Branded

Demon's Mark #0.5

by Nora Ash

Submit to Your Demons.
Being different was never easy.
After 27 years of living as a social outcast, Selma has become quite accustomed to the isolation and lack of dreams for a happy future. What she's never gotten used to are the demons she sees; the dangerous creatures masquerading as humans, blending into the regular world as if they belong.
No one else ever sees what she does—not when she was younger, and not the night she is attacked by horned monsters, losing the precarious grasp on her already damaged mind.
Trapped in a mental hospital, Selma's only hope of gaining back her life is a young psychiatrist with smoldering looks and some very disturbing ideas for her treatments. If she is ever to see the outside world again, she must submit to him.
But he is one of them—and his intentions are far more devious than they appear.

First installment in the 6-part serial Demon’s Mark.

Contains darkly erotic scenes and demons who like to play rough. Not for the faint-hearted.


Demon's Mark Complete Series:
#1 Branded
#2 Tricked
#3 Hunted
#4 Captured
#5 Claimed
#6 Cherished

Genres: Paranormal, Erotica, Demons, Dark, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, BDSM

61 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 29, 2014

About the author

I am Nora Ash, and I write a plethora of different romance books. Some of them are really dirty, some of them are only kinda-dirty, some are paranormal, some are contemporary… Basically, I have a rampant imagination and no way of controlling it, except from just writing down whichever idea pops into my head at the time.

The one thing my books always have in common, though? A great story and a guaranteed HEA.
If you’re ever in doubt about what you’re about to read, have a look at my book page. It has a flame rating for each series, so you know what you’re getting yourself into!

I’m originally from the cold North (AKA Scandinavia) but these days I live in rainy England with my amazing fiancé and our two pesty cats. When I’m not writing, I’m probably reading, watching Real Housewives of Wherever (reality tv it’s my shameful addiction) or hiking in whatever bit of woodland I can find.

Three fun facts about me

I once ran away with a traveling circus
I’m bilingual. Almost-kinda trilingual, but my Spanish is terri-bad these days.
I’m a decent rider (English style only, though)


You can (and definitely should!) keep in touch with me via my newsletter or by joining my Facebook group.

Reviews

[⚜️Charlotte⚜️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Captivating Stars...

Mmm.. is all I can say, more to come.. 😉

[Sammy Loves Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 2014 Halloween Monster Sex Bonanza continues with Branded Nothing like a little Demon Erotica to spice things up!!

Selma has always seen the demons that walk amongst us for what they were. Not the human face that everyone else saw, but their true horrific form.



When she was a child, most would ignore her as she pointed and screamed. But once she became an adult, they would often chase her and some would try to harm her. By age seventeen, Selma learned to pretend that they were not there. Pretending everything was normal kept her out of psychiatric care and allowed Selma to live a semblance of a normal life.




Until the one night she sees a woman being lured into a dark alley by three demons. They plan to rape the female, but Selma intervenes. Once the attack is over, Selma finds herself in another psychiatric facility undergoing therapy. Only, when she meets Dr. Hershey, she finds that he is the very thing that scares her. A Demon.


Dr. Marathín Hershey


Wow. This book gets 4 Monster Sex stars and there wasn't even any sex. Yeah, it was still that hot. There were dark elements, forced seduction, and manipulation. Dr. Hershey is a master manipulator and he's sexy as hell! Though this book is free, it is a partial story that ends with you craving more. I immediately purchased book 2 in the series. The writing is descriptive and well edited. I highly recommend this series to fans of mildly dark paranormal, demon monster sex. Whew, that was a mouth full!!


The 2014 Halloween Monster Sex Bonanza continues with the Sequel, Tricked


2014 Halloween Monster Sex Gangbang reviews: Check them out!!

Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun
Bred by the Snow Beast
The Ravishing of Beauty
I Fucked Frankenstein's Monster
Abducted by the Alien Beast
Menage of the Werewolves
I've Fallen and there's a Tentacle in my Butt
Branded
Tricked
Hunted
I Fucked the Mummy

[Heather ~*dread mushrooms*~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

What did I just read?



