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Keeper of the Lost Cities

Keeper of the Lost Cities

By Shannon Messenger

Have you ever imagined that elves could be real? Or that dinosaurs were still alive? Even that places like Atlantis were real? Well all of those things are real in The Keeper Of The Lost Cities. Here are some things that happen in the book. Sophie was shocked when someone told her she was an elf. He was also an elf too. So that explained to Sophie that she can read minds after she hit her head when she was 5. When someone picks her up and gets her to the elvin world the council there tells her that she is an elf. She is now living with 2 people Grady and Edaline. They used to have a daughter named Jolie and died in a fire. She almost went to Exile for breaking the law. She is sad because when she went to the elvin world to live there they had to brainwash her family. She soon realizes that she was the project of the moon lark, meaning that the Black swan made her In the elvin world you have powers and if you had more than one it was really rare and Sophie has a lot more than one power. People kidnapped her while she was in a cave. They tried to brainwash her but didn’t work. They took off her tracker and put it in the ocean so it looked like she died. She sent out a signal to Fitz but Fitz thought it was a trap because he went to her funeral. They told him that if you don’t come then I will die. A theme I learned from this book was, ‘don’t be afraid to do something’. Sophie was scared at times but she always overcame it. For example when she was at the top 2 at the splotching match. She was going against Fitz who has been winning for years but she still ended up winning. Sophie never loses courage in what she does even if it means risking her life. Some memorable characters are Sophie and Dex. Sophie is good at everything; she beat Fitz in a splotching match and Fitz has been winning for years. Sophie was told she was an elf and had multiple powers. She goes to a school named Foxfire. Her group of friends always had her back when Stina always teased her. In that group of friends there is Biana, Dex, Fritz, Keefe, Marella, and of course Sophie. Dex is Sophie’s best friend. He is smart and is not failing alchemy. Most people fail alchemy. There are some memorable fictional places that Messenger uses in Keeper of the Lost Cities. There are similar buildings in the elvin world that we have here, such as gates and big houses, trees that take in pollution, gardens and cliffs and even caves. Despite the great parts that I enjoyed from Keeper of the Lost Cities, there were some parts that were confusing. I just didn’t understand how a brainpush worked. After you get energy after years does your brain just push the energy out like a powerful blast? I will still give it five stars because you could feel how the character feels. When Sophie left her family you could feel the pain she was feeling like leaving your family after living with them for so long was heartbreaking. I also liked how the book could be very unpredictable, and you find out new things page after page. Overall, I would recommend this book to 3rd grade and older, as there is some violence, but it seems that it would be very enjoyable for people who like exciting books that give you a rollercoaster of a ride.

Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities)

Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities)

By Shannon Messenger

Have you ever heard about alicorns? Well an alicorn is a horse with wings and a horn that can teleport— just one of the many magical beings that you’ll read about in “Keeper of the Lost Cities: Book 2”. Sophie Foster finds an alicorn and the alicorn transmits that her name is Silveny. When Sophie finished getting her mind fixed she almost got kidnapped again. Luckily the Black Swan stepped in and helped her. During the process Silveny hurt her wing. Sophie and Silveny were supposed to make a grand opening to the sanctuary. Sophie realized she could teleport so she rode on Silveny and teleported her there.When Sophie was moving up a level, the Foxfire always had a party. When it was the upper grades turn Alden saw Whylie and he fainted. This happened because Alden had a broken mind. Elves thought no one can heal a broken mind but Sophie saved Alden because she was made that way. A theme I saw in the book was “never give up” when Sophie saw that Alden had a broken mind. She started crying in the beginning. She kept getting told that no one can fix a broken mind. But when the Black Swan said that she could fix her mind issues so that she could fix others like Alden and Prentice. She went and they said that they made her heal minds so right after she got limbulim she had a bad allergic reaction. Sophie still kept fighting because she wasn’t going to leave Alden like that after what he did for her— she never gave up. Now I am going to tell you about a few characters. Sophie Foster is mostly good at everything. She has many powers and that is rare. Dex is Sophie’s best friend. He is smart and people say that his parents are a bad match. Keefe is an Empath and always has been at Sophie’s side and he could feel Sophie’s emotions. Some buildings in the elvin world are similar to the world we live in. In the Elf world there are Gates, Big houses, Gardens and Caves. A part of the book that can be improved is when Sophie gets fixed and kidnappers try to get her. Wouldn’t the Black swan know already because they know things right away? That’s just one of the things that confused me and distracted me from the plot. Overall, Exile was confusing but still a good book even though it has some rough spots. I still give it 5 stars because it is a very adventurous book with all kinds of exciting events, like hunting down bigfoot, flying on an alicorn, or going into exile. I also really enjoyed the diversity of characters and the important themes portrayed in the novel. In conclusion, I would definitely recommend this book to kids my age around 9-10 years old.

