this world and story was magically harrowing. I loved the dystopian and magical elements, with a hint of medieval vibes. If you are a fan of the Handmaids Tale, A Fate Inked in Blood, and the Grishaverse; you will fall in love with this world. Truly a great read.

*thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in advance in exchange for an honest review*

Nara and Wranglers chemistry literally jumped off the pages!! It took a little bit to get into the story and figure out what was what, but as the characters were introduced and fleshed out and the direction of the story line established, it quickly became a firm favourite!!

Thank you to Angry Robots and Jo Riccioni for this ARC. When I saw this cover, I was immediately drawn in. Add in that it is a fantasy novel centered around two sisters while exploring gender and class wars, and I was hooked.

The world-building was done extremely well in this book, which is what sucked me in. In “Branded,” there are two classes of citizens: Branded and Pure. You would think being a Pure would be super comfy and great, right? Well, it is if you’re a man. Pure Women are politically paired with their husbands and bred to make more Pure children. It gave me super “The Handsmaid’s Tale” vibes, but it is a fantasy world with magic and ancient prophesies.

This pacing is the one thing that stopped this book from being five stars for me. The chapters are super long, which is not my favorite, especially in a fantasy book. There was a lot of world-building and character development, which can be overwhelming when you pair this with longer chapters. I couldn't put this one down once I got to about the 30% part where a major plot twist happens.

The love triangle was unexpected, and I loved it. The banter was supreme, and I wanted to see where it would go. However, it felt like we went straight from enemies to lovers to lust. This book would have benefited from a dual POV to show more of a connection between the Wrangler and Nara.

Overall, I am already waiting for the next part of this duology, which is set to be released in the US in February 2025. If you are looking for a fantasy book that will suck you in until the very last page, try “The Branded.” The reveals and plot twists will certainly keep you guessing.

More of a 3.5, maybe 3.25, rounded up. *spoilers below*

I think this had a lot of interesting elements going for it, but ultimately I found the end result frustrating.

First, the good: I generally like the story about how this entire world has people born branded or unbranded, and how different cultures view the two differently. If the author was going for some sort of allegory with this, I think it may have been a bit muddled in the fact that the branded appear to actually be more sickly, smaller, etc as opposed to just visually different, which would be problematic for a lot of allegories, so I will assume that it is just a fantasy world element. The themes of isolation and propaganda made sense, and I appreciate that while the main character discovered that actually, she has super special powers, she isn't just immediately overpowered. It was actually a little frustrating how often she seemed to forget that she had powers at all.

The not so great: I found a lot of this very predictable and repetitive. I also feel like some of it just didn't make sense. For example, you've got a Mor, a "pure" character who grew up very sheltered in a handmaid's tale type society, who is prejudiced against the branded in the way that basically every single character, including the branded characters, are. She is mean and has very much bought into the propaganda of the society. However, large portions of info that our characters learn about the truth of this society and its awful underbelly also come from this character, who apparently has been listening to everything a servant has been saying in her household for years. Why is it so shocking to her that the society is awful when she is the one telling them all of these secrets?

I also feel like there is a bit of a love triangle being set up but I straight up dislike both (all three, if you count the mole) potential love interests. One is privileged and prejudiced, and in his declaration of love is basically like, "do you know how hard it is for me to love you, given how awful it is that you are branded??" The other is a literal human trafficker who is selling people into slavery, including his potential love interest, and is also already engaged, and is ALSO ignoring her value/super power because she is branded and therefore less than the pure. I like enemies-to-lovers but I draw the line at human traffickers-to-lovers. Also, nearly every description of him includes his mole jumping, twitching, peeking, etc, like, 20+ references to this mole throughout the book. The mole is, to be honest, the only unproblematic love interest.

I also found the main FMC's sister to be a confusing character. I am not sure if we are just supposed to not understand her because our POV is the FMC and she has an incomplete understanding of her twin sister, or if her characterization is just inconsistent. I felt like her love interest is also fairly awful and unforgivable and I don't particularly want to root for that relationship either. Her view of the branded as weak and in need of protection is odd, given that she feels zero of that towards her branded lover but clearly looks down on her sister for it. I also feel like it's very unclear what she knows from their childhood, whether she knew her sister was branded all along and was lying to her, etc.

All in all, even though I have some interest in the magic system and ending, I don't think I would pick up a book 2.

