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Riley Bloom #2
Eclat
Après l'accident, Riley Bloom n'a pu se résoudre à suivre sa sœur Ever qui regagnait le monde des vivants, ni ses parents qui partaient pour le monde des morts. Elle est restée coincée entre les deux, dans un espace indéfini qu'on appelle Ici. Rebecca est un mystérieux fantôme qui cache une profonde blessure. Autrefois fille d'un riche planteur, elle continue d'en vouloir aux esclaves qui l'ont tuée lors d'une révolte au XVIIIe siècle. De colère, elle emprisonne dans leurs pires cauchemars les âmes de tous les rebelles qui ont péri avec elle. Dans sa soif de vengeance, la jeune fille s'en prend aussi aux amis de Riley... Impuissante, cette dernière tente alors d'apaiser le coeur meurtri de Rebecca. Mais comment accomplir cette mission sans se laisser elle-même piéger par ses souvenirs les plus sombres ?
198 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
183 people are currently reading
8825 people want to read
About the author
Alyson Noel
81 books15.8k followers*Note to readers: I'm slowly adding to the long list of books I've read, books I'm reading, and books I want to read. I only add books I loved, hence all my ratings are 5 stars.
Alyson Noël is the #1 NYT best-selling author of many award-winning and critically acclaimed novels for readers of all ages.
With 9 NYT bestsellers and millions of copies in print, her books have been translated into 36 languages, and have topped the NYT, USA Today, LA Times, Publisher’s Weekly, Wall Street Journal, NCIBA, and Walmart Bestsellers lists, as well as several international bestsellers lists.
She is best known for THE IMMORTALS series, THE RILEY BLOOM series, and SAVING ZOË, which was adapted into a movie now available on Amazon.
Upcoming works include:
RULING DESTINY- book 2, in the STEALING INFINITY series
STEALING INFINITY- Optioned for TV by Valhalla Entertainment - available now!
FIELD GUIDE TO THE SUPERNATURAL UNIVERSE - Optioned for TV by producers Charles Matthau and Michael Zoumas with Andrew Orenstein and Matt Hastings attached as show runners
Born and raised in Orange County, California, she’s lived in both Mykonos and Manhattan and is now settled in Southern California. Learn more at www.alysonnoel.com.
Instagram:
http://instagram.com/alyson_noel
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/AlysonNoel/
Facebook:
Official me: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alyson...
Pinterest:
http://www.pinterest.com/alysonnoel/
Alyson Noël is the #1 NYT best-selling author of many award-winning and critically acclaimed novels for readers of all ages.
With 9 NYT bestsellers and millions of copies in print, her books have been translated into 36 languages, and have topped the NYT, USA Today, LA Times, Publisher’s Weekly, Wall Street Journal, NCIBA, and Walmart Bestsellers lists, as well as several international bestsellers lists.
She is best known for THE IMMORTALS series, THE RILEY BLOOM series, and SAVING ZOË, which was adapted into a movie now available on Amazon.
Upcoming works include:
RULING DESTINY- book 2, in the STEALING INFINITY series
STEALING INFINITY- Optioned for TV by Valhalla Entertainment - available now!
FIELD GUIDE TO THE SUPERNATURAL UNIVERSE - Optioned for TV by producers Charles Matthau and Michael Zoumas with Andrew Orenstein and Matt Hastings attached as show runners
Born and raised in Orange County, California, she’s lived in both Mykonos and Manhattan and is now settled in Southern California. Learn more at www.alysonnoel.com.
Instagram:
http://instagram.com/alyson_noel
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/AlysonNoel/
Facebook:
Official me: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alyson...
Pinterest:
http://www.pinterest.com/alysonnoel/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 474 reviews
July 21, 2024
I'm going to tell you all the reasons you would think I wouldn't like this book.
1.I got this for free from summer reading.
2.It's been on my shelf for 2 years now.
3.It's a middle grade book.
4.It's a sequel to a book I never read.
But still this was a great book; It just hit different. And I like that this book had a good message. It's a five star for me. which is
surprising considering all those reasons.
1.I got this for free from summer reading.
2.It's been on my shelf for 2 years now.
3.It's a middle grade book.
4.It's a sequel to a book I never read.
But still this was a great book; It just hit different. And I like that this book had a good message. It's a five star for me. which is
surprising considering all those reasons.
Read
April 9, 2011After reading and enjoying the first book in this series titled Radiance, I couldn't wait to see what the author would come up next for Riley! I think these books are perfect for the younger teens, but as an adult, I enjoyed the series so far as well.
This time around, Riley finds herself trying to help an angry ghost named Rebecca. Rebecca is angry about being murdered and is taking it out on other ghosts. Riley needs to convince her that she needs to forgive and let go.
While this was a cute and fast read, it is not my favorite of the two books. I enjoyed the first book so much more because we got to read about Riley's adjustment to being in the afterlife. This book focused more on Riley helping others accept death and adjusting to it. While I know this is the next logical step in the series, I wanted for more exploration of Riley and Bodhi. I had to keep reminding myself that this was a book for a younger teen! I still enjoyed the book, but not as well as the first book. If you are a fan of this series, then I recommend picking it up and following the series as it continues to grow!
This time around, Riley finds herself trying to help an angry ghost named Rebecca. Rebecca is angry about being murdered and is taking it out on other ghosts. Riley needs to convince her that she needs to forgive and let go.
While this was a cute and fast read, it is not my favorite of the two books. I enjoyed the first book so much more because we got to read about Riley's adjustment to being in the afterlife. This book focused more on Riley helping others accept death and adjusting to it. While I know this is the next logical step in the series, I wanted for more exploration of Riley and Bodhi. I had to keep reminding myself that this was a book for a younger teen! I still enjoyed the book, but not as well as the first book. If you are a fan of this series, then I recommend picking it up and following the series as it continues to grow!
