Her life so far has been tough. Having witnessed her family’s death and her mother’s suicide, she’s been taken in by a priest, who believes her when she says that she sees ghosts. Father Peter trains her as a demon hunter with three other members, one being Daniel, who isn’t what he seems. But when a possession goes wrong, and ghosts start to attack Abigail, the tight rope she has on her emotions soon starts to loosen. Abigail draws the unwanted attention of the Reote, and she finds out a lot more than she was willing to learn. Knowledge is power, but for Abigail, it’s her undoing, and the only thing keeping her together is Daniel.
What can I say about this book? Seriously I am having a hard time doing a review because I don't know how to express the feeling I felt after reading the book. It is a good book, I love it, I love how it was written, my imagination worked, I even dreamed of it every time I read it.
The romance between characters balanced all the story. You have to try reading this.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review through Lovers of Paranormal.
Abigail is sort of a hot mess, isn't she? She's an alcoholic (at 19) but sort of has a good reason for it. After all, she did see her entire family's death first hand. It's hard to judge that. That's a difficult thing to get over but she copes through her job. Abigail is a demon hunter and has been taken in by a priest who has become her surrogate family, taking advantage of her abilities to see ghosts. Her best friend, Zee (also known as Daniel), helps her and watches out for her while on the job. But a demon possession goes horribly wrong and things spiral downhill quickly.
I genuinely liked Abigail. Yes, she has a somewhat acerbic personality but I get it. I think it would be very difficult to not be bitter and jaded, all things considered. Imagine going out and seeing ghosts on a regular basis. Add to that the drama of being a teenager. She is so extremely flawed but the author expresses it well.
I adored Daniel but I kind of wanted him to be a bit more assertive. He keeps things all bottled up and despite his love for Abigail, he wants first and foremost to be her friend and be supportive. He has friendzoned himself which is kind of admirable.
Cathy is a horrid bitch but sometimes that character is necessary. She is the rude side of being damaged but it is played out well. She takes her anger and fears out on others which is something that people do. We all know that mean girl that was in every high school was not just mean for no reason. There is a cause and effect in the characters' personalities in this book and Cathy is a good example of it.
Onto the plot...
It got a bit convoluted there in the middle. I couldn't really follow all that was going on since it all seemed like it was just a diary of daily life for Abigail. But when the demon possession was going down, things started to make more sense. It just took a while for things to get all geared up. You dive into Abigail's life growing up and it explains a lot. The twist was not predictable but the ending was a bit confusing.
But there was one issue that really bothered me throughout the book. Typos. I hate typos and spelling/grammatical errors because it shows that not enough people proofread. Get an English major to read it over a couple of times. Please. Little errors can take away from the overall message and feel of the book.
Full review to come at Tara Belle Talking when my laptop makes a full recovery.
'Hunters' is the first book in Sheridan's new Demon series and follows troubled teenager Abigail as she hunts demons alongside a few other interesting characters.
I was blown away by how good this book actually was! I hardly even know where to start with this review. I was still thinking about the story the day after I read it, which isn't something that happens very often for me.
The book has a pretty dark tone which really made it stand out to me among all the other urban fantasy/paranormal romance books that I've read. It contains an excellent mix of horror, the paranormal, mystery and romance. I'd probably say it falls under the new adult category and should appeal very well to fans of PNR who like a side of horror with their romance.
I found the story really suspenseful and the unveiling of Abigail's past traumas were handled brilliantly to both shock and engage the reader. Suffice it to say I had to finish reading the same day I started the book - it was practically impossible to put down.
The characters were flawed and likeable, and they interacted believably with one and other. I felt a real connection with them and look forward to finding out what happens next. The ending was brilliant. I just wish the next book was already available!
Overall this is an amazing supernatural story told in a highly engaging way. Highly recommended!
I received this book in exchange for an honest review (Lovers of Paranormal) and here it goes…
Hunters by Aoife Marie Sheridan is not like the typical paranormal books I usually read. First off, it is New Adult which I wasn’t expecting and I prefer to read PNR that is very adult so my review may not be as helpful. With that said, I thought Hunters was okay. I love the mysteriousness of Zee, the hero. I am iffy about the heroine, Abigail however. She is way too needy for my liking. Another minus for me is how there is too many mysteries in the book that weren't addressed by the end. I would had appreciated if at least a couple of mysteries were revealed before the sequel came out. I felt that I was teased the whole time when reading the book and in the end I was given only 1 out of the 10 mysteries.
What I do like about this book is the unique paranormal aspect it brings. Abigail’s powers are unlike what I have read. The twists was unexpected but still I felt like I missed the boom when it was revealed.