In a world where the population is divided between the Branded, prone to disease and illness, and the physically stronger and healthier ‘Pure’, twins Nara and Osha are rescued by the citadel after their parents’ deaths, and due to their unbranded skin, raised to one day be breed for wealthy families. Their paths diverge early on in the book, and we follow Nara as she discovers her past and her journey through the world she was sheltered from in childhood.

The world building was strong, it isn’t a very long novel so the author does a great job of immersing you quickly into the story, with the plot moving at a good pace. Part of the reason the novel worked well for me is that there wasn’t a huge array of characters, which I can find confuses and bogs down a story if not tightly written. The characters are well rounded and necessary for the development of the novel, with a smattering of a solid love story weaving through but not overwhelmingly the plot.

Interestingly for a fantasy story were the themes on class, gender, politics, and eugenics, with echoes of the ‘handmaidens tale in the role the ‘pure’ women are expected to play in their society. The end is clearly set up for the sequel, which I am keen to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Branded by Jo Riccioni is a first person-POV fantasy set in a dystopian landscape that looks similar to the age of Vikings and the Roman Empire. Nara and her twin sister, Osha, have been living in the Settlement, a community that keeps Mors, women who are not born as a Branded, to become breeding stock to ensure blood purity and keep the going. When Nara is revealed to have a mark of the Branded on her scalp that she didn’t know was there, she’s kicked out and separated from Osha. But she’s not leaving her sister to the Settlement and there’s a lot more under the surface waiting to be exposed.

The Branded has strong allegories for racial purity, white supremacy, isolationism, and why we need to combat them as well as addressing sexism. Nara meets Nixim, a wrangler who is visiting the citadel and she has some prejudices towards him regarding where he comes from and his station. Those same prejudices do come back up when their group comes in contact with the Hrossi, a vaguely German-coded group who are treated as illiterate barbarians. As Nara is exposed to people from other communities, she peels back the prejudice that she learned at the Settlement and is called out for her thought process by Nixim. As Nara and Osha were not originally from the Settlement, but were forest folk who journeyed to the Settlement for safety, it does add a layer of how exposure within a larger community plays a part in our attitudes and prejudices, not only what happens inside the house.

Nara has two love interests: Nixim and Brim, who was born and raised in the Settlement. Brim and Nara have had something boiling for a long time though never fully acted on their feelings because of Brim’s position as a feature heir of the Four Families that founded the Settlement. Nara is aware of his position but constantly pushes back on the classism that keeps them apart. When Nara is pushed out of the Settlement, Brim makes decisions that only drive them further apart and brings Nara closer to Nixim.

Content warning for mentions and brief depictions of sexual assault, slavery, women treated as breeding stock, and racism, sexism, and classism.

I would recommend this to fans of fantasy that take a more intersectional angle to feminism, readers who are looking for a fantasy with a The Handmaid’s Tale bent to it, and those who enjoy fantasies that explore the large world that they’re in.

This was a highly entertaining romantasy it’s the first book in a duet , full of great banter between characters and feisty MC and found family throw in a love triangle and this book has it all!

I can’t wait for the next book!

Thank you angry robot and NetGalley

I finished The Branded a few days ago and while I loved it, I’ve been dreading writing this review because there’s so much I want to say and I can’t say it all. I’m going to have to leave some things out and that’s going to be very difficult.

Here we go: I enjoyed the writing and loved every character. We get the most of Nara, as the book is written from her point of view. She can be a bit prickly but she’s got some of that feminine rage I love to see and she’s easy to root for. The world-building is well-done, with a great balance between fantastical elements and believability. There’s some romance, but I wouldn’t say the book is romantasy as it’s more of a side thing.

I love speculative fiction and The Branded speculates in spades. From the control and use of women as breeders to the segregation of the Pure and the Branded, which creates a thought-provoking commentary on societal hierarchies, discrimination, and the value placed on health and strength, the book provides a whole lot to think about in addition to a fantastic adventure.

This book gave me such a hangover. I couldn’t even touch a book the day after I finished it because I simply hadn’t had enough time to process everything yet. The Isfalki women, pampered like princesses so they don’t realize they are just breeding machines expected to pop out a baby a year until they’re no longer able to do so. Nara’s resistance to this way of life and longing to be something more than some random Pure man’s property. The disturbing twist that completely rocked me and highlighted the deep corruption of the leaders of Isfalk. The mysterious motivations of the Wrangler…

There’s a second book, so of course there are a whole lot of unanswered questions I’m looking forward to having answered next year!

