Presented by: I.O. Book Tours
(Valkyrie, #1)
By: T.G. Ayer
Release Date: February 25th, 2012
Genre(s): YA Mythology/Paranormal/Fantasy
My Review: (4/5 stars*)
Dead Radiance is really
fun, it has great mythology in it and is a must read for anyone who
loves mythical stories. Having watched Thor and the Avengers I had the
vaguest insight into Norse mythology but this book weaves in some
interesting facts and tells a highly enjoyable tale of Valkyries
focusing on one in particular. I spent two days with this book glued to
my hands - I was utterly engrossed. I'm a huge Greek mythology fan but
T.G. Ayer made me want to read more about Nordic myths and its gods
& creatures as they are absolutely just as fascinating as Greek
folklore if not moreso.
Bryn Halbrook has never been normal because she can see strange glows emanating from people - which she has ignored all her life--until her best and only friend Josh starts to illuminate with light. It's only shortly after that she discovers what the bright radiance means--death. Josh dies and she's left alone at the mercy of an unforgiving town who blames her for his passing. What makes things worse is she is a foster child branded as an outsider from the very beginning therefore isolating her even further. But that all changes when seemingly out of nowhere Aidan shows up as her new foster brother taken in by her foster mother Ms. Custer. Aidan is older, attractive, smart, and a bit of a rebel and they find themselves inexplicably drawn to each other--until someone very close to her starts to glow. Fearing Aidan won't believe her or that he'll think she's crazy Bryn doesn't know who she can tell and time is running out. Bryn has secrets she didn't even know she was keeping until she's tossed into the middle of an unbelievable world and a whole new existence. There might yet be hope for her to fit into the world--even if it isn't the one she's always known. Bryn must learn who and what she is to prepare for what's yet to come. She finds herself on a new journey in life--one of great importance filled with an even greater danger.
This was such an enjoyable and easy read that had all sorts of surprising elements integrated within it. I really admired Bryn as the main heroine because she starts out as this frightened young adult who ends up becoming this brave and strong warrior. I found each character in Dead Radiance to be very likeable in there own unique way (especially Sigrun) and I'm so glad T.G. Ayer decided to focus on lesser known mythological beings because Valkyries are absolutely amazing. I don't want to spoil the Valkyrie myth so you have to read the book to find out more it's astonishingly interesting!
Dead Radiance is really entertaining and the writing is well done. I was intrigued from the very start! Archaeologists uncover the remains of what they believe to be a Valkyrie and that's where everything begins unraveling at such a fantastic pace. There are however some small things I found to be a little disappointing such as limited character depth, the lack of romance, and Bryn's snarky and fun attitude she has at the start of Dead Radiance that is almost non-existent after that. BUT the creativity and the plot make up for its minor flaws. I'm very much looking forward to reading the sequel Dead Embers (A Valkyrie Novel - Book 2). Dead Radiance is a different and highly compelling read and one that can thoroughly be enjoyed. It's loaded with action, adventure, drama, mythology, and romance. Mythology lovers rejoice because this novel needs to make it into your collection! It's a great YA read that shows lesser known Norse mythology in all of its glory.
Bryn Halbrook has never been normal because she can see strange glows emanating from people - which she has ignored all her life--until her best and only friend Josh starts to illuminate with light. It's only shortly after that she discovers what the bright radiance means--death. Josh dies and she's left alone at the mercy of an unforgiving town who blames her for his passing. What makes things worse is she is a foster child branded as an outsider from the very beginning therefore isolating her even further. But that all changes when seemingly out of nowhere Aidan shows up as her new foster brother taken in by her foster mother Ms. Custer. Aidan is older, attractive, smart, and a bit of a rebel and they find themselves inexplicably drawn to each other--until someone very close to her starts to glow. Fearing Aidan won't believe her or that he'll think she's crazy Bryn doesn't know who she can tell and time is running out. Bryn has secrets she didn't even know she was keeping until she's tossed into the middle of an unbelievable world and a whole new existence. There might yet be hope for her to fit into the world--even if it isn't the one she's always known. Bryn must learn who and what she is to prepare for what's yet to come. She finds herself on a new journey in life--one of great importance filled with an even greater danger.
This was such an enjoyable and easy read that had all sorts of surprising elements integrated within it. I really admired Bryn as the main heroine because she starts out as this frightened young adult who ends up becoming this brave and strong warrior. I found each character in Dead Radiance to be very likeable in there own unique way (especially Sigrun) and I'm so glad T.G. Ayer decided to focus on lesser known mythological beings because Valkyries are absolutely amazing. I don't want to spoil the Valkyrie myth so you have to read the book to find out more it's astonishingly interesting!
Dead Radiance is really entertaining and the writing is well done. I was intrigued from the very start! Archaeologists uncover the remains of what they believe to be a Valkyrie and that's where everything begins unraveling at such a fantastic pace. There are however some small things I found to be a little disappointing such as limited character depth, the lack of romance, and Bryn's snarky and fun attitude she has at the start of Dead Radiance that is almost non-existent after that. BUT the creativity and the plot make up for its minor flaws. I'm very much looking forward to reading the sequel Dead Embers (A Valkyrie Novel - Book 2). Dead Radiance is a different and highly compelling read and one that can thoroughly be enjoyed. It's loaded with action, adventure, drama, mythology, and romance. Mythology lovers rejoice because this novel needs to make it into your collection! It's a great YA read that shows lesser known Norse mythology in all of its glory.
Synopsis:
Bryn Halbrook had
always seen the glow. But it is only when her best friend dies that she
discovers the meaning of those beautiful golden auras — Death. Alone,
lost in the foster system, she struggles to understand who she is and
why she was cursed with the ability to see the soon-to-be-dead.
The new foster kid, Aidan, isn’t helping any. Mr. Perfect seems to fit in no matter what, making her feel even more pathetic. But when his affections turn to her, Bryn finds him hard to resist. Impossible actually. A mystery himself, Aidan disappears, leaving behind a broken heart and a mysterious book that suggests Bryn might not be entirely human.
Bryn stands at the threshold of a journey of discovery. Will destiny help her find herself, find her purpose and her place in a world in which she’d never belonged?
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