Who you gonna call? Demon Trappers!

Because Atlanta is about to be toasted by Hell’s fiery ire. (More) No spoilers!

Review: Forgiven (#3)

The following review contains NO SPOILERS!

my thoughts in a few sentences: Jana Oliver must be a determined woman—dragging me back into this series after my dislike of Soul Thief and providing me with a crystal view of what I could've missed out on. When Forgiven arrived on my doorstep, I resolved to never read it. Slowly, the curiosity arisen by its sudden presence in my life developed an effect akin to an obnoxious acquaintance poking me between the shoulder blades incessantly. Has that ever happened to you? It's quite unpleasant. Eventually, I crumbled and began to read. Imagine my surprise, and eventual pulse-spiking excitement, when the third book served up a reminder as to why I enjoyed the first one so much. Oh, joy! The demon-battling, the perfect collision of the paranormal, and the romance I've been carrying a jumbo-sized, blazing torch for gives Forgiven the addictive edge lacking in its predecessor.

hooking first lines: "Riley Blackthorne's tears were no more. She'd cried herself dry, yet she still lingered in the arms of a dead man"

Rating: Sud-Kissed | St. Martin's Griffin • Unsolicited • Paranormal Romance • 3/27/12 • $9.23

Review: Soul Thief by Jana Oliver

WARNING: If you haven't read The Demon Trapper's Daughter, book one in the Demon Trappers series, then it would probably be a good idea to stay away from this review.

Soul Thief by Jana Oliver

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Release Date: August 30, 2011
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Source: ARC/Blog Tour
Purchase: Book Depo. | Amazon | Kindle
About the Book:

Riley Blackthorne is beginning to learn that there are worse things than death by demon. And love is just one of them...

Seventeen-year-old Riley has about had it up to here. After the devastating battle at the Tabernacle, trappers are dead and injured, her boyfriend Simon is gravely injured, and now her beloved late father’s been illegally poached from his grave by a very powerful necromancer. As if that’s not enough, there's Ori, one sizzling hot freelance demon hunter who’s made himself Riley’s unofficial body guard, and Beck, a super over-protective “friend” who acts more like a grouchy granddad. With all the hassles, Riley’s almost ready to leave Atlanta altogether.

But as Atlanta’s demon count increases, the Vatican finally sends its own Demon Hunters to take care of the city’s "little" problem, and pandemonium breaks loose. Only Riley knows that she might be the center of Hell’s attention: an extremely powerful Grade 5 demon is stalking her, and her luck can't last forever...

Soul Thief starts off directly after The Demon Trapper's Daughter left off, and with that said, the same feeling I had while reading the first book came back to me. But it was short lived. To say I'd expected so much for the sequel is the absolute truth. And yet, for me, it didn't deliver.

I think the pacing was the real problem. It didn't move fast enough for me, especially for a book set in a world full of demons and angels, and their captors and devotees. I keep feeling like a full-scale war, a big battle or something exciting and epic is looming closer, but still from a considerable distance. I enjoyed Soul Thief's predecessor, and made allowances for it's semi-slow pacing, because it was the starter book, the intro to the series. But in the sequel I expected more of a BAM! kind of deal. The search for Riley's dad was a bit tedious, in that she didn't explore any very intriguing avenues to locate him. The only aspect of her investigation that I found remotely interesting was being amongst the necromancers, but I came to find that they weren't nearly as exciting as I'd thought them to be. Since a good chunk of the book was consumed by the search for her father's corpse, I felt... bored. Where was the perilous action, the deadly fights against the hellish fiends everyone's so worked up about?

The fighting, especially toward the end of book one, was one of it's biggest appeals for me. That and Beck. And unsurprisingly, Beck and Riley's, I don't know, thing antagonized my already rising level of frustration with the book. In book one, the tension between the two was a good thing, even when Riley began seeing Simon (and don't even get me started on him), but during take two I just grew aggravated. Perhaps it's my innate impatience, that generally comes out while reading. But more likely it was the fact that their complex relationship was losing it's appeal... until the second half of the book.

Have I mentioned, yet, that my feelings for this book are also complex, like, immensely? One minute I was bored, the next faintly intrigued, leading up to engrossment, then down to frustration and annoyance, suspicion, concluding with a surprising eagerness for the sequel. My interest was piqued when, finally, a freakish demonic attack happens, the whole business with Ori and the reasons for his involvement with Riley are unveiled, and I got to learn some rather astonishing deets about the Prince of Hell and his role in the Good vs. Evil dilemma. Then when Riley and Ori's relationship turns toward the unexpected very quickly, the irritation came into play. Beck was no better, and I couldn't help but be angry at him for his reactions to some of the trouble that crops up toward the end. 

By the end though, Jana managed to snag me again. To the point where I'm confused, edgy and restless to learn what's going to happen next, and that growing anticipation, that burning hope for what Beck and Riley could have, what--I'm hoping--they will have together has been rekindled somehow. And if I'm not mistaken, this is all boiling up to one gigantic, battle-tastic ending to the trilogy. I'm at the edge of my seat, and I'll be devastated if I'm even partially disappointed come the third book.

