The Forbidden Game Series by L.J. Smith - MMC GBR - Starting August 1st 2018

[Sarah Elizabeth]

He sold her the game, and Jenny Thornton walked out mesmerized by Julian, the gorgeous cyber-punk with electric blue eyes and frost-white hair. When she and her friends open the plain white box at her boyfriend Tom’s birthday party, she chills to the warning: “Entering the Shadow World can be deadly. Do so at your own risk.” Spellbound, they piece together the rooms with their darkest nightmares. Suddenly the game is real! They’re in the house of horrors, running from The Shadow Man – Julian himself, who forces them to confront their worst nightmares or be lost in a private hell. It’s Julian’s game, and Jenny is the prize he’s stalked for years. He’ll do anything to win her as she bargains desperately for her body – and soul . . .

[Sarah Elizabeth]

The Forbidden Game Series by L.J. Smith will be our 4th MMC GBR for August 2018.

Please read at your own pace, and hide any spoilers ☺ You are welcome to join at any time during the month ☺

Happy Reading Everybody!


All three books in this series can be read on this thread -

Please clearly label which book you are reading when posting your comments.

Our MMC GBR review thread can be found here - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Sarah Elizabeth]

Pre-Reading Questions -

Anybody got any thoughts on this one before we start?

Has anyone read anything similar to this before?

Anybody read anything else by this author previously?

[Susan]

This sounds creepy but great.

[Maddie]

Oh it is creepy, but it's totally amazing <3 My favourite trilogy from L.J. Smith! So pleased I own the bindup so I can read it again :D

[Rae]

This sounds super creepy! But I need that in my life today soooo.... Ill be joining in to read this one!

[Maddie]

XD You're reading it today?

And it is totally creepy but one of my favourite books ever. It's incredible. I can't wait to re-read :D I just need to finish off last month's physicals before I read these books.

[Rae]

Chapters 1-4 (view spoiler)[ This has a definiete goosebumps/jumangi type feel to it! What is wrong with zack is he going to turn on them? I like it so far. I am already screaming at the book!
(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Rae]

Chapters 5-8 (view spoiler)[ This is super interesting! I really want to know what Tom's nightmare was. Mice? Elves? I wish everyone else would just be honest about there nightmares! Also I am a bit scared to see what Zack's nightmare is... he seems a bit off. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Rae]

Chapters 9-12 (view spoiler)[ ehh, Zack's nightmare was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. Honestly Summer and i have similar nightmares... I have a thing with bugs some how getting into my body... Freaks me all the way out! oh and Spiders. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Rae]

Chapter 13-fin
(view spoiler)[ Honestly this all seemed very anticlimactic, I will admit I had no idea what she was doing until she did it at the end so that is cool, but I feel like the dreams could have been way worse, Tom's dream sucked. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Pretty much! I want to read this now but I have a schedule XD

[Shae]

End of chapter 3: (view spoiler)[ wow so this game sounds creepy! I wonder who was chasing Jenny outside of the shops. It’s also sus about Audrey flirting with Tom. (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Shae wrote: "
End of chapter 3: [spoilers removed]"

I agree! And how Jenny just takes it!

[Maddie]

Rae wrote: "
Chapters 1-4 This has a definiete goosebumps/jumangi type feel to it! What is wrong with zack is he going to turn on them? I like it so far. I am already screaming at the book!
[spoilers removed]"

Yup haha the premise of this book is totally down my alley! I looove it so far. They're just (view spoiler)[setting up the house, and Jenny recognises the Shadow Man as the guy who sold her the game. Them drawing their nightmares and needing to encounter them in the game sounds totally creepy but I can't wait to read it!! (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Hoping to finish up this first book tomorrow, and then the next day will dive into #2!

[Maddie]

19%. Oh my gosh this is so addictive!! I need more of it! I don't want to go out haha, I want to keep on reading!

[Maddie]

Rae wrote: "Chapters 5-8 [spoilers removed]"

I think it's (view spoiler)[rats. That's what's on the cover of the original version anyway. (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

73% (view spoiler)[Oh gosh the bugs! I wanted to close the book when I was reading about them, but I had to get through it. I was shuddering. (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Rae wrote: "Chapters 9-12 [spoilers removed]"

Yeah I could also relate to Summer's, the (view spoiler)[crawly bugs. And Michael's wasn't that scary! (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Rae wrote: "Chapter 13-fin
[spoilers removed]"

Yeah I agree, was nowhere near as good as I remember it being!

