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Quake
Time traveling thieves. A stolen kiss. A wormhole to the heist of the century.
Fifteen-year-old Allie Bennett is a con artist, a pickpocket, and on her last chance at an end-of-the-line foster home. On a normal day of ditching school and pulling cons, she learns her mom—who disappeared when she was ten—isn’t a crazy but is actually a time traveler. And Allie’s one, too.
When Allie is kidnapped by a Mean Girl who heads a crew of time traveling thieves, she thinks she’s hit the jackpot—she gets to travel back to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake to pull the heist of the century and find her mom.
Only things don’t go quite as planned.
It turns out that time travelers are hunted, her crew might be killers, and everyone has a secret agenda. As she races to find her mom, she must stay ahead of the governors who’ll do anything to keep her from changing history. She has to pull off the con of her life if she’s going to make it out alive.
Quake’s twists and turns take you on a wild journey through time, from modern day to 1906 to 2153 San Francisco.
Fifteen-year-old Allie Bennett is a con artist, a pickpocket, and on her last chance at an end-of-the-line foster home. On a normal day of ditching school and pulling cons, she learns her mom—who disappeared when she was ten—isn’t a crazy but is actually a time traveler. And Allie’s one, too.
When Allie is kidnapped by a Mean Girl who heads a crew of time traveling thieves, she thinks she’s hit the jackpot—she gets to travel back to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake to pull the heist of the century and find her mom.
Only things don’t go quite as planned.
It turns out that time travelers are hunted, her crew might be killers, and everyone has a secret agenda. As she races to find her mom, she must stay ahead of the governors who’ll do anything to keep her from changing history. She has to pull off the con of her life if she’s going to make it out alive.
Quake’s twists and turns take you on a wild journey through time, from modern day to 1906 to 2153 San Francisco.
- GenresTime TravelYoung Adult
260 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 29, 2018
12 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
Chris Mandeville
12 books316 followersAfter growing up in California and graduating from the University of California at Berkeley, Chris married a U.S. Air Force officer and moved from state to state, as well as to British Columbia, before settling in Colorado. She now lives in the woods of the Rocky Mountains with her family and service dog.
Chris writes science fiction and fantasy novels, short stories, and nonfiction books and articles for writers. For the past fifteen years she’s been a member of The Sparkling Hammers, a critique group of eclectic writers that provides inspiration, support, and friendship essential to her writing process. She loves teaching about writing and has presented workshops to hundreds of writers on topics such as Backstory, The Sweet 16 First Lines, Writer’s Block, and more. She served on the Board of Directors for Pikes Peak Writers for more than ten years, five as their president, and is currently on the staff of Superstars Writing Seminars.
Learn more and become a member of her reader group at chrismandeville.com.
Chris writes science fiction and fantasy novels, short stories, and nonfiction books and articles for writers. For the past fifteen years she’s been a member of The Sparkling Hammers, a critique group of eclectic writers that provides inspiration, support, and friendship essential to her writing process. She loves teaching about writing and has presented workshops to hundreds of writers on topics such as Backstory, The Sweet 16 First Lines, Writer’s Block, and more. She served on the Board of Directors for Pikes Peak Writers for more than ten years, five as their president, and is currently on the staff of Superstars Writing Seminars.
Learn more and become a member of her reader group at chrismandeville.com.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 19, 2018
Being a huge fan of time travel, I really loved this YA book.
QUAKE will shake your world! Riveting and amazing. Allie is a con artist, and what better place to use her talents than in pulling off the greatest heist in the last century, but to do so, she must travel back in time with a cast of unlikely Jennys (time travelers), one of whom wants to kill her. Could not put down!
This is a clean YA book with a hint of romance but centers around family. I can't say how much I enjoyed this story and the great plot twists at the end and the mysterious voyeur watching over the time traveler. Hope there's more of his story in the future books.
QUAKE will shake your world! Riveting and amazing. Allie is a con artist, and what better place to use her talents than in pulling off the greatest heist in the last century, but to do so, she must travel back in time with a cast of unlikely Jennys (time travelers), one of whom wants to kill her. Could not put down!
