Book Review: Forgiven by Jana Oliver

Genre: YA Urban Fantasy

Paperback: 368 pages

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Release Date: March 27, 2012

Series: Demon Trappers (Book 3)

Source: Library

 

Blurb: Jana Oliver's third spellbinding Demon Trappers novel - following The Demon Trapper's Daughter and Soul Thief - brings all new thrills, as Riley Blackthorne takes on demons, love... and the future of the human race.

The days are growing darker for 17-year-old demon trapper Riley Blackthorne. With her father’s reanimated body back safely, Beck barely speaking to her because of a certain hunky Fallen angel, and a freshly-made deal with Lucifer, she has enough on her hands to last a normal teenage lifetime. Though she bargained with Heaven to save his life, her ex-boyfriend Simon has told the Vatican’s Demon Hunters that she’s working with Hell. So now she’s in hiding, at the top of everyone’s most-wanted list. 

 

But it’s becoming clear that this is bigger than Riley, and rapidly getting out of control:  something sinister is happening in Atlanta… or someone. The demons are working together for the first time ever and refusing to die, putting civilians in harm’s way. Riley thinks she might know who’s behind it all, but who’s going to believe her? Caught between her bargain with Heaven and her promise to Lucifer, Riley fears the final war is coming – and it may be closer than anyone thinks…


Review:

Jana Oliver's Demon Trappers series is one of my favorite teen series out there right now. It's packed with edge-of-your-seat action, a fascinating mythology, a kick-butt heroine, and, most importantly, a dark and gritty world with complex conflicts that go beyond the typical flat teen novel. I've pretty much loved these books from the very first page of The Demon Trapper's Daughter, and throughout the latest book in the series, Forgiven, the action never stops.

After the betrayal of Ori, Riley is left heartbroken and adrift, dealing silently with the ordeal, her deal with Lucifer and her responsibilities as a demon trapper. It doesn't help that the Vatican Demon Hunters think she's in league with all things evil, and she's forced into hiding and hunted by every demon hunter in Atlanta.

Riley finds that things aren't as they seem, not just with the local demons, but within the demon trappers. As she deals with her personal mistakes and the lingering pain left by her father's death, Riley is forced to find the strength to risk about her personal issues and take on the struggles of the world around her. It's up to her to save the world, even if that means working with those who would hunt her. It all explodes in an incredible climax that kept me glued to every word.

Yeah, this book is just as awesome and action-packed as it sounds. I especially like how Oliver balanced Riley's personal struggles with the action and plot of the novel, nothing seemed to completely dominate the plot so much that it became too sentimental or too sterile. There was so much action and emotion packed into every chapter that it left me breathless. Riley is just such a multi-faceted character who's easy to relate to, but not so strong and powerful that she doesn't have a heart.

I really cannot praise the epicness of this book enough. It's impossible to put down. And I can't wait for the next book in the series, Foretold, which is slated for release later this year.