Secrets.Everyone has one.Some are bigger than others.And when secrets are revealed,Some will heal you …And some will end you.Kate Sedgwick’s life has been anything but typical. She’s endured hardship and tragedy, but throughout it all she remains happy and optimistic (there’s a reason her best friend Gus calls her Bright Side). Kate is strong-willed, funny, smart, and musically gifted. She’s … and musically gifted. She’s also never believed in love. So when Kate leaves San Diego to attend college in the small town of Grant, Minnesota, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with Keller Banks.
They both feel it.
But they each have a reason to fight it.
They each have a secret.
And when secrets are revealed,
Some will heal you …
And some will end you.
Note from the author: Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is recommended for mature audiences.
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I read this when it came out but everytime I’m asked to recommend my favorite ugly cry, this is the one! This book gave me all the feels and I was still crying hours later. Such a great book!
Kate is the epitome of a person who deserves to be angry with the world but instead she sees the positive in everything, and always looks on the ‘brightside’. I loved each and every character especially Gus and Keller. The two main guys of the book were polar opposites, but each were detrimental to Kate’s wellbeing.
The book touches on some very real subjects and you feel every single emotion along with the characters.
I started this book after a recommendation from a friend and expected good things along with the pre-warned ‘ugly cry’. I ticked off both of these things along with many others. A book about love, loss, friendships and life, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and although I ugly cried, I smiled right along with it. It’s one of ‘those’ books that have you feeling sad but content at the end.
I do have to quickly point out that I gave it 4 stars because of the overuse of the word ‘dude’ and ‘righteous’, I don’t know whether it has something to do with me being from the UK so we just don’t say dude but I’m sorry to say I thought it was a tad overused but I enjoyed the book either way.
Well done Kim Holden, now onto Gus.
This is one of my favorite books. It broke me, but the second book, Gus, healed me! If you are in a book rut, or wanting to feel something…this is a must read!
5 beautiful
I cannot say that I was immediately drawn into Kate’s story. It took several tries before I actually sat down and wanted to know what all the fuss was about. But I am so happy I committed to it because I loved it. Every once in a while you stumble across a book that makes you think about how you chose to live your life, and Bright Side is one of these books.
This is a story of life, of pain, of forgiveness but especially a story of love. And if you ask me, everyone should give it a chance.
Wow. Just wow. This is such an incredible story. Kate is such a beautiful soul. I love how much she loves and teaches love to those around her. She shows us that our outlook is a choice, and reminds us that everyone has their own struggles. This book is going to stick with me. It is my new top recommendation. But be warned… you are going to need a box of tissues (yes a full box)!!! Be brave! Do epic!
6 STAR READ!!!
This book slayed me! Kim Holden sucked me in with humor, friendship, passion, “the college experience” and total kick butt-ness but then sent me on one of the biggest emotional roller coaster I’ve ever felt in a book! This read had it all! A kick-ass heroine, once in a lifetime friendships, hysterical dialogue, extremely likable characters from all different backgrounds and personalities, and of course LOVE! There were also a few curve balls in the story line that I did not see coming! Kate’s story was so powerful and real. I loved her character from beginning to end!
Without any spoilers, I will say this.
Do Epic.
And come with a box of tissues.
One of the sweetest, heart wrenching stories I have read in a long time. Definitely follow up with Gus! Oh my beating heart
I don’t usually say this but…reading this actually makes me feel brave.
It was…awful and brutal when I finished it. I was awful for making myself read this. Now, when I said this was awful, I mean it. But I know it goes without saying that being awful and brutal isn’t everything that is Bright Side. Just exactly how though life can be awful and brutal, but not entirely.
Want to know who is not awful? Kate.
As one can tell with the way I review, I am not a person who’s keen on viewing things on the bright side. I can be a really annoying downer who refuses to see the more positive things in life and is usually not attracted to people who are genuinely happy with life, happy in life.
So I was very, very surprised to be taken away with Kate. She is the strongest, bravest, brightest and most beautiful character I have ever met. She’s just so out of this world, so much like a one like no other in the whole universe. And I am not speaking lightly of this. I truly, truly meant that one.
