Mystic City

Written by Theo Lawrence

Narrated by Celeste Ciulla

With Mystic City, Theo Lawrence launches a bold new epic that is winning rave reviews and passionate fans everywhere. In the magical realm of Mystic City, Aria Rose, daughter to one of the city's ruling families, is betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' enemies. With the unwanted marriage drawing closer, Aria encounters a rebel mystic from the Depths- and begins to question everything she knows about her world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 9, 2012
• ISBN: 9781470323899

Reviews for Mystic City

[krau0098 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book in the Mystic City series by Lawrence. I got an eGalley of this book to review through netgalley(dot)com. I really enjoyed this book; it was a fun blend of dystopia, high society, mafia-politics, and magic. Aria is a socialite and daughter to one of the crime lords who runs Los Angeles in a post-apocalyptic setting. The city is flooded and the wealthy live in Aeries in the sky. The wet Depths of the city are were the normal population and the dangerous Mystics live. Aria has lost her memory due to a supposed drug overdose and can’t remember being engaged to their enemies crime lord son, Thomas. As Aria looks into her past more carefully she finds out that things around her are not as they seem.This is a very entertaining dystopian read. It blends a lot of interesting genres. The stories have a high society taste to them (think Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz). They also have a mafia theme (since Aria’s father is a crimelord). Added to this is an interesting post-apocalyptic world in which a fascinating race of people called Mystics can use magic in wonderful ways; when they are not having it drained out of them. On top of all of this Aria is dealing with horrible memory loss.Imagine being thrust into an engagement with your sworn enemy in a complex post-apocalyptic world. People tell you, you love this man Thomas but you can’t even barely remember him. Aria is a fascinating heroine that handles all of this fairly well. She has many aspects to her personality and I really enjoyed her. She can handle the faking it in high society, she can handle the adventure of the Depths. Despite her crime-based family she questions the morality of things around her and wants to do what’s right. She is determined to find out the truth. Aria comes off as likable, realistic, and easy to engage with I really enjoyed her a lot.Hunter is the Mystic who saves Aria’s life on a balcony, and keeps popping up places. Hunter is also a very enjoyable character; he is funny, capable, and mysterious.The relationship between the two is absolutely amazing. I love how they interact and buck all of societies trends to find out the truth and try to fix things. You have two people from two absolutely different parts of society, but their placement within their societies is such that they could change the whole world.This is a very creative world. The specifics of what is going on to create this post-apocalyptic type situation aren’t gone into in much detail. We know the water level has risen because of rising global temperatures. We know because of this vast portions of LA are under water. The biggest thing I loved about this world though were the Mystics.The Mystics can use magic in fascinating ways but are persecuted as a danger to humanity. I loved the scenes with the Mystics and their awesome magic. I love how the Mystics presence is integrated into the history of this world and its past. Even more interesting is how the crimelords who run the city drain the Mystics for power to keep the city running.There are some fun twists in the story. Parts of the story are a bit predictable but there was enough going on that I was never bored and could never fully predict what would happen next. The book was excellently written, there are wonderful descriptions throughout and excellent pacing.My only complaint is that I would love to know more about why this world is how it is. I would also like to know more about the world outside of LA.Overall I really loved this book. The idea of throwing a magical race of humans into a post-apocalyptic setting is lots of fun and something I’ve never read before. I love how Aria has to struggle not only through politics and daily life, but with her memory loss to piece together what is happening. Aria and Hunter have a wonderful relationship and I enjoyed how it built over time. I am so excited to see what happens next with the Mystics and their struggle for equality. Highly recommended to those who love fantasy and YA dystopian novels.

