Book Review, Author Q&A & Giveaway: The Devil's Flower by: Lisa Collicutt

Title: The Devil's Flower (Eternal Beings, #1)
Author: Lisa Collicutt
ISBN: 1620073838
Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance, NA Romance
Theme(s): Angels, Demons, Motorcycle Clubs
Length: 278 pgs
Binding: Paperback
Published: 19 November 2013; Curiosity Quills Press
Buy: Amazon.com, BN.com

Synopsis:

In a town called Nowhere, Colorado angels and demons battle for salvation. Who will win? And what will be the cost?

Killing isn’t exactly on Rosalie Lockwood’s list of things to do when she runs away from home. But despite her search for peace, guns and motorcycles become her latest fashion accessories as Divine interference leads her to Steele, co-leader of the Fallen Paladins motorcycle club.

Leathered and tattooed, Steele’s presence scares off most people he comes in contact with — but not Rosalie. She’s immediately drawn into the dangers of his biker world—and into his heart.

But Steele guards a secret that if Rosalie knew, could shatter their new love — along with destroy the human race. And the truth comes at a price.

Will Rosalie risks her soul to prove her loyalty to Steele?

The Dark and Light Realms collide as Rosalie chooses between life, death, and the ever-after to become that which she is fated to destroy.

My Rating:

My Review: We've read about angels. We've read about demons. We've read about angels vs. demons. But how about angels vs. demons and Motorcycle Clubs? The Devil's Flower by Lisa Collicutt is what I like to think of as a wildcard. The cover art is eye catching and sexy. The synopsis gives you the illusion that you are treading into familiar territory but you can't deny there is a sense of mysteriousness. You decide to give it a whirl out of sheer curiosity, albeit very skeptical and find yourself in a bit of shock by the time you come to the last page. These type of novels, these "wildcards", tend to be my favorite kind.  On a side note and I'm not sure why, but The Devil's Flower reminds me of the cult classic movie The Lost Boys. Even though this book has nothing to do with vampires, I think it shares the concept of innocence and perception. Both have a young, naïve person in a unfamiliar town that is drawn to a group of strangers. Instincts scream for them to stay away, but there is one in the group that they can't seem to stay away from and will eventually risk their very own life for. Definitely an interesting connection between the two.

Here is what I liked. The Devil's Flower is a refreshingly original novel. I know that may be hard to believe, considering there are very familiar elements on the surface. But what makes this story unique is how the author blends all of these pieces together. In the beginning, the story reads like a contemporary romance. Then somewhere around the 100 page mark, the paranormal element is introduced. This is an absolutely brilliant technique and here's why. Before even adding in the paranormal component, readers that are fans of contemporary romance, New Adult, MC (motorcycle club), even Young Adult, will find The Devil's Flower appealing. Not a fan of paranormal romance or new to the genre? This is the perfect novel to start and try because the transition from contemporary to paranormal is smooth and natural as strange as that may sound. The only complaints I've read are from hardcore paranormal readers that felt there wasn't enough of that particular element in the story. But I am confident this novel will appeal to paranormal enthusiasts who grow weary of reading the same type of story over and over again and are looking for something fresh and different.

The story itself was well written; great description, distinct character voices (and names), and had no issues with the pacing-- all topics that sometimes writers struggle with when writing the first novel in a series. I liked the third person narration and the switch in perspectives. The formatting and paragraph breaks signaled that a change in POV was coming, therefore eliminating any kind of confusion which sometimes happens.  Speaking of the format, the layout, font, and overall style of the book (including the chapter titles) created a very aesthetically pleasing reading experience.

I really enjoyed the romance between Rosalie and Steele. There definitely was an instant attraction, but a good portion of the novel was about Steele trying extremely hard to fight it. Part of it was to protect Rosalie from himself and the unsavory kind he surrounds himself with. He also feels that he is undeserving of her love and acceptance. The other part of his struggle to hide his growing feelings for her is to show no signs of weakness since he is the leader of the Fallen Paladins MC. There is also another reason he tries to hide his feelings, but I want to leave some mystery! There is some good sexual tension building between Steele and Rosalie, although the sex scenes themselves are more alluded to then explicitly shown which surprisingly works in this novel.