May 15, 2017
Hmm..fand ich eines langweiliger als Teil 1. Riley, die Hauptcharakterin wird je länger je unsymphatischer. Zu lange wird nur an einem "Fall" gearbeitet, dabei wäre die Welt von Here & Now doch viel spannender als diese Wutbubble...
November 2, 2011
Shimmer is about a girl named Riley who died when she was twelve.After she died she crossed the "bridge" to "heaven".The heaven council gave her the job of trying to get other ghosts who haven't crossed the bridge to cross.Now, while she's on vacation a hell hound attacked her and against her guardians wishes, she chases after it and meets a girl named Rebecca.Rebecca, who lives on anger and fear, traps people in a bubble of their worst moments.She traps Rileys' guardian in her bubble and now it's up to Riley to get him and all the other unlucky people out.
I picked this book up because a friend kept nagging me to read it and I wanted to get her to stop nagging me so I read it.
I finished this book because my friend kept checking up on me to see how much I read and I wanted her to stop.
I would recommend this to Lucy because she likes to read girly books.
I picked this book up because a friend kept nagging me to read it and I wanted to get her to stop nagging me so I read it.
I finished this book because my friend kept checking up on me to see how much I read and I wanted her to stop.
I would recommend this to Lucy because she likes to read girly books.
June 16, 2020
I read this quickly because of the font, the spacing, the margins, and the print itself. It was a short and fast-paced read, just enough to pass the time. I didn't really sympathize with the antagonist, Rebecca. How they kind-of defeated her was unclear (execution problem by the author).
October 7, 2018
Review to come.
Meh, this was about as bad as the first one. Nothing ever happened. It was a pointless sequel. I won’t be reading the other two books in the series.
Meh, this was about as bad as the first one. Nothing ever happened. It was a pointless sequel. I won’t be reading the other two books in the series.
September 3, 2012
É reconfortante saber que quando tudo termina não é o fim aquilo nos espera mas sim um novo começo, o começo de algo superior, onde a aprendizagem continua e a morte, para quem a experiência na primeira pessoa, nada mais é do que um início que se prevê melhor.
Ou pelo menos assim espera a pequena e doce Riley que, por enquanto, goza apenas de de um breve descanso na sua aborrecida nova vida como Apanhadora de Almas perdidas para um caminho de luz.
Com personagens inocentes mas repletas de conhecimento, Luz Breve trás de volta o encantado lugar Aqui & Agora que conhecemos em Claridade.
A sua protagonista, um espírito audaz e inteligente, longe de se conformar com o fim abrupto do seu crescimento, regressa melhor do que nunca e disposta a marcar de uma vez por todas a sua posição e valor junto de Bodhi e na companhia de Botão de Ouro que, pelo menos, é mais fácil de satisfazer do que o seu estranho acompanhante e o Conselho que a forçou a esta nova vida.
Agora que Riley conhece o seu destino pós-morte, e que a teoria de saltitar de nuvem em nuvem foi pelo céu abaixo, nada parece tão simples como se faria antever. Afinal, nem todos os espíritos são bons e mostrar a ponte para o Aqui & Agora aos que resolveram dar a sua existência, ou algo parecido, à dor e escuridão aparenta ser uma tarefa digna dos deuses mas claro, isto não será nada que Riley e a sua imortal teimosia não consigam contornar.
Este é o típico livro infanto-juvenil que consegue chegar a todos os leitores pelas mensagens que transporta carregadas de inocência e perspicácia para educar os mais novos e relembrar a graúdos que as boas acções e pequenos gestos não se devem perder com o conhecimento.
As suas personagens são enternecedoras, a começar pela protagonista cheia de vida e extremamente bem caracterizada com os defeitos e qualidades que qualquer meninice acarreta. Dos vilões aos verdadeiros anjos, como Botão de Ouro, todos têm algo a aprender e fica latente o desejo da autora em passar a palavra de que o bem prevalece desde que estejamos predispostos a escutar o próximo.
Uma história simples, ligeiramente meditativa pelos significados retidos nas entrelinhas, mas que tocará os corações de leitores em idade diversas de forma divertida e com uma perspectiva muito agradável da morte.
Opinião completa: http://historiasdeelphaba.blogspot.pt...
Ou pelo menos assim espera a pequena e doce Riley que, por enquanto, goza apenas de de um breve descanso na sua aborrecida nova vida como Apanhadora de Almas perdidas para um caminho de luz.
Com personagens inocentes mas repletas de conhecimento, Luz Breve trás de volta o encantado lugar Aqui & Agora que conhecemos em Claridade.
A sua protagonista, um espírito audaz e inteligente, longe de se conformar com o fim abrupto do seu crescimento, regressa melhor do que nunca e disposta a marcar de uma vez por todas a sua posição e valor junto de Bodhi e na companhia de Botão de Ouro que, pelo menos, é mais fácil de satisfazer do que o seu estranho acompanhante e o Conselho que a forçou a esta nova vida.
Agora que Riley conhece o seu destino pós-morte, e que a teoria de saltitar de nuvem em nuvem foi pelo céu abaixo, nada parece tão simples como se faria antever. Afinal, nem todos os espíritos são bons e mostrar a ponte para o Aqui & Agora aos que resolveram dar a sua existência, ou algo parecido, à dor e escuridão aparenta ser uma tarefa digna dos deuses mas claro, isto não será nada que Riley e a sua imortal teimosia não consigam contornar.
Este é o típico livro infanto-juvenil que consegue chegar a todos os leitores pelas mensagens que transporta carregadas de inocência e perspicácia para educar os mais novos e relembrar a graúdos que as boas acções e pequenos gestos não se devem perder com o conhecimento.
As suas personagens são enternecedoras, a começar pela protagonista cheia de vida e extremamente bem caracterizada com os defeitos e qualidades que qualquer meninice acarreta. Dos vilões aos verdadeiros anjos, como Botão de Ouro, todos têm algo a aprender e fica latente o desejo da autora em passar a palavra de que o bem prevalece desde que estejamos predispostos a escutar o próximo.
