Keeper of the Lost Cities (Keeper of the Lost Cities, #1)

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Keeper of the Lost Cities (Keeper of the Lost Cities #1)

by Shannon Messenger (Goodreads Author)

4.36 of 5 stars 4.36 · rating details · 591 ratings · 170 reviews

Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster has a secret. She’s a Telepath—someone who hears the thoughts of everyone around her. It’s a talent she’s never known how to explain.

Everything changes the day she meets Fitz, a mysterious boy who appears out of nowhere and also reads minds. She discovers there’s a place she does belong, and that staying with her family will place her in grave...more

Hardcover, 488 pages

Published October 2nd 2012 by Aladdin

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Lists with This Book

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

Middle Grade Novels of 2012

5th out of 281 books — 446 voters

2012 Debut Authors (Young Adult & Middle Grade)

108th out of 799 books — 4,585 voters

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Feb 14, 2013 Shannon Messenger added it · (Review from the author)

Okay, I may be biased here. But I think it's pretty darn awesome. :D *is an incredibly nerdy author*

30 likes · like · see review

Oct 15, 2012 Sara McClung rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: absolute-faves, read-in-2010, read-in-2011

ALL KINDS OF AWESOME. Seriously am in love with this book/series and its characters.

KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES is a fantasy mystery of epic proportions--and it's captivating from page one.

While it's perfectly fitted for middle grade readers (even reluctant readers will burn through this and beg for more!) I have to be honest and say that I don't read very much middle grade. But I'm 31, and this book is still one of my all-time favorites. The reach of KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES extends from those...more

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Jul 10, 2012 Mrs.Heise rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dac2012-debut-author, middle-grade, conf-ala-2012, fantasy, all-time-favorites

SO good! Loved this middle grades fantasy novel by wonderful debut author. Will definitely appeal to fans of Harry Potter and The Unwanteds. *Full review to come*

Review originally posted on Heise Reads & Recommends

A few months from now you'll be able to get this book, and you should (especially if you live or work with middle schoolers in any capacity)! KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES blew me away. I knew I really liked Shannon Messenger from following her on twitter and on her blog, and then when...more SO good! Loved this middle grades fantasy novel by wonderful debut author. Will definitely appeal to fans of Harry Potter and The Unwanteds. *Full review to come*

Review originally posted on Heise Reads & Recommends

A few months from now you'll be able to get this book, and you should (especially if you live or work with middle schoolers in any capacity)! KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES blew me away. I knew I really liked Shannon Messenger from following her on twitter and on her blog, and then when I heard she had a middle grades and a young adult book coming out as her debut, I was really looking forward to reading them-especially when I read the summary of each. As a middle school teacher, I was hoping I would like KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES, and I am happy to say that I loved it! I would definitely recommend this middle grades magical fantasy to fans of HARRY POTTER and THE UNWANTEDS. It is a long book, but as it is written so well for the middle grades level, it isn't overwhelming. There is something just so engaging and fun and entertaining in Shannon Messenger's third person, descriptive, writing style, and I devoured this book in two days and didn't want to stop reading until I knew what would happen to these characters and world I wanted to be a part of.

Let's talk about Setting: Shannon Messenger has created an astoundingly creative fantasy world within KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect from the summary alone, and I never expected the "place that is vastly different form what she has ever known" to be so well-developed and thought out. As I was reading an advance reader copy, it was missing the map artwork, so I look forward to getting a finished copy to enhance the reading experience even more. The world of the elves (and not what you ever pictured elves to be) is filled with fantastical creatures (especially love Iggy!), magically evolved elements, and cities built with beyond-this-world materials. This parallel world is such a discovery, not only for Sophie, but for the reader as well. The way it is described made me want to go live there as well. Beyond the Lost Cities within the elven world themselves, there is also Foxfire, which is the school for the nobility that Sophie ends up in. It is a school where she will be trained in her special ability and where she discovers people, places, things, strength, and friendships beyond what she ever would have imagined, and what I would have imagined as well.