I wasn't particularly excited to start this. I'd had it on my Kindle for a while and I kept seeing it, and it annoyed me by just being there. So I decided to read at least a little of it so I could delete it in good conscience.

I have a feeling I shouldn't have liked this. But, well, I kind of did. I always say that I don't like serials, and that's still true, but the cliffhanger ending had me curious. I even signed up for the author's newsletter so I could get the second installment free.

Well played, Ms. Ash. Well played.

[Cécile Smits · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somehow i managed to miss this series before,but i’m very glad the author gave me an ARC of the new improved edition. That she gave me a chance to see how good it is.....because it is!

Selma has seen demons all her life.
But the people around her don’t,and never have.
That has always been a problem,because nobody ever believed her when she told them what she saw. Instead she had to go to so many doctors,she lost count,and none could help her.
Finally,at 17,she lied and told them she was cured,until......today.
Managing to hold on until her 27th,she decided she had to act when she saw a girl being “told” to go into an alley by 3 demons.
Enough was enough,she couldn’t let them rape her,right?
Only those demons saw things differently...
Next thing she knew,she was in a mental hospital,at the mercy of yet another demon,“doctor” Hershey,and he has plans for her......
And instead of listening to her instinct screaming at her to escape,Selma decides to wait,and find out what they are.
If only she ran straight away.......

I enjoyed this introduction to Selma’s world. It was short,but gave me all i needed.
Well,not all......i dó have that cliffhanger.
But i was promised it wouldn’t be a very long wait......i hope.

[daemyra, the realm's delight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Give me more of whatever this is. Also something is wrong with me? I thought the manipulating gaslighter of a doctor was a dreamboat 🥺🥺🥺

If you plan to continue the series, just buy Demon’s Mark! This is already included in Demon’s Mark.

[Marian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a revised version of a story also titled Branded, which I have read several times.

Selma is a young woman who has endured her whole life visions of monsters that only she could see and therefore she's been believed to be insane and institutionalized. She'll then discover that those monsters are demons and that she's a very special kind of woman for those beings.

It was the first book I read written by Nora Ash and the theme was what hooked me, demons are rarely chosen as main characters in books and I find them fascinating since they represent the embodiment of darkness and magic. The original version of the book was more hardcore, this one is not so much but still steamy enough, even with some non-con/dub-con elements. The two versions are similar with just some modifications that make it a very enthralling read.

Nora Ash is a superb story-teller, I know her books are going to be always entertaining and original. Her sex scenes are always incredibly erotic, imaginative, never dull.

Another positive thing about Nora's books, IMO, are the main characters; the story is never spoiled by bratty or insufferable behaviors and the protagonists are usually strong and interesting people.

So, if you enjoy paranormal stuff, sexy demons and a good plot, then read Branded (you will want to read the complete series, believe me). Be warned, this is not a sweet romance and the book ends in a cliff-hanger.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sara Portela · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 star.

I just couldn't end this book. I got as far as 70% and it's just everything about this is so rapey. EW.

Would DEFINITELY NOT recommend.

[Grisette · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

I am not new to Nora Ash. Although her books are quite gritty and dark, with bordering Nightmare Fuel elements that makes reading at times unconfortable for me, I fully acknowledge her talent for the genre. In truth, I read the original 6 parts serial years ago though I never added it to my shelves. I remember the whole story being at the same time, anxiety inducing, hot af and epic.

When later she re-released the story with rewrites as two books (this book and Demon's Mark), I bought this book because it was reported to be much changed and I actually welcomed the changes made. However, I never got round to read Book 2 as well because I hesitated a long time on how much the plot differed from the original story and whether the purchase was worthwhile. Nora Ash was kind enough to respond to my question on the changes in Book 2 and she indicated that there had been less changes compared to Book 1 and changes were mainly on those elements linked to Book 1. I nevertheless bought Book 2 but I still dallied to read it as (a) I felt I had to re-read Book 1 again because quite some time had gone by; and (b) I personally always feel apprehensive in starting a Nora Ash because I have to brace mentally for aforementioned Nightmare Fuel first despite my already knowing the plot and its perverse awesomeness 😅. Well, to cut the story short, I now felt the time at last ripe to read the two rewritten books together and write down proper reviews.