[Megan]

Chapters 1-4 (view spoiler)[I wonder who those men were following Jenny and why they were doing it.

I never would've played the game, even if I didn't think it was real. Having to swear that I know the game could be hazardous to my life? No thanks. (hide spoiler)]

[Megan]

Rae wrote: "Chapters 5-8 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I wish everyone would be honest too. (hide spoiler)]

[Megan]

Chapter 9-12 (view spoiler)[They seemed to get over Summer's death pretty quickly.

(view spoiler)[Even being half cousins, and that Julian had disguised himself as Zach, it was disgusting that Jenny kissed him...I was repulsed. (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Megan]

Finished (view spoiler)[That ending was so simple, I can't believe that Julian would fall for it so easily. (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Yeah simple easy reads these are.

And regarding Zach (view spoiler)[It's so gross how Jenny kissed him anyway. They're family, that's yuck. (hide spoiler)]

[Shae]

Maddison wrote: "73% [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I know!! They were disgusting! Especially when she picked up the cup and there were crickets all through it aaarghhh (hide spoiler)]

[Shae]

Megan wrote: "Finished [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I agree! It was so simple! He just fell for it and thought she changed soo quickly. I don’t know how I feel about this series haha (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

I know and there was nothing I could do about it, I couldn't skip it because Idk when it ended!

[María]

Sarah wrote: "Pre-Reading Questions -

Anybody got any thoughts on this one before we start?

Has anyone read anything similar to this before?

Anybody read anything else by this author previously?"

I'm reading this because I think the Buddy read will turn it interesting. I have read anothers book of this author and I found them lacking...

[María]

Rae wrote: "
Chapters 1-4 This has a definiete goosebumps/jumangi type feel to it! What is wrong with zack is he going to turn on them? I like it so far. I am already screaming at the book!
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I have the same Jumanji vibe!!!
I'm thinking maybe Zack is already prisoner of the game and that explains his zombies expressions... (hide spoiler)]

[María]

Rae wrote: "Chapters 5-8 [spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[ I'm worried about the time: if the have six hours and 5 more nightmares, what does Julian have for that extra hour? (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Exactly XD Crazy how they just assume (view spoiler)[one hour one nightmare (hide spoiler)]

[María]

Rae wrote: "Chapters 9-12 [spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[ I really hate cockroaches so I don't know if I could overcome that kind of nightmare...
I can't believe Summer is dead I was hopping she could save her kissing Julian or something (hide spoiler)]

[María]

Rae wrote: "Chapter 13-fin
[spoilers removed]"

I thin that is the problem with the author. With her novel I always have the impression that

[María]

Reading book 2 tomorrow

[Maddie]

Sounds good Maria!

[Jennifer]

Ch 4 - (view spoiler)[ Hmmm, interesting. Why does Julian want Jenny in particular? Does she have some kind of magical powers that she doesn't know about yet? (hide spoiler)]
Ch 8 - (view spoiler)[ Seems like Jenny is facing more of the nightmares than her friends since Julian plays the staring role in each and she has to face him every time. I wonder if he will be right and one of them won't make it out. I hope it isn't Tom. (hide spoiler)]
Ch 11 - (view spoiler)[ Summer. Well, I guess she was kind of the weakest character. But if Julian is all powerful in this house and he owes Jenny for her kiss, why can't she recover Summer? (hide spoiler)]
Finished - (view spoiler)[ OK, so it's obviously not over. I wonder why Jenny's words/oath are unbreakable, but Julian's promises are easily broken. I don't blame Jenny for believing that trickery was possible since he kept doing it. I also wonder when we will get to the part of the story where Jenny says, "if you really love me, you wouldn't be trying to hurt the people I care about" - I mean, sure he has no idea what love really is, so why not try to teach him?? (hide spoiler)]

[Jennifer]

Ch 3 - Oh Tom! (view spoiler)[ If he loves her so much, why is he pushing her away? That's just plain stupid. (hide spoiler)]
Ch 7 - (view spoiler)[ Yikes, so Julian is out and pissed and seems to have sent the wolf and snake guys after them AND is tormenting them in their dreams. Fun! Ok, now he just needs to make contact and trick them into another game, right? (hide spoiler)]
Ch 12 - (view spoiler)[ These clues don't seem to be very sporting at all. Julian really doesn't play fair, does he? (hide spoiler)]
Finished - (view spoiler)[ I must admit that at this point, I'm a little upset at Jenny. Her friends, the people she cares about, keep getting hurt and she barely considers just giving in to Julian to save them. BARELY. She likes him, is attracted to him, but won't sacrifice herself to save everyone else?? Seems selfish. And now I'm really worried since the next game is "The Kill" - yikes!! (hide spoiler)]

