What do you think?
The Lights Will Never Fade
Eighteen-year-old Peyton is a typical Midwest girl - until the Shadow helps her escape the most gruesome murder that the small town of Jenks, Oklahoma has ever seen. Soon after, she returns home only to find the rest of her family dead. Haunted by the Shadow ever since, Peyton is not the only one this supernatural being has chosen - and now, no one is safe from its wrath. Escaping to live with her only living relative, Peyton discovers that they both have dark secrets that cannot remain buried. Secrets which fuel the Shadow's vengeance. In the end, can Peyton prevent any more bloodshed, or is there no stopping this supernatural nightmare?
- GenresHorror
214 pages, Hardcover
Published August 13, 2021
About the author
Jackson Paul Baer
6 books144 followersI'm a professional thrifter, the father of four children, and an avid runner. I was born and raised in Georgia, and spent time in Oklahoma, California, Connecticut, and then Oregon, as an adult. I'm a graduate of Oregon State University and now reside in North Georgia, raising my family, near family.
My first book, The Earth Bleeds Red, was released in 2013. My second book, The Lights Will Never Fade, came out in Jan '18. I'm currently signed with Evolved Pub for my new contemporary fiction/suspense series, An American Family. Book one was released in Oct '18, and book two is coming on Nov 5th. Clouds Fall Like Fire, a stand-alone novel, is set to be released in March '19. All books are available as an ebook, paperback, and audiobook.
I'm a bit of a free spirit who enjoys working from home, traveling around, looking for treasures to share, and creating worlds that otherwise would not exist. Thrifting and writing are my two passions, and I'm fortunate to be able to do both.
www.JacksonBaer.com
www.twitter.com/JacksonPaulBaer
www.facebook.com/JacksonPaulBaer
www.goodreads.com/JacksonPaulBaer
My first book, The Earth Bleeds Red, was released in 2013. My second book, The Lights Will Never Fade, came out in Jan '18. I'm currently signed with Evolved Pub for my new contemporary fiction/suspense series, An American Family. Book one was released in Oct '18, and book two is coming on Nov 5th. Clouds Fall Like Fire, a stand-alone novel, is set to be released in March '19. All books are available as an ebook, paperback, and audiobook.
I'm a bit of a free spirit who enjoys working from home, traveling around, looking for treasures to share, and creating worlds that otherwise would not exist. Thrifting and writing are my two passions, and I'm fortunate to be able to do both.
www.JacksonBaer.com
www.twitter.com/JacksonPaulBaer
www.facebook.com/JacksonPaulBaer
www.goodreads.com/JacksonPaulBaer
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
February 14, 2018
First, I want to say I love the cover of this book. There is mystery even in the cover. This book grabbed me right away and pulled me into it's pages. I was swept in the thriller, mystery, supernatural and so much more this book and story offers us. I loved the twists and turns in the story and wanted to keep reading more. *This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.*
March 20, 2018
OK. This was an unexpected read. Only took me a day to get through it. I was so glued to the pages trying to figure out what the bleep was going on. I am giving it 4 instead of 5 stars due to some the writing that annoyed me but that is just a personal issue. This story is well worth the read.
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April 29, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/29/2021)! 🎁
August 6, 2018
Jackson Baer is a creative writer who gives his all in his tales. The Lights Will Never Fade is a haunting tale of horror. From the start, my heart was pounding with fear and I was riveted to Peyton’s story.
The Lights Will Never Fade is a twisted suspense of the horrors experienced by Peyton, Charity, and a few others. The Shadow, a creepy specter, is the antagonist that left me in chills. Some insight into The Shadow’s backstory would have given the book more depth.
I don’t usual choose to read horror because it gives me nightmares, but I did enjoy Mr. Baer’s writing. My audiobook experience was hampered by the flat narration.
I received a complimentary copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review. For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at www.abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com
The Lights Will Never Fade is a twisted suspense of the horrors experienced by Peyton, Charity, and a few others. The Shadow, a creepy specter, is the antagonist that left me in chills. Some insight into The Shadow’s backstory would have given the book more depth.
