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Forbidden

by Syrie James (Goodreads Author), Ryan M. James (Goodreads Author)

3.88 of 5 stars 3.88 · rating details · 3,885 ratings · 461 reviews

She should not exist.

He should not love her.

Claire Brennan has been attending Emerson Academy for two years now (the longest she and her mom have remained anywhere) and she's desperate to stay put for the rest of high school. So there's no way she's going to tell her mom about the psychic visions she's been having or the creepy warnings that she's in danger.

Alec MacKenzie...more

Paperback, 410 pages

Published January 24th 2012 by HarperTeen

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Feb 13, 2012 Amy Lignor rated it 5 of 5 stars

For anyone who reads great books the name Syrie James should already be on top of all ‘to-read’ lists, as well as categorized as a consistent ‘5-Star’ author on all reviewer’s lists. Whether taking on Jane Austen, vampires, or anything else you can think of, Ms. James definitely knows how to create a story that is the ‘best of the best.’ But this time around she brings two new things to the table: The subject of angels told in a new way that hasn’t already been done six hundred times; and her so...more For anyone who reads great books the name Syrie James should already be on top of all ‘to-read’ lists, as well as categorized as a consistent ‘5-Star’ author on all reviewer’s lists. Whether taking on Jane Austen, vampires, or anything else you can think of, Ms. James definitely knows how to create a story that is the ‘best of the best.’ But this time around she brings two new things to the table: The subject of angels told in a new way that hasn’t already been done six hundred times; and her son, Ryan, who enhances the story ten-fold with his own creativity and a definite ‘male’ point of view. (Which YA has needed for some time).

Claire Brennan is a young girl who’s having a bit of a rough time. All her life her mother has packed them up and moved to a new city or town the second Claire started to feel comfortable in her new surroundings. The one thing she doesn’t want is to be uprooted again, seeing as that she now attends a school called Emerson Academy that she absolutely loves. Her two best friends - Erica and Brian - are always by her side; she is madly in love with Neil, who is a red-hot singer in the school’s choir; and she works hard to make sure that she can keep her partial scholarship to this righteous Academy. The picture of a ‘normal’ American teen, right? Except for the fact that dizzy spells have begun to affect her and strange visions are appearing in her mind, Claire is A-okay. Until…

A new student comes to town by the name of Alec. Not only is he extremely handsome but he’s also Scottish, so that accent pretty much sweeps everyone off their feet. Except for Claire. When she first meets Alec he’s quite distant, and she basically would like him to go away. But soon Claire’s life changes immensely, especially when this strange boy begins to show some seriously superhuman strength. (No, not those guys). When Claire finds out that Alec is actually a member of a very old society that he decided to go AWOL from, her life really becomes a mess.

She is one of the Awakened. Not only that but Claire is a Half-Blood. Her father, who she never knew, had some very special powers in his background and now Claire is paying for the fact that she’s a type of ‘being’ that may one day turn on the world and take people out. Vincent is Alec’s godfather, a man who works for some real ‘higher-ups’ whose job it is to erase Claire at this young age so she can never cause any harm. But Vincent forgets that nothing is more superhuman than the power of love - which Alec has for Claire big time!

I have to say this book is a thrilling ride. From a trio of fallen angels to a battle with a were-creature, this fast-paced plot is extremely adventurous. And the romance? Let’s just say that the romance is so powerful between Claire and Alec that they make old Bella and Edward look like nothing more than ‘good friends.’ This is not just a YA, this is a truly amazing story that, while you’re reading it, you’re also picking out the best actors to play the roles on the big screen. All age groups will find themselves absolutely attached to this incredible novel!

A story of pure fun, fantasy, romance, humor - you name it - Syrie James and her son have brought it! Get this one the second it comes out!

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Dec 14, 2011 Jana (That Artsy Reader Girl) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, from-pub-or-author, angel, romance-scifi-fantasy, fallwinter2011csreadingchallenge

I was SO excited when Syrie wrote to me and told me that I was the first ever recipient of a Forbidden ARC! I read this book back in August, and was very happy when it was requested that I post this review now, rather than wait for the month of the release. Put this on your Christmas lists, guys! I think you'll enjoy it. :)

First off, I really loved the story. The premise was interesting, and I like how I had to keep guessing and trying to figure out what was going on. I liked the tactic the aut...more I was SO excited when Syrie wrote to me and told me that I was the first ever recipient of a Forbidden ARC! I read this book back in August, and was very happy when it was requested that I post this review now, rather than wait for the month of the release. Put this on your Christmas lists, guys! I think you'll enjoy it. :)

First off, I really loved the story. The premise was interesting, and I like how I had to keep guessing and trying to figure out what was going on. I liked the tactic the authors used--to not tell us what Claire or Alec are for quite a while. All these crazy things start happening, and people are not who they say they are. I felt like I was just as lost as Claire was, which was exciting. I wish the back of the book did not mention angels. It would have been more fun to not have had any clue at all.

Alec is an amazing character, and I'm not going to tell you what he is. It's fun to discover that on your own. He's a mix of bad boy and sweetheart, which I love. He is so sweet with Claire. He's also mysterious and dangerous, yet soft and romantic. He's at Emerson Academy to escape his old life and create a new one... if that's even possible. He enjoys his isolation. As soon as Claire pops up on the radar as someone the Elders should be investigating, his hiding place is discovered and he ends up having to take drastic measures to protect her from those who wish to destroy her.

I'm not going to tell you exactly what Claire is either, but she's something forbidden. Haha. Her entire life should not even exist. She starts noticing changes and has to learn as she goes, because not many have ever been in her position. There's no manuals on how to be herself. Man, this is painful to explain without spoilers, so I'm moving on! She's sweet and wishes to be noticed by this one guy she's had a crush on for years. Of course, he barely notices she's alive. When Alec comes along, though, she begins to gravitate towards him right as this crush starts to gravitate towards her. She's torn. She doesn't embrace the love triangle, like so many YA girls end up doing in books. (Like... did Bella have to act so upset to be marrying Edward, but fling herself into Jacob's arms when he showed up late at her reception? Sorry... I just saw Breaking Dawn yesterday.). She does a lot of thinking, and follows her heart. She seems smart. She also uses her talents to help people, like a classmate who needed a push in the right direction. Those are two main reasons why I like her. She didn't bug me, which often happens to me with YA heroines. I feel like I'm saying this a lot lately. Maybe authors are starting to write better heroines in general?