[thelostentwife · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When I started reading Mystic City I wasn't thinking I would be thrust into a futuristic New York City - so after being initially taken by surprise, I settled into a story which, other than some fundamental changes, could easily reflect things happening during our own time.Aria Rose, a young woman who is suffering from amnesia, is struggling to be the Juliet to the Romeo of a family who has been her family's enemy for generations. The engagement is set, the wedding is moving forward, but Aria is not feeling as if things are how they should be.And so Hunter is introduced to the story - and we have that love triangle that has become the standard in young adult literature.Love triangles aside, there was some real depth to this story. There is the struggle between high and low classes which include a form of torture in order to keep that class structure intact. There are themes of revolution, true love and sacrifice, and selflessness which keep the story one that survives any parts which might tip over into the cliche.I really enjoyed the kickoff to this series and will be watching for Lawrence's future novels as they are released. It was nice to be more futuristic and still have that fantasy feel - and it was also nice to see the setting one that was familiar here without taking the city into a post-apocalyptic type feel.

[Amy · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I’m just unimpressed. I liked the premise at first, but the writing style was boring and the audiobook was narrated terribly (and the audio quality was bad). I tried with Romeo and Juliet but there is no entertaining form of it for me.

[leftik_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

So, clearly, there's a lot going on. We've got a dystopian society. Within the society there's the warring between families and the rebellion of the underworld (read: magic) people. We've got an interesting take on magic (and fancy gadgets!). Some memory issues. Lies. Deception. Hot dudes. Girl fights. Etc. Etc. Like I said, a lot. Going. On.

Which isn't a bad thing - the plot moves at a quick pace and manages to mostly keep everything in order. There were a few twists and turns (esp. at the end) that probably weren't necessary, but it wasn't enough of a wrench to really throw me off the storyline.

Lawrence dives right into the intrigue - which totally works! - but because the world is kind of...presented as we go, some of the elements can be seen as convenient rather that a restraint of the new world.

I liked all the main characters. I thought some of the secondary characters (Thomas, specifically, and all of Aria's friends) were a bit thin and stereotypical. I also want my villains to be robust and I was left wanting in that category.

But, as I mentioned above, this is a very fast book. Action ALL OVER THE PLACE. And quite a thriller. I'm very, very interested to see what happens in the second book. I just hope a lot of these sort of sloppy elements are cleaned up a bit.

