I really enjoyed this! It's been a couple years since I read a Livia Blackburne book, but her writing just has this nice, familiar style that I really enjoy. I love how complicated everything about this book is, from the characters to their many different relationships and how those complications are addressed throughout the book. Much of the book left me making pained noises, as things just kept getting more and more complicated and difficult for the two main characters. I really appreciated the way Blackburne handled Dineas' PTSD, although I wish he had talked about it with someone (that's more because I want him to heal in some way than a fault of the book - it's entirely in character for him to not speak about it). I also greatly enjoyed the way Zivah deals with the realities of being rosemarked and what that means for her and her place in her society.

My one small complaint is there are some abrupt time shifts throughout the book. While I appreciate moving the plot along, the time shifts kinda happened out of nowhere. It would just be "three weeks later..." in the next paragraph. This might be due to the formatting of the arc and there might be some kind of marker in the finalized copy, so it wasn't a huge issue and I could still follow along. Really, I just wanted to read more about these characters and all their interactions, so even though it might've slowed the plot I still personally would've appreciated more.

Fans of An Ember in the Ashes and The Winner's Curse should give this a try! I highly recommend it for its complicated look at relationships, war, and healing.

Rosemarked is a the first in a promising new YA fantasy series! The book was very well-written, and the plot was unique, interesting and fast-paced. It kept my attention the entire time and I didn't want to stop reading. Dineas and Zivah made wonderful characters and I was invested in both of their stories. The synopsis is absolutely correct about a slow-burning romance: the relationship between those two is complicated and I can't wait for more! I had so much fun following the adventure of Dineas and Zivah and I'm really looking forward to the rest of the series!

Excellent YA fantasy/adventure with a dash of hidden romance. Zivah & Dineas live under the oppressive rule of the Empire, although from differing factions. His tribe chooses to actively fight back, while her village chooses to accommodate their overlords. Until circumstances find them allied together in enemy territory. An added twist has Dineas literally playing two roles, one in which he is much more open to romance with Zivah, and the other, not so much.
Lots to admire & appreciate in this unexpected tale - highly recommended!