Uma história simples, ligeiramente meditativa pelos significados retidos nas entrelinhas, mas que tocará os corações de leitores em idade diversas de forma divertida e com uma perspectiva muito agradável da morte.
Opinião completa: http://historiasdeelphaba.blogspot.pt...
August 30, 2011
Such a great Middle Grade series
This is the second installment of the Riley Bloom series a companion series to The Immortals therefore this review may contain spoilers for the first book Radiance. You have been warned.
I have to say that Riley's character has really developed after the events at the end of Radiance, although she still has her bratish moments she does learn from them. She has developed a keen self analysis that helps her deal with some tricky situations. However, she is very impetuous often with dramatic consequences, saying that she does trust her intuition which is a theme through Alyson Noel's books, that we should all trust our intuition to help us make the correct decisions. Normally we (I mean me) over-think things or are influenced by other people instead of going with what we feel. A lesson for all of us I think.
Riley has a deep sense of family loyalty and love yet her loneliness is palpable via the narrative. She needs someone to share her feelings with. As yet she just sees Bodhi as her instructor in Soul Catching and is a bit dismissive of him, but I do think a real relationship could be brewing between the two.
Bodhi is a complex character (the name always make me think of Patrick Swayze in Point Break) bits and pieces of Bodhi's 'life' are threaded through the story giving him substance and providing insight into his character.
The way in which slavery was portrayed with brutal honesty and not skirted over was admirable and Alyson Noel did a terrific job of conveying the horror of slavery to a Middle Grade audience, the harsh reality of it brought to technicolour life. The cycle of violence was brilliantly portrayed and not something I had thought much about before.
I really admired how the use of forgiveness helped people move on. Believe me some days are easier than others to forgive.
A really great continuation of Riley's story that develops not only the characterisations but the understanding of the world Riley now inhabits 'Here and Now'. Little tidbits of information as to the further development of this series has left me impatiently waiting for the next installment.
A brilliant paranormal series for Middle Graders.
This is the second installment of the Riley Bloom series a companion series to The Immortals therefore this review may contain spoilers for the first book Radiance. You have been warned.
I have to say that Riley's character has really developed after the events at the end of Radiance, although she still has her bratish moments she does learn from them. She has developed a keen self analysis that helps her deal with some tricky situations. However, she is very impetuous often with dramatic consequences, saying that she does trust her intuition which is a theme through Alyson Noel's books, that we should all trust our intuition to help us make the correct decisions. Normally we (I mean me) over-think things or are influenced by other people instead of going with what we feel. A lesson for all of us I think.
Riley has a deep sense of family loyalty and love yet her loneliness is palpable via the narrative. She needs someone to share her feelings with. As yet she just sees Bodhi as her instructor in Soul Catching and is a bit dismissive of him, but I do think a real relationship could be brewing between the two.
Bodhi is a complex character (the name always make me think of Patrick Swayze in Point Break) bits and pieces of Bodhi's 'life' are threaded through the story giving him substance and providing insight into his character.
The way in which slavery was portrayed with brutal honesty and not skirted over was admirable and Alyson Noel did a terrific job of conveying the horror of slavery to a Middle Grade audience, the harsh reality of it brought to technicolour life. The cycle of violence was brilliantly portrayed and not something I had thought much about before.
I really admired how the use of forgiveness helped people move on. Believe me some days are easier than others to forgive.
A really great continuation of Riley's story that develops not only the characterisations but the understanding of the world Riley now inhabits 'Here and Now'. Little tidbits of information as to the further development of this series has left me impatiently waiting for the next installment.
A brilliant paranormal series for Middle Graders.
February 16, 2011
Against Bodhi's wishes, Riley decides that she will help the big, mean old dog she finds on the beach cross-over. In search for the dog though, she meets the it's owner, a sweet, young girl named Rebecca. But looks can be deceiving, for Rebecca harbors so much anger that Riley, Bodhi & even Buttercup get up in the world full anger and desperation that Rebecca has created. While coming to terms that she is trapped in this world, Riley meets a young Prince who explains why Rebecca is so angry and how she has kept so many of his brothers and sisters from crossing over. There's nothing that Riley loves more than a good challenge - and a challenge it will be since she knows she'll have to work through her own nightmares in order to reach the other side.
There's just something about Riley that I absolutely love! She's spunky, sassy, funny and even though she's dead, she's so full of life. Rebecca's life as well as that of Prince Kanta and the other slaves were so full of misery and violence. Although Ms. Noel only skims over some of this violence, you do get a feel for what they went through. Rebecca in need of a loving father and her tragic death during a slave revolt. While Prince Kanta and the other slaves were ripped from their homes and taken to far away plantations to work from sun up to sun down.
Riley really had her work cut out for her with Rebecca. She had to confront her fears, her past and really work through her emotional issues, but in the end I think she came out a stronger and more mature young lady. I do recommend you read Radiance before you read Shimmer only because you get a lot of information on the Here and Now as well as the friendship/mentorship between her and Bodhi - that is only skimmed upon in Shimmer.
Although these books - Radiance, Shimmer and Dreamland (releases September 2011) - are mid-grade books, they can easily be enjoyed by adults as well. Riley shines! She is a superstar! I'm intrigued by the thought of the Here & Now and I can't help but want to see what adventure Riley will find herself in next.
There's just something about Riley that I absolutely love! She's spunky, sassy, funny and even though she's dead, she's so full of life. Rebecca's life as well as that of Prince Kanta and the other slaves were so full of misery and violence. Although Ms. Noel only skims over some of this violence, you do get a feel for what they went through. Rebecca in need of a loving father and her tragic death during a slave revolt. While Prince Kanta and the other slaves were ripped from their homes and taken to far away plantations to work from sun up to sun down.
