Forgiven (Demon Trappers) [Paperback]

Jana Oliver (Author)

Book Description

Release date: March 27, 2012 | Series: Demon Trappers (Book 3)

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…

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for the Demon Trappers:

"Oliver delivers a book that will delight her series fans. Adventurous and hypnotic, the characters will pull the reader in. In total, this book adds more drama and adult content to this popular series; a great installment!"—RT Book Reviews (4 stars) on Forgiven

“Caught between Heaven and Hell (and literally tattooed by both), 17-year-old apprentice demon-catcher Riley Blackthorne has made some bad deals... This invigorating entry in the series deepens readers’ understanding of major characters and neatly ties up a few plot points while introducing new conflicts to tantalize fans until the next book arrives.” – Booklist on Forgiven

“The second Demon Trappers book is even better than the first. The demons are more wicked, the love is more epic, and there’s even a twist ending that has me clamoring for the next book.” – RT Book Reviews (4 ½ stars) on Soul Thief

“The rock ‘em-sock ‘em, cliffhanger ending…. A strong female protagonist and equally strong male characters will make this title popular.” – VOYA on Soul Thief

“Devilishly clever and totally unique." – PC Cast, New York Times bestselling author of the House of Night series, on The Demon Trapper’s Daughter

“Riley Blackthorne is all heart and no nonsense!  She will no doubt join the ranks of the toughest, smartest urban fantasy heroines of all ages.” - Jeri Smith-Ready, award-winning author of Shade and Shift, on The Demon Trapper’s Daughter

“The eternal war between good and evil finds a new battlefront in this successful urban fantasy, as Oliver spins the action-packed story of a young woman following in her father's footsteps… With a strong female heroine, a fascinating setting, and a complex, thrill-soaked story, this series is off to a strong start.” – Publishers Weekly on The Demon Trapper's Daughter

“Oliver’s series start will suck you in from the first page, keeping you awake at night wondering what will happen next…thrilling, filled with action and a side of romance.” – RT Book Reviews (4 stars) on The Demon Trapper’s Daughter

“Oliver offers plenty to appreciate in this inventive twist on the story of a girl breaking into a man’s career field, including a nifty demon-classification system; a freaky zombie-creation business; a romantic undercurrent between Riley and her father’s ex-partner, Beck... and a subplot with an earnest young suitor. Readers will delight in the novelty and eagerly await the next book in this proposed series.” – Booklist on The Demon Trapper's Daughter

“This was a really entertaining Young Adult Urban Fantasy novel with interesting characters and the kind of writing that has you wanting to read the entire book through in one setting.  A great beginning to a series, and as the series continues, I'm sure the books will just get better.  I recommend this to the Young Adult and Adult crowd as well.” – Affaire de Coeur (4 stars) on The Demon Trapper's Daughter

 

About the Author

Jana Oliver is the award-winning author of the young adult urban fantasy series Demon Trappers, including The Demon Trapper's Daughter and Soul Thief. She is also the author of the Time Rovers series. She’s happiest when she’s researching outlandish urban legends, wandering around old cemeteries and dreaming up new stories. An Iowa native, she lives in Atlanta, GA.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; Original edition (March 27, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312614802
• ISBN-13: 978-0312614805
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #539,102 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I love to write stories and I like open-minded people. I grew up in Iowa and now I live in Atlanta. And there is not enough chocolate on the planet to keep me happy.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This series keeps getting better and better! March 27, 2012

By Amanda Welling

Format:Paperback

First Impressions: The Demon Trapper series is one of my favorites, and I had been pulling my hair out (not literally, of course) to get my hands on Forgiven. If you haven't read the first two books in this series yet, you need to run out to your local library or bookstore and pick them up because they are wonderful. There are so many good things to love in these books, including an awesome, strong female protagonist that completely rocks. I also love the cover art on all three books available so far.

First 50 Pages: Each of Jana Oliver's books gets better and better. It is amazing to be able to watch an author grow and change over the course of a series. The first book was good, but it wasn't mind blowing in any way. The second book was better, with more action and excitement. This brings us to Forgiven, which is pretty much amazing. There is a little something for everyone to be found in this book, including a ton of action with an urban fantasy flare, some romance, and characters that you won't easily forget. I immediately was pulled into the story, finished the whole book in about 6 hours, and now I'm just going to continue to go bonkers until the next book becomes available.

Characters & Plot: There is so much going on in this book that it is amazing the author handled the plot so incredibly well. In Forgiven, Riley has to handle the consequences of hanging around a hot fallen angel and the deal she made with Lucifer. She has a lot of convincing to do if she doesn't want to be shipped to Rome, because the Hunters are suspicious of what had happened with her and Ori and they believe she is working for Hell. Beck has Riley on a short leash and Riley still has no clue what exactly Lucifer wants with her, not to mention that there are new zombie-ish type of creatures roaming around and causing chaos and nobody has any idea who created them and for what purpose. Riley has to figure everything out before it is too late to stop the rising Armageddon, and it's the perfect chance to prove herself to everyone who doubts her abilities.

