Review: The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver

Title: The Demon Trapper's Daughter
Author: Jana Oliver
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pub. Date: 2.1.2011
Genre: Paranormal YA
Keywords: Demons, Loss, Romance, Mystery
Pages: 340
Description (from Goodreads):

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 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?

Please Note:

THE DEMON TRAPPER'S DAUGHTER is the first book in the series here in the United States. The second book in the series, SOUL THIEF will be released August 30th.  The UK Edition of the series have different titles and covers. The first book is THE DEMON TRAPPERS: FORSAKEN and is available in the UK and Australia now. The second book, THE DEMON TRAPPERS: FORBIDDEN is due to be released early September. The UK edition is the same story with only formating and spelling differences (A lot more 'U's and 'Y's like in colour and tyres).

I'll be honest: I picked up THE DEMON TRAPPER'S DAUGHTER on a whim, but I wasn't very excited about it. I'm not the biggest fan of the cover (though I like it more after reading the novel) and, while the description sounded interesting, I thought it had the potential to be cliche. 

I was wrong. 

I simply could not put it down. Kickass main character? Check. Detailed world with unique paranormal elements? Check. Good looking boys? Double Check. It doesn't always happen that a novel has all three of these key elements and it didn't take long before I realized that Jana Oliver had blown these requirements out of the water.

I was extremely impressed with the paranormal elements of THE DEMON TRAPPER'S DAUGHTER. Oliver managed to provide plenty of detail and background without slowing the novel's pace down to a crawl. Thankfully, there weren't any spots within the novel that left me wondering when something was finally going to happen.

Riley's story wouldn't be complete without a love interest... or two. I'll admit that I'm not the biggest fan of Simon... The only word I can use to describe him is 'blah.' Luckily, there another candidate for Riley's affections and he is the complete and total opposite of 'blah.' If Riley doesn't want him, I'll be more than happy to take him off her hands...

If you're skeptical about picking up THE DEMON TRAPPER'S DAUGHTER, I urge you to give it a chance. I've no doubt I'll be reading the continuation of Riley story in SOUL THIEF, which releases in the US in August.

Review copy provided by publisher.