Book Review: Through the Ever Night (Under the Never Sky #2) by Veronica Rossi

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: January 8, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
352 Pages

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.

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Review:

I can't remember my first thoughts as I started Through the Ever Night, but they were probably something along the lines of: "Please don't suck" and "Fifty bucks says this angst is going to kill me." Well, I can tell you right now that the book definitely did not suck. In fact, it sucked so little that it was on the very end of the suck-o-meter, in the "holy balls, this book is awesome" section. But someone owes me fifty bucks… 'cause dang… That angst. There's quite a bit and Veronica Rossi really knows how to hit you where it hurts.

In book two of the Under the Never Sky trilogy, Aria and Perry have finally reunited after months of being apart. But though their love for each other is as strong as ever, some things have changed and not all of those things are for the better. Perry is now Blood Lord of the Tides and Aria is working with people she never thought she would. The people of the Tides loathe ex-dweller, Aria, and are not afraid to voice just how much. Perry and Aria now face not only the threat of the Aether, but the threats of new enemies, old enemies and some of those they believed to be their friends. Can their love survive? Can they?

The world-building was so much better this time around. That was probably the biggest issue I had with the first book - the fact that I could not for the life of me picture the setting that Aria and Perry were describing. In Through the Ever Night, the world feels much more vivid and the picture is a lot clearer. It almost felt like something you could reach out and touch. It also fit beautifully into the story. Some settings don't really make sense with the plot (I've read quite a few of these kinds of stories recently), luckily, Through the Ever Night was able to pull me out of the funk and surround me in a world that I almost felt a part of.

The readers will continue to adore these characters. Though, personally, there were parts where I wanted to smack them all silly, I grew even fonder of Aria and Perry in this one. This novel only instilled my love of reading from dual point-of-views. I loved reading about how much they cared for each other. And seeing both of their perspectives during certain events only made the book more addictive. Roar and Cinder also play big roles in this novel. It was great to get read more about their backgrounds, and see their characters expand in the story. There are so many characters introduced, and reintroduced in this novel, but Ms. Rossi handles their additions with grace. It is never difficult to remember who is who.

Veronica Rossi will really toy with your emotions in Through the Ever Night. She makes her readers so happy during some parts, that we might burst, but then… BAM! She drags us down into the dirt and tries to smother us. Perry and Aria have a ton of obstacles to overcome and the road to doing so is not emotionally draining and extremely dangerous. This book is not only a thrilling adventure that will constantly keep you on your toes, but a real roller coaster of emotion. The suspense will drive you wild and capture your attention immediately and give you hell when you try to put it down.

I have so many feelings after finishing this novel, and even while reading it, there are parts that you will not see coming, parts that will leave you breathless, parts that will destroy your heart. Through the Ever Night was even better than its prequel. I think Ms. Rossi's writing was much stronger in this book. I look forward to seeing if she can keep up the tradition and make the third and final novel, Into the Still Blue, the very best in the series! And like I'm sure all of the fans of this series are, I am just dying to read the finale. In fact, I would totally sell my soul for a copy of it now. WHY IS 2014 SO FAR AWAY?! (But really… I want that book immediately.)

If you have yet to read this series, I recommend you do so now. It has pretty much everything you could ever want in a young adult dystopian novel. Perfect book is perfect.

I received an e-copy of this novel from the publisher via Edelweiss.

Book Review: Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky #1) by Veronica Rossi

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: January 3, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
374 Pages

Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

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Review:

I first read Under the Never Sky in January of last year. I've read over three-hundred books since then, so I have to be honest and say that I didn't remember much of it. When I first read the novel, I remember not being very impressed, though I wanted to love it because everyone else did. It is such a good thing that I read the book again, because I absolutely loved it the second time around. Plus, I really, really needed a refresher. If I had started Through the Ever Night without rereading Under the Never Sky, I would constantly look like this:

But enough about Through the Ever Night, though zomg guys…, that review will come later. This review is about the book that started it all.

