Forbidden: The Demon Trappers by Jana Oliver

Release Date: 5th August, 2011

Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books

Pages: 416pgs

The Story

Hell has a plan for Riley Blackthorne . . .

Riley's beginning to think being a demon trapper isn't all it's cracked up to be. Her dad's been stolen by a necromancer, her boyfriend's gone all weird and she's getting warm and fuzzing feelings for someone who's got more secrets than the CIA. It's tempting to give it all up and try to be normal, but that's not an option with Hell watching her every move.

One mistake will cost her everything - and that's the one she's about to make . . .

The Review

A big thanks to Lauren from Macmillan for sending me a review copy of this book!

Riley Blackthorne is back in the much anticipated second book in the Demon Trappers series. For those haven't read my book review on the first installment of the series, Forsaken, then you can read it here. When I got a copy of this sequel I was very surprsied to find this on my doorstep as I didn't expect it. The best book parcels mind you. Now, I admit, I wasn't a really big fan of the first book in the Demon Trappers series, one because it lacked a good romance and two because there wasn't enough things there to keep me invested in this demon world of Oliver's. However, some people like myself maybe surprised that this sequel was a lot better than it's first book.

In FORBIDDEN there's a lot going on in Riley's life. With her dad's body stolen by God-knows-who Necromancer and her boyfriend still recovering in hospital after an attack that readers experienced in the first book, things start to get messy. Throughout the book not many questions are answered, more like new questions begin to form. Who stole Riley's dad's body? Why is her suppose 'boyfriend' acting so weird even after she technically saved his life? Why is Riley having feelings for someone she thought she didn't like in that way? And why is the mysterious Ori so protective over her? But of course there still lies this question - what does Hell want to do with Riley? Without revealing too much of the plot, all I can say is I'm far more impressed with this book. I think the main reason why I liked this one more than its predecessor is because there's a nice consistent flow to the story and not a complicated one. I found in the first book it was more focussed on crazy events that didn't have much purpose to the drive of the story and it also focussed too much on a out-of-nowhere romance. So it was a great change in FORBIDDEN.

The only thing that disappointed me in the book was the romance. Yet again. I still didn't buy Riley's love for the religious and so-called 'nice' Simon. I've never seen the appeal of him. Same goes with Beck, the person Riley treats as an older brother. Unlike Simon, I don't mind Beck. His attentions to protect Riley are understandable but damn he's blind of his own true feelings. If you know what I mean. As for the newcomer Ori, who made a few appearances in Forsaken, he interested me for a little while and in the sequel his character actually grew on me. But normally when a character slowly grows on me . . . they end up disappointed me all over again. And let's just say something that occurs toward the end of the book . . . made me so mad. At Riley mostly. But I won't say anything more.

Overall FORBIDDEN is a great installment to the Demon Trappers book series. If readers were disappointed in the first book - like myself - then you will be pleasantly surprised by this sequel and what it has to offer. It's the type of read with a little bit of romance (but not too corny like the first book), a little bit of mystery, and the best part of all, there's some fun demon action for young adult readers with a love of fantasy and dystopian-like worlds! Definitely pick up a copy! It's worth it!

The Rating

4 /5 stars