Wow. How has it taken me so long to read this book? It took me a LONG time (like, over a week) to get past the first few chapters but once you get into the middle of the book you are enthralled. Or I was at least. I think the reason this book isn't so hugely famous is because people are scared of the messages it contains. It takes seeds our society is planting now and extrapolates some of the worst things that could grow from them. There are some fantastic observations about the world that actually ARE true today! Here are some favorite quotes:

"You see, a conflict always begins with an issue - a difference of opinion, an argument. But by the time it turns into a war, the issue doesn't matter anymore, because now it's about one thing and one thing only: how much each side hates the other."

"And everyone was selecting their leaders not by their ability to lead, but by where they stood on this single issue."

TRUTH.
I was also extremely impressed by the depth in which the author was prepared to tell the story. He didn't just take an idea and run with it. He took an idea and gave it foundation through extreme detail. The fact that he wrote tithing, clappers, umber/sienna, and storking into the story without it ever seeming like he was reaching shows how prepared he was for every question you may have about this society.
I also liked that while a boy/girl romance wasn't the center of the plot the author wasn't scared of it. It's allowed to happen. And this book was pre-huge dystopian fame (written in 2007) so it doesn't have a lot of the stereotypes that have become fairly typical.

I didn't always think Connor's character was consistent - it talked about his tendency to get in fights but then it rarely showed him actually getting in to them. He seemed fairly calm to me.
Risa was an awesome character, but I wish I'd gotten to know her a little better.
Surprisingly I think we got to know Lev the most - when you read the book you'll know why.
CyFy's story was intense and heartbreaking - and one of the best parts of the novel.
There's one scene that's incredibly intense - you'll know. Maybe don't read at night.

I can't say enough about the types of messages this book gives out. I wish it were required reading simply to get people thinking about it. I think I'll need a break before reading the sequel though. Maybe something a little less intense...

In my opinion less exciting than the first 3. But still intrigued to know how it all will end!

This book ripped me apart. It's hard to find the words to describe how it made me feel. Hatred toward Gerald's family and any family that treats children that way. Frustration. Heartbreak.
King breaks down the roots of this family's issues so there's no question of where the fault lies and it's terrible to read and know that nothing is going to change. And yet this couple was allowed to be married and have children and other couples aren't? That's beside the point.
I truly do wish that it was required by law for every pregnant family to take a brief class on basic parenting and the consequences of neglect. Or of treating one child better than the rest.
I wish I had more coherent thoughts about this book because I do think it's an important one that every single person should read. And I'm glad it's YA so that maybe future parents can draw from Gerald's experiences.

I LOVED this book!!!! I'm frantically ordering books 2 and 3 on amazon right now. It's hard to stand out in this genre right now I think but I was so impressed! Rossi constantly surprised me with her plot. I kept thinking that something would happen that would be 'typical' and every time I was proved wrong. The story was original, well-thought out and put together, and really interesting! Both Perry and Aria were SO dynamic! There were aspects of each of their personalities that were very human but also parts that were so UNhuman compared to how we behave today. Perry seemed to have few qualms throughout the book about potentially having to kill his brother and Aria obviously was unaware about what it meant to be a teenage girl because she was so sheltered.
This book made me think a lot about what I would choose give the chance. Would I want the shelter and safety and 'freedom' of somewhat magical powers in the realms under the pods, or would I want the 'freedom' of living out in the open under dangerous conditions and lack of food? Clearly Aria still struggles with this at the end of the book even after all she's gone through.
I do wish I'd had a little more description of Aria throughout the book. I felt like I got a good picture of Perry in my head but not Aria, even though Perry described her scent CONSTANTLY. Oh wait, did you say she smells like violets? Violets you said? What did she smell like? Violets? VIOLETS?! But I don't remember ever getting a good sense of her height, hair color, skin tone, etc.

Also, SPOILERS BELOW!!!!!