Riley really had her work cut out for her with Rebecca. She had to confront her fears, her past and really work through her emotional issues, but in the end I think she came out a stronger and more mature young lady. I do recommend you read Radiance before you read Shimmer only because you get a lot of information on the Here and Now as well as the friendship/mentorship between her and Bodhi - that is only skimmed upon in Shimmer.
Although these books - Radiance, Shimmer and Dreamland (releases September 2011) - are mid-grade books, they can easily be enjoyed by adults as well. Riley shines! She is a superstar! I'm intrigued by the thought of the Here & Now and I can't help but want to see what adventure Riley will find herself in next.
October 2, 2011
It's hard not to fall in love with Riley and think of her as kid sister. She's defiant, strong willed and is on a mission to help those who are in need of assistance in crossing over. With Bodhi and Buttercup by her side, Riley finds herself in her toughest mission yet, though it's not really mission since she's on vacation when she stumbles upon Rebecca.
Despite Bodhi's warning, Riley soon finds herself face to face with Rebecca, an evil spirit who takes delight in trapping the spirits of those who are responsible for her death. To make matters worse Bodhi and Buttercup are also trapped and Riley is the only one who can save them. Alyson takes a very serious topic and a horrible part of human history and delicately wraps it around the story of Rebecca and spirit Prince who is there to help Riley. We are shown glimpses of slavery and it's vicious cycle through the flash backs the Princes shares with Riley in order for her to understand Rebecca's world. Riley sees just how horrible the slaves were treated and the cycle of anger and hate that not only keep them trapped in Rebecca's world, but she learns why Rebecca is so angry and the manner in which she died. I also liked getting to know more about Brodhi through his flashback. In order for Riley to free them all, they must learn to love & forgive in order to be free to cross over.
Shimmer has a lot of elements to the story that make this an engaging read. I felt that Riley as a character matured more after seeing the unimaginable things that happened to the slaves on Virgin Islands during the turn of the century. It's heartbreaking, but a key element to the story and one I felt Alyson wrote well. I really liked the message Shimmer has. To love and forgive is to be free from hate and anger. I would recommend this for middle graders and fans of Alyson's Evermore series. I'm looking forward to reading Riley's third book, Dreamland when it's out this fall.
Despite Bodhi's warning, Riley soon finds herself face to face with Rebecca, an evil spirit who takes delight in trapping the spirits of those who are responsible for her death. To make matters worse Bodhi and Buttercup are also trapped and Riley is the only one who can save them. Alyson takes a very serious topic and a horrible part of human history and delicately wraps it around the story of Rebecca and spirit Prince who is there to help Riley. We are shown glimpses of slavery and it's vicious cycle through the flash backs the Princes shares with Riley in order for her to understand Rebecca's world. Riley sees just how horrible the slaves were treated and the cycle of anger and hate that not only keep them trapped in Rebecca's world, but she learns why Rebecca is so angry and the manner in which she died. I also liked getting to know more about Brodhi through his flashback. In order for Riley to free them all, they must learn to love & forgive in order to be free to cross over.
Shimmer has a lot of elements to the story that make this an engaging read. I felt that Riley as a character matured more after seeing the unimaginable things that happened to the slaves on Virgin Islands during the turn of the century. It's heartbreaking, but a key element to the story and one I felt Alyson wrote well. I really liked the message Shimmer has. To love and forgive is to be free from hate and anger. I would recommend this for middle graders and fans of Alyson's Evermore series. I'm looking forward to reading Riley's third book, Dreamland when it's out this fall.
February 10, 2017
This book is about a girl named Riley (who's a ghost) that lives on a deserted beach. Riley has to free the tortured souls that Rebecca trapped. She decides to do this after Rebecca takes her dog, Buttercup, and her friend, Bodhi and makes her re-experience her own worst memories. To stop Rebecca, Riley teams up with a slave who was once a prince, Prince Kanta. To free the souls, they have to experience each and every one of their (the souls') horrific memories. To stop Rebecca from trapping souls, they have to experience Rebecca's worst memory which isn't very pleasant. I only gave the book four stars because honestly, there wasn't enough action for my liking but, it's there. I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes little action. Even though it was lacking action, overall this was a really good book. I liked how Riley's (the main character) personality changed from stuck-up and rebellious to a nice, kind, understanding girl. However, one thing I didn't really like was the beginning. It was slow and boring but if you keep reading, you won't regret getting this book.
March 15, 2011
Riley Bloom is at it again! I can't help but love this girl. She is so much like her sister. She ignores the rules and gets in a lot of trouble. But of course there is always a guy just waiting to bail her out.
What I like most about this book is the forgiveness sought out. Riley knew Rebecca was caught up in her own anger. You can't move own if you can't forgive. I love how Riley uses her own experiences to help Rebecca move on. She spoke to her carefully and lovingly.
Bodhi, I felt, did not give Riley enough credit. Even though she proved herself in the first book, he still treated her like a child. Riley grew up fast. She knew what she had to do and Bodhi held her back. Still Riley proved him wrong once again, but of course not without the consequences.
I like Rebecca. Her character had so much anger that you felt it. Rebecca just wanted the world to stop. She wanted everyone to feel her pain, to see what she been through. I could relate to her because I felt that type of anger before. It's unfair and its just hurts.
Once again, Ms. Noel wrote a fab book. It was a quick, fun read with great characters and real emotions. The book was easy to relate to and easy to feel. Her characters, her writing, and the plot were all good.
What I like most about this book is the forgiveness sought out. Riley knew Rebecca was caught up in her own anger. You can't move own if you can't forgive. I love how Riley uses her own experiences to help Rebecca move on. She spoke to her carefully and lovingly.
Bodhi, I felt, did not give Riley enough credit. Even though she proved herself in the first book, he still treated her like a child. Riley grew up fast. She knew what she had to do and Bodhi held her back. Still Riley proved him wrong once again, but of course not without the consequences.
I like Rebecca. Her character had so much anger that you felt it. Rebecca just wanted the world to stop. She wanted everyone to feel her pain, to see what she been through. I could relate to her because I felt that type of anger before. It's unfair and its just hurts.
