But the nightmares rule Jessica’s life and she must find a way to stop the events that are pulling her toward her own judgment or become the object of her greatest fear. And lose Alex forever.
Taken from GoodReads.
Branded follows the story of Jessica, terrified to sleep because when she does, she's judged. She stands trial before the angels, both good and bad, for the souls of the dead. She's lived this life since she was five, and she was eventually committed by her own mother because her parents couldn't deal with her problems. Independent and afraid of opening up, Jessica knows she must eventually sleep, and when she does, she'll be judged again and face the branding of the angels.
Holy original plot! Branded is a new take on angels, which are apparently the new supernatural "creature" that's hot in the YA book world. That said, author Keary Taylor has presented a fresh idea with a delightfully independent and strong female protagonist that will keep you cheering for her throughout the story. Branded is, in a nutshell, a rich blend of biblical undertones, the weight of right and wrong, and the quest to save one's soul.
While the plot of Branded was beautifully original, I will say there were a few things I would have changed, if at all possible. First of all, there were some points where I could read right between the lines to see what happens next. I would rather be surprised. I also felt that the villain was a little too surface-heavy for me. I want to know more than his actual motives. I want to know what drives his motives, if that makes sense. The true strength of Branded lies within the relationship between Alex and Jessica. That was pure gold, in my honest opinion.
All in all, in my very humble opinion, Branded is an extremely strong 3.5 out of 5. The author shows so much promise and talent, and I can't believe a publisher hasn't picked her up yet. I'll definitely be on the lookout for more of her work. I would recommend this to fans of YA fantasy, especially those who enjoy supernatural and romance elements.
I received this book free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.
Nice review Melissa! I thought the story on this one was brilliant, it was something fresh and unique. I agree with you on the villain, I would have liked to have known more about why he was so interested in Jessica specifically:)
ReplyDeleteI have had this book on my wishlist forever, I really must make more of an effort to get it...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great review!
;)
This is a book I would never read unless recommended. I must think about reading it now as your review is really encouraging. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOooo awesome review!
ReplyDeleteSounds like something I might like.
So did it feel like it was judgmental to Christians? Where there any demons?
THis has been on my to be read list for a couple months now, I sooo want to read it. I've been so busy writing grrr. I think I'm going to finally order a copy. Thanks for this review! It just makes me want to get it even more now =D
ReplyDeleteOh I've wanted to read this one. This sounds SO GOOD. Oh yea... need to read this one. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteHadn't heard of this one before. Will have to keep my eye out for it...
ReplyDeleteWow! This book sounds really good. I'll definitely be reading this one sometime soon.
ReplyDeleteSounds like an interesting book -- I enjoyed reading your thoughts on it. And the cover's eye-catching, too.... :)
ReplyDeleteI like the sound of this book! Thanks for bringing it, and the author, to my attention. :)
ReplyDeleteThis book is already on my wishlist and I think both the summary and the cover are exceptional!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review! :)
Kelly @ I Work For Books
New title for me, and while I have read very only one angel books, I think this one sounds like a good one to add to my wish list. Thanks for a terrific review.
ReplyDeleteI like that this book sounds different from other angel books out there. I have such a hard time with them lately but I am going to this a try. Great review :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the great reivew! I'm glad you enjoyed it! If you want to learn a whole lot more about Cole and his motives make sure you watch for FORSAKEN! ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm a little confused by the description, but this looks like a book worth checking out.
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have a great weekend!
iamjenai
The premise sounds fascinating. I will certainly keep my eyes open for this if it comes out in the UK. I also like "villians" to be really complex and deep of motivation but I still think I'd enjoy this. Brilliant review.
ReplyDeleteNice honest review. I am glad it still was good even with those things you wanted to change.
ReplyDeleteAngels, not too keen on those
I'm going to look this up on Goodreads. I haven't seen it before and it sounds amazing.
ReplyDeleteThis is the first review I've read on this book but I'm loving the premise. Although I know what you mean about being able to determine what is coming next from clues in a story. It's a bit annoying. I really love a good mystery, one that honestly leaves you shocked at the outcome.
ReplyDeleteGreat review! That does sound like a very original book and a completely new take on the angel theme! Very interesting!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to see you like this! I've read some so-so reviews and I wanted to like this one (and we seem to have similar taste in books).
ReplyDeleteI'm getting a little tired of angels. However, I'm loving how the mythology is being mixed up in some stories and this sounds like a good one!
Tara SG - 25hourbooks.com
I really enjoyed this book. As a self-published author (without an editor on standby to proofread and smooth out the wrinkles) she did an amazing job. I’d love to see what could happen to the story if a publisher picked it up.
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