Overall, I will be reading the sequel because I want more of Zee and I need answers. Although, I won’t be counting the time til the next book. I just wasn't feeling it. My rating will be based on the overall quality of the story, not the PNR aspect that I was expecting to get.
Abby has always been able to see ghosts and demons from a very early age. As the approaching anniversary of her father and brother's death, demons seem to call her by name and two casualties occur. Abby's staunch protector is Zee (Daniel) happens to also be in love with Abby and letting her believe his an angel. Someone wants Abby dead for reasons that are unclear. Can Abby continue to demon hunt? Who wants to harm Abby? Your answers await you in Hunters.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review from the author.
Abigail is a 19 year old demon hunter. Her life until she was eleven had been pretty brutal. She was taken in my John, a priest who taught her all about demons, after her parents and brother died.
I'm a fan of the authors, I have read the first two books in The Saskia Trilogy, so I was really excited when she gave me a copy of Hunters to review.
This book shocked me, it is so much darker than The Saskia Trilogy. As I began to read, one thing really stood out for me. Abigail has a serious drinking problem. Every time I read (something along the lines of) I need a drink or I need another drink, I got really annoyed. She spent 3/4 of the book either trying to get drink, drinking or dealing with a hangover. (This is my own opinion and shouldn't reflect badly on the book)
Abigail is a total mess, this is evident from the start. I can understand why she would turn to drink but as the book progressed, I waited for her to grow a back bone. I waited for someone to see that she needed help, not commands to stop drinking. It never happened.
Apart from all that, I really did enjoy the book, for the first half, I didn't understand what was going on, there were so many elements but I couldn't see a link or where any of them would lead, regardless of how much I racked my brain. Sooo...
Zee/Daniel I'll not give it all away, suffice to say the guy loves Abigail. It is evident in his actions and his words. The author did a superb job developing his character and expressing his emotions.
Cathy Well isn't she not really nice? She's as broken as Abigail is but she expresses it differently. I loved to hate her but the author has created the strangest relationship between Cathy and Abigail that JUST WORKS!!!!
Simon Aww isn't he cute?
Blake Still not sure who he is or what the point in him is. A little bit creepy.
Father Peter The guy that runs it all and keeps the above kids in line. He worries about Abigail but doesn't do a lot until the end.
Steven Well I really don't like him at all. (You will all have to read it to understand my dislike).
There were parts in this book that were absolutely fabulously written, like the way the author describes Abigail taking her phone out of her pocket in the freezing cold. I could almost feel it myself it was that well written!
This book didn't make sense to me until after half way through and even then it came in tiny bits and pieces. By 86% the shocker hit. SO DID NOT SEE THAT COMING!!!!!
And then it all REALLY kicked off!!! And then it was over.
I was like.... BUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT????????????????????
A very good book, a bit hard to read at times, but well worth it. :)
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
3/3.5ish stars!
I have never really been a fan of paranormal books. Love the movies... but I never take the time to actually read stories that involve ghosts. This book is an exception! It's not just ghosts. There's heaven, hell, angels and demons as well!
I really did like the story line. It was a good idea, but there were way too many blank spaces. I constantly felt like EVERYTHING was happening at once, but we were given no information. Also, the story leading up to the end was kind of just dull. Things were kind of just happening and there wasn't really anything extraordinary about any of it. I will give props to the author on surprising me towards the end. I really didn't see any of it coming.
I liked mostly all the characters. My biggest issue was with the main character, actually. I just didn't like her personality some of the time. She's always drunk and has a gorgeous boy fawning over her and she won't give him the time of day. The imagery was really good though. I could see everything in my head it was wonderful. And I love ZEE! :)
Also, the grammar wasn't all there. I got confused or annoyed a lot when words were misused or not in the right tense. I found myself wanting to know what happens next while reading. So I was never particularly bored... But what's up with Blake's story...? The book is over and we never found out ANYTHING about him. And Cathy's story is a mystery too! The book was really fast paced with almost nothing to fill it. I really would of liked more information, but I guess I'll have to wait till book two. And dang, that cliff hanger at the end is intense!
Loved this book. If I could I would have read this in one sitting. It captivates you from beginning to last. The story was very interesting with shrouded mysteries plus there's the twist. What I like more is probably the romance. It just fitted everything. Not too much but just right. I also liked the other characters. They fit in perfectly with the Abigail's character. Although Abigail's character need to grow up more. I'm hoping that happens in the next book besides that I enjoyed reading Hunters. And well, there's a dark flavor to the story kind of like horror. Well it most likely horror but you'll understand what I meant when you read it. There were some parts in the story I felt confusing. And hopefully, some mysteries will be answered soon.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review (LoP or Lovers of Paranormal)
Hunters ( The Demon Series #1) by Aoife Marie Sheridan
I received this book from the Author in exchange for an honest review through the “Lovers of Paranormal” Group on Goodreads.com Abigail is a 19 year old Demon Hunter. She is essentially an emotional mess, has a bad attitude and is basically an alcoholic. As a child she witnessed the death of her family and was then taken in by a priest who trains her and three others to become Demon hunters. This book is very well written but with a very dark tone to it. The storyline is solid and it is a very good read. It can become a bit confusing at times, but perseverance will be rewarded as once the book kicks off you will be turning pages and wishing the next book in the series was out.