I don’t usual choose to read horror because it gives me nightmares, but I did enjoy Mr. Baer’s writing. My audiobook experience was hampered by the flat narration.
I received a complimentary copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review. For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at www.abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com
January 22, 2018
The Lights Will Never Fade is an intriguing supernatural thriller, well-written, fast-paced, and very dark. Although, I usually prefer stories that have less fantasy, I was pleasantly surprised by how engrossed I became with the story and how invested I was with the two main characters.
There are unexpected twists, creating suspense, as you wonder who is responsible for killing Peyton's family. But perhaps, the Shadow itself is really the pull of intrigue. There are deeper layers in the narrative, fascinating from a psychological perspective, about human nature. I don't want to say too much, as it would spoil the story. Let's just say, that I found more to the Shadow than simply an evil supernatural force; in the Shadow is a metaphor for us all to think about.
Highly recommended!
There are unexpected twists, creating suspense, as you wonder who is responsible for killing Peyton's family. But perhaps, the Shadow itself is really the pull of intrigue. There are deeper layers in the narrative, fascinating from a psychological perspective, about human nature. I don't want to say too much, as it would spoil the story. Let's just say, that I found more to the Shadow than simply an evil supernatural force; in the Shadow is a metaphor for us all to think about.
Highly recommended!
July 14, 2018
First off let me say that I really really really wanted to love this book. I enjoy the stories of twisted and evil. I enjoy that genre and if you know thats what you are reading then I like it. I feel, however, that this book tried to be too many things and ended up doing none of them well. First off it was pretty short, which is fine, but there were too many peripheral things that ended up having nothing to do with the story. i.e. there were 2 chapters devoted to Charity's past - her coming out and her love life. I understand that some of this was part of the plot and its explanation, IMO there was way too much emphasis put on this. Almost making a point about the lesbian sexuality just for the heck of it. It would have been fine if that was integral to the plot but it simply was not. I got to the end and just felt disappointed. I left feeling confused about the shadow's involvment with Peyton. If it really was the shaddow within her doing the killings, it would have been good to show more of that double life. Maybe you show her killing throughout the book and dealing with that double life. Instead what we get is a very confusing picture of her and her involvement with this shadow. Is she the killer?, is she a helpless victim? we don't really know. As others have noted, I felt absolutely no emotional connection to Peyton at all. Actually I found myself rooting against her. Ultimately I just left feeling dissatisfied with the overall story. I will continue to read this author and hope that he continues to explore this genre, because I really love this type of story. I can recommend this for those looking for a dark tale with absolutely no redemption at all.
**Update**
After spending all night last night and this morning thinking about this book, I feel as if i need to update my thoughts about it. After reading it and now being able to see all the parts and how they relate to the whole, I am liking it more and more. I now understand that that this is simply a dark tale and I have taken that for what it is. Again I think having the completed picture makes a huge difference in how you interpret the smaller parts through the story.
**Update**
After spending all night last night and this morning thinking about this book, I feel as if i need to update my thoughts about it. After reading it and now being able to see all the parts and how they relate to the whole, I am liking it more and more. I now understand that that this is simply a dark tale and I have taken that for what it is. Again I think having the completed picture makes a huge difference in how you interpret the smaller parts through the story.
April 2, 2018
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. This is a standalone novel and it is not your usual thriller novel.
I was really confused through the book, due to Peyton's erratic behavior and at the end, I'm wondering is the shadow something truly real or just a figment of Peyton's imagination. My reasoning is the aunt was able to lead a normal healthy life before Peyton came into her life, yes she was cheating on Claire but still, the shadow didn't consume her. Peyton on the other hand, I think she liked blaming the shadow and actually enjoyed killing others. I really enjoyed this book, it really made me think. I really didn't expect the ending it was kind of surprising. This author really makes you think and I love the details in the books.
