Rosemarked

by Livia Blackburne Narrated by Vikas Adam, Angela Lin

Overview

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.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Praise for Rosemarked:
An Amazon Best Book of November 2017
YALSA Teens Top Ten Nominee
Tome Society It List Nominee
Truman Award Final Nominee 2019-2020

"This is a fast-paced, well-written, can't-put-down fantasy that will appeal to a wide audience."—SLJ

"Readers will be rewarded with an intricately choreographed conclusion and a high-stakes cliffhanger that sets up a sequel. Arguments against prejudice share the page with questions of faith in the face of tragedy. "—Publishers Weekly

"Readers will find the characters engaging, and they will have a sense of the intriguing tribal histories behind them. A dark tale filled with tension and secrets and lightened by two brave companions."—Kirkus Reviews

"Blackburne’s latest is an engaging, mesmerizing read. With a clever, unique, premise, readers will be drawn into this story from the start."—RT Book Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

2017-07-15
Two young people fight oppression against the backdrop of plague. During the celebration of Zivah's initiation as healer, the occupying Amparan soldiers fall ill with the rose plague, forcing Zivah and the other Dara healers to treat them. After days of exposure, Zivah too contracts the disease, but instead of dying, she is rosemarked: contagious, her body marked with rose-colored patches that signal a very short life span likely lived in isolation. Because she saved the life of the Amparan commander, he invites her to Sehmar City to use her healing skills to care for plague-stricken Amparans. Meanwhile, the Dara have allied with the Shidadi, once rivals but now also under the yoke of empire. The leadership decides to use co-narrators Zivah and Dineas, an umbertouched Shidadi warrior who has survived the plague and is now immune, as spies, sending them into the Amparan capital together to find a weakness the oppressed peoples might exploit. Though the author doesn't quite establish the worldbuilding and time period effectively (is this some far-future Earth or another world entirely?), racial differences exist. Blackburne doles out this information unevenly, causing some confusion for readers, who will not know what the main characters look like until well into the story. (Zivah has light skin and dark hair, while Dineas has brown skin and light hair.) Nevertheless, readers will find the characters engaging, and they will have a sense of the intriguing tribal histories behind them. A dark tale filled with tension and secrets and lightened by two brave companions. (Fantasy. 12-18)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171286231
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	11/07/2017
Edition description:	Unabridged

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