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Radiance (Riley Bloom #1)

by Alyson Noel (Goodreads Author)

3.59 of 5 stars 3.59 · rating details · 7,729 ratings · 924 reviews

Riley has crossed the bridge intothe afterlife—a place called Here, where time isalways 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 beforeThe Council, she learns that the afterlife isn’t just an eternity of leisure. She’sbeen assigned a job, Soul Catcher, and...more

Paperback, 183 pages

Published August 31st 2010 by Square Fish (first published August 24th 2010)

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Community Reviews

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Apr 19, 2013 Liz rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: headdesk-very-hard, why-the-hype

Damn, I don't know what is worse: This series or The Immortals.

Just a brief summary:
Riley is dead, but she cannot accept it. She wants to go back and live a proper teenager life. She does not like the Here she is living in now.
Neither does she like the fact that she has a job to do. A pretty "dangerous" and "hard" one.

Sounds okay, right? I thought: Well, the other series was nothing for me but maybe this one will be better.
It is not.

Riley is a spoiled, annoying girl who sometimes talks lik...more

10 likes · like · see review

Mar 04, 2011 Cinnamon rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, angels, fantasy, ghosts, series, young-adult, reviewed, 2-oh-so-unremarkable

This review may also be found on A Thousand Little Pages.

Having read a bit of Alyson Noel’s paranormal series The Immortals before, I started Radiance with expectations. The beautiful pastel blue cover and the rolling field of blue flowers were undoubtedly attracting factors. However, Radiance proved to be less gorgeous than its cover -- far less. After the first few pages, it became just another one of those mediocre what-life-is-like-after-you-die YA stories. For me, this type of plot is eithe...more

15 likes · like · see review

May 06, 2012 Ian rated it 4 of 5 stars

After a car accident, Riley crosses the bridge into the after life. While there she is assigned the job of soul catcher, one who returns to the earthly plain to convince ghosts to move on. Together with her mentor Bodhi, and her dog Buttercup she travels to a haunted castle to complete her first mission.

Targeted to young adult female readers, Radiance is a gentle story told in a straightforward manner. I'm giving it 4 stars and plan on passing it onto my 12 year old niece so I can get her impre...more

4 likes · like · see review

Dec 28, 2012 Megan rated it 3 of 5 stars

I had no idea this would be geared toward a younger audience, so I bought it, read it, and can't say I hated it. It's a little anticlimactic and I was definitely expecting a bigger ending; BUT I also liked it for that reason: It's an easy read. The kind of book that you can just sit down and enjoy. The characters are so pure and honest.

4 likes · like · see review

Jul 01, 2011 Elizabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, series

I think radiance is a wonderful and delightful read.
It tells the story of a young girl whos life has just been yanked from underneath her feet. And who has to brave the challenges of her new world. For Riley, the here&now is a little bit like her life on the human plane. Except there is no one that she knows besides her family. There is also no time or date, its always here & now.
Join riley in the adventure of her next life. And maybe even earn a little bit radiance for yourself.

4 likes · like · see review

Jul 04, 2011 Liliana ♥s Mythology rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ghosts-souls-spirits, sequel-or-spin-off-series

I have to say, this was a very quick read. Very simple, yet entertaining.

So Radiance is about a 12-year-old girl Riley, who died in a car accident a year before. Now, in Here & Now (in a way I guess it could be Heaven) she is placed (since every one is destined to be placed somewhere) as a Soul Catcher. Meaning that she goes back to Earth and tries to convince earthbound spirits to cross the bridge (no, there is no light lol). So with the help of Bodhi, her guide/teacher/coach/boss (and the...more

3 likes · like · see review

Oct 10, 2012 Srihitha rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutly love this book. It is amazing. The author really captured the spirit of Riley. It is also told by a character tht I can really relate to

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 14, 2011 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was so good and the title explains it all! Witch means the title mean bright light so a ghost girl with light she is very bright and smart so you kinda have a taste of the book.I really liked the book I really would want y'all to check it out!

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Mar 09, 2011 Reading Vacation rated it 5 of 5 stars

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 c...more

5 likes · like · see review

Mar 10, 2013 Something_personal rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: novel-seri-novel-terjemahan-tentang

Buat cover, 8,9 dr 10
Buat sinopsis 7 dari 10
Buat ide cerita 7 dari 10
Buat ceritanya 5 dari 10

Kenapa bisa ide ceritanya bagus tp ceritanya jatoh?
IDK *angkat bahu*
Cerita ttg orang2 yg udh mti dan punya tugas tersendiri itu brilian buat aku. Tp ceritanya sendiri datar dan boring buatku.

Ada bagian dimana alyson noel berusaha bikin konflik yg menegangkan. Tp entah kenapa, deg-degan aja engga apalagi tegang
Selesai ak baca nvel ini ak g ngerasain apa2
Biasanya novel bintang 3 aja ada lah kesan buatku wa...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Ruana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Radiance is about a girl, Riley, an almost teenager, that just entered the afterlife. She's now learning to live a new life- to know all the new things that this place have in stall for her.

However, as much as the tiny summary seems to pull you in, it was not as good as I hoped it would've been. Throughout the read, I was unable to understand and catch the meaning of the book.