This time around, while reading this book, I also skimmed read in paralell the first three parts of the original serial (Branded, Tricked and Hunted) - which I did not do the first time as I relied on my memory for comparison - to really appreciate the span of changes and how they would have an impact on my reading the rewritten Book 2. So how did this book make me feel? Well, first I think that it was an excellent idea to do a rewrite and split the story as it is into these two books. Nora Ash's writing remains top notch. She has such a marvellously fertile imagination for original, punch packing stories which are not only well written but tightly plotted and executed as well. And what a dirty, filthy pen she has for sex scenes *fans self*! I know only one other author in this genre who can write sex scenes with such rawness and scorching spice, that don't feel gratuitous and all the while fitting them into complex worldbuilding and solid plotting.

As far as I can see, NA has rounded the writing style in this book so that the story flow felt smoother and she has eliminated some very dark elements that lent some disturbing ambiguity in the original serial. The main changes concerned:

😈 Substituting the violent noncon 🤜 scene for instead some dubcon 👋 f#cking. I definitely prefer the new version. The old scene was shocking, for obvious reasons, but moreso because it not only contributed to heighten the claustrophobic ambience but it drove in some very unsettling ambiguity that somehow tainted my full enjoyment of the last half of the serial (more on this on the 3rd point below).

😈 Switching the brand on the forehead to a permanent ring around the clït (not a piercing!)... Hmm interesting choice. I think the change is sexy, but I do wonder about the feasibility of the thing in real life. I mean how small could the thing be? And how would it hold at all times? And assuming it held, it would become painful at the critical moment? 😅

😈 Switching the second dubcon sex scene in favour of a soul relinquishing contract (signed in blood!). As much as the original scene was hot, I get why it had to be eliminated. In the original serial, one very disturbing element was the ambiguity in the relationship between Marathin and Selma. In the first three parts, it was not clear that Marathin was not the H of the serial. At times, Marathin appeared cruel and manipulative, while at others, he seemed in love with Selma and caring/possessive of her (albeit creepily). Selma also seemed inconsistent: she desperately wanted to flee Marathin because she feared him, but at the same time, even without the brand influence, she was flattered that he never slept with other patients and at one point even seemed to accept to be with him on her own will. In this rewritten version, things are much more clear: Selma only submitted to pleasure with Marathin because of the ring and when the effects were off, she was clearly resentful with the dubcon situations and all she wanted was trick him until she could escape. Even Marathin was portrayed as more wanting to possess her as a rare find than as a mate he was one-sidedly enamored with. So yeah, ambiguity eliminated. I am not sure I love the contract element but will like to see its impact in Book 2.

This element was not changed, but I kind of wish it was: Selma still had one dubcon sex scene with Marathin (after the 👋/ ring placement scene). It was hot af, but because Marathin is not the H, I can't help wanting Selma preserved for Kain. But I do understand the need for that dark twist, because this is a Nora Ash book after all. And although it was clearly dubcon, Selma was not harmed physically (bien au contraire) and the steam was really torrid.

Will all these changes make Book 2 better for me? Probably. It will depend on how the abuse endured by Selma at the hands of Marathin is presented and how Kain will differentiate himself from Marathin, esp. as far as the ring is concerned. I do remember that I loved Kain as the H back then, so I am not much worried. Still, I remain naturally apprehensive though, always with Nora Ash 😅.

[Marianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uh... Yes, I know that some patients are manipulated into sexual relations by their therapists, but I find it unbeliveable that a girl terrified of "demons" would allow herself to examined by a doctor with the same demonic characteristics in order to be cured.

As for the fisting... I feel a little dirty now, lol!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far it was good..
Short little pre read .. yes I’ll give the first book a go.
Had a pretty good storyline so far. Hope it continues into the first book.
the s3x wasn’t over done and steamy hot s3x.

[Innie | Kindledallnight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Demons and Breeders and Humans OH MY!

Nora Ash has once again shown us how talented she is!

This book is in a genre I have never read before, and I really fell in love with the world she has created. A world where women like Selma, a special kind with the ability to see behind the veil of a demon's human disguise for what they really are - Demons & Lords.