I found the angel/demon mythology in The Devil's Flower interesting and original. For example, in order for a half demon to become immortal, it would need 3 things: a) tear of an angel, b) blood of an angel, and c) death of an angel. Also, angels have souls but demons and half demons do not. If a half demon should mate with an angel, the angel would lose its soul to the demon. The use of the drug heroin plays a very creepy, yet important part in the story as well. These mythological elements add up to create some very tense, suspenseful moments in the novel.

Overall, Lisa Collicutt has spawned some very interesting characters, but I will admit, there were 2 that I struggled (won't reveal their names to avoid spoilers) with until I had a light bulb moment. These characters took Rosalie under their wing, taught her some survival tactics and how to fit within the MC. But then, out of nowhere, Steele starts thinking to himself that he has to protect Rose from them. At first I just didn't get the sudden wariness from Steele towards these particular characters when they did nothing to warrant his suspicious behavior. But then it dawned on me. The devil comes in many disguises and is a master of manipulation, seduction, and lies. It's this attention to detail that elicited my admiration for the author to grow even more.

I only had a few issues with The Devil's Flower, most of which were a bunch of small things that added up to annoyances rather than huge problems, so I will be going through them rather quickly.

First, I found Rose's statement here a bit startling: "...the fact that she was actually in a relationship with this person, a near stranger, hit her." She is obviously talking about her and Steele, but what bothered me is the fact that they have never talked about being together or being in a relationship. It's like the statement came out of nowhere. No declarations of love, other then Steele saying she can trust him and he wouldn't let anything happen to her as long as she is with him. And once you read that part, you will see why he says that. I'm also curious as to why Steele is so adamant about calling Rosalie "Rose" since the very beginning of the story. I get why Lithium calls her "Rosebud", but Steele is quick to correct people that she is to be called Rose instead of Rosalie, at least in the beginning. It's never revealed why and I am probably just looking too deeply into it, but it definitely left me pondering.

Second, I felt that Rosalie's stay with her grandmother was rushed and glossed over when in fact we learn the time she spends there plays a pivotal part in the story. This is where she discovers who and what she really is, what she is capable of and what is expected of her. When she meets back up with Steele, she is a wiser, stronger version of herself that apparently can now kick some ass. But we never get to see her training. We just hear about it in a sentence here and there when she is filling Steele in on her time away. I also didn't understand why she started college while at her grandmother's.  I'm not sure if she was biding her time, waiting for divine intervention, but the college thing bothered me since she ended up leaving to go back to Nowhere, Colorado. It just felt like an unnecessary detail.

Lastly, while I enjoyed the assortment of characters as I stated above, I did find Rosalie to be quite infuriating at times. I get that she is innocent and naïve (for more reasons that one) but I can only take the damsel in distress syndrome so much. Don't get me wrong, I love a strong alpha hero that comes to his woman's rescue-- it's sexy and it shows that Steele loves her and feels fiercely protective of her. But Rosalie puts herself in some really stupid and dangerous situations, especially with the drinking. Even when she knows the drinking got her into trouble before and she swears she will never drink again-- she still drinks AGAIN. Yeah, that's when my eyes start to roll and irritation sets in.

The Devil's Flower is a unique blend of contemporary and paranormal romance that doesn't fit into one specific genre. For this reason, it broadens its allure and I can see just about anyone picking this novel up and finding it an enjoyable read. This may also appeal to the YA crowd, since the female main character is 18. However, I would caution and recommend The Devil's Flower to  mature YA readers (16+) since there are some disturbing scenes including, drinking, drugs, and sexual situations (although not terribly explicit). Lisa Collicutt has given us a gem and I absolutely cannot wait to see the continuation of this story in book 2, The Demon's Wrath.

best wishes,mia

AUTHOR Q&A With Lisa Collicutt

1. Angels. Demons. Motorcycle Clubs? What inspired you to merge these very different elements together to create The Devil's Flower?

