Books: Post-Apocalypse

Here's another pair of post-apocalyptic books, but in these galactic storms have altered Earth's landscape. Some of the population has sought refuge within pods, and many of those on the outside have formed tribes to survive.

The pods' "Dwellers" spend nearly all of their time in the Realms, a virtual reality which allows them to "experience" all things without pain or fear. Much like today's cell phones, Dwellers have a Smarteye - an uplink to the Realms - attached to their faces at all times. They fraction between the "real" and various realms, which are meant to be "Better Than Real!" Without a connection to the Realms they feel lost and alone (Hooray social media!).

But the galactic storms, known as Aether, have grown in strength over time and are laying waste to the many pods, tribes' compounds, and their farming and hunting grounds. The situation has forced alliances between some Dwellers and Outsiders, each side having its own agenda. They all hope to find the Still Blue, a place rumored to have a blue sky free of Aether, and they'll risk life and love to get there and claim it as their own.

The books are told from Aria and Peregrine's perspectives, one an exiled Dweller and the other a hunter from the Outside. Veronica Rossi has done an excellent job developing these characters and their relationship, and they are the heart of the story. Their adventures are fast-paced and action-packed, with a perfect balance of suspense and romance. They share these adventures with an interesting band of characters, too, and I'm excited to see what happens to them as they go Into the Still Blue.