Terrified all her life, moving from one psychiatric ward to the next, for the last 10 years, Selma has "not" had any of her "hallucinations" , as she believes them to be, until one fateful night when she makes a choice that will change her life - forever. Quite literally.

Now in a mental hospital, she meets her new Doctor, who introduces himself as Dr. Hershey and claims that he can help her, make her "hallucinations" disappear, but all is not as it seems and Selma soon finds out that she is far more than human, she is a Breeder, a treasure, a soon to be bought mate for the Lords.

This steamy introduction to this series is HOT, STEAMY and I could not put it down! It does end on a cliffhanger though! So be warned - BUT don't let that deter you from getting your hands on this treasure, because there is a book 2 AND a book 3!

The author's world build up in this first book is really good, even if most of it is at the hospital - we still get a really good impression of how this world works.

The language is easy flowing, it's HOT and steamy at times, our dear Doctor has a dirty mouth (yum) and Selma show's a strong character, by no means is she a meek miss willing to just lay down!

I can't wait for book 2! And I highly recommend this series! :)

[carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would have been five stars if it hadn't been part of a serial. I hate series, and am annoyed that I like this one as much as I do, hence I've been and bought the other two in the series...which could be a so far in the series as I am unsure if more episodes to come...scuse the pun :) This first is a freebie, the rest makes up for that as the cost is expensive of the other parts compared to page quantity...so had best be good in quality, and this first part is.

On the delicious side this could be read on its own. If med kink floats your boat you will love this session Selma has with her psychiatrist...who has horns, Dr's a Demon hehe. Selma has an unusual ability she can see monsters, scary enough, but no one believes her, so she ends up in mental health care.

Now I know many dislike the ideas where mental health issues and BDSM link and on the whole I agree. But this is different...this is a paranormal story first and foremost, and as such if any of us insisted we could see monsters we would be referred to MH too.

The treatment is deliciously sexy, and restraints and fisting scenes float many a boat so to speak :)
For those who avoid non con, this is dubious consent, but think carefully as coerced is apparent.

It leaves with an opener into the next as opposed to a cliffhanger.

Reasonably we'll written a good four stars from me.

[Aղցela W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short quick read that I liked. Selma has been living as a social outcast for the last 27 years. She has become quite accustomed to the isolation and lack of dreams for a happy future. What she's never gotten used to are the demons she sees; the dangerous creatures masquerading as humans, blending into the regular world as if they belong. Trapped in a mental hospital, Selma's only hope of gaining back her life is a young psychiatrist with smoldering looks and some very disturbing ideas for her treatments. If she is ever to see the outside world again, she must submit to him. This book had forced rough exam, and fisting Selma had no choice but to go along with whatever the doctor decided to do to her. This was a short quick read that I liked this is the first book in a new series to me and I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a darker read. I'm giving 3 stars for the smut, and the smut alone.

Forced seduction does something for me, I should probably see someone about that, but probably not the doctor in this book.

Well come to think of it, he might be perfect for the job.


This may have been better if the heroine wasn't so stupid  naive.

[krissi · Rating 3 out of 5]

i picked this read to fit into the bdsm group halloween challenge and i'm glad i stepped outside my normal box.

i know i'm a sissy -- don't usually do pnr or scary stuff...so i was reading with one i closed most of the time. lol

it took me a bit to see the "hotness" of the good doctor -- but i overcame my initial hesitation. short and kinky and i'll likely be moving on to the next book in the series.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

yet another cliff hanger to make you buy more books. just write one!

[Judy Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

DARK, DELICIOUS, & DELIGHTFULLY WICKED!!!

Title: Branded
Series: Demon’s Mark
Author: Nora Ash
Designation: Prequel, NOT Recommended As A Standalone, Cliffhanger Ahead #fantasy #paranormal #romance
My Rating: Five Deliciously Dark ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
**This book was originally published as a serialized six part erotic romance with the same title but has been revamped and re-released with additional content.