We have to talk about Characters: KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES is full of interesting, multidimensional characters. The only thing that threw me a little bit as I read this book was the number of characters because their names are not ones we're used to hearing, so it did take awhile to keep track of who was who in the beginning. Not only do we get Sophie who has to make some tough decisions and look for people to support her, but we also get Fitz and his family, along with a multitude of other characters throughout the elf world. We see some of the most interesting jobs as Sophie meets these characters which adds to our understanding of how this world works. As she goes to school, we also meet Dex and Keefe among other classmates, and these two become some of the most entertaining characters to interact with Sophie. I kind of adore Keefe myself. He is the snarky guy who brings the humor that Sophie so desperately needs as she adjusts to her new life, and deep down, he is a really good, caring boy. We get some hints as to deeper things going on with Keefe, and I hope we get more of him in the next book. I also really adore Sophie. She has core values that I admire and fights for what she believes and knows is the right thing, even if it means she might get into trouble. I rooted for her as she is a young girl with so much strength and determination to do the right thing and help those she cares about. She is a strong character for the audience of this book.

Talking about Family is important: Sophie has to leave her family to join this hidden world where she actually belongs, and that means she is in a new place, realizing everything she thought she knew is not the way the world actually works, and has no family to rely on and call her own. When she gets placed with guardians to take responsibility for her, she has a whole new set of relationship dynamics to work on. In the end, the storyline with Sophie searching for family and her understanding of loss, adds such depth to the character and the overall book, and adds a dimension that I think many kids will relate to. I know these elements of searching for family to love her and support her and call her own brought some of the most poignant moments of the story for me. Because what child doesn't want a family to feel safe with and loved by? There was much more of an emotional element to this book than I expected going into it, and that's a great thing.

Now let's talk about Plot: While all of the subplots going on in this book add depth and interest to the story, the overall conflict at hand is a mystery as to why Sophie was living in the human world. Unfortunately, as Sophie is so young, the adults looking into things don't want to include her in the search, but as the clues build up, Sophie has to take it upon herself to try to find out what's happening and why and who is behind it. Messenger has written a novel with a tightly woven plot strongly balancing small elements, character development, descriptive details, world-building information, and enough action to keep things moving at an engaging pace.

I want to talk Sequel: I know a sequel is coming, and I can't wait to read it! Although I knew there would be a book following this one, I still feel that this book wrapped up its storyline in a satisfying way. There are no major cliffhangers here, but it still sets up where the second book will go for the next school year. I appreciate this so much because I don't feel like I've been left hanging, but I'm left with enough of a love for this book/world/characters that I definitely want to get my hands on the next book asap, and I hope you'll feel that way about this one, too!

I think this book will be a big middle grades hit for those who like fantasy and mystery books. From the Preface at the very start, I was hooked on the story as I was instantly pulled into what would have happened to get Sophie to this point. As the story wound it's way toward that time near the end, it became even more engaging. I think if you are a teacher or librarian or parent of middle school age kids, you and they will feel the same. I absolutely recommend you get KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES in October.(less)

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Oct 10, 2011 Karen added it

I read it in its pre-agent days but it's fabulous! :)

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Jun 14, 2013 Shannon O'Donnell rated it 5 of 5 stars

Let me say, I easily gave this book 5 STARS--I never even considered anything less. It is absolutely wonderful. I laughed, I cried (hard), I cheered and held my breath. I loved every character and think Sophie is MG heroine perfection. This is truly one of my favorite middle grade stories of the year!

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Feb 09, 2013 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Could not put this book down! I stayed in bed this morning until I finished it. My 10 year old finished her copy before me and was beaming with how much she like it. Shannon's writing is delightful and engaging, and somehow pervasive with the hope of cupcakes at the end.

The magic is enchanting, the characters full of life. Sophie is pitch perfect with her wild 12-year old emotions which could completely empathize with. She experiences an isolation that many 12-year olds go through only hers beco...more

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Mar 15, 2013 Viv rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-books

I picked up this book after reading so many positive reviews on GoodReads and it sure didn't disappoint me. The book had me hooked from page one. It has enough suspense to lead readers on and wanting find out what's behind all the hush-hush, "highly classified" secrets and what's up with the girl Sophie!

It's another series that's got the Harry Potter style but instead of magic with wands and potions, this has more sci-fi elements in it. I usually shun away from sci-fi books because I just don't...more I picked up this book after reading so many positive reviews on GoodReads and it sure didn't disappoint me. The book had me hooked from page one. It has enough suspense to lead readers on and wanting find out what's behind all the hush-hush, "highly classified" secrets and what's up with the girl Sophie!

