Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Book Blurb (from Goodreads): 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.


Why I loved this book:

• Beautiful Characters. Aria who seems soft but isn't and the brooding Perry who comes across as cold and ruthless, but is far from it. I loved how natural their relationship developed.
  
• Beautiful Setting. Awesome, awesome world building. I love how the book didn't go too in depth in how everything worked or functioned, but gave just enough to paint a rich and vivid picture of the world Aria and Perry were inhabiting.
  
• The Pace. It's rare for me to not be able to put a book down — even books I love and would give 100s of stars too and buy copies for all my friends. I love to read, but I love my sleep too. But I couldn't put this one down and stayed up half the night last Thursday finishing this book. Now hurry up 2013...I want to read the next one!
  

I love, love, loved this book!!!! I can't wait to see what comes next for Aria and Perry. It was a great book to start off my reading this year :)

Why Yes, Twitter, I am Human. I just can't remember my password.

It's the 1st Wednesday of the month which means a posting for Alex J Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Support Group.

Now since we're only 4 days into the New Year, I thought I'd talk about one of my resolutions. Or rather my only resolution, since I'm not usually a big resolution maker.

In 2012 I'm going to overcome my social media shyness.

Now I don't know if being shy is a symptom of insecurity or the other way around, but I suffer from extreme cases of both. Ever since I could walk and talk, I've been paranoid of new social situations. I'm the one with the mouth clamped tight, inching her way towards the door or the darkest corner of the room.

It's not for lack of wanting to be there. I do love going out — conversations, friends, meeting new people. But oftentimes, especially in new and unfamiliar situations...I get a pounding heart, sweaty palms, and little voices in my head telling me "nobody cares what you have to say."

I thought social media would be easier. Nobody can see you blush through a computer. Time to think about what you want to say. But nope, I'm just as shy behind a computer as I am in front of it.

Past experience has taught me that if I want to get over my shyness I just have to keep putting myself in the situation that's making me shy. So this year I plan on commenting more, posting more, interacting more, and tweeting too (once I remember my password).

What about you? Are you shy in real life? Are you shy on the web? If you overcame it, what works for you?

Hello 2012...

I spent December 31, 2011 the same way I spent December 31, 2010. At home in my pajamas eating homemade pizza and drinking cheap champagne while celebrating the demise of another year with my family, board games, and watching a ball drop.

It was almost like nothing had changed.

Almost...


A year ago...

I had not shared a single word of my writing with anybody.
I would have never shared on a public internet site...such as this blog.
Rejection would've destroyed me.
Nobody outside of my immediate family and my mother were aware of the 'writing thing'.

I referred to writing as 'the writing thing'.
I was afraid to do anything more than lurk on a writing message board, and forget online classes, writing groups, or conferences.
I would have never walked into a bookstore to buy a book about (gulp) writing.
I did not refer to myself a Writer.

365 days later, and not one thing on the above list is true anymore. With every word I wrote, every new obstacle I overcame, every hurtle I've jumped over the past year I've grown into the writer and person I am now. Braver, stronger, and even more persistant...and I like that. Sure, I still have a long long long way to go and so much to learn, but I'm looking forward to 2012 and the new challenges and experiences that lie ahead.

So Hello 2012...