I liked Claire's friends a lot. They looked out for each other, and spent a lot of time sitting and chatting about all kinds of things. Friends usually end up bugging me too. They can so often be petty, catty, etc. I wish I had good friends like them when I was in high school.

There were several plot twists that made me go, "Whoa! I definitely wasn't thinking THAT would happen!" I've noticed that as I read more and more of one genre, books begin to become pretty predictable. I mean, how many love triangles do we see? How many evil villains do we see? How many cliche plot twists do we see. A lot, a lot, a lot. These twists were not something I foresaw. I enjoyed being outsmarted by a genre that I've pretty much figured out.

Of course, the sweet kissing descriptions were just as good as the ones I've read in Syrie's other novels. I love romance!

My only possible constructive criticism… I'm not sure if it's because the book is part of the YA genre (which I've never read from Syrie), or if it was because she co-wrote it with her son, but there were parts of the novel that were totally Syrie, and other parts that did not sound like her. I could tell that two people wrote it. I'm not sure if it's because her writing style and Ryan's were not blended seamlessly, or if it was just that I'm used to reading adult fiction from Syrie instead of YA. In either case, it's not a huge deal… just an observation. If I had not read other works of hers, I doubt I would have noticed anything at all. I've just come to recognize Syrie's literary voice because I like it so much!

I asked Syrie if she and her son were planning to write a sequel, and she said that in their minds, it's a trilogy. However, HarperTeen only committed to one book. They have great ideas for the next two, though, so hopefully Forbidden is well-received, and they can continue the story. I'd love to know more about what's in store for Alec and Clair. Actually, I'd love a prequel, too. Throughout the story, we hear little bits about Claire's parents. I'd love to read about their story as well. It has the potential to be a pretty beautiful story.

I definitely think that the book will appeal to more than just YA readers, and I think a lot of that is due to the fact that the characters are not annoying and certainly don't fit into the stereotypical high school student formula. I think it also helped that Alec had a certain maturity that seemed to influence the other characters, and that brought on more mature conflicts and issues. I'm 24, and a lot of YA novels I read make me feel pretty old. Haha. I know I'm not old, but in a totally different place than most YA characters. I didn't feel like this while reading Forbidden, and I forgot they were all highschoolers. It was refreshing.

In short, it was a wonderful book. I quite enjoyed it, and only took about 2 days to read it. Hopefully this team gets to continue the story! While it can totally stand on its own, there are plenty of ends that are just a tad loose, that could use some tying up!(less)

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Mar 04, 2012 Leigh Herondale rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

For more review check out: http://hypnosomnus-leighmarbella.blog... and http://sybillinebooks.tumblr.com

I finished reading Forbidden by mother and son tandem, Syrie and Ryan James. The novel is about Claire and Alec, who are both different in their own ways. I don’t want to mention why because I might spoil the story for future readers.

Claire and her mom are constantly on the move because her mom believes that she’s constantly in danger and she’s kinda’ paranoid about it. Although, her paranoia...more For more review check out: http://hypnosomnus-leighmarbella.blog... and http://sybillinebooks.tumblr.com

I finished reading Forbidden by mother and son tandem, Syrie and Ryan James. The novel is about Claire and Alec, who are both different in their own ways. I don’t want to mention why because I might spoil the story for future readers.

Claire and her mom are constantly on the move because her mom believes that she’s constantly in danger and she’s kinda’ paranoid about it. Although, her paranoia actually has a basis. haha. Anyway, the story is told in alternating POV’s, Claire’s and Alec’s.

I liked Claire a lot. She’s a girl who just wants to be normal but somehow she feels like she does not actually fit in anywhere even if she has two best friends. Claire did not annoy me at all BTW. I’ve been constantly reading YA novels without the annoying heroines and I like it. She’s not exactly a tough chic or anything but somehow the authors made it work. She’s definitely not annoying as hell and I like the fact that she does not make all her friends and Alec do all the work just like *coughs* some other female heroines that I’ll refuse to name. haha. I hate it when female characters become dead weight. Plus, her best friends are just adorbs. I like the fact that they support Claire with whatever it is that she’s going through.

And then there’s Alec. Alec who makes me swoon. Alec, the sexy soldier/ warrior whatever. I don’t exactly know what to call him without giving his identity away. haha. He’s sexy. Period. Anyway, I loved Alec from the get -go. Plus, the Scottish accent is just to die for. haha. I know, I didn’t exactly hear it but I can only imagine how sexy he sounds with that accent. I like Alec not just because he’s sexy or whatnot. I like the fact that he is constantly protecting Claire, her friends and her family while trying to hide what he really is and constantly breaking the rules that he has lived by for so long. I loved the part wherein he’s trying to act all mundane and everything. Can you believe it? A guy who does not eat junk food? I found that really funny.

I enjoyed reading this novel. I think the trying-to-act-normal-thing is cliche but somehow it worked in this novel. There was a possibility of a love triangle but I like the fact that Claire did not just run into the other guy’s (Neil) arms whenever she had the chance. I actually liked the writing style. The fact that it was written by two people without making it pretty obvious is just amazing. And the fact that they made the readers guess what these two were up until the middle of the novel made me want to read it even more. I’m not really sure if it’s gonna be a series or whatever but I think the authors gave it a nice closure with endless possibilities. They wrote it in a way that left it with enough loose ends to make it a series but still enough closure to make it a stand alone. Confusing? I know. Just read it so that you’ll understand what I mean. Anyway, I’d give this a 5/5 star rating.(less)

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Mar 16, 2013 Wendy rated it 1 of 5 stars

I didn't actually finish this, I only reached page 137. It is your average paranormal high school angel romance, enough that I would have finished reading it, most likely, and probably given it a decent rating. So why did I stop?

I have noticed an increasing trend in young adult books using derogatory terms in reference to individuals with developmental disabilities, in this case, on page 137, "Holy crap," Erica said. "We've been so short-bus about this."

Teenagers probably think this is funny an...more I didn't actually finish this, I only reached page 137. It is your average paranormal high school angel romance, enough that I would have finished reading it, most likely, and probably given it a decent rating. So why did I stop?

I have noticed an increasing trend in young adult books using derogatory terms in reference to individuals with developmental disabilities, in this case, on page 137, "Holy crap," Erica said. "We've been so short-bus about this."

