{REVIEW} THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT (UNDER THE NEVER SKY #2) by VERONICA ROSSI

Series: Under the Never Sky #2
Genre: Young Adult Post-Apocalyptic/SciFi
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: 1/8/13
Format:  Hardcover
Pages: 352
Source: Bought

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.

**Does not contain spoilers for Through the Ever Night, but does contain spoilers for Under the Never Sky.**


Under the Never Sky was one of my favorite books of 2012. The story contains a brutal world with danger around every bend, characters that were fierce and written to heartbreaking perfection, and writing that seemed to grip my heart and my mind and refuse to let go. To say I've been anxiously awaiting Through the Ever Night is an understatement.

This book was intense. Perry is now the Blood Lord of the Tides, and carries an enormous burden. Though he has always put others before himself, that selflessness is taken to a whole new level. Things are getting worse on the Outside. The Aether is less predictable, scorching land and taking down anything in its path. Food and resources are becoming scarce, and other tribes are moving in. At only nineteen, Perry must find a way to keep the Tides safe, despite a lack of good options and dissension among the group. He also needs to rescue his nephew Talon, come to terms with his new status and how he achieved it, as well as his feelings for Aria and how that can throw everything else into turmoil.

Once again, Aria is a heroine I love to love. This girl is practical, honorable, brave and loving. She's now an orphan, an outcast to the Outsiders and Dwellers. She loves Perry, but doesn't want to hurt his fragile position. She wants to rescue Talon. She desperately needs to find the Still Blue. She wants a Home. Her home is Perry.

Now, this review would be a sham if I didn't discuss Roar. I'm just going to say that Roar is one of my favorite characters ever. Staggeringly handsome, devilishly charming, devoted with all his heart to a girl he can no longer have, this poor boy stole me heart. His loyalty to Perry is what true friendship is about. His affection towards Aria is amusing. Roar has some of the best one-liners out there. I love his quips, but oh my, did my heart ever break for him.

One thing I want to mention, and I do not remember if it was explained in UtNS, was the Aether. I won't go into detail because it is fascinating to read in the story, and lengthy to explain, but there is a very logical scientific explanation given for the Aether, and how it led to the Unity. I LOVE when post-apocalyptic worlds make sense.

Through the Ever Night was a brilliant follow-up to Under the Never Sky. Rossi is an enormously gifted author whose words held me bound to the story. I simply could not put it down. I am thoroughly impressed/elated/heartbroken and it goes without saying that I want to cry when I think about how long we must wait for Into the Still Blue.


Favorite Quote:

  "This..."He was going to tell her that this was how they should've come together, days ago in the woods. This was what he'd thought about all winter--what he'd missed. But he couldn't get past the way she felt, or the way the she was looking at him.
  "Yes," she said. "This"
  Perry bent and kissed her lips. She curved against him, her sigh a warm drift against his cheek, and then nothing existed beyond her mouth and her skin and the feel of her body against his.  ~ pg 49 


  Nothing would change the way he felt. Not ignoring his thoughts of her, or being with Kirra. The moment Aria had taken his hand on the roof at Marron's, she'd changed everything. No matter what happened, she'd always be the one.  ~pg 280

 

Under the Never Sky Series

 

My review of Under the Never Sky

You can purchase Through the Ever Night at:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

TEASER TUESDAY ~ THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, just do as following:

·Grab your current read
·Open to a random page
·Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
·Be careful not to include any spoilers so as not to ruin the book for others.

Make sure to share the title and the author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR piles.



Series: Under the Never Sky #2
Genre: Young Adult Post-Apocalyptic/SciFi
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: 1/8/13
Format:  Hardcover
Pages: 352
Source: Bought

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.

My Teaser:

 

  When she saw him, her eyes widened in surprise, but her stride didn't slow and neither did his. He shed his things, dropping them where they fell, and sprinted. Next thing he knew, she slammed into his chest, solid and fragrant in his arms.
  Perry held her against him. "I missed you," he whispered in her ear. He couldn't hold her close enough. "I should never have let you go. I missed you so much."  ~pg. 4-5

I love this book! My review will be up tomorrow.

 

You can purchase at:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

WAITING ON WEDNESDAY

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selection is...

Why I'm Waiting ~ PERRY!!! There's no blurb yet, but LOOK! IT'S PERRY!! That shirt. Those pants. Duuuuude...This book can't get here soon enough.

Expected publication: January 8th 2013 by HarperCollins

Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop

It's blog hop time again. YAY!

This hop is hosted by Kathy at I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and Martha's Bookshelf.

Over 200 blogs are participating in book-related giveaways! We are all linked together so that you may hop from one blog to the next. The hop runs from January 13-18, 2012.

Go here to find all the blogs participating.

I have a great giveaway for you! There will be 1 winner.

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi (ARC)

4 Random Bookmarks

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.

They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers a barbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY.
~From GoodReads

The Details:

• You must be 13+ years of age to enter.
• You must fill out the Rafflecopter form. If the form doesn't work (shocker!) please leave a comment letting me know and I will help you.
• Following this blog is NOT required, but you gain +2 entries if you do.
• You can gain +1 entry each for following The Bookish Babes on Facebook and @BookishAndrea on Twitter.