Everybody knows what it feels like after you read a great book- you never forget the plot and you would always feel lik...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 05, 2013 Abby H rated it 4 of 5 stars

Radiance
Alyson Noel
Fantasy/sci
pg 183

A girl named Riley crossed a bridge into the afterlife with her family. She is in a mysterious place called "Here". Also, there is no time only a term called "Now". When she crosses the bridge everything is the same when she was alive, but when she got a job as a "Soul Catcher" everything changes. Her teacher is a nerdy boy named Bodhi who seems to be hiding a troubled secret to himself. For Riley's mission, she and Bodhi return back down to earth to catch a...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Tiana Demers rated it 3 of 5 stars

Radiance by Alyson Noel is about a Girl names Riley bloom who recently had just gotten into a car accident with her family and died. This book starts off a bit confsuing because Riley is talking about being alive, and feeling better than ever. Which confused me because I thought she had passed away in the car accident. Come to find out a little later in the book Riley crossed the bridge into the after life- a place called Here, where time is always now. Riley left her sister, Ever, in the world...more Radiance by Alyson Noel is about a Girl names Riley bloom who recently had just gotten into a car accident with her family and died. This book starts off a bit confsuing because Riley is talking about being alive, and feeling better than ever. Which confused me because I thought she had passed away in the car accident. Come to find out a little later in the book Riley crossed the bridge into the after life- a place called Here, where time is always now. Riley left her sister, Ever, in the world of living. Riley and her dog Buttercup reunited with her parents in the after world. They are summoned beofre the council. In the after life, people have jobs. RIley has been assigned as a soul catcher and a teacher, Bodhi. Riley had no idea how to do this job, she was scared, nervous, and still getting used to the face that she was dead and in the after life.

Riley, Bodhi, and buttercup return to earthfor her first assignment. Her first assignment was trying to get a radiant boy who had been haunting a castle in England for centuries. Many soul catchers have been assigned to this boy to try and get him to leave the people who visit and stay in the castle alone. But unfortunately they all failed, but that was before he met Riley. RIley's whole goal is to try and get the boy to cross the bridge into the after life-Here. RIley can't quite figure this boy out, so she is determined to help him cross the bridge. When riley meets this boy, she finds out that he is very angry and he needs someone there for him. He needs someone to help him cross over, and that's just what Riley did. Eventually in the book he crosses over and Riley begins her new life in the after world with new friends, and family.

I would recommend this book to people who like books associated with the after life, immortal, and journeys. In the back of the book it says, " Most people think that death is the end. The end of life-of good times- the end of well, pretty much everything. But those people are wrong. Dead wrong. And I should know. I died almost a year ago. I like this saying a lot becaue my number one fear is death and it kind of gives me a new perspective on it. I enjoyed this book because how the main character, Riley describes the after life-Here. RIley described it as a beautiful place, that was so peaceful. I think people who, especially teens would really enjoy this book.

(less)

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Jan 04, 2013 Demi V rated it 5 of 5 stars

Have you ever wondered what it would be like in Heaven? Well, Radiance by Alyson Noel will give you a clue from her point of view. Radiance is an interesting book that takes place in Heaven or Here and Now (which is what the characters in the book call it). The main character, Riley is on a very important mission to find Radiant Boy. She also has a friend named Bodhi who joins her on the mission. One of the factors leading to tension is when Riley and her family first arrived at Here and Now. Sh...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, magic

I went to a library today that I haven't been to in a while. While perusing through a much larger book selection than my home library, I found a good about of space being taken up by this 'Noël' person. Hmmm. I figured I'd take a stab at her books (seeing as the list of clips of reviews inside was extensive), so I picked a short one up and continued with my perusing.

I finished the book in a little less than two hours for two reasons:
A. It was not a particularly long book, more of a novella leng...more

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Oct 19, 2012 Giota Papadimakopoulou rated it 2 of 5 stars

Όσοι έχετε διαβάσει και αγαπήσει τη σειρά των "Αθανάτων" της Alyson Noel, είμαι σίγουρη πως περιμένατε με αρκετή αγωνία τη νέα σειρά βιβλίων της, "Ράιλι Μπλουμ". Για να σας θυμίσω, η Ράιλι Μπλουμ είναι η μικρότερη αδερφή της Έβερ, πρωταγωνίστριας των "Αθανάτων", η οποία βρήκε τον θάνατο στα 12 της χρόνια, όταν το αυτοκίνητο που επέβαινε με την οικογένειά της ανατράπηκε. Η Ράιλι λοιπόν για κάποιο διάστημα, συντρόφευε ως πνεύμα την αδερφή της αφού, αρνιόταν να περάσει τη γέφυρα και να βρεθεί στο μ...more Όσοι έχετε διαβάσει και αγαπήσει τη σειρά των "Αθανάτων" της Alyson Noel, είμαι σίγουρη πως περιμένατε με αρκετή αγωνία τη νέα σειρά βιβλίων της, "Ράιλι Μπλουμ". Για να σας θυμίσω, η Ράιλι Μπλουμ είναι η μικρότερη αδερφή της Έβερ, πρωταγωνίστριας των "Αθανάτων", η οποία βρήκε τον θάνατο στα 12 της χρόνια, όταν το αυτοκίνητο που επέβαινε με την οικογένειά της ανατράπηκε. Η Ράιλι λοιπόν για κάποιο διάστημα, συντρόφευε ως πνεύμα την αδερφή της αφού, αρνιόταν να περάσει τη γέφυρα και να βρεθεί στο μέρος εκείνο που οι ψυχές καταλήγουν μετά θάνατον. Ήρθε όμως κάποια στιγμή η ώρα που αποφάσισε πως δεν μπορεί να παραμείνει στο γήινο επίπεδο και αποχώρισε, με σκοπό να ακολουθήσει την οικογένειά της, όπως έπρεπε εξ' αρχής. Ως ιδέα, το να παρακολουθήσουμε την πορεία της από ΄κει κι έπειτα, παρουσιάζει κάποιο ενδιαφέρον, επί του αποτελέσματος όμως, τα πράγματα διαφέρουν.