This is a great question I love to answer. Up until I wrote The Devil's Flower, all my books were about witches (my favorite supernatural beings). Then one day I had a vision of demons wearing leather riding motorcycles in the sky. Okay, so I didn’t put my leather-wearing, motorcycle-riding demons in the sky; I kept them on the roads where they belong. But the vision gave me the idea of writing a story about angels and demons. And at the same time, my husband suggested I write about an all female motorcycle club, because he thought it had probably not been done. So, I put his motorcycle idea together with my angel/demon one, and came up with The Devil's Flower.

2. One of the things I enjoyed the most about The Devil's Flower is the angel/demon mythology. I'm also fascinated with the MC culture which plays a pivotal part in your novel. What kind of research (if at all) did you do in order to write this story?

As with all things I write, I did loads of Google research. In fact, I swear I spent more time researching than actually writing. Having been around bikes since I was a teen, (my husband rides, I sit on back and think up story scenes) I had the biker thing down, but picked his brain on throttles, and clutches. Not belonging to an MC, made for a lot of patch research. And thanks to—I won't mention the name of the MC who displayed the different patches and rankings on their website—I became well informed. Because I've never been to Colorado or Texas, I did loads of research on them, but I chose to set the story in the fictional town of Nowhere. That way I could do what I want with the town and not offend anyone. But I still had to pinpoint Nowhere on the map and know roughly how many miles from there to Amaretto, Denver, and certain other places, even if they never show up in the story. Angels and demons are the paranormal aspect of the story, so you would think I could do what ever I want with them, and I can, but I still have to make them seem "real"; so a lot of research went into them as well. I wanted angel and demon names that were unique, and certain ethereal markings that made sense. And now I have to share; the weirdest thing I researched for this story—probably any story to date—was how to use heroin. I literally spent an entire weekend watching You Tube videos and reading case studies, along with forum posts of actual users. I can't say it was fun, in fact, some of it was downright disturbing, and all for a few lines in a book, but it shed some light on the subject, of which I otherwise knew nothing about.

3. The Devil's Flower is the first in a planned series and I am very excited and anxious to see how this new angel/demon/MC world and characters develop. Have you started writing book 2? Is there anything you can tell us about it? Tease us with?

I'm about a third into book two (The Demon's Wrath), and hoping for an autumn release, but have temporarily put it aside to finish the last book in The Serendipitous Curse series. Budding relationship over and fully into the MC life for Rose—book two gets darker in all aspects. You'll find more graphic intimate scenes, as well as more violence, all in keeping with the paranormal theme, which doesn't overwhelm the story. There are new and interesting characters as well.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lisa likes to write dark and twisted tales of magic and romance. She has a passion for Young Adult and New Adult Paranormal. When she's not conjuring tales about witches, demons, and other magical beings, she can be found leathered, and bound to the back of her husband's Harley, touring her homeland of Nova Scotia, Canada.

Enter Lisa's imagination where light ends and fantasy begins. But heed these warnings . . . it's dark, it's magical, you may experience tingles.

Connect With Lisa

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GIVEAWAY

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Book Review: Hollyweird

Title: Hollyweird
Author: Terri Clark
ISBN: 0738719250
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance
Theme: Angels & Demons
Binding: Paperback
Length: 240 pages
Published: 8 May 2012
Buy: amazon.com, bn.com
My Rating:

Synopsis: Aly King is about to fall for the fallen.

My best friend, Des, and I totally freaked when we won the contest to meet THE Dakota Danvers in Hollywood. But now we’re finding out he’s SO not the angel everyone believes him to be. In fact, Dakota is the son of Satan, wreaking havoc on Hollywood and creating an evil army hellbent on world domination.

Lucky for us, Dakota’s super-cute personal assistant, Jameson, is a fallen angel trying to get his wings back, and he’s working undercover to squash his demon boss’s plan. If Jameson hadn’t taken me under his wing I’d be in serious trouble, because I’m a total newb when it comes to conquering evil. But, truth be told, that sexy angel’s got me all aflutter and may be one temptation I can’t resist.

