Riley Blackthorne’s life as a Demon Trapper is about to hit the wall. Knowing she will always be a target for those who want to exploit her “connections” with Hell, she’s learning defensive magic. It seems the only way to ensure she and her fiancé, Denver Beck, have a future together. But not everyone in Atlanta, or at the Vatican, is pleased by this news. In fact, some want to ban the use of all magic, and Riley would make the perfect scapegoat. As a new demonic enemy stalks her, Guild politics roil the city, throwing the trappers into chaos. To protect herself and the man she loves, Riley will be forced to continue in her legendary father’s footsteps, or carve her own path. A path that may well lead to her losing everything she so desperately seeks to protect.
Jana Oliver is an international and Amazon bestselling author who lives in Portugal.
Her novels have won numerous awards, including the Prism Award, the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Supense as well as the National Readers' Choice Award.
Her books include The Demon Trappers Series and Briar Rose (Young Adult), time travel/historical mystery (The Time Rovers Series) and paranormal romance (Tangled Souls).
She is co-author of Socially Engaged: The Author's Guide to Social media, written with Tyra Burton.
She is happiest when she's researching urban legends, peering at old maps and adding to her growing collection of port and Portuguese wines.
I absolutely love Jana Oliver's Demon Trappers series and I was really sad when it came to an end so I'm thrilled that the author decided to revisit it and give us a chance to see how the characters are getting along. Mind Games picks up not long after the Grave Matters novella, Beck is still living in Scotland while he finishes his training to become a Grand Master while Riley is back in Atlanta. It's hard being so far away from the man she loves but Riley has plenty to keep her busy: she's helping train new apprentices, she's put in her application to become a Master Trapper and as if that wasn't enough she is also studying magic with both the witches and the necromancers so that she'll be able to protect herself properly.
Riley has always struggled to get the respect she deserves from some of the Guild members, there are those who just don't want a female trapper around and others who don't trust her because of her father's actions even though he was a legend in his own right before his mistakes became public knowledge. Anyway, the fact that she is now studying magic has given the people who are against her even more ammunition to throw at her but Riley isn't one to back down easily and she knows that she's following the correct path. As Riley faces off against the outspoken few who fear her the entire Atlanta chapter of the Guild are facing even bigger problems and it's going to take all of Riley's skill to try and talk them out of it.
Mind Games is a great addition to the series, I love seeing how confident Riley has become and it was great seeing her start to pass on her knowledge to a whole new generation of Trappers. I'm so sick of seeing people look down on her though and it really made me mad that she doesn't get the respect she has earned from all of the Guild. Luckily her enemies are few and she has far more allies these days, ones who will have her back no matter what. It was interesting getting the chance to catch up with Simon, after everything that happened with him in the earlier books there was a point where I felt I'd never be able to forgive him for his actions but he's really come a long way and totally redeemed himself. Of course the best part was Beck, he's always been one of my favourite YA heroes and nothing has changed there! When Riley is in trouble Beck is the first person to stand at her side and when he finds out what is going on in Atlanta he jumps straight on the next plane home. I will never get bored of reading about him and Riley and I just love seeing them so happy together. There are some really sweet moments between them in this book and I hope we haven't seen the last of them. __________ Thoughts before reading: OMG A NEW DEMON TRAPPERS NOVEL!! How the hell did I miss this? *runs to Amazon and orders a copy immediately*
The Demon Trappers series is one of my favorites and I was beyond excited when I found out there would be a fifth book.
But I guess this turned out like Supernatural, post-Season 5. After you see the apocalypse, any other plot seems anti-climactic. I appreciate the effort of bringing Riley into the magic world and giving her more potential to be an ass-kicker, but in the end I guess I was completely underwhelmed by the entire premise.
Another huge issue I had was on the Riley/Beck front. When they were together they felt completely bland and unlike the amazing characters they were in the previous books. I guess I first felt this change in the Grave Matters novella, but here they kinda lost their OTP-ness and their interactions just didn't match my expectations at all.
I am a sucker and I will continue reading any future books, because things could turn around, but based on this book, I think I would have preferred if the series had just ended when it was supposed to, leaving me with only positive memories of it...
One of my all time favourite couples is Riley & Beck, so i was dead excited when i found out i would get to read more of their story. Jana did not disappoint!
I love Riley's strength, Den's protectiveness but also his realisation that Riley is her own woman who is more than capable. Stewart & Harper make a return, along with a new and improved Simon and of course there are alot of demons, including the Kleptofiend who seems to have taken a liking to Riley.
I can't wait for more of one of my favourite series to continue further!
Three stars is a little bit harsh. I actually loved meeting Riley and Beck one last Time. But I think that the book doesn't bring anything new to the story line. The story of this book is not as good as the other ones. And even though i enjoyed seeing Riley so grown up and all, the fourth book was for me the perfect ending. This one was just there to tell us that YES they are gonna be fine and live happily ever after, which make this book a little off for me. But it is still a good ending and it's always a joy to stay a little bit longer with characters you love.
