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Circle
Discovering a girl under his bed isn’t the strangest thing happening to Spencer. The real shock comes when he finds out who she is and why she's on Earth.
Mandy, an extraterrestrial girl, has been hiding out ever since the jet she stowed away on crashed in the desert behind his home. When the pilot is captured by the Air Force, Mandy is left lost and alone. She asks Spencer to risk everything to rescue the pilot from Edwards Air Force Base and help them get back home with the one thing their civilization needs to survive.
On the run from soldiers, fighter jets and attack helicopters, Spencer and his family fall into crisis when they find out what it is that Mandy and the pilot have really come to Earth for.
Mandy, an extraterrestrial girl, has been hiding out ever since the jet she stowed away on crashed in the desert behind his home. When the pilot is captured by the Air Force, Mandy is left lost and alone. She asks Spencer to risk everything to rescue the pilot from Edwards Air Force Base and help them get back home with the one thing their civilization needs to survive.
On the run from soldiers, fighter jets and attack helicopters, Spencer and his family fall into crisis when they find out what it is that Mandy and the pilot have really come to Earth for.
220 pages, Paperback
First published February 8, 2013
631 people want to read
About the author
Syd Blue
5 books10 followersSyd Blue had her 1st flying lesson on her 14th birthday. What a birthday present! Now she’s a commercial pilot living a life in the skies. She started writing novels in the back of her parent’s Mooney when she was small enough to fit in the baggage compartment. Trips to grandma’s house were even more fun in a plane, especially when she could get the yoke away from her 3 brothers, all of whom are pilots too.
FlyGirl Syd has also written, edited and produced for everything from TV stations to production companies, from book publishers to national magazines. She has had over 40 articles published and screenplays optioned, and supervised writing staffs around the world at magazines and news services. She also produced an award-winning documentary, TV shows, commercials and short films.
As Chief Pilot running an aviation business specializing in aerial surveillance, she sees the expansive view from above throughout the Southwest. Home base is a cabin in the woods with her knight-in-shining-armor husband, gigantic heating bill, and three precious hissing-fire cat-beasts (all of whom hate flying).
FlyGirl Syd has also written, edited and produced for everything from TV stations to production companies, from book publishers to national magazines. She has had over 40 articles published and screenplays optioned, and supervised writing staffs around the world at magazines and news services. She also produced an award-winning documentary, TV shows, commercials and short films.
As Chief Pilot running an aviation business specializing in aerial surveillance, she sees the expansive view from above throughout the Southwest. Home base is a cabin in the woods with her knight-in-shining-armor husband, gigantic heating bill, and three precious hissing-fire cat-beasts (all of whom hate flying).
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 9, 2015
What a sweet little book! I purchased a used copy after I met the author, Syd Blue, at an author's event we were both attending. It didn't seem like *my* type of story, but I teach 7th grade Language Arts, and next quarter we are hosting "STEAM Wars" (STEAM = Science,Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). I decided to finally sit down and read Circle to see if it might connect with the STEAM curriculum. And BOY DOES IT EVER. I was really impressed how Syd's knowledge of aircrafts, genetics, and environmental issues shined through in the progression of a fun adventure story.
My favorite part of the novel is the character, Mandy (full name Mandala), the visiting alien. She is ADORABLE. Being the only child on planet Circle, she wears her heart on her sleeve and instantly trusts everyone. Her everyday greeting of "Hi, I love you" made me giggle every single time, not to mention her other nuances, like throwing the dishes out in the backyard, or saying things like "I like this planet, I haven't been murdered once!" I also loved reading about Circle. It was intriguing to imagine a planet that biodegrades organic items super-fast, and the challenges of living in such a place. I also enjoyed imagining the inhabitants of Circle napping on banana hammocks, eating from disposable bone plates, and wearing fingernail-shoes. Syd does a great job of conceptualizing an extraordinary planet without falling back on cliches.
Oh, and the very last line of chapter 31 made me sob like a baby.
My only critique (and this is totally a personal preference thing) is that the novel had an Avatar-vibe that I'm simply growing weary of in books/movies. Thank goodness for the character Angela--she was the one voice in the book that cared deeply about the environment in a way that didn't villain-ize the human species.
