Branded Blog Tour [Review | Excerpt]

Branded by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki

A Sinners Series

Fifty years ago the Commander came into power and
murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the
seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best. Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit and now the Hole is my new home. 
Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain. 
Now every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.
The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me. I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter. My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.

 The Good

• Intriguing plot
• Great start
• Zues

The Bad

• Certain parts are boring and drag.
• Insta-love

The Gif

  I love dystopians. That's my "thing". Don't get me wrong. I never want to live in the worlds portrayed in my favorite dystopians. But I think that is what makes me love them. The concept behind Branded blew my mind. This novel did have a bit of a drag during certain parts. I don't think it would have been that noticeable. But the beginning of the book was like BAM amazing. So it was hard to follow that, I think.

  Before I even read it, I knew I would love it. After reading it? I love like it. A lot. This book is undeniably a debut novel by independent authors. You can definitely tell that. But I feel like the story is so great that I can give them leniency. They have a good thing going with this book, and I'm not going to rain on that parade. Branded is a refreshing story, and I enjoyed it.

  One of my biggest pet peeves if insta-love. Not just insta-love, but I'm so in love with you after two minutes that I'm just going to lose my own identity. I feel like Lexi flirted that line with Cole. It was never enough to make me stop reading entirely, but it was definitely enough to ping my radar. That aside, I did find myself liking Lexi. I was invested in her.

  Are you a fan of dystopian? Do you hum the line "we found love in a hopeless place" to yourself? Do you like Indie authors? Then Branded is most definitely for you!

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the authors and Mark My Words Book Publicity.

I turn on the faucet for a long while only to discover ice-cold water rushing out. The water never warms and I begin to understand. The Commander thinks he can wash away my soul by freezing me to death. He thinks he can destroy me by stripping away my possessions. But he can’t and I won’t let him take my memories, my ambition, and my pride.

He thinks I’m so easily broken.

The Commander doesn’t know anything about me, what I grew up with, what I endured—the father I lost, the mother I hate, the brother who walked out of my life, and the stepfather I was forced to accept. He thinks since I was rich, making me poor will cause me to give up. What he doesn’t understand is that, after my father passed away, I grew up behind walls of hatred. I had nothing, but had everything at the same time. I owned expensive clothes, enjoyed good schooling, and lived in a nice home. But my body was just a shell protecting an empty, desperate heart. My life was a colorful façade.

I had so much time to sit and think. I spent the majority of my life between four walls. I was abandoned, neglected, starved, betrayed, and abused. I’ve already been treated like the scum of the earth, so the Hole is nothing new. He wants to erase every sign of my existence on this earth, but I won’t let that happen. He can strip me naked, but he’ll never reach my soul.

It’s personal, completely personal.

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Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.

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