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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
My full review can be found on my blog here: http://armywife2310.wordpress.com/2014/03/03/arc-review-into-the-still-blue-by-veronica-rossi
Finally, I have finished this series. I now have that slight empty feeling that you get when you finish a series & you know you’re never going to get more of these characters. There’s also a sense of peacefulness now that their story is done. There are only a few small details that would have made the ending perfect & everyone whose read it knows what one of those would be.
I loved the progress of the plot in this final book. I thought it was fitting for the story that had been told thus far in the first two. I loved the conflicts that were presented, forcing the characters to grow & do everything they could to survive. I really loved that the sacrifices that were made by the characters ultimately led them to something better. Towards the end, I thought some parts went a little quick for my liking but everything was there that was needed.
I still love Aria, Perry and Roar. Those three were the stars & the best kind of family to have. Soren really grew on me throughout this journey, so I was glad to have him in the end. Cinder, in my opinion, was the real star in this book. I doubt any of us would have done differently in his position. I think we’d all like to be Perry or Aria because of their obvious strength. But underneath of all that, we’re really that silent strength that was seen in Cinder. Together, these characters really shined throughout the book. Along with the rest of the Tides & Dwellers. I loved the addition of Loran to this plot, further adding another level to this story. I really loved every minute of this journey.
I loved the progress of the plot in this final book. I thought it was fitting for the story that had been told thus far in the first two. I loved the conflicts that were presented, forcing the characters to grow & do everything they could to survive. I really loved that the sacrifices that were made by the characters ultimately led them to something better. Towards the end, I thought some parts went a little quick for my liking but everything was there that was needed.
I still love Aria, Perry and Roar. Those three were the stars & the best kind of family to have. Soren really grew on me throughout this journey, so I was glad to have him in the end. Cinder, in my opinion, was the real star in this book. I doubt any of us would have done differently in his position. I think we’d all like to be Perry or Aria because of their obvious strength. But underneath of all that, we’re really that silent strength that was seen in Cinder. Together, these characters really shined throughout the book. Along with the rest of the Tides & Dwellers. I loved the addition of Loran to this plot, further adding another level to this story. I really loved every minute of this journey.
Only read it because I read the first two. Didn’t like it. Could have been simplified
Perfect ending to the series. I couldn't fault it in any way. Perfect.
This was a fitting end to the trilogy, though the final chapter or so was kinda a wash.
I reviewed this book with my blog mate, Celeste, but I'll only be including my thoughts below. If you'd like to see our full, original review, it can be found here on The Book Hookup.
WARNING! THIS IS A REVIEW FOR THIS LAST INSTALLMENT OF A SERIES, SO THERE COULD BE MINOR SPOILERS FOR THE PREVIOUS TWO BOOKS IN THIS SERIES BELOW!
**SPECIAL NOTE:** An eARC of this title was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. However, that did not influence this review in any way. All thoughts, quotes, and opinions will be of this version and not of the published edition.
♦ First Thoughts:
Actual rating of 4.5 stars! Ms. Rossi has some of the best characterizations in any series ever. I am so sad to see these characters go, but she sent them out with style! I thought this was absolutely the best conclusion possible for this series.
♦ Plot, Pacing, Setting, and Style:
Into the Still Blue is the culmination of everything Perry, Aria, Roar, the Tides, and their adversaries have been working toward throughout this entire series. They now know where the Still Blue is and they have means of reaching it, but now it’s about the sacrifices people are willing to make and the lengths of betrayal they plan to take to set the ball in motion. This book is full of deceits, no-stop action, quiet moments shared away in secret coves, and heartbreaking loss that leads to the ultimate redemption and promise land for the chosen ones.
Rossi is an effortless storyteller. Each of her novels has always managed to pull me in immediately, tethering me to the scenes with her imagery and the dialogue between her characters. I easily lost hours because I was so immersed in this world, fearing for these characters and feeling my heart pound right along with theirs as they met one confrontation after the next head on.
I will say that with the time between these books and the fact that there is very little recap of what happened in previous novels, this series is probably infinitely better when it is read in quick succession. Hopefully one of these days I’ll have the time to do just that.
♦ Main/Secondary Characters:
I’ve already stated the following fact, but it’s worth mentioning again: Ms. Rossi has some of the best characterizations in any series ever. You can tell that she truly gets her characters, starting at the very top and working her way all the way down to the smallest character with the tiniest role. They’re all unique with individual personalities, quirks, and flaws, and I truly enjoy them all, even the ones I love to hate. Roar will always have special place in my heart, though. And I can’t forget Cinder, Talon, and Willow, the snarky, rebellious, sweet, headstrong kids whose big personalities often surpass those of their adult counterparts for the spotlight.
♦ Romance/Chemistry:
This was always the part of the novel(s) that left me wanting just a tad bit more. I definitely enjoy the time that Aria and Perry spend together and their chemistry/love is so apparent, but I just wanted more of it. Maybe that’s just because I’m selfish and needy when it comes to my romance fix.
As an aside, can I just say how much I love the complexity of the various relationships that Rossi presents among her characters? There’s all kinds of positive (and sometimes negative) relationships represented in these novels: love interests, strong friendships, familial affections, warrior kinships, and brotherly and sisterly bonds between characters that have no genetic ties. It was just one aspect that I truly appreciated.
♦ Twists, Turns, and Secrets:
There was lots of trickery afoot. If I were Perry, Aria, or really anyone in the book, I would have only ever felt like I could have trusted myself. That being said, I love how some of the alliances that came out of certain situations also allowed the characters to compound on their own personal growth. It definitely kept things interesting, to say the least.