What an enjoyable read!! This was a stay up late to just read a little more sort of story and I loved it.

I was immediately taken in by the world building here – a society where disease has created whole new class structures with restricted roles for the ‘pure’ women as communities seek ways to gain strength within this class system. I thought Jo Riccioni did a great job creating this deeply segregated society, which Nara had to break down in her mind as the story progressed. I liked that she continued to be challenged by these ingrained prejudices throughout the book – even though she could see how the things she had been told did not apply to her, she struggled to extend that compassion out to others. I’m not sure I would say she was a very likeable character because of this, but I was fully invested in her journey and am so interested to see the ways in which she still has to change.

I realise I’ve tended away from reading more straightforwardly fantasy books recently, and this has absolutely reignited my interest in them – it was actually really refreshing to read a story where the romance, while important, was not the primary focus of the story. I enjoyed the push and pull between Nara and Nixim, the tension of genuinely not knowing how things are going to work out for them (or who they even really are!). It was interesting to see the contrasts between Nara and her sister, and I wonder as well what will become of their family bond by the time the story concludes.

There is an awful lot left to unravel at the end of the book, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

Read ARC - thank you Angry Robot and NetGalley!

Thank you to Angry Robot and Netgalley for the e-ARC of THE BRANDED. This review is entirely my own thoughts and opinions based on the advanced digital copy I received.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

THE BRANDED is a fantastic romantic fantasy adventure set in a dystopian post-apocalyptic world with a strange virus that almost decimated the human race, curious forbidden magics, and one heck of a strong-willed female lead. It's a fantastic speculative epic fantasy that tackles the important themes of gender inequality, racism, and classism head on.

Nara lives behind walls that keep her isolated from the wider world, in citadel towers that keep her and her twin isolated from The Branded—people who are born with the mark of the disease on their skin. When her world is turned upside down and she's forced to run away, she unwillingly accepts the help of a Branded she knows as The Wrangler, a man from far off lands who seems to hold answers about her and her sister's past and the strange powers they seem to manifest. But in a world where women are traded as cattle, can she really trust him to keep her and her sister safe? Can she really find the answers she seeks from him?

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

This was a fun read. I quickly became engrossed in the story, which says alot since I've been <i>very</i> ADHD about my reading lately. There was not a single thought to DNF this book in sight. It hooked me in from the first chapter. I picked this up and was immediately sucked into this new world. The world building is rich and intricate, hinting at secrets waiting to be uncovered across the course of the series. With this being Book 1, the author has done a fabulous job of setting up the world, its rules, its history, and its cultures while also leaving open many questions and curiosities that will keep the reader invested in this series.

The characters are alive, complex, and incredibly well fleshed out. They all have their virtues and vices, their motivations and complications. Nara is a fun character to read. She's written to be feisty and headstrong, single minded in purpose, and bullish in sticking to her goals. Sure, this type of character type is typical for a fantasy female protag, but she's incredibly well written and just fun to watch as she chafes against the expectations placed upon her.

I felt the way inequalities of class and gender, and racism (both internal and societal) were handled beautifully. Not a single one was romanticized and hypocritical and bigoted statements were quick to be pointed out and questioned, and no one was exempt. Even Nara, our main lead, was repeatedly questioned and held to the fire for her racist comments that she would make about those different from her. She was repeatedly forced to re-examine what she had been taught and had to unlearn her prejudices in order for her to begin to gain any kind of peace in regards to her and her sister's predicaments.

What I appreciated even more was how the author chose to dig into the foundations of these societal problems and pointed to "Control". The powerful, those in control, purposefully set classes against one another, ingrain racist beliefs in their civilians upbringings, and cheapen the value of human beings all in order to keep control of those beneath them, to deflect the blame for hunger, sickness, and misery—something that is very reminiscent of our world.

THE BRANDED is smartly written, full of fantastic moments that keep the pages turning and my mind racing with questions. This is an incredible new release from Angry Robot and I'm fully invested in this series!

I was super interested in the concept of this world, and the way their society is separated after a massive global pandemic. The first-person narrative from a person struggling for survival after childhood tragedy and then growing up in an extremely isolated and prejudiced society means that the storytelling is not always entirely likeable, but it IS compelling.