Hunters by Aoife Marie Sheridan was a great book! I loved it! Abigail is a troubled teen dealing with the loss of her whole family. But the love she shares with her friends and her adopted dad is a great story line as well. She has some very special abilities and finds things about herself in this book that she didn’t know. I feel for this character and can understand what a confusing time it is in her life. I can’t wait to see what the next book has to tell us about all the characters in this book. I like Father Peter, Daniel, and Cathy. I think they help keep Abigail out of even more trouble. I also love all the surprises in this book. I can’t wait for the next one! I was given this book in exchange for an honest review as a part of the Lovers of Paranormal group on Goodreads.
I received this book in exchange of an honest review.
First of all I'd like to thank Aoife Marie Sheridan for sending me a copy. I really looked forward reading the book, since it sounded really exciting and it had fairly good review.
Personally I thought the book was okay-ish. It wasn't entirely bad but it wasn't what I would call good either. I found there was no development of the characters, they all seemed very shallow...and I just couldn't connect to neither of them - not even Zee. Also I find it either disturbing that Abby is basically only drinking. And yes, she has her issue and packages to carry but there's just no change..
To me there was simply depth missing. Depth in the characters and story itself.
I enjoyed this book. There were a few parts that were fairly slow, but overall it was enjoyable. I think that the biggest problem that I had with it were the grammar errors. I find a fairly significant amount of grammar errors very distracting when I'm reading a book and for some reason that is unknown to me, they are even more distracting when I'm reading an ebook. The story was enjoyable though and I found that most of the characters has substance; they seemed like they could have been real people instead of just two dimensional characters on a page. I recommend this read to anyone who like demon slayer stories with complicated characters.
At first it was hard to get into the story, the prologue is told from Daniel's point of view and then the first chapter starts with Abigail's and it keeps changing through the book. I didn't like Abigail at first but then I got used to her, she can be a bit annoying, but she has a lot going on. Daniel was my favorite character, and even when I still don't know know what he is, I know that he is good and really cares about Abigail. I was a bit dissapointed at the end, I wanted to know more, but I guess I will get all the answers in the second book. I liked it, it was fast paced and entertaining. I would recommend it to all paranormal readers of all ages.
This was a fun read that didnt go where I expected it to. The plot wasn't the usual, predictable story. It was exciting and easy to become invested in the characters.
The only the thing that stopped me from giving it 5 stars was that the main character, Abigail, has such a self loathing she was hard to relate to since I never felt she was that flawed of a character.
*i was provided a copy from Paranormal, Fantasy, Dystopia and Romance Readers, Writers and Reviewers in exchange for an honest review :) *
this review contains spoilers
"Abigail is nineteen. Her job, she hunts demons.
Her life so far has been tough. Having witnessed her family’s death and her mother’s suicide, she’s been taken in by a priest, who believes her when she says that she sees ghosts. Father Peter trains her as a demon hunter with three other members, one being Daniel, who isn’t what he seems. But when a possession goes wrong, and ghosts start to attack Abigail, the tight rope she has on her emotions soon starts to loosen. Abigail draws the unwanted attention of the Reote, and she finds out a lot more than she was willing to learn. Knowledge is power, but for Abigail, it’s her undoing, and the only thing keeping her together is Daniel"
before actually writing a review i would like you to allow me a moment in order to express the feelings this book created and that's pretty much decribes it
so,this story begins with Daniel=Zee,the male love interest in this book,and total hottie i must add,who unfortunately ,for me,goes all stalker on our female mc and has some particular reactions while he hears her having a shower and cutting herself.yep you heard me.this stuff believe it or not happen on page 1 of this book.on page 2 we have a mega-paranormal fight between Daniel and Nicholas. this book just can't fail to impress and hold your interest because you have to admit that if that much of suspense and action takes place in just the 2 first pages,you can imagine what a chaos follows this prelude. as for the writing style of Hunters,Aoife Marie Sheridan.it is straightforward,with not too much garniture(if you don't know what i mean read City of Bones,and then you will come to appreciate down-to-earth,straight and to the point writing). and even though the premise of demon hunters is not new but if handled carefully it can create a very enjoyable and entertaining book.and thankfully for the reader, Aoife Marie Sheridan managed to deliver that.
