Tour! A Review of Branded by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki

Branded (Sinners #1) by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki
Genre: Young Adult (Dystopian Romance)
Date Published: June 27, 2013
Publisher: Abi and Missy Books

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.

Branded is the first book in the Sinners Series by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki. This story brings all the horrible aspects of human nature front and center. From the start, you see the evil in the people around Lexi. As the story progresses, the good starts to filter out from the bad, but it's still hard to know who you can trust. Lexi is an amazing character. I don't know how she has the drive to survive in this world. I jumped to all kinds of conclusions as to what I thought Lexi's step dad did to her. I'm still not entirely sure.

It seems like everything  that happened had a purpose that lead to something else, like puzzle pieces fitting together to make a larger whole. Branded had violence and hate, but you needed to see it to fully grasp life in the Hole and what Lexi is up against. I enjoyed the romance. It was kind of one of those forbidden romances. I can't get enough of those, and this one gave just enough to keep me wanting more. Branded shows how the goodness of humanity can still surface even in a world as dark and twisted as the Hole. I was completely drawn into this story, and I can't wait for more.

Branded by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki was kindly provided to me by the Publisher through NetGalley for review. The opinions are my own.

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 in the shower. 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.

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.

To learn more about Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki and their books, visit their website.You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.