Η Ράιλι λοιπόν έχει περάσει πλέον τη γέφυρα έχοντας βρεθεί στο Εκεί μαζί με την οικογένειά της, προσπαθώντας να χτίσει τη νέα της ζωή, βασισμένη πάντα στα νέα γεγονότα και τις παρούσες συνθήκες. Ωστόσο η προσαρμογή της κάθε άλλο παρά εύκολη είναι καθώς, όσο κυλάει ο χρόνος, τόσο εκείνη αισθάνεται ότι της έκλεψαν τη ζωή που είχε δικαίωμα να ζήσει, μέσα από τα χέρια της, καταδικάζοντάς την να ζήσει στην αιωνιότητα, φυλακισμένη στο σώμα ενός δωδεκάχρονου παιδιού, στερημένο από κάθε εμπειρία που τόσο λαχταρούσε να βιώσει. Όταν καλείται να παρουσιαστεί ενώπιον του Συμβουλίου, παρακολουθώντας το διάστημα που έζησε στη Γη σαν σε ταινία, συνειδητοποιεί για πρώτη φορά πως σπατάλησε το χρόνο της, προσπαθώντας να προλάβει την αδερφή της, έχοντας γίνει η σκιά της. Και η συνειδητοποίηση αυτή, την κάνει να χάσει τη γη κάτω από τα πόδια της. Όμως τώρα έχει μια αποστολή, έναν σκοπό. Πρέπει να επιστρέψει πίσω στο γήινο επίπεδο και να εργαστεί ως Κυνηγός Ψυχών, βοηθώντας τις ψυχές που παρέμειναν εκεί να διασχίσουν τη γέφυρα.

Το μεγάλο πρόβλημα του συγκεκριμένου βιβλίου δεν είναι τόσο το μικρό του μέγεθος και η ταχύτητα με την οποία αναγκαστικά τρέχουν τα γεγονότα. Το πρόβλημα είναι η ίδια η ουσία του η οποία μοιάζει να έχει δομηθεί με τέτοιον τρόπο που να απευθύνεται αποκλειστικά σε παιδιά κι εφήβους, το πολύ μέχρι την ηλικία των 15 χρόνων. Δεν είναι η απουσία ρομάντζου αλλά, ο επιφανειακός τρόπος με τον οποίον η Noel προσεγγίζει το θέμα, αποκλείοντας έτσι το ενήλικο κοινό από το να μπει στην διαδικασία να ασχοληθεί περαιτέρω με το να μελετήσει και να ανακαλύψει τα μυστικά του νέου κόσμου που απλώνονται μπροστά του. Υποτίθεται ότι σκοπός είναι να διαπιστώσουμε τι ακριβώς συμβαίνει μετά θάνατον και πως οι ανθρώπινες ψυχές μπορούν να εγκλωβιστούν με την θέλησή τους στον ανθρώπινο κόσμο, αρνούμενες να περάσουν εκεί όπου φυσιολογικά θα έπρεπε να βρεθούν μετά το τέλος της εγκόσμιας ζωής του. Και ναι, μπορεί να αντιλαμβανόμαστε τον σκοπό αλλά, δεν τον κατανοούμε.

Θα μου πείτε τώρα, τι περίμενα; Σωστό εν μέρη αφού όταν η πρωταγωνίστρια της ιστορίας δεν είναι άλλη από μια κοπέλα που δεν έχει προλάβει καλά-καλά να μπει στην εφηβεία και χαρακτηρίζεται από όλες τις ακραίες αντιδράσεις που συνοδεύουν αυτό το μεταβατικό στάδιο, οι απαιτήσεις μας δεν πρέπει να είναι και πολύ υψηλές. Και ειλικρινά, δεν ήταν αλλά πως να το κάνουμε, περίμενα από τη Noel να μου δώσει κάτι περισσότερο, κάτι πιο βαθύ και ουσιαστικό που σε έναν βαθμό, θα με έκανε να σκεφτώ γύρω από ορισμένα πράγματα και γιατί όχι, να το ψάξω λίγο περισσότερο, ίσως και να προβληματιστώ, στα όρια του φυσιολογικού πάντα. Αλλά όχι, έπρεπε να σπαταλήσω πολύτιμο χρόνο σε κάτι που τελικά, δεν είχε να μου δώσει απολύτως τίποτα, πολύ περισσότερο να με συγκινήσει, πόσο μάλλον να με κάνει να ταυτιστώ με τους ήρωες και την ίδια την ιστορία τους.

