Postcard For Reader

Excerpt: Branded

Have you heard about Branded by Keary Taylor?

If not, you're about to.

Branded is about a girl who is continuously sucked into nightmares - nightmares where she stands trial in front of a group of angels for crimes she didn't commit.

And she wakes up every morning with the brand of the condemned on her back.

Night after night, Jessica stands trial before a council of vindictive angels for deeds she didn't commit. Condemnation brings a branding as they dementedly laugh and point but exaltation starts a war over her soul. These are Jessica's nightmares. Alex is everything Jessica could ever want and she'll do anything to be with him. Even tell him the truth about angels, why she never sleeps, and the scar on the back of her neck. This is what she will fight for. 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.

The premise is fantastic - and if you're not sure you want to read it, guess what? Here's an EXCERPT for you. A review'll be coming your way in a few days.

Just click read more to take a peek, and enjoy!

Branded by Keary Taylor
I sat at the edge of the dock, my legs dangling over the side. The water jumped up at my bare toes and my teeth began to chatter as the icy water sucked all heat from them. There was no possible way I was going to fall asleep out here.

It wasn’t fair of me to hope that Alex might be able to accept what was happening to me someday. People weren’t made to handle this kind of thing. I knew that all too well.

I came in the back door in an effort to avoid the girls that had paused in front of my house, chattering away about the dance coming up, the one I didn’t get asked to. The door closed noiselessly behind me as I stepped into the hall and
headed toward my bedroom.

“I just don’t know if her being at home is a good idea anymore.” I heard my mother’s quieted voice coming from her bedroom. “She just isn’t moving on from this.”
I swallowed hard as I crept silently to her door. Even though it was closed I didn’t have a difficult time overhearing her.

“How many patients do you have there?” She was quiet for a moment as she listened to the person on the other line. “I just want to make sure there is adequate staff to handle such an extreme case.”

She was quiet again for a while. My stomach knotted and my fists clenched. I heard the stiffed sound of my mother’s sob.

“Thank you. We will bring her in on Monday.”

As I heard the beep of the phone being hung up, I slipped into my room. Tears soaked my cheeks, my hands trembled with the anger I felt at my mother’s betrayal.

So this is how the end happened. This is where all the fights, all the begging, and pleading finally led. I closed the door to my bedroom and pulled my suitcase out from under my bed.

I had never felt more alone than I did in this moment. There would be no good-bye. There was no one to say good-bye to.

I had no idea how long I sat on the dock, listening to the sound of the wind screaming through the trees in order to distract myself from my worst memory. Numbness was quickly spreading through my limbs. I knew the temperature had to still be hovering around freezing and when the ache and stiffness settled firmly into my joints I pulled myself painfully to my feet.

Feeling confident I could make it until morning now I made my way back to the house.

Excerpt (c) Keary Taylor
Used with permission.