[Jennifer]

Ch 4 - (view spoiler)[ Yes, let's go get some weapons from a creepy cave ride. It sounds like such a good idea, but I have a bad feeling about it. (hide spoiler)]
Ch 7 - (view spoiler)[ I just don't get Julian sometimes. He really is mercurial, isn't he? Now he knows his "relatives" are messing with the game, but he doesn't sound like he is going to do anything about it. I think if he really loved her, he would stop the game and get her out of danger. (hide spoiler)]
Ch 12 - (view spoiler)[ I'm so glad she found a way to free her grandpa. How awful an existence that must have been. -- Why hasn't she used more runes? Seems like there have been plenty of opportunities. (hide spoiler)]
Finished - (view spoiler)[ That ending was pretty quick, and didn't go at all the way I thought it might. I thought Jenny was going to figure out a way to scratch the other Shadow Men off the stick and keep Julian. Or once they pulled him into the real world, I thought she might be able to scratch the life rune into him and he would become a real boy. Nope! Didn't go down that way at all. Now that Jenny is her own master and not an extension of Tom, do you think they will stay together? It's too bad we didn't get an epilogue. (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Wow that was quick XD Were the last 2 books good?

[María]

Jennifer wrote: "

Ch 3 - Oh Tom! [spoilers removed]
Ch 7 - [spoilers removed]
Ch 12 - [spoilers removed]
Finished - [spoilers removed]"

Ch 3 (view spoiler)[ Like Jenny thought if he couldn't win...but It's sad because they realy love each other (hide spoiler)]

[María]

Jennifer wrote: "

Ch 3 - Oh Tom! [spoilers removed]
Ch 7 - [spoilers removed]
Ch 12 - [spoilers removed]
Finished - [spoilers removed]"

Chapter 7 (view spoiler)[ I think he wants revenge not play another game... (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Starting The Chase tonight

[María]

Jennifer wrote: "

Ch 3 - Oh Tom! [spoilers removed]
Ch 7 - [spoilers removed]
Ch 12 - [spoilers removed]
Finished - [spoilers removed]"

Chapter 12: I like the idea that (view spoiler)[ the base is a place they could find... Where could it be? (hide spoiler)]

[María]

Jennifer wrote: "

Ch 3 - Oh Tom! [spoilers removed]
Ch 7 - [spoilers removed]
Ch 12 - [spoilers removed]
Finished - [spoilers removed]"

Finished (view spoiler)[ If everytime they won the game another came out this saga would be eternal. I hope the Las one will be interesting too... (hide spoiler)]

[María]

Jennifer wrote: "

Ch 4 - [spoilers removed]
Ch 7 - [spoilers removed]
Ch 12 - [spoilers removed]
Finished - [spoilers removed]"

Chapter 4: I understand why they thought it was a good idea but (view spoiler)[ entering in a dark mine seems not the best course of action... (hide spoiler)]

[María]

Jennifer wrote: "

Ch 4 - [spoilers removed]
Ch 7 - [spoilers removed]
Ch 12 - [spoilers removed]
Finished - [spoilers removed]"

Chapter 7: (view spoiler)[ Maybe he couldn't. I think he is afraid of being good. Perhaps it's true that the goodness could destroy him... (hide spoiler)]

[María]

Jennifer wrote: "

Ch 4 - [spoilers removed]
Ch 7 - [spoilers removed]
Ch 12 - [spoilers removed]
Finished - [spoilers removed]"

Chapter 12: I think is a problem with this author's books. (view spoiler)[ It's seems like it's not a plan for the plot so we have so many dead ends sometimes. But actually this one is turning ok.
I'm glad Jenny could save them three. I hope the could walk the bridge to Tom and Zack without problems but I don't think that will happen... (hide spoiler)]

[María]

Jennifer wrote: "

Ch 4 - [spoilers removed]
Ch 7 - [spoilers removed]
Ch 12 - [spoilers removed]
Finished - [spoilers removed]"

I know that I will sound like a rockola playing the same song again and again but everything I have read from this author had a rushed end, like this one: (view spoiler)[ the arrived to the lighthouse and the game it's over. Julian died and the world keep going and the end... (hide spoiler)]