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: A girl tries to move on with her life after losing her memory, but moving on means being a puppet in a political race with her parents. Opening Sentence: The party has begun without me. The Review: Aria knows she loves Thomas Foster. At least that’s what everyone is telling her. Loving someone with no memory of ever meeting them can be pretty tough, even if she does have flashes of memories — sneaking out late at night, meeting in the ghetto area of the Depths, secret kisses… But then she meets Hunter, a rebel mystic that makes her forget her forgetfulness and the stress that comes with it. With a rising rebellion over the horizon and a mystic political candidate that could change life in New York for the worst, Aria has to decide which side she’s on — and which side she believes most. Should she let her parents use her as a political puppet to win the election? Or should she follow her heart — even if she doesn’t remember who she gave it to? This has the forbidden romance of Ally Condie’s Matched, adventure and mystery of Becca Fitzpatrick’s Hush, Hush and twisty plot of Beth Revis’s Across the Universe all rolled into one. Mystics are outcasts — the ones who have the lower jobs and are never to be trusted. Yet at one time they helped build the city that is practically floating on stilts. But they became feared and thus the feuding Rose and Foster families took it into their hands to fix the mystic problems. So mystics are required to be drained of their power twice a year, leaving them as shells of their old self. But a rebellion is brewing of undrained mystics and even a union between a Rose and a Foster might not distract the citizens. I think I’ve found my new favorite series. Imagine Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick as the first book in the series and you’ve pretty much got Mystic City in a nutshell. We don’t know Aria’s past and we don’t know about the dystopian world of Mystics and Aeries. Lawrence weaves an intriguing mystery full of action and suspense and pretty much everything you want in a YA dystopian book. Hunter…oh my. He’s charming, sweet, and can knock a girl off her feet if he really tried. But he has his own secrets and obstacles to overcome. He thinks he’s doing the right thing by staying away from Aria, keeping her from danger and letting her live her life of high-end, classy materials. He’s strong not just physically but also mentally for having to endure the trials (sorry for being vague–can’t spoil the story!). There were multiple consistency problems but that’s due to it being an ARC…but the fabulous writing and unpredictable plot makes up for it. The entire cast of characters are great in themselves, but I thought some of the minor characters could have been mentioned earlier in the story. Manhattan as a dystopian city is absolutely beautiful and can (and will) steal your breath away. Overall this has great potential and Lawrence will definitely be on my “debut-author-to-be-watched” list. I can’t wait until the next installment! (But first I got to wait for this book to come out…) Notable Scene: So little time is left. “Take this.” He folds the locket into my hand. It throbs as if it has a pulse, giving off a faint white glow. “I’m sorry for putting you in danger.” “I would do it all again,” I tell him. “A thousand times.” He kisses me, softly at first, and then so fiercely I can hardly breathe. Rain falls, soaking us, splashing into the canals that twist through the hot, dark city. His chest heaves against mine. The sound of sirens–and gunshots–reverberates between the crumbling, waterlogged buildings. My family is drawing closer. “Go, Aria,” he pleads. “Before they get here.” But footsteps are behind me now. Voices fill my ears. Fingers dig into my arms, tearing me away. “I love you,” he says gently. And then they take him. I scream in defiance, but it is too late. My father emerges from the shadows. He aims the wicked barrel of his pistol at my head. Inside me, something bursts. I always knew this story would break my heart.FTC Advisory: Delacorte Books for Young Readers/Random House provided me with a copy of Mystic City. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[journeythroughpages · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I am going to admit that I read the back of Mystic City, looked at the taglines and wasn't entirely sure how I felt about it. On one hand "Yes! Dystopia! Oo! Messing with memories!" and on the other hand "Oh god, not the true love beats all tagline." Don't get me wrong, I like corny (I am quite a fan of Hunter's rendition of the "Flying Dachshund"), but most of the books toting that tagline are not well written or at least written in an enjoyable way that I can take seriously.As I began to read however, I began to really enjoy the world being created here. I think of it as an Alternate Universe, X-men type world where they came out, them being the Mystics. In shows and comics where people with powers come out there is always the whole "normal people will not accept us" but as they are usually "beginnings" stories, we never quite see what would happen if people didn't accept them due to fear and prejudice. Mystic City is that world.The plot itself follows the daughter of one of the major politicians who have been pushing down the Mystics and using their powers to fuel the city. She wakes up with no memories and is told that she had had a drug overdose, but before than had revealed that she had been sneaking around with her father's political rival and are now engaged, a true Romeo and Juliet story… right?I really enjoy the idea of telling the story after the true courting already happened. It also takes care of that pesky insta-love issue Young Adult Romance books tend to have. It also gave the main character, Aria, a good sense of paranoia to begin with, instead of a naïve rich girl that she could have been.There are many parts that the mystery is completely obvious, but there are others that took me completely by surprise. The pacing is well done, and the end had me gripped. I don't know if there's sequel planned, but honestly I wish the book had gone further, setting up for Aria's next step as opposed to just rehashing the aftermath.Overall this book was not the most amazing book I've read in my life that blew my mind, but I also enjoyed it and I'll probably read it again at sometime and recommend it to friends who enjoy a bit of romantic escapism.

[abouttoread_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Mystic City is a dystopian Romeo & Juliet story. It takes place in New York City (one of my favorite settings), but the city has been severely flooded and kind of sounds similar to Venice (another one of my favorite settings). There are also people with supernatural abilities, and I do love paranormal elements in my stories! Mystic City has a lot of my favorite elements, so I was excited to start reading it, but sadly it did not live up to my expectations. I suppose my biggest issue with the story is that it was a bit predictable. There were quite a few plot elements that I figured out in the beginning of the story, but it took Aria a very long time to put everything together. To be fair, the reasons Aria had difficulty putting the pieces of the puzzle together are understandable, but it didn’t make the plot any less predictable from a reader’s perspective.I did enjoy the forbidden love story, but I think I needed Aria to be a bit braver and slightly more action-oriented for me to really love it. I also needed our “Romeo” & “Juliet” to fight for each other in the beginning and “Romeo” was just too distant at the beginning for my tastes.The ending of Mystic City also didn’t really feel complete to me. There was a lot of tragedy in the end, but I wasn’t really attached to the characters so it wasn’t very emotional or captivating to me. Really good stories pull you into the action and it’s like you’re right there with the characters. With Mystic City, however I felt more like a distant observer than a thoroughly engaged reading.While Mystic City was enjoyable enough, nothing about the book particularly stands out. The plot is a bit predictable, the characters are just ok, and the writing didn’t fully engross me the way I wanted it to.

