Review: Shimmer

"If you think you know what it’s like to be dead—if you think it’s just an eternity of harp music and cloud lounging—well, think again.

Ever hear the saying, Life goes on?

It does.

Long past the point when everyone else thinks it stopped.

Take it from me, I’ve been dead for just over a year, and from the moment I crossed that bridge to the other side—well, that’s when things really got interesting.…"

Shimmer by: Alyson Noel
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Book: 2-4
Pages: 196

Having solved the matter of the Radiant Boy, Riley, Buttercup, and Bodhi are enjoying a well-deserved vacation. When Riley comes across a vicious black dog, against Bodhi’s advice, she decides to cross him over. While following the dog, she runs into a young ghost named Rebecca. Despite Rebecca’s sweet appearance, Riley soon learns she’s not at all what she seems. As the daughter of a former plantation owner, she is furious about being murdered during a slave revolt in 1733. Mired in her own anger, Rebecca is lashing out by keeping the ghosts who died along with her trapped in their worst memories. Can Riley help Rebecca forgive and forget without losing herself to her own nightmarish memories?

 "Shimmer is a book I am not likely to ever forget. . .I feel as though Shimmer can teach readers a lesson in understanding those around us. We learn from Riley that first glance doesn't mean much. There are many more layers to people, and if you take the time to peel them back, well we all have a lot more in common than you might think. I am really looking forward to what's next with this series. I like the level of depth in Shimmer and hope to see more of the same from Alyson Noël."
   —Bellas Novela

My Thoughts:

With the second installment of Radiance, in her new book Shimmer, it has finally sparked my interest; even with the lack of romance and it being a middle grade series. I'm sure there's a lot of you book readers out there who would love to take a peek at this series. It does bring a lot of adventure, action and comedy. Plus with a clever, spunky, witty, and sassy heroin named Riley, I'm sure a lot of you 9-12 year old's (maybe even some adults) could relate with her. I recommend this series to those who would love middle grade books with a little more adventure and a little less romance. Tho, my hopes are still high for some romance to come a long, I'm sure Riley and Bodhi have something between them don't you think (;

Cover Rating: A