Keeper of the Lost Cities

By: Shannon Messenger

Narrated by: Caitlin Kelly

Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

A New York Times best-selling series
A USA Today best-selling series
A California Young Reader Medal-winning series

In this riveting debut, a telepathic girl must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new world - before the wrong person finds the answer first.

Twelve-year-old Sophie has never quite fit into her life. She’s skipped multiple grades and doesn’t really connect with the older kids at school, but she’s not comfortable with her family, either. The reason? Sophie’s a Telepath, someone who can read minds. No one knows her secret - at least, that’s what she thinks....

But the day Sophie meets Fitz, a mysterious (and adorable) boy, she learns she’s not alone. He’s a Telepath too, and it turns out the reason she has never felt at home is that, well...she isn’t. Fitz opens Sophie’s eyes to a shocking truth, and she is forced to leave behind her family for a new life in a place that is vastly different from what she has ever known.

But Sophie still has secrets, and they’re buried deep in her memory for good reason: The answers are dangerous and in high demand. What is her true identity, and why was she hidden among humans? The truth could mean life or death - and time is running out.

©2012 Shannon Messenger (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

Impressive Start

Another book I read because of a Harry Potter-esque recommendation. I don’t know what it is about it, but this book felt very epic to me. I am getting ahead of myself though. This is about a 12 year old girl, Sophie Foster, who has been able to read minds since she was five. One day she meets a boy at a museum whose thoughts she can’t hear, and he tells her they have been looking for her for twelve years. And he also happened to mention he’s an elf, and by the way—so is she.
Sophie now needs to contend with who she always thought she was and who she will turn out to be, a whole new world, with not only a vast set of possibilities (Magic! Immortality!) but a set of strict rules too. As she tries to find her place in a new society and at a new school, where she really needs to work to keep her head above water, it slowly begins to look like there is even more mystery surrounding who she is than she initially thought. Also, there are these mysterious fires popping up threatening to kill humans, and nobody seems too bothered about stopping it from happening…

I like Sophie’s character a lot. She is brave and tenacious and outspoken, all of the characters in here are very likeable, except when they’re clearly not supposed to. Most characters are a lot less whimsical than in Harry Poter, and like Harry Potter it’s very clear who are supposed to be the ‘good guys’ and the ‘bad guys’ and like Harry Potter the school setting is at times fun and a little ridiculous at times. It really like how the world and the magic is described, you get a very clear picture of how some of it works, and how it all looks.

But there are two things I really didn’t like, and those were the insta-crushing on the cute boys, and how she went from being a moderately ok student in some subjects, to being a boss in all the things, without showing the reader how she made that progression

I think this book sets up the series very well, and I think it will only get more interesting as the characters age with the story. I’m hoping things will get less black and white as this tale progresses, and the thought processes and conflicts get more intricate.
Excited to continue the series. If you loved the pranks in Harry Potter (which I personally didn’t), a very driven main character, school rivalries, fun friendships, even if they are still a little superficial, another beautiful and lush world to discover, and a very colorful magic system, a compelling mystery, and adorable creatures to boot, I would recommend this to you!


I think the narration for this was very good. It matched the stateliness of the older Elves, and all the characters; personalities shone through, but I think she made Sophie's character sound a little whinier at atimes. That could also be because she is really young in this book

love!

can't wait to continue this series. so good. even got a good cry out of me lol

favorite

this is on my favorites list along with Harry Potter and percy jackson,it is on the top of it

Best book 10 out of 10 would read agin

I finished all of this book in 1 week! It is the best book ever!

🥹must have(bit of a rant)

I can’t help but love it 😍 my inter school is
obsessed if you want something to pass time with and you like fantasy this is for you ALSO I’ve listened to this series five times at least I know some people may not in joy it but still I just want to warn you about Unlocked it’s book 8.5 Ik I’m ranting at this point just listen to these books or your missing out!

Very Fun Start!

Terrific world-building, interesting characters, only complaint is the story just stops rather than coming to a satisfying ending. Clearly a cliffhanger to move you to the next book, which I will definitely check out.

New favorite book series

I fell in love with the book after it's first chapter. I've have grown so attached to the characters. it made me laugh, sad, and mad. the voice gave the characters life. love the listing to the audio

Absolutely Delightful!!

What a fun book! Enthusiastic characters and pretty easy to follow story line for the target audience. a little on the dark side but that's just the over protective mom in me. I find this very enjoyable for adults too. Can't wait to read the next book in the series. To those who have written negative reviews of content, I say lighten up. This is in the same genre as Harry Potter. Something to just lose yourself in for the fun of it. Life ain't always pretty and fun but the heroine prevails. Gotta love the classic ending!

Math teacher review

Students at school all were enjoying this book so I wanted to see what I would think. I too enjoyed this book and look forward to hearing the rest of the series.

Fantastic Read!!!!!!!!!!!

Amazing book, I completely recommend it. The narrator is phenomenal and every character has a distinctive voice. I understand how some say it copies Harry Potter but the storyline branches out in a completely different direction.