[thebumblegirl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This an amazingly well written futuristic retelling of Romeo and Juliet!There really is no other way for me to describe it...This story takes place in a an apocalyptic-Manhattan known as Aeries, where the upper elite live in apartment buildings built on high stilts above the Depths, which is what the city used to be and is now drowning and decaying, where the poor and outcasts live. Just like in the original Romeo and Juliet drama, Mystic City has two feuding families - the Rose family and the Foster family... but wait, there's more! A third party is trying to join in the war of who will rule the city - the Mystics. But more on them in a bit.Aria Rose wakes up one day, and has no idea what is going on and how she got into her current situation. Confused, she doesn't remember what caused her "accident", why she doesn't remember anything and most of all, she has a fiance?! And to make things even more complicated, her fiance is Thomas Foster! Wouldn't she remember having a secret love affair with their family's nemesis! And how is it that both families have taken to their deceit and love affair so easily and quickly. And how is it that she can remember everything except for the last week of her life, and him - things just don't add up...Aria is desperate to make a connection with Thomas - shouldn't she be able to feel her love for him even if she can't remember anything? When he looks at her, or even touches her arm - shouldn't that touch burn through her and remind her of what they had? or have? She decides that if she did it once before, she can do it again - she must sneak over and speak to Thomas in private. Maybe then, going through what she has supposedly done may times before, will help her regain her memories.As she's trying to sneak through the city by going through the Depths and tries to remember what paths she would have traveled to get to Thomas, where they must have hidden and met, she gets into some trouble... and then she meets Hunter - a rebel Mystic.Mystics are humans with magical powers - they have been outcast-ed as dangerous and uncaring, the government has forced them to register and their abilities are drained and used to power the city.Aria has been taught in school that these people are menacing, dangerous and to be feared. But when she meets Hunter, and others, she sees for herself that the things that she has been told since the day she was born has all been a lie... and why does Hunter intrigue her so much? Why is it that every time he touches her, it burns right through her? Is it because of his powers...I have to admit, I was a teeny bit disappointed in the love story here. Led to believe that there would be a love triangle of some sort, no, no there isn't. So for those of you who hate love triangle, rejoice!There was so many clues as to what really happened to Aria and who her true love is - and she failed miserably so many times to realize any of it. Could it possibly be that she buried her head in denial, unable to accept what her family is capable of? Perhaps. But, there was just too many instances and it made me really frustrated with her... I would have liked to have seen more passion in the end. I was a bit disappointed with their "undying love" moment. BUT, I do have to admit, that after all is said and done, Aria does come into her own and completely owns up to everything. From the beginning she was determined to discover everything on her own, and now that things have changed, she is determined to face what has happened and take on full responsibility.I am SO looking forward to the next book in this series! Overall, Theo Lawrence did a fabulous job - I really enjoyed the storytelling and world building he did here. And the gorgeous cover really does have an impact and represents Mystic City perfectly. Can't wait to find out what will happen to Aria, Hunter and their families.

