After Reading: UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi

By: Meradeth Houston on 4:00 AM

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 a barbarian, 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. (Goodreads)

I've meant to pick this one up for ages--I've heard such good things and the concept really was interesting. I don't regret doing so at all! Okay, to be honest, some of the scientific "reasons" for what occurred outside of the enclosed cities was a little iffy (and some actually were really good), but I was able to overlook that to some degree. Overall, the story was definitely one that kept moving, had all kinds of great twists, and I definitely enjoyed the characters, particularly their arcs. My only regret is reading this one without having the rest of the series close at hand to keep going!

Have you had a chance to check out this series?