It's another series that's got the Harry Potter style but instead of magic with wands and potions, this has more sci-fi elements in it. I usually shun away from sci-fi books because I just don't find them interesting (yes, I fell asleep watching Star Wars and Star Trek). However, this author did a great job on mixing the sci-fi elements into the fantasy plot without overwhelming the readers.

Sophie Foster is a 12-year-old prodigy with photographic memory who became telepathic after an accident at the age of 5. On a museum tour with her class, she met a boy who changed her life and turned her world upside down from the moment he told her that she's not human and "they" had been looking for her for 12 years. Most important of all, the boy told her that she doesn't belong to the human world and her family isn't really her family; in fact, her very existence will put her family in danger. Thus, "in the blink of an eye", Sophie had to leave everything she knew and had behind and start a new life in a place that she has never heard of.

As she started her new life by learning new things and rules, more and more "talents" and strange knowledge and secrets buried in Sophie's memory unraveled and made everyone wonder who is Sophie? Why does she exist with so many "talents/abilities"? Who are her real parents? Well, you got to read the book to find out.

This is no doubt a book for middle grade readers (grade 4-6+). It will be enjoyed by many Harry Potter fans, if they are opened to the sci-fi elements in the book. It's a bit thick but the story is fairly smooth and easy to read without too many complicated/BIG sci-fi vocabulary. There's good amount of humor in the story so a reader doesn't have to frown all the way to the end. I liked the part where the author teased about we humans always trying to make sense of things or hide things they don't really know or never really see by "making things up"...it's so true!!! The book also touched on the some environmental issues. Since the story was set in California (San Diego), brush fire and pollution gets to play a (pretty big) part in the story.

It’s a book that has many interesting perspectives about the human world, but it's not dry and boring. It's definitely a book I will recommend to 4th graders and up. And sure enough, I already have a copy in the library for kids! Oh and yes, I am looking forward to share this book with my colleagues and I can't wait to read the book #2!
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Jul 17, 2012 Jill Kaplan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, signed, mg, favorites

Originally posted on my blog: http://swiminbooks.blogspot.com/2012/...

There are so many things that go through my mind when I think of this book. I could go on and on about character development and pacing, but that’s not what the book is all about. Since this is one of the first MGs I’ve read in awhile, I can’t compare it to anything but what I remember of those experiences. But I will do my best to explain why this book is so freaking awesome.
I had more fun reading Keeper than I have reading...more Originally posted on my blog: http://swiminbooks.blogspot.com/2012/...

There are so many things that go through my mind when I think of this book. I could go on and on about character development and pacing, but that’s not what the book is all about. Since this is one of the first MGs I’ve read in awhile, I can’t compare it to anything but what I remember of those experiences. But I will do my best to explain why this book is so freaking awesome.
I had more fun reading Keeper than I have reading a book in awhile. I probably looked like a crazy person when I was reading because I couldn’t stop smiling and giggling and squealing. Although this book does not have magic in it, there are awesome fantasy components like elves and powers. There’s mystery and wonderful adventures. I did not want to put this book down for even a second.
One of the reasons I adored Keeper so much was because even though Sophie was just a few years younger than most YA protagonists, her experiences were drastically different. She’s still a just girl, and this was so refreshing for me. I read mostly YA, and the protagonists are often struggling with impending adulthood and decisions that shape their lives. In this book, Sophie was experiencing being a teenager for the first time, and was just learning about love and loss and heartbreak. I loved experiencing so many firsts that aren’t always included within the YA genre.
I fell in love with every character. Each had their own endearing traits. I loved all three potential crushes. And although Keefe and Dex were fabulous boys, my heart belongs to Fitz. He and Sophie just had this connection which intrigues me and draws me to him. Each of the boys were totally different, and that’s what makes me so interested in the romantic developments in the sequel.
The plot was amazing, it had elements of mystery and fantasy. I was completely thrown by every twist and turn, and it contains an element of surprise that was unpredictable. The pacing was perfect and fast; I found I couldn’t flip the pages quick enough. I really felt an emotional tie to everything about Keeper. I absolutely fell in love with this book. I’d recommend this to fantasy lovers, though it is unfortunate that I haven’t read many in that genre. I’d even dare to say that this book is for fans of Harry Potter. This book ties together with an epic explosion that settles to reveal five stars. So yeah, if you didn’t catch that, I’m giving this book five stars. I’m so happy to say that this book has opened my eyes to not just one, but two genres I have yet to really explore. Although I’m not sure if anything can really hold a candle to Keeper of the Lost Cities, I am ready to test the waters! Mark your calendars, you do not want to miss Shannon Messenger’s marvelous MG debut!

