When your whole life has vanished and only one person knows who you are . . . don’t you have to believe him?
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reviews
Jan 30, 2012
Rose
rated it: 
When I come across a book that deals with a subject matter that's so bleak, where the character has to walk a hard path towards redemption in an internally damaged mindset, it usually gets to me depending on how well its written. Many times, I may not like who a character is or the things they do, but if I can understand where they are physically, emotionally, and the surrounding aspects of their lives that contribute to the state of mind they're in, I can follow their story, sometimes even be
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May 28, 2011
Debbie
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This is not an easy review for me. When a story deals with abusive relationships, I normally don't read them. Books with sexual abuse or drug addiction usually a hard read for me. But this book was on my new release list, so I said I'd give it try. I'm so glad I did. I really did fall in love with the story between Sam and Abby. I would have liked to have known more of what happened to Sam, seen more of a resolution for him. Sam really grabbed a hold of my heart and I couldn't let him go. More...
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Jan 02, 2012
Nicola
rated it:
Reason for Reading: The plot intrigued me.
Generally, I think this is going to be one of those books that you either love or hate. I loved it! Upon closing the book, I spoke quietly to the empty room, "Wow...that was something." and gave the book a gentle reassuring pat. This is the story of an episode in Abby's life and then is divided into the following 14 weeks and then the next 30 days. Therefore normal plot and character development is not followed which may annoy som More...
Generally, I think this is going to be one of those books that you either love or hate. I loved it! Upon closing the book, I spoke quietly to the empty room, "Wow...that was something." and gave the book a gentle reassuring pat. This is the story of an episode in Abby's life and then is divided into the following 14 weeks and then the next 30 days. Therefore normal plot and character development is not followed which may annoy som More...
Nov 18, 2011
Beth
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Aug 25, 2011
Crystal (Elegantly Bound Books)
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I had a really hard time reading most of this book because it was all just so confusing. The premise of the story is that Abby doesn't know who she is and she can't remember anything before a couple days ago. She knows only Sam because he was there when she woke up. She sees the cave they live in as a lavish palace with very expensive furnishings and everything she needs. Then Sam begins disappearing for long periods of time with another girl and she begins to doubt what he's been telling her
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Jun 20, 2011
Rachael
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When she wakes up, Abby can’t remember anything. She doesn’t know where she is, why there’s a fire, or even what her name is. She doesn’t know who Sam is, but she thinks she can trust him. After all, he was the only other person around when she woke, and he says he’ll take care of her. Abby starts a new life with Sam, one filled with only nice and happy things—but one that is devoid of a past. Abby can’t live in ignorance forever. She can’t overlook the holes in her memory where she must have ha
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Apr 27, 2011
Danielle
rated it:
This is a weird book. Seriously. It's effed up. Yet, I couldn't stop reading it.
I was so drawn in that I wanted to know what was happening. The whole time I'm reading I'm thinking this book is weird and I have no idea what's going on but I like it! Unfortunately it takes have the book to know and then you're so invested that you have to see how it plays out. It was really well written--and that kept me going.
There's a girl named Abby and she is 16, living with Sam in a More...
I was so drawn in that I wanted to know what was happening. The whole time I'm reading I'm thinking this book is weird and I have no idea what's going on but I like it! Unfortunately it takes have the book to know and then you're so invested that you have to see how it plays out. It was really well written--and that kept me going.
There's a girl named Abby and she is 16, living with Sam in a More...
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(2 people liked it)
Mar 26, 2011
the golden witch.
rated it:
At first I thought that this was going to be some kind of hybrid scifi-fairy tale. I was right on only half of this: the fairy-tale part. A fairy-tale gone horribly wrong, but so beautifully written that it captures you right from the first page.
To say it was a shock to figure out what happened to Abby pre-amnesia is putting it lightly. Or rather, how the amnesia happened – the act itself that helped project her brain into nothingness. The events leading up to the final revelations a More...