The revelations were gradual enough to provide some surprises throughout. The lead's romantic triangle is suitably melodramatic, and if that makes you roll your eyes then... this will make you roll your eyes. But the greatest compliment I can give this book is how excited for the next book to answer my questions and expand on this world. [my girls better get a happy ending, they have been through A LOT.]

Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot for providing me with a copy of this book after the publishing date.

I had so many issues with this book. The main one, though, is a "me" problem rather than a problem with the book. Generally, when I read a book narrated in the first person I need to be hooked on the story within the first two chapters, unfortunately, it didn't happen.

I also had a very hard time finding anything likable about Nora, and even Osha if I'm honest. I also just didn't enjoy the romantic relationship between Nora and Nixim. Even the premises of a relationship between Osha and Haus just didn't do it for me, it felt flat.

I did, however, enjoy the world-building and the premises of this universe. I also enjoyed the political intrigue in this story.

Regardless of how much I enjoyed this world and the political aspect of the story, I just do not care enough about the characters or the writing style to continue this story.

3.5 stars rounded up

I'm rounding this one up because I liked the premise of it so much. It's kind of Handmaid's Tale and very dystopia where Pure women are treated as breeders for more Pure children to become guards and breeders for civilisation. The branded are more prone to disease, while the Pure are immune. It's a cool concept, and I like the gender issues at play here.

I also like the hints of magic that we get as the main character begins to learn about her own magic. I'm looking forward to seeing this develop.

However, the many descriptions of the mole was really annoying. I feel like this could be a meme, kind of like braid tugging in Wheel of Time.

The love triangle was also annoying, and I found the original love interest to be very annoying. I'm not sure what the MC ever saw in him.

in a world where a deadly illness has devastated ‘the old world,’ pure women are coveted in order to produce children unaffected by the physical weaknesses present in the ‘brands.’
the world-building was explained well, and discovering and exploring different parts of the continent revealed more and more about the truth of what is left of society.

nara, our main character, was really fun to read the perspective from. while she is flawed, her unwavering dedication and true good intentions to protect her twin sister no matter the cost was lovely to read. I never found myself particularly annoyed with her, even when she would inevitably make mistakes, and osha was a good mirror for nara.
the men, however, did have the capacity to be annoying, though they had their roles in the story. the love triangle could be obvious in the direction it was planning on going in, though there were some good moments along the way i was more engaged with nara as a character and person than the men in her life.

I feel that there could have been more characterisation on the malicious parties in the story, as there are reminders of them scattered through the journey but they don’t feel too intimidating to our protagonists, though I assume they will be more prominent in the sequel. I also got slightly jumpscared by how abruptly it seemed to end, though the length of the book felt pretty good still.

a high 3 stars (3.75)

A solid, absorbing fantasy in a land living the aftermath of a global pandemic where a small percentage of the population is impervious to the contagion, but most are "branded" by its presence in markings somewhere on their bodies, and believed to be more prone to illness than the others. In this far north region, the Pure are at the top of the hierarchy, and Pure women are treasured and virtually imprisoned as breeding stock, while the Branded are left to fend for themselves. Nara and Osha are orphaned twins taken into the Citadel because of their Pure status, but when it becomes time to look to marrying them off, politics and magic come into play and the twins' lives are turned upside down, and everything they believed looks to be false. A desperate escape ensues and the true adventure begins.
Good world building, complex characters, exciting plotting, the beginnings of romance - everything you want in a good fantasy. The beginning to a promising new series with new lands and people yet to explore. And just enough magic to really make it pop. A solid start.
Highly recommended.

A well written, fun, compelling fantasy romance first in a duet. I highly enjoyed this one which had all the expected fantasy romance elements; richly developed world, love triangle elements, feisty heroine, found family and strong independent woman vibes. I'm happy to report the banter was top tier and worth it for that alone. It's not super steamy but it's not complete YA closed door. Looking forward to reading the conclusion.

Amazon and Goodreads reviews are posted.

The Branded is a very enjoyable read, though it is not high-concept like the blurb promises. The world-building, while clear and engaging, does not often delve deeply into social issues. The novel’s strengths lie in its quick-moving, evocative prose, snappy dialogue, strong characters, including an engaging lead, and the triumph of love in the face of prejudice.