Rating: 5/5 stars

Note: This is one of the ARCs I brought home from ALA.
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Aug 23, 2012 Sasha rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of Harry Potter and/or Percy Jackson

Shelves: middle-grade, simon-and-schuster, fantasy, read-in-2012-favorites, unexpectedly-enjoyed, read-in-2012

4.5 stars

Full disclosure: I do, in fact, know Shannon in real life and met her before I read Keeper of the Lost Cities; however this is my professional opinion of her work.

Despite the fact that I don’t read middle grade that often (I’ve only read a handful of MGs), and the fact that I don’t particularly care for third person POV, Shannon Messenger’s debut middle grade, Keeper of the Lost Cities, has been one of my favorite reads of the year. Messenger writes a story that children will find adven...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Steph (Poetry to Prose) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, middle-grade, bea-2012, 2012-dac, favorites-of-2012, read-in-2012, the-good-stuff, fantasy

Original review: http://www.poetrytoprose.com/?p=2148

I wish I had read more books like Shannon Messenger’s Keeper of the Lost Cities when I was younger, but I’m so glad to be able to read this now. This book is a winning combination of excellent characters and an exciting adventure, all while also being very heartfelt and touching.

To start off with, Sophie is the best type of main character. She was so interesting (she’s twelve, but in high school...WHAT) and I really enjoyed her journey of self...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Faith Hough rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, for-the-boys, upper-middle-grade

I needed a few days to write this review, because if I had written it right away, it would have been one big chunk of gushing. I haven't read a middle grade fantasy that kept me as enthralled through all its pages since Harry Potter.
KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES is the story of twelve-year-old Sophie Foster, who has never quite fit into her family or her life. She has a photographic memory, is at the top of her (high school) class, and is constantly bombarded by the pounding of other people's thoug...more

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Mar 19, 2013 Ashley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, fantasy

Wow......I laughed I cried (!I don't do that!) I smiled and sighed. So far I've never rated a book with 5 stars so this is pretty major. At first I thought that it wouldn't really be all that interesting....partly because the main character is 12....but boy was I wrong! I absoluely loved it. I'd recomend it to anybody. READ IT!

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Jan 02, 2013 Katherine rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book and I think fans of Harry Potter will as well. I've read some reviews that refer to it as a Harry Potter knock-off, but these people have to realize that old saying "there is nothing new under the sun." Yes, this is a lot like Harry Potter, but that's probably why I enjoyed it.

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May 23, 2013 Epic Girl rated it 5 of 5 stars

**SPOILERS:** Please don't read any spoilers! I want you to read the book, the book is way more detailed anyway.
Note: If you don't want to see any spoilers then just read this:

I find this book perfect, especially for fantasy-lovers like me, and I could not be more fond of a book, to be honest. It has all types of things (which I mean... well.. you'll find out.) and the great thing about it is that it's so much more complicated than just magic! It involves telepathy, telekinesis, empathy, pyroki

...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Erin Wienand rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-books, fantasy

I picked up this book thinking it might be a little entertaining. I didn't expect much seeing that it's a middle grade book. I couldn't have been more wrong. This book hooked me right from the first page and never let up. In the day it took me to read this book, I laughed, cried, and yelled at the characters as though I actually could have interacted with them. It reminded me so much of Harry Potter, except with a female protagonist and the fact that they are all elves instead of witches or wiza...more

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Mar 13, 2013 C. Lee McKenzie rated it 4 of 5 stars

What if you're a twelve-year-old girl, living a sort of normal life in San Diego (if you don't count being able to read minds). And what if suddenly a handsome kid appears and tells you you're the "elf" his kind has been searching for since you were born? Well, that's how Keeper of the Lost Cities begins. From then on Sophie's fantastic story takes off on a journey to ancient lost cities, conspiracies, kidnapping and one girl's-- AKA "elf's"--struggle to belong.