I did think Aria and Perry's lovely time together on their way to Bliss stretched on a little bit. Maybe it was because I was listening to it but I got a little bit sick of the ooey-gooey love-ness they were going through, as sweet as it was.
I like that Rossi never expressed that they were ONLY MEANT FOR EACH OTHER BLAH BLAH BLAH like so many other YA books do. I get so sick of reading novels where the teenagers talk about how they'll NEVER FEEL THIS WAY AGAIN ABOUT ANYONE EVER WE R LYK TOTES SOULMATES. Perry and Aria both acknowledge that while they wouldn't like it, they would probably be happy and potentially better off with someone else. It's refreshing.
I just loved this book, because I see myself in Aria. I feel like I've lived a very sheltered and safe life. However, I do think I could thrive in the wild like she did. I think I'm an outsider at heart. Can't wait to see what happens next.

Ok, I actually really liked this book! While it lacked a lot of depth in the plot/emotions of the characters/in general, the premise hooked me and I really did enjoy the way it was written. I do think I would have gotten a bit more out of it had the style been written more traditionally with snippets of dreams rather than jumping weeks/months at a time.
I thought at first that this story was going to be more for middle school aged readers because of the short length and the more simplistic writing style, so I was QUITE surprised at the first few f words and the - *ahem* - more risque dreams.
It's a quick, easy, and exciting read and I'm definitely on the hunt for book 2!

Once again excellent. I am completely enthralled with this series. Like other sequels, this novel had less of an overall plot and more of just letting the characters we've already met continue on with their plans and problems from book 1. Don't let that drive you away though. I thought Through The Ever Night is equally as great a book as Never Sky. I am seriously in love with Roar. Even more so now than Perry.
What I love about the setting of these books is that even though we get more answers about how the Aether came to be we don't know everything there is about it. We don't know why more people don't know about the still blue. We don't know why the environment behaves the way it does. Not exactly at least. I don't know I feel like I'm not explaining myself very we'll.
I do think that Perry underestimates the wisdom of some of the members of his Tribe. He wonders at why they don't agree with all of his decisions but he doesn't seem to make a big effort to explain himself very well to everyone. He waits until deep into his service as Blood Lord to take the time to talk to everyone individually about how much he appreciates them. I know he's learning but that probably would have helped.
There were times I seriously thought about shipping Roar and Aria. But what I like is that Rossi shows them growing so close together but acknowledges that it's only ever just friendship. They're close because of their Audile bond and the traits they share. But Roar belongs to Liv and Aria to Perry. And I'm still okay with that.

SPOILERS

I so wish we could have gotten to know Liv more. She seems like such a fantastically strong woman and Aria just freaking deserves a female friend.
I'm very confused about Cinder. Where is he from? Why doesn't Sable go get another kid since apparently there are more like him? Or is a Cinder going to lead them to the others like him? Is he the result of experiments like what Aria's mom was doing?
I'm intrigued to see what's in store for Soren. Maybe he and Brooke? Hmm I don't see it. And I think we'll learn a lot more about Caleb in the next book because he is mentioned so much in the first two but we never actually truly meet him.

I wish I had Into the Still Blue with me right now! But alas I am at work and it is at home.

Everything about this book was fantastic...

SPOILERS

...except for the very end. I seriously thought I missed something!! What? Was that seriously the ending? I know the storyline was never as important as the way it was written - which was fantastic - but it was just too abrupt for me.

I loved the characters' names, their stories, the observations, and everything else. I kept waiting for there to be a little more umph to everything, but I guess that wasn't the point. What happened with Zaphod's brain? Why was there a character mentioned on the back cover who only showed up for one page in the book? Do they end up recreating the earth? Why was so much missing!!!

Still 5 stars for the sheer Britishness of everything.

A slower read than the first two, but a nice finish to the series.

Not sure if I've mentioned this before, but what I love about the way these books are written is how close Aria and Roar are. It's not just about Perry and Aria's relationship. It's about Aria and Roar, Roar and Perry, Cinder and Perry, Soren and Roar etc.

Parts of this book felt very rushed, and parts too slow. It didn't flow quite like books 1 and 2.

Spoilers

The ending was a little rushed. I don't know what didn't feel right, maybe the lack of description of how they entered the Still Blue? Maybe the uncertainty of Cinder at the end? Perry and Soren's battle was so swift. I would think a battle between Blood Lords would be more exciting and fulfilling.

I did love this series. I hope if it's made into a film it makes others love it too.

Free on Audible and read by Ben Stiller! Kinda cool. Very brief but unique. A little sad, but made me wonder what he's missing about his own life by constantly imagining something better.