Review Detail

I loved Jana Oliver's first book THE DEMON TRAPPER'S DAUGHTER and couldn't wait to read more. FORGIVEN is the third book in this series. The book grabs you right at the beginning and doesn't let you go. Riley finds her dead father, Master Trapper Paul Blackthorne has been reanimated. This means he is basically a zombie and a slave to whoever purchases him. And to make matters worse she has to confess to her father that she was very close to Ori, a Fallen angel. Yeah, her life is pretty sucky right about now.

I love Riley. She's not the typical seventeen-year-old but rather a girl that has learned to live on her own wits. It's the future and the world has gone to hell...literally. Demons run wild through the streets. School is held in empty Starbucks coffee houses. Riley happens to be the only girl demon trapper in Atlanta and is blamed for all the troubles facing the trappers. She's lost so much since readers have first read this series. Her father died, her boyfriend turned on her, and she finds out she's supposed to save the Earth from Armageddon. She could very well be hard core and tough but Oliver shows us there's much more to this character. Riley struggles with what she did with Ori and also her feelings for Beck. I also love Beck. He comes off as being arrogant and a womanizer but there's much more to him. He cares deeply for Riley but still sees her as the twelve-year-old kid daughter of his master trapper. Boy, is he wrong on that!

Fast-paced action, with interesting characters in a not-too distant future takes you on a thrilling ride. Punchy dialogue adds to the strong chemistry between Riley and Beck. This isn't the usual Buffy wannabe paranormal. There's tons to recommend about this series: a strong protagonist who fights for what she believes in, multi-dimensional characters, and an ending that doesn't leave you hanging but rather hoping. I know I am. Plus, the author told me there will be a book four in this series as she couldn't leave us hanging! Yay!

Highly recommended for fans of strong protagonists.