Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky #3) by Veronica Rossi - Ashley's Review

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Title: Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky #3)
Author: Veronica Rossi
Year Published: 2014

My Into the Still Blue (#3) Pre-Reading 
My Through the Ever Night (#2) Review
My Through the Ever Night (#2) Pre-Reading 
My Under the Never Sky (#1) Review
My Under the Never Sky (#1) Pre-Reading
My Roar and Liv (#0.5) Review

Paul's Through the Ever Night (#2) Review
Paul's Through the Ever Night (#2) Pre-Reading 
Paul's Under the Never Sky (#1) Review
Paul's Under the Never Sky (#1) Pre-Reading

Synopsis: The earth-shattering conclusion to Veronica Rossi's "masterpiece" Under the Never Sky trilogy and sequel to the New York Times bestselling Through the Ever Night (Examiner.com).

Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe-haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do-and they are just as determined to stay together.

Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission-because Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival, he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

In this final book in her stunning Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi raises the stakes to their absolute limit and brings her epic love story to an unforgettable close.

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Review: Holy moly, guys. This book was everything I hoped it would be. It was action and adventure and romance and mystery and danger and fantasy and just everything I wanted it to be. I've loved this trilogy from the beginning, and I am so glad that this last book did it all justice. The ending was perfect, the characters are incredible, the world building is fantastic, and the Still Blue is what I wanted it to be. I could go on and on and on about how incredible this book (and the whole trilogy, really) is, but I'll try to keep it to a manageable length. 

One of my favorite things about this book was the character development. We've seen Aria and Perry change and grow and mature over the course of the whole series, and they still continue to do that here. They have to make decisions and choices that are unlike anything they've ever dealt with, and I really did not envy them for most of the time. They make mistakes, but they learn from them and try not to make the same mistakes again. Their relationship has its snags, but they work things out because they love each other. They trust each other and the decisions they make, and understand the reasoning when they might not agree or might have wanted another outcome. 

But you'd expect all that from the main characters, right? My favorite part of the character growth was in the secondary characters - in Soren, Roar, Jupiter, and Brooke. The characters that we know, but haven't necessarily had a chance to experience yet. Soren has always been the kid that got Aria into this whole mess to begin with. He's a Dweller that cannot find any good in Perry and his tribe. I honestly think his character changed the most throughout this book, and I loved watching him being put in his place and then giving some sass right back. It often helped to break the tension, and was understated enough that it didn't seem out of place. I could talk about Roar all day (he's my absolute favorite character in the whole series), but I thought that him trying to work through the grief of losing Liv was really interesting and it felt so real. 

I also enjoyed learning more about the Aether and the Still Blue and the Komodo. You'd think that by this point there wouldn't be much world-building left to do. But Rossi really surprised me by expanding the world even further and giving a richer history and a fuller understanding of things. I have very few unanswered questions left about the world, and I think that made the ending that much more enjoyable.

Like the rest of the series, this book is pretty fast-paced. Once Perry and Aria and crew get into the action, it's pretty much non-stop until the end. I found myself not wanting to put this book down, and ended up staying up into the wee hours of the morning trying to find out what was going to happen next! I'm so sad that Perry and Aria's story is over now, but I am glad it ended the way it did. I felt all of the feels, and definitely came out of it satisfied with the story.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has read the other books in this series. You do NOT want to miss this thrilling, beautiful conclusion! I would also recommend this series to anyone looking for a futuristic dystopian YA book. Especially fans of sci-fi/fantasy. I think readers who enjoyed The Maze Runner will really like this book too. 5/5!


  --Ashley

Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky #3) by Veronica Rossi - Ashley's Pre-Reading

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky #3)
Author: Veronica Rossi
Year Published: 2014

My Through the Ever Night (#2) Review
My Through the Ever Night (#2) Pre-Reading 
My Under the Never Sky (#1) Review
My Under the Never Sky (#1) Pre-Reading
My Roar and Liv (#0.5) Review

Paul's Through the Ever Night (#2) Review
Paul's Through the Ever Night (#2) Pre-Reading 
Paul's Under the Never Sky (#1) Review
Paul's Under the Never Sky (#1) Pre-Reading

Synopsis: The earth-shattering conclusion to Veronica Rossi's "masterpiece" Under the Never Sky trilogy and sequel to the New York Times bestselling Through the Ever Night (Examiner.com).

Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe-haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do-and they are just as determined to stay together.

Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission-because Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival, he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

In this final book in her stunning Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi raises the stakes to their absolute limit and brings her epic love story to an unforgettable close.

Why?: Well, aside from that ridiculous synopsis, I loved the first two books in this series. Aria and Perry are such a good couple and incredible characters on their own, and I want to find out how their story ends. I'm also looking forward to seeing more of Roar, who has got to be a mess since Through the Ever Night. I also want to know what the Still Blue is, and if it really exists!

Expectations: I have such high expectations for this book. I want it to exceed the first two books, and I want it to be a satisfying ending. I expect to find out answers to lingering questions, and I also expect there to be a lot of the characters dealing with relationships, romantic and otherwise. They have so many problems to solve and I hope they figure it all out! 

Judging a book by its cover: I love this cover! It totally matches the rest of the series, and combines them into one EPIC cover! I love that Aria and Perry are both on the cover, I love the colors, I love the font... I can't wait for this book to be on my shelves! 


--Ashley

Through the Ever Night (Under the Never Sky #2) by Veronica Rossi - Ashley's Review

My Pre-Reading

Title: Through the Ever Night
Author: Veronica Rossi
Year Published: 2013

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Synopsis: It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.

Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, can their love survive through the ever night?

In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create a captivating love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.


Review: When I finished Under the Never Sky, I was desperate for Through the Ever Night to come out so that I could continue Perry and Aria's story. And it most definitely did not disappoint. Everything that I loved about the first book in the series - the mystery, the adventure, the romance - was back, and even better. Although there isn't as much tromping around through the wilderness and such, there's still plenty of adventure to be had. And, although the problems are different, they're still just as intense. Oh, and there are parts where I think Rossi just felt like ripping out someone's heart and stepping on it. Because I was certainly in tears. 

Aether storms have become an even bigger problem, and I thought Rossi did an excellent job making them both beautiful and terrifying at the same time. I mean, I love a good lightning storm (which is what I picture the Aether storms to look like). But I would never want to witness an Aether storm. I loved how the Tides all work together during the storms to protect each other and save as many of their friends and family as they can.

Although I love hearing about Perry and Aria, I think my favorite part of this book was that we got to learn so much more about all of the minor characters. Whether through flashbacks or current events, we got to know so much more about most of the people in the Tides. And, thanks to Roar and Liv, we already know a little bit about Roar, but it was really interesting to see how his friendship with Aria has grown and continues to grow. It's completely different than his relationship with Liv, but you can just tell how much he loves Aria (in that best friend way). 

Plus, on top of all the great character building, we get to learn even more about the world in which Perry, Aria, and all their friends and family live. It's a scary place, and I give them props for being as brave and as strong as they are. I'd probably turn into a crying little baby if that was my world. 

I cannot wait to find out more about the Still Blue in the next book! I'm hoping there will be another short story to tide us over (fingers and toes crossed!), because I do not want to wait until next year to learn more about the world and its people. I would totally recommend this book to anyone who has read Under the Never Sky, but I would also recommend the series to anyone who enjoyed Divergent, the Delirium trilogy, Shadow and Bone, and even Cinder. And pretty much to everyone I know. A strong 5/5 to this one!


--Ashley

Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi - Ashley's Pre-Reading

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Through the Ever Night
Author: Veronica Rossi
Year Published: 2013

Synopsis: 

It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.

Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?

In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create a captivating love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.

Why?: I absolutely loved Under the Never Sky, and have been anxiously awaiting this book since last January. I'm really excited to see what adventures are in store for Aria and Perry, and to find out what happens as Aria tries to achieve her mission and Perry tries to control the Tides.

Expectations: I expect a lot of adventure, and a lot of heartache. I think this will be a lot like the first novel in the series, but have different problems for the characters. I hope that we get to see more of the minor characters, and that Roar can find Liv!

Judging a book by its cover: I love this cover. It matches with the first book so well, and I think that I would definitely pick it up in a bookstore or library. I would say that it's striking... but that's a little too punny for me. 


--Ashley

Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi - Paul's Review

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My Pre Reading

Title: Through the Ever Night (Under the Never Sky #2)
Author: Veronica Rossi
Year Published: 2013

Synopsis: It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.

Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?

In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create a captivating love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.