This was well worth waiting for as it came out a while ago and only just got my own copy a week or so prior to reading the book.
Love how much both Beck and Riley have matured since the last book, love how things that prior to this story would have never been addressed by either of them, love that Riley herself is finally learning to take charge over her own decisions rather than allowing those in charge to enforce their decisions on her.
Now we have my favorite Demon Trapper couple finally engaged, their wedding date set and am so hoping that if there is another book that Rileys dream wedding goes off without a hitch.
Note: This review will contain potential spoilers for events in previous books. It is best to read this series in order.
How I love Riley and Beck. I miss them and just when it becomes almost unbearable, Jana Oliver waves her magic writing instrument and my favorite Demon Trappers are back in new adventures. This time finds Riley on the discrimination end of the Master Trapper's list and not just on a local level. Apparently she's moved up the chain to the National level. They have discovered her working with magic users and are now targeting her. After a Guild representative personally makes his way to Atlanta, all hell breaks loose when Riley is put on probation and formally restricted from practicing magic, learning magic, consorting with magic users, or, at the very least, getting caught or turned in for doing any of that on the sly. This, of course, makes trapping demons quite difficult for Riley because all trappers use magical spheres to rid their cities of demons. If she continues to trap then she not only endangers herself but all who choose to work with her. The Guild is setting her up - but why?
The playing field has changed for Riley. After what happened in Grave Matters, she has taken to learning a little bit of defensive magic. She works with both the local witches and the local summoners so we get to see characters from other books that we've grown to know and some we've even grown to love. Word has come down from the National Guild, however, that makes magical ability a no-no for her. She works as best she can with the limitations being imposed but when she is confronted by another Archfiend, she knows that something has to give before she really does end up losing her life.
Beck is back in town from his training as Grand Master in Edinburgh just in time for the holidays. He has Riley's back 200%, which helps reduce her anxiety of working without magic. Simon, Riley's ex from a few books ago, also returns to Atlanta. He is now a Vatican trained exorcist and, while Riley is sidelined from magic, Simon has permission to use her help. It was nice to see them working together again after their previous falling out.
As in the rest of the books, the story lines are easy to follow but the twists and turns are not easily figured out. I really had no idea where the author was taking Mind Games but it was true to its title. There are a lot of mind games played in this book. I also love the emotional feel to these books. The love between Beck and Riley is undeniable. The anger and frustration Riley feels at being singled out and tossed under the bus is palpable. The ability to pull emotions out of a reader is one of the main goals that an author has and Ms. Oliver does it in all of The Demon Trapper's Daughter novels.
I loved being back in the world of Riley Blackthorne. There is never a dull moment in Atlanta, making the books wonderful, engaging, and spectacular. The camaraderie between Riley and her apprentices and those in the Guild who aren't out to get her is great. She's treated as a capable member of the Demon Trappers Guild. Her relationship with Beck makes my heart sing - I knew from the first book that these two were meant for one another.
If you haven't started this series, I highly recommend them. You won't be disappointed.
Yay, Riley and the gang are all back! I was so excited to read that Oliver was releasing a 5th book, it really is one of my favourite series and I've recommended it to a few friends. The first in the series is Forsaken, 2nd is Forbidden, 3rd is Forgiven, 4th is Foretold, 4.5 is Grave Matters. Although Grave Matters is really only a wee novella, I included it in the list since the story is relevant to Riley's future and therefore this book.
This time we see Riley having to deal with a long distance relationship with Beck as well as training her own apprentice demon trappers and having to deal with prejudices from other trappers about her learning magic.
Riley's really matured since the start of this series, which I believe is less than a year in the timeline. She's been through a lot in her wee life and had to deal with some serious shit so it's easy to see why she's matured so much. This world just gets scarier as we learn more about hell and the demons it spawns - and I have a feeling we still have a lot more to learn. At least I'm hoping that's the case since I'm hoping Oliver writes more, the story definitely didn't seem finished. In fact, it did seem like more story threads have been opened in this.
I can't say anything bad about this series, I adore it. The world that's been created, the characters in it and the writing style are all fantastic and I'll continue to recommend this series to anyone that I think will enjoy it - which should be anyone that likes to read.
This book was sure a game changer. At first it seemed like things were going to be bad as the National Guild had their heads up their asses and of coures Riley was blamed as the evil center. The good thing was that the most of other Trappers of Atlanta were behind her, supported her and gave her hope.
Riley's life certainly took a change. I liked the new things that she was learning, thought that it made her a stronger Trapper. I liked how Riley stood up to the different factions to get what would help her.
The ending made me smile, mostly because Beck got what he wanted to make him feel safe and happy, Riley achieved one of her goals and the National Guild was in tatters after going up against Riley.
Not as a detailed as previous books in the series. But nonetheless you will find the book very enjoyable. I wish though it was longer. SPOILER ALERT if you haven't read all previous books I apologize, but I need to include this next sentence. Also I wish this book covered Riley and Beck's wedding. (Call me a sap all you want).
