By Jana Oliver, St. Martin’s Griffin, $9.99, 355 pages
“Heaven had kept their part of the bargain. Which means I’m on the hook for the rest.”
Apprentice demon trapper Riley Blackthorn is seventeen, broke, the daughter of a famed demon trapper, and demons mysteriously know her name. Life doesn’t give this tough heroine any breaks, even when her father is killed and debt collectors try taking his body to pay off his debts as a zombie. While society deals with the blowout of economic upheaval and demons abound in the Atlanta area, combated by Atlanta’s demon trapper’s guild, Riley spits in the face of those who would see her fail, especially since she is only a girl. She’ll be faced with deciding who is on her side and who the real demons are in The Demon Trapper’s Daughter.
This is a rare can’t-put-it-down, dang-book-made-me-late-to-work-again type novel. Riley is a dynamic, gritty character that deserves applause as she enters the region of the currently saturated sci-fi/fantasy genre. She’s a girl who can take a beating and still come out swinging, is resourceful and smart, and, above all, has a great sense of humor. The book is well-written, engaging, fast-paced, and of interest to adult sci-fi fans as well as the young adult crowd. This is certainly a must-read of the year. Any year, for that matter.
Reviewed by Axie Barclay