Review: These books blend so many genres and it is done so well. This book takes place in a future where the world has been divided by environmental factors. Some live inside individually contained ecosystems while the survivors struggle to live in the wild. These sci-fi and fantasy elements are brought together seamlessly with even and addition of certain people that have super senses. 

This book has a lot of characters. I found it difficult in the beginning to follow and remember all of them, but by the end so many of the background characters developed. Some of them I liked and wanted to learn about even more than some of the main characters. I always love books that do this. Roar and Cinder were two off my favorite side characters. 

The relationship between Perry and Aria is very "middle book", but it develops very naturally. 

One of the most interesting parts of the first book, I thought, was The Realms. The Realms are a virtual world that can be accessed via an eye piece. I liked how it was used in this sequel. 

In the end, I really enjoyed this book. I look forward to the sequel and I am hoping for a little sea travel. I give this second book in the trilogy a 4/5.

-PAUL

Through the Ever Night (Under the Never Sky #2) by Veronica Rossi - Paul's Pre reading

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Through the Ever Night (Under the Never Sky #2)
Author: Veronica Rossi
Year Published: 2013

Synopsis: It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.

Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?

In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create a captivating love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.

Why?: I really liked the first book, Through the Ever Night. It is a futuristic dystopian novel, but it also has the feel of a fantasy adventure. I love this combination. Rossi pulled it off really well. The world created is so rich and vast. I want to explore it more. 

Expectations: I expect Rossi to do another excellent job at merging sci-fi and fantasy into an amazing adventure story. I am looking forward to the relationship between Aria and Perry to grow and change. I also want to learn more about the many side characters.   

Judging a book by its cover: The cover is very similar to Under the Never Sky's, except this time there's a guy instead of a girl.  

-PAUL

Roar and Liv by Veronica Rossi - Ashley's Review

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Title: Roar and Liv
Author: Veronica Rossi
Year Published: 2012

Synopsis: Before Perry and Aria, there was Roar and Liv.

After a childhood spent wandering the borderlands, Roar finally feels like he has a home with the Tides. His best friend Perry is like a brother to him, and Perry's sister, Liv, is the love of his life. But Perry and Liv's unpredictable older brother, Vale, is the Blood Lord of the Tides, and he has never looked kindly on Roar and Liv's union.

Normally, Roar couldn't care less about Vale's opinion. But with food running low and conditions worsening every day, Vale's leadership is more vital—and more brutal—than ever. Desperate to protect his tribe, Vale makes a decision that will shatter the life Roar knew and change the fate of the Tides forever.

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When I read Under the Never Sky, I was really fascinated by Roar and his experiences with the girl he loves, Liv. While we see quite a bit of Roar though, we never really see Liv, and we just hear about her from Perry and Roar. This story really helps to get a good understand of Liv, which was really nice. Plus, we get to learn more about the world and how hard it is to survive in a place where Aether can destroy everything you know and love in a single heart beat. Rossi's world building in Under the Never Sky was absolutely fantastic, and it just keeps getting better.

I really love when authors write the short stories about minor characters, because you really get to see how they feel about the main characters and the situations and everything, and Rossi did an excellent job with introducing and developing Perry's friends and family. For example, although Vale is still a minor character in this story, I feel like I know him better and kind of understand why he did what he did. I still don't like him, but that's besides the point.

As I was awaiting Through the Ever Night, I saw in several places that reading Roar and Liv before Through the Ever Night was recommended. So I figured that I might as well give it a shot. And man, were all those people right. This story really gave depth to Roar and Liv, and it explains so much about why they are how they are in Through the Ever Night. I hope we get to see more short stories set in this world! 5/5, and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys this series!


--Ashley

"A world of nevers under a never sky."

My Pre-Reading

Paul's Pre-Reading

Paul's Review

First of all, I apologize for how late this review is. I finished Under the Never Sky way back in June, but just haven't been able to sit down and review it. Until now!

When I first started reading this book, I felt like things were going very slowly. Sure, the book begins with Aria and her friends/acquaintances breaking the rules and entering a forbidden area. But from there, even though some exciting things happen and some not so exciting things that are necessary for the rest of the book to make sense happen, it takes a while to get going. That's not to say I wasn't completely entranced from the beginning - I couldn't put it down!

Then, when the action and adventure and even the romance begin to pick up, I was hooked even more. Aria and Perry go through so much, and both learn things about the world of the other that they seem like totally different people by the end. I loved being able to experience the story from both of their viewpoints, and I think it really helped give the reader a more thorough understanding of what the world is like.