Teenagers probably think this is funny and just read it, laugh or not, and go on. As someone who writes and also works with children with disabilities in an elementary school, where we are trying to stamp out bullying and engender understanding, it truly dismays me when I see this happen in books that have recently been published. The children I work with are kind and loving, they are just different. They have autism or cerebral palsy or Down syndrome, in some cases other syndromes. There are some wonderful students at our school who come and volunteer as peer buddies to students in our class, and become their friends and understand their differences better.

Yes, sometimes people with disabilities act differently in public, make strange noises, or do strange things. They are honest, they don't hide who they are. Just because some of them can't speak doesn't mean they don't have things to say, they just need people willing to take the time to listen.

Authors have a responsibility, to an extent. If we put something in a book or story that's derogatory, there needs to be a good reason for it, not simply put it there to make fun of people at their expense. There's nothing wrong with people who are gay, lesbian, bi, transsexual, transgender, bi-racial, a difference race than our own, etc. etc., and if comments were made about anything like that, there would possibly be a stir about it, but often if it's making fun of disabilities, it doesn't get mentioned.

It is not open season on people with disabilities. Authors need to remember this, think about their audience, and remember that what they write sinks in. It encourages further devaluation of a population that doesn't deserve it, and includes some of the best people I've known.

It's truly a shame, because I think this book has promise. I just think that authors, editors, and publishers such as HarperTeen should think about these things a little more closely. Just because someone with a severe disability might not be reading your books, someone who loves someone who is might be.(less)

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Nov 19, 2012 Shonna Froebel rated it 3 of 5 stars

This teen novel looks to be the first in a new series. It begins with Claire Brennan, a scholarship student at an elite high school in Los Angeles, ready to start a new term. Claire's mother has moved them around a lot and Claire is desperate to stay at Emerson Academy until she finishes high school. But Claire is starting to have visions, and she confides in her two best friends about them.
There is a new boy at school, Alex MacKenzie, from Scotland. But he seems shy and at first Claire doesn't...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Naynay rated it 5 of 5 stars

It was awesome, it was breath taking, it was drama, excitement, and shock all at the same time! I was stuck in the book. page after page was drama it was a get right to the point book. She finds out she has powers, that her father is still alive, that her mom knew about her powers, and she falls in love with the boy that ran away from who he was, and his uncle was out to get him. Claire Brennan has spent her entire life wondering who her father is, and why her paranoid, "hippie" mom insists on m...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-emmy

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Stereotypical characters fall into the YA trope of insta-love, but with an angel mythos that has an interesting twist to it.

Opening Sentence: It had been a really crappy morning.

The Review:

The premise of the novel was interesting, even if the angel mythology isn’t anything new. It’s got a few interesting twists that I enjoyed, but for the most part it’s got the same staples as most YA paranormals. The strongest part of the novel was the char...more

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Jun 20, 2012 Lyn Ching rated it 4 of 5 stars

For more reviews, please visit my blog: www.readingtsinoy.blogspot.com

Claire is a smart young woman who reaches puberty late (read: period at 17) and with it comes psychic powers slowly, but surely, getting stronger as each day passes. She can see both a person’s past and future with just a touch. Afraid that her mother would make them pack up and leave town again, she decides to keep this a secret, telling only her two best friends: Erica and Bryan. On the day her power manifests, she meets a b...more For more reviews, please visit my blog: www.readingtsinoy.blogspot.com

Claire is a smart young woman who reaches puberty late (read: period at 17) and with it comes psychic powers slowly, but surely, getting stronger as each day passes. She can see both a person’s past and future with just a touch. Afraid that her mother would make them pack up and leave town again, she decides to keep this a secret, telling only her two best friends: Erica and Bryan. On the day her power manifests, she meets a beautiful boy in school, Alec MacKenzie.
Alec is no ordinary boy. He is a Grigori, an angel whose purpose is to find and if necessary, kill Nephilim, particularly The Fallen, or Nephilim gone bad. But after years of serving blindly, he has gone AWOL and has decided to try being normal, which means living like a human and going to school as a teenage boy though he is more than a hundred years old.
Alec and Claire feel a pull towards each other that gets stronger when he saves the lives of Claire and her friends. And eventually, she finds out the truth about Alec….and herself.
Claire is a Nephila. Half angel half human. An abomination in the eyes of the Grigori. The only one of her kind left. And is in mortal danger. Alec’s godfather Vincent, the angel guardian who taught him everything he knows, has been hunting her, and her Grigori father, for years.
But despite this and the fact that the Grigori are not allowed to love, Claire and Alec fall for each other.
Knowing she’s in danger, he tries to convince Vincent to leave Claire alone. Vincent agrees, but only in exchange for Alec’s departure from her life forever. But how safe is Claire when her psychic powers are growing stronger, and another power has yet to manifest itself….. a power that may make her stronger and more dangerous than all Nephilim and Grigori combined…..

Even though this book is quite predictable, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
The plot is good and the characters are engaging. Written in both main characters’ point of view, it made understanding their dilemma and subsequent choices easier.
Of the characters, I particularly loved Alec for his emotional strength and faith in Claire, of course his Scottish accent (which I kept hearing in my head ala Sean Connery) didn’t hurt either. I also liked both Bryan and Erica for their funny one liners, though it baffles me how easy it was for them to accept Claire and Alec’s true nature. One nice point in Forbidden is that the possible love triangle wasn’t pushed too much. From the moment Claire like Alec, she just kept going in one direction and I like that.
Forbidden is a good paced read with no boring moments and a really fine ending. I suspect the “surprise” character at the end would play a much larger role in the next installment. In fact, I hope so because the brief part that person had was enough to excite me for the 2nd book which hopefully will come soon.
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Jun 19, 2012 fennie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, fantasy, things-that-make-you-go-hmm, young-adult

this was a fun read from a mother-son author team. a love story with a paranormal twist that is original enough, but also in keeping with the typical mythology.

claire is a typical girl who wants a guy to notice her with an interesting past and then new, mysterious alec turns up at school and bam things start happening. as is the case with most books, i enjoyed learning about claire's abilities as she was figuring them out. it was also entertaining to read about alec's first experiences with 'ju...more

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May 19, 2012 FicTalk Blog rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-in-2012

Reviewed by Meg

I’m starting to wonder if a lovelorn angel lusting after a human or chasing after a nephilim is the new trend coming in on the tail of vampire fiction. Forbidden, by mother and son duo Syrie and Ryan James can definitely be slipped in with the forlorn angel breaking the code of his angelic lifestyle that seems to be the current trend in the YA paranormal genre. Forbidden follows Claire, who essentially lives a gypsy lifestyle with her mother, flitting from place to place with no r...more Reviewed by Meg

