Latest Read: Under the Never Sky

Here are the basics ...
Book: Under the Never Sky
Author: Veronica Rossi
Site: http://www.veronicarossi.com/
Category: Young Adult - Dystopian

Summary: 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 Aether, violent electrified energy storms, will. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry, her only hope of staying alive. A hunter for his tribe, 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.  (Adapted goodreads.com) 

My thoughts…

The good: This is one of those books where I noticed it a while back and kept being drawn to the (original) cover but for whatever reason decided to pass. Well, I finally gave it a shot and wow, I wish I had read this sooner! It's a mix of dystopian and sci-fi, with a hint of fantasy and characters that quickly captured my interest. The story takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where dangerous Aether (think crazy electricity) storms plague the earth. As a result the people are divided. The Dwellers who take cover in various domes or pods and are completely isolated from the outside world. And the Outsiders who choose to live freely "in the wild." Each side distrusts the other and do not co-exist happily. But something strange is happening in the domes. Something that the Dwellers' government is trying to keep secret. This is where Aria and Perry's story comes in.

The book alternates between their point-of-views and I know I've said this before, but I really do appreciate this style of storytelling. Because it allows me to get to know both characters. Granted this probably works best if you like both but luckily in this case, I do. Aria is a strong protagonist. She's been sheltered her entire life so it would've been so easy to make her whiny or bratty but she's not. Instead she deals with her grief and her pain as best she can while trying to learn about the real world. I love that she's inquisitive and not afraid to talk or ask questions. Perry was a perfect (but opposite) counterpart to Aria. He's dealt with a lot of loss and pain in his life but he loves so deeply. Something about him just radiated passionate to me. Whether it was his anger, his motivations or his growing feelings for Aria. And yes, they go there. But it's not an easy journey for them. They flat-out disdain each other but their uneasy alliance turns into more and it's a swoonworthy ride for sure. 

Also, I feel like I should mention that I loved Perry's best friend, Roar. I don't want to say much more than that but he's pretty awesome. 

(Minor) reservations: My only issue with the book was probably the introduction. Normally, I don't mind being thrown into the action of a story but I found the beginning to be chaotic. The author throws in a lot of jargon pertaining to the Dwellers' way of life and I had to make sense of it all. I think there could've been a smoother way to do this while incorporating some additional world-building details. But once I put it all together in my mind, I was completely lost in the story. 

Do I recommend?: Yes! Trust me when I say this is a great read.  I'm already itching to get my hands on the second book (which comes out January 8th 2013!).

Happy reading!