Book Blurb:
Eighteen-year-old Peyton Hamilton is a typical Midwest girl - until the Shadow helps her escape the most gruesome murder that the small town of Jenks, Oklahoma has ever seen.
Soon after, she returns home only to find the rest of her family dead.
Haunted by the Shadow ever since, Peyton is not the only one this supernatural being has chosen - and now, no one is safe from its wrath. Escaping to live with her only living relative, Peyton discovers that they both have dark secrets that cannot remain buried.
Secrets which fuel the Shadow's vengeance.
In the end, can Peyton prevent any more bloodshed, or is there no stopping this supernatural nightmare?
I was really confused through the book, due to Peyton's erratic behavior and at the end, I'm wondering is the shadow something truly real or just a figment of Peyton's imagination. My reasoning is the aunt was able to lead a normal healthy life before Peyton came into her life, yes she was cheating on Claire but still, the shadow didn't consume her. Peyton on the other hand, I think she liked blaming the shadow and actually enjoyed killing others. I really enjoyed this book, it really made me think. I really didn't expect the ending it was kind of surprising. This author really makes you think and I love the details in the books.
Book Blurb:
Eighteen-year-old Peyton Hamilton is a typical Midwest girl - until the Shadow helps her escape the most gruesome murder that the small town of Jenks, Oklahoma has ever seen.
Soon after, she returns home only to find the rest of her family dead.
Haunted by the Shadow ever since, Peyton is not the only one this supernatural being has chosen - and now, no one is safe from its wrath. Escaping to live with her only living relative, Peyton discovers that they both have dark secrets that cannot remain buried.
Secrets which fuel the Shadow's vengeance.
In the end, can Peyton prevent any more bloodshed, or is there no stopping this supernatural nightmare?
February 21, 2018
“The Lights will Never Fade” is supernatural horror fiction. I had to look up a genre for it because I don’t feel that “thriller” quite encompasses all that this is! It’s a very fast paced, exciting read, and is anything but predictable!
In the first pages of the novel, terror strikes in the home of eighteen year old Peyton. She escapes to the woods, but upon return, finds that her whole family was brutally murdered. The story then follows Peyton’s life and relationships thereafter, both of which are complicated as she is haunted by an evil supernatural entity called “The Shadow”.
To be honest, I felt a bit apprehensive initially. The beginning scenes are quite shocking, and I couldn’t relate to Peyton’s reaction to the tragedy. However, I was drawn into the story- I had no idea what was going to happen and just had to find out! There are a few surprising twists! I also really enjoyed reading about Peyton’s relationships. I don’t always like reading about a beautiful, flawless, female lead, but here I think it really added contrast to how haunted she was!
I was pleasantly surprised by this novel and am impressed by the eerie and foreboding atmosphere the author created. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a dark, mysterious read!
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
In the first pages of the novel, terror strikes in the home of eighteen year old Peyton. She escapes to the woods, but upon return, finds that her whole family was brutally murdered. The story then follows Peyton’s life and relationships thereafter, both of which are complicated as she is haunted by an evil supernatural entity called “The Shadow”.
To be honest, I felt a bit apprehensive initially. The beginning scenes are quite shocking, and I couldn’t relate to Peyton’s reaction to the tragedy. However, I was drawn into the story- I had no idea what was going to happen and just had to find out! There are a few surprising twists! I also really enjoyed reading about Peyton’s relationships. I don’t always like reading about a beautiful, flawless, female lead, but here I think it really added contrast to how haunted she was!
I was pleasantly surprised by this novel and am impressed by the eerie and foreboding atmosphere the author created. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a dark, mysterious read!
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
November 18, 2018
The Lights will Never Fade is a suspense standalone novel by Jackson Baer. It is the second book I have read by Jackson, the first being, The Earth Bleeds Red. I enjoyed that book but I enjoyed this story even more. I was reading the pages faster, that’s for sure.