I’m starting to wonder if a lovelorn angel lusting after a human or chasing after a nephilim is the new trend coming in on the tail of vampire fiction. Forbidden, by mother and son duo Syrie and Ryan James can definitely be slipped in with the forlorn angel breaking the code of his angelic lifestyle that seems to be the current trend in the YA paranormal genre. Forbidden follows Claire, who essentially lives a gypsy lifestyle with her mother, flitting from place to place with no real reason. During this book, Claire and her mother have remained in one place for nearly two years and Claire is currently enrolled in an elite, private academy where she has to bust her butt to maintain a high GPA so she can stay in. Of course, as any female lead in current YA fiction, she’s super smart and has no problem maintaining the perfect grades (personally, the “perfect student” female lead is getting a bit old to me. Someone, create an original character please, one with spunk and some real flaws? Thanks.)

Enter Alec, the mysterious, handsome stranger who shows up on registration day and oddly attaches himself to Claire and her friends. It’s made clear almost immediately that he’s got a secret that he’s hiding, and that he’s not everything he seems to be. *cue melodramatic music* Dun..dun..dunnnnnnnn

I want to make something clear here, I have instant disdain for any YA book that creates an immediate and powerful love between two adolescent characters. I think it’s important that young readers are exposed to characters who develop a love based on getting to know one another, and spending time together, not seeing each other from across the lawn and feeling sparks arc across the entire campus as they immediately fall head over heels in love with one another without uttering a word. Okay, so maybe I exaggerated some. Alec and Claire didn’t fall in love like that, but it was pretty quick and unrealistic, and I’m not a fan of a love with no sound base.

Also, I have issues when a book has scenes that are uncomfortably similar to scenes in other extremely popular YA books, like…when Alec miraculously appeared out of no where and saved Claire from a falling beam in a construction zone and disappeared, as if nothing had happened. It was eerily reminiscent of a certain vampire/human girl/car saving scene in another book. Do I really need to give you the name? Really?

Which that leads me to the characters. Is it just me, or do all female characters in YA fiction now have to be astonishingly smart yet dense at the same time, oblivious to everything around them. Also, do they have to be quiet, mousy, and reserved, and oddly unpopular even though they are highly attractive (and don’t forget, they can’t realize their pretty. That’s a no-no in YA fiction, guys.) And do all male leads in YA fiction have to be hot, brooding, mysterious, secretive, and almost a “bad boy” by definition? Because if so, this book hit stereotypical YA fictional characters right on the bulls eye, cause that was Claire and Alec to a T.

One good point in the book was the writing style. It was very age appropriate considering the audience the book was geared too, and it was well written. The words and punctuation were used correctly, there weren’t a ton of glaring errors hiding in the paragraphs, and the sentence structure flowed nicely. It was written as I would expect, and want, a YA novel to be written. Forbidden definitely gets a thumbs up for me in writing style!

Overall, I can’t say that I was a fan of Forbidden. I found it to be drawing from too many other YA novels in plot, characterizations, and general concept. I also had issues with the instant love between lead characters, the predictable outcome at the end, and the lack of answers at the end of the book. I know it’s first in a series, but seriously, there still needs to be a decent amount of closure at the end of the book. I don’t foresee myself picking up the next book in the series, and I can’t see myself recommending this book to anyone over the age of 13. (less)

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Apr 30, 2012 Janae's Book Obsession rated it 4 of 5 stars

Claire lives a normal life with her mother and is just happy to be able to stay at the same school, Emerson Academy, for the past 2 years instead of moving all over like her mother is trying to hide something in her past from Claire. Claire attends school with her two best friends Erica and Brian and together they do it all together. Strange things begin to happen to Claire and then Alec a hot young man is the new student at Emerson Academy and life as Claire knew it begins to change..

I really...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Chelsea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, supernatural

I was immediately entranced by Forbidden's beautiful cover. I love it. Thankfully the story was just as engaging. While the story is told in third person, each chapter alternatives in perspective.

Claire Brennan goes to Emerson Academy where she works hard to maintain a high grade point average in order to retain her scholarship. She has two great friends - Brian and Erica and has a huge crush on Neil, a fellow classmate. When Alec turns up with his good looks and Scottish accent her world chang...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Hylary Locsin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Originally posted on my blog: http://libraryladyhylary.blogspot.com ! Check it out for more reviews!

Sixteen-year-old Claire Brennan has always been a bit of a loner. Constantly moving from place to place, she and her mother have never lived anywhere long enough for Claire to be one of the “popular kids.” For the past two years, she’s been going to Emerson Academy: an elite private school in Los Angeles where she works hard to maintain the scholarship that pays for her tuition. Claire has two goo...more Originally posted on my blog: http://libraryladyhylary.blogspot.com ! Check it out for more reviews!

Sixteen-year-old Claire Brennan has always been a bit of a loner. Constantly moving from place to place, she and her mother have never lived anywhere long enough for Claire to be one of the “popular kids.” For the past two years, she’s been going to Emerson Academy: an elite private school in Los Angeles where she works hard to maintain the scholarship that pays for her tuition. Claire has two good friends at Emerson, Erica and Brian, and hopes that she and her mom have finally found a place to stay put. Everything changes when Claire meets Alec MacKenzie on the first day of her junior year. With a thick Scottish accent and a strange but handsome appearance, Claire isn’t sure what to think of the new guy on campus. As she and Alec grow closer, however, Claire begins to suspect that there is more to him than meets the eye. Coupled with Claire’s suspicions are a series of strange visions that she has begun to experience: visions of the future that seem to come true. One such vision warns of danger, danger that only Alec can protect her from. Determined to learn the truth, Alec finally confesses his true identity to Claire: he is a Grigori, an Earthbound angel dedicated to eliminating the descendents of the children conceived between angel and human, and Claire is his next assignment.