Τα πράγματα είναι πολύ απλά! Αν ανήκετε στην ηλικιακή κλίμακα των 15 και κάτω τότε ναι, μπορεί το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο να το απολαύσετε. Αν πάλι την έχετε περάσει προ πολλού, αν δεν έχετε περισσευούμενο χρόνο και χρήματα για να σπαταλήσετε, επιλέξτε να τα επενδύσετε αμφότερα σε κάτι άλλο. Μπορεί ο ρυθμός των γεγονότων να είναι γρήγορος και τελικά να μην καταλάβετε πότε φτάσατε στο τέλος του πρώτου μέρους των νέων περιπετειών της Ράιλι όμως, η πρόσκαιρη ευχαρίστηση της ανάγνωσης, απλά θα σας κάνει να ξεφύγετε χωρίς να σας προσφέρει τίποτα άλλο. Υπάρχουν καλύτεροι τρόποι να ψυχαγωγηθείτε, πόσο μάλλον να προβληματιστείτε ή να διερευνήσετε τα μυστικά της μεταθανάτιας ζωής. Από μεριάς μου ελπίζω ότι η συνέχεια θα είναι καλύτερη γιατί αν όχι, τα πράγματα είναι πάρα πολύ δύσκολα για την Ράιλι.(less)

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Oct 17, 2012 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Usually I'm not too into the whole spiritual, dead, kind of book. But I liked the concept of this book, how there is a life after death, but it's not in some utopia, and it's not in some distopia either. It's sorta like life on Earth. I like that Riley is a Soul-Catcher and gets to visit all sorts of places on earth, otherwise if she stayed in Here&Now (yeah that's what they call the place you go after death) the book would be totally drab. I wished Riley was older like 16 or 17 instead of 1...more

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Aug 28, 2012 Weiching rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is awesome! Riley is one of my favorite characters of all-time. I can still remember the story after months of reading it. This is one of the books that left an impression...a good one that keeps you waiting for more. The other books in the series are also as good, which is hard for the author to keep it interesting. I think Alyson had dome a great job. Looking forward to a movie. I could do with another few more books of Riley.

Here's a short description.

Riley Bloom left her sister, E...more

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Jul 20, 2012 Nina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Inhalt
Die 12 jährige Riley Bloom kam bei einem Autounfall mit ihren Eltern und ihrem Hund Buttercup um's Leben und muss nun, nachdem sie nach längerer Zeit "Geist sein", die Erde verlassen und ihr Dasein im "Hier & Jetzt" fristen. So ganz glücklich ist sie damit natürlich nicht, viel lieber würde sie weiter auf der Erde spuken, ihre Schwester Ever, die den Unfall als einzige überlebte, weiter besuchen und die Promi`s heimlich bespitzeln. Vom großen Rat, der im "Hier & Jetzt" vorherrscht...more Inhalt
Die 12 jährige Riley Bloom kam bei einem Autounfall mit ihren Eltern und ihrem Hund Buttercup um's Leben und muss nun, nachdem sie nach längerer Zeit "Geist sein", die Erde verlassen und ihr Dasein im "Hier & Jetzt" fristen. So ganz glücklich ist sie damit natürlich nicht, viel lieber würde sie weiter auf der Erde spuken, ihre Schwester Ever, die den Unfall als einzige überlebte, weiter besuchen und die Promi`s heimlich bespitzeln. Vom großen Rat, der im "Hier & Jetzt" vorherrscht bekomtm sie dann aber eine Aufgabe zugeteilt: Sie soll die "abgängigen Seelen", die sich schon seit Jahren und Jahrhunderten weigern ins Jenseits überzugehen aufsuchen und zum überqueren der "Brücke" bewegen. Keine leichte Aufgabe, zudem Riley auch noch vom langweiligsten Jungen begleitet wird, den sie je gesehen hat...
Zitate
">Hunde sind ein Geschenk an die Menschheit. Sie sind von Natur aus glücklich, zufrieden und loyal. Sie bestehen aus purer positiver Energie und haben eine Vorbildfunktion. Das ist alles was von ihnen erwartet wird.<"
"Ich wollte wehklagen, stöhnen, mich vor Gram verzehren und auf meine eigene schrecklicke Weise fortwährend und unaufhörlich weinen. Aber meine Kehle war wie zugeschnürt und so heiß, dass ich nicht schlucken oder gar einen Ton hervorbringen konnte."
"Wenn wir jemanden wirklich kennen lernen oder jemanden auf irgendeine Weise trösten wollen, mussten wir ihm nur unsere Aufmerksamkeit schenken und uns auf ihn einstellen. Mehr ist dazu wirklich nicht nötig."
Fazit
"Riley - Das Mädchen im Licht" ist der erste Roman der Tetralogie "Riley" von Alyson Noel. Dies ist wieder eine der Rezensionen, bei denen ich am Anfang nicht direkt weiß womit ich beginnen soll und erst am Ende wirklich weiß wie ich sie bewerten werden - denn in Gedanken muss ich jetzt einfach nochmal alles Revue passieren lassen und es auf's "Papier" bringen. Da ich von der Evermore - Reihe der Autorin schlichtweg begeistert war (zumindest von den Romanen die ich in der Vergangenheit schon gelesen & im Re-Read neu begonnen habe), musste ich irgendwann auch zur Spin - Off Reihe "Riley" greifen. Riley ist Evers kleine Schwester, die bei dem Autounfall ums Leben kam und Ever in den "Evermore" Romanen immer wieder besuchte. Zum Lesen der Riley Romane ist es jedoch (zumindest bei Band 1) nicht notwendig mit dem Inhalt der Evermore Reihe vertraut zu sein.
Riley, die 12 jährige die von nun an nie wieder altern wird, ist eigentlich genauso wie man sich eine typische 12 jährige vorstellt: motzig, launisch, etwas unsicher und der Meinung "die Welt ist unfair". Riley schien in den Evermore Romanen immer eine so wunderbare, gut durchdachte und vorallem sympathische Figur zu sein und ich freute mich regelrecht auf die Spin Off Romane mit ihr. Leider war ich jedoch irgendwie etwas enttäuscht, den Figuren fehlt der spritzige Alyson Noel Charme und sie waren lange nicht so fein und tiefgründig ausgearbeitet wie die Charaktere ihrer anderen Reihe. Oftmals plätscherte die gesamte Geschichte einfach nur so vor sich hin, es passierten verschiedene Dinge und irgendwie dachte man sich als Leser dann: Okay - und jetzt? Im Grunde hatte ich bei diesem Roman stellenweise so das Gefühl, dass die Autorin gar nicht recht wusste was sie aus der Figur der Riley Bloom eigentlich machen wollte, wohin ihre Geschichte und ihr ganzer Weg sie führen sollte. Das ganze Buch über ist alles wenig strukturiert und erst gegen Ende wird die Geschichte dann wirklich etwas interessanter - nur um dann recht schnell ihr Ende zu finden.
Generell wurde der komplette Roman eher für die jüngere Generation verfasst, was man an der einfachen Sprache und den gut verständlichen Passagen bemerkt - dies soll jedoch kein Kritikpunkt sein, ich mag Kinderbücher durchaus. Trotzdem fehlte mir bei diesem Roman einfach die Spannung, der übliche "Noel" Charme und der sprichwörtliche "rote Faden", der den Leser meistens bei der Stange hält.
Trotzdem fand ich die Geschichte nicht wirklich schlecht und besonders das Ende bringt mich dazu wissen zu wollen wie es weitergeht und lässt mich hoffen, dass Band 2 doch etwas mehr Spannung enthält - die Hoffnung stirbt ja bekanntlich zuletzt! Außerdem war doch die ein oder andere schöne Beschreibung dabei, oder Aussagen die ich besonders schön fand. Deswegen erhält das Buch trotzdem:
Wertung: 3 von 5 Sternen!(less)

