Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Review: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Under the Never Sky Under the Never Sky

Description

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 abarbarian, 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

The first book in a captivating trilogy, Veronica Rossi’s enthralling debut sweeps you into an unforgettable adventure. (Goodreads)

Book Details

Title: Under The Never Sky
Author: Veronica Rossi
Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Fantasy
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: January 3, 2012
ISBN-10: 006207203X
ISBN-13: 978-0062072030
Source: NetGalley/ Publisher


Why The Two Covers?
I know normally I only put the US cover up. In this case that is the cover on the left which I do like a lot don’t get me wrong. But, I fell completely in love with the UK cover on the right. The UK cover was what I put up on my Waiting on Wednesday forever ago.  Now having read Under The Never Sky it is the version I want! Which one do you like more?

Review

Let me start my review by saying that I completely agree with the last sentence of Under the Never Sky’s description. I was completely captivated and enthralled by this amazing fantasy adventure! In fact when I finished the last words on my reader’s screen and pushed the button for there to be another page, realizing I had reached the end, I looked at my reader horrified and yelled “No! No! No!” I really was not ready for it to end. Yes, that is how much I liked it.

The world Veronica Rossi built in Under the Never Sky had me engrossed in the novel from the start. Under the Never Sky starts out in the city of Reverie. Reverie is really a pod community in which people live in virtual reality most of the time to pass their time. I will say that the beginning  is much more Sci-Fi than the bulk of the book, which I didn’t mind,—I am a bit of a Sci-Fi nerd, so take from that what you will. As the story progresses we get to see the outside world and why people would be hiding inside. I loved all the fantasy aspects of Under the Never Sky, especially the crazy Aether storms. Do I really know why there are these strange storms? No, but it didn’t take away from the flow of the story and I have a feeling we will learn a lot more about the odd sky and weather in future books:)

Under the Never Sky is told in alternating POV between Aria and Perry. I was so scared about the alternating POV after recently being disappointed by Dearly, Departed in that aspect, but Ms. Rossi got it right. I loved Aria’s character. Aria starts out physically frail but never that way mentally, just very sheltered. It was a joy to watch Aria change and learn new things about her body as she was in the outside world. Lucky for her she has Perry to help her through those changes. Mmmm Perry, I just love the way he is written. Perry has grown up a hunter and knows what must be done in the cruel outside world to survive. He also knows how to lead and take care of others in his own way. Reading Aria and Perry’s lives slowly growing together was wonderful.

My absolute only complaint about Under the Never Sky is that now I am impatiently waiting for its sequel. I can’t wait to see what happens next in this fanciful world of an Aether filled sky and people with heightened abilities who are just trying to make it Under the Never Sky.

Happy Reading,
Signature

Loved it! I want to know about everything this author writes.

Recommended For
Teen and up: There is violence, kissing, and mention of having sex.     

8 comments:

  1. I've noted that, while US covers tend to be more eye-catching and, shall we say, trendy, UK covers capture better the essence of the book. From the synopis and the review, I think that's what happened here as well!

    Sci-Fi is that genre that I always enjoy when I get down to reading, but that I'm always lazy about picking up. Weird, no? Still, I think I'm going to keep an eye out for this one. It sounds very interesting, and more sci-fi/fantasy than trad dystopian, so... Yep. Must read as soon as I get the chance!

    Thanks for sharing,

    Ron @ Stories of my life

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  2. This book is getting lots of attention this week! I've seen it on several sites and I picked it for a future WoW post. =) I don't like that white cover at all. It makes it look so silly and too much like a romance novel, which doesn't fit the synopsis at all.

    new follower from Wow

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  3. I live the US cover more, but I do like the girl and her dress on the UK version.

    My WOW

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  4. So happy you liked this one! Now I can't wait to get my hands on it :) I tend to like sci-fi aspects as well, so I think I'm going to really enjoy this one ;)

    Thanks for the awesome review!

    Lea @ LC's Adventures in Libraryland

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  5. After seeing this one around and reading the synopsis I was wondering about it. Now, after reading your review, I'll have to add it to my TBR list.

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  6. YEAH!!!!!

    I really like the UK cover, but I think my vote ultimately has to go to the US cover because of the depiction of the Aether. Other than that, it would totally be UK for my winning vote for sure.

    I love a great alternating-POV done well. I love a great Sci-Fi like WHOA. I loved just about everything about this book. I was a tad bit confused in the beginning, but I'm not sure if it was because of all of the information thrown at me so fast or because I was (excitedly) reading so fast...either way, it quickly resolved and I had a super hard time putting the book down to do real life things like feed my kids and bathe them and stuff like that. HAHA.

    LOVED THIS, and I'm so happy that you loved it too. It's always SO FUN to share a fun book with someone else, right?

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  7. This was pretty good. I found it was a lot more sci-fi than I expected but the plot is still a lot of fun. Glad you enjoyed it!

    Giselle
    Xpresso Reads

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  8. Awesome review. It makes me want to read it even more now. Too bad I was denied on Net Galley.

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Thanks so much for the comment love!