[amberfib · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Mystic City is a unique dystopian novel that is set in post-global warming New York. This book captivated me, and after the first few pages, I was hooked. The characters are amazing and, for the most part, well-developed. The world-building is done fairly well, and the concept itself is extremely unique. If you're a fan of dystopian fantasy, this is one book you do not want to miss!Aria is an excellent leading character. There were times that I wanted to smack her, but overall, she was strong and intelligent. Her friends, however, were anything but. Kiki is obnoxious and such a cookie cutter character that I couldn't stand to read about her. Bennie is okay, but nothing terrific. Thomas is a jerk, and I can't stand him. I adore Hunter and Turk, though! Also, some of the secondary characters, such as Elissa and Benedict are extremely interesting. The Roses and the Fosters are both terrifying, and I could not believe the awful things that they do in the name of power. The plot is unique and captivating. I had the mystery figured out with Aria pretty early on, but I still couldn't put the book down. I had to know when she'd figure it out and who else knew what was going on. I also had to know what else was going to happen before she figured everything out. That being said, there still were plenty of surprises! Some of the events really shocked me, and it was all I could do not to flip to the end to see how things end up. Needless to say, this novel is extremely suspenseful. I was kept on the edge of my seat the entire time. Lawrence definitely kept me guessing, and that's a good thing!The world-building is okay, but sometimes I felt that there was so much description that the author was showing more than telling. For the most part, things are pretty balanced, though, and a lot of the descriptions may be edited out before the final version is released. The pacing is pretty spot-on, though it does drag a little bit in the beginning. I would have liked for things to come together more quickly. For the most part, though, I have no complaints. The ending is excellent. It ties up a lot of the loose ends, but leaves room for the sequel. Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves dystopian fantasies. You will not be disappointed!

[missaligirl · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a tricky book for me to review. First off, let me say that the cover is fantastic, I had a bout of insta-love with it! I wish that I had the same feelings for the content of the book.The first part of the book takes you through Aria's engagement party. An engagement that has the entire city watching. An engagement that Aria can not recall, to a boy she can not recall. A boy who should be her enemy. Though I loved the idea of this, the story itself fell flat here. The fist part (for which there are three) of Mystic City moves at a slow pace. The characters are all, including Aria, fairly intolerable people. They are rich and entitled and I disliked them all. Strongly.Enter Hunter. Hunter, the saving grace of this story. Well, somewhat. Mystic City's pace picks up in part two. Aria, unknowingly, makes some connections with people from her past. Pieces begin to fall into place for the reader. Aria herself does not catch on so quickly. She becomes more caring and all around stronger character. The true personalities of the people in Aria's life show themselves and they are far, far from good. Seriously, this girl has some horrid family members! Hunter is pretty wonderful though, but perhaps a bit soft at times.The story of Aria and Hunter finding each other is a sweet one and the world that Lawrence builds is very interesting. It is post global warming Manhattan, where people have been forced to build up and live high above the flooded streets of the past. Only those with "mystic" powers still live below, those who will be drained to power the city in the sky.I don't understand where these mystical powers came from, there is nothing that really explains it. I found that somewhat odd, since the rest of the world is fairly realistic. But it is an interesting twist and I liked the range of the different powers.Part three was even more exciting. Things really hit the fan and Aria is fighting not only for her life but for the lives of those she's come to care about and love. The ending really leaves a lot of room for future installments, I'm not quite sure if I am sold though. It's an all right read and I think there will be many who will enjoy it. I just needed a bit more action.2.5 Stars

[dpchapman · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mystic City is a YA Dystopia that has everything you could want to read. The plot has romance and betrayal, politics and magic and so much more in a post-apocalyptic world.Aria finds herself with missing some of her memories due to a drug overdosed. Memories like that of her secretive romance with Thomas, the son of her family’s enemy. She seems a bit naïve and clueless and a little too accepting of what she is being told. Then she meets Hunter, a mystic, and she feels something for him that she shouldn't.I was surprised at how much I hated Aria’s parents at the end of the book. A few of the characters seem a bit one dimensional to me but I will say that the ending left me wondering what will happen Aria.

[sunflower38_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

My rating is 3.5. This book was entertaining and different that anything I've read, thus far in YA. It wasn't a page turner or one to rave about, as I had hoped, but a good solid read. I'm anticipating that the second in the series will focus more on Hunter. Enabling the reader to connect better with him.

