football. The residents all live for the Friday night lights and would do anything for the players. When strange dreams start to take over the town, the residents aren’t sure what to think, but an overwhelming sense of dread quickly takes over.
John Fram has created such a well-rounded story with THE BRIGHT LANDS that I truly felt swept away and immersed in Bentley, Texas. Through the use of multiple, alternating narratives, Fram was able to provide the reader with viewpoints from Joel, Deputy Clark, and several high school students who opened the doors for an inside look into Bentley. Joel easily stole my heart with his story of where his life is today, what he experienced in Bentley during his youth, and the many regrets he has come to hold over his lifetime. It was perhaps the students, however, that opened the door for me to truly understand the town and the secrets it contains.
While I am a huge fan of multiple narratives, there is certainly a point where they can become overwhelming or authors choose to include too many perspectives. Fram successfully navigated this concern by keeping Joel and Clark as the dominant narratives throughout the course of the story. The narratives from the high school students simply added another perspective when needed. These additional narratives never feel forced, but instead open the door for further exploration of Bentley.
One of my favorite elements of THE BRIGHT LANDS has to be the overwhelming sense of dread that Fram is able to convey within this book. From the opening pages you know something strange is going on, but like many residents in Bentley you have no idea what that thing is exactly. Fram drops subtle hints and revelations throughout the first 3/4 of the story, but it’s not until that last 1/4 of the book that things truly start pouring out at a breakneck speed. What an ending! The build up was phenomenal, but nothing could compare to how tense the ending was!
It’s hard to talk about how brilliant this book truly is without revealing some of my favorite parts of the plot. What you need to know is that this book is something you need on your TBR! This book is an escape into a world that will break your heart, make you smile, and completely blow you away! What are you waiting for?? Get your copy now!
A massive thank you to John Fram for sending me a gifted copy!