The Demon Trapper's Daughter (Demon Trappers, NO. 1 OF 4)

by Jana Oliver

[Angie]

Riley is the daughter of a well renowned demon trapper, and the only female trapper (besides the one on some reality TV show). When her father is killed on the job, Riley must cast a protective circle around his grave and sit vigil until the next full moon or else necromancers will raise his corpse to be a servant to the wealthy. While Riley needs the money to cover the rent, utilities, food and her mother's hospital bills, she does not want her father returned to be a slave. Talk about a unique premise! I loved the premise of this book, and it's nothing like anything I've read before.

I also found the set up to be really interesting. It's Atlanta, Georgia in the near future which has been overrun by demons and is totally bankrupt. There's potholes everywhere with demons lurking in their depths, and school is held in run down grocery stores, old Starbucks, and daycare centers. There's also a black market demon trade. The demon trappers are responsible for responding to demon sightings, while the church provides Holy water for fighting them and healing wounds. I just wondered how the city got to this point, and what the rest of the country is like.

Another thing that I wish was made more clear was why there are no female demon trappers. Is there a historical reason? Old fashion sexism? Or the author's way of having her female lead do something special? I just found it a little frustrating that Riley being the only girl among the trappers is constantly brought up, but with no explanation as to the why of the situation.

The Demon Trapper's Daughter is also a bit more mature than the normal YA, but it's nothing over the top. There's some strong language (a lot more than I was expecting), talk of sex, and violence. But the main character is 17, and the other character that is sometimes followed is in his 20s, so it works.

Unlike many YA paranormal novels, the romance load is very light. Sure Riley gets a boyfriend, but there's no claims of undying love or make-out sessions. This might be because Simon is a "good Catholic boy," but either way, the romance is kind of in the background. However, there does seem to be some hints at a love triangle. In my opinion, Simon doesn't even measure up. He's actually quite a boring character, but he didn't get enough page time to develop. Beck on the other hand is the second POV so we really get to know him. He comes across as a jerk, but underneath that he's a good guy with some emotional demons (in addition to the real demons he fights everyday).

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. If you're looking for something a little different in the paranormal genre, where action outweighs the romance, I'd definitely recommend this one.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.