Shimmer by Alyson Noël (A Riley Bloom Book)

Publisher:  Square Fish / St. Martin's Press
Pages:  208

(Released:  March 15, 2011)

From the Cover:

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?

Riley Bloom is supposed to be on vacation.  The Council kindly agreed that after her last assignment which she pulled off without a hitch, Riley and Bodhi needed time off and to get to know each other.  But, when they arrive at Riley's dream vacay spot, something else is waiting for them.  It comes in the form of a large black dog, a HellHound.  Riley simply cannot have the beast wondering around, frightening people half to death.  She's determined to cross the dog or else.  What Riley finds when she goes in search of the dog is more than she expected.  Rebecca, a ghost too long left on her own and on the Earthly plane, manifests the worst experience in Riley's life and lets her relived it time and time again.  Then, Rebecca entraps Bodhi and Buttercup in their worst nightmares, and it's up to Riley to free them, and not only them, but the hundreds of other souls Rebecca was trapped in her evil web of hatred and anger.  And now, she'll have to worry about the Council again, because this was not what she was supposed to be doing...

Shimmer by Alyson Noël is another excellent addition to Ms. Noël's growing number of YA reads for both teens and preteens.  In Shimmer, we once again find Riley, the forever to be twelve sister to Ever Bloom from the Immortals series.  While Ever was called back to the Earthly plane and allowed to live, the rest of her family, including the family dog, Buttercup, dies and crosses over to the Here & Now.... except for Riley.  It takes her a while to give up the Earthly desires and Ever, her older sister and the one person she wanted to be just like.  When she finally see she needs to move on, Riley joins the rest of her family and begins her other existence as a Soul Catcher.  In the first book of the series, Radiance, Riley discovers what her new purpose is and get her first taste of a Soul Catcher by crossing the Radiant Boy.  In Shimmer, Riley isn't working with the Council, she hasn't been assigned to retrieve the souls desperate for release from their Rebecca imposed prison, but she exerts her "free will" and follows what she knows in her heart to be the right thing.  Now, if only she can convince the Council she was trying to help instead of being obnoxious and strong willed, that is when she returns to the Here & Now, and she's dreading being summoned.

Shimmer is a great read for grades 4 and up. As an adult reader, I was turning the pages of this quick little read, hoping Riley would find her way, as well as saving Bodhi, Buttercup, and all the others.  And there is a moment in time where she's trapped and has to save herself first, I found myself cringing along with Riley, but hoping for the best.  This is an easy read for the younger readers and an intriguing read for the older readers.  Riley was always one of my favorite characters, and her story is being laid out for us, bit by bit in every book.  I highly recommend this series for younger readers, and those who feel young at heart.  There's always a positive message left behind, and even when there's conflict, it's age appropriate and resolved the same way.  If you haven't read Radiance (Book One), I'd recommend picking it up, but it's not necessary to read these books in order, each book can stand alone, Shimmer (Book Two) has enough background given to easily be enjoyed.  YA lovers everywhere, if you enjoy the Immortal series, pick up Riley Bloom's series, Radiance and Shimmer, you won't be sorry, it's an excellent read for every age.  Riley's adventures will continue in Dreamland (Book Three).

(Release Date:  September 13, 2011)

 

From the Cover:

Riley’s finding that the afterlife can be a lonely place when all you do is focus on work. So she goes to the place where dreams happen, hoping to find a way to contact her sister, Ever. She meets the director, who tells her about the two ways to send dreams. 

As a Dream Jumper, a person can jump into a dreamer’s dream, share a message, and participate. As a Dreamweaver, an entire dream can be created in a studio and sent to the dreamer. But Dreamweaving was outlawed decades ago, and the studio was boarded up. 

Thinking it’s her only way to reach out to her sister, Riley goes in search of the old studio. There she finds a ghost boy, who’s been creating and sending nightmares to people for years. In order to stop him and reach out to Ever, Riley is going to have to confront and overcome her own fears. 

Book Trailer:

I receive this book from the publisher, St. Martin's Press for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Monday Morning Flash Fiction Challenge, Week 37

Good Morning!

I hope everyone had a great Easter. Though my kids are teens, they insisted on Easter baskets and chocolate bunnies.... lol.  I guess you're never too old!

Well, it rained all weekend, glad to see an end of it, and I can only hope we've seen the end of the rain for a while... (Cos, I sure am tired of it!!)

But, anyway... since it's finally Monday again, that means it's time for another edition of....

Monday Morning Flash Fiction Challenge!!

We've had some awesome entries in our flash fiction, picked up a few members to add to our little group, and in general, just having fun!  I hope it continues this way too!