I am glad that Oliver did not finish in book four because book five helps the reader recognize and appreciate all the characters from previous books. It helps the reader understand how far Simon has come personally, recognize the benefit of having various friends, and the personal growth that Riley has accomplished since book one.
Mind Games is an excellent book in the Demon Trapper series! I love how we are branching out into other types of magic. Also, Jana Oliver has done a great job of including most of the supporting cast and weaving them into a great story. This book closes out one story arc, but leaves so much more to tell!
I was excited to read this after enjoying the other books in the series, but this was a huge letdown. The writing was terrible and the characters were annoying. So sad I read this cause it tarnished my memory of the rest of the books.
This was alright. I would have been happy leaving off with the last book. The beginning, I was a little bored. It really picked up towards the middle until the end, that’s when I really started to enjoy it.
The likes:
*The twists. From who was causing “more demons” and who was messing with Riley. *Riley dabbling with magic. I think it’s cool that she’s learning it and it helped her out so much! *How determined Riley to prove to the Guild she’s right for the job and how she showed them. *Simon is better. Not like he was in the previous books. I like what he’s doing now. It was pretty cool to read about it. I like how he tries to help Riley out and they’re cool with each other now. *Riley and Beck together is so cute. Beck is such an awesome sweet guy. *Riley’s badassness when it comes to trapping the demons. Definitely can keep up and even show up the boys.
Dislikes:
*A little slow for my liking *When Riley and Beck were separated, it was kinda of blah . *How things ended. I wish the epilogue was different but it was okay.
I love the Demon Trappers series and was very excited to see that another book has been released in this series. This book does a great job of wrapping up all the loose ends that were left after the fourth book. It was wonderful to see all of our favorites from the Demon Trappers series. I would definitely recommend reading the other Demon Trappers books before reading this one.
This book really digs in and explores the magic side of things. Riley starts getting very involved in both Summoning magic as well as Witchcraft; and the national trappers guild is not happy about it.
We meet some new interesting types of demons when Riley joins Simon for some exorcisms. The story also has a ton of action and is very fast-paced and engaging.
Riley and Beck were together for most of the book and it was wonderful to see them getting more comfortable with each other and starting to settle into a life together. Really this book leaves all of our characters in a great place!
Overall this was a wonderful conclusion to this series; I am so happy that Oliver made one more book in this series to tie up all the bigger issues that were left unanswered at the end of the 4th book. I love these characters and this world and was so excited to read more about them!
This a 3 star read for me. This felt more of a filler book for this series, it had a very monster of the week feel. That being said I loved how magic was the focus of this book. I really enjoyed reading more about the magical community in this world, and how Riley is growing in this community. Jana Oliver has done an amazing job with character development in this series and I think that is why I am enjoying it so much. Riley isn't instantly amazing at these new crafts, she puts the work in and grows slowly whilst making mistakes along the way. Yes she has some innate abilities but she doesn't automatically know how to use them. I liked the general plot of the story and the new elements of world building but the ending did seem rushed and I wish this was a little bit longer to flesh it out a bit. Also there was a lack of Peter in this book, I love his and Riley's friendship and their interactions are always fun to read.
ok so I'm really hoping this isn't the last book in the demon trappers sieres. I feel there is more to tell!!! the suspense was good! the crap with Northrup and finding out how deep the corruption goes! so there is more story there. Riley finally getting her dream was expected but it was awesome reading it anyways! I was just as happy about that as beck was!!I really do like this sieres, the world, the characters, I wish to read more of it!
Such a great conclusion to the series. In this book we are introduced to a more political side of the demon trapping and have the chance to see how much all the characters have grown. I kind of wish I've read the "Grave matters" novella, just to shed more light on the event that occurred between the books 4 and 5, but who knows, I might still read it. One thing for sure, I will definitely miss reading about Beck and Riley.
So I just need to accept that this series will just be an OK series for me. I have issues with too perfect characters and too much happily ever after and Riley is pretty much both in my opinion. Somehow everything just turns out to be ok, good guys win and bad guys loses, minimum losses in the process if any losses ever. The way to become a master is apparently less easy as it seems, but no worries it will all be ok.
Demon Trappers have always been close to my heart and I was very much looking forward to this book and as expected I loved it! Riley and Beck have never been the conventional couples because they have always had a target on their backs and this time is no different. Riley is trying hard to become a Master but the forces of hell are intent on destroying her chances. I really don't want to give away much but to all the others: You will love this book, seriously!
I seriously LOVE this series, I’m so glad i reread books 1-4 before reading 5 and soon 6.
The characters are like family, I absolutely love spending time with them and joining in on their adventures and battles. Bring in payday so I can get book 6, the wait is killing me lol
Finished reading this book in one sitting. The plot however kind a rushed in my opinion. I don't see this Peter guy much in this book considering he is Riley's best buddy. Looks like there's no budding romance between Mort and Ayden.
Ich w��rde ja gerne diese Buch lesen aber mir ist aufgefallen das es keine Übersetzung gibt, was komisch ist weil von den ersten 4 Bücher gibt es eine Deutsche übersetzung.