This was a very slight blip in an overly awesome radar though, and I look forward to reading this book with my seventh graders.
My favorite part of the novel is the character, Mandy (full name Mandala), the visiting alien. She is ADORABLE. Being the only child on planet Circle, she wears her heart on her sleeve and instantly trusts everyone. Her everyday greeting of "Hi, I love you" made me giggle every single time, not to mention her other nuances, like throwing the dishes out in the backyard, or saying things like "I like this planet, I haven't been murdered once!" I also loved reading about Circle. It was intriguing to imagine a planet that biodegrades organic items super-fast, and the challenges of living in such a place. I also enjoyed imagining the inhabitants of Circle napping on banana hammocks, eating from disposable bone plates, and wearing fingernail-shoes. Syd does a great job of conceptualizing an extraordinary planet without falling back on cliches.
Oh, and the very last line of chapter 31 made me sob like a baby.
My only critique (and this is totally a personal preference thing) is that the novel had an Avatar-vibe that I'm simply growing weary of in books/movies. Thank goodness for the character Angela--she was the one voice in the book that cared deeply about the environment in a way that didn't villain-ize the human species.
This was a very slight blip in an overly awesome radar though, and I look forward to reading this book with my seventh graders.
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June 24, 2014Spencer and Nick Cass help a strange young girl rescue her pilot friend from the Edwards Air Force Base. They discover that this young person, Mandy, and her friend Jaz Lee are from a planet called Circle and have come to Earth for something to save their planet.
Circle is a fast-paced action novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you race along with the Cass brothers and Mandy trying to stay one step ahead of the military. A blend of science fiction and fantasy, this novel will stretch your imagination as you consider the possibilities of genetic manipulation and space travel.
I enjoyed the interaction between Spencer and Mandy and hope that there might be future books where the two might be able to have further encounters. Mandy is a sweet, innocent almost-twelve-year-old who looks older than she is, and is the sole child on the planet of Circle. Though she is sweet and innocent, she has a huge heart full of courage.
Jaz was a most interesting character as well, and one I would like to know more about. We find out some things about him, such that he is very brave, has been to earth before and that he cares less about fame than he does about making sure the job gets done right. I'd love to know about his previous sojourn on earth.
Nick was a very self-centered character. He was all about himself and what he could get out of any situation. The experiences in this book were ones that helped him grow up and become more of a man and by the end of the book I liked him a lot better. I think his girlfriend did too.
This book isn’t all serious though. It’s funny too. Imagine the looks on people’s faces when they are greeted with Mandy’s standard greeting of “Hi, I love you”. A bit startling if you’ve only just met her, for sure. It was a lot of fun to see earth for the first time through Mandy’s eyes. I couldn’t figure out why she would throw the dishes out the window. Of course it made sense later, but the trouble it caused Spencer who was trying to hide Mandy from his mother was quite amusing!
Circle also had a great lesson about our environment and our use of non-biodegradable plastics too. Hopefully it will help us to think twice what we do with all those throw-away plastics we use before we buy them.
Circle was an excellent read. I’d be interested in a sequel. I’ll be looking for more books by this author. I gave this book 4 stars out of 5. It’s aimed toward teenagers, but I think adults will enjoy it as a light read.
Thank you to the author for providing a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. A positive opinion was not required. All thoughts are my own.
This review was published on my blog Shelf Full of Books http://kathrynsshelffullofbooks.blogs...
Circle is a fast-paced action novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you race along with the Cass brothers and Mandy trying to stay one step ahead of the military. A blend of science fiction and fantasy, this novel will stretch your imagination as you consider the possibilities of genetic manipulation and space travel.
I enjoyed the interaction between Spencer and Mandy and hope that there might be future books where the two might be able to have further encounters. Mandy is a sweet, innocent almost-twelve-year-old who looks older than she is, and is the sole child on the planet of Circle. Though she is sweet and innocent, she has a huge heart full of courage.
Jaz was a most interesting character as well, and one I would like to know more about. We find out some things about him, such that he is very brave, has been to earth before and that he cares less about fame than he does about making sure the job gets done right. I'd love to know about his previous sojourn on earth.
