A Circle of Time

by Marisa Montes

"I helped you. Now you help me." As fourteen-year-old Allison Blair lies comatose in the hospital, she hears in her head the voice of Becky Lee Thompson, pleading for help and pulling Allison back in time to 1906—and into Becky's body. But why? Is it to prevent Becky's tragic death, or the death of Joshua, the boy who loves her? Allison must remain in the past—fortified by her own growing feeling for Joshua, and Becky's will—to make sense of the layers of mystery, blackmail, and mistaken identity so that history will be altered. Becky's spirit struggles to keep Allison's body alive. Can Allison save Becky and Joshua and return to her own body before time runs out?

Genres: Historical, Young Adult, Time Travel, Fiction, Childrens

272 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2002

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This charming book is very much like what I would have read as a 5 or 6th grader. While the main character is 14, it is written for younger girls. It has a very sweet romance in it, very little violence, and is sort of nostalgic. The mystery is simplistic, to the point that an astute 14 yr old would probably be wondering what took the characters so long to figure out what was going on. The story is primarially about a drama that took place in Northern California right before the 1906 earthquake. When the main character Allison is hit in 1996 near a cliff where a girl died in 1906, the girl possesses her body and forces Allison to travel to the past to save her. The trick is that the girl from the past doesn't know what killed her so she can't tell Allison how to stop it. There are some interesting bits about what it is possible to change from the past. Are certain things fated? Overall an interesting read.

[Jeanine Allen]

Jeanine Allen
Mystery

A Circle of Time by Marisa Montes is a story about a young girl named Allison who is in a coma in a hospital because she was hit by a car. She begins to hear a voice of a girl named Becky who then takes Allison back in time to 1906, but in Allison's body. Allison has to save Becky and Joshua, Becky's boyfriend, from an earthquake that will kill them, but Allison begins to fall in love with Joshua. At times Allison is snapped to the future by hearing her mother's voice, but she isn't able to respond in any way.

I think females would like this book more than males because despite being a mystery, it is also a romance. There are parts of the book where Allison is preaching about feminism, and that gets a little redundant, but other than that it is nice read. There is mystery and blackmail and remains entertaining all the way through to the end of the book.

[Jailene Salas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never been so thankful to an author as I am towards Marisa Montes. This book is the reason why I started reading. "The circle of time" was the first book I ever picked up and automatically adored.
when I started reading this book I couldn't put it down even though I had to read it to two or three times because I couldn't understand it because I was very dyslexic at that time I couldn't read as well as the other kids. this book caught my eye automatically the book meant so much to me growing up. it helped me with my dyslexia wanting to reading more, hustling, and striving to become a better reader and student and person even though I was already 13 years old and now I am 18 years old. Five years passed and It's still is a memorable memory for me. I became a book lover I found myself in books. in every character I found myself. So I highly recommend reading this book!!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Didn't want it to end!

[Sarah Scaffidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

My absolute favorite (non Harry Potter) childhood book holds up well!

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time traveling book, it was one of my favorites that I read in the 7th/8th grade and reread in college.

[Jess Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely amazing.. it is an easier read. Nothing too complicated. I have read this book a thousand times and will definitely read a thousand more 🩷

[Heather B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of my favorite books of all time. read it years ago and want to read again soon.

[Kayla Ritt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book when I was in the library with my daughter in the teen section. The title stood out of the shelves and I read a page or two and couldn't put this book down! It was similar in voice to "The Lovely Bones" and interestingly swayed back and forth from present to past, thus the Circle of Time. It's a fairly simple book, older children/teens book. I ADORE this book & had forgotten about it until I was making this list!!! Here's the synopsis:
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As fourteen-year-old Allison Blair lies comatose in the hospital, she hears in her head the voice of Becky Lee Thompson, pleading for help and pulling Allison back in time to 1906—and into Becky's body. But why? Is it to prevent Becky's tragic death, or the death of Joshua, the boy who loves her? Allison must remain in the past—fortified by her own growing feeling for Joshua, and Becky's will—to make sense of the layers of mystery, blackmail, and mistaken identity so that history will be altered.
Becky's spirit struggles to keep Allison's body alive. Can Allison save Becky and Joshua and return to her own body before time runs out?

I LOVE THIS BOOK!

