Review: Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

Forbidden
Tabitha Suzuma
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date:  June 28, 2011
Trade Paperback {p.454}
Source: Public Library
Genre: Young Adult
Characters: Maya Whitely, Lochan Whitely
Challenge: 100+, YA Romance
Buy the Book: Amazon

Seventeen-year-old Lochan and sixteen-year-old Maya have always felt more like friends than siblings. Together they have stepped in for their alcoholic, wayward mother to take care of their three younger siblings. As defacto parents to the little ones, Lochan and Maya have had to grow up fast. And the stress of their lives—and the way they understand each other so completely—has also also brought them closer than two siblings would ordinarily be. So close, in fact, that they have fallen in love. Their clandestine romance quickly blooms into deep, desperate love. They know their relationship is wrong and cannot possibly continue. And yet, they cannot stop what feels so incredibly right. As the novel careens toward an explosive and shocking finale, only one thing is certain: a love this devastating has no happy ending.

This was an interesting read. I enjoyed the overall story. The author manages to handle a taboo subject in a manor that is very well written. As a reader, even though you know incest is wrong, you still feel sorry for them.

I spent the majority of the story trying to figure out Lochan. Although all his siblings seemed as normal as possible given their situation, something about Lochan eluded me the entire time. He seemed to always have some sort of internal struggle and not just with his feelings for Maya.

The ending was very emotional and totally unexpected. I know what they were doing was wrong, but what they received for their troubles was way too harsh. I found myself feeling resentment toward their younger brother and mother for setting all this into motion.

I knew going into this read that there was not going to be a happy ending because their love could never be. I was so upset by the time I finished this book, I literally did not even want to look at it. That's how strongly I felt about the punishment these kids received.

Ms. Suzuma did a fantastic job of drawing me in.