now,if i could pinpoint something this book reminds me vaguely of, it would be Blue Exorcist, Vol. 1. Supernatural and Constantine especially Blue Exorcist, Vol. 1 it had many similarities with it but in no case it was the same.
so,Hunters is being narrated in dual pov.Both Zee and Abigail tell their side of the story showing us that even if we believe something is true,that doesn't necessarily mean that it actually is.
in my opinion Abigail is a messed-up,yet strong 19 year old.being the same age as her and truthfully speaking having experienced some pile of shit myself,i believe that abigail should speak to a special exorcist therapist or at least someone(preferably zee) so as to deal with her psychological and emotional buggage.moreover she should learn that hiding your problem and sticking your head in the sand doesn't solve the problem.it never did and it never will. as she too realised in the process
"My whole life, after that point, was burying what happened to me under a rock and hoping it would never come back. Well, now it was coming back."
as you will see,abigail has a lot of shit going on that she has to start sorting them out if she wants to have a little peace of mind someday.in order to do that she has to woman-up, and learn a trick or two so as to kick some demonic ass. all in all,i really liked abigail as a heroine to tell you the truth.with a horrid past,no family,trust issues,fear of loss and the unfortunate gift of seeing ghosts one could say abigail had a lot on her plate and if you add two guys wanting her for their own reasons and demons hunting her,well you can't help but sympathize with her. she became akward and shy when you don't expect it and the same goes for courageous and snarky. she was a wounded soul,wanting nothing more than for all to end.alchohol, cutting etc aka self-destroying was her characteristic in the beginning of this book.and her sensing her imminent end was just sad.imagine her life and imagine her sensing that all her suffering would be over or that after her death her suffering would only continue.isn't that a sad thought? she didn't want to hurt anyone around her and thus she tried to isolate herself.if she wasn't close to anyone,no one would be hurt or miss her and the same applies if someone she loved got hurt. "if you care about nothing,then you cannot be hurt"that i believe was her motto and the belief she lived by. but as far as daniel was concerned,she didn't want to hurt him in any kind of way.that was her reason for not confessing her feelings for him but at the end of the day,i was glad she became a plucky kickass heroine^^ life,as we all know, is hard but abigail is a tough cookie despite all her weakness and faults.no human can deal with what she experienced and remain untouched by it.and as johnny depp said and that was the cathartic moment for abigail. also,dear daniel it is fine and honorable for you to want to protect abigail but don't turn so easily into a stalker...it is somewhat...you know...creepy.and the club thing...too scary for me to enjoy.O.O as a couple though,i support abigail and daniel,despite his "overprotective" tendecies he can actually act sweet sometimes "I wanted her to open her eyes at that moment. I wanted to kiss her and tell her that she was mine, but I didn’t."
"I returned to Abigail’s bedroom and lay back down beside her, before wrapping her in my arms and holding her close to my chest. She was all that mattered. She was worth fighting for. She was worth living for."
“I gave an eternity up to spend a short existence with you, but I can’t exist without you”
daniel,you should stop with the stalking,killing etc thing so as for me to not have mixed feelings about you,because a guy that sweet should NOT be a criminal.
other than that i really liked the characters and the plot :) and i really liked the tension between zee and abigail. and i really loved the romance.i've been wanting for ages to read a story about a girl or a boy and her/his guardian angel >~< also the secret about abigail...it was thrilling. the book has a strange,mystical, eerie and dark(but-thank god-not as dark asBlood Magic) feeling which i really enjoy in such books.but it also made me quite annoyed...so many times when they were all full with self-pity. from the supportive characters my favs are:Cathy,Zuris and Father Peter rating 3.5-4 stars
PS:I CAN'T WAIT TO READ THE NEXT BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I chose to read this book after receiving a free copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. I've read several books by Aoife Marie Sheridan so I was looking forward to reading Hunters.
Abigail is a mess but she has seen a lot in her 19 years. If it weren't for Daniel, she wouldn't even be alive. He saved her when she was just a kid and he's been watching over her ever since. They're both demon hunters and for some reason, demons seem to be after Abigail at an increasing rate. Can Daniel continue to save her?
These characters are so flawed that although they each have redeeming qualities, it's almost difficult to like them. Abigail is an alcoholic and a wreck. Daniel loves Abigail more than life itself but he takes guarding over her to an extreme. Cathy is a bitch (I tried to come up with a different word, but came up blank). Blake seems nice enough but no one trusts him and he does have an unknown ulterior motive. The only person that everyone likes is Simon who always tries to be positive.
