Review: Into the Still Blue

Into the Still Blue
Author: Veronica Rossi
Published: January 28, 2014
Hardcover, 392 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

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.

Within the confines of a cave they're using as a makeshift refuge, they struggle to reconcile their people, Dwellers and Outsiders, who are united only in their hatred of their desperate situation. Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. Then Roar arrives in a grief-stricken fury, endangering all with his need for revenge.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble an unlikely team for an impossible rescue mission. 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 earth-shattering Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi raises the stakes to their absolute limit and brings her epic love story to an unforgettable close.

It took me way to long to read this book! I think it's because I didn't want to say goodbye to Perry and Aria and was hoping there wasn't going to be an Allegiant ending. But as soon as I opened this book and dived back into their world, a world where you don't know if you'll survive and there's no telling who you can trust, I never wanted to leave. Perry and Aria and just as amazing as ever and their relationship is beautiful. The Aether is getting worse and as Perry tries to decide if he should keep his tribe where it is or risk getting involved with Sable in order to find the Still Blue, Aria tries to make her Dweller friends comfortable. New and old enemies and the everlasting storms keep Perry and Aria from escaping, hoping beyond hope that the Still Blue actually exists.

I fell in love with Perry and Aria the minute I met them. Their relationship started off wobbly, a Dweller and an Outsider suddenly together in hopes of making it home. Now, Aria calls Perry home and the two of them can only hope to have time together between ruling the tribe. Even though the world is doing everything to keep them apart, they know they belong together and will do anything to live a long happy life together. I'm glad that there hasn't been a love triangle in this book. I love that Aria and Roar are just friends and that Perry never did anything when he and Aria were apart. The problems in their relationship is not within them, but everyone around them. Perry wants to make sure that Cinder is protected, but when he fails to keep him safe, suddenly getting him back is the only thing Perry care about. Aria would do anything for Perry and there are many times she finds herself in situations where she could die to protect him. 

The action was perfectly paced throughout the book. There was never a minute where you could relax, as more and more things kept happening. It was fast-paced and riveting and the swift moments between Perry and Aria continued to give me hope for a happy ending. The myth of the Still Blue hung heavy in the air, never knowing if they'd actually make it there. This is the kind of ending to a series you hope for, and Rossi has successfully made me fall in love with her character and world and I know I'll be reading anything else she writes. Theses characters will stay with me for a long time and I will continue dreaming about my own Still Blue, a place where dreams can really come true.

“I want to kiss you,” he said. Forget pride. He wanted her too much “Can I?”
She nodded. “You don’t’ ever have to ask me that again. I’ll always say yes.” 

Review: Through the Ever Night

Through the Ever Night (Under the Never Sky #2)
Author: Veronica Rossi
Published: January 8, 2013
341 Pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

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?


I'm always cautious when I pick up the second book in a trilogy. You're never quite sure what to expect and you don't want the book to just be a filler. I'll admit that I had no worries about whether I would like this book or not, even if it was just filler. Thankfully there is no second book syndrome happening here. In fact, Through the Ever Night could simply stand on its own and it would still make complete sense. But I don't recommend reading just this one because you'd be missing on too much. I throughly enjoyed Under the Never Sky, and I picked up the sequel as soon as it came out, eager to see Aria and Perry together again.

Aria and Perry reunite after months apart. Perry is now the blood lord of his tribe after he took the position from his brother. His duties and responsibilities have grown high and with the aether storms flowing in, he's not sure if he'll be able to help the tribe in the way it needs. Aria has spent months with Roar healing and is excited to find Perry again. Their reunion is short lived since the tribe does not approve of Aria's presence. Before long, Aria is out of the road again, trying to do whatever she can to help Perry. 

There is so much tension between the two of them that the whole time you just want them to fall into each other's arms and experience a moment like they did in the first book. It's understandable why they act the way they do, but all I want is for them to be together. The alternating narratives gave us both sides of the story and there's no doubt that these two love each other. While Perry is dealing with his tribe, trying to fill his brother's large shoes, Aria is working with a dweller who wants her to find the Still Blue. She'll do whatever she has to in order to save Perry's nephew, Talon, who's being held in the pod. The pod is in trouble and so are the Tides and the only real way for anything to get solved is for them to work together. As they continue their search for the Still Blue, Perry and Aria's relationship is continuously put to the test. Other women, rumours and the threat of the tribe put their relationship in trouble. 

Rossi has a way of weaving words together to create a world that is not only beautiful, but dangerous. Both Perry and Aria has distinct voices and the pain going on inside their heads is all too real. The side characters are well rounded and create the perfect counterparts to our mains. Roar is by far my favourite. He is hilarious one second, but dark the next. He'll do anything for the woman he loves, Liv, and when he finally sees her again, he is ruined. Even the other tribe members break through the pages and demand attention in every scene. The small moments where we see members of the pod bring on a completely different world, reminding us how different the dwellers and savages are. There is no way that Into the Still Blue will disappoint at all. In fact, I'm sure it will be the best of series. Now all I have to do is wait. 

38. Under The Never Sky

Book #38: Under The Never Sky
Author: Veronica Rossi
Published: February 7, 2012
376 Pages
4 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.

Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive.

If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers.


I love finding new dystopians to add to my ever expanding collection. I give them high expectations, hoping for The Hunger Games or Divergent qualities. Under The Never Sky shows promise at being one of my favourites, but I think I'll need to read all three of them to know for sure.


I immediately fell in love with the premise. It not only felt dystopian, with the outside world constantly in danger from Aether storms, but there was also a great sci-fi element added. Those who could afford to live inside, live in pods where they can go into realms and live as though there is no danger out of the walls. They don't really know what's happening outside. They've been taught that anyone who lives out there is a Savage, dangerous and uneducated. Aria never expects to meet one. She lives her life comfortably, singing operas in realms and living any life she wants. But when her mom goes missing and she takes a chance at getting information, she ends up outside alone with nowhere to hide. Desperate to find cover from the Aether, she decides that she will find her way back home to save her mom. But when Perry comes into the picture, a Savage that proves everything she knows about them is wrong, they may just have to pair up in order to get the answers to all their questions.


Romance is the central theme here and I'm a sucker for it. Surrounded by danger, cannibals and the storm, Aria and Perry find a way to trust each other. Away from the ones they love, they find new ways to live, to love. The story is told from two different point of views, both third person, but both with distinct descriptions. You see how alike Aria and Perry are and that the only thing that separates them are the walls built around the pods. The Savages have developed in the the ways no one in the pods ever could. Heightened senses give them the ability to survive in the wilderness. Perry can see well in the dark and also read people's emotions. You soon realize that being an Outsider is much more complicated than living in the pods. There are tribes and rules and Aria does not fit into any of it. 


I think I would have connected with both Aria and Perry more if it had been written in first person. I'm forever a fan of this viewpoint because it leaves room to show emotions and thoughts that no one would see save for the narrator. Rossi does a good job with this even in third person, but I think it would have been much stronger told through the eyes of both Aria and Perry. They are both so different, raised in separate ways and born to different rules. They think different and see the world in their own ways. The viewpoints would have both been strong and stand all. I know there would be no doubt as to who was talking, so I wish this had been brought into the story. 


Death looms around every corner. I wanted to know what Aria and Perry would run into next and how well they would prove against it. Aria is fierce even though she's lived in a cage. Rossi does not tell us why the Aether came or how the pods came to be, but somehow it doesn't really matter. She sets the mood, sets the pace, and keeps you on the edge of your seat. A true Romeo and Juliet tale, this book will leave you wanting more.


“There are other things I'd rather do when I'm alone with you."
Time to step off the edge. "Then do them.”