The book is well-paced. The dialog...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Ms. Library rated it 4 of 5 stars

So, you're feeling the Percy Jackson/Harry Potter void, huh? And you're saying you want another really fun fantasy middle grade novel, with a bit of a school setting, but lots of adventure?
Look no further, because I present the Keeper of the Lost Cities as a fun offering. This is Messenger's first novel, and it definitely feels it at times, but its definitely a a fun and worthwhile read.
Sure, you have some tropes here: The main character, Sophie, is twelve when she is spirited away to another w...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Moussa Niang rated it 5 of 5 stars

1) This book was exciting because it has one of my favorite genres,fantasy. I say fantasy because it is about a girl named Sophie Foster. She is a telepath and an elf. Sophie meets another elf named Fitz. She tries to have a normal life as an elf and it's hard because she has to leave her fake parents who raised her for 12 years. She goes to a school called FoxFire. She doesn't know any one except Fitz, Alden,and Bronte. She tries to make new friends,but is shy. She meets Dex an elf that is good...more

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Dec 05, 2012 Summer the last Airbender rated it 5 of 5 stars

"Bewitching","miraculous","spellbinding" and other magical words are the only things that can attempt to describe this unbelievably good book! Being around Sophie's age I found this book completely relate able too (besides the fact I'm not a magical creature. Although I would love to be one!)and so much fun to read! The book sweeps you off your feet into a fantasy world of elves, allowing you to forget all the problems in real life and watch Sophie as she faces her own. I felt a connection with...more

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Oct 06, 2012 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars

I've seen KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES advertised as both the new Harry Potter and Hunger Games. Now, it shares a lot of DNA with the Harry Potter books, but I think the Hunger Games comparison just means they think it's going to be big.

Sophie Foster always knew she wasn't normal. For one thing, she was a prodigy. For another, she could read minds. But she didn't know there were others like her until a boy found her in a museum and explained that she was an elf and needed to go home and live with h...more I've seen KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES advertised as both the new Harry Potter and Hunger Games. Now, it shares a lot of DNA with the Harry Potter books, but I think the Hunger Games comparison just means they think it's going to be big.

Sophie Foster always knew she wasn't normal. For one thing, she was a prodigy. For another, she could read minds. But she didn't know there were others like her until a boy found her in a museum and explained that she was an elf and needed to go home and live with her people. Suddenly Sophie must leave behind the people she thought were her family and adapt to a new land, where she already has some enemies due to her unusual upbringing. But she does get to go to magic school! (Sophie is somewhat less excited about this than Harry.)

KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES doesn't fall into the dystopian fiction category, but Shannon Messenger does seem to understand dystopias better than many of the authors writing in that genre. Shangri-La is supposed to be a land of peace and understanding, where people have money but don't need it. But things are clearly not as good for the common people as the nobility. Sophie is frequently brought before a tribunal on unfair charges, and references are made to precedents that might not have been the best rulings. Plus there's someone using magic to set fires in the human world - and no one wants to do a thing about it.

For the most part, KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES is really fun. Sophie is special, but not too special. She's neither good at alchemy nor transporting herself from place to place. The fact that she gave up her family is not forgotten and integrating into a new family isn't easy. And, of course, magical schools are always exciting. Messenger's magic system seems pretty well defined, which is always a good thing.

I did have some problems with the story. Considering KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES is about a twelve year old, there is a lot of emphasis on boys and dating. Sophie has no less than three prospective suitors. It's also quite long for a middle grade novel. I think relutant readers will remain reluctant when faced with close to five hundred pages. Harry Potter built up to longer entries in the series.

The plot also jumps around. There's the learning and socializing, finding the arsonist, and finding out the secrets of her past. I thought the arsonist would be the action plot contained to KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES, but the fiend's identity remains undiscovered at the end of the novel. There's a decent amount of action, but I just wanted a little more.

I enjoyed KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES and think Shannon Messenger is an author to watch, but I'm not convinced that the Lost Cities is the next Harry Potter. I do think that the many fans who have read the Harry Potter series (likely more than once) and want to read something new will probably enjoy KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES. It's also a good pick for Artemis Fowl fans. (less)

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Jul 30, 2012 Allison rated it 5 of 5 stars

Alright, I will start this off by saying that this book was written by my little sister....and for you to fully understand what this means I must explain a few things to you. Shannon has always been the over achiever in the family, she's younger than me, yet managed to graduate a couple days before me, 4.0 and valedictorian no less! She graduated college, which I never even went to, and she always manages to do things like change the lightbulbs, wear accessories and eyeliner, and bring a jacket...more

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Dec 28, 2012 Patricia J. O'Brien rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm kind of stingy with Five Stars, and I read more YA and adult than middle grade, so this rating says loud and clear how much I love KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES. It's one of the strongest debut novels I've read. I was captivated by the exciting plot and well-drawn characters so that I didn't want to put the book down.

