Book Review: Soul Thief

Title: Soul Thief (Demon Trappers #2)
Author: Jana Oliver
Genre: Young Adult | Urban Fantasy | Romance 
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: August 31, 2011
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Riley Blackthorne’s adventures continue in the second spellbinding Demon Trappers novel, as she battles demons… and a love that could destroy her.
At the start of the second thrilling installment of the Demon Trappers series, 17-year-old Riley Blackthorne has about had it up to here. After the devastating battle at the Tabernacle, trappers are dead and injured, her sweet boyfriend Simon is gravely injured, and now her beloved late father’s been illegally poached from his grave by a very powerful necromancer. Add to the mix: Ori, one sizzling hot freelance demon hunter who’s made himself Riley’s unofficial body guard, and Beck, a super over-protective “friend” who acts more like a grouchy granddad, and Riley’s almost ready to leave Atlanta altogether. 
But as the demon count in Atlanta increases, the already crippled Trappers Guild has its hands full, and, when the Vatican finally sends its own Demon Hunters to take care of the city’s “little” problem, pandemonium breaks loose. Only Riley knows that she might be the center of Hell’s attention: an extremely powerful Grade 5 demon is stalking her, and her luck can't last forever. As Riley’s life becomes a dangerous balancing act, will she be strong enough not to tip? And who will be there to catch her if she falls (goodreads)?


I know it took more years to read this series, but it just gets more exciting with each book!
Plot: If you've read The Demon Trapper's Daughter, you know that something crazy is happening in Atlanta, besides demons. After the reanimation of her father's corpse and the failing Holy Water supply, Riley finds herself up against a lot of forces and time is not on her side. Much like The Demon Trapper's Daugther, Soul Thief is non-stop action and had me up until 1 AM (a great feat for such an early bird like me). While The Demon Trapper's Daughter focused on demons and angels, Jana Oliver has opened Soul Thief up to introduce a lot more creatures that go bump in the night and as a paranormal junkie - I was thrilled! Be prepared for a cliffhanger that answers no questions though!

Characters: Riley and Beck are still my favorite characters and I cannot wait until (they better) have their sweet romance. Duties push and pull them apart and their distance just made me love them more! There is the introduction of some other characters, but one in particular rubbed me the wrong way. This is a hard review to write because I don't want to hit at any spoilers, and I can't do that if I go on the rant I want to go on. I didn't like anything that involved Ori. If you've read it, you know what I'm talking about. 

World Building: Okay, This series takes place in Atlanta, Georgia in 2018. The future, yes, but not so far in the future. This is a future where old run down Starbucks have been converted to schools and the government isn't putting money into anything. According to Wikipedia, 54% of the population is Black - which shouldn't come across to anyone as a surprise. 

So imagine my surprise when there is one black character in Soul Thief that was mentioned in passing. Said character is also noted as being the only African-American guild member in Atlanta. WHY. WHERE DO ALL THE PEOPLE OF COLOR DISAPPEAR TO IN 2018? I GOTS QUESTIONS. 

Besides that hiccup, the dystopian world is really unique and engaging. 

Short N Sweet: Soul Thief is a strong sequel that is on the mature side of Young Adult. This series will be a favorite of mine, I know that for sure!




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