Rosemarked by Livia Blackburne has a very intriguing concept. I love the idea of a healer teaming up with a soldier to save the world. This story contains potions and spying, and the main character is admirable. Unfortunately, the pacing of the story is too slow for my liking, so the book wasn’t as enjoyable as it could have been.
Series: Rosemarked #1
Author: Livia Blackburne
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction
Publication Date: November 7, 2017
Rating:
Series Rating:
A healer who cannot be healed . . .
When Zivah falls prey to the deadly rose plague, she knows it’s only a matter of time before she fully succumbs. Now she’s destined to live her last days in isolation, cut off from her people and unable to practice her art—until a threat to her village creates a need that only she can fill.
A soldier shattered by war . . .
Broken by torture at the hands of the Amparan Empire, Dineas thirsts for revenge against his captors. Now escaped and reunited with his tribe, he’ll do anything to free them from Amparan rule—even if it means undertaking a plan that risks not only his life but his very self.
Thrust together on a high-stakes mission to spy on the capital, the two couldn’t be more different: Zivah, deeply committed to her vow of healing, and Dineas, yearning for vengeance. But as they grow closer, they must find common ground to protect those they love. And amidst the constant fear of discovery, the two grapple with a mutual attraction that could break both of their carefully guarded hearts.
This smart, sweeping fantasy with a political edge and a slow-burning romance will capture fans of The Lumatere Chronicles and An Ember in the Ashes.
❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃
Review: Rosemarked by Livia Blackburne
I always love a good political fantasy novel. Rosemarked tells the story of a world contaminated with a plague, where those who contract it are rejected by society. An exiled healer who is infected then joins forces with a soldier to sneak into the capital and try to stop a war. In order to gain information effectively, the soldier’s memories are temporarily removed, which I found to be an interesting tactic. It’s almost like he is two different characters, which added some tension. I also really enjoyed the healing aspects of the book, since I haven’t read too many books that have a focus on potions and herbs. This book is original and complex, and I would definitely recommend it to fans of books like The Winner’s Curse.
❀ Gifted Healer
I loved Zivah’s character! She is a very gifted healer who is pretty experimental. Zivah is actually so badass, and not afraid to use her pet snake as a weapon, which surprised me. I really sympathized with her, since she is Rosemarked but can’t do anything to heal herself. Zivah is so caring and willing to help others, and I really admired her determination.
❀ Slow-Paced
The only thing that I found unenjoyable about this book was the pacing. I loved the beginning where Zivah is taking the test to become a healer, but after that, the plot fell flat. I found the story difficult to get through, since there is almost no action until the very end. There is a lot of character development, but I would have preferred more suspense and excitement in a book like this.
❀ A Political fantasy
Rosemarked by Livia Blackburne is a political fantasy in which two characters sneak into the capital to stop a war. I loved the main character and her healing abilities and the use of potions. However, the slow pacing of the book was frustrating, so I didn’t enjoy it as much as I had hoped.
About Livia Blackburne
New York Times bestselling author Livia Blackburne wrote her first novel while researching the neuroscience of reading at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Since then, she’s switched to full-time writing, which also involves getting into people’s heads but without the help of a 3 Tesla MRI scanner.
She is also the author of MIDNIGHT THIEF (an Indies Introduce New Voices selection), DAUGHTER OF DUSK, and ROSEMARKED (an Amazon best book of the month and YALSA Teens Top Ten Nominee).
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Olivia ❀ Canadian YA book blogger, Starbucks lover, & professional bibliophile.