I've always like the author's writing. It flows well with good descriptions and dialogue. I enjoyed Hunters even though nothing was resolved at the end so now I have to wait for book 2! I also suggest proofreading this book. There were quite a few punctuation errors and a couple misspellings. I still definitely recommend Hunters.
This book is one for the ages. Abigail is a demon hunter but she is being attached herself. She doesn’t understand why but fighting alongside Daniel, she feels safe. When Stephen and the REOTE take her into questioning, things go haywire. Excellent writing. Any wait for the second installment.
This book was good!! I was hooked from the beginning and the storyline I found fascinating. It had a nice fast pace to it and I didn’t get bored which is a plus!! And with the action and turns in this book I found it hard to put down. The ending was a bit of a cliffhanger and left me wanting to know what happens next so off I go.
what to say about this book... This book is complex, at times weird, but leaves the reader is awe by the end of the book. I finished the book last night but I am still having a hard time digesting everything I read.
The main character in the story is Abigail. She has a complicated life full of grief, self loathing, and pain. at times she is very cynical and mostly walks around with a bad attitude/chip on her shoulder. But Abigail has had anything but an easy life. It's hard to blame her for being what she is. She copes by drinking and is essentially an alcoholic. I don't think you can really say this book is about Angels versus demons because the angles are nonexistent. But the book is about a war breaking out in hell and religious extremists. It's refreshing and unique that the author took the stand she did on religious extremists. Overall, the plot was very complicated and at times I wasn't exactly sure what was going on. Normally I would not have picked up a book like this but I am glad I did. The author did a nice job describing the creepy and scary. And I'm talking about things that come from children's nightmares. I found it hard not getting drawn into Abigail's personal hell. This book is a dark story and ends with a cliff hanger.
I received a free copy for an honest review and this is my stop in Aoife Sheridan's October blog tour!
"Ghosts, angels, and demons exist. They are not the things from movies. They are so much worse." (p. 43)
Hunters is the first instalment in The Demon Series by Aoife Marie Sheridan. I enjoyed the novel, loved the characters but the protagonist, Abigail, I hated her! It’s the first time for me to dislike a central character so much. Abigail Thornton is a nineteen-year-old vodka-aholic demon hunter. But instead of demon hunting, it seems she has a knack for attracting demons – for reasons unknown to her or the reader. In the first demon-hunting encounter the reader comes across, the demon recognises Abigail and calls her by her name. The situation is unheard-of, even for a hunter.
I particularly like how every character is a mystery, not just the central character or Daniel, who is always by her side and is like every girl's dream, but also Cathy, Nicholas, Father Peter, even Simon, to a small extent.
Abigail has had a rough childhood. Her mother, as she remembers her, suffered from depression and was rarely herself. Her father was never around and her childhood was spent playing with her brother Sam. Abigail came across her mother's body after she had committed suicide. But that wasn't the worst thing eleven-year-old Abigail saw that night, there was someone else in the bathroom, a dark figure, whose face she had never seen before.
Abigail and I can agree that some characters are just down-right obnoxious like Steven and Cathy, though the latter can be good at times.
There is a thin line of romance in the novel, between the often unfeeling Abigail and Daniel. The love is not unrequited, it's a mystery of its own. However, one often gets the urge to want to smack Abigail on the face, like when Cathy does, but for different reasons.
Sheridan lays out several mysterious threads throughout the novel, a sort of large setting for the parts to come. Some threads are answered, others are not. As the saying goes "The more you know, the less you know." (No idea who said it), but that's the situation with Abigail. She has so many questions about herself, her parents, her life, Daniel. But as she begins to ask questions, she begins to fear the answers that she will hear. Worse, answers come to questions she never even thought of; they begin to surface, particularly those of her birth.
Hunters is narrated in the first person perspective, mostly from Abigail's point of view, though occasionally from Daniel's. Abigail might be a sad and angry teen most of the time, but she is highly sarcastic, giving some dark humour to the already dark story.
I look forward to reading the coming instalments in the series and to see how these threads of mystery will come to light. I hope more questions will be answered rather than asked.
This is the first book in the Demon Series, and it's a little part religious, because it's priests who run the demon hunters. BUT it's also a little more urban fantasy, because it's got a lot of action and whole lot of fun. Things like exorcisms and haunting, and possessions. And a heap load of sad heart wrenching pasts. I'm quite amazed at what this book is becoming. I won't like it's dark, and gritty, and I have a feeling there's going to be a whole lot of heart ache, more than there already is, and it's already blowing my mind.