I thought we'd try another fantasy image today, and what's more of a fantastical than a warrior, a unicorn, a huge moon filling the background, and wolves in tne distance (maybe werewolves?)?

There's lots going on in this image... so many possibilities!  I hope it satisfies everyone's needs... You can use all of image, a part of it, or pick a piece of the image you want to use to write your flash. I tried to find something this week to allow flashes from various pieces of the image, if that's what someone wants to choose.  But, you also can use the entire image with the right storyline.  And, most important, have fun and let your creative juices flow!

The rules remain the same, 350 words more or less (I'm usually way more) and come back Friday and post your response. Can't wait to see the flash we get!

Sassy Sunday Story Starter.... from Sassy Brit 'Alternative-Read'

This week Sassy Brit as offered an interesting story starter.  Our story starter has been provided by Tracy Cooper-Posey, the author of FATAL Wild Child. Check out her website here.

 

Fatal Consequences

by: Dottie Taylor

word count: 750

The last two hours of my life formally began at 3:07 a.m. on Tuesday when Frens Yngvar tapped on my apartment door.

I didn't know right then, of course. It would take another four minutes for me to catch up on the news, because I was busy filing down the trigger on my Glock and had to cover up the tools and slide my back-up into my pants before I answered the door. I didn't hurry because who hurries at three in the morning? Visitors at that time are always bad news.

So I glanced through the peep hole and sighed when I saw Frens' buck teeth and pulled the door open just enough to glare at him. I also kept my foot against the back of it.

"Better be good," I mumbled, like I'd just woken up.

Frens got a funny look on his face. "Christ, where you been the last few hours?"

"Sleeping," I lied. "Until you woke me."

Frens glanced along the dim corridor, his top lip trying to curl over his big teeth. It was a sure sign he was deeply worried, when he tried that impossible feat. He leaned towards my door, making me reach for the gun at my back. But I didn't draw it. Not yet.

"Brody put a hit out on you," he breathed. "Maybe an hour ago."

Brody. Not Big Youta, who I had expected to be pissed at me. But Brody.

Goddamn it. That changed everything.

The fact that Brody had arranged the hit, not Youta, was distressing, so I could be maybe forgiven for being a little distracted. But that's how idiots get killed in my line of business. Frens must have known how the news would go down. Known and counted on it because what happened next was his fault.

Frens leaned against the door, whispering nervously, “Come on, let me in, anyone could be out here.” He twisted around, trying to see everywhere.

“Nah, I don't think so Frens, because you're right, anyone could be out there. You gave me your big news. Why don't you push off, head home, get some sleep.” My hand eased to the small of my back, resting on the .45.

He grinned, “Okay Sammy, whatever you say.” Almost wistful he added, “Why'd you go and piss off Brody?” Then, he acted like the biggest idiot in the world, not surprising, seeing what he was working with. It was either that or he had balls made of brass thinking he could take on Sammy Sunshine.

Frens's weight suddenly slammed into the door, but my foot didn't budge. As he brought his weapon up from his side, I shoved my .45 against his big nose. His eyes grew ten times their normal size as I motioned him inside the apartment. He fell onto the chair where I'd sat moments before.

“Tell me, Frens, who's out there with you? Don't lie to me, I can tell when you lie, you buckteeth stick out more.” And I grinned, smacking the gun on his nose, bringing tears to his eyes.

“Honest Sammy, no one's there except me. I swear.” Why did he try to lie? I told him not to lie.

Sliding the gun up along his head, I brought it to the middle of his forehead. “Call them.”

“Honest...” He started and I pushed the barrel into his pallid flesh.

“I said to call them.” Grinding out the words caused him to flinch, he realized in that moment his life was forfeited.

“Hank, Willy! Get in here! We got the freak!” Frens lied as he stared into the cold darkness of my eyes. In my other hand now rested the Glock with the hair trigger.

Hank and Willy burst through the door, guns drawn, to find the silenced barrel of my Glock smoking. Two quick shots to the brain, two little pings and Hank and Willy were done.

Frens made a small noise, not quite a scream. When I looked down at him, a dark patch grew to cover the front of his jeans.

“Je-sus Frens! Now how you going explain your wet pants?”

Relief flood his milky blue eyes, “you mean you're going to let me go?”

I barked out a harsh laugh. “Hell no! I meant when you spoke to Saint Peter at the pearly gates!” The Glock popped a third time, and he sagged in the chair. He would have only come after me again later.

Twisting my hair up in a sloppy bun and out of the way, I dragged the bodies to the corner and pushed the door closed. It wasn't my sunny disposition that earned me my unique name, but my long blonde hair, like rays of golden sunshine. Right now, Frens was probably wishing otherwise.

