Review: Forbidden by Kimberley Griffiths Little

 

Forbidden by Kimberley Griffiths Little

Hardcover, 397 pages

Expected publication: November 4th 2014 by Harpercollins 

My Source: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Description: In the unforgiving Mesopotamian desert where Jayden’s tribe lives, betrothal celebrations abound, and tonight it is Jayden’s turn to be honored. But while this union with Horeb, the son of her tribe’s leader, will bring a life of riches and restore her family’s position within the tribe, it will come at the price of Jayden’s heart.

Then a shadowy boy from the Southern Lands appears. Handsome and mysterious, Kadesh fills Jayden’s heart with a passion she never knew possible. But with Horeb’s increasingly violent threats haunting Jayden’s every move, she knows she must find a way to escape—or die trying.

With a forbidden romance blossoming in her heart and her family’s survival on the line, Jayden must embark on a deadly journey to save the ones she loves—and find a true love for herself.

Set against the brilliant backdrop of the sprawling desert, the story of Jayden and Kadesh will leave readers absolutely breathless as they defy the odds and risk it all to be together.

My Review: This beautifully woven story takes place in 1759 BC. Jayden is a desert girl, one who roams around with her family and tribe, moving a couple of times a year. She is betrothed to her cousin and future king, Horeb, but he seems to have changed in the past few years and she's uncertain that she wants a life with him. When a mysterious stranger, Kadesh, shows up, Jayden's heart finds what it wants--but it's forbidden.

I've never really considered what life would be like way back then. I found myself completely wrapped up in the story--of course, the characters were engaging, but also the way of life, the believes these people had, the way their tribes and society was set up, and to see what was considered acceptable and what was not. I have no idea if this was truly how life was, but it was totally believable. The characters were fantastic! Not only were they each so different, but I could entirely understand why they all did what they did. Their feelings were apparent and their motives were aligned with who they were, good and bad. 

  

Jayden is such a strong girl. She has an older sister, but Leila is weak and easily swayed. Jayden is true and loyal to the ways of her people and Leila is constantly wanting to find the easier and better way. They were both so different, yet deep down, similar. Kadesh is a man of his word and such a perfect compliment to Jayden. 

There were some twists to the story and some really evil people. It was fascinating to see everything unfold and I was left wanting more--more of this life in the desert. 

Content: no language; some mild to moderate violence, but not too graphic; clean kissing, talk of prostitution without details, an attempted rape. I would consider it clean.

 

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About the Author:

Kimberley Griffiths Little was born in San Francisco, but now lives in New Mexico with her husband and their three sons.

For such award-winning middle grade novels as When the Butterflies Came, The Last Snake Runner, The Healing Spell, and Circle of Secrets, her writing has been praised as "fast-paced and dramatic," with "characters painted in memorable detail" and "beautifully realized settings."

Kimberley adores anything old and musty with a secret story to tell and makes way too many cookies while writing.

She's stayed in the haunted tower room at Borthwick Castle in Scotland; sailed on the Seine in Paris; ridden a camel in Petra, Jordan; shopped the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul; and spent the night in an old Communist hotel in Bulgaria.

Her amazing, filmed-on-location book trailers are on Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/videos/list...

Awards: Southwest Book Award, Whitney Award for Best Youth Novel, Bank Street College Best Books of 2011 & 2014, Crystal Kite Finalist, and New Mexico Book Award Finalist.  

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