Toxic Heart

February 1, 2014
Averting the vindictive intent of a greedy family while longing for the affection of an absent paramour can give a revolutionary girl heartburn. In this sequel to Mystic City (2012), Aria Rose continues her evolution from clueless debutante to political activist. Bombs, kidnapping and torture are par for the course as the battle for power wages between wealthy denizens of the Aeries and mystic rebels in Manhattan's decrepit Depths. Aria has renounced her lush life in order to help the mystics and their leader (her dreamy boyfriend, Hunter) establish equality. Though far-removed from dinner parties and servants, Aria remains a media darling, with allies and adversaries alike watching her every broadcasted move. When she discovers that Hunter has manipulated their private online conversations for propaganda purposes, Aria realizes she is merely a pawn that opposing sides are grappling to possess and resolves to find a solution herself. Aria has traded her confusion from Book 1 for determined self-empowerment this round, intensifying the narrative. Resilient though she may be, she has a fair amount of fumbles and self-doubts, maintaining her character's plausibility. Intense action and kick-ass characters will thrill fantasy and action fans. And the aerobic pace endures to an ending that will have readers clamoring to know what becomes of Aria and the revolution she has unwittingly fueled. An electric, futuristic fantasy with loads of action, heartbreak and one delicious gold-lame cat suit. (Urban fantasy/science fiction. 14 & up)

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May 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-Aria Rose is still on the run. Considered a fugitive by her immediate family and her ex-fiance, Thomas Foster, she has been taken in by a group of mystics loyal to her boyfriend Hunter. She has also become a figurehead to the poor and disenfranchised trapped in the Depths of what used to be Manhattan. Meanwhile, Hunter has been broadcasting edited footage of their intimate, private conversations. As he continually becomes distant and harder to reach, Aria grows closer to his best friend, the lithe, motorcycle riding Turk, who is charged with keeping her safe. Despite the threats to her safety and well-being, Aria learns that her former servant and best friend Davida may hold the key to end the war, even in death. Davida's mystic heart has lived on, brimming with power, and promising untold majesty to the one that is able to locate and harness its energies. As Aria and a reluctant Turk seek the heart, Hunter engages in peace talks with respectable, powerful families of the Aeries. In this sequel to Mystic City (Delacorte, 2012), the protagonist is continuously fighting, often in nonphysical ways. She attempts to combat the growing perception that those in the Depths have of her as a savior, struggles to hang on to her feelings for Hunter despite his behavior, and tries to resist her burgeoning attraction for Turk. While Aria's romantic conflicts take up a good portion of the narrative, there's enough here to push the story's momentum. Recommended for dystopian fans.-Ryan P. Donovan, New York Public Library

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