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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 . . .

Riley Bloom, a minor character from the Immortals series, takes center stage as a newly-dead girl trying to figure out Here and Now.  Not quite adjusted yet, she must find her purpose.  Along the way she meets up with her newly-dead dog, Buttercup (who didn't go to doggie Heaven, like I would have thought), and her guide, Bodhi, a total-cute-dork.  In this wonderful children's tale full of the unknown told in the point-of-view of a dead twelve-year-old. 

Alyson Noel is one of my favorite authors of all time.  She knows how to capture the scene and place it on paper.  Her voice just shines through as Riley Bloom, this 12 year old with attitude. 

Riley is rebellious.  She can be mean, and annoying.  But what I loved about her was that she grew.  In the beginning of the book, she was an immature girl, obsessed with giving her sister a hard time and finding what clothes to wear (which was definitely annoying).  She didn't fully understand why she was Here.  By the end, she still has a bit of an attitude, but has learned so much in that amount of time that it was truly remarkable.  Her character was realistic and she didn't feel rushed (even though the plot seemed it) at all. 

However, this novel is on the subject of the afterlife, life's destiny, and crossing souls to the other side.  Some of it didn't add up.  There were a bit of holes that were not filled during the duration of the book, concerning Riley's school, her parents, and even the weird glowing. 

Still if you're a fan of the Immortals series, this fast-paced, but fun read is the book for you.

First Sentence:

"Most people think death is the end."

Radiance by Alyson Noel, p. 1

Rating:

Cover: 2
Characters: 4
Writing Style: 4
Plot: 3
Ending: 3
Overall: 3