Written by mother and son duo Syrie and Ryan James, Forbidden, the start to a new paranormal romance series for teens, proves to be a bit of a mixed bag, but still a novel that will appeal to many young adult readers. Set in the ritzy Los Angeles neighborhood of Brentwood, much of Forbidden comes across as a Southern California version of Twilight. Like Bella Swan, Claire Brennan is a quiet, somewhat awkward teen who, with no prior dating experience, finds herself in the middle of a whirlwind romance with a handsome immortal, in this case an angel. There is even a scene where Claire begins to suspect the truth about Alec’s nature after he saves her from a freak scaffolding accident (think Edward stopping the car to save Bella.) These obvious similarities aside, however, Forbidden still has a lot to offer the young adult audience, particularly Twilight fans who are yearning for something similar. Claire is a likable protagonist, as is Alec and the dual-perspectives in the novel make for a nicely paced read. The mythology surrounding the Grigori is also interesting, and also makes the book appealing to fans of the Hush, Hush series. Although Forbidden is nothing astoundingly original or mind-blowing, it is a pleasant and romantic story that many teens will enjoy. The James pair has stated that they plan to write a sequel, but the exact date of its publication has yet to be announced.

I had heard that this novel was becoming quite popular, so I decided to give it a try, especially since the premise sounded intriguing. Although I thought it was well-written and entertaining enough, after completing the novel I ended up having fairly neutral feelings towards it. I think there are a lot of similarities to other books in the genre, especially Twilight, which is something I don’t normally enjoy saying even when I observe it. In this case, however, some situations were just too apparent for me to ignore, particularly the whole “boy rescues girl and exposes his supernatural powers” scene. That being said, however, I think there is definitely a place for this novel and subsequent series as a read-alike for Twilight fans. The romance between Alec and Claire is very sweet, and I imagine that many teen girls will lap this story up. (less)

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Mar 16, 2012 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Claire Brennan is a regular high school teen who loves going to Emerson Academy. She is hoping that her mom has stopped moving so Claire can stay put for the rest of her high school career. What she doesn’t know is that there is something “other” about her that will soon manifest and call attention to where she is. Two sides will vie for her attention, one to hurt and one to help.

She has two friends she trusts and tells as she begins to see visions and hear a message from a woman telling her sh...more

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Mar 09, 2012 Kristin (MyBookishWays Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, ya-fantasy

You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/03/...

3.5 stars
I confess, I don’t read a ton of YA (I know!) This is not YA’s fault. This is my fault. You see, in my, um, advanced age *cough*, I sometimes find it hard to relate to very young characters. Seriously, it gets worse every year, much to my chagrin. The point is, if I seem to be a bit harder on YA, that’s the reason. It’s a totally “it’s me, not you” sort of thing. That said, when I got Forbidden in the mail, lookin...more You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/03/...

3.5 stars
I confess, I don’t read a ton of YA (I know!) This is not YA’s fault. This is my fault. You see, in my, um, advanced age *cough*, I sometimes find it hard to relate to very young characters. Seriously, it gets worse every year, much to my chagrin. The point is, if I seem to be a bit harder on YA, that’s the reason. It’s a totally “it’s me, not you” sort of thing. That said, when I got Forbidden in the mail, looking all shiny and pretty (and it is purty), I thought, what the heck, time to give this a try. Also, I’ve only heard good things about Syrie James’ work, so that was a plus. Thanks for staying with me, onto the “reviewy stuff”… When Forbidden starts, Claire Brennen is starting her third year at the prestigious Emerson Academy. It’s just her and her mom, and she’s become increasingly impatient of her mom’s insistence that they move at the slightest hint that things might not be going perfectly. Claire is determined to stay put for a while, which seems like it might happen, until she has her first vision. It’s a small thing, but enough to alarm Claire and definitely puts her nerves on edge. Then she meets the handsome (and Scottish!!) Alec MacKenzie. Yes, he’s a hottie, yet he’s so standoffish at first that Claire isn’t sure what to think. Suffice it to say he’ll have a lot to do with Claire’s future, and he may not be human…

Forbidden is about angels, and since I’m a relative novice to the “angel genre”, it provided an interesting premise for me. Alec is a Watcher (and Grigori), tasked with rooting out the descendants of Nephilim and making sure they don’t fall prey to the Fallen (Nephilim that have taken a less than savory path.) The problem is, Alec has gone AWOL. He doesn’t want to be a Watcher, and has taken great pains to hide himself from the Elders and get on with a relatively “normal” life. Well, as normal as you can get with a 100+ year old that looks about 17. Needless to say, Alec thinks Claire is the bees knees, but as you’ll find out, this is a big no-no, which of course makes for some serious angst.

Forbidden was well written, and I appreciated that the authors made Claire smart and tough instead of the whining ninny that you see so much of in (very young especially) female protagonists. Also, after her initial short period of disbelief and awe at her situation, she quickly adapts and goes with the flow. Scullys get on my nerves, and I can’t stand characters that could have a werewolf sitting on their legs (possibly gnawing an ankle) and still go all wide-eyed with disbelief. You know what I’m talking about. Claire’s not like that, and it made me love her. Ok, grrrrl power aside, Alec is seriously cute, even cute enough to make this 35 year old become a little smitten, and their sweet romance is what powered this novel. She’s also got a couple of very cool, very loyal friends at her side. Teens will eat this one up, especially those that like a little supernatural with their romance. Although I would have preferred a stronger supernatural element, Forbidden is sure to please and is a fun addition to the genre.(less)

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Feb 23, 2012 Amy Jacobs rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

Forbidden is written by a Mother and Son. Both contribute to the works in the book and give us perspective from Alec and Claire's point of view.

While the book started out with strength, as I read further into the book it started to falter. I personally enjoyed the side characters better than the main characters. Claire's friends were refreshing and humorous. I loved their witty comments and they brought much more to the story than Claire and Alec.

Claire is always on the move with her mother. T...more Forbidden is written by a Mother and Son. Both contribute to the works in the book and give us perspective from Alec and Claire's point of view.

While the book started out with strength, as I read further into the book it started to falter. I personally enjoyed the side characters better than the main characters. Claire's friends were refreshing and humorous. I loved their witty comments and they brought much more to the story than Claire and Alec.

Claire is always on the move with her mother. They never seem to stay in one place long enough and Claire has no idea why. They have lived in their current residence for two years now and Claire really enjoys her school. It is a private school so she has to keep up her GPA and grades to attend. This isn't really much of a problem though since she is super smart and works hard to keep her grades from slipping.

Alec is a mystery in this story. He has a secret past that he is running from and wants to attend high school for the first time. He meets Claire and her friends during registration day and becomes part of their group. He has the instant attraction to Claire even if she has hopes of becoming better friends with another boy at school.

