Title: Lodestar (Keeper of the Lost Cities #5)
Author: Shannon Messenger
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Page Count: 676
Publication Date: 2016
Age Recommendation: 9
Dark schemes unfold–and Sophie’s loyalty is pushed to the limit–in this thrilling fifth book in the best-selling KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES SERIES.
Sophie Foster is back in the Lost Cities–but the Lost Cities have changed. The threat of war hangs heavy over her glittering world, and the Neverseen are wreaking havoc.
The lines between friend and enemy have blurred, and Sophie is unsure whom to trust. But when she’s warned that the people she loves most will be the next victims, she knows she has to act.
A mysterious symbol could be the key–if only she knew how to translate it. Every new clue seems to lead deeper into her world’s underbelly and the Black Swan aren’t the only ones who have plans. The Neverseen have their own Initiative, and if Sophie doesn’t stop it, they might finally have the ultimate means to control her. ~ Goodreads
Holy cow holy cow. I have no idea what just happened. It went so fast and so slow at the same time my brain JUST DOESN’T UNDERSTAND. I DON’T GET IT. WHAT JUST HAPPENED. WHAT DO I DO. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!! So basically, I’m just going to list random things that I loved because I don’t know what to say
- Keefe. BECAUSE I LOVE HIM HE IS MY LITTLE CHILD OK
- Sophie. Ok, here I have to admit-she did get a little annoying. She was a tad selfish. But do I hold that against her? No. She has gone through so much that I’m just going to give her a Get Out Of Sue’s Angry Bratty Character Rant Free Card
- Sandor. He is so cute! EEEP! CUTE CUTE CUTE
- Plot twists. YES, there were some. Not quite as many as I’d hoped, but they were all good and twisty
- CHARACTER DEATHS! For some reason, it always makes me smile when a character that everyone seems to like but I don’t, dies. Is it because I am insane??? No-of course not! *nervous laughter* It’s because the characters that I like are safe, and it shows that the author is growing and improving, plus there’s the risk! Who will die next?! We don’t know! MWUAHAHAHAHAHAHA
- Shippy ship ships. Alrighty, so one of the reasons I love this series is because of the ships. There are the cute ones, the weird ones, the ones that just literally got destroyed, crushed in Lodestar… (BYE BYE XXXXX!!!! I’LL MISS YOU)
- The action! I love Shannon’s action scenes, they always come after there’s a mystery solved that you totally shouldn’t have missed and then everyone almost dies!!!!
YAAAAAY XD - IT IS SO FUNNY. AND IT IS NOT JUST KEEFE! EVERYTHING IS PRETTY FUNNY *sighs* I am sorry for no sense. I am too tired from this emotional roller coaster.
- Dex. HE IS A CUTE CINNAMON ROLL CHILD! I LOVE HIM! HE JUST MAKES EVERYTHING BETTER
- TAM! Since I actually kinda RP as Keefe, I have sorta had a feud with him. But this just makes HIM a cinnamon roll TTTTOOOOO!!!!!!!!! 😛
There’s a tad of a problem though. While ALL of the things above-and many more, were all FANTABULOUS!!!! I do have a few criticisms. For the first 3/4 of the book-it just felt S S S S S S S O O O O O O O O O O
S
L
O
W
Like one huge filler. It was engaging, for sure. But not quite as adventurous as the others. The one other complaint I had was, I felt like it was all SOPHIE SOPHIE SOPHIE SOPHIE SOPHIE and less from the other important side characters. However, this was THE BEST book I have read since NEVERSEEN. I was engaged. I ACTUALLY LOOKED FORWARD TO READING IT! Soooo, yeah that cancels out all the bad qualities. TILL THE NEXT YEAR!!!! AND THE YEAR AFTER THAT! THANKS FOR TORTURING US SHANNON. Jk WE LOVE YOU!!! 🙂 ❤
FosterKeefe Fabulous Quotes!!!
“I’m always serious, Foster. Especially when you think I’m teasing.”
Sue’s interruption: YOU GUYS HAVE TO ADMIT THIS IS CUTE! AND THEN EHFSDKH SO MANY SHIPPING MOMENTS, SO MANY SHIPS
…
“THAT’S MY BOX OF PRATTLES!” “NOT ANYMORE!” “MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM-REX STOLE MY CANDY!” “DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD-BEX SMELLS LIKE DRAGON POOP!” “SO DOES REX!” another voice added. “STAY OUT OF THIS, LEX!”
Sue’s interruption: YOU TELL THEM LEX!!!!!
…
Keefe
Sue’s interruption: OMG SHOCKING I KNOW IT TOOK ME BY SURPRISE TOO
What Does the Cat Think
Kitty Cat at the Library 
What ship got crushed?
Erm, I don’t want to spoil anything. But it probably wasn’t going to happen anyway and it was a ship with Wylie. 😉
I hesitated to read your review as I plan to read Lodestar this week. Found your comments interesting. Know it will grab me for days. Love your excitement and enthusiasm.
Thanks Patricia! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
I’m all for SoKeef. Remember his parting words to her in Neverseen, “Trust me.”
OMG. That last part KILLED ME!!!! AAAHHH
I finished. Oh my, I didn’t see the end coming. I couldn’t believe it. Couldn’t let the book go and went back and reread the last 100 pages again! Shannon caught me off guard — but the ending does make sense. My imagination will keep playing with the story for a whole year. I agree, torture!
After reading Lodestar how do you feel about sokeefe and sophitz? Which has the advantage
Ah anon, let me get out MY PowerPoint… XD but seriously. I feel Sokeefe DEFINITELY has the advantage here. In the first two books, Fitz could have easily swooped in and stole Sophie’s heart. But he was too ‘proud’ and missed his chance. Then Keefe came and proved his awesomeness by being there and opening up to Sophie. AND JUST BEING AMAZING. As you would notice. In KOTLC, Exile, and Everblaze-Sophie still had a HUGE crush on Fitz. Heart fluttering and everything. But then in Neverseen, Sophie and Keefe’s relationship deepened. It was Sophie’s turn to support Keefe. Her heart fluttered around Fitz LESS and started fluttering around Keefe MORE. Right now, as the head of the FosterKeefe Ship-it is my solemn duty to say that Sokeefe has the advantage. But honestly, Sofitz is pretty close too
Thanks for being super careful not to give any spoilers away–not easily done when reviewing a book this deep in the series. I plan to read soon, as well, and your review just piqued my appetite!
Aww, thanks! I can’t wait till you can read it!! 😀
I ship with Sophitz because of all the romance in Lodestar, like towards the end of the book when Fitz is about to kiss Sophie and Keefe very rudely interrupts. Sokeefe is becoming a lot stronger compared to the earlier books, I hope she stays with Fitz! Keefe is definitely my favorite though 😀
OMG THAT PART. I WAS DYING. D. Y. I. N. G. HOLY COW I WAS FREAKING OUT. Then Keefe interrupted and I was like HALLELUJAH PRAISE THE GODS XD lol. Fitzphie defined has a good chance though-and YAY for liking Keefe! 😀