This is a clean YA book with a hint of romance but centers around family. I can't say how much I enjoyed this story and the great plot twists at the end and the mysterious voyeur watching over the time traveler. Hope there's more of his story in the future books.
May 31, 2018
I loved this book immediately. Allie is a spunky, independent protagonist who made me care for her plight from the first pages. The time travel process was unique to me and I enjoyed experiencing the journey. Some chapters have a future pov character who monitors the past searching for anomalies and changes in the time line. The way that character spoke fascinated me. I smiled the entire time I read that voice because they used words I recognized modified just enough to give you a feel for a different time. I'm pretty used to YA stories having great characters but not too many surprises. Though a young reader would likely find more mystery than I did, Mandeville still managed to make me say "huh" more than once. I'd highly recommend this book to readers of YA science fiction. I can't wait for book two.
August 5, 2018
“Quake” blends time travel, a heist and a first crush into a thrilling adventure that begins when fifteen-year-old foster child Allie Bennett who often ditches school to work on her skills as a con artist and pickpocket learns she’s a time traveller after being kidnapped by a crew of time-travelling thieves lead by Steinbech (Beck) Raskin.
Learning that Beck and his team are planning a heist prior to the quake in 1906 San Francisco Allie joins them hoping to find her mother after travelling through the wormhole in the local library. But her plans go awry when she learns that changing history never improves it; time-travellers are being hunted; and that some crew members have their own agendas including murder.
Fast-paced and action-packed the plot heats up when Allie is thrown off course in the wormhole ending up hours ahead of her crew and conning her way out of a bordello as she searches for her mother. Well-written and intriguing Chris Mandeville skillfully sheds light on the history of time-travelling and Allie’s past as the plot twists and turns and the tension escalates. Intensity and suspense spike when Allie locates her mother only to be targeted by a killer who wants to stop the mistakes he made in the past. All too quickly and smoothly the story progresses to an earth-shattering ending that promises an exciting sequel.
Among a host of fascinating and complex characters is Allie Bennett a lonely vulnerable foster kid haunted by the loss of her mother, her foster home and the boy she likes. She’s clever, thoughtful and generous unlike mean, vindictive and snotty Bel Raskin daughter of Steinbech Raskin, an untrustworthy, sinister leader who has his own agenda for time travelling back to 1906. It is these personalities and others that breathe life into a compelling story that will keep you on the edge of your seat and begging for the next book in this riveting series.
I thoroughly enjoyed “Quake” and can’t wait to see where Chris Mandeville takes the adventure next.
Learning that Beck and his team are planning a heist prior to the quake in 1906 San Francisco Allie joins them hoping to find her mother after travelling through the wormhole in the local library. But her plans go awry when she learns that changing history never improves it; time-travellers are being hunted; and that some crew members have their own agendas including murder.
Fast-paced and action-packed the plot heats up when Allie is thrown off course in the wormhole ending up hours ahead of her crew and conning her way out of a bordello as she searches for her mother. Well-written and intriguing Chris Mandeville skillfully sheds light on the history of time-travelling and Allie’s past as the plot twists and turns and the tension escalates. Intensity and suspense spike when Allie locates her mother only to be targeted by a killer who wants to stop the mistakes he made in the past. All too quickly and smoothly the story progresses to an earth-shattering ending that promises an exciting sequel.
Among a host of fascinating and complex characters is Allie Bennett a lonely vulnerable foster kid haunted by the loss of her mother, her foster home and the boy she likes. She’s clever, thoughtful and generous unlike mean, vindictive and snotty Bel Raskin daughter of Steinbech Raskin, an untrustworthy, sinister leader who has his own agenda for time travelling back to 1906. It is these personalities and others that breathe life into a compelling story that will keep you on the edge of your seat and begging for the next book in this riveting series.
I thoroughly enjoyed “Quake” and can’t wait to see where Chris Mandeville takes the adventure next.
June 27, 2018
This is a time-travel series that makes me want more.
What hooked me on this story is the new twist on time travel.
I’ve had enough “Back to the Future” fade-from-existence storylines. A thoughtful and different take on paradoxes will keep me reading this series just to see how that all plays out.