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Jun 26, 2012 Audrey rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-books

Good idea at the base - but awful realisation.
I'm not the type to stop reading a book, but after having read the half of this I realised that it is a total waste of time. The writing style is boring and somehow dump, the dialogues are pointless, the main character is absolutely dislikable. Even for a teenage book. I really didn't expect something profound when I chose this book at library, but this still was a total disappointment. The setting or rather the way the author describes the afterlife...more

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Apr 26, 2012 Kelley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio-books, childrens-ghost, childrens-fantasy, own, unabridged

Courtesy of Amazon

A CK2S K2 Recommended Read!

I loved Riley Bloom in Alyson Noel’s The Immortals series so I was quite excited to see Riley was getting a series of her own. Now, in Radiance, we finally get to learn more about this delightful character.

Riley was killed in a car accident at the age of twelve, but rather than crossing over, she decided to stay for a while with her surviving sister, Ever. Finally, Riley has crossed, with her beloved dog, into a new world only known as “Here” where th...more Courtesy of Amazon

A CK2S K2 Recommended Read!

I loved Riley Bloom in Alyson Noel’s The Immortals series so I was quite excited to see Riley was getting a series of her own. Now, in Radiance, we finally get to learn more about this delightful character.

Riley was killed in a car accident at the age of twelve, but rather than crossing over, she decided to stay for a while with her surviving sister, Ever. Finally, Riley has crossed, with her beloved dog, into a new world only known as “Here” where the time is always “Now.” In many ways, Here is just like being alive, with a few exceptions. Life in Here is what people make of it, but they do have responsibilities as well, and Riley is assigned a job as a Soul Catcher.

Riley’s instructor is Bodhi, a cute, but nerdy boy who knows so much more than he’s willing to share with her. Her first assignment is the infamous “Radiant Boy” who haunts an English castle. Many Catchers have tried convincing him to cross the bridge into Here over the centuries, but all have failed miserably. However, the irrepressible Riley is on the case, and she is determined to succeed where all the others have failed. If Riley has anything to say about it, The Radiant Boy has finally met his match!

I have read the entire Immortals series, except the most recent, and out of all the books my favorite character still is Riley. Every time she appeared early in the series in one of her crazy costumes or her sister’s clothes, I got a chuckle out of it and she stole the show every single time. So imagine my delight to have an entire Riley-centric series! The best part is, everything I loved about Riley in her sister’s books, I have in abundance in Radiance. Riley is every bit as sassy as she ever was, complete with crazy costumes and her beloved dog.

One thing people may wonder initially is how much character growth can a dead twelve year old have throughout a book/series? The answer is… quite a bit! I especially love exactly how we learn more about who Riley was before she died and who she is now. When she views her life as she was prior to arriving in Here, as with most children, she didn’t think she had been doing much wrong. However, as her adventures continue after being paired up with Bodhi for her new job, Riley starts to realize maybe she wasn’t all that perfect before and realizes how many seemingly inconsequential behaviors have such a huge impact on others and begins to change her ways.

