Dead Radiance: A Valkyrie Novel (Valkyrie) (Paperback)
$14.99 - Free shipping worldwide (to United States and
all these other countries) Usually dispatched within 72 hours | |Short Description for Dead Radiance “That day I knew for sure. I'd lost control of my tears then. They fell in huge, mocking drops. I stared at Joshua through those bitter tears, my heart missing beats as I tried to remember to breathe.I finally knew what the glow meant.I was a freak and Joshua was going to die.”Bryn Halbrook had always seen the glow. But it is only when her best friend dies that she discovers the meaning ...
Full description- Publisher: Createspace
- Published: 18 February 2012
- Format: Paperback 382 pages
- See: Full bibliographic data
- Categories: Fantasy | Traditional
- ISBN 13: 9781469998169 ISBN 10: 1469998165
- Sales rank: 305,100
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Reviews for Dead Radiance
Love it!
I love this debut book by T. G. Ayer. I will admit that once I read the synopsis I was pretty much hooked. Dead Radiance is one of the best YA Mythology/Paranormal books I have read this year.
Bryn is a teen lost in the foster system since her father died. In her latest foster home, Ms. Craven has made her feel welcomed along with her foster siblings. Then Bryn sees the glow around one of the boys. This kind of glow she has seen before when she was younger but she never knew what it meant. She had seen this recently to two others and a few days later they died. Bryn turns to Aiden, the newest foster boy. He believes her and suddenly packs up and leaves. Bryn is upset and find he had left a book behind. This book is helps her learn who and what she is.
Bryn is a wonderful character who became more interesting as the story went on. Her relationship with Aiden is complex and I can't wait to find out what happens to them. To say I am looking forward to the next book in this fabulous series is a serious understatement. by Dani ChapmanA Wonderful Foray Into Norse Mythology
I first saw this beautiful book when somebody tweeted a link to the publishers freebie event. I fell instantly in love with the cover and blurb, I knew it was something I needed to download.
I haven't read anything about Valkyries and am not even all that familiar with the Norse Mythology, so this really caught my attention.
I am so glad I got this book when I did. It was so captivating. I enjoyed every second, from the first word I was sucked into a world I was unfamiliar with but could feel unfolding around me as time went by.
I can honestly say, this is one of my favourite books and I simply cannot wait for the next book, DEAD EMBERS to be published. You can guarantee I will be downloading it as soon as Tee hits 'publish'.
So what's the book all about? Sit back, get comfortable and I will tell you (in a non 'spoilery' way, of course).
Bryn Halbrook lives in the town of Craven. It's the most recent in a string of foster homes. This time, her foster mother, Ms Custer is different from the others. From the start she makes Bryn feel welcome, like a real part of the family, even insisting she should called her Mom. She's a sweet woman with a broad smile and a good heart. It's here Bryn feels most at home, with her foster siblings; Brody and Simon.
But even feeling a sense of peace from being in good care cannot help Bryn feel better about the glow.
She'd seen the glow since she was a child, but never understood what it meant. The first time she saw it happen in Craven, Aimee Carter ended up dying from Cancer. The next time, her best friend Joshua died in a car accident. An accident Bryn feels guilty for as she was also in the car.
After Joshua's death, people treat her like a social pariah, silently blaming her for the death of the beautiful boy they all knew and loved. What they don't know is, they could never make her feel worse than she makes herself feel. It constantly runs through her head that she too should be dead. The impact threw her from the car, straight into a street lamp. Something that would have crushed a normal persons spine. But not Bryn. That's because she's not normal.
She doesn't know yet what's so different about her. All she knows is that when she sees the glow around people, what some people call an Aura, it gradually gets brighter until they die.
It isn't until the mysterious arrival of another foster child that Bryn begins to slowly uncover the truth. Something she had only thought of in mythological terms was about to become Bryn's reality.
Aidan is the newest addition to Ms Custer's care. He rides in on a motorbike like the proverbial bad-boy. Long black hair that glistens as he removes his helmet...
Gorgeous and intriguing, he gets right under Bryn's skin, sets her pulse racing in a way no other boy can.
At school, the Headteacher tasks Bryn with showing Aidan around. She can't help but be annoyed at this. She shows him to his classes, hoping to get away from him as quickly as possible. Is it because just being near him sets her heart racing and makes her breathing quicken? His hair, his eyes, the way he looks at her...
At this point, I won't share any more about their encounters, I will fast forward a little in time, in order that you find out those things for yourself.
