Radiance by Alyson Noel

Kids aren't supposed to die before they get a chance to live their lives, to become teenagers.  It's just not fair.  All Riley Bloom wanted to do was become a teenager and be just like her older sister Ever.  Unfortunately she died at the age of twelve and now has to finish growing up in the 'Here and Now'. 

She doesn't like it one bit and her dorky guide, Bodhi, is given the challenge of helping her learn her new job as soul catcher as well attempting to integrate her into her new 'life'. 

I read this YA book through in almost one sitting.  I couldn't put it down.  Riley was just so sad in the first part of the book, that I felt that if I put the book down, I'd be leaving her all alone in her grief and I couldn't do that.  I felt that my reading her story would help guide her on her way.  (I guess that's the mother in me).

With Bodhi's help, Riley needs to learn to let go of her old life in order to embrace her new one.  Even as a young person, she has talents that can help others in even less unfortunate situations.  She learns a lot about herself in a very short time.  You might not get what you want, but that if you open yourself to new possibilities, you very well might end up with even more than you ever considered possible.

Author Alyson Noel has spun a captivating tale of loss and self realization.  She shows the reader that even a pre-teen can have strength and power that can be most helpful to others.  Radiance is the first book in a new series that is a spin off from her successful Immortals series.  The next book Shimmer is due out March 15,2011.

Visit Alyson Noel's website for details on her many other books.
Thanks to MacMillian for my review copy of Radiance.

For a chance to win this book, visit A little bit of Everything.  Contest closes April 10, 2011.