Book Review: Forsaken (The Demon Trappers #1) by Jana Oliver

Title: Forsaken (The Demon Trappers #1)

Author: Jana Oliver

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Publishing Date: January 2011

Length: 448 pages

Genre: YA, fantasy

Source: Received from publisher 

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?

Summary by Goodreads 

 

Since my favourite book is about fighting demons, I couldn’t wait to read this new demon themed novel. I started FORSAKEN three times and never got beyond chapter one. I have no idea why exactly we had such a slow start, because in the end I liked FORSAKEN.

The story is set in a poor and run-down Atlanta 2018. Money is tight and many people have to make their living by trapping and selling demons. Now is the time for our heroine, Riley, to enter this hellish business. In an all male world she has to proof she’s as strong and skilled as her male colleagues. And it was cool to follow her on her way to become a trapper with all its difficulties and deprivations.

Remarkable about FORSAKEN is the accumulation of male protagonists and possible matches for Riley. There’s Simon and Beck, both demon trappers, her best friend Peter and the mysterious Ori. I already have my favourite match, it wasn’t difficult to like him. But everything about Riley’s feelings is still so undefined that I am curious about the developments in her love life in FORBIDDEN. The story is told from Riley and Beck’s point of view and rather slow-paced. Writing and characters aren’t extraordinary, but solid.

This first novel in the THE DEMON TRAPPER series is all about Riley and her way to become a respected member of the demon trapper guild. I liked FORSAKEN but hope for more action and romance in book two.

Jana Oliver invented an original organisation for the business of demon trapping. Their equipment and various types of demons make FORSAKEN an authentic read. Interesting is that Oliver associated a religious background with the business of demon trapping. Hunters and trappers work together with the Vatican.

I am already curious in which direction the whole story around demons, the Vatican and an ominous conspiracy is heading!

1) women get a chance to prove themselves in an all male society

2) of a solid writing

3) of a cool male character cast
4) of its dual narration that allows insight into two very different minds
5) of an ominous and absorbing conspiracy

3,5/5 ***/* FORSAKEN- Tough characters and creepy demons offer material for a new exciting fantasy series!

With a bit more action and romance in book two this series could easily become one of my favourite demon themed series!

*FORSAKEN (UK) is also known as THE DEMON TRAPPER’S DAUGHTER (US)

* You can read an excerpt of FORSAKEN here!  

* Make sure to visit www.janaoliver.com

* Thanks to Pan Macmillan for sending me FORSAKEN for review!

* Let’s wait for the second THE DEMON TRAPPERS novel: FORBIDDEN

 

Book Blogger Hop #5

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Crazy-for-Books and is an awesome way to for book bloggers to interact and find each other. This week's question is: 

Share your favorite post from the last month and tell us why it’s close to your heart!

My favourite post from the last month is also my first Guest Post ever. I was part of Sabrina's Guest Post series "From Europe to the world" @ abouthappybooks. I really like her blog, so visit  and comment if you like! You can find the post here.

Coveresque feat. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han (US vs. UK vs. German)

Tell me, which  cover do you like best?  US on the left, we've got the UK cover in the middle and the German one on the right side.I love the US cover, because it shows the three character this series circles around. I also really like the sun effect, really romantic! The UK cover is young and playful. And the German cover...um...not my cup of tea.

Comment Love Giveaway Winner!

Thank you all for commenting so much on my blog posts, love that (who doesn't love comments:))The winner is Sara @Just Another Story .Congratulations, please choose a book/books up to 15 $ US from The Book Depository!

Guest Post: Around the World Book Tips featuring Australia

We all love to read, enjoy numerous different genres and characters that enrich our life every day. What makes our literary world so special is that each country contributes with its own masterpieces to it. Let’s travel around and experience what makes each country’s literature so special, meet new authors and novels and get to know which, for us foreign, books fellow bloggers enjoy.

I hope you enjoy my guest post series "Around the World Book Tips"!

Today Skye shares her favourite book(s) from her home country, Australia, with us. She's been an avid reader for two or three years now, since she was forced to read the Vampire Academy series. Skye started her book blog In The Good Books in June 2010!

Australia is a small island off the coast of New Zealand, which you may or may not have heard of. Australia is home to Tim Tams, Vegemite (which I unpatriotically despise), and great books.

Which is your favorite Australian book and why?

Some of those aforementioned great books include STOLEN by Lucy Christopher, BEATLE MEETS DESTINY by Gabrielle Williams, MERCY by Rebecca Lim, LIAR by Justine Larbalestier, and anything by Melina Marchetta or Markus Zusak. 

My favourite Australian novel, though, is ON THE JELLICOE ROAD by Melina Marchetta. It's beautifully written, and both uplifting and heart-breaking. 

 

Taylor Markham is not a popular choice. She is erratic, has no people skills and never turns up to meetings. Not to mention the incident when she ran off in search of her mother and only got halfway there. But she's lived at Jellicoe School most of her life and as leader of the boarders that's her greatest asset. Especially now the cadets, led by the infamous Jonah Griggs, have arrived. The territory wars between the boarders, townies and cadets are about to recommence. But Taylor has other things on her mind: a prayer tree, the hermit who whispered in her ear, and a vaguely familiar drawing in the local police station. Taylor wants to understand the mystery of her own past. But Hannah, the woman who found her, has suddenly disappeared, leaving nothing but an unfinished manuscript about five kids whose lives entwined twenty years ago on the Jellicoe Road. 

Summary by Melina Marchetta 

What makes Australian literature so special? 

The main thing that makes Australian literature is unique is in the setting. Australia’s appeal is the outdoors: even cities in Australia have their roots in nature. Even in Melbourne, a large city, there gardens everywhere.

The setting of a story affects the characters and plot in subtle but important ways. Take ON THE JELLICOE ROAD for example, where the setting is so important and significant to the story and personified through Melina Marchetta’s writing so that it’s almost a character itself.

Also, the language (though still English) differs subtly. Australian figures of speech and slang words give Australian literature a unique air. We say trolley instead of shopping cart, we say bin instead of trash can, we say footpath instead of sidewalk.

 

Which other country's book tip are you looking forward to? 

I’m looking forward to other book tips in this series that come from countries that speak a language other than English. I’ve read books before that have been translated to English, and I’ve always been intrigued by the way language is interpreted differently on different sides of a language barrier (back when I took French, and I was always surprised by the way things translate – Quoi de neuf? means ‘what’s up?’ or ‘how’s it going?’ though literally, it translates to ‘what the nine?’). 

Thank you Skye for contributing to my guest post series "Around the World Book Tips"! I really liked STOLEN and THE BOOK THIEF, now I need to choose a Melina Marchetta novel to start with. And I know what fascinates you about the different ways a language can be interpreted:)

Want to be part of the post series and featured with your own international book tip? Shoot me an email at goldie-mail(AT)web(DOT)de!