Book Review: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Title: Under The Never Sky
Author: Veronica Rossi
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: January 3, 2012
Format: Hardcover
Links: Goodreads - Barnes & Noble - Amazon
Synopsis: 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. (via Goodreads)

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My Review

Truth be told, I’ve been putting off this book review for a really long time. Not because the book was bad at all, because it wasn’t-I loved it! 5 Star rating, what what! No…it’s because writing a book review means closure. And I’m not ready for closure right now.

I’m also not ready to do school work. Book review trumps school. Procrastination wins again!

Aria’s world is pretty great. She lives in a dome with a few other people and with the use of her smarteye she’s able to connect to just about any realm that she wants to be in. It’s like the internet…but better. However, outside of her dome is a dangerous world. The sky swirls with Aether. It’s dangerous and deadly. So what is Aria to do when she’s banished from her safe pod? Just allow herself to die? Thankfully, she meets Perry, a boy who was born and raised on the Outside. Together, they embark on a journey that brings them closer than they could have ever imagined. They need each other to survive.

I was so excited when I saw that my library had this book! I’d seen some reviews online and it was on my To-Read list on Goodreads. I knew that I would hate myself if I didn’t bring it home with me. And boy am I glad that I did because I fell in love with it immediately!

Lately, I’d been having trouble with YA Books, especially with the Main Characters in said books. For me, the MC can either make or break a book. Lately, I’ve been so annoyed with MCs. It might just be because they’re a little to young and immature for me, but whatever the reason it’s been affecting how I enjoy a book. I however, absolutely adored both Aria and Perry! While they made some choices that I may not have agreed with at different times, their motives were clear. I found myself attached to both of them. They both had rich backstories, which I couldn’t help but love. They have their own, unique personalities. It’s almost as if they were real, tangible people!

Aria and Perry drew me into the book, but the plot is what kept me around. Dystopian stories are so popular right now, it’s hard to find a book that isn’t dystopian. It’s kinda like that whole vampire stage everyone went through a few years back. It’s also easy for dystopian stories to all start sounding the same, but Under The Never Sky was so unique. Yes, there’s the typical good vs evil, little people vs the government thing, but they don’t play a big role in the story just yet. Plus, the world that Veronica Rossi created is absolutely beautiful and amazing. As dangerous as the Aether is, I kinda want to sit under the never sky (see what I did there?) and watch it swirl and swirl.

I also want a smarteye so that I can escape to the realms at anytime. Can I have an Aether themed realm? K, thanks.

Of course, this wouldn’t be a complete review without touching on the love story. Like most YA novels, you know that it’s going to happen….you can feel it coming, even…but it’s not all up in your face! I like love stories that are realistic and simple. Things that happen overtime, rather than boy-meets-girl and now they’re together forever, omg, love love love. There’s something beautiful about watching a couple fall in love even though they don’t realize that that’s what they’re doing!

It’s been a long time since I’ve truly liked a book this much, especially one that is part of a series. The ending left me wanting more (so much so that I bought the other 2 books immediately…but I can’t read them yet, boo). I am so happy that all the books are out already because I’d probably go crazy if they weren’t! I’d certainly recommend this book to just about everyone, especially if you’re a fan of YA dystopia stories! Read it, seriously. You won’t regret it!