But there’s more here than a theoretical science experiment. C’mon, con artists and a time travel heist? I was already reaching for the popcorn before page 1. But then the main character is what kept me turning pages: resourceful but not perfect, clever without being too smart. And with a believable teen voice. Works for me.
I’m anxious for more after reading this promising series starter.
What hooked me on this story is the new twist on time travel.
I’ve had enough “Back to the Future” fade-from-existence storylines. A thoughtful and different take on paradoxes will keep me reading this series just to see how that all plays out.
But there’s more here than a theoretical science experiment. C’mon, con artists and a time travel heist? I was already reaching for the popcorn before page 1. But then the main character is what kept me turning pages: resourceful but not perfect, clever without being too smart. And with a believable teen voice. Works for me.
I’m anxious for more after reading this promising series starter.
May 30, 2018
I thought this was a lot of fun. It's billed as a time-travel heist story, but it's as much a coming of age story as it is about time travel, which is good for a young-adult audience. On that note, there is a little swearing but nothing you wouldn't find in a PG-13 movie.
And the time-travel concept is pretty cool--if you've ever tried on clothes in a dressing room with multiple mirrors, you'll get it. Very clever. Add to it a bunch of fun plot twists and turns, and this relatively quick read is indeed a lot of fun.
And the time-travel concept is pretty cool--if you've ever tried on clothes in a dressing room with multiple mirrors, you'll get it. Very clever. Add to it a bunch of fun plot twists and turns, and this relatively quick read is indeed a lot of fun.
September 8, 2018
This is the first book I read on a kindle and I have enjoyed it greatly! A fun and easy read.
I love stories about time travel, but this book had a new take on it, which kept me hooked!
Throw in a group of time traveling thieves planning (to the last bit of historically accurate detail) to pull the heist of the century, and a protagonist that you’ll be rooting for.. that is so “phee” !!
One thing I should mention is, the way the “monitor” from the future was using the language. Even though I had no trouble understanding the “evolved words” .. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, but as the story progressed it had grown on me. English has changed over he centuries, so it was a valid projection.
An actioned packed adventure that will keep you wanting for more! Highly recommend!
I love stories about time travel, but this book had a new take on it, which kept me hooked!
Throw in a group of time traveling thieves planning (to the last bit of historically accurate detail) to pull the heist of the century, and a protagonist that you’ll be rooting for.. that is so “phee” !!
One thing I should mention is, the way the “monitor” from the future was using the language. Even though I had no trouble understanding the “evolved words” .. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, but as the story progressed it had grown on me. English has changed over he centuries, so it was a valid projection.
An actioned packed adventure that will keep you wanting for more! Highly recommend!
October 11, 2018
An awesome book for a first time author for me. Allie is a con artist and a pickpocket. She’s on her last chance for a foster home. She finds out she’s a time traveler like her mother. Loved it.
June 7, 2018
A fun time travel book with excellent writing, vivid characters, and just a really fresh feel overall. Highly recommend for your reluctant or avid reader alike.
January 25, 2019
A powerful time travel story, that should only get stronger with each book. Beautifully set with a unique cast of characters.
February 7, 2022
I love YA and I love time travel and this was absolutely the perfect book for me. I had just lost a couple of people in my life and I was wishing that I could travel back in time to make a few editorial changes. Obviously, that's not possible. So what's the next best thing? Read a time travel novel, of course! The problem is that they're not uniformly good, and I've read my share of ones that simply didn't work. Maybe the writing wasn't good, the characters unsympathetic, or the plot stale. Sometimes the premise was fantastic but the author's execution less so.
And then came Chris Mandeville to the rescue! She hit everything on the nail. I was able to check off everything on my list of wants from my book: a fun, sympathetic protagonist, good, crisp writing, twists and turns that will leave you gasping for breath. I can't say more without spoilers.
Even if you're pressed for time, it's a fun and fast read! Totally enjoyable and riveting.
And then came Chris Mandeville to the rescue! She hit everything on the nail. I was able to check off everything on my list of wants from my book: a fun, sympathetic protagonist, good, crisp writing, twists and turns that will leave you gasping for breath. I can't say more without spoilers.
