Review: Into the Still Blue (Under The Never Sky, #3) by Veronica Rossi

Into The Still Blue By Veronica Rossi
Publisher: HarperCollins
Expected Publication Date: January 28, 2014
Amazon / B&N

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.

My Thoughts:
Into the Still Blue is the final installment of Veronica Rossi’s stellar Under the Never Sky Trilogy. I will miss this world and the characters I had grown attached to. This was the perfect example of my fictitious HEA. 

The intensity of the story elevated with Hess and Sable joining forces, and they have Cinder in their possession. Roar was still torn up from the loss of Liv. And the red streaked sky slowly replaced the blue, and threatened to wipe out everyone and everything in its path. Their time was running out and desperation to find the Still Blue and save their friends pressed heavily on their hearts.

I love the undeniable chemistry between Aria and Perry. There’s the perfect blend of romance weaved into and throughout the story, but yet, it didn’t veer away from the plot. The drama continued and the action maintained a steady pace up until the very end. Sorren had always been a little bit much to swallow at times, but he really stood out in this one. I felt that he’d matured and finally opened up. There was one specific scene where Aria gave him a dose of his own medicine, and I couldn’t help but laugh. It was nice to have a good laugh when their world seemed so bleak.

Followers of Rossi’s trilogy will not be displeased. The story is tied up nicely and capped off with something I found as sweet as it could be. I am trying to keep this spoiler free and it is very difficult after devoting my time and connecting emotionally with these beloved characters on their journey. This is a Five Star in my book. And, a Must-Read trilogy!

Review: Devil's Bargain by Rachel Caine

Devil's Bargain by Rachel Caine
Publisher-Harlequin UK Ltd
Release- Oct 5th 2012
Purchase-Amazon / B & N

Jazz Callender is an ex-cop struggling to prove her partner's innocence after he is sent to prison for murder, and she's willing to take whatever help comes along ... but she's about to make a bargain with the devil. Approached by a mysterious, attractive stranger with a check and a business offer, she finds herself plunged deep into a world where nothing is as it seems ... not James Borden, Attorney At Law, who fascinates her even as she doubts his honesty ... not Lucia Garza, her beautiful, brilliant new partner with hidden depths and secrets ... not The Cross Society, who seems to be able to know more about the cases she's being sent to investigate than Jazz does herself. With each new revelation, Jazz and Lucia uncover a world of psychic predictions and unseen forces, and find themselves playing not just for keeps, but for souls ... With lives at stake, Jazz finds that every choice she makes is dangerous ... even the one to fall in love.

My Thoughts:
I am such a Rachel Caine fan! True, I've only read one other adult book that she's written, which was the first book in her Weather Warden series, which I loved, but I'm the biggest Morganville fan evah!!
And it's that simply fact that I wanted to read this book. See, I'm not a big reader on detective type books and I'm still easing my way into adult reads, but I'll read anything Caine puts to pen.

Devil's Bargain starts off with ex-cop Jasmine Callender (Jazz) at a local bar trying to drown her worries away thinking about her ex-partner McCarthy in prison, when a guy comes strolling in and hands her a red envelope, changing her entire life. She's offered a lot of money to work with a non-profit organization that also sets her up with a new qualified partner. Jazz needs the money. Lucia needs the challenge. They're the perfect team. Only things aren't exactly what they seem and Jazz and Lucia play a bigger role then they could have possibly imagined.

This book is very different then what I thought it was going to be about. It has a little bit of everything. It's a detective novel, a mystery-thriller, part-paranormal and even has a touch of romance. 
I liked the story line. I found it a tad creepy with its dark background and the unsettled feeling of something bigger and unknown following the story around like a black cloud. But I have to admit it took a bit to wrap my head around the whole Actors/Chorus/Leads explanation and the complications and the consequences that surely follows. Yeah, I'm actually not gonna try to explain that. You'll see what I mean when you read the book.
Still, Caine brought a lot of unique and fresh ideas for this particular genre that fans will surly appreciate. While I may not have loved this the way I wanted to, I still found myself consumed from start to finish.

If there is one thing that Caine seems to nail in any book she's ever written is the remarkable way she develops her characters.
They all seem to have something in common. They are all instantly easy to connect with, likable and enjoyable to read about. The characters in this book are no different.
Jazz can seem like a giant pain. She comes fully loaded with pure attitude and sarcastic wit, she's a bit paranoid (okay a lot) but proves how truly bad-ass and capable she really is. She tends to question everything and while I usually would find lack of faith in a character to be annoying, in this case, Jazz was right on the money. The strangeness of it all is very hard to swallow.
I liked her and Lucia's banter and the way they look out for one another. They may have been two strangers thrown together for a bigger purpose but it was good to see them develop a kindred friendship. They really do make an excellent team.
As for the romance? There is some but not a huge amount. I found James and Jazz to be such a funny and unlikely pair. She's wild, careless and unpredictable while he's intelligent, educated and confident. And yet, it turned out to be this really sweet and inevitable thing. Oh! And the fruit basket scene? Adorable! 
One last character shout-out goes to Manny. He has a sad and horrible tale, but I really loved what he brought into this story.

All in all, this turned out to be a really good read. It's action packed, creatively cunning and has a mean punch. It's an interesting whodunit story with a twist of paranormal that only Caine can accomplish.
It may not be a favorite, but it was still quite the experience. Caine continues to amaze me and makes me curious enough to want to know what happens next in; Devil's Due!

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                                                                    3.5 snowflakes