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?
By Jana Oliver
Paperback, US Edition, 340 pages
Published February 1st 2011 by St. Martin's Griffin
4 out of 5 stars
Genre: YA Paranormal/FantasyBeing the first book in a series, this book set up a good start to what would be coming.
The Demon Trapper's Daughter started off with the main character, Riley Blackthorne, trying to trap a demon in a college library. It was a good introduction to the world where demon trappers and hunters exist to defeat the demons that have invaded the world.
Riley is the daughter of Paul Blackthorne, a master trapper, who's also a legendary demon trapper. Her father doesn't want her to become a demon trapper since it's dangerous work. She's also a girl, the only girl in the Trappers Guild. Of course, there is some controversy among them regarding Riley's presence. Riley still insists on becoming a demon trapper; she's stubborn in a good way.
Riley was a good main character. She was brave and clever without being overly cocky. She drew strength from tragedies. She faces her foes with dignity and doesn't let people step on her. There were plenty of people who taunted Riley, including her classmates and another master trapper, Harper. I did not like Harper. If I were Riley when he made her clean out that demon crap, I would probably have had some kind of temper tantrum or something! Riley didn't, and instead was determined to simply show him that she wouldn't let his taunts discourage her at all.
There were plenty of other characters, though, that had Riley's back and looked out for her. We have Simon, Harper's apprentice. He's a religious goody-good, but charming and sweet and it definitely showed that he cared for Riley. Riley crushes on him, but I thought Simon was a little too bland for my taste. Beck, on the other hand, I liked better. He's got that 'I-don't-care-about-anything' attitude on, even though he really does care. I don't understand why Riley was often rude to him. He was trying to help, but sometimes she pushed him away or refused to believe he was honestly looking out for her. Their relationship is very up-and-down.
And the demons! Some of them were just downright scary and threatening, and some of them were just little nuisances who stole your jewelry. They had different ranks for each demon, ranging from Grade One to Five, five being the worst. They also had different and unique ways of trapping each demon. I am wondering, though, how did the demons come out of hell and what are they doing on earth? Hopefully, it'll be answered in the next books.
There's still a lot to be covered, and the book ended in a small cliffhanger, but still big enough to make me want to know what happens next! I liked the world building, the characters, the story. Definitely a good start to a hopefully good series!
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