It takes being jilted at the altar for social media influencer, Mia Bell, to realize that maybe sharing every detail of her life is not the healthiest way to live life. She had this amazing wedding planned and every step of the wedding was being paid for by her sponsors. She felt such an obligation to her sponsors and her followers that she faked her wedding to keep them happy. And then she threw her phone off the side of a mountain and decides to take a break from social media.



Paige Miller works for the most popular social media outlet checking posts for community standards. She has become so desensitized to the horrible things that people inflict on each other in the social media posts that she missed her own sister's cry for help. Now Paige has been forced to take a vacation, but instead of taking a break from social media, she notices Mia's absence from social media and decides to step in, wreaking havoc.



Will these two women be able to find balance in the depths of social media?



I really, really like Kelly Harms. She writes characters that you can't help but like. At first, you may think that Mia is a shallow, vapid woman, and then you realize that her empty posts hide a young woman struggling with loss. The loss of her brother as well as the loss of her beloved dog. And at first, you may think that Paige is a callous loner. But then you realize that it is a facade, hiding Paige's fear of being left alone. I think that many of us can relate to both Mia and Paige. They both learn a lot about themselves over the course of the book, but I think there is a bigger message the author is trying to share. Many in society have become too dependent on social media and use it as a replacement for real connections and real experiences.



Bottom Line - The Bright Side of Going Dark is just as delightful as I expected it to be. Even with some of the "dark" themes, you can't help but be drawn into the story of Mia and Paige.

Details:

The Bright Side of Going Dark by Kelly Harms
On Facebook
Pages: 348
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: 5/12/2020
Buy it Here!
Thank you to NetGalley for the book in exchange for a review!

A funny cute story. Very relevant to today’s times of being obsessed with the digital world. I was able to put down my phone for a few hours that to this book.

I was really looking forward to Kelly Harms' new novel after having truly enjoyed "The Overdue Life of Amy Byler." In this age of Instagram, Facebook, and constant information sharing, this story hits right at the heart of what many of us struggle with. What is real life if all we have to go by is the highly edited and perfected content shared online? The Bright Side of Going Dark takes the reader into the story of sisters, Mia and Paige, who could not be more opposite (or could they?) and their corresponding relationships with social media/popularity. The book is well written and is at times funny, witty, and generally enjoyable all throughout.

What an engaging and entertaining story! I enjoyed the personalities of Mia, Paige, and Jessica. This story made me think about my own reliance on my phone and I applauded Mia's return to happiness with the slower pace of life in Colorado. My only complaint is a minor one: "guidance counselor" is an antiquated term, as school counselors do so much more now than they did in the 1950s. (I do not, however, take issue with the flat shoes-- that is totally legit.) This was a great read!

Who hasn’t thought at least once about chucking their cell off a cliff? This story will have you thinking abut technology addiction long after the story is finished. An interesting and thought provoking book

Social media influencer Mia Bell transitions cold turkey to real life, unaware that a fan's sister takes over her account to save her sister, who believes in Mia. Harms leads her troubled characters to a fated collision in order to eventually find balance in their lives. This story is a brilliant look at how powerful social media can be, and the expectations of followers, as well as the integrity (or lack) of those they follow. Though this book feels like a quick, easy read, it delves deep enough into the dangers to show that the lives of real people are affected by seemingly casual posting. It also shows the connections that can be made online and IRL. I highly recommend this book and pretty much anything written by Harms. Fans of Ann Garvin and Kelly Simmons will appreciate her style. I was fortunate to receive a copy of this wonderful story from the publisher Lake Union Publishing through NetGalley.

"From the bestselling author of The Overdue Life of Amy Byler comes a fresh, funny, and thoughtful story about going off the grid in order to truly live."

This story is so relatable and it will be to many. Mia is a top media influencer and has basically lived her life online for years. Her perfect life online isn't the reality of "real life". After disappearing off line, things get really interesting for her and the other fantastic characters.
Witty, heartfelt, and thought provoking it will have you tossing your phone to go enjoy life, pet dogs and experience LIFE. A fabulous reminder of living, friendship and love and how our life can be so rich.

I loved it!

Love the look into social media and the influencer culture. This book was the perfect amount of heaviness, realness, and lightness all in one! Would definitely recommend.

The Bright Side of Going Dark
by Kelly Harms

This book was fun and I enjoyed this read a lot! The life of a social media influencer looks like it's all picture perfect until you take it over and oops ummm it isn't that great after all. Kelly Harms wrote a very good women's fiction I enjoyed reading about that had a powerful message, speaks to us in the social media world, what is real and fake, and the connection that we lose in the real life.

The story is about social media influencer, Mia Bell who has a handsome fiancee and just as popular cute dog. one day she gets sick of it all and shuts down her social media and cancels her wedding. Enter techie extraordinaire Paige Miller our imposter who is taking over to connect with her sister who idolizes Mia Bell.

This is a well written book that you will fall in love with. The characters were amazing and relatable. Harms did an amazing job addressing deep issues about family, acceptance, and the role of social media in our lives. The book was fun to read, had funny moments and still very poignant and touching.

I recommend this book for a great read I enjoyed.

The social media and influencer world is a bit of a fascinating new frontier. 'The Bright Side of Going Dark' delves in to this world. The writing is well done but it has a slow start. And, frankly, you may not really connect with these characters. But it is really interesting to see both sides of the scroll - the poster and the obsessive reader.