[angelafristoe · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have to admit I chose this book based completely on the cover. I absolutely love the artwork. I just find it so beautiful and what's even better is that the story didn't disappoint.Mystic City is dystopian fantasy story that manages effortlessly blends the magic of the mystics into a futuristic world. Lawrence jumps right into the story and I have to admit that at first I wondered if this was the second book in the series. However I realized by the end of the first chapter that the main character and narrator, Aria, is also feeling as if she's missed something. By the end of the story I was disappointed only because I knew I was going to have to wait for the sequel.I really liked Aria. Although her family was one of the elite, she wasn't snobby nor judgmental towards the 'lower class' mystics, or even her overly-privileged friends. Her confusion between her two love interests, Thomas and Hunter, was well played, although the differences between the two boys actually makes it easier to predict what actually happened to Aria.This was an awesome start to a new series and I look forward to reading more from Lawrence.

[superducky · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Aria = Mary Sue
Aria's Family = Crazy as all hell
Aria's Friends = Shallow and annoying

That's really all there is to say. I could waste time ranting and raving about this book, but I won't. Why? Because I don't really care. I don't care about any of the characters. I didn't form any attachments to them because they were all either clichéd, crazy, annoying as all fuck, or a combination of the three. I just.. Don't care. Not even a little.

[booktwirps · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I’ve read several mixed reviews on this one, and I will admit I can see where all of them are coming from. Some found the book confusing, some loved it, some hated it. I’m happy to say that I liked it a lot more than I loathed it.The story is a bit complex (which in my opinion is a good thing) and handled well. Aria is the youngest daughter of the Rose family, one of Mystic City’s most powerful families. The Roses have a longstanding political rivalry with the Fosters. Think of it as a sort of futuristic Montague and Capulet rivalry. Both families rule heavily in Mystic City (a futuristic Manhattan), often through questionable means (they’re more like a Mob than law-abiding power figures).When Aria wakes up after overdosing on a substance known as Stic, she has very little recollection of her past, and more surprisingly, how it is she became betrothed to Thomas Foster. She’s surprised to find that both families are at peace with the betrothal, and have agreed to put their family feud to rest should the two be married. They believe this will bring peace to the city and help them rise above the Mystics (magical humans who have the ability to do things like walk through walls, manipulate their surroundings, morph into things — think X-men). Regular humans fear the Mystics, yet they rely heavily on them. Mystics are drained of their powers regularly to supply the city with energy. It’s part of a long-standing agreement, but one several Mystics are not happy about.As Aria tries to piece together her fragmented memory, she begins to unravel a web of deceit deeper than even she could have imagined. Searching for answers in the lower levels of Mystic, Aria meets a young man named Hunter who seems very familiar to her and conjures feelings that she should feel for Thomas. Hunter may hold the secrets she looks for, but the truth could cost her, and several others, their lives.As I mentioned before, the story is a little complex, but I really liked it. The world is dark and gritty and dangerous, and the characters complex and engaging. It touches on themes of discrimination and acceptance and is a great study in power struggles in politics.I did notice a few consistency problems, but this was an ARC and I’m sure they’ll be fixed before publication. I enjoyed the writing and the story. This is one I would recommend to lovers of fantasy and sci-fi. It also has a nice romance that even I was able to buy into. I will definitely buy a copy of this for my shelves.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a familiar fantasy story. Upper class young woman discovers that the world she lives in is a lie through falling in love with a member of the lower classes. It has been done before. This rendition, however, is well-done and very readable. Less experienced readers will find the story especially compelling as the story will be newer for them.Aria is the daughter of one of the families that control Manhattan. She is scheduled to marry the scion of the rival family thus ending the rivalry between them. She is told that she is in love with Thomas but doesn't remember falling in love with him. Her family has told her that she has had a bad reaction to a drug called Stic which is made of distilled mystic energy and that her memory loss is because she almost died. She tries very hard to recover her memories and fall in love with Thomas again but isn't very successful. She really doesn't like him.When she travels to the underside of the city where the poor and the drained mystics live, she meets a young man named Hunter and falls for him. Hunter is a mystic who is undrained and who still has his powers. His mother is running for mayor and that lets Aria begin to understand why her parents are so insistent that she marry Thomas and reunite the two rival families. Together they can field a candidate who will be able to defeat her and retain their control of Manhattan.I was especially intrigued by the world that Theo Lawrence created with global warming melting the polar ice and causing the flooding of New York City. The Depths now have canals running where streets ran before. The mystics have been confined to what was once Central Park but which is now almost completely flooded. Aria and her class live high above this flooded land in the Aerie. The city is powered by energy drained from the mystics. People of Aria's class are afraid of what the mystics might do if they weren't kept drained and essentially powerless. The mystics have a variety of powers including being able to heal and being able to hurl energy bolts as weapons. I thought the political intrigue running through the story added to the interest too. I never knew what side some of the characters were on and really hoped that Aria was trusting the right people. I liked the romance between Hunter and Aria which had echoes of the story of Romeo and Juliet up to having them use those names as they corresponded secretly with each other. Watching Aria try to follow the clues and recover the memories her parents stole from her made her a very sympathetic character. Fans of fantasy dystopias will be a good audience for this first book which is, naturally, the first book in a trilogy.