Neverseen (Keeper of the Lost Cities)

Neverseen (Keeper of the Lost Cities)

By Shannon Messenger

Have you ever heard of something called Panakes? Panakes help heal a wound if you eat the petals or put it on the wound. In the book there is only one way to get Panackes. Panackes are a fictional tree related to the Keeper Of The Lost Cities. The way to get Panackes was by a gnome Sophie met when she was joining the Black Swan. When Sophie swears an oath that she would be joining the Black Swan she discovers that Mr. Forkleis also Sir Astin. She also learns Mr. Forkle has other identities like Magnate Leto. Sophie and her friends get banned because the council thought the Black Swan was their enemy and during the time Sophie and her friends decided to join the Black Swan. While Sophie and her friends were with the Black Swan they went to Exullim. Sophie and Biana went to go and investigate about the plague the gnomes were getting. She found out that one tree was staying healthy and the Neverseen was guarding it. During their Exilim training Sophie meets twins. They helped Sophie and became good friends. They joined the Black Swan and they were trying to cure the plague and used Fitz 'brother as a guide because he knew it the best. When they stole the “cure” they made a quick escape and this turned out to be the Neverseen’s plan. After they escaped from that Calla realized that the only way to get Panackes is when a gnome sacrifice themselves and turn into a Panackes tree. What I liked about the book is that Messenger makes a huge twist by making Alvar part of the Neverseen. I think the theme for this book is “trust your instincts”. I think that is the theme because when Alvar Fitzs brother didn’t let Tam read his Shadow vapor. Tam thought it was suspicious. Later they learn that what Alvar was hiding is that he was part of the Neverseen. Important characters in the book include Sophie Foster and her friends. Sophie is a girl who is good at everything but she would take life risking things to destroy the Neverseen. Fitz always tries to stay by Sophie’s side; they are cognates. He wants to Destroy the Neverseen because his brother betrayed him. Dex is a technopath and has been helping the Black Swan build things. The Elvin world is set apart from the human world because they went against the treaty they signed with the Councilors. The Elvin world is very sparkly and everyone is born with a birth fund. Something that can be improved is that when Fintan built a wall of Everbalze around them why couldn’t Tam cover them because of the black fog so it looked like they were gone. I would give this 5 stars despite the part that can be improved. I would recommend this to fourth graders and up because this book series so far has a lot of violence. Neverseen was a good book and I really enjoyed it and it was really breathtaking what they did in this book.

Everblaze (Keeper of the Lost Cities)

Everblaze (Keeper of the Lost Cities)

By Shannon Messenger

Okay, Everblaze completely exceeded my expectations. That’s all I have to say about this book. I was crying, laughing, and simply astounded while I read this, and the characters were amazing. Every time Shannon Messenger writes a book, her writing seems to get better and better, even when you think there’s no room for improvement. The third book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities is a sweet surprise that will keep you on your toes in anticipation throughout the whole book. Summary: Thirteen-year-old Sophie Foster is ready. She has waited for too long, looking at information that may be a hoax—and now, it’s time for her to fight back against the evil kidnappers who tried to kill her because of her telepathic abilities. She has friends by her side...and she will not lose this battle. But when Sophie encounters an ogre and makes a big mistake that everyone blames her for, she feels anxious, trapped in her own world. Soon, she is thrown into a conspiracy, which makes her think...that her enemies may be closer than she realized—and they’re just waiting for the right moment to strike. Can she and her friends defeat the kidnappers, before it’s too late? Read this book to find out! I would definitely rate this book 5/5 stars, and I can guarantee that you will love reading Everblaze, as well as the rest of the books in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series.