Sophie, a twelve-year-old prodigy and telepath, finds out abruptly that the reason she's never fit into the human world very well is she's an elf. She has to leave her human family...more

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Oct 28, 2012 Regina rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 17, 2012 Turtles rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-modern

The synopsis of this book didn't do it justice by far! I thought it was going to be aliens! Especially by that cover which looks like 2 kids on a laser or something. This book was actually a fantasy, much like Harry Potter... there is a secret world, of Elves. In "Keeper of the Lost Cities" Sophie is a 12 year old genius on a senior class trip to the museum. Sophie is super smart, but along with her smarts, she has to hide her ability to read mind. While at the museum she meets Fitz, and she can...more The synopsis of this book didn't do it justice by far! I thought it was going to be aliens! Especially by that cover which looks like 2 kids on a laser or something. This book was actually a fantasy, much like Harry Potter... there is a secret world, of Elves. In "Keeper of the Lost Cities" Sophie is a 12 year old genius on a senior class trip to the museum. Sophie is super smart, but along with her smarts, she has to hide her ability to read mind. While at the museum she meets Fitz, and she can't read him. They discover she is a misplaced Elf on Earth. She visits the Elf Kingdom and was planning to enroll in their school. But when Sophie is almost snatched in her yard, her safety is at risk so her family's memories of her are wiped. She starts school while living with a host family. The book goes on about the ingenious world the author portrays of the Elf world, which is also inhabited by other mystical species. It got a little schooly, in a good way. Sophie starts off struggling with things like alchemy, the rules of science have flipped since alchemy is nothing like chemistry. But as she goes on she discovers more than her eye color is different, her gifts are off the charts and she also seems to have secret knowledge about a rogue group and a mysterious spell that may be related to the fires consuming the human world.

I had many flash backs to the Harry Potter world in this book. Instead of a Wizarding world, we're introduced to an Elvish world with gifts of Telepahy, Mesmerism, and Pyrokinesis instead of spells. Unique cities, hidden and unknown to humans reminded me of the places hidden in plain sight. Instead of Wizarding cards from packs of chocolate frogs, we have pins of mythical animals. Instead of a floo network we have light travel and nexus bracelets. Instead of Bertie Blotts every flavor beans, you had to lick your locker open to a new flavor every day; whether it's apples or socks is up to the teacher who chose the flavor.

I liked this book a lot, but it felt like it needed some polishing. All of the characters acted the same age, with Sophie as the most mature 12 year old ever and her friend's father (a distinguished Telepath) giggled at jokes. The magic and intricacies of the school were awesome but it fit oddly into the book. All of the foreshadowing and hints lacked subtly, they fell like an anvil. Thunk! Personally, I didn't like her new family, and (view spoiler) The end scenes read rushed and I had trouble figuring out what was going on. Despite the glaringly obvious mystery, it was still interesting and I liked finding out what was going to happen next. I loved the magic of the world and the imagery of the classes of people and species fit in great. It was flawed, but worked well in the story. Sophie was a great lead girl, her strengths and weaknesses were assets to her character. (less)

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Aug 31, 2012 Ashley Brooke rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-faves

'Fablehaven' by Brandon Mull. 'The Emerald Atlas' by John Stephens. 'Vampirates' by Justin Somper. 'Harry Potter' by JK Rowling. 'Knightley Academy' by Violet Haberdasher. These are all great juvi (middle grade) titles that entertain kids 8 to 108. After sailing through this amazing read, I must add 'Keeper of the Lost Cities' to that list!

'Keeper of the Lost Cities' by Shannon Messenger is a fantastic book. You don't want to miss out on the pure enjoyment found in this debut novel. 'Keeper of t...more 'Fablehaven' by Brandon Mull. 'The Emerald Atlas' by John Stephens. 'Vampirates' by Justin Somper. 'Harry Potter' by JK Rowling. 'Knightley Academy' by Violet Haberdasher. These are all great juvi (middle grade) titles that entertain kids 8 to 108. After sailing through this amazing read, I must add 'Keeper of the Lost Cities' to that list!