The tech world that Aria knows is fascinating to me. I think it would be so cool to have Realms to visit whenever you want, and be able to experience them almost as if you were there "in the Real." What would it be like to live in two places at once? And besides that, to live for centuries. Would life get boring? Or would it be new every day because of all the Realms?

Then there's Perry's world. A world where Aether can destroy you and everything you love. Where people have resorted to living in tribes, because it's easier to move around and survive that way. And, not only do you have to worry about Aether storms, but you also have to worry about illnesses that can't be cured by your limited resources, cannibalistic tribes coming after you if you wrong them, lack of food, and so many other things. I would not want to live in that, but that just makes me admire Perry so much more.

I hope that Aria tells Perry who she is working for in Through the Ever Night. I don't want their newly developed relationship to have to endure that deception. And I really hope the Still Blue exists and they find it.

I would give this book a 4.5/5 and I highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of YA dystopian novels with a hint of romance. Especially to fans of books like The Maze Runner trilogy and the Across the Universe trilogy.

--Ashley

Paul's Pre Reading of Ashley's June Book: Under the Never Sky

I am going back on the boat this coming week. I don't know how long I will be there. Maybe a week. Maybe three weeks. I am taking plenty of books to occupy my time. Some of them are Ashley's picks from this fall that I still have not read. Others I won't blog about, like the third and fourth Game of Thrones books. 

In case you still do not know, The AP Book Club is making its way to goodreads. HERE is the link! Join the group and participate in discussions about any past, current, or future books. The AP Book Club is looking to expand, but we can only do so with an active audience. My pick for July will be Shadow and Bone!!!

Title: Under the Never Sky
Author: Veronica Rossi
Year Published: 2012

Synopsis: Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland—nicknamed The Death Shop—are slim. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent, electrified energy storms eventually will. In this dystopia, even the very air she breathes could kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild, dangerous—a savage. He’s also her only hope.

Perry needs Aria, too. She alone holds the key to his redemption. And their unlikely alliance will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Why?: This was Ashley's pick and, like her, I have received this on my recommendations on Amazon since it came out. I like dystopian YA and this looks like a nice addition to the current trend.

Expectations: I expect this to be similar to other dystopian YA that is popular right now, but I hope it can stand on its own. Whenever there is a trend in YA, all the books that may not have been good enough before sneak into being published in hopes of catching onto the band wagon. I hope this is not one of those books.

Judging a book by its cover: The cover intrigues me. I like the darker colors. The girl is walking away from what looks like a CGI thorn bush. Ashley called it lightening. I like that the girl looks confident. Maybe this won't continue the trend of female protagonists that start wimpy. 

-PAUL

Ashley's June Book: Under the Never Sky

First of all, I'd like to apologize for not blogging in a while. Real life caught up to me and I barely had time to sleep and eat. Things have slowed down a little bit now though, so expect quite a few blog entries coming your way soon!

Secondly, in case you missed Paul's post, we're almost to our one-year blogiversary! (Is that a word? It is now.) We have a group on Goodreads now (you can find it here!), and we hope to be adding some cool new things soon too. So stay tuned for all of that fun stuff!

And, without further ado, here's my pre-reading for Under the Never Sky. Which I meant to post a while ago...

Title: Under the Never Sky
Author: Veronica Rossi
Year Published: 2012

Synopsis: Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland—nicknamed The Death Shop—are slim. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent, electrified energy storms eventually will. In this dystopia, even the very air she breathes could kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild, dangerous—a savage. He’s also her only hope.

Perry needs Aria, too. She alone holds the key to his redemption. And their unlikely alliance will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Why?: I've been looking at this book on Amazon since like November, and have wanted to read it since I read the description. It seems like a different take on a dystopian future, where nature has forced people to retreat to protected areas. Kind of like in The Maze Runner, which I very much enjoyed. And dystopian romances are always fun.

Expectations: I expect there to be quite a bit of adventure and mystery in this novel. Why is Aria exiled? Why does Perry need Aria? What exactly is causing the storms that are kiling everyone and destroying everything?

Judging a book by its cover: The cover has a girl walking through what looks like lightning. So, I assume both will be important. Maybe the girl can control the lightning? Or it has some weird effect on her when she leaves Reverie and goes to the outside?


--Ashley