Once again, Ms. Noel wrote a fab book. It was a quick, fun read with great characters and real emotions. The book was easy to relate to and easy to feel. Her characters, her writing, and the plot were all good.
July 21, 2016
I found myself very disappointed with this book, mainly because it didn't add anything in particular for me it was more of the same from what I have read on the first book.
August 4, 2014
Hum... I don't know what to say.
June 15, 2017
Alyson Noel's sophomore novel "Shimmer" follows the misadventures of Riley Bloom, Ever's sister from the"Immortals" series by the same author. She has 'got her glow on' since last novel as she has led souls to the afterlife, the Bridge, to the Here and Now, in her job as Soul Catcher. She and her guide Bohdi are allowed a vacay and Riley chooses to visit St John. She decides to take on unassigned soul, despite Bohdi's warning.
She finds herself face to face with Rebecca, an evil ghost who takes delight in trapping the ghosts of those who are responsible for her death. To make it worse Bodhi and Buttercup also get trapped & Riley's the only one who can save them. Alyson takes a very serious topic & a horrible part of humanity's history & she delicately wraps it around the story of Rebecca & the ghost Prince Kanta.
The only way to save her is to save Bohdi, Buttercup, and then all the slaves. According to the author a lot of the story's facts are purported to be true, so it makes it a more thought provoking heavy read than I thought a young teen book would contain, so props to the author. Well paced and a good read.
She finds herself face to face with Rebecca, an evil ghost who takes delight in trapping the ghosts of those who are responsible for her death. To make it worse Bodhi and Buttercup also get trapped & Riley's the only one who can save them. Alyson takes a very serious topic & a horrible part of humanity's history & she delicately wraps it around the story of Rebecca & the ghost Prince Kanta.
The only way to save her is to save Bohdi, Buttercup, and then all the slaves. According to the author a lot of the story's facts are purported to be true, so it makes it a more thought provoking heavy read than I thought a young teen book would contain, so props to the author. Well paced and a good read.
April 25, 2020
This series has a really amazing way of making sense of a really big concept in a fiction story that is entertaining and fun to read ! So excited to be reading this series
June 7, 2022
Good one!
May 4, 2018
Shimmer is the sequel to Radiance, where we follow the afterlife adventures of Riley Bloom. While I enjoyed exploring the world of the first book and learning about Riley’s afterlife, I liked Shimmer just a bit better than the first one; it has much more focus and instead of spending a lot of time describing the afterlife and what happens there, it features Riley facing off with a discontent, malevolent spirit who has trapped up so much anger inside of her that she traps other spirits in it as well.
This book deals with deeper issues than the first; death, of course, is quite a deep issue, but the first book was fairly innocuous, with the occasional haunting and Riley wanting to learn how to fly and have fun. Shimmer, instead, focuses on the aftermath of a slave revolt–all that led to it and all that came after. I really enjoyed having subject matter that is filled with complexities, and watching Riley struggle with understanding and showing compassion for both the slaves’ plights and the plight of the master’s little girl made her a much more likeable and relatable character, in my eyes. The characters all struggled with the concept of guilt, compassion, and forgiveness, and I liked being able to see this situations and come to terms with my own emotions and thoughts about it. This would be a great book to have a book club or classroom discussion on.
Like the previous book, it’s a quick read, and I found it to be very much worthwhile. I’m looking forward to the sequel to see where Riley’s afterlife takes her next!
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
This book deals with deeper issues than the first; death, of course, is quite a deep issue, but the first book was fairly innocuous, with the occasional haunting and Riley wanting to learn how to fly and have fun. Shimmer, instead, focuses on the aftermath of a slave revolt–all that led to it and all that came after. I really enjoyed having subject matter that is filled with complexities, and watching Riley struggle with understanding and showing compassion for both the slaves’ plights and the plight of the master’s little girl made her a much more likeable and relatable character, in my eyes. The characters all struggled with the concept of guilt, compassion, and forgiveness, and I liked being able to see this situations and come to terms with my own emotions and thoughts about it. This would be a great book to have a book club or classroom discussion on.
Like the previous book, it’s a quick read, and I found it to be very much worthwhile. I’m looking forward to the sequel to see where Riley’s afterlife takes her next!
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
August 4, 2020
I think as the series goes on, Riley becomes more mature and learns more after she makes repeating mistakes. She’s very stubborn and likes to do things her way.
March 19, 2011
It's hard not to fall in love with Riley and think of her as kid sister. She's defiant, strong willed and is on a mission to help those who are in need of assistance in crossing over. With Bodhi and Buttercup by her side, Riley finds herself in her toughest mission yet, though it's not really mission since she's on vacation when she stumbles upon Rebecca.
Despite Bodhi's warning, Riley soon finds herself face to face with Rebecca, an evil spirit who takes delight in trapping the spirits of those who are responsible for her death. To make matters worse Bodhi and Buttercup are also trapped and Riley is the only one who can save them. Alyson takes a very serious topic and a horrible part of human history and delicately wraps it around the story of Rebecca and spirit Prince who is there to help Riley. We are shown glimpses of slavery and it's vicious cycle through the flash backs the Princes shares with Riley in order for her to understand Rebecca's world. Riley sees just how horrible the slaves were treated and the cycle of anger and hate that not only keep them trapped in Rebecca's world, but she learns why Rebecca is so angry and the manner in which she died. I also liked getting to know more about Brodhi through his flashback. In order for Riley to free them all, they must learn to love & forgive in order to be free to cross over.