I really wasn't expecting anything, because I wasn't sure exactly what this book would entail, but damn it was pretty good :) Abigail is our main character, and she's had a horrible time of life. She can actually see the demons around her, and on top of that, her whole family died, horrible, in front of her. Seriously, she has some major issues, like a drinking problem, and anti social disorder, but I really don't blame her. She's handling things better than I would. So here's what started, there's on over population issue of demons possessing people. Abigail and the hunters are called out to rid the demons. And then some crazy things start happening around her, and then she finds out a secret about her past she didn't know, and it's gunna blow your mind. :) And she's in love with Daniel but she won't let herself, and that's just a whole nuther whirl wind drama :)
Daniel is awesome, and I can't tell you what he is, but I can tell you that he's the guy everyone wants fighting for them. And Father Peter, he makes me want to hug him :) And then there's the other hunter team members. I'm just getting my feel for them, and I know they will have more development in the future books and I actually am looking forward to seeing more.
The plot is not only full of mystery and action, but it's perfect for urban fantasy lovers that like a little horror added in. And I would probably put it in the new adult category, though I would say everyone should read it :) This is an eye opening experience. And the characters are very real, flawed, and so believable. I am so ready for more! It's a great ride. 5 DEMON PAWS!
Hunters is the first book in what promises to be a really intriguing and exciting series. Abigail is a young girl who has the special ability of seeing ghosts. Not only did she lose her family at a young age but she witnessed their deaths - something which haunts her to this day. Raised by Father Peter, a member of a secret society that hunts demons, Abigail is trained to use her abilities to hunt demons (some of which might have been involved in the death of her family). Her closest friend is Daniel, or Zee, as she calls him - a mysterious member of her team who is more unique than anyone can imagine. Zee, drink, and demon hunting are the only things keeping Abigail’s fragile emotional state from tipping over completely. But that balance is about to shift. Exorcisms go wrong, tensions rise, secrets will be reveled and no one in Abigail’s circle will ever be the same. Least of all Abigail…
First off let me say that there is a darkness and a lushness to this book that is utterly captivating and addictive. This takes off like a rocket and you have to force yourself to slow down so you do not devour it all in one go. I found myself so drawn to these characters. Wanting to know more about who they were and what drove them. And not just Abigail and Zee. The side characters here are so interesting and compelling as well. I hope that we can see more of who they are in future books.
I absolutely loved the pacing of this book. Intrigue after intrigue just unfolds - each revel leading to more questions and leading us deeper down the rabbit hole. At times I think that we lose a little bit of the characterization in all of the secrets and plot twists. But not enough to detract from the book. For instance, Abigail and Zee’s relationship is so intense but it needs to be flushed out more - it sort of gets lost in all of the things that they are keeping from each other. Again this does not detract from the book as a whole but it might have given the book a little more depth with one or two less secrets (or secrets that we know about so early on). I know one thing for certain I cannot wait to read more (that ending just leaves you on pins and needles!!!) .
After a rocky start, I was actually pretty drawn into this book, so much so that I would pick it up on my iPhone and read it while waiting at red lights (no, Mom, I wasn't reading while driving. I was stopped). Sheridan has painted a picture of a tortured young woman, one that is riding on the edge of a knife and quite literally may slip off at any moment. It was engaging, it was filled with action and suspense, and it was a fun read.
Abigail is a demon hunter, and she is paid to go out and find demons that are bothering people and exorcise them, or help ghosts cross over into the other side. She's joined by a group of friends who have similar gifts, but Abigail seems to be the only one haunted by hers, or perhaps that's because we're in her head. Substance abuse was prevalent in this book, and it was pretty clear why Abigail needed to be drunk most of the time.
One of Abigail's buddies is Zee/Daniel (she calls him Zee for reasons not explained, but his given name is Daniel. This was not well explained at first, and confused the hell out of me). Daniel is a mystery, he's perfect, almost other-wordly, and she and he have a budding romance that made me roll my eyes only once, I think - which means I liked it (hah). He's got his own secrets, and although it didn't seem that way at first, he and Abigail go way back. What is not clear is why he gave up so much for her - if it's *barf* love, or if it has anything to do with her history.
There's definitely some eyebrow-raising spoilers related to Abigail's past, but it was well-executed. The only thing that pissed me off was where this story ended - I don't like plot-dangling cliffhangers, and that's what this one was. I prefer my books to be a complete story arc with questions left unanswered, but the plot itself resolved. We ended halfway through the climax, which felt unfulfilling.
Overall though, Four Stars.
Definitely recommended for those who like their heroines dark and brooding. Can't wait to pick up Part II when it comes out.
“My whole life, after that point, was burying what happened to me under a rock and hoping it would never come back. Well, now it was coming back. The only comfort I got out of seeing Sam was that I knew he wasn’t in hell. I never truly believed he was, but sometimes, it played on my mind. I needed to go back. There must be something he wanted me to find or see.” – Hunters by Aoife Marie Sheridan
(I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.)