My Review: Overall, I think Hollyweird by Terri Clark was a super fun, quick read. If you find yourself overwhelmed after reading books with heavy topics and you are looking for a story that is entertaining, will make you laugh, and doesn't require putting on your thinking caps, then this book is definitely worth picking up.

Hollyweird's premise is simple. Aly King wins a contest that was being promoted in EnterTEENment Magazine. What does she win? A once in a lifetime opportunity to meet Dakota Danvers, the hunky star of a popular CW show called Paranormal P.I. With her gothy, best friend Des and 21 year old sister/soap star wannabe Missy (who serves as their annoying, diva chaperone) in tow, they head to Hollywood. Never in their wildest dreams did they ever imagine their teen idol is actually a demon in disguise (the son of Satan to be exact) and that they would have to work closely with an undercover fallen angel named Jameson (who is trying to earn his halo back) in order to save the world from evil. Yes, it's as funny as it sounds!

If you haven't figured it out yet by my little summary, Terri Clark has created some memorable characters. By far my favorite has to be Des, Aly's best friend. I'm not sure if it's because she reminds me of my old goth days or if it's because Des doesn't fit the typical stereotypes that most goth characters fall under. There is this big misconception that goth kids wear all black because they are depressed, worship the devil, only listen to Marilyn Manson, and wouldn't be caught dead with "normal" looking teens. Des is proof that just because you have a few piercings and wear darker clothes doesn't mean you are an unhappy, Satanic worshiping outcast. Even though Aly and Des have completely different styles, they don't let outer appearances get in the way of who they are on the inside.

I love Des's sense of humor and her crazy words and phrases she comes up with, which Aly affectionately adds to her mental "Des Dictionary". A great example is in the beginning of the book when Aly and Des arrive in Hollywood. Des is so nervous that she pukes a little in her mouth which she calls "interna-hurl." "Guystraction" (being distracted by boys), "tattegory", and "pierconify" are just a few of the many other words she creates.

Let me not forget to mention how funny the text messages were from God to Jameson. When Aly and Des figure out the truth about Dakota, Jameson is torn as to whether he should reveal his own identity. Suddenly, a "Stairway to Heaven" ringtone goes off on his phone. When he checks to see who texted him, the message says:

From: God
"Maybe Zeppelin was a little obvs?"

Sooo funny! Also, Jameson must check in with the archangel Michael from time to time. What cracks me up is how Jameson calls him "Mikey". Who knew that giving God a sense of humor would work so well? Then again, I am not sure why I'm so surprised. Maybe it's because the last few books I've read have been more serious in nature. It just came to me yesterday that Hollyweird's humor reminds me of the movie Little Nicky starring Adam Sandler. If you liked Little Nicky then you will love this book!

Here are a few things I had issues with. While I loved the alternating chapter perspectives between Aly and Jameson, I felt that about halfway through the book, the voices of the two merge together. What I mean is, in the beginning, I could easily tell which chapter was in Aly's POV and which was in Jameson's without the chapters even being labeled at the top. But somewhere in the middle of the book, their distinct voices as characters fade away. I would be reading and easily forget who's head I was in. I'm not sure what happened since the story and characters started off strong.

I also felt that the way the girls find out about Dakota's true identity was a bit rushed and sudden. I get that the book is only 240 pages, so things do have to move along. Also, this may sound strange, but I guess I didn't care for the revelation that other supernatural creatures like werewolves and witches also exist. Obviously this has a lot to do with how the story ends, so I won't go any further.

My last complaint is the romance and chemistry between the two main characters. While I loved Aly and Jameson as a couple, the whole "I-would-sacrifice-everything-for-you, even-risk-never getting-my-halo-back" formula doesn't work, especially since they have only known each other, oh like, FOUR DAYS! Don't get me wrong, I am not a complete "instant love" hater. I just feel that there wasn't much development between Aly and Jameson due to the craziness going on in the book. Maybe if there had been some more scenes between them, more tender moments, I could believe the "I-would-die-for-you" kind of love. But the romance is quite lacking, the heat factor is...well, cold. I can't even remember if they kissed. Isn't that sad?