Even if you're pressed for time, it's a fun and fast read! Totally enjoyable and riveting.
June 19, 2018
I love a good female protagonist and Quake delivers. This YA tale has a little bit of everything all wrapped up in a time travel story with some twists and turns that you might not see coming. So much fun! A fast and easy read with page-turning action and engaging characters against the backdrop of past, present, and future San Francisco. Bad guys pretending to be good guys, bad guys are the good guys are the bad guys, who knows? Depends on how the timeline is affected by the people trying to save it...or are they? You'll have to read this wild and wonderful adventure to find out.
July 13, 2022
It only took this long because a book on hold came up at the library and it is only polite to read library books quickly so the next person can have it.
This gripped me on the first page. The characters are engaging. Get the whole Trilogy because this isn't a stand alone.
She does a really cool thing with language. A few of the chapters are written from the perspective of a person in 2153. She makes it feel more futuristic by making the chapters read like a cross between texting and normal prose. Just like 21 st century English is less formal than 19th century English, Chris shows this movement into the 22nd century
This gripped me on the first page. The characters are engaging. Get the whole Trilogy because this isn't a stand alone.
She does a really cool thing with language. A few of the chapters are written from the perspective of a person in 2153. She makes it feel more futuristic by making the chapters read like a cross between texting and normal prose. Just like 21 st century English is less formal than 19th century English, Chris shows this movement into the 22nd century
May 13, 2023
A YA time-travel adventure that builds to an exciting ending with unexpected twists. Time travel and its conundrums are explored through the eyes of Allie, a young con artist living in a foster group, who learns that her mother didn't abandon her but traveled back in time to 1906 San Francisco. And then learns she also possesses the ability to time travel when she's offered the opportunity to go to the same period with a group of strangers. Their goal, a heist. Her goal, to find her mother. A great start to the In Real Time series with unique and clever worldbuilding.
July 14, 2025
Natural disasters show no hesitation to destroy anything in their path, regardless of value. Time travelers try to prove their worth in saving relics that wouldn’t have survived the 1906 San Fransisco Earthquake.
15-year-old con artist and pickpocket Allie gets pulled into the heist, though she is motivated to find her mother who disappeared years ago with no warning. Everyone has a secret agenda, and it turns out the heist of the century could alter the fates of time zones hundreds of years from now.
This is a creative idea and an exciting read.
15-year-old con artist and pickpocket Allie gets pulled into the heist, though she is motivated to find her mother who disappeared years ago with no warning. Everyone has a secret agenda, and it turns out the heist of the century could alter the fates of time zones hundreds of years from now.
This is a creative idea and an exciting read.
August 12, 2018
Interesting Concept
I liked the main character and the time travel aspect was interesting. I disliked the weird way of speaking the person monitoring the past used. To use “magine” instead of “imagine” is just unnecessary. It felt like the author was trying too hard to make it seem futuristic, and it didn’t add to the story. There was a lot of pain and discord in the main character’s life, with little to suggest a HEA.
I liked the main character and the time travel aspect was interesting. I disliked the weird way of speaking the person monitoring the past used. To use “magine” instead of “imagine” is just unnecessary. It felt like the author was trying too hard to make it seem futuristic, and it didn’t add to the story. There was a lot of pain and discord in the main character’s life, with little to suggest a HEA.
April 28, 2019
Read this now
Chris's first book, Seeds was great, and I really like this first book in Chris's new series. It sets a great stage for the next two. Can't wait!
Chris's first book, Seeds was great, and I really like this first book in Chris's new series. It sets a great stage for the next two. Can't wait!
June 1, 2018
What a fun read! I loved the concept of a heist involving time travel. Allie is easy to sympathize with as a protagonist, with the typical mindset of a 15-year-old -- crushing on her first crush, experiencing her first kiss, and coasting through her first wormhole. The gang of time-traveling thieves that Allie falls into is diverse and mysterious, the action fast-paced, and the cliff-hanger ending will leave you waiting breathlessly for the sequel.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews