Radiance

RADIANCE

By:  Alyson Noel

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FIRST SENTENCE

“Most people think that death is the end.”

SUMMARY
from goodreads

Riley Bloom left her sister, Ever, in the world of the living and crossed the bridge into the afterlife - a place called Here, where the time is always Now.  Riley and her dog Buttercup have been reunited with her parents and are just settling into a nice, relaxing death when she’s summoned before the Council.  They let her in on a secret - the afterlife isn’t just an eternity of leisure; Riley has to work.  She’s been assigned a job, Soul Catcher, and a teacher, Bodhi, a curious boy she can’t quite figure out.

Riley, Bodhi, and Buttercup return to earth for her first assignment, a Radiant Boy who’s been haunting a castle in England for centuries.  Many Soul Catchers have tried to get him across the bridge and failed.  But he never met Riley…

REVIEW

I felt like I hit the jackpot when I read Radiance.  It has a feisty girl as the main character, a lovably dorky boy, and a loyal dog.  Add a plot with unexpected twists and a completely stunning ending and you’ve got one sweet novel. 

One of my favorite parts about this book was the idea of Here and Now.  An enchanted place where everything you wish for comes true.  If you wish to live at the ocean, then you live at the ocean. Here and Now is only limited by your imagination.

I also loved the characters because they were so real to this tween girl.  Riley was a girl with attitude and Bodhi was such a geek that it was cute.  I’m not just talking about the people characters though.  Buttercup’s devotion to Riley made me wish she were my dog.

So, I mentioned the ending was stunning, but that doesn’t really do it justice.  It was one of the most unique endings I have ever read.  SWEETNESS!

Radiance is Alyson Noel’s first middle grade book.  I am looking forward to the follow-up book, Shimmer.  I am also going to check out her YA series, The Immortals. 

RATING

5        Plot

5        Characters

4        Attention Grabbing

4        Girlie Meter

5        Ending

23      TOTAL

5        STARS