I hadn’t heard of Rosemarked until I saw a few bloggers on Twitter raving about it. I figured that I would try to request it and I was so happy that I was accepted! The cover is absolutely gorgeous and I was drawn in by the summary. This book is about a girl named Zivah who is a nurse and Dineas who is a soldier. Their stories become intertwined when they both become spies. This book was also advertised for fans of an Ember in the Ashes, which is one of my all time favorites. Without further ado, let’s get into the review.

I have been incredibly busy lately, both with school and my personal life, so I haven’t had much time to read. A quick shoutout to Missy for holding down the fort! I had this sitting on my Kindle for a while before I picked it up but I was able to knock it out pretty quickly. I think the format of the book made it easy to read and I did find the premise of the story interesting. I think that it moved very fast and that is something I really needed after not reading for a while. As I mentioned before, I also really liked the design of the cover! It accented the ~rose~ perfectly and related well to the story.

But, I honestly can’t give this book more than 2 stars. In the Goodreads summary, it also said that there was a political edge with a slow burning romance, which are things I am normally a fan of, but didn’t like in this book. I felt that it was quite confusing at times and I wasn’t connected to the characters as much as I had hoped. I didn’t feel much romance between Zivah and Dineas until the end and maybe that was part of the ‘slow burning’, but it didn’t automatically stand out to me as a major plot point. I thought that Zivah’s healing knowledge was an asset to the book and that is one of the things that redeemed it for me: it was interesting to see how she went about healing, even healing those who nobody else wanted to heal.

I would suggest this book to someone who is looking for a more unique read and who really enjoys politics.

DNF @ 63%

I really, really, hate to do this, but I have to put this book down. I've been working on it since November 1st (so, just over a month), and I'm only at 63%, despite many other books having come and gone in the last month. I just can't seem to get attached enough to the story or the characters to finish it.

The book alternates perspectives between Zivah, a young healer, and Dineas, a rebel soldier, both of whom have been cursed with the rose plague. The illness leaves its victims in one of two states: rosemarked - which leaves the individual with red scars, a dormant and contagious illness, and inescapable death within a few years - or umbermarked - which leaves them with brown scars, fully healed, non-contagious, and free to live out the rest of their happy little lives. Zivah is the former, Dineas is the latter, and together, they set out on a task to spy on the army that has invaded and conquered their homes.

There's nothing wrong with the book - the writing is easy to read and finely done, the characters are decent, and the story is fairly interesting - but with all the YA fantasy that I read, occasionally I meet one that, while not a bad book, just isn't bringing anything new to the table, and that is certainly the case for Rosemarked.

I only give star ratings to books that I've DNFed if I make it pretty far into them, and I feel like 63% is far enough. I don't think I've ever given 3+ stars to a DNF title before - usually, it's 2 stars or less - but I genuinely believe this book could be incredible for many people. I'm just probably not one of them! I am totally open to the idea of trying this author's future endeavors, for what it's worth.

While I enjoyed this author’s previous work, Midnight Thief, Rosemarked was on another level. Readers can really tell how much Blackburne’s writing has grown as she continues to write in-depth stories with a multitude of characters. In Rosemarked, we follow the first-person POV’s of Zivah and Dineas, both of whom get embroiled in a plot that could lead to war. Like the blurb says, there’s a very heavy bent towards the politics going on and less on the action, causing for a slower pace. I didn’t mind it at all though, because discovering the nuances of the world and following Zivah and Dineas’s character development was worth it.

"I’ve memorized the makings of hundreds of drafts and invented dozens of others. But despite my years of study, despite the skill that everyone tell me I have, I cannot cure myself."

Zivah was a character after my heart. Both her and Dineas goes through so much in this book, and I absolutely fell in love with them as characters and people. She comes from a village called Dara and is lauded for her healing skills, despite the fact that she is hit by the rose plague itself, leaving her rosemarked. When Commander Arxa, a powerful Amparan, comes to ask her to treat the infected people in Sehmar City, she makes the difficult decision in leaving her home to an unfamiliar place where she would be looked down upon for being a victim of the plague. Despite the fact that she’s a healer, she has hidden strengths with her potions – and poisons. Her character really shows how you don’t need to be a fighter to be a badass heroine with dangerous skills. Zivah is at the forefront of the progression of the rose plague and I’m excited to see how she unravels its secrets in the following book.