'Keeper of the Lost Cities' by Shannon Messenger is a fantastic book. You don't want to miss out on the pure enjoyment found in this debut novel. 'Keeper of the Lost Cities' follows Sophie, a 12 year old girl with incredible smarts and the ability to hear peoples thoughts. She's a bit of an outsider, being a 12 year old high school senior and never really feeling like she fit in completely with her family, either. Until, that is, she meets a mysterious boy who tells her that she is far more than an ordinary human.

I won't lie-- I loved reading 'Keeper of the Lost Cities'. It was the most enjoyable read I've had in a long time. Everything from beginning to end was perfect. 'Keeper of the Lost Cities' literally had a little of everything-- awesome characters, a well paced plot, inklings of future romance, a very cool world and an addicting writing style.

The plot's pacing was perfect. I've found since starting this blog that one of my biggest pet peeves is when the plot is uneven (fast here, slow here, etc), but 'Keeper of the Lost Cities' was perfectly paced.

Another great thing about pacing? There is a complete story told in 'Keeper of the Lost Cities', even though it is the first of three novels. While there are still unanswered questions and there is clearly something happening in Sophie's new world we don't know about, there are other ideas and themes that do come full circle within the 500 pages of this debut novel.

The characters? Love them. Sophie was a 12 year old lead with a voice that was completely readable to readers of all ages. The secondary characters are equally as fantatic as Sophie. Fitz and Keefe, two of the three guys who may or may not find love in future volumes, made my favorite characters list almost instantly after they were introduced. And the good doctor (whose name I am forgetting at the moment)? I found myself looking forward to Sophie getting hurt just so we could have some of that quick witted dialogue between her and him. He might just be one of my favorite adult characters in a juvi novel!

I have no complaints about 'Keeper of the Lost Cities'. It deserves high honors. I guarantee you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll fall in love, and you'll have a blast while reading. It's a fantastic read!

'Keeper of the Lost Cities' gets five stars from me (surprise, surprise!). If you like contemporary fantasy tales with heartfelt characters and great plots, you need to add 'Keeper of the Lost Cities' to your 'to read' list. You won't regret it!(less)

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Oct 12, 2012 TheBookSmugglers rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: mg, terrible-books

Original review posted on The Book Smugglers

Thea’s Take:

There are two ends of the CG animated movie spectrum. On the one side, there are gems like Wall-E and Up and Toy Story. On the other, there are the lamentable films like Fly Me to the Moon, or Robots, or Shark Tale. Granted, many kids like all of these films and there is some entertainment value to find in each of them – but there’s a huge difference in storytelling skill and in quality.

Unfortunately, Keeper of the Lost Cities falls deep on...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Xander rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sophie Foster is not a normal twelve year old girl. She is a telepath; she can hear the thoughts of everyone around her. Then one day she meets Fitz, another telepath whose thoughts she can’t hear. He tells her that she’s an elf and changes her life forever. She is forced to leave the human world and live with Grady and Edaline in their mansion in the elf world. As Sophie learns to feel at home both at school, and at the mansion, she has to start all over in school and learn the true meanings of...more

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Mar 15, 2013 Robyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's impossible not to compare 'keeper of the lost cities' to harry potter, and there are many similarities in the story arc, and even in some of the characters.......but messenger does create a unique and fascinating mythology for her magical universe and gives it dimensional details and works in plenty of believable backstory, foreshadowing and plot twists and turns, and sophie's quest to discover how she fits into the world when she feels completely out of place will ring true for readers......more

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Dec 29, 2012 Kirsten rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: THE WORLD

Recommended to Kirsten by: ...me

Shelves: very-favorite

So you know how there's that little sign that appears when you hover over the 5 stars? Well just in case you don't know, it says 'it was amazing'.
And I couln't have said it better myself, becaaaause...

IT WAS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I bought this book from B&N the other day almost by mistake.....
Best. Mistake. EVER.
Okay, well not ever...but you get the point.
The author kiiinda did said NOTHIGN about the wholoe mystery and the Black Swan and the Project Moonlark thin...more

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Oct 09, 2012 Ashley (yAdult Review) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, autographed, favorites, blog

Originally posted at Nose in a Book

I would love to blame Tina for the fact I’m reviewing a “middle school” book, but Tina isn’t at fault. The author of this book is. That’s right, I’m blaming the author Shannon Messenger. It’s okay, I can, I’m friends with the author. Friends in the sense I bother her via email and twitter. But that won’t skew the review. I recently became friends with Messenger via snark, Saved by the Bell, and mocking of each other. I’ve read her blog for awhile now and quietl...more Originally posted at Nose in a Book

