Branded

The world that Humphrey has given us is utterly captivating. Branded is filled with characters that are bursting with life, beautiful imagery that takes you to an entirely different world, and a pacing that leaves this book completely unputdownable, I found the characters very easy to relate to, and enjoyed the dynamic between Henry and his friends. The storyline itself was really well executed. Issues and problems that arose were explored really well, and while there was always plenty going on it never felt like things were packed in their just for the sake of creating an inciting incident. Every happening had purpose, and was delivered really well.

Thanks to NetGalley and Intrepid Pen for providing me with an ARC of Branded. I can't wait for the next in the series.

Humphrey painted a wonderful world that quickly pulls in the reader and transports them to another world. The pace is active to keep the reader engaged. Characters were relatable. I look forward to future stories from this author.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

A fresh breath of air. I love me some fantasy ya.

The world building really stood out to me, and I found myself thinking about the book after I finished it. The story stuck with me.

And that’s would be one of the highest praises in my books, a story that leaves the readers remembering it long after the final page has been read.

I couldn’t put this book down! When I had to stop reading I picked it up as soon as I could. This book is about a young boy named Henry and his best friend Charley. They find out that our world is not quite what it seems. They have to find out what is going on and put an end to it with the help of Henry’s parents.
Henry is an average teen boy, focusing mostly on baseball and school but everything goes kind of off one day when one of his classmates comes into the classroom screaming. The teachers the next day have no clue what happened and the adventure takes off from there.
The author does a great job of describing the emotions and details of the story. I could feel Henry and Charley’s fear and panic in parts and their happiness in others. The book is amazing and I highly recommend you give it a read, it’s an awesome story.

Synopsis: “Henry Murphy’s parents never told him he was from another realm. They couldn’t, because they have become as unaware as Henry. Everything was forgotten—memories siphoned away by the dark force that stalked them. For the last seventeen years, Henry has been living a lie.

All those years of hiding have been compromised. Henry’s parents fled as refugees after stealing the location of the furnace—a source of power that would have allowed the Nekura uncontested rule over all life. But with their memories silenced, the Nekura have closed in on them unnoticed.

The first warning was the screaming girl. After she broke into Henry’s high school classroom and screamed for him to run, she was hauled away and disappeared. The only friend Henry finds to help him is Charley, a strong-willed orphan girl with a fractured past.

Henry is thrust into a reality he never knew existed and must fight against sinister creatures he cannot touch for reasons he doesn’t understand. What he doesn’t know can still hurt him, and it is hunting him down. Their only hope is the Light—a legendary force that bestows intangible power for those connected to it. Henry must uncover the shrouded memory of his family’s past and race to find the furnace before the Nekura tear his family apart and destroy both worlds in the process. Henry will learn the heartache of the forgotten, the joy of the reclaimed, strength beyond himself, and the unbreakable ties that bind family together.”

Review: Branded by Joseph T. Humphrey was a fun and wild ride. It was fast-paced and full of action in every chapter. This book is good for the YA audience more than a middle-grade novel. The fantasy was captivating, and in many ways, it reminded me of a mix between Stranger Things, The Matrix, and The Neverending Story. I had a hard time putting it down; I was sucked right into the world Joseph created for his readers. I appreciated the short chapters because they didn’t feel like fillers. Instead, they moved the plot right along. Branded had a deep sense of family, which was beautiful, and connections between characters that remain memorable.

I would recommend this book to teenagers (YA & NA), as well as adults, if they’re in the mood for a fun fantasy full of adventure and action.

CW: Bullying, death

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.