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.
From Goodreads:
The mission was a failure. Even though Zivah and Dineas discovered a secret that could bring down the empire, their information is useless without proof. Now, with their cover blown and their quest abandoned, their only remaining hope is to get home before Ampara brings the full might of its armies against their peoples.
As Shidadi and Dara alike prepare for war, Zivah and Dineas grapple with the toll of their time in the capital. After fighting alongside the Amparans against his own kin, can Dineas convince the Shidadi—and himself—where his loyalties lie? After betraying her healer's vows in Sehmar City, can Zivah find a way to redeem herself—especially when the Dara ask her to do the unthinkable? And after reluctantly falling in love, what will the two do with their lingering feelings, now that the Dineas from Sehmar City is gone forever? Time is running out for all of them, but especially Zivah whose plague symptoms surface once again. Now, she must decide how she'll define the life she has left.
Together, healer and warrior must find the courage to save their people, expose the truth, and face the devastating consequences headed their way.
My Review:
Yeah, I really enjoyed reading these books! I enjoyed Livia Blackburne's other series, and I was really excited to dive into this one, it sounded really great, one of spying and espionage, of war, but also of a world with plague, and how these different countries are handling it.
Zivah had three main plot lines for me. Her vows of a healer conflicting with what's being asked of her to fight this war. And her relationship with Dinaes, both the one without memory, and the one with. So those are both emotional conflicts, which blended nicely with her emotional/physical one that she's Rosemarked, and has a limited time left to live.
A big plot line in Umbertouched, is Dineas and his loyalties. That he is a Shidadi, but when his memory was wiped, he made friends with the Amparan's, he was a part of their army and he killed his own people. So that was a tough time for him to wrestle with.
There was war, and there was learning. And there was loss, of course, and I really enjoyed how it all came together. That ending was pretty unexpected, but so great to read. It's a little uncertain, because it's not a cure, but it's more time to find one, and that was so great!
These books were so great to read, I really enjoyed them both!
Author: Livia Blackburne
Series: Rosemarked #1, 2
Read: May 6th, 7th, 2020
Source: Bought, NetGalley
Reason Why: I enjoy her writing, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2020 Books! And Umbertouched is a End of Series 2020 Book!
Publisher: Disney Book Group, Hyperion
Published: November 7th 2017, November 6th 2018
Rosemarked:
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| 5/5 Hearts |
 |
| 5/5 Books |
 |
| 5/5 Stars |
Umbertouched:
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| 5/5 Hearts |
|
| 5/5 Books |
|
| 5/5 Stars |
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