Aria grew up in a protected dome that hid from the devastation of the outside world. She has no interest in the world beyond her home of Reverie, and the cyber realms in which she lives her life. When a twist sends her to the outside, she must rely on on of those she has been taught to fear and hate the most. Perry lives on the outside. He sees Aria as a mole, a threat to his way of life. He relies on his strength and his Sense to survive, while she cowers with her peers in their dome. But he needs her help, as much as it pains him to admit, and she needs his. Together they must overcome their ideals and work towards saving the world and the people they love most. 

The thing I may love most about this book: It doesn't have a love-triangle, or a severe case of insta-love. I know what you are thinking:

But I'm serious. This book produces conflicts based on things other than romance, though it takes some time for the romance to build up because they must learn to overcome the prejudices they were raised under. I, like many YA fans, have grown wary of love-triangles and insta-love because of how often they are used. I mean, how are so many girls struggling with the affection of two extremely different, extremely sexy guys?! Well, in Under the Never Sky, we see a couple that isn't put in either of those situations, and the story still was captivating.

These characters are realistic to their situations. From the moment you meet them, you can understand their thought processes and actions. That's not to say that you'll always agree with them, but they make sense. You won't be left confused by actions don't fit the personalities of the characters that you've come to know. Aria really annoyed me in the beginning of the novel. Actually, Perry annoyed me as well. Not because they are unlikable characters, but because of their prejudices. Roar, on the other hand, is probably my favorite character. His wit and humor really add to the story, as well as his ability to be serious. He's just an overall great guy and a fantastic friend. He makes me swoon! 

Many people have, and will, enjoy this book. Even with its fault, it will easily entertain its readers. Under the Never Sky is brilliant debut. I am sincerely looking forward to the next installment. I think Ms. Rossi is a wonderful storyteller and I cannot wait to see what road she takes these characters on next!

Book Review: Roar and Liv (Under the Never Sky #0.5) by Veronica Rossi

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: October 30, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
68 Pages

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.

Set in the harsh but often beautiful world of Veronica Rossi's "unforgettable" Under the Never Sky (Examiner.com), this captivating prequel novella stands on its own for new readers and offers series fans a fascinating look into the character of Roar. Poignant and powerful, Roar and Liv is a love story that will "capture your imagination and your heart." (Justine on Under the Never Sky)

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Review:

This review may have spoilers from the first book in the series, Under the Never Sky. You have been warned.

When I heard that Veronica Rossi was releasing a short story about Roar and Liv, I got really, really excited. As much as I love Perry and Aria, I, as I'm sure most of this series' readers wanted to know more about Liv and Roar's love for her. This fit in perfectly with the series and gives the audience a sense of understanding regarding the background and actions of our favorite male characters, Roar and Perry. 

Roar and Liv was a short and sweet little insight into the lives of Roar, Perry's best friend, and Liv, Perry's sister, before Liv sold to the Horns for food for the Tides, their tribe. I love Roar and Liv's dynamic. They just fit together. The way relationship developed was beautiful. I love stories like that, where the two have grown up with each other and fall in love as they grow. It gives me the swoony-swoonz. Plus Roar always says the most romantic things to her. Every scene with Roar and Liv together will have you sighing and swooning like a schoolgirl. Another thing I liked was getting a glimpse of Perry's life before he met Aria and learning more about his friendship with Roar. Talk about a bromance.

I have a huge crush on Roar. It's pretty depressing because his love for Liv is so obvious that I know I have no chance. Our reason for not being together has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he's a fictional character. Because a love like ours cannot be bound by pages. But really… Roar's a hottie.

I really enjoy the author's writing style. It's smooth and easy to follow. It doesn't hurt that she writes a compelling story. While this series doesn't have the best world-building, Ms. Rossi's writing has matured with her following novel, and this novella. I honestly think the story has gotten better as well. Roar and Liv is a fantastic prequel to the series. It was a nice, short read that actually made me desperate for more! I hope Ms. Rossi will release another (or twelve-thousand more) short stories like this. One about Vale would be extremely insightful and give us a better idea of why he did what he did.