Review: Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

Title: Through the Ever Night (Under the Never Sky #2)
Author: Veronica Rossi
Pages: 341 pages
Format acquired: Paperback (International First Edition)
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published on: January 8th 2013
Source: Received from publisher for an honest review (Thanks, Christine!)
Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.

Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, 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 dystopian elements to create a captivating love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.

(Image and summary taken from Goodreads)

Review:

Through the Ever Night is without a doubt the second best sequel I have ever read, right beside The Evolution of Mara Dyer. It literally just surpassed my every expectation of it and completely outshined its predecessor. Veronica Rossi destroyed the mentality that second books won't be as great as the first ones because Through the Ever Night IS great and if not, greater than Under the Never Sky. The characters grow as people and you'll actually be able to experience what they're going through. The rawness of their emotions and the pureness of their feelings will reach out to you and grip you heart so that you'd feel exactly what they were feeling. And all those blanks in Under the Never Sky were filled out in Through the Ever Night. This is a sequel equipped to please and torture a reader, and it's the type of torture that you'll actually love.

When you're reading Through the Ever Night, all you'll really be able to focus on is the characters, the setting and even the Aether storms. You won't want to put your attention on anything else. You'll want to drop everything you're doing and just devote your time to worshipping the story and everything else in it, Through the Ever Night is that type of book. And I realized my mistake of reading it during class hours because it was all I could really thinking about. I literally found myself close to tears during Math class where we were learning the Similarity of Triangles. There's just something so captivating and enthralling about Through the Ever Night that you just can't help but want to read it in one sitting lest you cut the sort of hold it'll have on you. While you're reading it, it's like your mind is just there. Focused on the text in front of you and you won't want to let go. I know I didn't.

Through the Ever Night is probably one of the most emotional books I have ever read. I didn't actually shed any tears but I literally just felt my heart constrict so many times. I was a mess reading this book and I think I actually enjoyed being one...

I finally understand how much the Aether storms affect the people. It doesn't just incinerate your village, it literally destroys relationships too. Not just romantic relationships but relationships with tribes and family as well. This is where I felt the most for Perry. I felt how heavy the weight of taking care and protecting a whole tribe is. And for a nineteen-year-old to be able to carry that all on his own? It's hard. His people, the Tides, remain loyal to him but some of them also can't help but doubt him. Others question him as well. I'm sure it hurts Perry to see that some of his own people don't believe that he can keep them safe from the storm or from even starvation. You'll really understand how difficult it is, how much it hurts for people to not trust you the way they did your brother. And because of this, it lead to him doubting even himself. Doubting Aria, doubting Roar and being so unsure of what course of action to take. Being a Blood Leader puts the lives of so many into the hands of just one man and I honestly believe that Perry can handle it but I know that it's an insanely difficult task. He's matured so much from the very first book to this one. You can see the change in him and they're good changes. I don't think I've loved Perry more than I have in this book. His will to protect his people, his determination to find the Still Blue and to be able to create a better home for his tribe, and his passion for Aria create such a compassionate and strong-willed man that I can't help but just love.

I felt that Aria grew the most as a character in this book. There's such a huge difference from who she was before to who she's become as a person now. She's actually one of my Top 5 heroines of all time because of the things she's done in Through the Ever Night. Aria is faced with so may trials and so many obstacles in this book that I couldn't help but feel that these were all really necessary for her to become an even better and stronger person. In Under the Never Sky, she was a slightly delicate girl stuck in an unknown place filled with savages but in Through the Ever Night, she's this girl determined, like Perry, to find the Still Blue to be able to save people she hasn't met but are already dear to her heart. This is where you see her compassionate side, that even though there were people that wronged her, she still forgave them. I think my heart hurt the most for Aria during her stay with the Tides. I hated the way the tribespeople treated her, they talked badly about her and sneered and glared at Aria. It just wasn't right, but Aria still took it into stride. She didn't let the people's disapproval bring her down because in the end, she knew who she was. There were people who were kind to Aria too and that really just warmed my heart, the effort some of them were putting to care for someone who didn't belong. But I honestly think that it may have hurt Perry a whole lot too. His people not approving of the girl he cares very deeply for, this is actually one of the big questions that was asked in this book. Will Perry choose his people or the girl he loves? Read it to find out. *tease* It was really great to see Aria using her gift, as well. It was just another proof of how comfortable she is outside now and much she's adapted to the people and surroundings.

I know I promised myself that I wouldn't fangirl but... *FANGIRLS* OMGeee. *flails* *breathes* I'm okay. Roar. My heart can't help but beat fast every time anyone mentions his name. Roar was my favorite character in Through the Ever Night and I felt that he honestly had it worse than everyone else (I told you that it was an emotional book.) He's still the same charming Audile and still the same really good looking guy who's in love with Perry's sister, Liv, except tougher and definitely stronger as a person. But while he may have become a better person he still went through a lot of trials, mainly with Aria. I really loved his journey with her, their experiences just left me teary-eyed and left a small smile on my lips. I felt that their journey together only strengthened their friendship and created a bond between them that I know cannot be broken. My heart belonged to Roar in this book, it smiled and wept for him and its beats were meant for him as well. I seriously can't wait to read about what happens next for him...

I really liked that the Still Blue was covered more in this book. The people focused more on it even though there were believers and non-believers. And there was actually interaction with other tribes, such as the Horns which is Sable's tribe. (Try to recall who he is.) There's a commection somewhere there. The Aether storms were also tackled more here. I just realized the magnitude of how strong it really is and how much destruction is can actually cause. Evil Aether storms. Oh and Cinder also plays a pretty important role in this book, you'll finally be able to understand what he's meant to do. There are also people you'll never expect to make a comeback, return. It's these surprising twists that I loved about Through the Ever Night, you literally just won't know when they'll pop out till you read about it. All I can say is: things happen, guys. Things. Happen.

I cannot express how much I loved Through the Ever Night. It's just the perfect blend of heartwarming story and gripping scenes that will leave you breathless and turning the pages as fast as you can. The story is just so addicting that you can't help but feel like you keep needing a hit of it all the time. It's exactly what I wanted in a sequel: engaging, powerful and downright beautiful. The story evolves as it goes on and it just keeps on going. I feel like this review severely lacks the capability to show how much I loved it. Words cannot describe how much I love this book. Maybe actions? *flails arms* Or maybe not... I don't doubt that fans of Under the Never Sky will love Through the Ever Night as well. This book will not disappoint you at all. For those people contemplating or thinking about reading it, drop the contemplating and thinking part. Just do. Every second, minute, hour or day you dedicate to reading this book will be worth it. You'll love every single moment of it. I know I did. *squishes Veronica Rossi*

Rating:

I'm sure you noticed the 6/5 star rating whereas we usually use teacups, the star rating means that this book is just too perfect to give a 5/5 teacup rating. And it honestly isn't enough. Click HERE for our Rating System. :) Through the Ever Night is the very first book to be rated 6/5 stars.