I wasn't a fan of the instant love between the two main characters. At times it even felt forced. I also couldn't get attached to Alec because of his personality. At times he would be mature and act his age. Other times it was like he was reverted back to middle school with some of his actions and personality change. Claire was also a little dense at times. She couldn't figure out why Alec would get so depressed or moody whenever she would mention the other boy Neil that she had a crush on. It was obvious Alec loved her, but she couldn't seem to see the obvious signs.

When some of the mystery starts to unravel and things start to clear up a little, you finally think you are going to get some answers. While some things are clear, there were other things that were left open that needed closure for this book to be better. To me the book felt a little incomplete by the last page.

While I can see the younger teens enjoying this book, I feel that the older teens and adults will have some issues with it. If there is going to be more books in this series, I do hope the authors can work together at getting the actions and personalities straight for the ages their characters are. (less)

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Feb 22, 2012 Jeanbooknerd rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

Syrie & Ryan James’ Forbidden was an interesting take on the Angel genre. Its about the story of Claire who, once again, in on the move with her mother. She never thought she would ever make friends but finally has at her new school. She then meets Alec who would ultimately change her life.

The characters were very unique and will grow on you. The love triangle between Claire, Alec, and Neil was fun to read. Its not because I like to read about jealousy but it was a nice change to read it fro...more

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Feb 18, 2012 Valerie rated it 2 of 5 stars

I hate to give a book a cold review. My brain just won't stop screaming, "What?! Like you could do better?" So I fully acknowledge that no, no I could not write a better book. Still, I know weak writing when I read it.

To start, I finished the whole thing. I read the teaser for free on-line, and then bought the full book for my Kindle, after already knowing the writing was over-the-top cliche. I liked the story premise, and (protagonist 1) Clare's perspective was written pretty well. Alec's (pro...more

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Feb 17, 2012 Felicia Chien rated it 4 of 5 stars

Book: Forbidden by Syrie James & Ryan M. James
Pages: 410
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Source: Sent from Harper Teen

Short Synopsis: Claire has been going to Emerson Academy for two years, the longest she and her mother have ever stayed in one place. As she starts another school year, she meets a boy named Alec who changes her life forever.

My Thoughts: An interesting take on the angel genre, and definitely kept me curious for more.

Claire has been attending Emerson Academy for two years. And...more Book: Forbidden by Syrie James & Ryan M. James
Pages: 410
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Source: Sent from Harper Teen

Short Synopsis: Claire has been going to Emerson Academy for two years, the longest she and her mother have ever stayed in one place. As she starts another school year, she meets a boy named Alec who changes her life forever.

My Thoughts: An interesting take on the angel genre, and definitely kept me curious for more.

Claire has been attending Emerson Academy for two years. And has always had a crush on a boy named Neil, but never had the guts to say anything. Claire is excited to start school once again, but never dreamed that it would turn out the way it did.
On Book Day, Claire meets a boy named Alec. Alec can't believe his luck when he meets a girl like Claire, and can't wait to find out more about her. But the thing is, he's a Grigori, an angel watcher, who protects humans, but has also gone awol from his job, because he can no longer stand the strict laws of the Grigori ways. But no one can find out who he really is, not even Claire, for they would be put in danger.
But the situation gets even stranger when Claire starts having visions of the future, and of the past, and insists that she is some kind of psychic. And if things weren't bad enough, Claire is also having visions of a woman who warns her that she is in grave danger and must find her. Can Claire avoid this danger that the woman is speaking of, trust those who claim to be her friends, and get Neil to notice her?

An entertaining read with characters that grow on you. The narration is a bit different than what I am used to, as it switches from Alec's point of view to Claire's point of view, but is an interesting take on how both main characters view each situation.
I loved how there was a love triangle between Alec, Neil, and Claire, and loved reading how Alec was so jealous of Neil. Most authors write about how jealous girls are, and was a nice turn of events to read jealousy from a male point of view.
I enjoyed reading the paranormal aspect of the book as well. It was interesting to read how angels lived so strictly, even though they weren't sure of their true purpose. Most angel stories I've read always know what their real "purpose" is on Earth, but it was a nice take to read how these angels didn't really have a clue, but tried to live right. I also enjoyed reading about Claire's psychic abilities and can't wait to find out more.
There was one thing that I wasn't too fond of, though. I wasn't a fan of the constant switching of italics to regular print. In general, a great read, with an ending that will hopefully lead to a must read series.

Would I recommend this book: Yes

Rating: I give this book a 4/5. (less)

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Feb 16, 2012 BookHookup rated it 3 of 5 stars

Overall I liked this book, but I just didn’t love it. I was initially drawn to it because I’m a sucker for any book about angels, and let’s face it, the cover is gorgeous.

I loved:
♥ The concept of Grigori and Nephilim. The Grigori (angels) watch over everyone and only interfere when something has gone very, very wrong. Alec MacKenizie is a Grigori, but he is tired and bored with just “watching”. Then there’s Claire Brennan, who is Nephilim (part angel and part human). I could easily follow that C...more Overall I liked this book, but I just didn’t love it. I was initially drawn to it because I’m a sucker for any book about angels, and let’s face it, the cover is gorgeous.

I loved:
♥ The concept of Grigori and Nephilim. The Grigori (angels) watch over everyone and only interfere when something has gone very, very wrong. Alec MacKenizie is a Grigori, but he is tired and bored with just “watching”. Then there’s Claire Brennan, who is Nephilim (part angel and part human). I could easily follow that Claire was a “special” Nephilim because she was a half blood, i.e. half angel and half human (very concentrated angel blood). It was very unusual, but the reason it would worry the Elders is because her part angel was not diluted, so she could become very powerful when her full powers were awakened. She would be so powerful that her mere existence is wrong.

♥ The story was told in 3rd person but from both points of view. Loved it.

♥ Forbidden love-loved the concept of it, but it didn’t seem so forbidden since Alec and Claire were together!! However, it was short lived and Alec and Claire will have to fight for this right, something that we’ll see in the next book, I’m sure.

What I didn’t love:
♥ Claire came into her powers with the onset of puberty. I can live with that concept but here it was just way too farfetched for me since she is 16!!!

♥ The Twilight scene. If you read both books you will know exactly which scene I’m referring to. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Twilight but it was a little too similar. It absolutely worked in the story in a different way and had a different purpose, but it still irked me.