I became a Nora Ash fan in 2015 when Branded was originally published as a six-part serialized erotic romance. It has now been revised, expanded, and released as a prequel to the deliciously dark Demon’s Mark series. I purchased and read all six of the original installments, so I was familiar with the characters and storyline, but I found myself once again completely spellbound from the first page till the last. Branded is an imaginative, well written, sexy, steamy, deliciously wicked, as well as hopelessly addictive, erotic fantasy romance and though some of the original, more steamy content has been replaced, the story is still edgy and hot as hades! Pun intended! lol... The dialog is smart, well executed, and flows effortlessly. There are so many things I adored about the book but my favorite component by far is the intriguing cast characters. They literally explode from the pages and capture your imagination as well as your heart. No one can write a villain like Nora Ash! I absolutely loved it! If you enjoy dark, gritty, steamy romantic fantasy, then this series is screaming your name! But beware, this tale is not for the faint of heart!

As a child, everyone thought Selma's strange behavior was just a result of a child's overactive imagination but as she grew older and the "hallucinations" continued, Selma feared she may be mentally ill. She was bounced from one doctor and mental facility to another until she finally realized she must lie to everyone and pretend she didn't see the monsters that seemed to leer and follow her everywhere. For years, she managed to hide it well, until she tried to rescue an innocent young woman from a vicious attack by monsters who looked like demons, at least to her. But as a reward for her efforts, Selma awakened to find herself alone, confused, desolate, defeated, and confined to Ravenswood House, a facility for the mentally ill. Little did she know that the monsters were very real and that her new doctor, Martin Hershey, was actually a monster himself and had so much more in store for his lovely new patient than just psychiatric therapy. Oh my! Will Selma ever be able to escape her "demons"? We’ll see!

So, did I like this book? I didn’t just like it; I loved it! I actually enjoyed it more than the original story. Will I read this author again? Absolutely! I can hardly wait to read the additional books in the series. Would I recommend it! You bet but only for adult readers since it does contain explicit sex scenes. And finally, was I entertained? Completely! It’s deliciously dark, delightfully wicked, and fabulously entertaining!

[Judy Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

DELICIOUSLY DARK AND DELIGHTFULLY WICKED!!!
Title: Branded
Series: Demon’s Mark
Author: Nora Ash
Designation: Book 1 of Series, NOT a Standalone, Cliffhanger Ahead #fantasy #paranormal #romance
Branded is the first installment in the darkly enthralling Demon’s Mark serial by Nora Ash. I was completely spellbound from the first page till the last. The story is original, edgy, sexy, deliciously wicked, and hopelessly addictive. The dialog is smart, well written and flows effortlessly. The characters are imaginative, fascinating and intriguing. I absolutely loved it. If you enjoy dark, gritty romantic fantasy, then this series is screaming your name, but beware, this tale is not for the faint of heart!

As a child, everyone thought Selma's strange behavior was just a result of a child's overactive imagination but as Selma grew older and the "hallucinations" continued, her parents worried that she may be mentally ill. She was bounced from one doctor and mental facility to another until she finally realized she must lie to everyone and pretend she didn't see the monsters that seemed to leer at her and follow her everywhere. And for years, she managed to hide it well until she was viciously attacked by them. Now at almost 30 years old, she felt alone, desolate, defeated and very afraid and as a last resort, admitted herself for treatment at Ravenswood House. Little did she know that the monsters she saw were very real and that her new doctor, Martin Hershey was actually a monster himself and had so much more in store for his lovely new patient than just psychiatric therapy. Now he wants her for himself! Oh my! Will Selma ever be able to escape her "demons"? So deliciously dark and delightfully wicked! I loved it!

[Set · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not too many people can pull off a demon/human feud very well but there have been some successful times like dark stiles from Teen Wolf or Constantine vs. Gabriel and the devil. I feel that more people should study game theory to give us war at it's finest. Although, this wasn't a game of cunning as much as mild manipulation, I felt that it was better than what I imagined. I felt that Maratine's moved the chess pieces very well although he didn't realize that the pawn became a queen. I rather enjoyed this bizarre book but it left me with very strange visuals. haha

Selma is someone that can see demons but she is very good at hiding it from everyone until she gets caught. She tries to seduce the demon as a ploy to escape her terrible fate of being auctioned and bred. I feel like that's the most I can give without giving too much away. It was the first time that I read a demon romance and it made me laugh so hard at times because of how absurd it could be at times.

[Ophelia Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! It has a bit of a slow build, but the backstory is engaging and the payoff is spectacular and just keeps coming.

It's about a young woman named Selma who has an affliction and seeks out Dr. Hershey to help her overcome her problem. He's a psychiatrist with unconventional treatment methods. But he really might be a lot more than he says.

I especially loved how slightly sinister it was relative to the stuff I usually read. I like a dark edge to things every so often and this book delivered in a surprising way. The author doesn't hide that the guy is not who he seems to be, but still manages to surprise at the end about what his true intent is.

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

um what did I just read??? multiple fistings are not sexy just gross, consensual sex is not consensual if magic has to be done to make the person do it and in the back of thier mind they are still saying no. couldn't finish this book and don't know how any one could.

[Sassy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really Great stories, but OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive for just a few pages!!
.

[Laci · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG! Who knew I would love this so much stars!

[Kandace · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I began this book I wasn't expecting what I got! This kept me intrigued through out to say the least.

[Marty R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Copy: Audiobook (Read by Stella Hunter ♥️)
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Series: Demon’s Mark (Book 0.5)

POV: Single (Selma Lehmann (27)) - MMC: Dr. Marathin Hershey

Genre: Monster Romance x Demon Romance

Tags: Demons, Breeder, Seeing Monsters, Psychiatrist, Doctor x Patient, Clit Ring, Evil Hot Doctor, Demon 🍆, Human Breeding

TW: SA, Attempted Rape, Rape, Violated by Doctor, Abuse of Power, Violence, Death, Murder


From psychiatrist to gyno. Wtf. 😅
But then again, when the doctor says good girl, you'll be a good girl. 🫠

[Madeleine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book by this author and I love it. I am a huge pnr fan so this was right up my alley. A beautiful girl. A gorgeous demon doctor. Dark, sexy, good read. I look forward to more books by this author.

[Katerina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't expect it to be that small. Although not fun of medical play I found the scene hot, even though the reason about it was ridiculous.

[hIpnoticraQs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this was interesting. This is the second book that I've read this month when a doctor's visit turns into something unexpected by the patient.
Mental patient

Who gets treated by the sexy psychiatrist

Since our patient has the gift of seeing through a demon's glamor, what she sees is

Of course exam time comes, and she's reluctant

Who has some rather interesting treatment methods including:

She does wonder.......

Suddenly she realizes that she no longer sees him as a demon

and what do you know, his methods are a

for now
Short but sweet, will read the next book in the series.

[Bo0kSLoth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ladies, if you have been looking for an author that can satiate your dark cravings, you know those ones that live deep down in your heart where you try to deny out loud how much you love a great Alpha-Dom story. You know those Alpha-Dominance stories that after so s3xy that you feel driven to read story after story, well add Ms. Ash to that naughty list. You won't regret it. She is the best Queen of the Alpha-Dom story. She knows just how to make you feel oh-so naughty that it is sinfully nice. No matter the genre or the situation she places her characters in, she is able to create an amazing world that piques the readers interests and actively engages their imaginations. And what a dirty imagination it is .
So if your new to Ms. Ash or coming back for more, you won't be disappointed. She is go-to author for me and none of her works have ever been a let-down. This one is titillating and unique. Looking forward to seeing where it will go.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[shadiedaze · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is part of a six part series that Nora Ash wrote a few years ago. She has revamped it and split it into this prequel and another novel. I never read the previous versions. Branded is the prequel to the Demon's Mark series. Selma, the heroine, was born with the power to see demons that walk among humans on Earth. No one believes her, even after she is attacked a few times a s a child. So the spends her life undergoing several mental health treatments for psychosis. At age 27 she meets Dr. Hershey at a psychiatric hospital whom offers her a treatment to make her "normal". She soon realizes she was not born to be "normal" and Dr. Hershey is not as sweet as the candy. This prequel is super short (I think it took me a total of one hour to read) and ends on a cliffhanger. I am anxiously waiting to read the next installment/conclusion.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.