Radiance by Alyson Noel

Radiance:
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 . . .



While I truly enjoy The Immortals series by Alyson Noel, I wasn't all that impressed with this first book of the spin-off series. But that could most likely be due to the fact that Riley is a younger character than I am used to reading. So, just because it's not for me; does not mean that there are others who would love to read this book and continue with the series. Alyson's characters are well rounded and just secretive enough to keep you intrigued and turning pages. I loved the story-line, her impressions of the afterlife and what happens to people once they have reached their place. Riley is still holding on to her old life, and has trouble letting go. She is paired with Bodhi to coax lingering souls residing on the Earth plane to cross over the bridge into the Here. Cocky and a bit of a brat, Riley jumps right into her role as a Soul Catcher and is almost defeated by her first assignment. Determined to be successful, she looks beyond the facade of the Radiant Boy, and in turn learns a valuable lesson about herself as well.