2. Rent-A-Kid uses teens to make a lot of money as paranormal spies. This is a form of human trafficking, though they seem to live a nice life until they turn eighteen. How do you feel about humans used and sold like tools? Can you think of other ways our society does this to people everyday?
3. Sam and her friends never had cause to question their lives before Sam's art studio was burned down and she met Drake. Do you think you would have questioned more had you been raised in the same world as them? What areas of your own life do you take for granted just because that's what you're used to?
4. How do you think growing up without any parents or family structure has affected the Rent-A-Kids? Do you think they would be scarred by this lack, or is this made up for by the fact that they had teachers and each other?
5. On Sam's assignment to spy on Mr. Beaumont, she breaks a few Rent-A-Kid rules. First, she threatened a client. Then she reported Mr. Beaumont to the authorities rather than just leaving the information with her client. Finally, she gave Tommy a picture of them together and took a camera that didn't belong to her. How do you feel about her actions in this section? Do you think she acted with moral authority or that she was wrong for what she did?
6. Throughout this book, Sam breaks several rules and ultimately escapes from her captors. Would you have done things differently? Is it ever okay to break the rules? How do you know when it's 'right' to break rules and when it's 'wrong'?
7. Sam and Drake meet telepathically before they ever meet in person, but she comes to trust him quickly. If you and your friends all had paranormal powers, would you be freaked out if someone started communicating with you mentally? Would you trust them? Would you tell your friends and try to get them to help you figure out what is happening?
8. Do you think people have to meet in person before they can really fall in love? Did you find the romance between Drake and Sam believable? Why or why not? Would it change your opinion if you knew the author met her husband online and they fell in love before they ever met in person?
9. In the book, Sam is impregnated against her will and without her knowledge in order to breed stronger paranormal babies. Some have likened this to rape. Do you think the two are the same? Why or why not? If not rape, how would you describe this kind of violation?
10. Sam and Drake both have very strong powers. Sam can read minds and Drake can control minds. Which power would you prefer? Do you think it's unethical to read or control minds? Would you feel violated if someone did that to you?
11. Sam and her friends believed they needed Rent-A-Kid to keep them safe from a world that wouldn't understand their gift. What do you think? Do you think our society and world would accept people with different abilities, or do think mass fear would put those with special powers in danger? Can you think of other examples of how people who are different than the status quo are treated?
12. When Sam is released from the hospital, she is expected to attend her going away party. She acts like she doesn't know what's happening while trying to plan what to do with her friends. Would you have been able to keep up pretense, or would you have challenged your captors before they took you away? What else could Sam and her friends have done to try and escape?
13. Sam confides in her guard, Gar, as they are leaving Rent-A-Kid and he becomes an ally in trying to help her escape. Would you have trusted him in that moment? Would you have been wiling to put his life at risk in asking him to help you? When he dies, Sam feels guilty, like it's her fault. Do you think his death is her fault, or is the fact that he made his own choice enough to absolve her? How much should we try to protect or control others in order to keep them safe?
14. When Sam realizes that Ana is Luke and Lucy's mom, she works out a way to reconnect them. When Ana dies, once again Sam feels guilty. How do you think she handles her guilt? What do you think this will change in her as she moves forward?
15. When Sam and Drake are escaping, Sam refuses to leave Ana, even though she's already dead. Drake uses mind control on her so that he doesn't have to physically move her and risk hurting her or the baby. Sam has a hard time forgiving Drake for this. How would you feel if the same thing had happened to you? Do you think it was wrong of Drake to control her in that way, or were his actions justified because she could have died otherwise?
FORBIDDEN FIRE
1. At the beginning of Forbidden Fire, Sam becomes very sick and finds out she's been drugged her entire life in order for Rent-A-Kid to control her more easily. How would you react if you found out you'd been drugged against your will on top of everything else? Would you still feel guilty for your actions, even if you had no control of them because of the drugs? (I.e. not questioning your circumstances… )