Kate also made me realize something. When I say I don’t usually attach myself to happy people, it’s because I’m too pessimistic and too unbearable with my need for solitude. But what I don’t know is what I actually strongly dislike-the need to fake happiness. (And maybe I am not one to talk, faking happiness that is, because maybe that’s just how they roll, I don’t really know). Thus, it makes sense that Kate, with all her brightness and great appreciation in life, didn’t annoy me at all. Because she truly is that way, no faking it. It’s really just her, as a person. She is kind with words, even kinder with her actions. She is the ultimate perfect human being, without being 1-dimensional with it.
I thank Kate and Kim Holden for the strength, braveness, kindness and brightness they shared with this read. It’s going to be totally unfair now to have the rest of the books I am going to read after this to get Bright Side’s level. But as Kate has told me, Life is not a competition. I hope to wear all the thoughts and feelings Bright Side gave me. Might just save me.
Bright Side is such an amazing, emotional story. I just loved it.
Bright Side had been on Kindle for over two years. I was nervous, plain and simple. I knew from word of mouth, that it was the ugly cry book. I don’t read blurbs or reviews. So it sat there. Until I decided now was the time. I would have no idea how much this story would affect me. Katie was just this amazing soul. She found the Bright Side to life, even when she was struggling herself. She thought of others before herself. She saw beauty in things, that maybe no one saw.
“She’s the poster child for positivity. She’s a freaking ray of sunshine. She doesn’t just look on the bright side … she lives there.”
This story is heartbreaking and I never realized how much I could relate to this story. What Katie has, is what my aunt had. Just like Katie, My aunt was one of those amazing, one of a kind people. She loved her family, more than anything. I looked up to her and lost her. So when Katie is going through everything. It made me think of her, it made me think, did she have the same thoughts? I should have been there more. As much pain, as it brought up from remembering her passing. It really touched me. It’s hard. Cause when you lose someone it’s just final. You’ll no longer see their smile, hear their laugh and feel their hugs. I just hope she’s up there looking over us.
Holden is amazing. She made us love Katie because who really wouldn’t? She’s a bright star in a darkened sky. So much could be said about this whole story. This has been read and reviewed many times. I feel like what I say can’t make a huge impact. But it means so much to me that she wrote such an inspiring, yet heartbreaking story. Life isn’t easy. Death isn’t easy. You just learn to keep going.
Overall, Five Boundless Stars. It really deserves a million.
5/5 This book will tear your heart up and spit it out but OMG is it worth it.
You’ll need tissues…lots and lots of tissues.
Well this was sad, but also beautiful. I was holding off on reading it because a lot of reviews were down in the dumps, but not in a bad way! I wasn’t too sure about the first half. I don’t want to say it was boring, but I was waiting for the big bomb to drop. The last 30% is when pretty much everything happens. The story has a great message and I loved Kate and Gus. I am glad I read it, I’m moving onto Gus’ book next.
Couldn’t put this book down. Quite a tear-jerker.
I won’t say this book wrecked me. It didn’t. It inspired me. Broke me down, built me up, and showed me the person I want to be and the legacy I want to leave. After crying every kind of tear and experiencing every kind of emotion, I can honestly say Bright Side lives up to the hype and then some. There aren’t many books I say everyone has to read, but this is one… Our world would be a better place if everyone did.
I could not put this book down! Loved it! Great characters, beautiful story, sobbed and couldn’t wait to read the next one.
I really enjoyed the characters in this book.
This is an excellent reading. A Beautiful and intense love story and Beat friend friendship. A must read.
I absolutely LOVED Bright Side. I really want the book regarding Keller though 🙂 He really, really deserves his happy ending!!
I didn’t realize when I purchased this book that it is geared towards a younger (20’s) audience, but I enjoyed it anyway.
I truly enjoyed this book and thought about it long after I finished reading.
Bittersweet story that left me grateful for having found the book. Heartwarming.