Kathleen McInerney is a perfect voice actor to perform Riley. She masters the carefree and loveable persona of Riley that made me be so drawn to Riley in the Immortals series. McInerney has a way with words that we get such a wonderful idea of what Riley and company are feeling throughout Radiance, simply by listening to the narration. Hopefully, future audio versions of the Riley Bloom series will use the same voice talent.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, January 2011. All rights reserved.(less)

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Mar 30, 2012 OpenBookSociety.com rated it 4 of 5 stars

Brought to you by OBS staff member Annabell

At first I wasn’t to open minded about reading this book. I figured the author just wrote it to capitalize on her already New York Times Best selling books, the Immortal Series. I ended up REALLY loving this book which completely surprised me because Riley annoyed me in Evermore (first book in Immortal Series).

In Radiance, Riley is still very much a twelve year old: smart mouthed, stubborn as hell, opinionated about everything, and over dramatic. But Ri...more Brought to you by OBS staff member Annabell

At first I wasn’t to open minded about reading this book. I figured the author just wrote it to capitalize on her already New York Times Best selling books, the Immortal Series. I ended up REALLY loving this book which completely surprised me because Riley annoyed me in Evermore (first book in Immortal Series).

In Radiance, Riley is still very much a twelve year old: smart mouthed, stubborn as hell, opinionated about everything, and over dramatic. But Riley is also caring, compassionate, loving, and in search, as all young ones are, of who she is and where she really belongs.

Radiance follows Riley as she learns to transition into her new “life” in Here. She desperately wants to fit in but at the same time she wants to remain true to herself. She changes between outfits and moods constantly, never holding back how she feels or what she thinks. That’s something I really loved about Riley! She is always true to herself, no matter what others think and even for such a young character, many her age and many much older than her, can benefit from learning from Riley. The kid has some very good nuggets of wisdom for someone so young.

You also get to meet Bodhi or who Riley refers to as “Monsieur Dorky Guy”. Bodhi is as nerdy as one can get: dressed in a black suit with a white shirt, skinny black tie and nerd glasses, the ones with black frames and thick glass. But Riley soon learns Bodhi isn’t all nerd, he has skills and strength she wouldn’t have expected in him.

Bodhi helps to teach Riley how to be a Soul Catcher, one who helps get the dead who have yet to cross the bridge and cross over into Here. True to form, Riley thinks getting the Radiant Boy, a spirit who has been haunting a castle for centuries causing all who stay within the castle to flee the instant they walk in, will be easy. Bodhi warns her that many before her have failed and she should take her job more serious but of course Riley doesn’t listen.

But there’s also another reason why Bodhi has brought Riley to the castle, he has some unfinished business of his own to attend to and Riley gets stuck in the crossfire.

Radiance is a quick and easy read. Riley and Bodhi are so much fun to read because they are always clashing. They both think they know more than they really do and are each as stubborn as bulls! The descriptions are beautifully written and you never once feel like the story is dragged out. Each character has a place and a purpose. And Riley will remind us each of our own best friend and how much we really cherish that kind of all loving, always accepting, supportive, relationship.

This is a great book to snuggle in bed on a rainy day to read (or even a sunny one).

http://openbooksociety.com/article/bo...(less)

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Mar 29, 2012 Star (The Bibliophilic Book Blog) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Riley's a typical 12 year old. She loves her dog and her friends - and tries to be just like her big sister, Ever. Until she and her parents (plus Buttercup) are taken from the earth plane and end up in the Here and Now, leaving her sister behind. Well...it takes Riley a little while to get to the Here and Now, because she can't let go of her life on the earth plane. Once she's there, she meets her guide and finds out what her new job is...a Soul Catcher.

Riley, Bodhi, and Buttercup return to ear...more

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Mar 23, 2012 Stephanie Asbridge rated it 3 of 5 stars

First Sentence: “Most people think that death is the end. The end of life-of good times-the end of, well, pretty much everything. But those people are wrong. Dead wrong. And I should know. I died almost a year ago.”

Originality: I really liked the unique perspective of seeing the story through the dead person’s eyes. Usually the story is told from someone who is alive and can see dead people, like Alyson Noel’s Immortals series, which is what started Riley’s story. Noel could have not told Riley’...more First Sentence: “Most people think that death is the end. The end of life-of good times-the end of, well, pretty much everything. But those people are wrong. Dead wrong. And I should know. I died almost a year ago.”

Originality: I really liked the unique perspective of seeing the story through the dead person’s eyes. Usually the story is told from someone who is alive and can see dead people, like Alyson Noel’s Immortals series, which is what started Riley’s story. Noel could have not told Riley’s story, but I am glad that she did, and glad that she added more details to the world that was started in Evermore. She went beyond Summerland…to the other side of the Bridge.

Characters: Riley…Oh, Riley. She is like a typical 12 year old, except she doesn’t annoy the heck out of me. Poor Riley really doesn’t know who she is, which is why she was always following her sister, Ever, around. Now Ever is alive, and Riley isn’t, and so she has to figure out who she is, and who she wants to be in the afterlife.

Content: I loved the Immortals series, with the, um, well Immortals, and now it’s Riley’s turn, showcasing the spirits, or ghosts, whatever you want to call them. There was a Q & A with Alyson Noel at the back of the book where Noel said that this is what she hopes the afterlife will be like, and I can’t help agreeing with her.

Setting: Radiance is set in the Here and Now. Hehe. I just thought that was hilarious. Everywhere you go, it is Here. No matter what time of day it is, it is Now. This could be a little confusing if you get all technical about it. Really, just think of it as Heaven. How I pictured it though, was seeing the communities of the real world floating on clouds. Okay, I know. That may not have been what Noel was trying to convey, but that’s was I pictured in my mind.