After the tragic death of her family, Abigail finds a home with a priest who believes her when she says she can see ghosts. Father Peter believes she would be a great asset to the team and trains her to be a demon hunter. Now that she’s older, she’s trying hard to put the past behind her but when demons start to target her specifically, she may be forced to dig into her history. With the help of Daniel, she tries to seek the truth but does he know more than he’s willing to say?
I have to start out by saying I did not see the plot twist coming! When I read it, I actually screamed and my boyfriend thought I was crazy. It really shook me and I’m excited to see where that information can lead to in the next book. This book is very easy to get into. There’s a lot of action, plenty of supernatural happenings and it’s a thriller in so many ways. It keeps you at the edge of your seat wondering what will happen to Abigail next or better yet, what really happened to her at the beginning. It introduces you to a set of well-developed characters and once you feel like you know them, you start to question them in the progression of the story. I still have so many questions as there are still a lot of things unanswered but I hope to discover the truth in the next installment.
I felt this book was very captivating. It really drew you in and made you want to know more. I feel like this world is much bigger than what Abigail expected and I’m excited to see more of it. I hope she finds all of the answers and I hope it makes her stronger.
I give this crazy-good read a rating of 4.5 out of 5!
HUNTERS: Demon Series Part One by Aoife Marie Sheridan
* I received a free ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. What follows is my unbiased opinion of HUNTERS by Aoife Marie Sheridan.*
SYNOPSIS:
Abigail is 19. She should be attending college and spending time with friends, but that is not the case. Abigail is a demon hunter. She can also see and communicate with ghosts.
After the death of her family she was adopted by Father Peter who also heads up her demon hunting group.
Abigail has a guardian angel who protects her, but she does not feel worthy of his protection or his love.
Abigail feels like there is something different about herself but isn't sure what it is.
This story takes many twists and turns. It is full of paranormal twists, action, adventure, romance and lots of angst.
It is an intriguing and interesting read and is the first book in a new series.
WHAT I DID NOT LIKE ABOUT THIS BOOK:
There are quite a few editing errors, such as: "I gave Zee a nod just as I turned the door handle and entered the DARKEN room..." It should read "darkened".
Another example is: "The candles hit the carpet and distinguished almost immediately..." It should say, "extinguished".
Also some of the sentence structures were confusing, such as: "Her body was partially naked and her long blonde hair was stuck to her neck with sweat, I couldn't make out her features as her face was no longer human looking than the hands that rested on her swollen abdominal." My response to that confusing, run-on sentence is "What?"
Also, the author uses the word "rigid" many, many times throughout the story and almost every time it is spelled wrong. Instead of "rigid" it says "ridged".
RATING:
Due to the editing errors I cannot rate this book as highly as it would deserve if those errors were fixed. Therefore this book receives a 4 out of 5 star rating.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review (Never Too Old For Y.A. and N.A. Books)
Well, damn... aren't you mean for leaving me like this and open-mouthed? So... let's start from the beginning. First, I want to say, Abigail isn't how I expected. I don't like her much, mostly for all the stupid drinking and acting like an idiot. I know it's not nice to say, but I really wanted to strangle her with my own hands at times. She's seriously f@cked up! And, for God's sake, take that poor guy Daniel out of his misery! He's head over heels in love with you! You are too but you're too busy drowning in your own sorrow and have a pity party instead of living a little and give in on your feelings for him. Daniel... ahh he's a breath of fresh air! He's too hot and cute for his own good. I really like him. Although he sort of scares me at times when it comed to protect Abigail at all costs. Or avenge her being hurt somehow. I'm not sure how I feel about Father Peter yet. Blake, I don't like him. And I don't trust him. Cathy.... for most of the story I didn't like her and thought she was a b!tch for flirting with Daniel and mostly being mean to Abigail. But in the end....? I don't know... she might redeem herself. Simon was kinda sweet but other than that, I don't know him well enough to say more. The story was good and I must admit I'm a sucker for demons stories, even though possessions and exorcisms give me the creeps. Yeah I'm weird like that. I'm creeped but still want to read about it. Don't judge. So, I was sayin...the story was good and interesting, a good mix of romance, fantasy, mystery and creepiness. And when THE KISS came finally, I was like, Yes yes yes! Finally!!!
Recommended. But now I need the next installment of this series, like, right now! I just hate cliffhangers!
If there is anything to say about this novel, it is that it was disappointing. It wasn't by any means bad- not at all. It just... didn't sit right with me.
Here's what it's about: The story follows nineteen-year-old Abigail. She's had a hard life, bouncing from foster home to foster home after her family died right in front of her face, and is eventually picked up by charming Father Peter who takes her in. Oh, little did she know that Father Peter was actually a hunter who rid the world of demons. And that, with Abigail's gifts, she could be a hunter, too?
