
Title: Branded
Published On: 2013-06
Publisher: On Demand Publishing, LLC-Create Space Genres: Action/Adventure, Dystopian, Romance
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SYNOPSIS
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.


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.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Branded is a dystopian story set at what would appear to be a time close to our own, but with differences that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemies. What’s left of humanity as far as we know live under constant fear of being accused of a crime where you’re guilty with no chance to prove your innocence. You’re sent to “The Hole” an almost lawless city of depravity where everyone is given a color-coded brand on your neck depending on your crime.
I’m a little torn on the story, parts of it were pretty transparent where it was going, while others will keep you guessing until you discover the truth, and then others you won’t get any answers to in this book (It’s a series, I’m not sure how that will work with the ending, but I’ll have to find out!) The main character Lexi is a giant ball of contradiction that manages to work well, she’s fragile and weak, yet amazingly strong at the same time. Too empathetic for her own good, and able to puke more than the pie eating contest in Stand by Me.
It’s well worth the read though, lots of action, adventure, heartache, heartbreak, terror, horror and even some comedy. Not to mention the best book boyfriend ever.. Zeus!