{Review, Character GP & GA} Forbidden Mind by Kimberly Kinrade

Today I'm joined by Online Innovative Booktours in hosting the Forbidden Trilogy by Kimberly Kinrade. Sam & Drake are also stopping by to tell us what it's like to be able to read minds...especially your partner's! I hope you all enjoy my review and the guest post and as always don't forget to put it on your TBR list.  Happy Friday!    

About the book:

Forbidden Mind by Kimberly Kinrade

Publisher: Evolved Publishing (9.6.11)

49% of Americans believe their government officials are honest. I don't know these officials, or their supporters, but I know their secrets, and 49% of Americans are wrong.

My employers pay me well to be right, to know things others can't. But I don't know why they brought that boy in, strapped to a stretcher, barely conscious. He asked me for help when I could give none.

I'm a wealthy spy, a talented artist, a martial arts black belt, and a prisoner. They tell me that on my eighteenth birthday, I will be released, free to go to the college of my dreams. It's my eighteenth birthday, and a man in black is at my door. I know he's not here to free me.

I know, because I can read minds.

My name is Sam, and this is my story.

So begins the tale of Sam and Drake--from the time they link minds, forging a bond that leads to an unconventional romance--to their fight for survival against the corrupt, twisted organization known as 'Rent-A-Kid.'  

Winner of 2011 Forward National Literature Award

  

Check out the book trailer!

 

My Review:

Forbidden Mind was such an exciting ride! It had me on the edge of my seat, gripping the pages in anticipation of what was to come next! The adventure that Sam and Drake survive is nothing short of miraculous.  Totally unsuspecting and trusting of her environment and the people who have helped shape who she is as a being with super-natural powers, it was such a rush to see things from Sam's POV.  Until Drake showed up and turned her entire world upside down.  Seeing Drake being wheeled in on a stretcher and having him call to her telepathicaly to help him, she begins to questions the motives of those who are supposedly there to help people like her-with super natural abilities and such.  

I enjoyed discovering the reality of their situation along with Sam as the book progressed.  It made the book, the characters, everything feel very real and I was truly invested in her character, along with Lucy, Luke and Drake.  The let-down they experienced and the anger that ensues when they discover that Rent-A-Kid is being ran by an evil and sinister being was eloquently conveyed with every word that graced the chapters.  This is one of the few books that I've read that can be translated with pictures...in my head.  It was as if I was watching a movie.  I don't know exactly what about the story made it come to life for me but I enjoyed it soooo much...I could've popped some popcorn and dimmed the lights and just enjoyed myself. But then I wouldn't have been able to see without light and then I wouldn't have been able to finish the book. Er...you see my point right??  

Forbidden Mind was truly a work of art.  For a YA novel it holds great depth with many layers of awesomeness!  It's dark with a dystopic feel to it with some paranormal elements.  Oh, and we can't forget the romantic aspect of it either.  Kimberly Kindrade did a wonderful job of blending all of these elements together into a story ripe with love, loss, page gripping action and wonderful storytelling. The Forbidden Series is one of my top picks for a YA novel. A definite must read for 2012!

Bookshelf Rating: 

 

 Let's welcome Sam & Drake to the spot today!!

This post is brought to you by Sam and Drake, the main protagonists in Forbidden Mind, Forbidden Fire and Forbidden Life by Kimberly Kinrade.
 
 

Sam Says

Reading minds isn’t as glamorous as you might imagine. First, everyone’s pretty much freaked out around you. No one wants to make eye contact, because they subconsciously think they can avoid detection that way. (It doesn’t work, by the way.) And everyone has thoughts that they would never want anyone else to know about.

Even you.

Think about it. How many times have you judged someone harshly, or thought something naughty or totally inappropriate or had a random urge to smack someone (or worse)? Most of us never act on these thoughts. In fact, 90% of them flitter through our consciousness so fast, we aren’t even fully aware of them.

But I am.