[cantinera · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

More a 3.5. I enjoyed the storyline and the world, but the characters didn't grab me and some of the slang threw me out of the story (more my issue than the book's, I know).

[rmboland · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'll admit it, and I'm probably not the first to, but my heart will always belong to the dystopian genius that is the Hunger Games trilogy. I have yet to find a literary match that invokes the type of emotional roller coaster and soul fulfilling goodness that Suzanne Collins did.With that said however, this book came close. Right off the bat, I was introduced to the dystopian world of Manhattan, New York. I started reading this right around the time hurricane Sandy began it's wrath, so the imagery described of New York mostly submerged in water wasn't hard to picture. This world, and it's back story, was clear and explained very early on in the story-which, unlike other dystopians published recently, was SO refreshing.I was attracted to the personality of Aria Rose almost immediately. She came off as strong and independent, even though the circumstances could have rendered her the complete opposite. I've read about too many female leads in dystopian worlds who were just plain whiny, cowardly and irresponsible. Aria had an honest heart, and stuck to her cause until the very end-I loved that.The violence in this novel kind of took me by surprise, but not in a way that made me want to put it down. Quite the opposite-I admired the author's no holds barred action scenes. It was to the point and wasted no time with unnecessary logic and dialogue. I felt like the scenes were well placed and had just the right amount of thrill.I absolutely loved the secondary characters, especially Hunter and Davida. They were diverse in the their characteristics, and in my opinion, really helped to drive the story forward. Through these characters, and others, Mr.Lawrence was very successful in giving the readers a perspective from both sides-life in the "Depths" below and life in the "Aeries" above. I'm SO excited to read more of their stories in the second novel-Renegade Squad.I recommend this book for people still experiencing Hunger Games withdrawal symptoms. It will soothe some of your longing, I promise!

[sszkutak_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Background: Aria Rose is the daughter of a popular politician. Her family has been at war with the Fosters for generations, and Aria awakes one day to find that she is missing memories and that she is engaged to Thomas Foster, her sworn enemy. Her parents have told her that she overdosed on drugs and Aria is almost positive that she would never even try them, let alone OD on them. Mystic City follows Aria through her attempts to find her lost memory.Review: I heart this book. It was a mix of a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, the dystopian genre, fantasy, and futuristic society. Enemies become lovers, there are mystics-people with power, Manhattan has flooded and the mystics and their families must live in the flooded portions while the rich and normal live above the city, in modern skyscrapers. The setting of this plot was amazing, taking a modern well-known area and creating a dystipian society as well as a futuristic one, was a fun spin on things.The plot much like the setting was very well pieced together, you are always left questioning things and wanting to read more. Aria's family are troubled and headstrong with power, while she is just trying to get through life. Aria is the gentle of her family, still ignorant to the outside world because of a filtered life, but she has compassion for other beings. She was a pleasure to follow through her story.What I think works so well in this book is that from the beginning Aria questions her place, however even while questioning she does try to follow her parents orders. I think that in most teen stories the teens can be overly defiant, Aria on the other hand is more realistic, in that she would like to rebel, but wants more answers before she does. I really liked that about her.As the story proceeds you learn more about Thomas and Aria’s engagement and previous secret romance and the pieces slowly come together.I really enjoyed this book, the action and suspense is fun and leaves you full of anxiety. Can't wait for more.

[greatimaginations · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I don't even know where to start with this review. Here I am, days later, and I am still so conflicted about this book. In theory, I loved it. Mystic City had every element of a book I should love: magic, romance, drama, intrigue, suspense, etc. And yet I found that it fell sort of flat in its execution. Not completely, but enough that it hindered my enjoyment of the story.The most important part of this book was the setting. Hands down. Without that, this book wouldn't work. This was a futuristic NYC with technology that ran completely on mystic energy. Electricity was never mentioned but I am assuming they don't use it anymore. There were two areas of NYC: The Depths, which was a lot like a futuristic Venice, complete with flooded canals and gondolas; and, The Aeries, which was where all the rich people and government officials lived. They lived up at the tops of skyscrapers with bridges and roads and futuristic mystic-powered trains connecting them. I kinda loved the world building. It reminded me of a cross between Zanarkand from Final Fantasy X and Stark from the computer game The Longest Journey and Dreamfall. Incidentally, if you haven't played any of those games, you are truly missing out. But here's the thing. As much as I loved the setting, I just feel like it fell sort of flat. The writing wasn't vivid. There was a lot of telling. I was missing sensory language and description that would have made me more able to mentally picture the setting, which I think was a huge part of why the book sort of failed for me. I hate to use that word, because I did like parts of it. But without a believable, vivid setting, I am going to complain. I am such a sucker for a great setting, and very rarely do I love books that don't have one. Where the book shined though was in its story. I actually really loved the story. It was suspenseful, exciting, and truly kept me turning those pages. I didn't love the characters but I didn't dislike them, and to a point I cared what happened to them, which was enough for me to really enjoy what was going on. Basically, the rich government that lives in The Aeries controls the city. Aria is the daughter of a powerful family that has their hands deep in the corrupt government. She is engaged and supposedly in love with the other powerful family's son, Thomas. Problem is, she has no recollection of falling in love with him and getting engaged. They claim she overdosed on drugs and lost her memory. But right away, we know something is afoot.She meets Hunter, a boy from The Depths and she starts to question all she has been told. And that is really where the story begins. It's kind of got a Romeo and Juliet vibe complete with guns and organized crime. I can't tell you much without revealing spoilers, but there is a ton of action and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I loved the magic in this book. I thought it was brilliantly rendered. But the city itself, not so much. It's hard to explain in words. I liked Aria. I thought she was written well. She wasn't a favorite character and there were times when she did get on my nerves, but for the most part I found myself rooting for her. I don't understand why she put up with some of the crap that she did, and I don't get why she didn't stand up for herself more, but every character is supposed to have flaws. It makes them more realistic. It's just all about whether the reader can deal with those flaws. And in this case I could, because I respected a lot of the relationships she had with the people around her. One thing I don't get though? And I am not sure if this is a plot hole or what, but why didn't she and Hunter just leave? If there are other mystic cities out there (as is mentioned more than once), why didn't they just LEAVE? Sneak out? It was never even an option! But if you are so worried about getting killed and you truly love each other, pack up your shit AND GO! Maybe I missed something, but I never could figure that out. Anyway, I don't want to tell anyone not to read this book. Because most of it I really enjoyed. I'm going to read the next one. I think a lot of the problems I had might be personal ones. I have particular preferences that another reader might not have. In some cases, I feel like I am nitpicking. But somehow parts of this book did not work for me. That doesn't mean they won't work for you. You know that if I found a book absolutely terrible and not worth reading, I would say so. This is not one of those books. So take from that what you will.