Book Review - Dead Radiance by T. G. Ayer

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?


Okay - before I start with the guts of this review I just want to talk about the cover. Hello!! Gorgeous! Check out those amazing wings. I love it. This is one of those covers that made me want to read the book without even looking a the blurb. A great start, Ms. Ayer :)


I really enjoyed this book. The writing is elegant and intelligent. It is packed full of mysterious and questions that keep you turning the pages.


I really liked Bryn right from the outset. She is a strong, female character who is compassionate and very easy to cheer for. Her love interest, Aidan, is a total babe and I liked him from the second he pulled into her driveway on his motorbike.


The story leaves earth pretty quickly and you get to hang out with gods like Odin, as well as spend a little time with Valkyries, Warriors and Ulfrs. Ayer describes this world beautifully. I could picture everything so clearly. 


As much as I was fascinated with this world, I couldn't wait for the story to get back to earth. I wanted more of Aidan and Bryn's relationship. The story does head back there eventually and I loved that whole sequence.  I don't want to give anything away, but Bryn has a very cool mission to complete and throughout it gets one surprise after the next thrown in her direction. I really liked that.


I wanted more romance in this story, but I think that's more personal preference. We all know I'm a romantic sap and enjoy books with a very strong emotional element. Ayer has probably opened up the book to a much wider audience by not dwelling on the romance too much. Boys would really enjoy this book. It is action packed, interesting, fantastical - it's a really awesome read.


I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a little magic and mystery.
Norse mythology is pretty cool and Ayer has done a great job at wrapping a compelling story around it.


If you want to check out more on the book you can find it on:
Goodreads, Amazon and Facebook


You can also learn more about the author on her blog:
tgayer.wordpress.com and Facebook


There is a particularly cool character interview on Ayer's blog at the moment. Definitely worth checking out.


I hope you enjoy the book. I'm certainly looking forward to the second one!!