Book Shelf: Forbidden (The Demon Trappers #2) by Jana Oliver

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 fuzzy feelings for someone who's seriously bad news. It's tempting to give it all up and try to be normal, but that's not an option. Because the demons have plans for Riley. And they're not the only ones.

Blurb from Goodreads....


Review:

Gee, Jana Oliver sure knows how to write ‘em! I admit I’ve been a mixture of emotions and uncertainties since beginning Forbidden. There were so many things I loved about it, but unfortunately a few things I disliked as well.
First off, this series still remains an exciting joyride; complete with action and romance and a storyline that just keeps getting better with the turn of each page. Oliver continued to build on her world with this book and as the storyline evolves it sucks you in deeper. The world is so rich and I truly love it. There’s a darkness to it, a raw intensity that bleeds through the pages and captivates you. The world of demon trappers is like nothing I’ve read before and I love getting lost in it with each book in the series.

As I mentioned there were a few things I disliked and a lot of that comes back to Riley and the choices she made. Oh, this girl.... I can’t deny that Riley is a strong female lead. In the world she lives in she stands out for her strength and her ability to continue on when I think others would have long given up, but during the course of this book she made so many bad choices. Some that I really think were unnecessary. And the problem is....I really like this girl. Riley is such a strong person that it’s hard reading a book and seeing her do the things that she does. I’d just love to give her a shake and set her straight. And yet at the same time, she continues to surprise me. Some of the things she did (not giving way any spoilers) took great courage and strength; she just needs to stop trusting the wrong people. Especially when the best thing she has is right in front of her eyes.....

Seriously, I just broke for Beck in this book. He won me over in Forsaken, but this book just cemented why he’s such a great character in my eyes. He lays himself bare in so many moments during this book and, while I admit his execution isn’t perfect, he generally wants to do right by Riley and keep his promise to Paul. He many have his flaws but Denver Beck continues to be one of my favourite male leads in fiction right now. He truly breaks the mould set by most leading men and it’s such a breath of fresh air to read about him. He just keeps getting kicked when he’s down and I really feel for him. He’s trying to be strong and protect Riley, while dealing with the conflicting feelings he has for her and trying to fill the void left by the loss of trappers from the first book.

Riley and Beck make me want to bang my head against a wall at times, they really do. They’re both so different, and yet they’re not. I think if they both let each other in, a lot of their problems would be solved. They assume so much of the other at times and they’re usually wrong. I loved the moments when they’re not at one another’s throats and they actually get along; Beck lets Riley in in a way he hasn’t anyone else and Riley relies on and trusts Beck in a way she doesn’t anyone else either—even if she can’t quite see that. Even though they don’t realise it, I think they both need each other and I’m looking forward to see if Jana Oliver can solve some of their problems in the next book.

I admit I was shocked with Simon and Peter in this book; both have done one eighties from the last time we saw them, one in a good way and one in a not so good way. I was happy with Peter’s change, although it seemed sudden at first and as for Simon...pffft! Honestly, Riley doesn’t need him. I wasn’t surprised by the revelations about Ori at all. He completely lived up to my expectations, although I found some of the twists concerning him to be pretty interesting and I do wonder if they’ll have an impact on future storylines.

The ending of this book blew me away and had a few, “Whoa, no way,” moments. Riley’s world continues to get turned upside down and with these hunters in the picture now, I have a feeling this series is just getting started. I’m really excited with the ending and with everything that happens in the end, I’m just about ready to sell my soul if it’ll get me Forgiven sooner!

Rating:
Source: Sent by Pan Macmillan Australia (Thank-you Charlotte!)
Format: Paperback
AU Release Date: Available now
Expected AU Price: $16.99
Recommend: Yes!
Recommend borrow or buy: Buy
Cover: I love the covers in this series--they're awesome!
Read sequel/continue with series: Yes!