Hollyweird's cover art and synopsis were spot on as to what I expected from this book! The story was light-hearted, hilarious, and never takes itself too seriously. If you keep these things in mind, you will enjoy this book immensely!

Book Review: Surrender the Dark

Title: Surrender the Dark
Author: L.A. Banks
ISBN: 978-1451607789
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy/Romance
Theme: Angels & Demons
Binding: Paperback
Length: 400 pgs
Published: 29 March 2011
Buy: amazon.com, bn.com, borders.com
My Rating:


Synopsis: Celeste Jackson has fought all her life against a fog of hallucination and substance abuse, but it’s not until she meets her protector, Azrael, an angel who has left the safety of the Light, that she learns of the evil forces that have been trying to ruin her, and why. A fierce battle for control of the mortal realm is brewing, and only Celeste—with the help of the Remnant, her half-human, half-angel brethren—can stand in the way. Together, Celeste and Azrael must gather an army of sensitives to defeat the dark powers that have ruled humanity for centuries, but time is running out. If Azrael surrenders to his growing desire for Celeste, he risks being trapped among humanity forever. But the longer he stays, the harder she is to resist. To save the world, Celeste must draw on her own dark experiences with addiction to help Azrael overcome the one temptation that could possibly make him an eternal prisoner—his obsession with her.


**The following review may contain SPOILERS**


My Review: I was motivated to read Surrender the Dark in quite a different way. While playing around on amazon.com, I came across the book almost a month ago. I found the cover and the premise of the novel very appealing. At that time, there were only about two reviews and both were very negative. I think one was a 2 star rating while the other was only a 1 star rating. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion so I am not trying to be disrespectful but after reading the book, I am having a hard time finding the validity of their complaints. One reviewer complained that the author's writing is bad, do to the "over explaining of simple concepts" and too much religious lecturing/preaching. Well, I don't think you need to be a rocket scientist to realize that a) the book is the 1st in a new series so of course the author is going to introduce the reader to this new world/mythology she is writing about and b) DUH! The book is about ANGELS and the possibility of the end of the world! I am agnostic and am more spiritual than religious. Those close to me know I strongly dislike people who try pushing their religious beliefs on others. While reading this book, I in NO way felt that the author was trying to make me run to the nearest church. I think some readers need to be a little more open-minded and aware of some of the topics they may come across when reading the synopsis of a novel.

That being said, here are a few things I loved about Surrender the Dark.

Third person narration worked well in this novel and I think Ms. Banks made a wise choice in starting it off with Azrael's fall and first few moments of life on Earth in a mortal body. It definitely sets the mood and in my opinion, immediately catches the interest of the reader. Azrael's fall reminded me of Gabriel's fall in the indie movie of the same name, starring Andy Whitfield. Definitely a movie worth checking out if you like this book.

I liked the different terminology that the author uses (I'll get to that later) and her mythology. One thing I found fascinating is how Angels of the Light come into human bodies depending on their surroundings/environment. For example, the main protagonist, Celeste, lives in the hood and is African American. Since Azrael is being sent down to search for her but does not want to draw too much attention to himself, it only makes sense that his mortal body would blend in, therefore, he looks African American (and has dredlocks). Once I figured that out, it made total sense. It would draw too much attention if a white guy is found walking around in a predominantly "black" section. That is just asking for trouble.

I also liked the way Banks connected natural disasters, excessive drug dealing/using, and diseases (like cancer) to that of the evil workings of the devil. I'm not going to further explain that concept as I don't want to give too much away. But it definitely got me thinking.

I was really impressed with the author's ability to write realistic dialogue and dialects. A great example is one of my favorite characters, Aunt Niecey. Banks was able to capture her old southern charm mixed in with a no nonsense, God fearing attitude of a black woman. Here is an excerpt to give you an idea what I mean:

'"This po' girl been through a lot,"' Aunt Niecey said, looking at Azrael as she rubbed Celeste's back. "I don't know who or what you are to her, but if you hurt this baby girl after all she done endured, ain't no power high enough in Heaven to keep me off your ass, son. You hear? This is my baby. My baby sister's only chile. This one here is special. This one here is anointed--jus' like every door and windowsill and floorboard up in here is anointed, I done put down special prayers on this one. An' jus' like the devil can't come in this prayed-up house, can't nobody who ain't right stay with this special chile to bring her down..."'