In many ways, The Branded reads like a young-adult novel for adults. The characters feel true to the YA genre, and everything plays out at a heightened level of drama (which I enjoy). For example, the protagonist Nara is kind, angry, snarky, intelligent, and prone to making bad decisions because she’s impulsive. This also means that the character bonds feel especially intense and easy to get invested in, even if the romance falls a bit flat. (This isn’t as much of a negative as it could be because the novel is a fantasy with romance rather than a romance fantasy.) It diverges from the YA genre with characters that feel older—they aren’t that far off from potentially being parents in their own minds—and a plot that moves a bit slower (unfortunately meandering at times).

What The Branded nails is the immediacy that often defines YA writing. Every scene is fully immersive with vivid imagery and first-person narration that firmly roots you in Nara’s head. Most fantasy has scenes where the writing quality dips or scenes that feel rushed. The Branded is an exception, meaning that every betrayal, every hardship, and every triumph lands its mark. It does this so well that I could pick up the story anywhere and be immediately vested in what was happening. I will read the sequel for this consistently excellent immersion.

This was really fun to read! I found that from the get-go it was an interesting story, and I finished reading this in a single day, which goes to show just how much it had me hooked. It is packed with adventure, interesting characters, character development and a plot that somehow made me think of the Priory of the Orange Tree, which is one of my favorite books!

Overall, this has enemies to lovers, betrayal, sisterhood, disillusionment, hidden ancestry and corrupt governments, woven into an eventful tale. It kept me entertained from beginning to end, so a solid 4,5/5! Reason for the missing 0,5 is that certain things were not explained, and there was some adult language used that I didn't think was necessary, but I would definitely read book 2 when it comes out!!

DNF @ 30%
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!
Sorry! I do my best not to DNF ARCs, but I'm currently really busy and I'm running out of time to finish reading this, but I figure leaving this review is better than nothing.

From what I've read of this book, the narrative does an excellent job of establishing this world and its system, as well as how the characters experience privilege and oppression due to gender, class and race.

I really appreciate how the author weaves nuance and intersectionality into the narrative. I find that feminist fantasy/dystopian novels focusing on female oppression have a tendency to disregard the class divide, or leave race out of the narrative completely, but this book faces those issues head-on. While the MC experiences oppression from being forced to take on the role of a wife and mother, she also acknowledges the privilege she has as a Pure. However, she definitely has some racism issues, which I think will eventually be be sorted out? (Again, I didn't read far enough to find out.) I also appreciate how, while the MC is a fighter and a hunter, doesn't discredit what is typically thought of as "feminine" work i. e. motherhood, household chores caretaking etc. The book also makes it a point to show how her sister has a more deferential and nurturing personality as a healer, but the MC fully respects and appreciates her healing skills. Feminist fantasy tends to hype up women taking on masculine roles while being dismissive of women in caretaking roles, so this was a breath of fresh air. Also, I find it rather interesting how the premise of this novel is based on the idea of a physically superior ruling class that prioritises the reproduction and protection of their own people, while using the labour of the lower class. This is clearly an allegory for racism, and it brings to mind America's eugenics era. However, given that the Pures legitimately are healthier and stronger than the Branded I wonder how this whole scenario would play out.

One thing I did not like was the love interest. I understand that this is an enemies-to-lovers story, but he comes off as obnoxious and personally, if I were the MC I would never give him the time of day. Maybe if I read some more I could be persuaded to root for them, which has happened for me before, but I'm DNFing, so.

Anyway! Sorry again for not finishing this book, but the initial premise and set-up seems really promising!

"The Branded" is an exciting fantasy story that kept me fully engaged from start to finish.

Nara and Osha, orphaned twins with unbranded skin, find themselves entangled in a web of secrets and prophecies. The stark contrast between Nara's impulsiveness and Osha's diplomacy adds depth to their relationship, making their bond even more compelling. As they navigate the world's complexities, they uncover latent powers and embark on a dangerous journey beyond the citadel. With the mysterious Wrangler's assistance, they uncover the secrets of their past and the destiny that awaits them.

Riccioni skillfully blends elements of sisterhood, political intrigue, and magical discovery, crafting a gripping narrative that explores themes of gender, class, and privilege. The world-building is immersive, drawing readers into the divided land of Isfalk, where the conflict between the Branded and the Pure sets the stage for an exhilarating journey. With each twist and turn, tension mounts, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

"The Branded" is a must-read for fantasy enthusiasts seeking a story that is both thought-provoking and thrilling.