Good Luck and Happy Hopping!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review ~ Under the Never Sky, by Veronica Rossi

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.

They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers a barbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY.
~From GoodReads

Wow. I am at a loss here. What can I say about Under the Never Sky that you haven't already heard? I would like to be able throw a few "Squee's", a dash of "OMG's" and "Hot Guys, dead ahead" up and call it a review. And yes, that's lots of fun, and this book does deserve that sort of gushing, but truthfully, Under the Never Sky is so much more than that.

In my opinion, Under the Never Sky is a mash of the dystopian and post-apocalyptic genres. And typically, I'm not a huge fan of that type of book. They often feel very formulaic to me. So despite all of the buzz, I walked into it feeling very skeptical. To my exceeding relief, this potential problem was quickly nipped in the bud. The world, the characters, and the beautiful writing of author Veronica Rossi pulled me in, and carried me on a fantastic journey. At it's heart, that is exactly what UtNS is, a journey. The physical and emotional journey taken by a girl, Aria, and a boy, Peregrine (Perry for short).

The world in UtNS is two-fold. The Realms, where Aria comes from, was created when the Aether storms drove people underground. There is peace, control, sterility. Everything is experienced through simulations. On the Outside,Perry's home, civilization has reverted, almost back to primitive times. The world is frightening, wild, bleak, and brutal. Tribes fight to control patches of land, and when you leave your tribe, you face almost certain death.

Do you remember at the top of this review when I talked about "Squee's" and "OMG's"? Here's where that comes into play, though I'm going to try and hold back. The characters. I'm a sucker for a good story, but I turn into an squealing, spewing maniac when it comes to great characters. UtNS has them. The story is told in the alternating points-of-view of Aria and Perry, allowing you to know both them and their motivations so well.

Aria is everything I love in a heroine. After her protective world and everything she has know is taken away from her, she is understandably disoriented and scared. But after a moment or two to gather her wits and courage, she becomes stronger and more together than I could ever hope to be. She's never clingy, never whiny; she keeps putting one foot in front of the other and just keeps moving forward.

Perry; poor noble, brave, handsome Perry. Life on the Outside either kills you or makes you stronger. Perry is stronger. He is tormented by a tragic history, burdened by responsibility, wants to save everyone around him, wild but controlled. He doesn't use words lightly,  so every word he speaks in of value.

The relationship between Perry and Aria is remarkable. Initially enemies, they form a tentative alliance and very slowly develop a respect and friendship towards one another. The slow build-up between them was delicious and had me on edge.

My favorite character award must go to Roar! And seriously, with a name like that, you know you're in for a treat. What an exhilarating guy! He is fun, wild, and hot, of course, described as having "a Prince's looks with a pirate's eyes", and has the best lines in the book (see my favorite quote below!)

Under the Never Sky is a book that I feel priveledged to have been able to read and review. The span of humanity veers from the most savage to the most tender of acts. And the ending? Forget about it, I loved it.  I read the last three to four paragraphs at least ten times in a row after I finished the book, making sure my eyes didn't play tricks on me. It was perfect and left me insanely wild to read book two. Under the Never Sky, my fair friends, comes with the highest of recommendation.


Favorite Quote:

Roar leaned across the table and smiled at her seductively, his dark hair falling into his eyes. 'When you say everything happens in the Realms, do you mean everything?'

Aria laughed nervously.'Yes. Especially that.There are no risks in the Realms.'

Roar's smile widened. 'You simply think it and it happens? And it actually feels real?'

'Why are we talking about this?'

'I need a Smarteye,' he said."     (from pg 230)

                                                                             

Hardcover, US, 400 pages

Published January 3rd 2012 by HarperCollins

You can purchase Under the Never Sky at:
Book Depository  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Amazon

* I received an ARC of Under the Never Sky from Harper Teen, in exchange for an honest review. *

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created by Kristi at The Story Siren. It is a great way to put a spotlight on books received during the past week.

For Review ~

EMBRACE by Cherie Colyer (Thanks to Omnific Publishing)

EXISTENCE by Abbi Glines (Thanks to the author)

UNDER THE NEVER SKY, by Veroinca Rossi (Thanks to Harper Teen)

SWITCHED (TRYLLE TRILOGY #1) by Amanda Hocking (Thanks to St. Martin's)

Purchased ~

SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi

DRINK SLAY LOVE by Sarah Beth Durst

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure and leave a link so I can check out your mailbox.

IMM #10 {Vlog}

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created by Kristi at The Story Siren. It is a great way to put a spotlight on books received during the past week.

For Review:

The Vincent Boys,  by Abbi Glines

Won:

Girl of Fire and Thorns, by Rae Carson

Under the Never Sky, by Veronica Rossi

Her Fearful Symmetry, by Audrey Niffenegger

Bought:

Jenny Pox (The Paranormals, #1), by JL Bryan (Free on Amazon!!)

Carrier of the Mark, by Leigh Fallon

Leave a link so I can check your book haul. See ya next week!