I adore the main character, Riley. She just gets more awesome with every book. She also grows and matures in Forgiven, and she makes better, more level-headed decisions instead of acting recklessly as she did in the previous books. Riley is so easy to connect with, because she has real emotions that make her seem like someone you could actually know. The best part about Riley's character is that she knows how to depend on herself to solve whatever is going on. She doesn't need someone to come and save her when the going gets tough. I enjoy Beck too and I like the direction that their relationship is going, even though he was angry at Riley for a good portion of Forgiven. His commentary is hilarious at times and I like how Beck's affection and love for Riley isn't always easy, but he stands by her through thick and thin. More of Beck's past is revealed as well, at least a little bit, and it's not as sun-shiny bright as I thought it would be. He has a darker side to him that isn't fully revealed yet, but I have a feeling it will be soon. It must be something pretty terrible, because Beck really does not want Riley to know what it is.

The story behind the Ori is still going on in Forgiven and not everything has been wrapped up, by far. Even though Ori is now a stone statue, he is still able to communicate telepathically with Riley. Judging for what was said, I have no idea whether he is truly bad or if everything he did held a purpose. This book, needless to say, held some surprising twists that make you question everything you thought were to be true.

Final Thoughts: I am completely happy with the direction this series has taken. I'm not sure how many ways I can praise this series and Jana Oliver. These books are wonderful and I believe a wide array of people will enjoy them. Be on the lookout for the Demon Trappers series in bookstores near you!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An action-packed, tension-filled and enthralling story April 16, 2012

By Fiktshun

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

If things in Atlanta were a mess before, they're in total chaos now. The Vatican's Demon Hunters still haven't left, making life difficult for the trappers. The situation with the holy water hasn't been resolved, continuing to put people at risk. And the number of demons congregating in the city has risen drastically, creating doubt about the trappers' ability to do their job.

But for Riley Blackthorne things are even worse. The mistake she made has cost her far more than just her pride. It may have permanently cost her a friend when she revealed what she'd done. It has forced her to go into hiding from the Vatican as a deal she made would surely have them questioning her loyalty. And it's put her in the middle of a war between heaven and hell that she's not sure she can prevent.

Though she may be the only one who can. And she'll have to figure out how to stop it. Fast. With a city already under siege from hell's demons, time is running out. And this time its not just Atlanta that this looming battle threatens but the whole of humanity.

***

Forgiven is the heart-pounding, non-stop action-packed and absolutely enthralling third book in the Demon Trappers series by author Jana Oliver. This utterly riveting installment returns readers to an Atlanta where things are even more dire, for not only Riley but the trappers and the hunters.

With heaven and hell ready to do battle, it's up to Riley to keep the war at bay and keep Atlanta safe from total annihilation. No small task for a Master trapper, an almost impossible task for a seventeen-year-old apprentice like herself. But with the deals she made, Riley may be the only one who can prevent Armageddon.

And with the Vatican's Demon Hunters not sure she's trustworthy, Simon looking to prove she's siding with hell, Ori out of the picture and Beck practically ignoring her, she has very few people she can turn to for help. So when a new threat proves to be even more than the hunters' and trappers' combined forces can handle, new alliances will have to be forged in order to protect the citizens of Atlanta.

Jana Oliver does an incredible job of moving the plot forward, keeping the pace fast and exciting, the characters appealing, the story captivating and the chemistry sizzling. The world is gritty. The characters are a wonderful mix of lovable, relatable, serious, sarcastic, honorable, flawed, devious and dangerous. And the story is so incredibly addictive that readers won't be able to put it down.

This all-consuming, tension-filled story has all the excitement of the previous installments, surprises that will keep readers anxiously anticipating each chapter, enemies that will make the Grade Five Geo-Fiends look tame by comparison, and an absolutely gripping and nail-biting build-up to an ending that will make the wait for the final book absolutely torturous.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Most Intense Story Yet! July 16, 2012

By Bryonna

Format:Paperback

Even though I bought this book back in March, I didn't start reading it until yesterday. Why? Because I was mad at Beck! Riley screwed up, yes, but I was mad at Beck!

When I first started the book, I was mad at him again! Now, this is NOT to reflect on the story on a whole. The story is great and the fact that I was mad at Beck was great because it shows how well Jana weaves this story, drawing you in and really becoming emotionally invested in these characters.

With each book in this series, the steaks are set higher and higher. I think this is probably the most intense of the books yet. I was on the edge of my seat, holding my breath. I swear with the turn of every page you're like "How is she getting out of this one?" Even in the downtime with her friends, you're still wondering what's going to come next.

We start the story back up with Paul Blackthorne - now a reanimated body - back with his daughter. Beck is not really speaking to Riley right now. Even if he wanted to, he's face down in the dirt in front of his house while the Hunters' ransack his home.

As I said, things just keep piling on as the Vatican's demon hunters believe Riley is in league with Hell - an offense punishable by death. Don't forget, we still have those fake bottles of Holy Water out there and demons chanting Riley's name!

I love how Jana truly weaves this story together where you can't really separate them by books. While each does have its own story arch, they are still a continuing story arch, each one leading into the next. Some things answered, more questions come up.

Definitely happy with this latest edition.