Peyton is only eighteen when she runs from her family home in the middle of the night. Away from the screams of her father. And when she enters, her life is forever changed. Her family is gone. She was the lone survivor on that night in the small town in Oklahoma. That was when she meets a shadow. In her dreams. In her nightmares. And later in the daylight. When she moved in with her Aunt Charity in New Milford, CT her life started over. New job. New College. New house. New relationships. But the shadow was always there.
Peyton isn’t the only one the shadow visits. Her aunt sees and talks to it too. What does it want? Why them? How do they get rid of it?
Ok...that was a crazy book. The characters definitely have some explaining to do. The shadow is not fucking around. Like I said, this isn’t my first Jackson book. The writing definitely improved but just like the last book, I wanted more of the investigation. Maybe it’s because I am into the whole crime aspect of these stories.
Overall...it’s a wonderful suspense story with a supernatural twist.
Quotes:
“Mess with me and see who dies you motherfucker.”
“You do know what tomorrow is, don't you?”
Peyton is only eighteen when she runs from her family home in the middle of the night. Away from the screams of her father. And when she enters, her life is forever changed. Her family is gone. She was the lone survivor on that night in the small town in Oklahoma. That was when she meets a shadow. In her dreams. In her nightmares. And later in the daylight. When she moved in with her Aunt Charity in New Milford, CT her life started over. New job. New College. New house. New relationships. But the shadow was always there.
Peyton isn’t the only one the shadow visits. Her aunt sees and talks to it too. What does it want? Why them? How do they get rid of it?
Ok...that was a crazy book. The characters definitely have some explaining to do. The shadow is not fucking around. Like I said, this isn’t my first Jackson book. The writing definitely improved but just like the last book, I wanted more of the investigation. Maybe it’s because I am into the whole crime aspect of these stories.
Overall...it’s a wonderful suspense story with a supernatural twist.
Quotes:
“Mess with me and see who dies you motherfucker.”
“You do know what tomorrow is, don't you?”
February 1, 2018
Disclaimer: Free copy from Author. Does not affect my review)
Review: This book was very WTF once it got truly started. I was getting a little bored with Peyton and her relationships. I just found I didn’t really like her or know her. I had no emotional attachment to any of the characters. I didn’t really care either way what happened to anyone. When stuff did happen to them I just went ‘oh okay’ that was different. Didn’t see that coming. It wasn’t OH NO!
I kind of liked it. Which just makes me sound like a creep. I kind of liked where it ended up, it wasn’t a go happy book or any happy endings. It was just a twisted story of evil and people. I personally would have classed it more horror than anything. The writing was really on point.
One of the characters is a lesbian. I liked that it showed part of her story and didn’t focus on just the one main character.
Trigger warnings of rape and suicide thoughts. So please bear that in mind when you read this.
Review: This book was very WTF once it got truly started. I was getting a little bored with Peyton and her relationships. I just found I didn’t really like her or know her. I had no emotional attachment to any of the characters. I didn’t really care either way what happened to anyone. When stuff did happen to them I just went ‘oh okay’ that was different. Didn’t see that coming. It wasn’t OH NO!
I kind of liked it. Which just makes me sound like a creep. I kind of liked where it ended up, it wasn’t a go happy book or any happy endings. It was just a twisted story of evil and people. I personally would have classed it more horror than anything. The writing was really on point.
One of the characters is a lesbian. I liked that it showed part of her story and didn’t focus on just the one main character.
Trigger warnings of rape and suicide thoughts. So please bear that in mind when you read this.
June 25, 2018
I had mixed feelings about this book. Overall the story was interesting, it had a mix of dark horror and it was strange and full of mystery.
Lots of questions that kept the mysery going throughout, who killed Peyton's family? What is the shadow?
Peyton was hard to like, she is very detached which made it hard to connect with her but I believe this was an intentional character flaw created by the author.
I enjoyed the background chapters about Charity and her sexuality. I thought it gave alot to her character and really made her interesting to read.
