Review: Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

Summary:

The earth-shattering conclusion to Veronica Rossi's "masterpiece" Under the Never Sky trilogy and sequel to the New York Times bestselling Through the Ever Night (Examiner.com).

Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe-haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do-and they are just as determined to stay together.

Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission-because Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival, he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

In this final book in her stunning Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi raises the stakes to their absolute limit and brings her epic love story to an unforgettable close.

Publication Date: January 28, 2014

I was definitely nervous starting Into the Still Blue. So many conclusions to YA trilogies that I’ve loved have turned out disappointing lately. The entire time I was reading Into the Still Blue, I was waiting for everyone to die or the book to end with no definitive answers. Although it wasn’t a HEA for all of the characters, I think Rossi did a wonderful job of concluding the series.

The beginning was a little slow for me and I think I needed some time to get reacquainted with the characters and recall the major plot points of the last book. Once I immersed myself fully in the world Rossi created, I really enjoyed the novel. I think the beginning was rough too because of Roar. He’s a favorite character of mine and it was tough to see him tormented. It tore at my heart to see him hating the world after the devastating loss he suffered in the last novel. The one thing I was happy about in regards to Roar was that the friendship between him and Aria continued to develop. At times it seemed like the starting of a love triangle and I was thrilled Rossi decided not to go in that direction.

Aria and Perry are equally great characters and I liked reading from their dual POVs. There was still romantic angst between the two, but they have certainly grown through the books. Less time is spent on their romance and more on the showdown between the Tides and baddies Sable and Hess. They are equally scary villains and neither came off as one-dimensional. Hess’s son Soren really grew on me in this book and he provided comic relief while Roar was brooding. The one character arc I was displeased with was Cinder’s part in the story. Although he was the savior, it was almost like he had a walk on part in this book. 

I love Rossi’s writing style and felt transported to the stormy world where Perry and Aria reside. Although her descriptive writing is phenomenal, I never felt like the story got bogged down with flowery language. Action scenes were exciting and the suspense had me biting my nails until the tension was resolved.

Although this book may not be my favorite of the series, I still liked it a lot and felt like the series ended in a satisfactory manner.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this novel for review!