This book reminded me a lot of Shatter Me mixed with Red Queen! It is a fun book that is an entryway into YA Fantasy and Dystopian. Also, this book has a map and a page where the gifts are explained!

The beginning started with action right off of the bat, which is always exciting, although I would have liked a bit more development. The main character is hit with trauma right off the bat, and boy do I love a tortured MC.

I think the story did a good job of keeping the characters in the story acting their age, which is really refreshing. Although I enjoyed how the characters were true to their age, I would have liked the dialogue to be spruced up a bit. Sometimes it didn’t really grab my attention.

Overall, The Markings is a fun book for younger readers looking to get immersed in the YA genre. It has lots of fun twists and relatable characters!