Radiance by Alyson Noel

Published August 31, 2010 by Square Fish
ISBN 9780312629175
Series? Yes
Rating: PG
BUY / Nook / Kindle
I got my copy from the library.

Riley has crossed the bridge into the afterlife—a place called Here, where time is always Now. She has picked up life where she left off when she was alive, living with her parents and dog in a nice house in a nice neighborhood. When she’s summoned before The Council, she learns that the afterlife isn’t just an eternity of leisure. She’s been assigned a job, Soul Catcher, and a teacher, Bodhi, a possibly cute, seemingly nerdy boy who’s definitely hiding something. They return to earth together for Riley’s first assignment, a Radiant Boy who’s been haunting a castle in England for centuries. Many Soul Catchers have tried to get him to cross the bridge and failed. But all of that was before he met Riley . . .

The cover of this book takes on a whole new meaning once you read this book which is the type of covers that I really like. The ones that look really pretty but they get about ten times more amazing once you read the book. I like the bridge that they have because although it is only sporadically mentioned in the book it is a major player to the theme.

I almost did not read the book despite the really awesome name, summary, and cover because of the author. I have read so really bad things about the main character and for some reason I was intimidated about reading a book I may not like. Which is just plain silly because since I stopped forcing myself to read books that didn't interest me or bring me any pleasure I have been able to read a lot more really great books. Finding out I didn't like it should not kill me. So I sucked it up and checked out the book from the library.

And I am really glad that I did. Riley is very interesting and while her outspoken nature may have been the thing that absolutely annoyed most of the people around her I was entertained the whole way through. She just had this likable personality. The fact that she was dead just made it so much more interesting to me. It brings in different fears for the main character besides death. In a way it upped the stakes because what could be worse than death? Apparently getting sucked into someone else's grief but I am not going to talk about that. Bet that makes you want to read the book now. He he he. (I don't really laugh like that. Really, I don't.)

She has a mentor by the name Bodhi and for a slightly understandable reason I keep thinking of him as a surfer and not because she said that it sounded like a surfer name. I thought that before her. I watched this movie in French class one year about this guy who lived in Nice, France and wanted to surf. The only problem was that there is no beach in Nice and so when he entered himself in a surfing competition for the money he washed out. I think he worshiped someone with a similar name. I think his name was Brice or something. Who knows? Anyways, so that is my logic at work. I works hard to make such bizarre associations and it does get paid overtime.

So besides the fact that I had a French class flashback whenever I read his name (also couldn't pronounce it correctly) but I would really recommend this book. I have not read the immortal series but this one seems really good and I don't think that Ever and Riley are all that similar but I can't really say that before because I am still slightly afraid of trying those book myself.