Branded

I chose to write about Branded by Abi Ketner and Missy Kaliciki. I chose to write about this book because it kept me intrigued the entire time. I am a fan of the Divergent and The Hunger Games series and when I saw on Amazon that people who also liked those series enjoyed Branded.

The main character, Lexi Hamilton, is a 16 year old girl whose father died when she was little. Her brother, Keegan, left shortly after her father's death, leaving her all alone with her step father and her mother. The sins that are considered illegal and a threat to the social system are lust, pride, greed, envy, wrath, gluttony, and sloth. If a person commits any of these sins, they are sent to the Hole for the rest of their lives. Lexi Hamilton is accused of lust but she is innocent. Her brand, a blue color, is burned onto her neck for every other sinner to see. Her personal guard, Cole, is in his late 20's and his only job is to protect her. She is sent to her room, which is connected to Cole's, that is grey and depressing. She is assigned to a job in the hospital with her boss, Sutton. She is in complete despair. Things happen to her that shows her and us that nowhere in the Hole is safe.

A interesting turn of events causes her world to be flipped upside down. The life she knew in the Hole is all changed and she doesn't know what comes next. She finds love in a hopeless place and friendship in someone unexpected. Friendships need to be mended and Lexi will find something in herself that she didn't know was there. Unknown identities are revealed.

My favorite part of the book is how joy is found in a place where everyone is miserable. It shows that even in the worst of situations, love and friendship will prevail. The thing that stuck out to me the most is that Lexi could still find happiness in that devastating place. That shows me that no matter how bad the situation is, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, there is hope.

This picture shows how the path changes but it ends where it would have if the path stayed straight. Lexi’s path was abruptly changed but it the end, she found love and friendship.