It's when Bryn decides to entrust her biggest secret to Aidan that he packs up and skips town. Great, just what she needed. The one person who knows about the glow has just disappeared on her without even saying goodbye. So much for trust. Now what is she to do?
Upon inspecting Aidan's room to see that he really has packed it all up and gone, Bryn discovers a book that will change her life forever.
Again, I won't spoil things for you so I'll fast forward a little more....
As events unfold, the FBI turn up at Ms Custer's home, looking for Bryn. But Ms Custer tells them she ran away after having her heart broken. Bryn hears snippets of the conversation and stays hidden in the broom closet. (Bear with me, I'm trying to remove spoilers as I go)
The FBI finally leave, resigned to the fact that Bryn is not home and may never come back.
Bryn sneaks outside to watch the FBI leave, to make sure they really are gone. But then a strong arm grabs her from behind...
When she awakens, she's unsure of her surroundings. She's no longer at Ms Custer's home. In fact, she's no longer in Craven. She's in Asgard. (But how she discovers this is up to you to read & find out for yourself)
Upon her discovery that Asgard isn't just a place of myth, but a real place - where she also discovers people and things that are also not just confined to Norse Mythology, Bryn has a hard time trying to come to terms with it all. But that isn't the biggest shock life has in store for her...
There are a lot of events that really begin to unfold for Bryn. Not only is the stuff of mythology real, she's an intrinsical part of it all. She stands on the threshold of the biggest, most eventful journey of her life. About to discover that she has a destiny much different to how she thought her life would go. Will she find her purpose in life? A place where she can finally belong?
The answers to these questions lie within the pages of one of the best books I have read to date.
Having never read anything by T. G Ayer before, I was unsure what to expect from DEAD RADIANCE. I sure didn't expect the impact it would have on me.
Tee is an amazing author. I love the way she describes everything so beautifully and explains things so fully you feel as though you are actually a part of the story. She weaves a spell on you so that you get sucked in from the first word - with a fast-paced, well plotted story where myth and real life collide - a beautiful debut novel by an author you can expect many more amazing things from.
I fell for Aidan, big time. I have to say, I really have a thing about the bad boys. Aidan is up there among my favourite book boy crushes. He has a sad story that made me feel so sorry for him (Yes, I admit I cried).
Bryn is one of my all time favourite female MC's. She's witty and sarcastic. She's tougher than she looks and has an inner strength - an inner core, that I really admire. The way in which she handled all that was thrown at her, she really hit the ground running. Bryn is beautiful inside and out and I really routed for her throughout all the trials and tribulations she faced. It just goes to show that the girl who starts off life as the under-dog really can come out on top.
Thank you Tee for introducing me to one of the most interesting, entertaining casts of characters. Bryn, Aidan, Sigrun, Turi, Odin - even Freya and Astrid. There are some wonders to be discovered on the journey that you undertake when you open this book. by Keren KiesslingerAWESOME DEBUT
After reading the first chapters online I had high hopes for a great book, and Dead Radiance did not disappoint.
I can quite happily report that I thoroughly and enthusiastically LOVED this book.
I LOVED the story.
Norse mythology threaded into an intricately woven teenage tale of loss and hardship, mystery and intrigue, first love, deceit, self discovery and more.
I LOVED the characters.
Bryn is a typically normal kid dealing with the heavy burden of being in the foster system and never quite fitting in anywhere, while struggling with a strange and haunting 'gift'.
Her quiet and soft nature at odds with the realisation of what she is to become, Bryn is both challenged and tormented by that new life.
Aidan is cute bad boy, come geek, come secret agent, come saviour, come love interest, come everything!
He is secretive and intriguing and has strong and confusing feelings for our heroine that will ultimately lead to his possible demise.
The secondary characters also, are interesting and diverse, with a couple of complete little biarches you'll want to slap a time or two thrown into the mix.
And lets not forget the Norse Gods.
Some I think you will love and want to learn more about, others, well with their holier than thou attitudes we'll lump them in with the biarches!!
I LOVED the writing.
The story flows smoothly and effortlessly from the page.
It is clear and concise without unnecessary fillers and overly detailed sentences that do nothing more than fill the word count.
T.G. Ayer has written this book in a real and believable teenage voice that I literally could not put down.
After dropping my three girls off at school I sat down with coffee and snacks at hand, and except for toilet breaks and an unexpected storm front closing my daughter's school early, I did not move until I was finished.
Dead Radiance had me completely engrossed, I lost myself amongst its pages and I was enraptured with Bryn and her story.
A beautifully written and endearing tale, Dead Radiance is a definite 5 Star read ~ by cath
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