Mini Reviews: Roar and Liv & Brooke by Veronica Rossi

Warning: These reviews may contain spoilers concerning Under The Never Sky & Through The Ever Night.

Title: Roar and Liv
Author(s): Veronica Rossi
Genre(s): Dystopia, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Publisher/Date: HarperCollins/ October 30, 2012
Series: Under The Never Sky (Companion Novel)

After a childhood spent wandering the borderlands, Roar finally feels like he has a home with the Tides. His best friend Perry is like a brother to him, and Perry's sister, Liv, is the love of his life. But Perry and Liv's unpredictable older brother, Vale, is the Blood Lord of the Tides, and he has never looked kindly on Roar and Liv's union. Normally, Roar couldn't care less about Vale's opinion. But with food running low and conditions worsening every day, Vale's leadership is more vital—and more brutal—than ever. Desperate to protect his tribe, Vale makes a decision that will shatter the life Roar knew and change the fate of the Tides forever. (synopsis from Goodreads)

Summary Prognosis

I love reading novellas. They're the perfect opportunity to delve deeper into backstory, provide a better look at secondary characters and elaborate on the world-building. While they're not necessary additions to a series, I feel like they can certainly add to and enhance the overall reading experience and Rossi's novellas do exactly that. They give us a new perspective into the minds and relationships of some of our favourite characters and add depth to events that have already taken place within the series.

Roar and Liv takes place prior to the events in Under The Never Sky, focusing not only the romantic relationships that Perry and Roar have, but also their dynamic as friends and as family. We learn how Vale came to sell his sister and exactly why Roar left the Tides. We get to see how things came to be so tense between Perry and Vale and experience just how callous Vale could be. This story unequivocally broke my heart. It broke my heart because I read it with the tragic knowledge of what would befall Roar and Liv in Through The Ever Night. Roar quickly became one of my favourite characters in this series with his easy-going nature, humourous attitude, loyalty and strength. In a way, after seeing what transpired between Roar and Vale, you can really understand why Roar could be a bit of an ass sometimes. You feel the love between him and Liv, the way they thought they'd really be together for forever. Roar and Liv adds so many feels to this series and I highly recommend reading it after UtNS and TtEN.

Rating: ★★★★★

Read It: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Discuss It: Goodreads | Author's Website

Title: Brooke
Author(s): Veronica Rossi
Genre(s): Dystopia, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Publisher/Date: HarperCollins/ November 26, 2013
Series: Under The Never Sky (Companion Novel)

The only fight she can't win is the one for Perry's heart. Following the stunning climax in Through the Ever Night, the Tides have been forced to seek shelter from the Aether storms in a dismal, secluded cave. But Brooke's memories of the cave go back much further, to when she and Perry used to come here together. That was before Perry fell in love with Aria and before Vale's dealings with the Dwellers altered the course of the Tides forever.

Now, with her sister back from a haunting year in captivity and Aria lying unconscious in the sick bay, Brooke struggles to put the pieces of her life back together. Without Perry, who is she? And what is her role in this frightening new world? As these questions swirl about her, an old threat to the Tides resurfaces, and Brooke is forced to put the lives of her people before her own. But in taking this step outside of herself, Brooke may finally discover what she truly wants. (synopsis from Goodreads)

Summary Prognosis

Much like Roar and Liv, I feel like Brooke was a novella that added a little something extra special the the UtNS series. We don't really get a lot of insight into her character and what little we do know, isn't very pleasant. Brooke comes off as the a-typical jealous ex-girlfriend. To be frank, she's nothing short of nasty to Aria throughout the series and despite her mad skills as an archer, there's very little to her besides a hostile personality. Between both novellas, we actually get inside Brooke's head and are able to see just how much of a mark Perry left on her heart. These stories make her relatable, make her likeable.

Brooke is bitter and hurt about the loss of Perry to the dweller, Aria, for the loss of her best friend, Liv and for the arrival of the people who previously stole her sister. But as the novella progresses, Brooke undergoes an amazing transformation as she reflects upon her heartbreak, comes to terms with her losses and rekindles the relationship with her little sister. Her abrasive exterior slowly softens to reveal a fiercely loyal, strong and independent woman. She begins the journey of forgiveness and of understanding exactly what she wants in a man. By the end of the story, I had so much more respect for the girl and I really enjoyed the brief glimpse inside her head. I read this before reading Into The Still Blue and I'm glad that I did because I feel like it enhanced several moments in the series finale.

Rating: ★★★★★

Read It: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Discuss It: Goodreads | Author's Website