I had a few bugs with this one and that revolved mainly around the descriptive language used on occasion throughout which at times felt like they could have been phrased a little better.
I had trouble getting into this story to begin with but the story kept me going as I wanted to find out what was going to happen and get the answers.
Lots of questions that kept the mysery going throughout, who killed Peyton's family? What is the shadow?
Peyton was hard to like, she is very detached which made it hard to connect with her but I believe this was an intentional character flaw created by the author.
I enjoyed the background chapters about Charity and her sexuality. I thought it gave alot to her character and really made her interesting to read.
I had a few bugs with this one and that revolved mainly around the descriptive language used on occasion throughout which at times felt like they could have been phrased a little better.
I had trouble getting into this story to begin with but the story kept me going as I wanted to find out what was going to happen and get the answers.
July 8, 2018
Jackson Baer never fails to impress me with his stories, The Lights Will Never fade doesn't disappoint. From the well thought out characters to the winding twisting story line the story of Peyton, Charity, and a host of other characters leads you on a terribly twisted road to an incredible and unbelievable ending that you won't see coming. I love how well thought out Jackson's story line is, he really has put some awesome thought into this book, I love the characters and the twists with the characters that I was like wait....what? NO WAY! I highly recommend this book to everyone, I absolutely love the characters.
January 22, 2018
This is the second book that I have read that has been written by this amazing author. He captures the scenes in the book perfectly to make you feel as if you are there and are a personal friend of the characters. I feel like you become very close to the people in the story and are surprised when the full story unfolds. The book ending did leave me a little disappointed, I wanted to know more!! I look forward to being pulled back into his next books to come! Thank you, Jackson for adding to my book addictions.
August 27, 2018
18-year old Peyton Hamilton–after a horrible family tragedy–has her entire life turned around when she’s forced to move in with Aunt Charity.
Baer writes with a memorable blend of beautiful, descriptive narrative, and raw, captivating dialogue. This is the second book I've read by him, and I loved it - I'm hooked.
It's captivating, horrifying and beautiful all at the same time. I read it in all in one sitting, a single evening, washed away by this book. The kind of book I'd try to turn friends on to.
Baer writes with a memorable blend of beautiful, descriptive narrative, and raw, captivating dialogue. This is the second book I've read by him, and I loved it - I'm hooked.
It's captivating, horrifying and beautiful all at the same time. I read it in all in one sitting, a single evening, washed away by this book. The kind of book I'd try to turn friends on to.
July 10, 2018
4 Star
Audio Review
Great characters and full of suspense. This story has so many plot twists it will keep you on the edge of your seat. The story itself deserves a 5 star rating, however, with the narration I can only give it a 4 star for the audio. The narration needed to have more infliction and emotion into the character voices. It wasn't a dead-pan narration, yet there was barely any emotion shown even when Peyton found her family murdered.
Audio Review
Great characters and full of suspense. This story has so many plot twists it will keep you on the edge of your seat. The story itself deserves a 5 star rating, however, with the narration I can only give it a 4 star for the audio. The narration needed to have more infliction and emotion into the character voices. It wasn't a dead-pan narration, yet there was barely any emotion shown even when Peyton found her family murdered.
May 7, 2020
A normal life is all here until she is saved by the shadow from a murder. Once home she finds her family is also dead. She runs to the only family she has left but she is not the only one the shadow has chosen. Who else has been chosen? Can she stay alive? What secrets will she find out? She aha she may find out
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 6, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed The Lights Will Never Fade.
It drew me in so much I didn't want to stop reading which is abnormal as it's not really a genre I read
I would love to see more books with a similar story line though as it was written so well.
I loved how I was constantly left guessing and just didn't know what to expect next.
I look forward to reading more of your books Jackson
It drew me in so much I didn't want to stop reading which is abnormal as it's not really a genre I read
I would love to see more books with a similar story line though as it was written so well.
I loved how I was constantly left guessing and just didn't know what to expect next.
