I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: Publisher
First off, this review is going to have ALL THE SPOILERS because I can’t talk about Into The Still Blue by Veronica Rossi without talking about what’s happened in previous books. Second off, I might get a little bit screechy in this review because THIS IS THE END OF THE SERIES and holy moly, my feels are still recovering and yes, I am having a bit of a hangover, which is apt as this was my first read of the year, finished on New Year’s Day. Friends, I could not pick a more epic start to 2014 than Perry and Aria and the Outsiders and Dwellers. I kind of feel like they are my real life friends now. We have been through so much in so short of a time. True story, I am starting to think of fictional people as real because of this whole series.
I am about to drop some spoiler bombs on all of you, so step back if you don’t want to know what happens in Under The Never Sky and Through The Ever Night. When we last saw Aria and Perry, Cinder the boy who can channel aether had been kidnapped by Sable who was forming a partnership with Hess to take the Horns and a select group of Dwellers to the Still Blue, a land where there is no threat of aether. The world Perry and Aria live in is getting more and more dangerous and they know that the end is near. Also, Hess has left Reverie to die, so Aria and Soren basically save them and have them integrate with the tides. Into The Still Blue really is as full of action as it’s predecessors as we experience a mission to get Cinder back and then to find the Still Blue and save the Tides and Dwellers. Y’all, this book has SO MANY FEELINGS. I mean, if an object had feelings, this one would be all emotional, like I am right now. First off, I need anxiety pills (lexapro what up) to get over my racing thoughts regarding some of the more dangerous scenes. Y’all, this isn’t an easy ride for Aria and Perry – those two are in danger over and over again, but they rise to the challenge bravely. Then I need like a diary or something for all my fangirling, because I feel the need to be like “dear diary, today Aria and Perry consummated their relationship in a magical way. I would like to convince Tony to be magical. Why ISN’T MY LIFE A YA BOOK” hashtag angst.
I don’t know how many times I can write “Aria is a badass who grows from a totally weak and boring dweller to la femme heroine” like I do for each review of the books in this series. In all honesty though, girl breaks through in this book and she just does some stellar things. I mean, she brings the Tides and the Dwellers together, or at least tries to integrate them. She finds out who daddy is. She has this thing called integrity and sticks to it and does not lose who she is, even when all the odds are stacked up against her. I loved that she truly does stick to her guns. OH OH OH and her chemistry with Perry is kind of perfect. As is this one punch that she throws, as a reader who really hates the person who gets punched, I was like GET IT ARIA, GET IT. And she totally does.
While I love Aria, I think that Perry is ALSO my favorite player in Into The Still Blue. This dude you guys this dude. He loses his father, his brother, and his sister, all he has left of family is Talon who is his nephew — but you knew that — Perry epitomizes the phrase keep on keeping on. He’s all stoic and shit even though he is obviously hurting inside. Perry wears the mantle of leadership quite well, but at the same time we can see the toll that it takes on him. ALSO YOU GUYS I WAS SO WORRIED FOR HIM LIKE THIS WHOLE BOOK, let’s just say there are parts where you are like hey breath where did you go, I seem to have lost you. I just cannot even with how much I worried about Perry, he’s made some dangerous enemies is all I can say. Also, he is so NOBLE and good and I just, wahhh. You know that’s the best I can do is describe my feelings about Perry by writing nonsensical sentences and making nonsensical noises. Trust he is the best ever and all of us have him as our YA boyfriend — I am pretty sure he’s of age, it’s not creepy you guys.
I don’t often delve into side characters during my reviews but Veronica Rossi writes secondary characters in a way that begs to be talked about. Like Roar, he might as well be a main character and our other main squeeze. He is hurting so bad in Into The Still Blue because of Liv in Through The Ever Night and that whole unpleasant heart breaking matter. Yet, we see him begin to heal, with vengeance on his mind so that’s good. Also, he’s really my favorite overall even though now I can’t get that Katy Perry song out of my head. I loved his development in this book. I loved that we got real deep with Roar and developed this unhealthy attachment to his character because oh man the emotions up in here. Then there is Cinder, another side character. At first, I kind of didn’t care that much about Cinder, much like scenery, he was there but with the ability to do something totally essential. In this book though, you guys, I cared. Rossi, she makes it so you are like rooting for Cinder and hoping that things will end up okay and that you actually get attached. He becomes such an integral part of the book. THEN Talon, Perry’s nephew. I loved how the Tides were protective of him and you will see and understand these feels, I know it. I promise it. Also, he’s very brave like his uncle is all I am saying. As for Soren, he’s redeemed himself, I no longer want to punch him in the solar plexus. I am actually really surprised by his character arc, but love the fact that he is portrayed as redeemable. And also a pain in the ass. It’s AWESOME.
If you are weird and like siding with villains because maybe you are a sociopath, you will love Sable. Like, did Rossi read a book about sociopaths before writing Sable’s character? It is kind of uncanny. He is awful and scary and a no good double crossing bastard, but omg, had me riveted. I would not have felt as anxious as I did if Sable was not in this book — like you just would never know what he was going to do next, although there was a sense that he would douche it, it was just, surprising. Or maybe I am oblivious? Either way, I didn’t think he could get worse from book 2 to here BUT I WAS WRONG. Just, whoa, he is the real deal as far as villains go. As for Hess, he’s more like scenery. It’s okay. I just, meh, he was there and Sable stole the show from him.
Okay, so we have talked about Aria, Perry, Roar, villains and the plot but we haven’t even gotten to the most cray part of the book. THE WORLD BUILDING. You guys, finally we get to see the Still Blue. Which duh, of course we would in a book entitled “Into The Still Blue” but still, it’s exciting. We get to see more cool machines including this thing called a Komodo and these things called Dragon Wings. And also magic like with Cinder. And then there’s some society building and you know the interaction of different cultures for better and for worse. if you are like YESSS SOCIOLOGY INTERACTIONS WHOOOOOO you will like reading Into The Still Blue. People who get all in arms about weather and tornados will probably dig on the world Rossi has created.
Overall if you have not read this series but are that weirdo reading my review, I don’t know why, do yourself a life favor and pick up the Under The Never Sky series. It is one that will not disappoint. There are swoons galore. There are PLENTY of characters to love, and plenty to hate. Rossi’s books are richly imagined and definitely a treat for the reader who can’t sit still during a boring book because THESE BOOKS ARE NEVER BORING. Forget the covers (I am not a fan) and read the aether out of this series.
Disclosure: Review Copy Provided By Publisher
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OMG I need this book! They need to quit pushing back the release date!
I think it releases today, actually! SO YOU CAN GET YOUR HANDS ON IT NOW. Ahhhhhh!
A book (or series) is special when you feel like the characters are your friends. Like, after you are finished with the books, you find yourself thinking, “I wonder how Aria is doing.” And you realize — whoa! Fictional character! Get a grip!! Lovely review.
Okay, so I’m one of those weird people who read your review EVEN THOUGH I NEVER READ THE SECOND BOOK. (Confession: I didn’t actually like UtNS very much.)
But if any review is going to convince me to give this series a second chance, it’s yours, April. Legit. Your enthusiasm is completely contagious and you mentioned how much Aria’s character develops, and maybe the next two books in the series will work for me more than the first one did? Maybe. We’ll see!
Thanks for sharing your review!
Brenna from Esther’s Ever After