This book got me hooked since the first chapter ! I've loved the premise of an evil metal vocalist,the icy Iceland's and obviously,the gate for hell itself-so original ! I highly recommend this book !

This book wasn’t for me, really. I was torn between giving it 2 or 3 stars, and went for 3 in the end because I think perhaps a less critical and younger reader might like it. It reads as lower-end YA, so I imagine I’m not the intended audience, and someone who does like books like that might enjoy it. However, I found it fell flat.

The book had quite a slow start. Heavy on the exposition, light on the character development, and full of tiny little details that didn’t quite make sense and kept throwing me out of the narrative. Both the main character and her love interest came across as one-dimensional, and the attraction between them contrived.

About 30% of the way in, things started picking up. I wouldn’t say the narrative style improved, but there were fewer things for it to stumble over and I didn’t keep getting distracted by it. There was still a lot that didn’t make sense to me, but I didn’t mind reading it. However, I don’t think it really improved any more. The rest of the book rushed things I felt needed much more time dedicated to them, and dragged out plot points that I didn’t think warranted much content at all.

There were a few things in the book that surprised me, but only because they didn’t really seem to make any sense. None of the characters acted in ways I expected when faced with any kind of adversity or surprise, which made me feel like there was no purpose to the manner in which these events occurred, they were just there to move the plot along, and also that none of the characters seemed real. Their motivations and emotions and actions all seemed incredibly unbelievable.

The main character irritated me. She was insistent that she was capable and smart and could handle things on her own, and yet whenever she was given a choice to make she pretty much invariably went with the wrong option. She was pretty much clueless about anything and everything that the plot revolved around, while those who were in the know seemed content to let her make terrible choices without all the relevant information. The way she acted when she finally discovered any of the information that was concealed from her felt unrealistic, too. It really felt like you could have taken her out of the story entirely and its course would be more or less unchanged.

In conclusion, I don’t really think this book is worth it. I was never invested in the characters, or the romance, or the plot, and I think that everything was resolved far too easily for all of the build-up that preceded it.

I was a bit surprised with this one. I was initially curious about the book due to the title, description, and cover. Assuming it was more of a horror story, I was taken aback to find it to actually be a teen adventure/romance book. Definitely NOT the type of book I would willingly get myself into... but it wasn't bad at all. If it were possible to put myself into the mindset of a teenage female, I might've even enjoyed it! Kudos to the author. Good little story. Nice action. Fast-paced. Not a lot of fluff. Thank you for the opportunity to read this one early!!! Will definitely recommend this to my teenage nieces.

Demonically obsessed metal-bands, gunslinging grandma’s and perilous adventures through volcanic-cave systems all feature at the centre of this fast-paced YA-adventure set against the background of the Icelandic wilderness. If you’re looking for an action packed novel that reads like an adventure movie or Netflix series with a light supernatural twist, this one is for you.

When Rory Quinn spends her winter-break with her adventurous, treasure-hunting grandmother, she finds herself unexpectedly swept up in Gram’s latest contract; retrieve a blood-smeared stone that legend says will lead whoever possesses it to the nearest doorway to Hell. They’re not the only once hunting the volcanic caves of Iceland for this rock, however. From a heavy-metal band who want the stone as a prop for their next show, to a secret society who believe in the demonic powers the legends profess; Rory, Gram and their clients ridiculously handsome grandson enter a race against the clock to get to the stone first.

The author has stated that the idea for Hellfinder started out, not with characters or a plot, but with a setting. This shows, in the sense that the rugged Icelandic landscapes and breath-taking nature are the heart and soul of this novel. I felt like I was right there with the characters, exploring volcanic caves, geysers and frozen tundra’s. That, along side with the fast-moving plot kept me engaged throughout, and made up for the novels weaker points.
The characters were hit-or-miss for me. Although there was some fun banter here and there, the best character of all (sassy Gunslinging-Grandma of course) felt seriously underused. The family-dynamics and interactions between Rory and her grandma took a backseat in favour of the building romance between Gunnar and Rory. Personally I would love to see more focus on family- and friendship in modern YA, instead of the same overdone and slightly cringy romantic banter all over again. A stronger focus on Rory (and her family’s) past, could’ve added a layer of depth to the story that would’ve elevated it above a fun adventure. As it stands, Hellfinder ends up with three-stars; good fun, great setting, but ultimately a little unmemorable in plot and characters.
Bonuspoints for the cover, which is absolutely stunning.

