Banished (Forbidden, #2)

by Kimberley Griffiths Little

Devastated by her betrothal to a violent boy she does not love, Jayden is forced to accept her fate as her ancient Mesopotamian tribe moves to the Summer Lands, where she falls for a mysterious youth from the Southern Lands.

Teenage princess Jayden has left her tribe and is alone in the desert, seeking her beloved prince Kadesh and trying to evade her evil fiance, Horeb. When she eventually finds Kadesh, he has been badly injured and scarred, but more ominously, he appears to be keeping secrets from her. Kadesh, Jayden, and the Edomites travel toward Jayden's home kingdom in the southern lands, but they face constant danger from Horeb's army and from the desert itself. They eventually reach the city of Sariba, where Kadesh and his family rule, but now they face even greater threats from power-hungry Aliyah, Kadesh's former fiancee and priestess of the Goddess of Sariba.

• ISBN10: 0062195018
• ISBN13: 9780062195012
• Publish Date: 2 February 2016
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: Collins
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 416
• Language: English

Reviews

[Cocktails and Books]

I jumped right into this second book in the series. I had to know what happened next with Jayden. Does she find Kadesh and can she outrun Horeb. There were many times when I wondered if Jayden and Kadesh would make it to his home country, but I knew Jayden was not going to let their long journey be for nothing.

If I didn't already think there was something wrong with Horeb and Jayden's tribe, I would know if now. How two people could turn an entire tribe against a girl they've known their whole lives is beyond me. I was sickened by how the entire tribe treated her and was glad when she was able to make her escape.

Jayden and Kadesh still had a lot to work out, considering everything they'd been through, but you could see how their relationship was growing. They were no longer just enamored with each other, but learning how to navigate a "grown up" relationship. Learning to trust one another and understanding how to lean on the other. I think this will become very important as we move into the third book. I don't think either of them is going to be able to take on Horeb without the other right by their side.

A fantastic read and one I'm truly thankful to RT16 for the introduction. Had I not gone into the Avon party, I would have missed this awesome series.

[shannonmiz]

This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight

4.5*

Ahhhh I am so happy to be back in the Mesopotamian desert with Jayden and company! I loved Forbidden so, so much, and this sequel was a must-read for me- probably one of my most anticipated books of the year. And it was definitely worth the wait. While I didn't love it quite as much as Forbidden, it was still a very solid sequel, and I am very excited for the final installment!

The Good:

• Jayden is amazing as always. In Forbidden, Jayden was a great main character. In Banished, she is freaking amazing. She's tough, but she's classy. She's willing to stand up for herself and those she loves, but is always mindful of the impact of her actions. An she had to go through so, so much already in her short life, and the desert definitely doesn't plan on letting up on her anytime soon.


• Strong family ties are beautiful. Jayden will do about anything to keep her family close/find family that isn't currently together. She values them so, so much and it is refreshing to read. It isn't about obligation, Jayden simply loves them for who they are. While we're talking about family, Jayden's grandmother is just... I love her, okay? It's no wonder that Jayden is the strong and kind woman she is, because her grandma is that woman too. Their relationship is exquisite, and it reminded me of my relationship with my own beloved grandmother, which gave me even more of a connection. The fact that these women are so strong in such a patriarchal society speaks volumes. But the author handles it appropriately- it's very clear that sadly Jayden and her grandmother are not the norm here, no because other women aren't strong, but because it's extraordinarily hard for them to have a chance to show their strength.


• Speaking of, the setting is on point. My goodness, the desert seems like hell on earth. I suppose it was, for the most part, at least outside the cities. And really, inside some of the cities too. One of my favorite things about Forbidden was that I could really sense the setting, could picture it vividly, and that is the same in Banished. The desert is harsh and unforgiving, much like a lot of the people Jayden encounters. But there are pockets of good- again, both in the desert and the people- which is probably quite accurate as well.


• I ship the romance. In the interest of staying spoiler free, let's just say that I shipped it when I read Forbidden, and I still do now- maybe even more so.

The Not As Good:

• None of it was bad so I am saying "not as good", okay? Great. So my only qualm with this particular book was that I did feel like I saw some of the bigger plot points coming, and I found it to be more predictable than its predecessor.

Bottom Line: Lots of love for this series. If you haven't started it, you probably should, and if you've read Forbidden and loved it like I did, you'll want to get your hands on Banished. And then wait impatiently for book three in this unique and cruel world with the unexpectedly loveliest of protagonists.

Copy provided by publisher for review