♥ The best friends. They were annoying. I know when I read a YA book that I will be reading about teens, I just always hope they won’t be annoying. No one was bratty, but Erica and Brian were just too much and over the top. Also, Claire was warned SEVERAL times not to tell anyone her secrets, yet she acted like a foolish heroine and told her friends everything.

The ending:
♥ The story ended at a good point; I felt satisfied by how things tied up with no major cliff hanger. On that note though, the story is by no means over and I’m curious to see what happens. I don’t know how Alec and Claire, and Claire’s mother will survive.

Romance and swoon factor:
♥ The romance itself is forbidden, but of course Alec and Claire are so into each other. I’m a sucker for a struggle like that. I should also mention that Alec was swoonworthy….I mean, who doesn’t like a lean muscular guy with a Scottish accent?

Rec it or skip it:
♥ Rec it! I’ll tell you why I would rec this book and I will be getting the next one: I did not expect someone to turn! That part was quite good and honestly it caught me by surprise. I loved the ending, it was action packed and intense and I found out quite a bit of information that I was craving all along. If you love stories about angels and are looking for a quick and fun read you should check it out :) (less)

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Feb 01, 2012 Sarah Simone rated it 4 of 5 stars

The authors of this book were a mother and son duo. First of all, this book reminded me of little tidbits of several different YA books I've read. I would compare it to Jamie McGuire's Providence series. I did not expect to purchase this book last night and have it finished by this afternoon. For being 416 pages it flew by.

The action was spot on, the romance was there. There was a slight cliched love triangle but it was clear who your heroine Claire wanted after a few chapters. There were a few...more

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Jan 29, 2012 Elin rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people who like twilight and the fallen novels

Shelves: paranormal-romance, young-adult, angels-or-fallen-angels, romance

So, I wont summarize the story, since others have done that already.

Things I liked about the book (no spoilers):
-The whole forbidden love thing. I guess I'm just a sucker for it
-The characters were funny and kind (well, not the bad guys of course)
-I liked reading from both Alec's and Claire's perspective. Come to think of it, I thought of something which bothers me when reading guy and girl perspective. When the girl is looking at the guy, she is always admiring the body, lots of muscles yadda y...more

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Jan 29, 2012 Kathy Martin rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a very enjoyable paranormal romance that would be suitable for middle grade students as well as young adults. Claire is a junior in high school and a scholarship student at the prestigious Emerson Academy in Los Angeles. She is smart and has a couple of really good friends - Erika and Brian. She lives with her mother. She is hoping that they will be able to stay but she has no guarantees. She and her mother have moved seven times since she was born. Her mother seems to be on the run fro...more This was a very enjoyable paranormal romance that would be suitable for middle grade students as well as young adults. Claire is a junior in high school and a scholarship student at the prestigious Emerson Academy in Los Angeles. She is smart and has a couple of really good friends - Erika and Brian. She lives with her mother. She is hoping that they will be able to stay but she has no guarantees. She and her mother have moved seven times since she was born. Her mother seems to be on the run from something but Claire doesn't know what. All she knows is that her mother is very protective of her. She and her mother have a good relationship despite the secrets.

Strange things begin to happen when she gets her first period at the beginning of this story. She begins to see the occasional vision of past events and maybe even the future. Naturally, she shares this information with her best friends who both believe her, are supportive, and who help her try to find out what is happening. Also, a new boy has begun school and he and Claire find themselves sharing a locker and becoming friends.

Alec is on the run too. He is a Grigori - a descendant of angels - whose job was to track down and kill the Fallen - other descendants of angels who have become evil. Alec has been hunting the Fallen for almost 100 years and he is burned out and suffering from nightmares. He goes AWOL and decides to see what life would be like as a normal high school student. He is immediately attracted to Claire but doesn't know how to approach her. Claire begins by thinking that he is shy and klutzy and hard to get to know - but gorgeous!

But then the trouble that her mom is running from seems to catch up with them. Alec's mentor Victor tracks him down and tells him that he is on the hunt for one of the Nephilim - a child of a Grigori and a human. Nephilim are forbidden because they may have the power of the Grigori combined with human weaknesses. Most of them go bad. Victor tells him that the Nephilim is at his school. He says he won't turn Alec in to the Elders that govern the Grigori if he helps him identify the Nephilim.

It doesn't take long for Alec to realize that Claire is the nephila but he is determined to protect her from the Elders and the Fallen anyway. The two have a wonderful, sweet romance. I really liked Claire and Alec. And I really liked Claire's friends Erika and Brian. I like stories with good kids who are working hard and not afraid to be smart. Even the big man on campus and the object of Claire's long distance crush turns out to be a nice guy.

My one slight concern for the story is the number of references to Star Trek. I am an original Trekkie and got them but I am not sure how many of my students - beyond the full-blown nerds or geeks - would understand them. However, I think the strength of the relationships in the story and the romance will be enough to keep readers engaged. I know I couldn't put the book down and spent most of a day reading it.

I want a sequel! There are quite a number of unanswered questions at the end of this one. And, I liked the characters so much that I want to know what comes next for them. (less)

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Jan 03, 2012 Courtney Ahrens rated it 4 of 5 stars

It you are looking for a synopsis, there are ton of them already. So to the review: I thought Forbidden was a really good read. It has likeable characters with realistic personalities, plenty of action and a romantic triangle (which seems to be must for a YA novel). The story jump starts at the beginning (which I love) and moves quickly making it easy to get sucked in and not want to put the book down. I like that Claire (main character) actually seems like a teenager. She has a relationship wit...more

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Dec 06, 2011 Maria rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book immediately caught my eye because I thought the cover was just beautiful; and when I also found out that it was co-written by Syrie James (who also wrote Dracula, My Love, which I loved!!), I couldn't help but move this book to the top of my list.

