Review by Lisa T. Bergren
The Goodreads.com Summary: 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?
My Two Cents: I read this book in a weekend, it was so engrossing. I thought the characters were well-rounded and interesting, hurt with Riley when she hurt—so I was fully “feeling” her—and ached with complex Beck (though his accent was tough to read. I vote for Oliver to bail on it for book #2…we get it.) Add to that a failing American landscape—and a complex spiritual world within it—demon trappers, demon hunters, beautiful angels, massive battles, great tension…and yeah, I was hooked. While Riley is no Christian, she’s placed front and center in the battle between good and evil, and I sense some more hard choices will have to be made soon. Come faster, Fall, I’m ready for this next book in this series too!
Mama Bear Warnings: Genre: YA; I wouldn’t give this to a kid younger than 16, but then I’m the conservative kind of mother. Sexual innuendo, adult situations (somewhat needed to show the dark world Riley’s wading into), profanity—on occasion, gratuitous—and violence makes it an older-teen-and-up read for me.