Forgiven 

By Jana Oliver

 

Paperback, 407 pages

Series: The Demon Trappers #3

Published on: March 1st 2012

Publisher:  Macmillan Children's Books

ISBN: 0330519492 

 Blurb:  The days are growing darker for 17-year-old demon trapper Riley Blackthorne. With her father’s reanimated body back safely, Beck barely speaking to her because of a certain hunky Fallen angel, and a freshly-made deal with Lucifer, she has enough on her hands to last a normal teenage lifetime. Though she bargained with Heaven to save his life, her ex-boyfriend Simon has told the Vatican’s Demon Hunters that she’s working with Hell. So now she’s in hiding, at the top of everyone’s most-wanted list.
But it’s becoming clear that this is bigger than Riley, and rapidly getting out of control: something sinister is happening in Atlanta… or someone. The demons are working together for the first time ever and refusing to die, putting civilians in harm’s way. Riley thinks she might know who’s behind it all, but who’s going to believe her? Caught between her bargain with Heaven and her promise to Lucifer, Riley fears the final war is coming – and it may be closer than anyone thinks…

Jana Oliver's third spellbinding Demon Trappers novel - following Forbidden and Forsaken - brings all new thrills, as Riley Blackthorne takes on demons, love, and the future of the human race.

I do not know what it is with scary covers and Jana Oliver in all her books. This cover doesn’t lag behind in the race of scaring the potential readers of the Demon Trapper Series. I am a person who judges a book by its cover. But honestly, had this not been a review copy, I won’t have picked it up in a bookstore ever.

Coming to the content of book, Forgiven is a non-stop action-packed and gripping successor. This mesmerizing book takes us back to Atlanta where things are even direr, for not only Riley but the trappers and the hunters as well.

This book saw the best character development of the auxiliary characters. Peter, Riley's best friend, had far more presence in this book, and I'm glad that their friendship has remained strong. Riley's relationship with her dad is also written well; the sacrifices they're both willing to make for the other was sweet and heartbreaking. We see more of Beck too. The tension between Riley and Beck is monumental

I love the emotional feel to the book as it still continues to keep the readers’ hearts sway with every touching thing Oliver writes about. She makes you jump between the trapping quests of Riley and the chases and all that action, and then you leap back into the drama in her life.
This book is even darker and more powerful than the first two of the series. Many things are happening here and everything is always at stake. Riley seems more mature and more determined to do her best in saving the world. She learns from her mistakes and she’s trying to understand the reason behind every action. And with her growing maturity, the loose ends which were left unattended previously, come together.

As I’ve mentioned it in the earlier reviews, Jana Oliver has been terribly great at creating the story world. You can hardly find a loophole in the settings. There’s a treat for the romance lovers. Even though it is a spoiler, I’ll tell it to you anyway. Beck and Riley finally kiss in the book. They have the perfect chemistry by the end.

I am not a great fan of reading books in series, but this one would be my all time favourite. There are books that you love as a reader and there are books you love as a writer. I loved it through both perspective.

I personally think this is the best book in the series. You don’t only see the growth of Riley as a reader, but you also see the growth of Oliver as a writer. There is not a moment when I felt bored reading Forgiven. I would recommend it to all the readers of young adult fantasy out there. Even if you’re not a fantasy lover, you’d really like this series. Try it out!

Review originally published on:  http://vaultofbooks.com/aplus/forgiven