Food Fight: A Graphic Guide Adventure (Graphic Guides)

Food Fight: A Graphic Guide Adventure (Graphic Guides)

By Liam O'Donnell

The book is okay, but like it's not really entertaining, like it isn't something I'd read when I want, it's just something I'd read when I'm bored, and no offense by the way, this is just my opinion on FoodFight

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1)

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1)

By Rick Riordan

There are five books in the Percy Jackson series, and many more books in the series Heroes of Olympus, which is kind of the sequel series to Percy Jackson. Today I will be reviewing the first book. The first book is good, I guess, it's okay. But it didn't appeal to me that much. *SPOILERS BELOW So basically the story centers around a kid named Percy Jackson. Percy Jackson has been expelled from every school he's been to so far because of accidents, like landing the whole class in a shark tank in the aquarium. When his current school, Yancy Academy, goes on a field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art with his class, including his nemesis, Nancy and his best friend, Grover. His teacher, Ms. Dodds, turns out to be one of the Furies. The Furies are demons, basically, in Greek Mythology. His other teacher, Mr. Brunner, gives him a sword that can be disguised as a pen, called Riptide. Percy defeats Ms. Dodds and sends her back to Tartarus, which is the ultimate-horrible-place-to-go-when-you-die- place. Percy and his mom drive to Montauk Beach, but is met by Grover, who gives them a warning to go back. However, while driving, they are attacked by a Minotaur (monster that is half-bull, half-man.) He takes Percy's mom and Percy kills the Minotaur, before falling with exhaustion. Later, he and Grover are rescued and taken to Camp Half-Blood. While at Camp-Half Blood, Percy discovers that he is a demigod, a son of a mortal and one of the gods/goddesses in Greek Mythology. He also learns that Grover is a satyr (a mythical creature with horse-like features) and that Mr. Brunner is a centaur (half-horse, half-man). He also meets other demigods, like Annabeth, who is a daughter of Athena, Luke, who is a son of Hermes, and Clarisse, who is a daughter of Ares. Since no one knows who his god parent is, they place him in the Hermes cabin. Later, when they play a game of Capture the Flag, a trident appears above Percy, revealing that he is the son of Poseidon. Percy learns that Zeus, the king of the gods, thinks Poseidon used Percy to steal Zeus' lightning bolt, Zeus' chief weapon. The Oracle (a fortune-teller) tells Percy to return the stolen lightning bolt to Zeus to prove that he didn't steal it. Percy then has to go on an odyssey to find the lightning bolt with Annabeth and Grover. Percy, Annabeth and Grover defeat several mythological creatures, including the demon Medusa, who has snakes for hair. Now here's where it gets super confusing - at least for me. The trio find Hades, god of the dead, who has taken Percy's mom because he thinks Percy stole the Helm of Darkness (Hades' most powerful weapon). He says if Percy returns the Helm, Hades will return his mother. Percy realizes that Ares has all the stolen items. The backstory behind that is that when the lightning bolt was stolen, Zeus sent four of the most agile, quick, young and smart gods out to search for it, Apollo, Artemis, Athena and Ares. Only Ares found the true thief, Luke (the son of Hermes) but didn't turn him in. Instead Ares took the lightning bolt and the Helm of Darkness to start a war between the gods (because Ares is the god of war.) Percy challenges Ares to a duel, and surprisingly, wins. After getting all the items and returning them to their rightful owners, (and freeing his mother), Percy, Annabeth and Grover return to Camp Half-Blood. At Camp-Half Blood, Percy doesn't know that Luke is the thief (because Ares left that detail out) but Percy gets it quick enough when Luke tries to kill him with a scorpion. It is also revealed that Luke is a servant of Kronos, the King of the Titans, the enemy of the Gods. After all that, Percy decides to not stay at Camp Half-Blood year-round, only in the summer and to spend the rest of the year with his mother. Okay, here it is. There's a lot of five-star reviews, and I like this book. But it isn't one of my favorites because for one, the characters seem a bit one-sided. Percy's brave, Annabeth's witty, Grover's loyal. That was pretty much everything interesting about the characters. That kicked it down one star. The imagery and world building - amazing. Up one star. Descriptions were pretty good. Up one star. Managed to make my emotions go up and down and all around. One star more. One star less because it was so confusing and generally, I couldn't understand it near the end even though I have a solid base of Greek Mythology. It is a good book, I just feel it could use some improvement. But let's just say this - it's a book that stuck with me through and through and basically, it's worthy of putting on a special shelf on my bookcase. ~FelicisOwl