Dineas is almost a complete contrast to Zivah, personality-wise. They are both strong characters, but while she’s a healer, he’s a warrior and fighter. Dineas comes from the Shidadi tribe and was captured by the Amparans. When the book starts, he’s haunted by the abuse of his past and driven for revenge. The Amparans have treated the Shidadi tribe cruelly, and their hegemony over the land has caused rebel groups to come up – such as the one that recruits Zivah and Dineas. It takes extreme courage for them to step up to the challenge of spying in the Amparan empire.

"It’s just the two of us this time: the rosemarked healer and the soldier with no fear of her disease. Together somehow, we are to steal Ampara’s secrets."

While Zivah treats the people marked with the rose plague, Dineas goes through forced amnesia and joins the ranks of Arxa’s army. This creates an almost separate person out of him, as he goes in and out of amnesia. It makes the romance a bit more complicated, for sure, but also creates conflicts in his character and story. Dineas finds himself making good friends with the other soldiers in the army – will there be a day where he can’t come back to his memories?

The slow and subtle romance in this book was exactly how I like it. There’s no love triangle or too much drama, but there’s a good touch of angst that keeps readers on their toes. I really love Zivah and Dineas as characters and they work well together in their respective fields. *sighs* Definitely a ship that I’m onboard with, and one that I can’t wait to see more developments from.

Rosemarked may have been slow at times, plot-wise, but the characters were phenomenal to read about. I really enjoyed seeing their progressions and how each obstacle further shaped their actions and determination. Readers will find themselves drawn to the world and the deadly rose plague that either kills its victims or leaves them marked for life. This is a YA fantasy that I wish more people knew about, and one that I would recommend to readers looking for a stray from the hundreds of hyped up books out there. It’s one of those quiet ones that just sneaks up to you with how good it is.

This was a solid book--entertaining, well-written, page-turning in some parts but it failed to wow me as much as I hoped. That could be a personal preference but I felt that there was something missing, maybe because it dragged in parts? I loved the concept so much, however, and was prepared to love this book as many of my fellow early-reviewers have but I wasn't quite impressed. I will definitely be checking out the second one and hopefully the story amps up as I can only imagine with a premise like that and an ending, that the second book could hopefully be the epic tale I wanted the first one to be.

This book is nothing more that amazing!! You have to read this book!!

*I received an eArc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I started Rosemarked a few days before its release in the hopes I'd be finished by November 7th and be able to post a review on time for once.

That was not to be.

While I didn't dislike the beginning chapters, they didn't lure me in and insist I read for nine hours straight until my eyes started to bleed. It took me a good two weeks of reading one chapter every few days until Rosemarked sunk its claws in. Once it did, I was a goner.

Zivah and Dineas have a unique relationship, one that becomes thoroughly entertaining when they start their spy mission in Sehmar City. Don't let the lull of the initial chapters dissuade you. If you stick around long enough, you'll be desperate for the sequel by the time you reach the end.

I did like this book. I wanted to like it more, but I liked it. It had a strong beginning, but then it just got confusing because I didn't realize it was told from two different people till midway through the book. It would probably help if the kindle I was reading on and the chapter separation had the chapter number then the name of the point of view underneath and the letters were separated li ke thi s. I would love to see the finish copy of it and I still don't know if I am going to read the second book.

Rosemarked by Livia Blackburne is the first book in a new fantasy series about a healer names Zivah who just finished her healer studies and then gets infected with the Rose Plague. Unfortunately, though she does survive, she is not 100% cured of the disease and is now Rosemarked. She teams up with Dineas, and Umbertouched soldier (someone who survived completely from the Rose Plague) to infiltrate the kingdom that has taken over their land and killed their people.

I was really intrigued by the plot of the story and the cover was gorgeous. Fortunately for me, I loved it. Rosemarked is action-packed, filled with court drama and political intrigue and has one of the most unique concepts out there right now. Zivah must take away Dineas' memories so he can sneak into enemy ranks and bring down the corruption from the inside.

I absolutely loved the characters as well. Zivah is a strong-willed healer with attitude, intelligence, and grace. Whereas Dineas is strong, strategic, and stubborn. They seem like total opposites that would never get along, but over the course of the book, their teamwork is really astounding.

The romance also breaks my heart. It is so swoon-worthy but also gut-wrenching when things don't seem to go the way you want them to. 

I thought Blackburne's writing was also on point. She chose to tell the story through both the MC's points of view and pulls it off seamlessly. Her descriptions were phenomenally beautiful as well as her character dialogues. Also, her characterizations were fantastic as well. I was really drawn into Zivah's and Dineas' lives.

I highly recommend this one for all fantasy readers. I would compare it to An Ember in the Ashes meets Forest of a Thousand Lanterns!

