MG Book Review: Keeper of the Lost Cities, by Shannon Messenger

General Information
Publisher: Aladdin (Simon & Schuster)
Year of publication: 2012
# of chapters: 49
# of pages: 488
Genre: Fantasy
Website: 
ramblingsofawannabescribe.blogspot.com

Plot summary (from the website):
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. And Sophie has a secret–she's a Telepath, someone who can read minds. 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 almost instantly 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.

Positive Points

Sophie's thoughts and reactions were so believable that I felt like she was real. I totally loved her. She brought me back to the time when I was twelve. She would have been the kind of girl I would have liked to have as a friend. She's a good girl overall, but she messes up sometimes. She's not perfect, but she has strong moral values, which is always something I like to find in a novel. I found myself rooting for her. Some parts made me tear up. Not many books can do that as I'm not an emotional reader.

I love all the characters in the book, each unique and distinct from the others. Keefe is my favorite, a trouble maker with a heart of gold. He reminds me of someone I know. I'm so happy he's on the cover of the sequel! That means we'll see more of him.

This book captures the essence of middle grade children in their school environment. I enjoyed the many different relationships and situations this book explores: the feeling of being different and trying to fit in, cute boys–and drooling ones, odd teachers and even odder lessons, to name a few.

The author has strong writing skills and a great style. The story had good pacing and was engaging from the beginning until the very last page. It has everything a great fantasy novel should have.

Bonus points: the cover is amazing. Kudos to the cover artist!

Negative Points
I can't find a single negative thing to say about this book. It has almost five hundred pages, and I would have kept reading it if it had been longer. I'm glad there's a sequel coming soon!

What makes this book unique
I absolutely love the world building in this book. I can't say too much not to spoil it for other readers, but I found the setting fascinating. And Sophie. She's awesome.

Overall Impression
I love everything about this book. I think Harry Potter has found a rival!

My Rating:

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