Shimmer has a lot of elements to the story that make this an engaging read. I felt that Riley as a character matured more after seeing the unimaginable things that happened to the slaves on Virgin Islands during the turn of the century. It's heartbreaking, but a key element to the story and one I felt Alyson wrote well. I really liked the message Shimmer has. To love and forgive is to be free from hate and anger. I would recommend this for middle graders and fans of Alyson's Evermore series. I'm looking forward to reading Riley's third book, Dreamland when it's out this fall
Despite Bodhi's warning, Riley soon finds herself face to face with Rebecca, an evil spirit who takes delight in trapping the spirits of those who are responsible for her death. To make matters worse Bodhi and Buttercup are also trapped and Riley is the only one who can save them. Alyson takes a very serious topic and a horrible part of human history and delicately wraps it around the story of Rebecca and spirit Prince who is there to help Riley. We are shown glimpses of slavery and it's vicious cycle through the flash backs the Princes shares with Riley in order for her to understand Rebecca's world. Riley sees just how horrible the slaves were treated and the cycle of anger and hate that not only keep them trapped in Rebecca's world, but she learns why Rebecca is so angry and the manner in which she died. I also liked getting to know more about Brodhi through his flashback. In order for Riley to free them all, they must learn to love & forgive in order to be free to cross over.
Shimmer has a lot of elements to the story that make this an engaging read. I felt that Riley as a character matured more after seeing the unimaginable things that happened to the slaves on Virgin Islands during the turn of the century. It's heartbreaking, but a key element to the story and one I felt Alyson wrote well. I really liked the message Shimmer has. To love and forgive is to be free from hate and anger. I would recommend this for middle graders and fans of Alyson's Evermore series. I'm looking forward to reading Riley's third book, Dreamland when it's out this fall
August 8, 2011
I remember the first in this series very well, and I enjoyed the first in the series a lot. Now, first books, in most cases, are generally the best, and the following are not as good, but I can tell you for a fact, this Book is even better than Radiance, and that's saying something.
The books picks up with Bodhi and Riley on Vacation, like they said they would be at the end of Radiance. The beginning is actually exactly how a book should be started, fast and instantly grips you. I enjoyed this all the more thought, because I recently read the final Installment to the Immortals series, so I was very much in the Immortals mood, and ready to read this, when it popped through my letterbox.
The books follows Riley as she sees a bad omen and follows it, only to reveal that her friends are soon sucked into a bubble of evil created by a angry spirit who refuses to cross the bridge. And then it's basically an amazing story, that you have to read if you want to know what happens, Evil becomes, good, forgiveness and the rest and the Riley and Bodhi have to face the council, something's about to happen, CLIFFHANGER, end of book... I most definitely want Dreamland now.
The book has one of my favorite styles of writing. Whimsical, beautiful and descriptive, and I know i've said this before but I really do love Alyson Noel's style of writing. It just pulls you in straight away.
The story-line was surprising! You see a 200 page book and think it would be relatively short, but this story had so much packed into it. It was an amazing adventure filled with emotion, empathy, and magick. It was all easy to understand and no complicated twists, and very good for the market it has been aimed at.
My favorite character would most definitely have to be Rebbeca. She was most definitely the awsomeist character and she used the most magic so I naturally favored her.
Overall I really did like this and boy I can't wait for dreamland but yes, you should read this.
The books picks up with Bodhi and Riley on Vacation, like they said they would be at the end of Radiance. The beginning is actually exactly how a book should be started, fast and instantly grips you. I enjoyed this all the more thought, because I recently read the final Installment to the Immortals series, so I was very much in the Immortals mood, and ready to read this, when it popped through my letterbox.
The books follows Riley as she sees a bad omen and follows it, only to reveal that her friends are soon sucked into a bubble of evil created by a angry spirit who refuses to cross the bridge. And then it's basically an amazing story, that you have to read if you want to know what happens, Evil becomes, good, forgiveness and the rest and the Riley and Bodhi have to face the council, something's about to happen, CLIFFHANGER, end of book... I most definitely want Dreamland now.
The book has one of my favorite styles of writing. Whimsical, beautiful and descriptive, and I know i've said this before but I really do love Alyson Noel's style of writing. It just pulls you in straight away.
The story-line was surprising! You see a 200 page book and think it would be relatively short, but this story had so much packed into it. It was an amazing adventure filled with emotion, empathy, and magick. It was all easy to understand and no complicated twists, and very good for the market it has been aimed at.
My favorite character would most definitely have to be Rebbeca. She was most definitely the awsomeist character and she used the most magic so I naturally favored her.
Overall I really did like this and boy I can't wait for dreamland but yes, you should read this.
May 14, 2012
2.5 stars. Will be posted on http://thedailyprophecy.blogspot.com
Riley Bloom is back. She is on a vacation with Buttercup - her dog - and Bodhi. That is until she is run over by a vicious black dog and she decides that she must cross him over. When she follows the dog, she meets the young ghost Rebecca. Despite her sweet appearece, Rileyn soon learns that there is more. The girl is furious about being murdered during a slave revolt. Her father was a plantation owner. Rebecca is still lashing out by keeping the ghosts who died long ago, trapped in their worst memories. Hunting them with their mistakes and forcing them to re-live the moments.
When Bodhi is trapped by Rebecca, Riley must find a way to get inside the bubble. She meets a prince and he speaks in mysterious ways. Still, they manage to find a way and Riley is capable to rescue Bodhi from his worst memory. Together they must find a way to release Rebecca and the haunted ghosts. But are they clever enough to find a way for this angry, haunted girl, filled with hatred?
And what are the consequences of Riley's own planned mission? Will the council accept such a behaviour?
I thought it was a nice, quick read. Riley is a funny girl. She knows how to annoy Bodhi - they are so sweet together! - and she is still very stubborn. I also pity her. She longs to become thirtheen years and I always hate it when people die very young. It seems so unfair to take their future away.. But the fact that Bodhi tells her it might be possible to become thirtheen in Here & Now made me smile!
Riley Bloom is back. She is on a vacation with Buttercup - her dog - and Bodhi. That is until she is run over by a vicious black dog and she decides that she must cross him over. When she follows the dog, she meets the young ghost Rebecca. Despite her sweet appearece, Rileyn soon learns that there is more. The girl is furious about being murdered during a slave revolt. Her father was a plantation owner. Rebecca is still lashing out by keeping the ghosts who died long ago, trapped in their worst memories. Hunting them with their mistakes and forcing them to re-live the moments.
When Bodhi is trapped by Rebecca, Riley must find a way to get inside the bubble. She meets a prince and he speaks in mysterious ways. Still, they manage to find a way and Riley is capable to rescue Bodhi from his worst memory. Together they must find a way to release Rebecca and the haunted ghosts. But are they clever enough to find a way for this angry, haunted girl, filled with hatred?
And what are the consequences of Riley's own planned mission? Will the council accept such a behaviour?
I thought it was a nice, quick read. Riley is a funny girl. She knows how to annoy Bodhi - they are so sweet together! - and she is still very stubborn. I also pity her. She longs to become thirtheen years and I always hate it when people die very young. It seems so unfair to take their future away.. But the fact that Bodhi tells her it might be possible to become thirtheen in Here & Now made me smile!
Read
August 7, 2011Riley is 12 (eternally) she died in a car crash with her parents and after hanging around the earth plane for a while with Ever, she moved on. Now in the 'here and now' she has a job. She is a 'Soul-catcher'. Her job is to persuade other ghosts and spirits to move on.
In book 1 she tackled a group of ghosts that no one else could handle. Now she is basking in her glow (literally - ghosts glow when they complete a goal - do something good). Sent for a short vacation with her spirit guide Bodhi they head for the beach, but whilst there Riley meets a young girl named Rebecca. Rebecca is also a ghost, and although she may looked sweet and innocent, she packs one hell of a punch. She has some ghostly skills that test Riley's determination, strength and courage.
Again I loved the original idea of this and was curious as to how it would all turn out.
Bodhi is again his cautious self, and the pair still seem to fight about everything. But I love his reasoning and determination.
Riley is quite stubborn and quick to judge, but you see her develop as a character and mature a bit in this book. Although still blatantly disregarding the rules, she does things for the best.
Rebecca sent chills down my spine and her world of anger sounded like something from my worse nightmares! I could picture it all, the good and bad. These books will literally take you to another world.
This book is quite short at only 176 pages so was great for a lazy Sunday morning read. I'm looking forward to book three.
In book 1 she tackled a group of ghosts that no one else could handle. Now she is basking in her glow (literally - ghosts glow when they complete a goal - do something good). Sent for a short vacation with her spirit guide Bodhi they head for the beach, but whilst there Riley meets a young girl named Rebecca. Rebecca is also a ghost, and although she may looked sweet and innocent, she packs one hell of a punch. She has some ghostly skills that test Riley's determination, strength and courage.
Again I loved the original idea of this and was curious as to how it would all turn out.
Bodhi is again his cautious self, and the pair still seem to fight about everything. But I love his reasoning and determination.
Riley is quite stubborn and quick to judge, but you see her develop as a character and mature a bit in this book. Although still blatantly disregarding the rules, she does things for the best.
Rebecca sent chills down my spine and her world of anger sounded like something from my worse nightmares! I could picture it all, the good and bad. These books will literally take you to another world.
This book is quite short at only 176 pages so was great for a lazy Sunday morning read. I'm looking forward to book three.
November 23, 2012
Oh gosh! I loved Shimmer! It was so cool! I had no idea, how the problem would've been solved! I never would have though of that! That girl is insane! I mean, can't she be a bit more open minded?! Well I get that she's mad but really?! Did she have to be so mean to all of those people?! It's insane! They were trapped and had to live their greatest nightmares over and over for who knows how many years?! It just really angers me.
Riley is super cool. And she overcame the situation again. However, she still has a ton of trouble and doubt and such since she is only a twelve year old girl! She's only human... Well, a dead human. :P Either way she's super cool.
Bodhi is awesome. Really really cool. He's made such a difference since that first time he appeared in the first book. And it's really amazing. I would never guess he'd be like this when Riley first met him. And for him to be her mentor?! And just a thought, he should really teach her to hide her thoughts. :P
Rebecca is a really annoying. And yes she is the girl who I was complaining about in the beginning of this review. So basically, I don't like her. She's just really rude, and confused. And I do have sympathy for her, because of what had happened to her. That would be really sad. I'd be crying.
All together I liked this book, though it just isn't one of my favorites.
Does this book reach my high expectations? Yes it did. Though, it could be better.
Would I recommend this book? And to who? Yeah, I would. To all the others who have read the previous book in the Riley Bloom series.
Riley is super cool. And she overcame the situation again. However, she still has a ton of trouble and doubt and such since she is only a twelve year old girl! She's only human... Well, a dead human. :P Either way she's super cool.
Bodhi is awesome. Really really cool. He's made such a difference since that first time he appeared in the first book. And it's really amazing. I would never guess he'd be like this when Riley first met him. And for him to be her mentor?! And just a thought, he should really teach her to hide her thoughts. :P
Rebecca is a really annoying. And yes she is the girl who I was complaining about in the beginning of this review. So basically, I don't like her. She's just really rude, and confused. And I do have sympathy for her, because of what had happened to her. That would be really sad. I'd be crying.
All together I liked this book, though it just isn't one of my favorites.
Does this book reach my high expectations? Yes it did. Though, it could be better.
Would I recommend this book? And to who? Yeah, I would. To all the others who have read the previous book in the Riley Bloom series.
July 19, 2012
Shimmer was an okay sequel to Radiance. I think I liked Radiance better though. Shimmer started off kind of slow and boring. It took about fifty pages before I really got into it(for page counters that's a third of the book). Riley has matured a bit more than the first book. We get more of a glimpse into her life when she was still alive. I was also excited to be able to learn Bahdi's story. The book finally gave a lot of information about him. There were a few plot holes and spelling errors. When I read the book, I had a hard time liking any of the characters. Even though Riley matured, she still has whiny, bratty tendencies which make her annoying at times. I couldn't stand Rebecca, one of the new characters. She was a spoiled brat and a horrible person. Riley took pity on her after hearing all of her story, but I couldn't. The prince seemed weird and freaky at first. However, towards the end, I felt bad for him. After hearing Bodhi's story, I felt sad. For someone to have to go through that guilt and suffering is horrible. He was so caught up in his own grief that he didn't realize it wasn't his fault. I wasn't very impressed with this book, but I will continue this series because it is a short read. I recommend this book for people who have read Radiance.