I look forward to reading more of your books Jackson
August 18, 2018
This is the second book I have read by this author and I love his stories. Readers meet Peyton Hamilton when she survives a brutal attack that left the others in her family dead. Peyton goes to live with her aunt, but secrets of the past seem to dwell in the present with horror and suspense. Jackson Baer is a great story teller and an author readers definitely need to check out.
March 12, 2018
I have mixed emotions about this book. On the one hand I enjoyed the storyline and on the other I hated the characters. So whilst the story kept me entertained, it would have been far to easy to quit reading because of them. The main one in particular, Peyton. I couldn’t connect to her, I felt she was disconnected from the story even though it centred around her. It made it a slog of a read.
But the storyline itself was brilliant. It provided suspense and mystery. It had the horror element and the hard, dark limits. I found myself continuing to read for that alone. I’m giving it 4 stars for the storyline and the way it made me apprehensive. I enjoyed feeling like I was waiting for something to come at me.
Worth a read!
But the storyline itself was brilliant. It provided suspense and mystery. It had the horror element and the hard, dark limits. I found myself continuing to read for that alone. I’m giving it 4 stars for the storyline and the way it made me apprehensive. I enjoyed feeling like I was waiting for something to come at me.
Worth a read!
November 23, 2018
I did not love this book though I did like it in the end. It is a difficult read because the reader is left with a question mark as to what or who the "shadow" is throughout the story. You can surmise, you can guess but you never know for sure. One thing is certain, that being the "shadow" is the central character, the central notion of this book. Up to the last thirty pages or so I had almost decided not to rate the book at all. My bent is always to recognize the work of an author. Usually I talk in reviews about characters, and the blending of the characters with the story. Not in this one. Again, I did not love this book though I did like it, hence the four stars.
January 16, 2019
The Lights Will Never Fade by Jackson Baer is a wondrful story to read. This is a wonderfuls story to read and if you love suspence like i do you are gonna love this story very much. I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves read suspence stories.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 3, 2018
Peyton escapes the massacre that kills her family and moves away to live with her aunt. She keeps seeing a shadow which taunts her. I kept reading this to find out more about the shadow. The truth is I felt no empathy for Peyton at all. She's completely erratic and I really didn't see the point to the boyfriends. If you like supernatural suspense stories then it is worth a read.
July 16, 2018
The Lights Will Never Fade is Jackson Baer’s latest work, published in January 2018. I was sent a free eBook copy of The Lights Will Never Fade by the author in exchange for an honest review.
The story begins on a mysterious and eerie night in small town Oklahoma, with 18-year-old Peyton Hamilton discovering her two younger siblings and both her parents gruesomely murdered in their family home. Peyton is quickly cleared of any suspicion in the crime and moves to Connecticut with her last remaining relative, Aunt Charity, while local detectives remain in Jenks in search of the killer. A menacing Shadow follows Peyton across the country, haunting her dreams, and later, her reality.
In Connecticut, Charity finds Peyton a job as a waitress at her friend’s restaurant, Clare's Best Grill, and Peyton soon finds herself courting two very different guys. Daniel is cheeky, flirty, and besotted by Peyton’s looks when he first meets her at the restaurant, and Luke is a wealthy, retired baseballer who, though twice her age, charms Peyton instantly with his “thousand dollar smile”. Here lies my main gripe with The Lights Will Never Fade; Peyton’s interaction with her two love interests is so incredibly clichéd and shallow that I can’t help but wonder if they were written into the story to force a love triangle. I found the dialogue between either Peyton and Luke or Peyton and Daniel to be simple and unrealistic, strained flirting. Further to this, much of the writing in the book relied on ‘telling’ instead of ‘showing’. I think this contributed to my lack of sympathy towards Peyton, as I couldn’t really connect with or understand her character when the book’s descriptions reinforced more about her than her own actions or speech. For example, on her first date with Daniel, dialogue is often followed with sentences like “she said flirtatiously” as opposed to the dialogue actually being flirtatious.