Many thanks to Fitzroy Books and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thoroughly enjoyed this read & would definitely recommend to any contemporary fiction lovers!

From start to finish, I was really engaged and found myself not wanting to put it down!

This was a fun book to read, with scenic adventure through Iceland. It was a quick read.
I received a ARC of this book for a review.

I wasn't quite sure what I was in for with this one. A quick-paced and well-written YA thriller slash adventure slash fantasy. The heroine, Rory, was interesting enough but I was kind of disappointed that her relationship with her kick-ass grandmother, or "Gram," was almost immediately sidelined in favour of a basic YA romance. Why can't YA be anchored to other kinds of relationships? I also felt that the dialogue was hard to believe at times. Rory sometimes speaks like someone's vision of a 90s teenager ("ridiculously hot"?) while the Icelandic folk are basically fluent in English, except when they're not, so we can craft a funny moment. The reveal is a bit predictable, but what bothered me more was that, by the world's criteria, any mildly disobedient teenager could qualify (for what? Keeping it vague to avoid spoilers). I loved Rory's backstory, her grandmother, and the Icelandic backdrop ... but I would've dropped Gunnar and Einar and focused on the bond between Rory and Gram.

Paula Stokes has written a number of other books, but Hellfinder was the first time I had come across her and was a fine introduction. This was a very easy-to-read blend of action, thriller, supernatural horror and a very cute bubbling under teen romance. The main character is seventeen-year-old Rory (short for Aurora) Quinn who is slightly socially awkward because she spends most of her time hanging out with her granny, who she also helps with her research as a treasure hunter. I would not exactly call ‘Gram’ Indiana Jones and the pairing of a granny and her granddaughter was an odd mix for a dark thriller, but it mostly worked. The story kicks off in Iceland where they have been hired to find an enchanted stone, which leads them to searching for the grandson of their client who has stolen the stone. If rumours are to be believed, then the stone can be used to access a gateway to hell, which is in an inaccessible area of Iceland. Soon the chase is on, Gram and Rory go in the hunt for Einar and the dodgy stone.

Even though Hellfinder was a lot of fun the chase to recover the stone took way too long and was ultimately most of the novel. Even though there was a really terrific plot-shift towards the end of the novel regarding Rory and her dead mother, I did find the hell scenes with the stone slightly underwhelming. The love interest was a very cute part of the story, Rory meets Einar’s twin brother Gunnar who is to be their guide, and although they rub each other the wrong way at the start, the attraction is there and some of the best scenes involve these two whilst the granny fades into the background. Interestingly, Einar has stolen the stone due to his obsession with a heavy metal band who are also interested in the black arts. This is a big thing in Heavy Metal music and Hellfinder could have dug a bit deeper and presented genuine teen readers (I know a lot about this already) some factual information. Along the way there are cults, demons and some very big reveals. This was a refreshing and entertaining pageturner and a very nice blend of genres. AGE RANGE 11-14

This book was an adventure through and through. It felt like a friend telling a wild story around a campfire. The characters are so easy to like and despite this book being fairly short, none of the relationship building felt rushed to me. I can also say with complete honesty that I have never read a book with a similar storyline or premise. It is rare, I feel, to find a truly original story these days and that was so refreshing.

I really enjoyed this book and finished it in a day. It was very immersive and engaging and seemed like it (hopefully) had a great set-up at the end for another sorry. Great read overall.

My only criticism is that I got the slightest bit overwhelmed with everything that was happening all at once around the 80% mark. It almost felt distracting.

I loved Rory and this was such a cute story! This kept me wanting to know what happened next.
I just reviewed Hellfinder by Paula Stokes. #Hellfinder #NetGalley
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this was such a great concept for a mystery, I was invested in what was going on and it worked overall as a concept. I enjoyed what Paula Stokes wrote and the way the characters were written. I can't wait to read more from Paula Stokes as I really enjoyed this book.

"Gram continues to work on dressing Gunnar’s wound. She removes a small packet of gauze squares from the first aid kit and peels back the lid. She covers the wound and then wraps his arm with a roll of gauze, adding some strips of tape on top. “That should be hold for a while. We’ll make sure you’re properly treated as soon as we find your brother.”