February 12, 2015
The book "Shimmer" is about a girl named Riley Bloom that is a soul catcher. She is also a ghost. In this book, she is trying to capture the soul if Nicole, a girl whom had a rough life. She accomplishes it and sends her to a better life.
Riley is a sweet, right to the point 12 year old that likes everything her way. She has a golden retriever named Buttercup, which goes with her everywhere.
Bodhi is Riley's guard, and he helps her on her missions, and he is a soul catcher too. He has a green straw he chews on when he is stressed.
Nicole is a young girl who had a very rough life, who was killed by an army attack. She has a black dog that guards her wherever she goes, and when she gets mad, she yells at everyone.
The setting of the book is in a forest in the middle of nowhere, and the characters also get possessed into Nicole's world.
The conflict of the book is when Nicole starts a big fight with Riley, and Riley has to fix it.
The resolution of the book is when Bodhi and Riley convince her to cross the bridge to a happier life.
I thought the book was great, and I plan on finishing the series. This is the second book, and it's just as good as the first.
I would recommend the book to anyone who likes novels and likes book series.
Riley is a sweet, right to the point 12 year old that likes everything her way. She has a golden retriever named Buttercup, which goes with her everywhere.
Bodhi is Riley's guard, and he helps her on her missions, and he is a soul catcher too. He has a green straw he chews on when he is stressed.
Nicole is a young girl who had a very rough life, who was killed by an army attack. She has a black dog that guards her wherever she goes, and when she gets mad, she yells at everyone.
The setting of the book is in a forest in the middle of nowhere, and the characters also get possessed into Nicole's world.
The conflict of the book is when Nicole starts a big fight with Riley, and Riley has to fix it.
The resolution of the book is when Bodhi and Riley convince her to cross the bridge to a happier life.
I thought the book was great, and I plan on finishing the series. This is the second book, and it's just as good as the first.
I would recommend the book to anyone who likes novels and likes book series.
December 29, 2011
3.5 stars
I’m so glad that I decided to keep reading this series; I liked this novel a lot more that I liked Radiance. I felt like this second novel in the series has much more substance, and while Riley is still an immature pain in the butt, she’s growing just a little bit, making better choices, and I was able to stomach her a lot more in this novel—and the same goes for Bodhi.
I also really enjoyed the pretense of the novel a lot more. The fact that events in this novel are loosely related to true events in the 1800s makes it that much more interesting. There is a real moral to this story, especially as it deals with forgiveness while also showing the horrors of slavery, which most young people gloss over as it’s not the here and now (no reference to where Riley now lives). I was much more pleased with this novel and hope that Noel continues down this path with the series...
To read my full review upon release (1/26/2012):
http://wp.me/p1jhaj-1EE
I’m so glad that I decided to keep reading this series; I liked this novel a lot more that I liked Radiance. I felt like this second novel in the series has much more substance, and while Riley is still an immature pain in the butt, she’s growing just a little bit, making better choices, and I was able to stomach her a lot more in this novel—and the same goes for Bodhi.
I also really enjoyed the pretense of the novel a lot more. The fact that events in this novel are loosely related to true events in the 1800s makes it that much more interesting. There is a real moral to this story, especially as it deals with forgiveness while also showing the horrors of slavery, which most young people gloss over as it’s not the here and now (no reference to where Riley now lives). I was much more pleased with this novel and hope that Noel continues down this path with the series...
To read my full review upon release (1/26/2012):
http://wp.me/p1jhaj-1EE
Read
October 23, 2011This is the second book in the Riley Bloom series and boy oh boy does Riley know how to get herself into trouble. But this spunky twelve-year-old soul doesn't mind breaking the rules in order to bring a miserable angry ghost who is holding numerous souls in a hell she created to the Here and Now. Rebecca tortures souls, forcing them to replay over and over again the worst moments of their lives - as slaves on a plantation in St. James back in 1722 when they revolted and killed her and her father. Unfortunately, they're stuck in this miserable existence and their only chance of getting out of of it is through the guidance of Riley Bloom. There are so many wonderful messages in this MG novel, like how anger holds you back and locks you in the moment, how forgiveness not only can heal you, but heal others too, how staying locked in the past is a detriment to "living" or moving on.
Another terrific novel by Alyson Noel!
Another terrific novel by Alyson Noel!
September 5, 2013
Jessica Mitchell, 11
Shimmer
1 star
I don't even know what to say about this. The first book in this series was amazing! I really, really loved it. But I think Alyson Noel should have just left it there. Just one book. I feel like she's overusing the whole 'afterlife' thing, and the story was somewhat hard to follow. But, the first book was crystal clear.
I could barely concentrate on this because the writing was slow. She was really overdoing the whole writing style that made it sound like a young girl was writing/speaking. It was tiring after awhile, and made it sound like the author was practically desperate for readers. Sorry, i'm in a bad mood. I'm not usually this harsh..
Shimmer
1 star
I don't even know what to say about this. The first book in this series was amazing! I really, really loved it. But I think Alyson Noel should have just left it there. Just one book. I feel like she's overusing the whole 'afterlife' thing, and the story was somewhat hard to follow. But, the first book was crystal clear.
I could barely concentrate on this because the writing was slow. She was really overdoing the whole writing style that made it sound like a young girl was writing/speaking. It was tiring after awhile, and made it sound like the author was practically desperate for readers. Sorry, i'm in a bad mood. I'm not usually this harsh..
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