Thank you Lake Union Authors and Netgalley for a copy of The Bright Side of Going Dark by Kelly Harms for review.

I loved the balance of viewpoints in this novel. On one side you have Mia, an influencer who is living her life for the 'gram and flounders a little when life is less than gorgeous. On the other is Paige, a social media monitor who reads and screens comments and posts for inappropriate language and content that the algorithm misses. Paige notices when Mia's account doesn't post as much and when she decides go visit her sister after a medical emergency, they decide to help her out. It's a cute story that really highlights things more from an influencers side of things, which is something you don't see as much. I also found Paige's job interesting. Neither of the main characters were someone that I could fully root for though and I found that it made the middle of the book really drag along. Could have just been the wrong time for me to read this novel.

Covid has got me really enjoying books like the brilliant The Bright Side of Going Dark by @kelly.harms. It's a witty tale of our times, all about the joys of living IRL, and yes I realise the irony of having read it on my phone, and posting about it on Insta. Such a great story with lovely characters, a hint of Eleanor Oliphant and a classic rom com thrown together. It reminded me of So Lucky, and how what we show online is so different to reality, thought provoking and funny... A great combo and a light hearted read.

When I requested this novel I was into the ideal of reading this novel but I discovered that I was unable to provide feedback on this book due to the series being archived prior to download and file/download issues. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience of not being to review and thank you for taking the time to provide me an ARC of this novel.

This was a cute read that I really enjoyed. The premise was interesting; what happens when a social media influencer puts down her devices for a while? The plot was creative and not one I would have imagined. I was surprised at how relevant the book is and it made me think about my own social media use and that of those around me.
I love a book that entertains me and makes me think all at the same time!

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Something just didn't 'click' for me in this one. The treatment and mention of suicide felt a bit offhand, and while I got it that Mia didn't want to venture into a field she knew nothing about, the superimposition of the frivolity of Mia's life and lies and the dark theme of suicide right along (and we know RL is like this nowadays, influencers who are most of the time 'working' their presence in a way yet having such an impact on impressionable youngsters) that it just felt a bit crass and not well-thought out and 'dismissed' as just something the background when it is really an important topic that warrants way more attention and care paid to it

3.75 stars rounded up

The grass isn't always greener on the other side and Paige Miller quickly learned that when she took over Mia's Pictey account. We all know that people rarely post about their struggles, so to all Mia's followers it seems she has a picture perfect life, but looks can be deceiving. This was an eye opening look into how social media can effect people and made me really think about how beneficial a break from Instagram/Facebook could be.

What I enjoyed about this book:

1. I really enjoyed how honest and relatable the characters were. Even though they were so different, I was equally invested in both of their stories.

2. This book has such a important message that most people could benefit from. I grew up in a time when social media didn't exist and as I see my daughter grow up under different circumstances I worry. She doesn't have an account, but I've already seen how quickly tweens can become addicted to it and how they tend to base their self worth on other people's opinions. I think it's good to remind people to stop and enjoy the people around you.

3. I liked how this book focused on mental health issues. I myself come from a family that struggles with mental illness so I've always been quite aware of how it can disrupt a family. TW: suicide

Even though this book covers a few really deep topics, it was really witty at times and had a touch of romance as well. I definitely recommend you pick up this novel that is sure to leave you pondering your time spent on social media.

i absolutely love Kelly Harns books and this one did not disappoint. I adored the characters and i did not want to put it down!

The pros and cons of social media are on stark display in this novel. I was fascinated by the topic and the look at this industry from both the influencer and internal moderator perspectives.

The characters in this book were interesting and well-rounded. Mia, the influencer, is completely enveloped in the world of her social media account. Paige, the system moderator is both highly focused on her work and cynical about the environment of social media. Their perspectives shift throughout the book in dramatic and believable ways.

Teen suicide, dysfunctional families and questionable parenting are all factors in this book, handled sensitively and interwoven in a seamless manner that adds depth to a story that seems entertaining on the surface.

This was an enjoyable, thought-provoking read for me.

Will not be recommending this one as it just did not hold my interest and drug on and on. I had no connection with any character and there was 0% character growth. I LOVE the author's previous books, but this I've took me weeks to finish.

Although I didn’t fall in love with all the characters, a few of them kept me wanting to follow the story.

Paige is pretty hilarious because of her very matter-of-fact way of speaking (and thinking), which I enjoyed. I also loved how much of a tech nerd/genius she was, hacking her way easily into Mia’s account. However, that bit made her being able to “be” Mia on social media somewhat unbelievable. I mean, I’m posting on social media quite a bit, but can I take the gorgeous photos and apply the perfect filters like influencers do? Definitely not. I thought it was a bit of a stretch that Paige would have that photography skill in her back pocket.

Mia….meh, I couldn’t feel sympathetic for her. She does get more likeable after she throws her phone off the cliff, but the life lessons she learns doing it were a little bit cliché. I rooted for her in the end, but it was all a little bit eye rolly for me. Though, after finishing her story, it did make me want to set my phone down more often.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, although not as much as Amy Byler. I feel like I’ve read so many books lately that begin with 2 different seemingly unconnected main characters that end up connecting somewhere in the book. Maybe I’m just tired of that style, but it felt a little predictable in that way. I’m giving this one a 3.5 (rounding to 4).