Time to go find fucking Brody, the asshole. Youta would have been easier to handle, Brody easier to find. He didn't think anyone had the cojones to come for him. But, this time he was wrong. He had met his match.

The apartment was small and had only been home for a couple of weeks, I wouldn't miss it. Grabbing the rag that laid at my feet, I brushed the door handles, the window seal, the fixtures in the kitchen and bathroom, the most likely places where trace was left behind. It was time to move anyway. The police would be crawling all over this place in a couple of hours. I snatched up my backpack and shoved my meager possessions inside; a few articles of clothing, a picture of my mom and sister. Dad was long gone by the time I was born.

The duffel was more important than a few pieces of clothing. My arsenal resided inside, and if I was going after Brody, I was going to need it. Fortunately, cash wouldn't be a problem, my line of work paid well.

With one last look behind me, I edged out of the apartment door and it to the stairwell as the elevator chimed. Looked like more company was coming, hell there was going to be a party! The door clicked behind me as I heard the pounding. There was a small woosh as the fire blew out into the hallway before sucking back into the apartment, taking those at the door with it. Collateral damage in the war that was about to start.



Thanks for the most excellent story starter Sassy and Tracy!!

Have a great Sunday!!

Ciao!

Earth Day 2011

Just want to post quickly to remember to treasure the one home we all share. 

Reduce, reuse, recycle! 

It's Not Easy Being Green by Kermit the Frog

Monday Morning Flash Fiction Challenge, Week 36..... The Friday Post

Good Friday Morning (and Happy Good Friday/Earth Day)!!!

It's been another long week here in Sullivan IL.... but I'll have another post up later for Earth Day, it's a Green thing....

As promised, my flash today is an androgynous one... it was much harder than I thought it would, and I kept slipping in pronouns, identifying gender... and they were all feminine, so at least in my psyche, the image has a feminine gender...

So... here's an androgynous flash....

The Dream Arranger

By: Dottie Taylor

Word Count: 460

“It feels like falling... that's the only way to describe it, falling... endlessly.”

“I am the dreamer, a tireless landscaper, an arranger of dreams. I have always known what I was, when I was needed, where to go. I am creator of your life's continuance or new reality revealed. In others words, your heart's desire.”

Elan's newest client has been assigned the destination of early life retrieval.

“Will it hurt?” Client 2249 inquired as Elan prepared them for the retrieval unit.

“No, it doesn't hurt. You'll never know it has happened.”

“Good, that's what I want.”

“Relax.” The sedative took effect and the client slipped into a dreamless sleep.

It had taken days to locate the correct sequence, but now as the client prepared for the retrieval, Elan could insure a safe transition, a seamlessness. The client would never even know their life had been taken. It would just happen, but as the dreamer, Elan could imagine another existence, supplanted into the wavering consciousness in the last moments. For the client, life would continue, of a sort. For Elan, it was the fulfillment of destiny, unable to live in any other way. All Elan needed to know were their desires, and the client would 'walk away' either into a new existence or a continuation, suspended eternally.

For Elan, it was all the same.

The retriever glanced up, seeking Elan's glazed eyes. “May we continue with the extraction?”

Elan nodded, slipping back into the client's thoughts effortlessly, able to bend reality around the retrievers. The client slipped into the endless sleep, a dream forever after. The filament of a silvery stream was lifted, gathered slowly. It slid around and between the retrievers, who in turn, let the slippery soul drift and sink, finding it's way to it's new home.

Elan's part was finished, now it was up to the maintenance crew to take over. Client 2249 had been retrieved, ready for storage, the dream in place for eternity. The client would never grow any older, never experience the pain of death, never see their life extinguished. But, they would also never leave their imagined reality. Elan always reassured the client, but wondered, what happened when the client grew tired of their existence? Would another dream arranger be called to repair reality? Elan had never seen the same client twice.

Elan reached out to touch the client's forehead one last time, and sighed before the crew removed the client to the prepared storage unit. Though the dream arranger would always have a place, it didn't mean it was a joyful life. Elan often wondered, was this the reality, or had arranger's retrieval already occurred? Was this an imagined existence? As the dream arranger, Elan would never know.



So, after I wrote this, I had the urge to write something extremely sensual..... I still might, because.... well... I was left unsatisfied, lol.  Apparently, I need more than androgyny.


I hope everyone enjoy this image... I hope someone wrote something more... less.... I don't know...  I can't wait to see what everyone came up with!!!  I'll be by to have a peek!


And remember to come back Monday for another flash, new possibilities....

Have a great day, weekend, Easter!!

Ciao!