Later in the story, on a date with Luke they go to see a prestigious performance of Romeo and Juliet, and again I found the chemistry between the couple, and the description of the evening itself, lacking nuance and organic flow. I found there were a few scenes, like this one, throughout the book that had real potential to make comparisons and draw themes from intertextual references, or to even create metaphors so that the reader could better immerse themselves into the story and characters. These opportunities were greatly missed, and unfortunately, I found most of the writing in The Lights Will Never Fade, especially the dialogue, to fall flat as the ‘matter of fact’ tone failed to rouse enough excitement for me to become emotionally invested in what was happening.
There was one big exception to my overall criticism though, and this, for me, was the novel’s biggest redeeming quality. After her first date with Daniel, Peyton returns home early and is surprised to see Charity and Clare in a private and intimate moment. I found this to be a nice little twist in the story, being pleasantly unexpected, and further to this, I was happy to see Baer including a number of lesbian and bisexual characters speckled throughout the story, so props for the diverse representation in that regard. Baer’s writing really shines when he delves into Charity’s backstory of discovering her sexuality and her first few love interests. It is during these chapters that dialogue genuinely flows, shows real chemistry between the characters, and propels the story forwards. As Charity’s past continues to unfold, we are introduced to the character of Aubrey. Their meet cute, ensuing friendship, and blossoming romance shows a nuance and tenderness that I wish was devoted to the other relationships in the book. Perhaps this was a conscious effort by Baer to provide a contrast between Peyton’s cold and callous character and Charity’s warm and charismatic nature.
To its testament, The Lights Will Never Fade did keep me reading till the very end, however this was because I was more concerned about what happened to Charity than I was for Peyton’s well-being. I found the plot of the book to be slightly predictable, but I think this could have been improved with more consistent emotive writing. Overall, I rate The Lights Will Never Fade 2.5/5 stars.
The story begins on a mysterious and eerie night in small town Oklahoma, with 18-year-old Peyton Hamilton discovering her two younger siblings and both her parents gruesomely murdered in their family home. Peyton is quickly cleared of any suspicion in the crime and moves to Connecticut with her last remaining relative, Aunt Charity, while local detectives remain in Jenks in search of the killer. A menacing Shadow follows Peyton across the country, haunting her dreams, and later, her reality.
In Connecticut, Charity finds Peyton a job as a waitress at her friend’s restaurant, Clare's Best Grill, and Peyton soon finds herself courting two very different guys. Daniel is cheeky, flirty, and besotted by Peyton’s looks when he first meets her at the restaurant, and Luke is a wealthy, retired baseballer who, though twice her age, charms Peyton instantly with his “thousand dollar smile”. Here lies my main gripe with The Lights Will Never Fade; Peyton’s interaction with her two love interests is so incredibly clichéd and shallow that I can’t help but wonder if they were written into the story to force a love triangle. I found the dialogue between either Peyton and Luke or Peyton and Daniel to be simple and unrealistic, strained flirting. Further to this, much of the writing in the book relied on ‘telling’ instead of ‘showing’. I think this contributed to my lack of sympathy towards Peyton, as I couldn’t really connect with or understand her character when the book’s descriptions reinforced more about her than her own actions or speech. For example, on her first date with Daniel, dialogue is often followed with sentences like “she said flirtatiously” as opposed to the dialogue actually being flirtatious.
Later in the story, on a date with Luke they go to see a prestigious performance of Romeo and Juliet, and again I found the chemistry between the couple, and the description of the evening itself, lacking nuance and organic flow. I found there were a few scenes, like this one, throughout the book that had real potential to make comparisons and draw themes from intertextual references, or to even create metaphors so that the reader could better immerse themselves into the story and characters. These opportunities were greatly missed, and unfortunately, I found most of the writing in The Lights Will Never Fade, especially the dialogue, to fall flat as the ‘matter of fact’ tone failed to rouse enough excitement for me to become emotionally invested in what was happening.
