Branded by Abi Ketner & missy Kalicicki

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.

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From the very beginning I was drawn right into Lexi's story. I wanted to know who this girl was that was falsely accused of being someone she is not and why would someone do such a thing to her. 

The whole idea of branding and putting all of the sinners into a contained area to live out the rest of their lives was upsetting to me. The judicial system was taken away and replaced with this new hell. Though it did make for a great story and something for the sinners to rise up and fight against.

While in the Hole, Lexi seems to be taken care of better than some of the other sinners, given she has her own personal guard, Cole, to watch her and keep her safe. I knew right off the bat that they had chemistry and was just waiting for it to burn bright enough for them to take action on their feelings. 

Lexi started out the story as someone who was ready to give up and not care about living anymore, but the minute she was thrown in the Hole that all changes. She proves that she is a fighter and can survive pretty much anything. She makes the best out of situations and shows that she can hold her own in a fight.

I think out of all of the things that happen to Lexi and Cole, I loved their time with Alyssa the most. It was heartwarming and heartwrenching all at the same time. And the characters that I enjoyed besides Lexi were Dr. Sutton and Zeus. 

And I am seriously looking forward to the next books in this series. I'm secretly curious to see the people who are branded with the other sins and how they survive and fight back against the Commander.

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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