Overall Enjoyment: I was semi-bored at some points, honestly. But hey. I just got finished reading The Hunger Games, and nothing can hold up to those standards. Overall though? I liked the story, it was a good, fast paced read. I will definitely read the rest of the series just to see how Riley progresses. Now that the Immortals series is over, I’m reluctant to leave this world.

If you’ve read and enjoyed the Immortals series, starting with Evermore, than yes, I would suggest you pick up Radiance and give it a try. I need to see if the library has the next book, if not get it on Inter-Library Loan. 
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Feb 22, 2012 Arthur Pengerbil rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reading Level: Grade 6-8

Riley Bloom resisted for a long time. After she, her parents and her dog were killed in a traffic accident, Riley lingered on the earth plane spying on her sister and her friends as they continued living. When she finally crossed the bridge into Here and was reunited with her parents and dog, she still couldn't resist spying on the living.

On her first day of school (yes, they have school in Here) a nerdy boy brings her to a mysterious door. Inside she meets a group of ang...more

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Dec 02, 2011 Sarah B. rated it 4 of 5 stars

"Radiance" by Alyson Noel

This book Radiance is about a young 12 year old girl named Riley who has recently died in a car accident along with her dad, her dog Buttercup, her sister, and her mom. In the car accident Riley and her family died instantly. Once she realizes that she is dead, Riley's family tells her to cross a bridge to go back onto the earth plane to live a normal life, even though no one can see you. Instead she doesn't listen and her family leaves her and so Riley is stuck dodging...more "Radiance" by Alyson Noel

This book Radiance is about a young 12 year old girl named Riley who has recently died in a car accident along with her dad, her dog Buttercup, her sister, and her mom. In the car accident Riley and her family died instantly. Once she realizes that she is dead, Riley's family tells her to cross a bridge to go back onto the earth plane to live a normal life, even though no one can see you. Instead she doesn't listen and her family leaves her and so Riley is stuck dodging several obsticles alone in "Here" which is what they called 'heaven', with just herself and Buttercup. In "Here", she goes to school knowing no one and meeting new but not so nice people her age, especially this kid she calls "nerdy boy."

Riley is a 12 year old girl with blonde hair, and big blue eyes. She is a risk taker and gets frightened easily but doesn't back down or quit. Her dog Buttercup is basically a golden retriever and her guide of good and evil. Buttercup has a great sense of who people really are and if they are safe to be around or not. The book does not say much about the rest of her family (sister, mom, and dad). The "nerdy boy's" name is actually Bodhi and in this book he is one of Riley's many guides to show her around and show her where all her classes are. He is very spectical and curious. He takes on bets because he's one of those people that think they're always right. Another kid she meets along the way is "radiant boy." The radiant boy is a ghost who likes to frighten everything and everyone that enters his room in the castle. He is 10 years old and short, but if he doesn't scare you he is a nice boy you would get to know.

I gave this book 4 stars out of 5 because it had minor action which was the one star off but the others were that it was jam packed with some sort of mystery in 'paranormal.' I would recommend this book to someone who likes action but not the type of action that has minor violence in it. I would also recommend this book to those who like to study or watch things about ghosts or unexplainable things. Also, some people who just like to read about adventures and obsticles of life would like this book.(less)

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Oct 17, 2011 Chapter by Chapter rated it 4 of 5 stars

True fans of The Immortals Series by Alyson Noel will love this spin off book told in the eyes of Ever's deceased sister, Riley.
This story is about Riley's existance into the afterplace, after leaving her sister's world of the living. In true Noel style, you are captured by the fantastic way she unravels a story right before your eyes, with chapters and ideas flowing smoothly from one into another.
I loved that we are introduced to what life is like in the afterlife. Grant it, it was an extremel...more

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Oct 16, 2011 Liza Wiemer added it

I had met the dynamic Alyson Noel at Anderson's Bookstore in Naperville, IL and purchased the first three books in her Riley Bloom series. I was excited to read them. But, when a fifth grader came to our house for dinner with her family and saw the novel on my living room table, she absolutely RAVED about the series! So I knew I had to put Radiance on the top of my list. After the family left, I picked up Radiance and started reading it. Boy was that fifth grader right! Radiance is a book about...more

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Jul 29, 2011 Brina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Riley Bloom scheint auf den ersten Blick ein ganz normaler Teenager zu sein. Sie liebt Mode, ihre Familie und ihren Hund. Aber das ist nur die eine Seite.
Riley ist tot. Mit ihren Eltern und ihrer Schwester Ever ist sie mit dem Auto verunglückt und nur Ever hat diesen Unfall überlebt.
Nur schwer schafft es Riley, sich an das Leben in der Anderswelt zu gewöhnen.
Da in der Anderswelt jeder seine Aufgabe erhält, bekommt Riley an ihrem ersten Schultag ihre Aufgabe. Sie darf zurück auf die Erde und soll...more Riley Bloom scheint auf den ersten Blick ein ganz normaler Teenager zu sein. Sie liebt Mode, ihre Familie und ihren Hund. Aber das ist nur die eine Seite.
Riley ist tot. Mit ihren Eltern und ihrer Schwester Ever ist sie mit dem Auto verunglückt und nur Ever hat diesen Unfall überlebt.
Nur schwer schafft es Riley, sich an das Leben in der Anderswelt zu gewöhnen.
Da in der Anderswelt jeder seine Aufgabe erhält, bekommt Riley an ihrem ersten Schultag ihre Aufgabe. Sie darf zurück auf die Erde und soll verlorenen Seelen helfen, sich von der Erde zu lösen. Eine schwere Aufgabe für einen so jungen Menschen…

„Das Mädchen im Licht“ ist der erste Teil einer neuen Reihe, die an die Evermore-Reihe angeknüpft ist. Hier ist es jedoch nicht allzu wichtig, wenn man die Evermore-Reihe noch nicht kennt. Ich habe erst den ersten Band gelesen und habe meiner Meinung nach nicht viel an Hintergrundwissen verpasst.