---------------------------------------------------

Riley dug in her messenger bag, retrieved a pen, and began a list on a crisp white napkin.
Find Dad
Bust Holy Water Scam
Save the World
Buy Groceries
Do Laundry
As she saw it, if number three on the list didn't work out, the last two weren't going to be an issue. (6)

"She and Simon have taken a fancy ta each other, did ya know? They were holdin' hands and kissin' before the meetin'. They didn't think I saw them."
"Kissin'?" Beck felt something heavy form in his chest, like a stone weighing on his heart. Had to be because of the demon wound; they always made you feel sick. It wouldn't do for him to think of Riley as more than just Paul's little girl.
"Ya didn't know?" the master asked, all innocence. 
Beck shook his head. He'd known Riley and Simon were spending time together. They were both apprenticing with Harper and saw each other every day. But he hadn't realized their relationship had gone that far. She was only seventeen, and now that both of her parents were dead he felt responsible for her. Sort of like a big brother. Sort of something more. (9) About that brother part...*cough* Yeah, right. *cough*

Review: The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver

T h e  D e m o n  T r a p p e r' s  D a u g h t e r by Jana Oliver

Release Date: 2/1/11 (Paperback - US)

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Age Group: Older Teens/Young Adults

Pages: 340

Source: Borrowed/public library
Challenge: 2011 Debut Author Challenge
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kindle

Other: Retro Demonology (Kindle)

Word Blurb: Crazy awesome, eerily realistic!

"Riley Blackthorne just needs a chance to prove herself – and that’s exactly what the demons are counting on...

Seventeen-year-old Riley, the only daughter of legendary Demon Trapper, Paul Blackthorne, has always dreamed of following in her father's footsteps. The good news is, with human society seriously disrupted by economic upheaval and Lucifer increasing the number of demons in all major cities, Atlanta’s local Trappers’ Guild needs all the help they can get – even from a girl. When she’s not keeping up with her homework or trying to manage her growing crush on fellow apprentice, Simon, Riley’s out saving distressed citizens from foul-mouthed little devils – Grade One Hellspawn only, of course, per the strict rules of the Guild. Life’s about as normal as can be for the average demon-trapping teen.

But then a Grade Five Geo-Fiend crashes Riley’s routine assignment at a library, jeopardizing her life and her chosen livelihood. And, as if that wasn’t bad enough, sudden tragedy strikes the Trappers' Guild, spinning Riley down a more dangerous path than she ever could have imagined. As her whole world crashes down around her, who can Riley trust with her heart – and her life?"

THIS BOOK IS SERIOUSLY, INSANELY, UTTERLY AWESOME. So, if the caps didn't do a good job of filling you in on my current feelings, well let me just say, THE DEMON TRAPPER'S DAUGHTER is excellent. There are a few minor things that bugged me, but everything else is just amazing. I was completely stunned by this novel - I'd only heard a few things about the plot, but I wasn't expecting much of it. This book is chockfull of odd deaths, demon rampages, hot guys, the walking dead, cryptic necromancers, seductive witches, religion, angels... the list goes on. There's so much going on, yet it fails to be overwhelming. Which is great, and again totally unexpected.

The economy is pretty much a bust by the time this novel is set, which is in 2018. There's an increase in poverty, less work, and new laws. There are only a few ways to make any real money, if one is not already rich: become a demon trapper or sell the rights to a loved one's corpse to the necromancers. Pretty creepy, huh? Well, you bet. The world has taken a turn toward the dark, and while intensely horrifying, it is also intensely engrossing. And just all around intense. Riley Blackthorne fits right in. First, can I just say that I absolutely love her name! I really love the sound of it, and boy, does it suit. (When you hear Blackthorne, doesn't badass kinda sorta come to mind?) Riley is badass. She kicks butt, isn't afraid to take on a challenge, no matter how scary. And she's willing to face-off with the pigheaded male sexists running the Demon Trapper Guild.

And what harm is there in placing a few sexy guys in the mix? Oh, yes. Beck. DEFINITELY NUMBER ONE on the hot-o-meter. #2 Simon. And, I must say that Ori is just plain good-looking. What to do with all these hunky male species... Right now, Riley tangled up with super hunk numero dos, Simon. And while I think there romance is sweet and adorable, I'm a Team Beck girl all the way. We'll just have to see what happens over the course of the series. (There is going to be a series... right... right?)

And then also of note, would be the ultra-awesome plot behind it all. The demons... their plans for Riley and the reason behind her father being attacked. The family histories... the histories of the demon trappers... the mystery behind the ineffective Holy Water... the demon hunters and the Vatican and The Church... all so fascinating! All of which makes me want to know more, too! My only real problem with this book is the pacing. I needed things to pick up faster; I wanted a little bit more action as well. But, I can't wait for more action, more magic, and definitely more scenes of the romantic persuasion in the next book!

I've definitely been won over by a Ms. Oliver, and intend to heartily pursue this engrossing, eerie, and dark series underway. Looking forward to a sequel, the way I look forward to a boston creme doughnut... and that's saying something!

"Wary of necro games she watched [Beck] approach, fearing this was yet another trick.
'Riley,' he said. When she didn't answer, he added, 'How bad has it been?'
'Just fabulous. The demonic kitten really made my night' (121).

"A frown flitted across his face. 'Ya remember when I first got back from over there, how goofy ya got?'
Goofy? Riley's temper stirred. 'I wasn't like that.'
'Well, ya had yer eyes on me, that's for sure.'
She gave him a stony silence, because he was right. His time in the Army had left him tanned, muscled, and way cuter than when he'd left. A total hunk, and she'd fallen hard.
Then you shot me down like I was nothing" (123).

Oh, baby, don't you know? He is so very into you! Can't wait!

Thanks for reading! And happy blogging!