Keeper Of The Lost Cities (Series) (2024)

Book One: Keeper Of The Lost Cities

Book two: Exile

Book Three: Everblaze

Book Four: Neverseen

Book Five: Lodestar

Book Six: NightFall

Book Seven: Flashback

Book Eight: Legacy

Book Eight point Five: Unlocked

Book Nine: Stellarlune

Keeper of the Lost Cities[]

Author[]

Shannon Messenger

Illustrator[]

Jason Chan

Publication Date[]

October 2, 2012

Publisher[]

Aladdin

Previous Book[]

None

Next Book[]

Book 2: Exile

Keeper of the Lost Cities (KOTLC) is the first book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series written by Shannon Messenger. It was released on October 2, 2012.

Cover[]

The cover shows Sophie and Dex at the illegal light leaping crystal (which is a streetlamp) in Paris, France.

Synopsis [1][]

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

But everything changes the day she meets Fitz, a mysterious boy who appears out of nowhere. She discovers there’s a place she does belong, and that staying with her family will place her in grave danger. In the blink of an eye, Sophie is forced to leave behind everything and start a new life in a new world that is vastly different from her own.

Sophie has new rules to learn and new skills to master, and not everyone is thrilled about her “homecoming.” There are secrets buried deep in Sophie’s memory—secrets people desperately want.

Secrets they might even kill for...

In this page-turning debut, Shannon Messenger creates a riveting story where a girl, caught between two worlds, needs to know if she can do what she was made to do.

Synopsis [2][]

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.

Preface[]

Blurry, fractured images swam through Sophie's mind, but she couldn't piece them together. She tried opening her eyes and found only darkness. Something rough pressed against her wrists and ankles, refusing to let her move.

A wave of cold rushed through her as the horrifying realization dawned.

She was a hostage.

A cloth across her lips stifled her cry for help, and a sedative's sweet aroma stung her nose when she inhaled, making her head spin.

Were they going to kill her?

Would the Black Swan really destroy their own creation?

What was the point of Project Moonlark, then? What was the point of the Everblaze?

The drug lulled her toward a dreamless oblivion, but she fought back - clinging to the one memory that could shine a tiny spot of light in the thick, inky haze. A pair of beautiful aquamarine eyes.

Fitz's eyes. The first friend in her new life. Her first friend ever.

Maybe if she hadn't noticed him that day in the museum, none of this would have happened.

No. She knew it'd be too late even then. The white fires were already burning - curving toward her city and filling the sky with sticky, sweet smoke.

The spark before the blaze.

Illustrated and Annotated Edition[]

As of August 4, 2020, Shannon Messenger released 'Keeper of the Lost Cities Illustrated and Annotated Edition.’ It is a special edition of the first book, with embellishments by the author herself.

Contents

• Sixteen black and white illustrations
• Five deleted scenes
• Author Annotations

Author[]

Shannon Messenger

Illustrator[]

Jason Chan

Publication Date[]

October 2, 2012

Publisher[]

Aladdin

Previous Book[]

Keeper Of The Lost Cities

Next Book[]

Book 3: Everblaze

Cover[]

The cover shows Sophie (right) and Keefe (left) standing before Silveny the alicorn in one of the Black Swan's hideouts.

Synopsis [1][]

Sophie Foster thought she was safe. Settled into Havenfield, surrounded by friends, and using her telepathic abilities to train Silveny—the first female alicorn ever seen in the Lost Cities—her life finally seems to be coming together.

But Sophie's kidnappers are still out there. And when Sophie discovers new messages and clues from the mysterious Black Swan group hiding secrets for her, she's forced to take a terrifying risk—one that puts everyone in incredible danger.

As long-buried secrets rise to the surface, it's once again up to Sophie, and Keefe, to uncover hidden memories—before someone close to her is lost forever.

In this second book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, Sophie must journey to the darkest corners of her luminous world, Exile, in a sequel that will leave you laughing and crying at the same time.

Sophie is, as usual, out on a dangerous journey with high stakes, where people she love may be on the line, not to mention her friendship with the Vackers. Will she be able to save everyone before it is too late?