I would love to blame Tina for the fact I’m reviewing a “middle school” book, but Tina isn’t at fault. The author of this book is. That’s right, I’m blaming the author Shannon Messenger. It’s okay, I can, I’m friends with the author. Friends in the sense I bother her via email and twitter. But that won’t skew the review. I recently became friends with Messenger via snark, Saved by the Bell, and mocking of each other. I’ve read her blog for awhile now and quietly kept to myself, one day I wasn’t quiet anymore, commented and we quickly bantered back and forth and amazingly I haven’t scared her yet! (YAY!) It’s probably for the best Shannon doesn’t live closer to me because we would eat all the In-N-Out Cheeseburgers and she would get no work done. But as awesome as Messenger is, her book is even more awesome.

Really, it is possible. Almost every email to Tina during the period of me reading this book involves me yelling at Tina “YOU NEED TO READ KEEPER NOW.” The book is about a girl named Sophie, who’s 12 and in high school. Right?! I didn’t enjoy high school when I had to go through it I can’t picture having to go through it at the age of 12. But Sophie has a secret, Sophie is a Telepath. Has been since the age of 5 and no one knows. However one day a boy name Fitz appears and tells her that she isn’t alone. That he, too, can read minds, but he isn’t from here.

He’s from another world, a world that knows nothing about where she’s from. An ATM? An iPod? They know nothing about this technology. It is an amazing world that Messenger built because it is nothing like the United States in 2012. She had to create a whole new world, that is similar to the world we live in and yet nothing like it at all, all at the same time. Also, Messenger’s world building? Amazing. She thought of everything, down to the smallest detail which is much appreciated as a reader.

Once in the “new world,” Sophie is taken in by a family made up of Grady and Edaline, who have their own background issues, that get explained Messenger makes them, and family such an important part of this story to the point I may have shed a tear or two (okay many) various times in the story because I wanted to reach in and grab certain characters and tell them it would be okay, even though, to be honest, I had no idea myself if everyone would be okay. I only hoped.

Sophie is also extremely realistic. She has a stuffed blue elephant, who she can’t live without and is one of the few things she takes from her current life before going to her new life. She freaks out, she doesn’t fit in, she’s an extremely realistic 12 year old girl. And then there are the boys in her life. The first boy in her life is Fitz. He’s literally the first boy in her new life, he is a fellow telepath who’s parents help her become accustomed to her new world. Then there is Dex, who ends up being her BFF, he hates Fitz with a passion and doesn’t trust him, but trusts Sophie. Last there is the ‘bad’ boy, Keefe. Oh Keefe, he’s snarky, sarcastic, and he ditches class but he really likes Sophie and enjoys mocking Sophie. This is probably one of the reasons I relate to Keefe. I’m not saying that I ditched class, I didn’t. I was the annoying one who was on time and never missed a day (yes, I hate me, too.) But the snark and the mocking? That’s all me. My one friend jokes that if I’m nice to you, you should watch out, I love by being mean. Which is why I relate to Keefe and the snark.

And yes, there is already Team Dex, Team Keefe, and Team Fitz, shockingly I am Team Sophie. Yes, Team Sophie! Girl power! Sophie isn’t a weakling. She handles the fact that her world is legitimately turned upside down quite well. If I was taken away from the only family I ever knew, I’d lose it. And while Sophie did lose it, she had an amazing path to self-discovery throughout this whole book.

I finished this book and wanted to re-read it right away. Lately that rarely happens to me and a book. This book ends on a perfect note and yet leaves me wanting more. Thankfully this is going to be a trilogy. And, Messenger has another series coming out next year! I’d throw confetti in the air if that would be responsible, and I wouldn’t have to clean it up.(less)

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About Shannon Messenger

Hi! I'm the author of the KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES series and the LET THE SKY FALL series, both published by Simon & Schuster. I also eat lots of cupcakes, have an embarrassing number of cats, and spend way too much time on the internetz. You can find links to all the places you can cyberstalk me (in the NON creepy way, please) ;) at shannonmessenger.com.

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“Fitz pulled her forward, and the warm tingling in her hand shot through her body--like a million feathers swelling underneath her skin, tickling her from the inside out.” — 2 people liked it

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