The story focuses around a teenager named Claire who begins having psychic visions of the future - but has no clue why. She will soon find out that she is a half-angel and that her very existence is considered highly dangerous by other angels...more

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May 06, 2012 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2012, romance, sn-other, young-adult

High 3. It has its weaknesses but I still I liked it, the dialogue seemed a bit juvenile at some parts when Claire was with her friends but overall it was an entertaining read. The character's have super powers so clearly I like that, even if they weren't the coolest ones out there. Claire is said to be very smart, at least in school, but she makes some pretty stupid decisions, and basically winds up doing everything she's not suppose to do. I preferred hearing from Alex's perspective, and I nor...more

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Dec 29, 2011 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book caught my attention with it's cover. It's beautiful isn't it? However, as I started to read, I realized it was much more than just a beautiful cover! This book had me hooked from the first page.
Claire is 16 and has finally reached puberty. Why this matters is important because it coincides with her starting to have psychic visions at the same time. Claire does not want to alert her mother to this fact though because her mother is a "paranoid hippy" and has made Claire up and move at th...more This book caught my attention with it's cover. It's beautiful isn't it? However, as I started to read, I realized it was much more than just a beautiful cover! This book had me hooked from the first page.
Claire is 16 and has finally reached puberty. Why this matters is important because it coincides with her starting to have psychic visions at the same time. Claire does not want to alert her mother to this fact though because her mother is a "paranoid hippy" and has made Claire up and move at the slightest thing.

Claire arrives at her private high school to get her books when she and her two friends, Brian and Ericka, meet the new boy in school, Alec. Claire is not sure about Alec at first but Alec is immediately drawn to Claire. Alec has his own secrets though that he is not about to tell.

Claire and Alec have to figure out what is going on with themselves as well as try to figure out what is going on with each other.

I liked Claire's character for the most part. The only time I didn't like her was at the end when all I will say is that she suffered from that "stupid heroine" syndrome. You know, the one where the main character puts herself in danger despite all the many warnings? Yep, that is exactly what Claire does and I was so mad at her! Other than that she isn't whiny or too dependent. She does have a "I am madly in love with Alec and can't live without him" for a little bit but not too long and it wasn't too annoying.

I liked Alec. He was the perfect combination of good boy and mysterious, bad boy. I like how he isn't too jealous of Neil (he is jealous but it's not out of control) and that he is there to protect Claire. He knows his relationship with her is forbidden (you must read the book to find out why) but he doesn't care. He doesn't do anything stupid to put their relationship in danger either.

Helena and Lynn's characters are great! I loved the mystery surrounding Helena and who she was to Claire. I had no clue how that would end up and was pleasantly surprised at the end. Lynn was Claire's mom and while she worked a lot, she wasn't one of those absent parents that are so often seen in YA novels. She constantly knew where Claire was and what she was doing. She was home for dinners and went shopping with her daughter. She met both Alec and Neil before Claire could go out alone with them. Yeah, I liked the parent that was actually there and involved in their child's life.

The ending of the book was full of action. There were several twists in the end that took me by surprise and I enjoyed them. The only thing I didn't like was when Claire put herself in danger simply because if she would have stopped and thought about it, she would have known what was going on. I had no idea who the villain was going to be!

I really enjoyed this book and it's twists and turns at the end. It grabbed me before I even opened the cover and kept my attention the whole way through (all 410 pages!). A must-read!(less)

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Feb 26, 2013 Dejana Vuletić rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: angels-and-demons, love-triangles, romance

Forbidden was a cute story. The whole concept of Claire being this Halfblood that should not exist was really cool, and I liked her relationship with Alec. He sounded so sweet and kind.

Claire was a decent lead character, but most of the time, she would just be freaking out about her new powers or looking to Alec for protection. With powers like hers, she should be confident, not afraid all the time. Along that same line, Alec has supposedly been alive for over 100 years and has all this experie...more

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Jun 25, 2012 JB The Book Addict rated it 3 of 5 stars

So I just finished reading FORBIDDEN by SYRIE JAMES and to be honest it was quite an interesting book.The characters really made this story for me. To be honest, we've all seen this type of plot a few times; however, Claire, Alec, Brian, and Erica really gave it a nice boost.There were a few things I found wierd. First, there are a few too many coincidences in this story. Pieces fell together too easily sometimes. Also, Erica and Brian were a bit too accepting of the weird things going on aroun...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Debbie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was an unexpected surprise!! I was not prepared for this book to be so good! I read it in two days (I tried to pace myself because the last book I read was so bad I needed to recover) and I could hardly contain myself!! Alec, Claire, Erica, Brian, and Vincent were all amazing characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the dialogue and character development. Nothing felt rushed or forced and the storyline progessed at just the right pace. The "angel" concept here is similar to many other ya paranormal...more

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About Syrie James

Syrie James is the bestselling author of eight critically acclaimed novels, including The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen, The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte, Nocturne, Dracula My Love, Forbidden, and The Harrison Duet: Songbird and Propositions. Her books have been translated into eighteen foreign languages.

Syrie was named after a character in a radio show t...more Syrie James is the bestselling author of eight critically acclaimed novels, including The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen, The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte, Nocturne, Dracula My Love, Forbidden, and The Harrison Duet: Songbird and Propositions. Her books have been translated into eighteen foreign languages.

Syrie was named after a character in a radio show that her mother listened to as a girl. Today, Syrie is thrilled that her name is pronounced exactly the same as Siri, the iPhone personal assistant--even if they spell the name incorrectly. :)

Syrie has long been a fan of British literature of the 19th century. She also enjoys reading in a variety of other genres, including historical fiction, paranormal fiction, women's fiction, biography, memoir, romance, mystery, and the classics.

Two of Syrie's favorite authors are Jane Austen and Charlotte Brontë. Syrie's husband Bill, who has joined her in watching all the film versions of Miss Austen's novels several times over and every film version of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights ever made, has come to share her enthusiasm, if not her obsession. Syrie also enjoys writing about brilliant, sympathetic, charismatic vampires ... and the paranormal. It was a truly wonderful experience to co-author the novel Forbidden with her son Ryan.

Syrie lived in Paris when she was seven years old, and had visited more than two dozen countries by age eight, which instilled in her a lifelong love of traveling. Her other favorite pursuits include movies, theater, great food, playing games with family and friends, Scrabble, photography, sewing, and the out of doors. Syrie designed and maintains her website, syriejames.com, and she welcomes visitor and messages! Like Jane Austen and Charlotte Brontë, Syrie is very fond of the countryside, and loves taking long walks.

Syrie lives with her family in Los Angeles, California. She is a member of the WGA, RWA, and a life member of JASNA (the Jane Austen Society of North America). She spent many years as a screenwriter and enjoys writing both novels and screenplays.

Syrie writes practically every weekday from 10 - 6. She says, "Many people can't wait for the weekend to arrive. It's the opposite for me. I truly love my jam-packed weekends, but from the time I turn off the computer on Friday evening to the moment I'm back in my chair on Monday morning, I'm anxious to get back to the characters I left in limbo, who are just waiting for me to continue their story."
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