Alyson Noël hat mit der Anderswelt eine Welt geschaffen, die nicht unbedingt neu, aber dennoch interessant ist. Vor allem die Ängste und Gefühle von Riley werden hier glaubwürdig beschrieben.

Allerdings ist Riley auch der große Schwachpunkt an dieser Geschichte.
Durch ihr Alter wirkt sie noch sehr kindlich und naiv, allerdings wirkt sie auch wahnsinnig nervig und oberflächlich.
Vor allem ihre Gedanken zu ihrem Mentor sind wahnsinnig oberflächig und eher nervig als unterhaltsam. So wird ihr Mentor Bodhi nur durch seine Kleidung und seiner Brille direkt als Loser abgestempelt, was sie ihm auch mehr als deutlich zeigt.

Gesprochen wird das Buch von Dorothee Sturz, die sehr gut zu Riley passt. Ihre klare, noch leicht kindliche Stimme passt perfekt zu dem Teenager. Die Geschichte wird flüssig und klar erzählt, ohne langweilig oder zu aufgesetzt zu klingen. Hier wurde mit der Wahl der Sprecherin alles richtig gemacht!

Die Covergestaltung gefällt mir sehr gut. Die Schlichtheit und dazu die Blüte passen sehr gut zusammen und spigeln die Reinheit und Unschuld von Riley wider.

Mit einer Länge von knapp vier Stunden handelt es sich hierbei um die umgekürzte Hörbuchfassung.

„Das Mädchen im Licht“ ist trotz einiger Schwächen ein toller Auftakt einer neuen Reihe. Ich warte schon sehnlichst auf den zweiten Teil, um zu sehen, wie sie Riley entwickeln wird.(less)

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Jul 22, 2011 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 3-stars

Plot: 2.5 Stars
This was a very short novel, and it really showed. It seemed like a lot of the details were glossed over, and some elements of the plot were a bit rushed. Riley's conflict and resolution were a bit early on in the story compared to most, and there really wasn't much to it. It seemed like Bodhi's conflict and resolution were more important and given more detail, but he was not the main character. There were also some details that didn't always add up. At one point, Riley is told to...more Plot: 2.5 Stars
This was a very short novel, and it really showed. It seemed like a lot of the details were glossed over, and some elements of the plot were a bit rushed. Riley's conflict and resolution were a bit early on in the story compared to most, and there really wasn't much to it. It seemed like Bodhi's conflict and resolution were more important and given more detail, but he was not the main character. There were also some details that didn't always add up. At one point, Riley is told to shush because the kids around her can hear the thoughts she's projecting, but there are other points in which she is ignored. Plus, Riley can't hear anyone else's thoughts. It would've been fine if it had been described as something you can turn on and off, or turn into, but it was not.

Pace: 3.5 Stars
Although a few elements in this novel seemed a bit rushed, it was definitely a quick and easy read. I really enjoyed how it took a character from Noel's Immortals series, but was it's own story. It could've easily been bogged down by too much information about Riley's sister, Ever, and what was happening in the other series. I just wish there was a bit more too the story. It seemed to end a bit too quickly.

Characters: 3 Stars
Having never read a young adult novel with such a young protagonist, I wasn't sure how much I'd be able to connect with Riley. As much as I wanted to connect with her, she came across as very whiny and self-conscious. But she also came across as a bit mature for her age, so it wasn't a complete disconnect. Bodhi stayed a complete mystery throughout the whole novel. I hope we get to learn more about him in the future, because he has the potential to be a great character.

Cover: 3 Stars
My favorite part of this cover is the bridge in the background, since it plays such a big part in Riley's character, both in this series and her sister's series. I also enjoy that Buttercup is with Riley on the cover. The model chosen to play Riley was a good choice to portray her, and the pose is very interesting. The one aspect of the cover that seemed off for me was the bright colors. The story wasn't nearly as light and fluffy for such bright colors in my opinion.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment. (less)

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About Alyson Noel

*Note to readers: I'm slowly trying to add to the long list of books I have read, books I am reading, books I want to read, and books I loved reading. I only add books I loved, hence all my ratings are 5 stars!

Alyson Noël is the #1 New York Times best selling, award-winning, author of FAKING 19, ART GEEKS AND PROM QUEENS, LAGUNA COVE, FLY ME TO THE MOON, KISS & BLOG, SAVING ZOË, CRUEL SUMMER,...more

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“Dogs are a gift to mankind. They are happy and joyful and loyal by nature. They are pure, positive energy and teach by example. That is all that's required of them.” — 44 people liked it

“Somewhere in the crowd was at least one potential friend who'd understand the fundamental value of goofing off.
Because if not, how boring would that be?” — 36 people liked it

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Radiance (Riley Bloom #1)

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