I hear those things you don’t even like to acknowledge in yourself. They dance around in my head like a song on repeat. I can’t ever rid myself of your darkest perversions. Is it any wonder Luke and Lucy are my only friends and I’ve never had a boyfriend?

Until Drake.

He’s unlike any other guy I’ve ever known, and not just because he has inhuman physical strength and can control people with his mind, every guy I grew up with at Rent-A-Kid had some para-power. No, it’s who he is on the inside.

He’s fearless and accepts me 100% for who I am. He isn’t scared of my powers and he doesn’t try to hide who he is from me. He let me in to his most intimate secrets and laid himself bare for me to judge.

It’s hard, though. I have mixed feelings about the whole mind control thing. Our roles are reversed, you see. While he accepts me, I find myself scared of his power. But I’m working on it. Together, we face some big challenges.

The place I’ve considered home my whole life may not be what it appears. They’re up to something evil, and only with Drake by my side will I survive.

His strength gives me strength, and I love that about him.

We are so connected, even though we’ve never met in person. I know that sounds crazy, but you’ve got to understand, we’re in each other’s minds all the time! We probably knew each other better in the first week than you will ever know your lover. You don’t know what your partner is thinking, not really.

But I do. I know Drake from the inside out, and it’s because of that total transparency and connection that I know I can trust him.

I don’t always like reading minds, and it’s made my life lonely for a long time. But with Drake, this ability has freed us from the fear and worry that other couples must feel. With him, everything makes sense. Everything fits. He fills something inside of me that I didn’t even know was empty.

Now if we can only figure out what’s going on so we can get out of this alive, we might have a shot at happily ever after.

Wish us luck.


 

Drake Says

You don’t expect anything good to come out of being kidnapped, especially on the day I was set to win a major surfing contest. Dude, it seriously sucks!

How they got the jump on me, I’ll never know. It’s kind of embarrassing. I can control minds and kick ass, so how’d this happen?

Well, all I can say is I’m glad it happened. I know, that’s crazy, right? But I’d never have met Sam if some blockheads hadn’t wiped me out on Venice Beach that day. Also, we kind of need each other to get out of this seriously F’d up situation, so…

Maybe fate?

But there’s more. She’s special, different. The last girl I hooked up with, let’s just say she was more of a one nighter that got out of hand. Sam’s a girl I could see spending every night with, forever. No, more than that. Sam’s the girl I can’t imagine my life without.

I can’t even tell you how painful it is to be stripped of my powers and held captive, knowing some of the things they’re doing to Sam. You don’t even want to know what I’m doing to do to those bastards when I get my strength back. If you’ve got a weak stomach, you might want to turn your head.

I’d kill for her and I’d die for her. But most of all, I’d live for her.

I know she’s not thrilled with the mind control thing, but I also know that when she looked into my soul, when I opened up my mind to her and gave her access to every memory, every pain, every misdeed and violent act–she embraced it all without flinching.

I’ll never find another girl like her. She’s stronger than she thinks, and she’s kind and good all the way through. She cares about others and feels things deeply. She cries at sad movies and makes me feel things I’ve never felt before.

I love her, and I never thought I’d ever love or feel loved again. I mean, my best friend Brad, you know, cares and stuff. He’s a dude though. And Father Patrick, he’s like a dad to me. But it’s not the same.

With Sam, life has a whole new meaning. With her I know I can do anything, be anything.

So I have to find a way to get us out of this. I will not let them hurt her, and there will be hell to pay when this is over.
 

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About the author:

Kimberly Kinrade was born with ink in her veins and magic in her heart. She writes fantasy and paranormal stories for children, YA and adults and still believes in magic worlds. Check out her YA paranormal novels Forbidden Mind and Forbidden Fire and her illustrated children's fantasy chapter books Lexie World, and Bella World, all on Amazon.

She lives with her three little girls who think they're ninja princesses with super powers, her two dogs who think they're humans and her husband, also known as the sexy Russian Prince, who is the love of her life and writing partner.

Find her and her other books here:

Amazon│Goodreads│Website