[Rei · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allison, the main character had an accident and ended up in a coma but as she lies in the coma , she hears a girl named Becky to save her. Becky takes Allison back in time and asks for her help of saving Joshua (the boy who loves Becky) and herself. While Becky, is helping Allison in her body. This is one of biggest time traveling mystery books I have ever read. One of my favorite characters was Allison, she was brave enough to go on that adventure of saving someone else’s life. If I was put in her position I think I would never be able to survive. While I was reading this book I really liked the way, how Marisa Montes describes the setting in the book. I could really picture the setting in my head. One of the ways how I can relate to Allison is that she never gives up on the adventure. This was a very interesting book that I may want to read again in the future.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allison has just suffered a terrible accident and is now in the hopital close to death. The only reason she didn't died is because a girl name Becky from the past saved her. Since Becky saved her, she has to go back 100 years ago and save Becky and her boyfriend Joshua. First, Allison has to somehow tell Joshua that she isn't really Becky, and she also has to get away from this evil abusive woman named Sadie, who is apparently her mother. Allison learns much from the past and has to save Becky and Joshua from a terrible earthquake that killed them both. This book was very good in my opinion and had you going right in the beginning. There is always something important going on and many surprises that help reveal part of the books mystery.

[Lauren Avery · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Circle of Time is a story about a young girl named Allison who is in a coma in a hospital because she was hit by a car. She begins to hear a voice of a girl named Becky who then takes Allison back in time to 1906, but in Allison's body. Allison has to save Becky and Joshua, Becky's boyfriend, from an earthquake that will kill them, but Allison begins to fall in love with Joshua. At times Allison is snapped to the future by hearing her mother's voice, but she isn't able to respond in any way.

This story was really interesting and entertaining. I did not like the way it was written because it tended to get confusing on who is speaking and what time period she is in etc. The plot was good but needed more details here and less there.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is listed as a teen book but this 58 year old woman thought it was an excellent read. It is a time travel romance and parts of it I had figured out but regardless, it was a fine story. One girl in the present has had an accident and lies in a coma, one girl from the past pulls her into the past to save several lives. It is a rather complex plot and to explain it would give away the whole story so all I can do is recommend that you read it for yourself. Keep some kleenex handy, I cried at the end.

[Nicollette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book around third or fourth grade, and it has remained one of my favorite books of all time. The plot and mystery are kind of simple and predictable, but as a child it was exciting to read about how the characters ended up where they did. I would definitely recommend this book to young girls!

[Deja Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books!! I love the twist to it. When she had to fix the past, if she messed up she had to start all over again. That kind of got boring because she messed up a lot. The little romance is cute. Not too intense but I liked it. The action and the book had phenomenal description and it kept me reading. I LOVE THIS BOOK!

[Ariana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book when I was in about sixth grade, and I just remember being so moved. I don't know what I would think about the book now, and honestly, I don't even know how much I remember, but because the book has stuck with me so long, and I know how important it was to me as a child (the audience it's obviously directed at) I have to give it 5 stars.

[Colin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read this before, and i remembered it as having a pretty good twist ending, which i really like when they can be found. This time through the "mystery" was really obvious, and the characters pretty simplistic. It was still enjoyable, but fluffy.

[lola Franco · Rating 4 out of 5]

the feminism part was a little too much for me, but otherwise a good read for kids. nice to show that at one point california had wealthy spanish and mexicans, not just the migrant workers we hear of today.

[effie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this a couple of years ago, and I still remember it! And I've read quite a lot of books in that time too. It's the kind of book that everyone would like; romance lovers, mystery lovers, whatever. Two words: it's amazing. Three words: go read it.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not sure if I want to give this a 2 or a 3. It ended better than it began but parts of it were ugh! I guess I am pretty picky about the time-traveling genre. It just didn't seem that all the ducks were in a row with this one. It wasn't an awful read but had several annoying parts.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book I ever fell in love with - this one turned me into a reader. The premise is wonderfully unique, the turns surprising, and the ending everything you'd hope it would be. I laughed, cried, time traveled, and to this day still love this book.

[Kirina Mae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and absolutely breathtaking!! it has a bit of romance and mystery that adds up to a great book!!!I recommend this book for anyone!!!!!!

[Hamedparand · Rating 5 out of 5]

ok. tanx

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

couldnt decide between a three star rating or a four star. the ending made me give it the higher rating. most of the book was only a three star.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Time-Travel, SF earthquake of 1908

[Joelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took a while to get into it, but it was good otherwise!

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a YA novel so an easy read. A good story and I loved the ending!