Last week, I got an email from NetGalley saying that I got a copy of Rosemarked to read and review, I freaked out! I only heard about this book a few weeks ago, but it sounded interesting and the cover is gorgeous (yes this did play a part in me wanting to read this one) but… it was so incredible! And it just came out this week, so you all need to buy it (and I bought myself a physical copy because I want an actual book and not just one on my kindle!)

This book captivated me from the beginning. Even though this book had a slower pace, I truly loved the story. Zivah is the youngest healer in her village. On the day that she officially becomes a healer, soldiers fall ill to the rose plague. As she and the other healers nurse the soldiers who have the plague, Zivah catches the deadly disease, and she cannot be cured. I really loved Zivah throughout this entire story. And I loved Dineas. Even with some parts of this story moving slowly, the characters are bright, vivid and really bring everything to life.

I also really enjoyed the slow burn romance, instead of the insta-love that we see all too often in YA books (fantasy or not.) This story had so many other elements that made it great, but I’m never going to say no to a little romance. The stakes are high in this story, as Zivah and Dineas essentially go undercover in hopes of keeping their people safe. Ah… I want to say so much, but I also don’t want to spoil anything. Trust me, you just need to pick this book up.

I gave Rosemarked 4.25/5 stars! I definitely recommend.

I really adored this book. It felt like the “spunky rebels fight against evil empire in fantasy setting” book I’d been missing — a more toned-down An Ember in the Ashes, The Winner’s Curse sans slave/master romance, Red Queen but with a love-hate relationship that I actually enjoyed.

One great thing about Rosemarked is Zivah’s role as a healer. The book really explores the morality of her choices through the lens of her oath to save lives and questions if her choices that hurt people now are justified by helping others in the future. And on a more fun note, she gets to use her healer skills to be a badass poisoner! It’s a weapon you don’t see too many YA heroines use (at least, not as common as a sword or pure magic) and I loved how the author managed to work it into more action-y scenes even though it’s not a traditional battle weapon. Zivah was definitely my favorite character.

Of course, Dineas was cool too. The plot involves playing with his memories (and therefore with his entire sense of self) in a dangerous way, so being the one whose mind is being messed with makes his chapters filled with interesting contrasts and adds a lot of the tension to the book. I was really impressed with the use of memory-wiping in Rosemarked, because I don’t think I’ve seen it done this way in any other book. Rather than being used to erase progress the character had made, it was intertwined with the character development.

All in all, Rosemarked was interesting and new while retaining the feel of YA books I already love, and I definitely recommend it.

Blog review will be live from 3pm tomorrow (19.11.17)

I really did enjoy this book, it was a pretty interesting read. And it also keep my attention, and I really loved both of the main characters.
I really felt for Zivah and also Dineas a lot, for all they are going through in this book. Zivah for having this very awful sickness that is killing her and the way she's treated because of it. I feel for Dineas because of him being tortured, and captured by his enemies. Because of this of course he has trust issues and who could blame him. The book really takes off once these two characters start to interact with one another. Since Dineas has to go into enemy territory and Zivah is a healer, she makes a potion that takes away his memories. She also makes two other potions, one that helps him temporary get his memories back, and another for when there done, his memory will be completely restored.
When he doesn't remember who he is, his a totally different, and has a thing for Zivah. So his definitely a total different person, since he doesn't remember all that his gone through. I really loved him both ways, even though I liked him more when his himself.
The ending did end in a cliffhanger, but nothing to awful that it will make you, go crazy until the next book comes out. I will definitely want to read the next book when it comes out to see what's going to happen next.
I would like to thank all parties involved for granting my request to read and review this awesome book.

While the premise is familiar - oppressed people rebelling, love blooming from shared struggles and political scheming - the writing is very good. Zivah's trials and skills as a healer who succumbs to the deadly plague as a result of treating enemy soldiers, are engaging. And Dineas - complex and heroic! At story end, the rebellion is in infancy so there is much more to come. I eagerly await the next installment.

eGalley review Publication date 11.7.17

I enjoyed reading this book. Reading Rosemarked reminded me of what draws me to Livia Blackburne's books - her characters. Both Zivah and Dineas are interesting characters but removed from the teenage trope of the YA world. I wish there was more worldbuilding to get a better view of Ampara, the life of the Shihadi and the lives of the Dara. But, realistically speaking, you can only fit so much into a story. The story starts off slower than I would've liked, but the payoff, in my opinion, was worth it. I look forward to picking up Umbertouched next year.

A great new fantasy by Livia Blackburne!

