Through the Ever Night

About the book:
It's been months since Aria learned of her mother's death.

Months since Perry became Blood Lord of the Tides, and months since Aria last saw him.

Now Aria and Perry are about to be reunited. It's a moment they've been longing for with countless expectations. And it's a moment that lives up to all of them. At least, at first.

Then it slips away. The Tides don't take kindly to former Dwellers like Aria. And the tribe is swirling out of Perry's control. With the Aether storms worsening every day, the only remaining hope for peace and safety is the Still Blue. But does this haven truly exist?

Threatened by false friends 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 sci-fi elements to create a captivating adventure-and a love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.

Review:
Through the Ever Night is the second book in the Under the Never Sky series. (You can find my review of the first book here.) I think this book is better than the first book because the pace was a bit faster. The book picks up a few months where the first one left off. Perry and Aria have been separated and are looking forward to seeing each other again. From there, it's almost a whirlwind of bad luck.

This book has the dual POV. It is a must for the story line since Aria and Perry are split up most of the time. I wish Roar's POV would have been included too. His emotions are intense. I'd like to see how he views Aria, especially after they left the horns.

I enjoyed being able to "meet" Liv. Readers hear about her in the first book, but now we get to see her. She has a lot of integrity. Most people would be selfish and do what makes them happy, but she willingly gives herself to Sable in order to save the Tides. Roar just had to go and mess up her plan. I hope she somehow makes it into the 3rd book, but I don't think she will.

This book has more Cinder. His character is very authentic. (I know people like him in real life--minus the Aether ability) He's a wild card of a character, but I really like him. I loved how Rossi made his character be essential to getting to the Still Blue, I didn't see that coming.

Soren reappears in this book. (Drats!) Yes, he has an excuse for his actions, but he doesn't need to rely on that excuse. He needs to grow a pair and take ownership for his actions!

In this book, Perry internally struggles how to lead the Tides. He keeps trying his best to do what is right and gain their acceptance, but keeps falling short. It was smart how Perry and Aria decide to first introduce her to the tribe. If they would have been honest about their relationship, then I think he would have had a more difficult time earning the Tides' respect. Many might not have stayed by his side. I love how they are planning to re-introduce their relationship at the end of the book. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with the Dwellers and the Tides (and Perry and Aria). Love that this could be the perfect leadership match to blend the two groups.

There is very light romance in this book, but has a good amount of action and drama in it. I'd recommend it for young teens to adults.


About author Veronica Rossi:

Veronica Rossi is the author of post-apocalyptic fiction for young adults. Her debut novel, UNDER THE NEVER SKY, is the first in a trilogy. Released in January 2012, it was deemed one of the Best Books of Year by School Library Journal. The second book in the trilogy, THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT, debuted in January on the NY Times and USA Today Best Seller Lists. The final book in the series, INTO THE STILL BLUE, is expected to release January 2014.

Foreign rights to the UNDER THE NEVER SKY trilogy have sold in over twenty-five territories to date and film rights have been optioned by Warner Bros.

She completed undergraduate studies at UCLA and then went on to study fine art at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. She lives in Northern California with her husband and two sons. When not writing, she enjoys reading, painting, and counting down the minutes until she can get back to making up stories about imaginary people.

Find Veronica: Goodreads   Twitter   Website


Book Trailer:

Invisible Sun

By David Macinnis Gill

About Invisible Sun (from Goodreads):
Obsessed with MUSE, the clandestine project that created the AI in his brain, mercenary chief Durango draws the ire of the government when he steals part of the secret project data and hightails it with his lieutenant, Vienne, to an ancient monastery. There, he meets the monks who raised Vienne from an orphan and also encounters soldiers working for his old nemesis, the crime lord Mr. Lyme. Lyme controls the territory surrounding the monastery, as well as the datacenters housing the rest of MUSE. 

Undeterred, Durango and Vienne pull off an ill-advised raid on Lyme’s complex. During the ensuing battle, however, Vienne is captured, and Durango is beaten and left for dead. Now, wounded and shaken, Durango must overcome bounty hunters, treacherous terrain, a full scale civil war, and a warrior monk with an eye for vengeance (not to mention his own guilt, self-doubt, and broken arm) to find Vienne and free her from Archibald, a brain-washing pyromaniac with a Napoleon complex who wants to rule Mars--and kill Durango in the process.

Review:
Invisible Sun is the sequel to David Macinnis Gill's Black Hole Sun.  Although Black Hole Sun was an enjoyable story, (you can read my original review here) I enjoyed Invisible Sun even more.

The story picks up shortly after Black Hole Sun left off.  Durango and Vienne are on the run from everyone because there's a bounty on their heads.  To hide, the duo goes to Vienne's childhood home  at an ancient monastery.  There Gill introduces us to the monks who raised Vienne who was orphaned.  But where these two go, trouble is never far behind. Soldiers who work for Durango’s old foe, Mr. Lyme, attack and the duo fight them off. Then they try to raid Lyme’s outpost to steal information, but Vienne gets captured, tortured and brainwashed to be a killing machine. Meanwhile Durango is beaten and left for dead. This sets the rest of the story up for Durango, along with the help of some of Vienne's monk family, to rescue her. The result is a fast-paced, edge of your seat thrill ride that mixed action, humor, sorrow, and a hint of romance.

As in Gill's previous book, Invisible Sun also incorporates a mix of foreign jargon and phrases. However, it seemed as if there were fewer phrases, and some of the meanings were more self-evident. Gill also translates the meaning of at least one phrase for readers--thank goodness for supporting characters asking!

This story is a must read for both girls and guys, and will have readers wanting another installment of Durango's story. Gill has definitely wins readers over with his writing style that grips readers and makes the book difficult to put down. If you are interested in trying the sci-fi genre for the first time, I highly recommend Gill's books to help whet your appetite. I generally don't read books set in space--or in this case, Mars--but Gill has made me a fan!

About author David Macinnis Gill:

David Macinnis Gill is the author of the award-winning novels Black Hole Sun and Soul Enchilada, both from Greenwillow/Harper Collins. His short stories have appeared in several magazines, including The Crescent Review and Writer’s Forum. His critical biography of young adult author Graham Salisbury, Graham Salisbury: Island Boy, was published by Scarecrow Press. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English/creative writing and a doctorate in education, both from the University of Tennessee.

He is the Past-President of ALAN (The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents) and an Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. His non-fiction, book reviews, essays, and academic work have appeared in a variety of publications, including The English Journal, Teacher-Librarian, and many others.

David’s teaching career began in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he was a high school teacher at Brainerd High School and briefly at the Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences. He later joined the English Department at Ohio University as an assistant professor. Currently, he is an associate professor of English education at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

David has been a house painter, cafeteria manager, bookstore schleper, high school teacher, and college professor. He now lives on the Carolina coast with his family, plus fourteen fish, two rescued dogs--an airebeagle and a border setter--and a nocturnal marsupial.