Dork Diaries 14: Tales from a Not-So-Best Friend Forever (14)

Dork Diaries 14: Tales from a Not-So-Best Friend Forever (14)

By Rachel Renée Russell

It's time for Nikki Maxwell to kick back and relax! It's the month of July, which is supposed to be the height of summer, and she's canceled an all-expenses-paid Paris trip to go on the Bad Boyz tour with her friends, who are also her bandmates. Nikki's ready to have Actually, I'm Not Really Sure Yet go viral and have fun in the sun! But everything changes when the overseer of the tour, Trevor Chase, hires MacKenzie Hollister as the band's social media publicity manager. Yes, MacKenzie Hollister, mean girl extraordinaire and the fake in lipstick - remember her? Suddenly, Nikki's prospects for a lighthearted, time-of-their-lives tour goes down the drain. MacKenzie does absolutely nothing to help the tour, is Nikki's roommate, and worst, manipulates behind the scenes to 1) shatter Nikki and Brandon's relationship, 2) close down Fuzzy Friends, and 3) blackmail Nikki into letting her perform for the Bad Boyz! The dream tour soon turns into a nightmare. The Bad Boyz are fighting amongst themselves, too. Can Nikki and her band save the show?

Dork Diaries 8: Tales from a Not-So-Happily Ever After

Dork Diaries 8: Tales from a Not-So-Happily Ever After

By Rachel Renée Russell

This is around my first time reading DORK DIARIES! I haven't read this one yet, but the other one I read was cool. If that one was cool the others will probably be just as good. To me the writing looks exactly like DIARY OF A WIMPY KID! The pictures are different, but it's still written like if a kid wrote. In this case it's Niki's diary so it's like she actually wrote these words even though a grown up named Rachel R. Russell wrote it! I LOVE DORK DIARY! I recommend that you start reading Dork Diary I guarantee you'll get hooked!

The Secret of Sarah Revere

The Secret of Sarah Revere

By Ann Rinaldi

Sarah Revere, daughter to a famous Patriot Paul Revere during the American Revolutionary War against Britain in 1775-83. Sarah was thirteen at that time, and her life during the war was very sad but touching. The overlooked historical figure, Dr. Joseph Warren who was friends with the Reveres, but got killed in the ending of the book. Sarah's step-mother, Rachel Walker who was nice woman, listening to the children (16 children from Paul Revere's previous marriage with Sarah Orne and few with Rachel Walker), more than Sarah grandmother, Grandma Revere. Her father, Paul, who often away from home, doing the dangerous missions. I really enjoyed this book, learning even more that I don't know about. - Happy Reading!

Spy School

Spy School

By Stuart Gibbs

Spy School is a bit cliche, but I think it's still a good book. Ben is a bit insecure and has to prove his worth to his classmates by catching a mole from another organisation, SPYDER. Although the reading level is a bit too easy for me, I still enjoyed the book as it's fast paced and full of action, mystery and adventure. I like the way that the author made the protagonists seem like antagonists at times, so the reader can't be sure about the mole's real identity. We follow Ben as he struggles through the Academy and tries to impress a girl. All in all it's a simple and interesting book to read and spend time on, would probably recommend it to grade 4 or 5 students. Interesting read.

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