Keeper of the Lost Cities - Shannon Messenger

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
Genre: Junior/Teen Fantasy

Blurb (on back of book): Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster has a secret. She is a Telepath, and has a unique ability to hear the thoughts of everyone around her — something that she's never known how to explain, and has made her an outcast, even in her own family. 
But everything changes the day she meets Fitz, a mysterious boy who appears out of nowhere and also reads minds. She discovers there's somewhere she does belong, and staying where she is will put her in grave danger. In the blink of an eye, Sophie is forced to leave behind everything and start a new life in a place that is vastly different from her own.
Sophie has new rules and skills to learn, and not everyone is thrilled with her "homecoming." There are secrets buried deep in Sophie's memory, secrets that other people desperately want. 
Would even kill for... 

MY OPINION: *****

For all of you who have already scrolled down my blog, and seen my "Favorite Books" list, you should already know that this entire series is on it. I posted this list about a month ago, so that should give you a hint that I am now rereading this series.

Also, if you have read my Works Cited for July post, you should then know that I am rereading the series once more.

I read this series about two years ago, and I absolutely loved it! I read them all in about two-three weeks (well, the ones that came out). Now, as I am rereading it, I find that it still fulfills what I think a book should have: a good plot, realistic characters, and also a good author.

An author should really have a good sense as to what their story should be about, and how it is going to end. I think that most people don't really understand how hard it is to write a book and then get it published (I find it extremely hard, though I haven't gotten to the "publish" part yet!), and I think that Shannon Messenger portrays a very good author.

I loved reading this book again, even though I generally hate rereading books. I wanted to reread it because I heard that Lodestar, the fifth and last book, is coming out this November. I wanted to reread the series to get it fresh in my memory again so that I will be prepared for Lodestar. But I think that I will most likely be rereading this series again around October/November. I will most likely be posting an updated version of this post, so please comment if you would like that!

I think that Sophie is a very strong person. I think that Shannon Messenger really lets her make the decisions, not really Messenger herself. Sophie is strong, smart, and brave. She goes through her problem courageously, even though she is scared deep down. I think that Sophie is a really good character for any book.

Fitz is part of a very well-known family, and sometimes that can be hard. It can be difficult to make decisions when people are pressuring you, and it can even be hard to be popular sometimes. Everyone knows you, and everyone notices your mistakes. I think that Fitz really handles things well in this book.

Keefe always makes me crack up. He always says sarcastic or humorous things, and really makes readers enjoy the parts where he is shown. He is a really smart person (he skipped a grade), but I think that he is also very mischievous. He gets bad grades because he is more focused on making trouble. He is one of those kinds of people who enjoy tricking people, especially teachers.

Dex is definitely one of my favorite characters. He is smart and he is determined. I can definitely understand his feelings about Fitz's family and how he hates them. Dex is one of those people who wants to make something of this world, but doesn't try hard enough because of what other people say. Nevertheless, he becomes best friends with Sophie, (SPOILER) and saves her life at the end. 

Last, but definitely not least, Biana is one of those people who can be snarky, but also sweet. She just tries to live up to her father's wishes, and strives to get attention. She is a popular and pretty girl who really plays an important role in the stories.

I would talk about Grady, Alden, Della, and Edaline, but I feel as if that would take too long. If you want to hear my opinion on any one of them, please write a comment below and I will reply as soon as possible ;)

In conclusion, (I feel as if I am writing an essay now!), this book was amazing, the characters were wonderful, and I can't wait to reread Exile (I start tomorrow), and blog on it too! I would recommend this book to preteens.

Main Character: Sophie Foster
Sidekick(s): Dexter "Dex" Dizznee, Fitz Vacker, Biana Vacker, Keefe Sencen, Alden Vacker, Della Vacker, Edaline Ruewen, Grady Ruewen, Mr. Forkle
Villain(s): Kidnappers (unknown, for now ;))
Fantasy Elements: Magical creatures, unreal places, elves, gnomes, etc

*If you would like me to create a page on all of my Goodreads reviews, please comment! I most likely will be starting one soon, but I would like to see what people think first! Thanks, MIC ;)