Marked

by Bridget E. Baker

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The world we knew is GONE.

Ruby had barely started kindergarten when the world collapsed, but by now she's over it. Like, really over it. To celebrate their upcoming graduation, the teenagers in Port Gibson are gathering to play a forbidden game from Before, a game called spin the bottle.

Pretty much every girl in Port Gibson likes the same two guys, and Ruby knows them both. Wesley, the charismatic son of the town Mayor who's being groomed to step into his dad's job, and Sam, the ripped but terrifying second-in-command to the town's Security Chief. But only Wesley's graduating with Ruby, and if he shows up, she's determined to finally seize her chance to kiss her long time crush.

When things go sideways, endangering her dear Wesley's life, there's only one person Ruby can ask for help, no matter how scary and enigmatic he is: Samuel Roth. Can Ruby convince Sam to risk his life to save Wesley's? And can Ruby navigate the post-apocalyptic world in time to save her crush, or will the long forgotten past come back to claim its due?

Kirkus Reviews said of Marked, "Baker’s prose is sharp and vivid, and she manages to immediately plunge her readers into the world of the novel. The story is swiftly paced and features some surprising twists and intriguing characters. The combination of sci-fi, mystery, and teen romance makes for a compelling adventure.

A promising YA debut about a girl’s search for a future in the wreckage of the past."

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Book Details

Genre

Fantasy/Science Fiction Romance

Subgenre

Action/Adventure, Small Town

Series

Sins of Our Ancestors • Book 1

Audience

Upper YA

Bell Peppers

🫑🫑

Profanity

2 Mild

Violence

3 Moderate

Drugs, Alcohol, Tobacco

2 Mild

Publication Date

September 15, 2018

Language Versions

English

Narration Type

Human

Fiction Form

Novel

Sensitive Themes

Domestic violence, Grief or loss of a loved one, Gun violence / shootings, Kidnapping or abduction, Medical procedures/hospitalization, Murder or attempted murder, Natural-disaster scenes, PTSD or trauma recovery, Stalking or harassment, Torture or cruelty (non-graphic)

Editorial Reviews

Kirkus Reviews said of Marked, "Baker’s prose is sharp and vivid, and she manages to immediately plunge her readers into the world of the novel. The story is swiftly paced and features some surprising twists and intriguing characters. The combination of sci-fi, mystery, and teen romance makes for a compelling adventure.

A promising YA debut about a girl’s search for a future in the wreckage of the past."

lettura

Il libro è interessante con una trama convincente lo consiglio.

Lettura appassionante!

*Marked: A Dystopian Romance* di C.J. Davies è un'incredibile fusione di romanticismo e distopia che mi ha completamente affascinato. La trama, avvolta in un mondo oscuro e futuristico, segue una protagonista forte e determinata che si trova ad affrontare sfide immense, tanto esterne quanto interne. La storia d’amore che si sviluppa tra i protagonisti è coinvolgente, intensa e ben costruita, senza mai risultare forzata o troppo prevedibile.L’autrice ha creato un'ambientazione affascinante, con dettagli che rendono la distopia così palpabile e realistica. I personaggi sono complessi, con profondi conflitti interiori e storie passate che li rendono incredibilmente umani e facili da relazionare. La chimica tra i protagonisti è elettrica, ma è la loro crescita reciproca che rende la storia davvero speciale.Il ritmo del libro è perfetto: mai noioso, ma con il giusto equilibrio tra azione e momenti più introspectivi. La scrittura è fluida, coinvolgente e mi ha tenuto incollato alle pagine fino alla fine. Nonostante qualche aspetto oscuro e disturbante tipico di un mondo distopico, il romanzo ha una profondità emotiva che lo rende indimenticabile.In sintesi, *Marked* è un libro che non solo soddisfa le aspettative di un'appassionata di distopie e romanzi romantici, ma le supera ampiamente. Una lettura imperdibile che merita sicuramente cinque stelle per la sua trama avvincente, i personaggi indimenticabili e l’autrice che sa come creare un’esperienza di lettura emozionante e coinvolgente.

Loved this first book

I am a huge fan of dystopia, and this book had all the elements to keep me reading. The main character was relatable as she was like the girl next door and not some kick ass heroine and was stuck in a bad situation. Sam was great, so dependable, always coming to her rescue, and there were so many twists that the story was fun to read.

Great novel

This book kinda gives a zombie feel without the brain eating and mindless-ness. It also kind of reminded me of the pandamic of 2020 to be honest, you might figure out when reading this, but that might just be me.The below has kind of spoilers, but not much more than what is already in the book's actual description cause I wanted to bring it out more without giving the actual plot away.The book follows Ruby as she is becoming of age to be an adult. The book starts of with teenagers who are following a tradition that they go to a bonfire as a "rebellion" but every adult know of it and even encourage them to do. They open and eat canned food at this bonfire and play spin the bottle. We all know how spin the bottle goes, they spin a bottle and whoever it lands on you go to this shed and then the rest spin for the next to go. When Wesley spins and it lands on Ruby, she is so excited inside cause she has had a crush on Wesley for a very long time.The sickness that marks you only starts to show just under the hairline on the forehead, which is how you tell you now have 3 years to live before dying from this. After Ruby and Wesley kiss, he pulls his bangs back and thats when she sees it, the red bumps that Mark him, meaning with this kiss, she is now exposed and pretty likely Marked as well. Ruby is furious with him and goes home to grab some things and go isolation, she grabs some of her fathers old journals. The journals send her down a path that is unforgettable and gives some twists and turns you do not see coming.This story was so much of a page turner I couldn’t put it down even to eat. So many twists in the story and action scenes made it so there wasn’t a spot where it seemed to diminish.I am so glad I bought this. Looking forward to reading more when I get money to buy the next book.

Kiss could be Death

Marked on your forehead with a rash if you have a virus. Seems so ominous, especially for something that came out before COVID. I did not read this book until after the pandemic, and it seemed to be even more prominent then. It makes it easier to understand how scared everyone is of the thought of possibly being infected by a virus with no cure.I liked the character building as well. This is a very good YA read, especially after the recent pandemic. I feel like more young adults will enjoy and be able to empathise with the characters more.