Hello you lovely lot! It's the start of a new month and today we have something I'm really excited about! BRANDED by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki has had a face lift and it back on the market with new pages and a new look. It's it pretty?
So here's my review and a little PolyvoreSTYLE to start of June. Enjoy and as always leave a comment and tell me if this is being added to your TBR list!
Branded
by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki
by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki
Publishing Date: February 18th 2014 (First published back in June 2013)
Publisher: Abi and Missy Books
Summary
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.
Review
"At what point do they believe what's been branded on their skin instead of just knowing who they are inside?"
For lovers of Divergent who are suffering from Dystopian withdrawals this is the book you need to be reading. It's funny and action packed, it's compelling and unafraid to break your heart, but most importantly it's full of rich exciting character's that will have you captivated from the very first sentence. Oh, and it has a swoon worthy book boyfriend that will give Four a run for his money!
Taking a break from all the dual narratives that seem to be swarming the market at the moment Branded is told from the point of view of Lexi. Lexi has been accused and in a world where there are no court rooms or appeals that means Lexi is sentenced to spend the rest of her life in The Hole. The Branded are people who have committed one of the seven deadly sins, and once they're captured and marked they are made to live out the rest of they're lives in poverty. But Lexi has something most other Branded people don't. Lexi has Cole.
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| Sorry... just give me one moment to pull myself together! |
SWOON ALERT! Cole is, and I'm not exaggerating here, one of the hottest book boyfriends you are ever likely to have in a Dystopian. He's a little rough around the edges but I find that adds to his charm. Cole is Lexi's guard, he has to make sure she abides by the rules and doesn't cause any trouble. Admittedly, he doesn't do the best job of either of those things but he does try bless him. He's fiercely protective and with the help of his trusty sidekick Zeus - a horse sized dog that attacks bed sheets and is afraid of his own farts - he's always got her back. The problem is Cole isn't allowed to like Lexi. He's her capture not her friend and when feeling begin to surface things become more dangerous than ever.
"You're like my magnet. You pull me in. No matter how hard I pull away... your force is stronger."
One of the many things I loved about this book was that it wasn't afraid to tackle the grittier aspects. Life is never going to be all sunshine and rainbows in a Dystopian world but there is a distinct emphases on the fact that life in The Hole is dangerous and one wrong step can be fatal. Which made the whole world seem more real, honest and raw.
"But you know what? I think dying is easier compared to living here."
Although saying that, there may have been one too many scenes with guns going off and people being chased down the street for my liking. But that is just personal preference.
Overall though this book WILL break your heart and I'm not even talking about the ending. It was around 30% when I had to reach for the tissues! There are several different events that occur throughout this book making it face paced and really exciting to read.
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| There were one or two moments like this and no it wasn't fair and I'm not going to lie, I had a bit of a sulk. |
This is YA Dystopian at its best and it demands your attention from the very first page. It will put you through the emotional ringer and have you questioning what went wrong with humanity. By the time you reach that - rather damn perfect - last line this book will have consumed you completely and have you begging Abi and Missy for book two. Highly recommended, you won't regret it!
"So we'll take one day at a time, because each day is one day we didn't have before."
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| And the Hobbits liked it too :) |
**I received this book as an ARC from the authors through NetGalley to read & review. This is a 100% honest review.**
Here's a little Polyvore to brighten up your day. Look inspired but the cover of Branded!
**EXCERPT**
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.
About Abi and Missy
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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