Elizabeth Byler Younts | splashesofjoy

The Bright Unknown JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Bright Unknown by Elizabeth Byler Younts, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Bright Unknown

Author: Elizabeth Byler Younts

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Genre: Literary Fiction

Release Date: October 22, 2019

My Rating: 5-Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This poignant and heartbreaking novel explores the power of resilience, the gift of friendship, and the divine beauty to be found in the big, bright world—if only we’re willing to look.

Pennsylvania, 1940s. The only life Brighton Friedrich has ever known is the one she has endured within the dreary walls of Riverside Home—the rural asylum where she was born. A nurse, Joann, has educated and raised Brighton, whose mother is a patient at the hospital. But Joann has also kept vital information from Brighton—secrets that if ever revealed would illuminate Brighton’s troubling past and the circumstances that confine her to Riverside. Brighton’s best friend is a boy she calls Angel, and as they grow up together and face the bleak future that awaits them, they determine to make a daring escape.

Nothing can prepare Brighton and Angel for life beyond Riverside’s walls. They have no legal identities, very little money, and only a few leads toward a safe place to land. As they struggle to survive in a world they’ve never seen before, they must rely on each other and the kindness of strangers—some of whom may prove more dangerous than the asylum they’ve fled.

Narrated in Elizabeth Byler Younts’s gorgeous style, The Bright Unknown is a sparkling search for answers, family, and a place to call home.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Christianbook

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

Wow! Another interesting book by Elizabeth Byler Younts. Brighton Friedrich was born in Riverside Home, an asylum for the mentally ill because her mom was there at the time. She made many friends there, after all she was there until she was an adult. One was Angel, an albino that wasn’t mentally ill, but his wealthy family didn’t want him. I’ve always heard that asylums in the early to mid 1900’s treated their patients horrible, and that’s what happens in this book. But for one nurse that grew to love Brighton.

The title of this book didn’t prepare me for what was coming between the pages. This was definitely not an easy book to read. Sometimes it was hard to keep reading, yet I did, because I wanted to find out how the story ended. Ms. Younts goes into so much detail about the treatment of the patients, which really angered me, they used anything to control them. I’m glad much more has been found out about mentally ill patients today and there is help.

The characters in this story grew on me. I fell in love with Brighton and Angel, and ‘Nursey’ as Brighten called her, was the only reason they survived. I did have a difficult time with how the nurse treated Brighten at one time though. And the escape from the home could have been handled differently but maybe during that era in time it was the only way.

Over all, this is a fantastic read. A very different read, for sure. This is why I wanted to review this book, because I know it would be unique. So I encourage you to check out The Bright Unknown if this is an issue that interest you.

A copy of this book was given to me by the author or publisher. I am not required to write a positive review. The opinions here in this review are totally mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elizabeth Byler Younts

Elizabeth Byler Younts gained a worldwide audience through her first book, Seasons: A Real Story of an Amish Girl. She is also the author of the critically acclaimed novel The Solace of Water and the Promise of Sunrise series. Elizabeth lives in Central Pennsylvania with her husband, her two daughters, and a small menagerie of well-loved pets.

CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

“Younts has set herself apart with this exquisite story of friendship and redemption . . . I’ll be talking about this book for years to come.” —Rachel Hauck, New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Dress

In a time of grief and heartache, an unlikely friendship provides strength and solace.

After leaving her son’s grave behind in Montgomery, Alabama, Delilah Evans has little faith that moving to her husband’s hometown in Pennsylvania will bring a fresh start. Enveloped by grief and doubt, the last thing Delilah imagines is becoming friends with her reclusive Amish neighbor, Emma Mullet—yet the secrets that keep Emma isolated from her own community bond her to Delilah in delicate and unexpected ways.

Delilah’s eldest daughter, Sparrow, bears the brunt of her mother’s pain, never allowed for a moment to forget she is responsible for her brother’s death. When tensions at home become unbearable for her, she seeks peace at Emma’s house and becomes the daughter Emma has always wanted. Sparrow, however, is hiding secrets of her own—secrets that could devastate them all.

With the white, black, and Amish communities of Sinking Creek at their most divided, there seems to be little hope for reconciliation. But long-buried hurts have their way of surfacing, and Delilah and Emma find themselves facing their own self-deceptions. Together they must learn how to face the future through the healing power of forgiveness.

Eminently relevant to the beauty and struggle in America today, The Solace of Water offers a glimpse into the turbulent 1950s and reminds us that friendship rises above religion, race, and custom—and has the power to transform a broken heart.

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

This was a very interesting read set in the 1950s when segregation and racial issues were sadly very different that what they are today. A very different read that anything I’ve read before. Delilah and her pastors husband lost their 4 year old son while living in Montgomery. They were not handling this well, especially Delilah. She blamed her older daughter for her sons death, and she just couldn’t understand how her husband could move on with his life of preaching and leading their church. Deciding the relocate and start over, they moved to her husband’s hometown in Pennsylvania near an Amish community. Amish mom Emma and Delilah became friends, as well as Emma and Sparrow, Deliah’s oldest daughter. But no one wanted to tell what happened to the boy. There were secrets on every turn, with both the Evans family and the Amish family.

There is a lot going on in this book. The blended relationship between the Evans family and the Amish wasn’t suppose to happen because in that era and in some areas, blacks and whites didn’t associate with one another. But Delilah-Deedee, Emma and Sparrow needed each other, they understood each other and was able to comfort one another. Each character in each situation played their part so well. I was mesmerized by this story. I had to keep reading so I wouldn’t miss anything that was coming next. There are many twists and turns, many secrets revealed that hurt people to the core. Secrets that were to be kept that way but hurting people have a way of hurting someone else. And having everything out in the open help the healing to begin.

I don’t want to get into anything else happening in this story, I couldn’t do it justice, and it would ruin the read for someone else and I hate when that happens. But I strongly encourage you to read this book, read the difficult situations happening. And also read the love, mercy and grace of the Lord, the redemption through forgiveness that is so powerful in this book. I received this book from TLC Tours to read and review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 55.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

518073CB-3A44-4BC8-A095-BFEEDB390309

Elizabeth Byler Younts gained a worldwide audience through her first book Seasons: A Real Story of an Amish Girl and is a RITA nominated writer. Elizabeth lives in Central Pennsylvania with her husband, two daughters, and a cockapoo named Fable.

Go to http://www.elizabethbyleryounts.com to learn more.

Where you can purchase this book. And the links to the other stops on this tour. Please feel free to check out these stops.