♦ Ending:
I’m not going to lie, Ms. Rossi has no soul!!! Okay, so she does, but she totally gutted me with a few outcomes that my feelings weren’t prepared to be trampled over. She doesn’t cut corners and no one is safe. NO ONE, I TELL YOU! That being said, this ending left me completely satisfied and I felt like all the bows were tidily wrapped and presented prettily. (BUT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN GLITTERY BOWS! I’m just sayin’.)
♦ Final Thoughts/Rec it?
Yes, I would absolutely rec this book and the entire series! It was a fun, unique plot and unlike any other series I’ve read to date. However, I would like to make a little sidenote and say that, to me, this series is heavily plot-driven. While there is a romance– one that I loved and enjoyed immensely– in this novel, it always felt like it came in second place to the plot, which was perfectly fine because it worked wonderfully for these particular novels.
It has been such a joy to read these books and to experience this often emotional and tumultuous journey right alongside all these extraordinary characters. I can’t wait to see what adventure Veronica Rossi takes us on next; I know I want to read it.
♥ A very special thanks to HarperTEEN and Edelweiss for providing us early copies of this title in exchange for our honest reviews.
WARNING! THIS IS A REVIEW FOR THIS LAST INSTALLMENT OF A SERIES, SO THERE COULD BE MINOR SPOILERS FOR THE PREVIOUS TWO BOOKS IN THIS SERIES BELOW!
**SPECIAL NOTE:** An eARC of this title was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. However, that did not influence this review in any way. All thoughts, quotes, and opinions will be of this version and not of the published edition.
♦ First Thoughts:
Actual rating of 4.5 stars! Ms. Rossi has some of the best characterizations in any series ever. I am so sad to see these characters go, but she sent them out with style! I thought this was absolutely the best conclusion possible for this series.
♦ Plot, Pacing, Setting, and Style:
Into the Still Blue is the culmination of everything Perry, Aria, Roar, the Tides, and their adversaries have been working toward throughout this entire series. They now know where the Still Blue is and they have means of reaching it, but now it’s about the sacrifices people are willing to make and the lengths of betrayal they plan to take to set the ball in motion. This book is full of deceits, no-stop action, quiet moments shared away in secret coves, and heartbreaking loss that leads to the ultimate redemption and promise land for the chosen ones.
Rossi is an effortless storyteller. Each of her novels has always managed to pull me in immediately, tethering me to the scenes with her imagery and the dialogue between her characters. I easily lost hours because I was so immersed in this world, fearing for these characters and feeling my heart pound right along with theirs as they met one confrontation after the next head on.
I will say that with the time between these books and the fact that there is very little recap of what happened in previous novels, this series is probably infinitely better when it is read in quick succession. Hopefully one of these days I’ll have the time to do just that.
♦ Main/Secondary Characters:
I’ve already stated the following fact, but it’s worth mentioning again: Ms. Rossi has some of the best characterizations in any series ever. You can tell that she truly gets her characters, starting at the very top and working her way all the way down to the smallest character with the tiniest role. They’re all unique with individual personalities, quirks, and flaws, and I truly enjoy them all, even the ones I love to hate. Roar will always have special place in my heart, though. And I can’t forget Cinder, Talon, and Willow, the snarky, rebellious, sweet, headstrong kids whose big personalities often surpass those of their adult counterparts for the spotlight.
♦ Romance/Chemistry:
This was always the part of the novel(s) that left me wanting just a tad bit more. I definitely enjoy the time that Aria and Perry spend together and their chemistry/love is so apparent, but I just wanted more of it. Maybe that’s just because I’m selfish and needy when it comes to my romance fix.
As an aside, can I just say how much I love the complexity of the various relationships that Rossi presents among her characters? There’s all kinds of positive (and sometimes negative) relationships represented in these novels: love interests, strong friendships, familial affections, warrior kinships, and brotherly and sisterly bonds between characters that have no genetic ties. It was just one aspect that I truly appreciated.
♦ Twists, Turns, and Secrets:
There was lots of trickery afoot. If I were Perry, Aria, or really anyone in the book, I would have only ever felt like I could have trusted myself. That being said, I love how some of the alliances that came out of certain situations also allowed the characters to compound on their own personal growth. It definitely kept things interesting, to say the least.
♦ Ending:
I’m not going to lie, Ms. Rossi has no soul!!! Okay, so she does, but she totally gutted me with a few outcomes that my feelings weren’t prepared to be trampled over. She doesn’t cut corners and no one is safe. NO ONE, I TELL YOU! That being said, this ending left me completely satisfied and I felt like all the bows were tidily wrapped and presented prettily. (BUT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN GLITTERY BOWS! I’m just sayin’.)
♦ Final Thoughts/Rec it?
Yes, I would absolutely rec this book and the entire series! It was a fun, unique plot and unlike any other series I’ve read to date. However, I would like to make a little sidenote and say that, to me, this series is heavily plot-driven. While there is a romance– one that I loved and enjoyed immensely– in this novel, it always felt like it came in second place to the plot, which was perfectly fine because it worked wonderfully for these particular novels.
It has been such a joy to read these books and to experience this often emotional and tumultuous journey right alongside all these extraordinary characters. I can’t wait to see what adventure Veronica Rossi takes us on next; I know I want to read it.
♥ A very special thanks to HarperTEEN and Edelweiss for providing us early copies of this title in exchange for our honest reviews.
I was disappointed. This was filled with a lot of action and very little (but predictable) story/plot. I sped through the end just to get through. I love the overall concept of the series, but thought the story could've been expanded on way more in depth. Oh well!
Another really well written and captivating dystoian triliogy. I fell in love with the characters, their dynamic together and apart, their situation and struggles gripped me, and I finished the third book with a satisfied sigh.
Finally, a trilogy conclusion that's as good as the rest of the series!