Zivah and Dineas are great foils for each other. Their characters are well-defined and realistic. It is easy to see their motivations and desires. The use of memory loss as a basis for accessing information and being a spy is an interesting view, as was the strange love-triangle that formed between the characters.

I was lucky enough to beta read an early draft of ROSEMARKED, and I'm thrilled to see the book now published and out in the world. As I've now read its sequel UMBERTOUCHED, I'm struggling to separate this gorgeous series into a coherent review about just the first book.

ROSEMARKED has so many great and complex situations in it that weave through this duet. Lots of political maneuvering, spying, secret identities (even from oneself), a long journey, memory loss, a sweet but also complicated slow-building romance, all under the shadow of a deadly disease that ravages nearly all it encounters (even if they survive).

Zivah and Dineas are two very different characters from two very different cultures - she is a healer, he is a soldier - but they must band together in this story for a common and very dangerous mission. Both willing to sacrifice everything for their people. I enjoyed watching these two as they were forced together, and as a result come to understand each other so much more than they ever thought they would. This book also has a cast of secondary characters that intrigued me so much as well. I especially appreciated how we get to see them from several different angles in a way that made them much more complex than just a good or evil.

ROSEMARKED is excellent YA Fantasy and comes highly recommended from me. Livia Blackburne has grown tremendously as an author since MIDNIGHT THIEF and that shines out in this stunning duet. Complimenting the gorgeous insides of this book, the pink matte finish of the cover coupled with the gold lettering is absolutely not to be missed.

Love Triangle Factor: None
Cliffhanger Scale: This is the first in a duet and definitely ends mid-series, though not in a harrowing moment.

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for the opportunity to read and review Rosemarked by Livia Blackburne! Zivah has been an apprentice for years and now she’s a healer because she has passed the required test. Rose plague has broken out and Zivah is helping the other healers take care of the ailing patients. Dineas has suffered through the rose plague, healed, recovered and developed brown splotches and has been labeled as umbertouched. They meet under wary circumstances but become allies. The storyline becomes complicated but the author describes everything perfectly, which erases all confusion. I enjoy Dineas’ humor and personality and Zivah’s perseverance and outlook on life. Wonderful characters and an ending that leaves me anticipating the sequel make a 5-star fantasy adventure!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book for voluntary consideration.

Zivah has barely become a healer when she is tasked with caring for the ill soldiers of the nation oppressing her own. Eager to save as many soldiers as she can—to keep her people safe—she cares for the commander, who survives, but Zivah falls victim to the plague. She knows she’ll die from the plague, she just doesn’t know when.

Given the chance to continue helping her people. Zivah agrees to a spying mission with Dineas, a warrior broken by torture who lives only to overthrow the empire intent on crushing both their people. The two will have only each other to rely on as they journey into the heart of enemy territory, desperate to find any chance of saving their people.

Rosemarked is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. From the first page, I was enthralled by the world, the plot, and especially the characters. The concept of the rose plague is fascinating—a deadly virus that kills most of its victim, leaving only some alive as carriers destined to die, and a few lucky immune, both forever marked by the virus. Zivah struggles with pitting her beliefs against her loyalty to both her people and Dineas, and her conflict weaves throughout the story. Dineas is so emotionally scarred all he can see is revenge, yet he is conflicted after getting to know some of the enemy. The dynamic between the two is absolutely riveting. You MUST read this! I cannot wait for the next book.

(Galley provided by Disney-Hyperion via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

I’m a bit surprised at how quickly I became swept up in Livia Blackburne’s story. I’ve had a disappointing run at YA novels lately, and I was desperately hoping for something good — and Rosemarked is good.

At the heart of Rosemarked is a mystery: How did the initial outbreak begin? Blackburne’s plot keeps circling back to that question, and as the answer unfolds, you realize how much more interconnected things are than initially thought.

Rosemarked’s main characters — Zivah and Dineas — are about as different as two people can be. Those differences both clash and compliment each other, bringing a healthy dynamic to the plot. And there are some fascinating things that have to do with memory throughout, and that really strengthens the characters along the way.

Rosemarked is a strong YA that moves quickly. Blackburne’s prose is comfortable and her character development strong. I only wish that the second book in the duology was being released at the same time because I want to know how the story ends!

Rosemarked is a well-written YA novel with great crossover potential. It has everything from romance and action to politics and fantasy. The world created is well-crafted with plenty of detail. I'm excited to explore more in future novels. Zivah's story keeps you rooting for her. She's a strong protagonist impossible not to empathize with. There are many layers to the story keeping everything fresh. The characters are complex. And there are several twists throughout. Be prepared to be kept on the edge of your seat!