Review: EXILE by Shannon Messenger

Title: EXILE

Author: Shannon Messenger

Published: October 1st 2013

Series: Keeper of the Lost Cities #2

Genre: MG Fantasy

Publisher: Aladdin

POV: 3rd person limited

Pages: 576

Format: Printed ARC

Source: Publicist

Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf

Sophie Foster thought she was safe. Settled into her home at Havenfield, surrounded by friends, and using her unique 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, 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 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 in a sequel that will leave you breathless for more.

Sophie Foster is back, and in EXILE  she's in for a world of trouble and excitement. From training a rare alicorn (essentially, a very endearing winged unicorn) to trying not to fail her classes at Foxfire, Sophie's life becomes exceedingly complicated when the mysterious Black Swan group continues to send her obscure messages. As if that's not bad enough, Sophie's become even more of a strange outcast in her society -- especially since she now has a goblin bodyguard to keep her safe -- and her elfish abilities are starting to have some problems. In order to save herself - and the people she cares about - Sophie has to travel into unknown territory, and decide who she can trust to help her succeed... 

Once again, Messenger gives elves and other creatures of myth her own twist in this captivating sequel. Dangerous, thrilling, and incredibly surprising, EXILE is an outstanding sequel that will keep readers glued to the pages. I told myself I would only read a few chapters one night, and somehow found myself up at midnight, still reading. The characters I fell in love with in the first novel are given more page-time in this sequel, and Sophie's adventures take a darker, more emotional turn. While I highly enjoyed KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES, Messenger surprised me with how incredible EXILE turned out to be. If you are looking for a fun and creative middle-grade series that is filled with surprises and fabulous characters, then you need to check out these books. 

Highlights: I love how important family and friendship is in this series. While Sophie relies heavily on herself, she also leans on her friends (especially Dex and Keefe) and family (the fabulous Grady and Edaline) when she needs some extra support. I even enjoyed Sophie's struggles with her abilities in this novel, and how she never let that hold her back. The new details Messenger included about Sophie's fascinating world were fantastic. While reading, I never knew what to expect from this story, so I was very surprised by certain moments. 

Lowlights: I didn't make note of any lowlights while reading, so I think it's safe to say that I highly enjoyed this entire story. I was a bit bothered by Fitz's moody attitude, but I understand why he acted the way he did. 

Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf. I love EXILE, so it is going on the top shelves in the royal library where everyone can see it. I'd highly recommend this book, because it is an incredible story and an exceptional sequel. 

My Reviews of Other Works by Shannon Messenger

Highlights / Lowlights: Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

Title: KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES
Author: Shannon Messenger
Published: October 2nd, 2012
Series: Keeper of the Lost Cities #1
Genre: MG fantasy
Publisher: Aladdin
POV: 3rd person
Pages: 496
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4 out of 5

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

Everything changes the day she meets Fitz, a mysterious boy who appears out of nowhere and also reads minds. 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 place that is vastly different from anything she has ever known.

Sophie has new rules to learn and new skills to master, and not everyone is thrilled that she has come “home.” There are secrets buried deep in Sophie’s memory—secrets about who she really is and why she was hidden among humans—that other people desperately want. Would even kill for."

Highlights: The characters are the strongest aspect of this story, as they are utterly charming and memorable (Keefe, I adore you). The settings in KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES are vivid and enchanting. Plus, there's even a bit of mystery, a dash of thrilling adventures, some fun pranks, a fantastical boarding school that I wish I could attend, and a healthy dose of magical awesomeness. Messenger gives her debut some tiny fresh and creative twists, so nothing is quite what we readers (or even Sophie) would initially expect. KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES gives readers a glimpse into a fun world and an incredible set of characters that will leave you eager for more.

Lowlights: The title seems a bit misleading. While other characters do mention Keeper's, it's a very small part of this story (and likely a much larger part of future books). I also had a little Harry Potter déjà vu regarding some aspects of the story. That isn't necessarily good because Messenger's writing, while very fun and pleasing to read, is nowhere near JK Rowling status.

This Is Me From Now On by Barbara Dee

Book: This Is Me From Now On

Author: Barbara Dee

Age: Middle Grade (MG)

Release date: April 27th, 2010

Source: Author

My Summary: 

Evie's life has always been average, normal, and, well, kind of boring. But once Francesca moves in next door with her aunt, Evie's blown away by Francesca's larger than life personality. She's fun, exciting, and completely unique. Evie's two best friends aren't happy about the changes in Evie whenever she's with Francesca, and things only get worse when the the girls get stuck together for a huge project. Then Francesca pulls Evie into playing matchmaker with two of their teachers, and Evie can't help but to wonder if both of them are in over their heads...and if this is a disaster waiting to happen. 

Review: Cute and fun, This Is Me From Now On combines a great protagonist with a spiraling plot to create something amusing for readers of any age.

Evie's a sweet, and likable narrator. She stresses out over school, just like any other student. She leads a pretty average life, nothing too intriguing...until Francesca moves in next door. Francesca is bubbly, loud, and has a very unique personality. The two of them as a team was interesting to see, especially with Francesca's go-with-the-flow kind of attitude. 

The story was realistic, humorous, and very true to being a seventh grader, what with all the gossip, breakups, crushes and fights with your BFF's.

Highlights: Fun, cute, and very endearing novel to read. It's easy to get into the story, and this is the perfect book for tweens. I really loved some of the themes of this novel. I loved the relationships too, because they are very real to the way they are when you're a tween. 

Lowlights: A bit over the top at some points, but still a great novel. 

Rating *: 

* Middle grade ratings based on a different standard than YA ratings