Forbidden: Tabitha Suzuma

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

She is sixteen, pretty, and talented. He is seventeen, handsome, and smart. Both have fallen in love. But... They are brother and sister. Together they have stepped in for their alcoholic, mother and the father who have left them to take care of their three younger siblings. Being forced to grow up fast Lochan and Maya have never felt like brother and sister. Their romance quickly blooms into deep love. They know their relationship is wrong and cannot possibly continue. Yet, they cannot stop the feelings they share.  

When I read what this story was about I was weirded out beyond belief... Brother and Sister get it on... No thank you, but after reading the reviews I put on my big girl panties and bought it. This book is like the show Shameless but with incest... Yeah I know still sounds insane, but hear me out! This is probably both the easiest and hardest review I've ever written. I fear I wont be able to correctly articulate my feelings on the book. However the more I tried to forget about what I read and felt, the more it keeps creeping back up into my mind. So I'll try to sting together some sentences and will more than likely end up rambling about this book. However here is my review of Forbidden.


The main characters MAKE.THIS.BOOK! Maya and Lochan are characters I find myself even struggling to sum up in words. Lochan and Maya are complete opposites. Lochan is school smart and beyond shy. He suffers from social anxiety, and can’t even give a presentation in front of a class without going into a panic attack. Maya is a social butterfly, with no fear, and when she knows she wants something including her own bother she will dive both feet first. They are the oldest of five kids, which they are both practically raising themselves. Their mom is an absentee alcoholic who is forever with her boyfriend, and their dad is living in Australia with his new replacement family. 

please forgive my key

I will warn you that this book did start off slow, took around 150 pages to start picking up. When it gets going though it doesn't stop. That being said once you get to page 150 go lock yourself in a room! The story goes from zero to crazy in a matter of pages. The relationship between the two main characters is like NOTHING you have ever read before. The struggles presented to them will have you questioning what you yourself believe in. This story is strongly descriptive and paints a very vivid picture. Tabitha’s writing is so different and touches on a taboo subject that I think many writers would be scared to go to. The content of this book is shocking but its delivery will have you feeling alive and in awe. Forbidden pushes the boundaries on every level imaginable. This book will make you feel EVERY emotion ever and ones you had no idea you even had. The last few chapters are the definition of a page turner. The ending of this book is nothing you will see coming and I have no doubt your mind will be blown! It is not often I cry in books but this book broke open the damn holding back my tears and I was sobbing like I was watching one of those SPCA commercials. My brain was in a constant battle with itself... One side wanted to stop them and tell them "no! Don't do this! This is so so wrong!". But at the same time, the other side of my brain was thinking, "wow I'm so happy for them! I want them to fall so in love.... what they are doing isn't wrong." Then I'd stand back and think WTF did I just say? There's no way those words just came out my mouth!..  

With that being said: to anyone that feels this is disgusting, I challenge you to read this book because believe me, it's insane to feel or see yourself seamlessly accepting and rooting for two people who are doing they are doing. I ask you to PLEASE forget any pre-conceived notions you have about the sensitive subject of this novel. Anyone who gets to experience the vivid, pulsing, and raw emotions in this story will be left so moved realizing that this author truly has given us something special.

This book had me laughing, praying, cheering, and then crying my eyes out. Never in my life did I think 1) I would read a book about incest or 2) that I would read a book about incest and end up in tears. The ending of this book had me wanting to grab a bottle of wine and the closest Kleenex box. It is so rare to come across a book that make you feel so many emotions, makes you question your beliefs, and leaves you utterly breathless. This book is that book.  

Forbidden was a book I thought would be easily forgettable and Oh brother (no pun intended) was I so so wrong... Throw out your moral compass and pick up this book…Forbidden is easily one of the best stand alone books I've ever read. 

10/10 stars and then some. 

-Angela