There was one big exception to my overall criticism though, and this, for me, was the novel’s biggest redeeming quality. After her first date with Daniel, Peyton returns home early and is surprised to see Charity and Clare in a private and intimate moment. I found this to be a nice little twist in the story, being pleasantly unexpected, and further to this, I was happy to see Baer including a number of lesbian and bisexual characters speckled throughout the story, so props for the diverse representation in that regard. Baer’s writing really shines when he delves into Charity’s backstory of discovering her sexuality and her first few love interests. It is during these chapters that dialogue genuinely flows, shows real chemistry between the characters, and propels the story forwards. As Charity’s past continues to unfold, we are introduced to the character of Aubrey. Their meet cute, ensuing friendship, and blossoming romance shows a nuance and tenderness that I wish was devoted to the other relationships in the book. Perhaps this was a conscious effort by Baer to provide a contrast between Peyton’s cold and callous character and Charity’s warm and charismatic nature.
To its testament, The Lights Will Never Fade did keep me reading till the very end, however this was because I was more concerned about what happened to Charity than I was for Peyton’s well-being. I found the plot of the book to be slightly predictable, but I think this could have been improved with more consistent emotive writing. Overall, I rate The Lights Will Never Fade 2.5/5 stars.
July 24, 2018
This is an unusual and somewhat quirky book that really intrigued me when I read the synopsis. A supernatural / horror story that tells of the life of Peyton and her family. Peyton is the only survivor after the brutal and bloody murder of her family.
The story obviously focuses on Peyton and gradually the events of her family;s death comes out through a series of dreams, well I say dreams but they are nightmares. Part way through there is a larger section on Peyton’s aunt and the reason for this sudden inclusion becomes more obvious towards the latter end of the story.
Now Peyton as a character I didn’t really like, she comes across as quite emotionless and she was too aware of her own looks. However within the context of her role in the story it does actually make sense. Her life story and how she copes with events seems to be why she has emotionally severed character.
I did get a little confused by another character in the story, the “Shadow” has a supernatural presence and its my own curiosity as to why/ how it has manifested itself. Maybe this is just me wanting to know more rather than just accepting it’s presence, I am curios and well nosy about things so it is sometimes a little difficult for me to just accept things that are supposed to have that mysterious element to them.
That being said I did enjoy the story and the shadow definitely added an element of suspense and a little of the chill factor as well. This type of story would be ideal for readers who like a supernatural / horror story and is one I would recommend.
The story obviously focuses on Peyton and gradually the events of her family;s death comes out through a series of dreams, well I say dreams but they are nightmares. Part way through there is a larger section on Peyton’s aunt and the reason for this sudden inclusion becomes more obvious towards the latter end of the story.
Now Peyton as a character I didn’t really like, she comes across as quite emotionless and she was too aware of her own looks. However within the context of her role in the story it does actually make sense. Her life story and how she copes with events seems to be why she has emotionally severed character.
I did get a little confused by another character in the story, the “Shadow” has a supernatural presence and its my own curiosity as to why/ how it has manifested itself. Maybe this is just me wanting to know more rather than just accepting it’s presence, I am curios and well nosy about things so it is sometimes a little difficult for me to just accept things that are supposed to have that mysterious element to them.
That being said I did enjoy the story and the shadow definitely added an element of suspense and a little of the chill factor as well. This type of story would be ideal for readers who like a supernatural / horror story and is one I would recommend.
January 17, 2018
This is not usually a genre I read, however, I received this as ARC and was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it. My first thought was it reminded me of a Stephen King novel. There were a few spots where I found myself confused by a scene, but this is because supernatural suspense is not my thing--my confusion is not a reflection of the author's skills! I thought the writing was excellent, and the manner in which scenes were set up done in a masterful way. Mr. Baer's talent shines when it comes to dialogue-it was very realistically written. Over all, a great read, and one out of my usual romance zone!
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