Banks also did great with the Jamaican accent of her angel character Isda.

Another small thing I noticed-- I liked the fact that the story takes place in Philadelphia, PA! I am from the South Jersey area and it was so refreshing to read a story where the characters are navigating down streets and buildings I have actually been to myself.

Lastly, what makes this book a little different than other urban fantasy/romance novels is the fact that the main protagonist, Celeste, is not perfect. She is on drugs when Azrael first meets her. I think this gives her a real human quality rather than some unrealistic, perfect character that is hard to relate to.

Now for my 2 small complaints if you want to call them that. Although most people detest when authors add glossaries to their books, I think it would have been an asset in this case. Banks introduces new terminology to her readers in this series that may take some getting used to. While I did figure out the meaning of most, a small guide would have been helpful. Some terms are as follows: "Most High", "The Source of All That Is", "On High", etc.

My other small issue is more of a wish. In Surrender the Dark, Azrael is not the only angel we are introduced to nor is he the only one that is sent down on a mission. There are a few of his brethren that are sent to find others like Celeste. I was hoping, wishing, and praying that Banks' sequel would be about these other warrior angels and their missions but I found out that Azrael and Celeste's story continues in the next book. It's not a huge disappointment but I at least hope Banks adds more about these other characters.

All in all, Surrender the Dark is a great start to a new series about angels & demons, light and dark, good vs. evil, and the depths of despair vs. the healing power of faith.

~Mia~

Book Review: The Demon Trapper's Daughter

Title: The Demon Trapper's Daughter
Author: Jana Oliver
ISBN: 978-0312614782
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Theme: Demons/Necromancers
Binding: Paperback
Length: 340 pgs (advanced reader copy)
Published: 1 February 2011
Buy: amazon.com, bn.com, borders.com
My Rating:


Synopsis: 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?


**The following review may contain SPOILERS**


My Review: First I must state that I won an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this book in a contest so I do understand that there are mistakes and perhaps unfinished thoughts or ideas that may be revised by the time the finished copy is released.

The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver was a pleasant surprise. There were a few things in the beginning of the story that troubled me or had me scratching my head in confusion. But by the middle of the book, things started really coming together which led to a very interesting climax and nice segue for a sequel.

After you read so many Young Adult novels, you begin to recognize a formula such as stubborn/independent female heroines, love triangles, etc. Since the formula has been used so many times, it's hard to find an author that can wow me in the character department. When I started reading Demon Trapper's Daughter, I set my expectations low. But let me tell you-- I love it when an author proves me wrong :)

I must commend Jana Oliver for creating interesting characters. Riley is a solid female protagonist. She is an only child, comes from a single parent home, and has a very close relationship with her dad. Riley is somewhat of a tomboy and is trying to enter into a profession that is ruled by men-- demon trapping. Since she is an apprentice under her father's watchful eye, she feels constantly pressured to prove herself and at the very least, not do anything that would embarass or bring shame on her father, Paul Blackthorne who is a well known and respected demon trapper master. Riley finds herself in a bad predicament after what should have been a simple demon trapping job at a law library goes wrong.

To make her even more embarassed, Beck arrives, a 20 something demon trapper who not only has been trained by her father but whom she had a crush on a couple of years back and was rejected by him. At first I didn't think I was going to like Beck, but once his story unfolded and I came to realize the motives of his rejection towards Riley's teenage crush, I couldn't help but fall a little in love with him.

On the other end of the love triangle is Simon, an apprentice, like Riley who is completely different then Beck. Where Beck swears, drinks, and claims to believe there is no God, Simon is quiet, confident, and very religious, always depicted as wearing a wooden cross around his neck. I am digging Jana Oliver's thinking and writing because just when you think this is a typical love triangle, half way through the book another potential love interest is introduced, the sexy, mysterious Ori. Even though Riley makes her choice early on who she thinks she wants to be with, the author gives you just enough here and there to make you wonder about Ori and perhaps what kind of role he will play in future books in the series.