Synopsis [2][]

Sophie is settling in nicely to her new home and her new life in the world of the lost cities. And it helps that living at Havenfield means getting to spend time with rare, precious species—including the first female Alicorn, who shows herself to Sophie and trusts no one but her.

Sophie is tasked with helping to train the magical creature so that the Alicorn can be revealed to the people of the lost cities as a sign of hope, and Sophie wants to believe that the recent drama and anguish is gone for good.

But the secrets buried deep in Sophie’s memories remain, and before long before she’s back in incredible danger, risking everything to find the answers to questions that could save not only her life, but the life of someone close to her…

Preface[]

Sophie's hands shook as she lifted the tiny green bottle. One swallow held life and death—and not just for her.

For Prentice.

For Alden.

Her eyes focused on the clear, sloshy liquid as she removed the crystal stopper and pressed the bottle to her lips. All she had to do was tip the poison down her throat.

But could she?

Could she give up everything to set things right?

Could she live with the guilt, otherwise?

The choice was hers this time.

No more notes.

No more clues.

She’d followed them to this point, and now it came down to her.

She wasn’t the Black Swan's puppet anymore.

She was broken.

All she had left was trust.

Plot[]

The events of Exile are primarily focused around three things: Alden's mind break, Sophie's malfunctioning abilities, and Silveny, the first female alicorn.

Mr. Forkle heals her abilities by having her drink an ounce of limbium; the limbium would have killed her because of her allergy if he hadn't also given her a shot of human medicine. The remnant of this event is a star-shaped scar.

Silveny is discovered in the opening chapters of the book, and Sophie is responsible for preparing her to enter the Sanctuary. It's discovered that Silveny can transmit to Sophie even when she tries to block her, and she helps Sophie sleep by sending her soothing memories. Later in the book, Silveny is flown on to where Sophie's mind is healed by Sophie and Keefe. After the healing, members of the Neverseen attack and leave all of them injured; it is worried that she may never fly again, but she does at the Celestial Festival, where she enters the Sanctuary.

The book closes after The Celestial Festival; Alden's and Sophie's minds are healed and Silveny has been successfully rehabilitated.

Quotes[]

• “He was quiet for a few seconds, and Sophie thought he was going to ignore her. But then he leaned closer—close enough that she could feel his breath on her cheek. " I crack a lot of jokes, Sophie, but that's just because it's easier, you know? It's how I deal. But that doesn't mean I don't care. I do, a lot.” ― Shannon Messenger, Exile
• “It was a dangerous world for a sparkly flying horse” ― Shannon Messenger, Exile
• “You'd be surprised at how powerful hope can be.” ― Shannon Messenger, Exile
• “Sing swan, spring swan, then let‘s fly. — Shannon Messenger, Exile

• “Follow the pretty bird across the sky. Call swan, fall swan, then let‘s rest. Tucked in the branches of your quiet nest.”― Shannon Messenger, Exile

• “It was easier not to know―at least for right now.” ― Shannon Messenger, Exile
• “I think we could all use a little more weird in our lives.” ― Shannon Messenger, Exile
• “Sparkles make everything better.” ― Shannon Messenger, Exile
• “She’d figured out how to steer Silveny by teaching her simple commands like left and right and if you dump me into another pile of sparkly manure, I will clobber you.” ― Shannon Messenger, Exile
• “In fact, most of the great human innovations of the last few centuries happened under elvin tutelage. Electricity. Penicillin. Chocolate cake.” ― Shannon Messenger, Exile
• “She wasn’t the Black Swan’s puppet anymore.“ — Shannon Messenger, Exile

• She was broken. All she had left was trust.” ― Shannon Messenger, Exile

• “If it‘s not a big deal, why wouldn’t you tell me?”

• “Well, you‘re cute when you worry.” ― Shannon Messenger, Exile

• “She was amazed Silveny had even let them get close enough to attach the reins. Clearly she needed to teach the glittering horse how to recognize pure evil.” ― Shannon Messenger, Exile
• “How about we play without special abilities?” she suggested. “That’ll make it fair for everyone.” Fitz shrugged. “I’m up for the challenge if you are.”

• “Lame. I vote for The Unstoppable Team Keefe! Or Team Foster-Keefe if you’re one of those egomaniacs who needs your name in there. I can share some credit.” ― Shannon Messenger, Exile