The premise was intriguing, and if I remember correctly, it said something along the lines of "When a possession goes wrong, and ghosts start to attack Abigail, the tight rope she has on her emotions soon starts to loosen. Abigail draws the unwanted attention of the Reote, and she finds out a lot more than she was willing to learn. Knowledge is power, but for Abigail, it’s her undoing."
I do think that the novel got better as it went on. The flow was a little wonky, sometimes the descriptions were too long/or they lacked. But honestly, there wasn't anything wrong with the story. The characters developed, the story was interesting, concept was fairly original... but the writing style killed me. It killed me. I understand this is an ebook and, if I had to guess, it was self published, but OH MY GOODNESS. The amount of spelling, punctuation and grammar errors hurt my eyes.
I feel like because of the writing style the entire story ended up suffering. The structure collapsed, then the setting, and the characters... everything eventually ended up falling apart.
Aoife, I definitely see your writing going far. Don't give up. Just keep writing! Received a WordDoc for R4R. All opinions are my own.
This book was sometimes a little strange. Abigail has a big problem. True her life has had a lot of grief and pain. She has a real attitude problem. Her life has been anything but easy. She's got demons of her own and then she hunts demons. Wow! That has to be a hard one. I felt for her in a way and yet in another way, there's a lot of people who have had a rough life. She needs an escape method and her method of choice is drinking and that has made her an alcoholic. The author wrote at a steady pace and the plot was very complicated. I had a bit of trouble following at times. This book is a good book to read at this time of year. The author gives you a combination of scary, nightmares you'll remember, horror, romance, mystery and a dark evil that, believe it or not, is present all around us. The ending leaves you hanging and wanting more. The author didn't sugar coat the characters, but gave you real, true to life characteristics. They were like real people and with real people you sometimes can relate. I had a little trouble feeling for Abigail. She was just messed up so bad. She needed so much and I don't think anyone could give her what she needed. Zee is in love with this needy drunk with all her demons, but I wished he would have stepped up to the plate and tried to help her instead of just putting up with it. Get the girl some help if you love her. I was disappointed with the ending though. You, the reader are left hanging in mid air. So many questions, so few answers. Maybe the next book with answer some of them.
Just a note, could use some more editing.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and Ultimate Fantasy Books and voluntarily decided to review it.
this book has you have questions along the way some get answered some are not and more in the end are added. Daniel is my biggest mystery. Love him. Sheridan writes him as a mystery though. I gentle , lethal adoring mystery. He loves Abigail and gave up a lot to protect her and try to get her to see him as more than a friend. He is faithful and kind and in the end he sacrifices alot for her.
Abigail is a stubborn, in a way selfish young lady who has lost a lot. She has people looking for her and she can bring ghosts to peace. Daniel is her best friend and she knows he loves her but still doesn’t take it into consideration. She does care just is fearful.
These two fight demons. they are led to believe this is their destiny. Why they have special talents. Daniel’s talents go beyond this world. Is this true? If not what is their purpose? Why are they around?
The story follows these two and their fellow demon hunters through Abigail’s struggles of her families death anniversary, who they are, why they are around and who she is. It is action packed and leaves you hanging. The ending at the tree of life is a WHAT?? moment. Abigail has a decision and so does Daniel. Daniel chooses Abigail as he always does but what will happen? Where did they go/ Will they be able to come back? what does the decisions mean?
So many questions and yet so adventuresome and interesting to read. The side characters enhance the story. We see the different personalities and how they fit together. How they work together and how everything works. A journey into a new world is created one in which not everything is black and white and demons are not as evil as they seem although some are.
I was given a copy of this book by the author for an honest review.I really liked this book and can’t wait for the second book to come out!!! Abigail became an orphan when she was a little girl. Her mother killed herself and her father and younger brother died under very suspicious circumstances. Father Peter took her in and raised her, along with other special children like her. They all have special abilities. Abigail can see ghosts and speak to them. Abigail and the other orphans were trained to hunt demons and ghosts for the Vatican. Abigail is closest to Daniel they have a special connection and are on the verge of a possible romance if all the crazy things happening to Abigail don’t get in the way. Daniel has many secrets, some about Abigail and some about himself. He is the perfect hero all the same. Ghosts and demons have a strange attraction to Abigail lately, more so than the usual attraction they have to demon hunters. Things are getting dangerous for her. Her little brother’s ghost is appearing to her to try and give her some clues. There are too many accidents happening to Abigail, to many near death occurrences with demons and the people she is supposed to save. The Vatican is getting suspicious and they are watching closer than anyone else. Abigail is different than the other demon hunters; you should read this book and find out her secret. There are so many interesting secrets, you won’t be disappointed!!