The second thing I enjoyed about The Demon Trapper's Daughter is the third person narration. As many already know, Young Adult novels are usually written in 1st person. While I've come to enjoy and understand its effectiveness, I sometimes get tired of only being in the head of 1 character. Call me nosy, but I like bouncing back and forth between different perspectives. I think this is why Beck really grew on me :)

The third and perhaps most important thing that impressed me about the story is Jana Oliver's unique demon mythology and futuristic twist that is frighteningly realistic. Going into the story I thought it was just going to be about demon trappers. But I was very wrong. First, the author does a great job describing the different kinds of demons--levels 1-5, 5 being the worst kind. She introduces the different kinds of trapping tools that they use such as holy water and magic spheres/globes. The author also makes a clear distinction between a demon trapper and a demon hunter. Many people, including myself may automatically assume that trapping and hunting mean the same thing. But they are very different terms. In the book, demon trapping is just that-- their job is to trap the demons and sell them to the Vatican so they can be properly exorcized. Demon Hunters, however, hunt down demons with the intentions of killing. There is much more involved but I don't want to give everything away.

Jana Oliver also paints a scary future in the modern world. Because of the bad economy, the city goes bankrupt. Schooling for students are now held in the backrooms of grocery stores and coffee shops since educational buildings are too expensive to run. Gas prices are outrageous. Since the city is bankrupt, jobs are scarce and businessmen and women are cheap. This is where Oliver introduces Necromancers. Yeah, trust me, I at first thought she was going a little too overboard with adding so many things in the first book, but you know what? It somehow works. Necromancers are paid to raise the dead so that the dead can be used essentially as slaves. It's creepy and sad. If we knew how to do that now in the real world, I'm sure we would try it-- I guess that is the scariest thought.

So now to the little things that bothered me. What kept me from giving this book a perfect 5 star rating is as follows:

1) I know this is the first book in a potential series so I understand that some things will be explained and explored in later novels. I came to love Beck's character but in the beginning he confused me. He had a rough childhood-- no father and a mother who slept around due to alcoholism. It's stated that Beck doesn't believe in God which is one of the things that confuses me. Demons exist, so does Satan, and somewhere in the book angels make an appearance. And yet he still doesn't believe in God? I know that some people believe that being alive is hell on earth, therefore there is no Hell. I know there are other forms of religion and beliefs-- but if you are going to write a book about demons, necromancers, holy water, angels, etc., and one of your characters is a demon trapper but doesn't believe in God, then you better explain yourself. It just doesn't make sense. Now I would find it believable if Beck didn't have much FAITH in God since he had a crappy childhood, but that is not how it is stated in the book. So my point is, Oliver has some character development and explaining to do in book 2 in regards to Beck's faith.

2) I know this next thing is trivial to complain about but it just bothered me. The author wrote this: "By the final visitor she was so bitchy, so sleep deprived, she'd told him off even before he'd opened his mouth. That had earned her a profanity-laced rant that would have impressed a rapper." Umm, stereotypical much? Not all rappers use profanity. Not sure why that line annoys me so much, but it does.

3) Here is something else she wrote that annoyed me. "The boy was almost Simon's height, five nine or so, with black scruffy hair and a collection of metal in his eyebrows, nose, and tongue. Riley wondered how he could afford all that bling." Umm okay? It's not that expensive, trust me, I should know since I have my eyebrow pierced and had my lip pierced awhile back. I'm not sure if the author is either misinformed, uneducated in the matter of piercings, or maybe it is just how Riley thinks since teenagers can be judgmental.

Other then those few things, Jana Oliver really has impressed me. The Demon Trapper's Daughter is the kind of Young Adult novel that either a teen girl or boy would enjoy. I look forward to reading book 2 since this one leaves you sort of on a cliffhanger. I almost wish I hadn't read this book in advance since now I have at least 6 months or more until book 2 is released. Oh well, as the saying goes, good things come to those who wait! Enjoy!

~~Mia~~