Sophie Foster has never fit in. She can read minds, and she has always known she was different. When she discovers she is actually an elf who was hidden in the human world as a baby, she is brought to the Lost Cities, a hidden elven civilization with advanced technology and magic. But someone planted her in the human world for a reason, and uncovering that reason puts her at the center of a conspiracy that threatens both worlds.
Read in publication order, starting with Keeper of the Lost Cities (2012). publication.
| # | Book | Published | Rating | Where to read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keeper of the Lost Cities Keeper of the Lost CitiesStart | 2012 | 4.4 | Kindle $7.99Paperback $8.99Audible $14.99Bookshop $9.99 |
| 2 | Exile Exile | 2013 | 4.4 | Kindle $7.99Paperback $8.99Audible $14.99Bookshop $9.99 |
| 3 | Everblaze Everblaze | 2014 | 4.5 | Kindle $7.99Paperback $8.99Audible $14.99Bookshop $9.99 |
| 4 | Neverseen Neverseen | 2015 | 4.5 | Kindle $7.99Paperback $9.99Audible $14.99Bookshop $10.99 |
| 5 | Lodestar Lodestar | 2016 | 4.5 | Kindle $7.99Paperback $9.99Audible $14.99Bookshop $10.99 |
| 6 | Nightfall Nightfall | 2017 | 4.4 | Kindle $7.99Paperback $9.99Audible $14.99Bookshop $10.99 |
| 7 | Flashback Flashback | 2018 | 4.3 | Kindle $7.99Paperback $9.99Audible $14.99Bookshop $10.99 |
| 8 | Legacy Legacy | 2019 | 4.3 | Kindle $7.99Paperback $9.99Audible $14.99Bookshop $10.99 |
| 9 | Stellarlune Stellarlune Book 9. The series conclusion has not yet been published. | 2022 | 4.2 | Kindle $8.99Paperback $10.99Audible $14.99Bookshop $12.99 |
publication
Book #1, and still the best on-ramp. It sets up everything that makes this series work.
If you love Keeper of the Lost Cities, try these next.
A kid discovers they belong to a hidden magical world and must navigate political intrigue while saving everyone. Percy is funnier, Sophie is more emotionally complex.
The obvious comparison. A child raised in the wrong world discovers their true identity and enters a magical society. KOTLC has more advanced technology where HP has more traditional magic.
A middle-grade fantasy series with rich worldbuilding and political intrigue. Different setting (dragons, not elves) but the same sense of a vast world with hidden histories.
Yes. The story is one continuous arc with a mystery that builds across all nine books. Each book ends on revelations that drive the next. Start with book one.
Shannon Messenger has said the series will have at least one more book after Stellarlune (book 9). The exact final count has not been confirmed.
Ages 9-13. The books are long (600+ pages in later entries) and deal with themes like trust, identity, and political rebellion. Confident readers who have finished Percy Jackson or Harry Potter are ready for this.