Nick was a very self-centered character. He was all about himself and what he could get out of any situation. The experiences in this book were ones that helped him grow up and become more of a man and by the end of the book I liked him a lot better. I think his girlfriend did too.
This book isn’t all serious though. It’s funny too. Imagine the looks on people’s faces when they are greeted with Mandy’s standard greeting of “Hi, I love you”. A bit startling if you’ve only just met her, for sure. It was a lot of fun to see earth for the first time through Mandy’s eyes. I couldn’t figure out why she would throw the dishes out the window. Of course it made sense later, but the trouble it caused Spencer who was trying to hide Mandy from his mother was quite amusing!
Circle also had a great lesson about our environment and our use of non-biodegradable plastics too. Hopefully it will help us to think twice what we do with all those throw-away plastics we use before we buy them.
Circle was an excellent read. I’d be interested in a sequel. I’ll be looking for more books by this author. I gave this book 4 stars out of 5. It’s aimed toward teenagers, but I think adults will enjoy it as a light read.
Thank you to the author for providing a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. A positive opinion was not required. All thoughts are my own.
This review was published on my blog Shelf Full of Books http://kathrynsshelffullofbooks.blogs...
January 9, 2014
I LOVE this book!!! So much fun! I was dying to find out what Mandy's secret was and I didn't expect it to be what it was. Really cool! I wish I could spend more time with Spencer and Mandy. I wish I could watch ET TV. That's so cool. I love the clothes Mandy wears. I want a peacock-lettuce leaf hybrid. That sounds silky. If I was Spencer, Id totally get on that jet! I totally laughed when Mandy was spying on Spencer at home. How embarrassing! I almost died. I love love love this book and Circle!
September 1, 2017
Check my review on Amazon. This book is great for all ages...
December 7, 2014
It was a very interesting take on the classic kind of coming of age tale. We have our protagonist Spencer who as the novel opens is a couch potato whose only motivation for spending any time outside is to spy on his mischievous older brother Nick.Spencer comes off as a bit of a momma's boy who doesn't have the ability to really connect with other children, however he does seem to be very intelligent and a quick thinker(reminding me of myself as a child). Then we have the force of corruption and trouble in the form of older brother Nick. His schemes have put in on the radar of the entire town as being a trouble maker and no good. The kids are quickly put in a setting where they witness the crash landing and collection of an alien air craft by the U.S. air force. This brings the Cass family into contact with a girl from another world Mandy, who needs their help to rescue the pilot of her craft Jazz Lee from Edwards air force base. Over the course of the story I thought it was a lively and interesting take on the idea of growing up and whether or not to do the right thing. My only criticism of the work that I feel is exhibited throughout the novel is the pace. I feel like with all the themes that are addressed and all of the events that take place, not to mention character building and motivations one book is simply not long enough to do the job properly. This story could easily have been turned into a trilogy to give all the characters the depth they deserve.
May 18, 2014
Mandy isn't from here...here being Earth. She snuck aboard a flight from her home planet on an emergency mission to Earth to find something vital for her people's survival. There was a crash landing. Now the pilot is in military custody and Mandy, a young girl, is making new friends of the local kids and together they're planning to rescue the pilot and get them both home again. This is a lighthearted romp with lots of action. In fact the descriptions are quite visual. And, of course, there's the mandatory environmental message about how we're destroying our planet, and the dangers of genetic manipulation. Still, this is a fun, fast-to-read book that should appeal to grades 3-5.
October 27, 2013
This is a t.book that I won from Goodreads. It is appropriate for young teenagers, but I am happy that I read it.
Extra terrestrials have come down earth to gather up what they need to bring back to their planet Circle. They become involved with teens on earth and the government trying to get the item to help save their planet.
There is a very important lesson to be learned from this book on our use and abuse of plastic.
Extra terrestrials have come down earth to gather up what they need to bring back to their planet Circle. They become involved with teens on earth and the government trying to get the item to help save their planet.
There is a very important lesson to be learned from this book on our use and abuse of plastic.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews