Who is Riley Bloom?
Before launching her own series, Riley Bloom was introduced to readers as a key supporting character in Alyson Noël’s bestselling Young Adult series, The Immortals. Riley is the twelve-year-old younger sister of the main protagonist, Ever Bloom. After a tragic car accident claims the lives of Riley, her parents, and their dog Buttercup, Ever is left behind as the sole survivor. While her parents cross over immediately, Riley lingers in the mortal realm as a ghost, tethered to the physical world because Ever is unable to let her go.
As a ghost, Riley is spunky, fashion-conscious, sassy, and fiercely protective of her older sister. She brings a lighthearted, comedic energy to the early parts of Ever's dark, romantic journey. However, both sisters eventually realize that holding onto the physical world is preventing Riley from progressing. At the conclusion of Evermore (the first book of The Immortals), Ever helps Riley cross the literal bridge to the afterlife, letting her find her own path. This pivotal moment sets the stage for Riley’s spin-off adventures.
The Two Ways to Read Riley's Story
Because Riley Bloom starts as a side character in one series before headlining her own, readers have two primary entry points. Both paths are perfectly valid, but they offer different reading experiences depending on your interest in the broader universe.
Option 1: The Character-First Path (Recommended)
If you want to experience Riley’s complete character arc from the very beginning, start with the parent series. This path gives you the full emotional weight of her backstory before she enters the afterlife.
- Step 1: Read Evermore (The Immortals, Book 1) – This introduces Riley’s ghost form, her relationship with Ever, her death, and her decision to cross the bridge.
- Step 2: Read the Riley Bloom Series (Books 1–4) – Pick up immediately with Radiance to follow Riley's transition into a Soul Catcher in the afterlife.
By starting with Evermore, you understand exactly why Riley is so determined to prove herself in the afterlife and why she occasionally struggles with leaving her sister behind. Note that you do not need to finish the remaining five books of The Immortals to enjoy Riley’s solo adventures; her storyline wraps up neatly when she crosses over.
Option 2: The Spinoff-Only Path
If you or your middle-grade readers are only interested in a whimsical, lighthearted fantasy and want to skip the mature romance and darker themes of The Immortals, you can jump straight into the spin-off.
- Start directly with Radiance (Riley Bloom, Book 1).
The first chapter of Radiance briefly and gently summarizes Riley's death and her relationship with Ever, giving you all the necessary context to jump right into her afterlife career without reading the YA series first.
Riley Bloom Publication and Chronological Order
The core Riley Bloom spin-off consists of four novels published between 2010 and 2012. Because the afterlife operates in a timeless realm known as the "Here & Now," the chronological order matches the publication order exactly:
1. Radiance (2010)
After crossing the bridge, Riley arrives in "Here," where time is always "Now." Expecting a relaxing eternity, she is instead given a job: Soul Catcher. Under the guidance of her annoying yet experienced mentor, Bodhi, and her ghostly dog Buttercup, Riley is sent back to the mortal plane. Her first assignment is to convince the Radiant Boy, a young ghost haunting an English castle for over a century, to finally cross over. It is a story about finding purpose, learning the ropes of her new job, and adjusting to the rules of the afterlife.
2. Shimmer (2011)
Riley and Bodhi take a vacation to an afterlife destination that resembles a 2D tropical paradise, but Riley’s restlessness quickly gets the better of her. She encounters Rebecca, a young spirit trapped by her own anger and hatred since a violent 1733 slave revolt in the Caribbean. To help Rebecca cross over, Riley must confront historical pain, deal with a wrathful spirit, and learn that some souls cannot be saved by force—only by empathy and forgiveness.
3. Dreamland (2011)
Struggling with homesickness and missing her sister, Ever, Riley discovers the dream-weaving department of the afterlife. She figures out a way to break the rules and enter the dreamscape of the mortal world to visit her sister. However, her unauthorized trip goes awry when she accidentally unleashes a nightmare creature that begins terrorizing mortal dreams. Riley has to fix her mistake before she gets permanently barred from her duties.
4. Whisper (2012)
In the final installment of the series, Riley faces her most intimidating assignment yet. She is sent to deal with Theocoles, a giant, angry Roman gladiator who refuses to leave the mortal world. During her mission, Riley is tempted by a group of older, glamorous spirits who offer her an easy, beautiful afterlife makeover if she abandons her difficult duties. Riley must decide whether she wants to stay true to her calling as a Soul Catcher or lose herself in the vanity of the Here & Now.
Tone and Audience: How the Spinoff Compares to The Immortals
It is important for readers (and parents) to know that the Riley Bloom series is very different in tone, structure, and target audience compared to The Immortals. While both are set in the same universe and deal with supernatural concepts, they cater to distinct reading preferences:
- Target Audience: The Immortals is a Young Adult (YA) urban fantasy series aimed at teens. It contains romantic drama, complex magic systems, and mature themes. The Riley Bloom series is a Middle-Grade (MG) portal fantasy written for readers aged 8 to 12.
- Tone: Riley’s books are faster-paced, shorter, lighter, and more focused on adventure, humor, and self-contained moral lessons. They handle heavy subjects like death, grief, and letting go in a gentle, accessible way.
- Format: While The Immortals follows a continuous, serialized plot involving an overarching villain across six books, the Riley Bloom books are episodic. Each book features a specific ghost that Riley must help, wrapping up the main conflict by the final page.
What to Know Before You Start
Before diving in, keep these quick tips in mind to get the most out of your reading experience:
- No Reading Disagreements: Unlike other complex fantasy franchises, there is no debate about the order of the Riley Bloom books. They should always be read in publication order, as Riley's skills as a Soul Catcher and her maturity grow with each book.
- Ever's Perspective vs. Riley's Perspective: In Evermore, we see Riley through Ever's eyes—often as a slightly annoying, fashion-obsessed kid sister. In the spin-off, we get Riley's first-person perspective, which reveals her inner doubts, her bravery, and her growth as she learns to guide others.
- The Summerland Connection: While Riley works in "Here & Now," characters in The Immortals often visit a dimension called the Summerland. These places are connected parts of Alyson Noël's afterlife mythology, and reading both series gives a broader picture of how the spirit world operates.