To say it was a shock to figure out what happened to Abby pre-amnesia is putting it lightly. Or rather, how the amnesia happened – the act itself that helped project her brain into nothingness. The events leading up to the final revelations a More...
Sep 17, 2011
Kate (I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!)
rated it:
CIRCLE NINE, by Anne Heltzel, starts the reader off in the dark and slowly unravels creepy and thrilling revelations that will keep you thinking long after the book is finished.
Initially, the cover of the book spoke to me as a dystopian novel. Since I pretty much always judge a book by the cover I started reading it without reading the summary. Silly me. I started the book and was immediately hooked. When it became apparent that it was not a dystopian, I was already too deep into the b More...
Initially, the cover of the book spoke to me as a dystopian novel. Since I pretty much always judge a book by the cover I started reading it without reading the summary. Silly me. I started the book and was immediately hooked. When it became apparent that it was not a dystopian, I was already too deep into the b More...
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Jun 28, 2011
Kwinks
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I was kind of mesmorized by this novel. I just could not put it down. But, I am left kind of empty. Is this the story of Abby and Sam (an unhealthy relationship)? Or is this the story of Addison, and the effects of trauma on us? I am a bit confused. Heltzel has this talent for making the pages turn fast, fast, fast. I was glued to the story, especially when Abby sees her world one way, then blinks and catches a glimpse of "reality". I finished the story more than a little confused, was
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Jul 26, 2011
Claire
rated it: 
The protagonist was maddeningly passive, and the final "big reveal" of what actually wiped her memory and brought her to this point seemed completely unrealistic. Her ability to imagine her surroundings as paradise never makes much sense, the relationship is icky but poorly developed, Sam is poorly developed, and there was a moment (page 149 of the galley, if you're curious) where race was used as shorthand in a way that I felt was facile and somewhat offensive -- a small moment, yes,
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Sep 14, 2011
Nicole
rated it:
“Circle Nine” tells the story of Abby, a teenager who has no recollection of her life before Sam – a mysterious boy she met before the fire. It’s obvious from the beginning that the relationship between Sam and Abby is wrong. You know that he’s hiding information from her, you know that he’s hiding her from the world but you’re never really quite sure why. Abby sees the cave, their home, as a palace. She doesn’t see the mattress full of holes at first; she sees a king’s bed. She doesn’t see the
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Jun 29, 2011
Alexander
rated it:
When I opened this book, I knew it was not my genre and not my kind of story. When I closed the book, I had a new genre and a new kind of story. In order to appreciate Circle 9 fully, the reader should have an advanced capacity to mentally immerse themselves in a story. If so, you will be treated to a unique character development that leaves behind the pedestrian coming-of-age or YA-anxiety that satisfies many. This is because the (young protagonist) Abby's progression is layered within an a
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Sep 12, 2011
Addie
rated it:
An advanced copy of this title was generously provided by Candlewick via NetGalley!
Anne Heltzel’s Circle Nine is difficult to classify - it centers around a romantic relationship, but isn’t a typical romance; it has elements of mystery, but doesn’t have the tight pace and consistent plot necessary to one; and while it makes allegorical references to the nine circles of hell from Dante’s Inferno, there are no real fantastical elements. It begins when a teenaged girl awakens outside of More...
Anne Heltzel’s Circle Nine is difficult to classify - it centers around a romantic relationship, but isn’t a typical romance; it has elements of mystery, but doesn’t have the tight pace and consistent plot necessary to one; and while it makes allegorical references to the nine circles of hell from Dante’s Inferno, there are no real fantastical elements. It begins when a teenaged girl awakens outside of More...
Apr 26, 2011
Annika
rated it:
I find it difficult to review and rate Circle Nine. But lets cover what the book is about first.
Abby lives with Sam in a cave, not knowing her past, not knowing what happened to her, not really knowing who Sam is. She knows she loves Sam, because he saved her and cares for her. But as times goes on Abby starts to remember and life with Sam doesn't seem as rosey as it used to.
Circle Nine was a depressing and difficult read for me. It's not light literature, something that can More...
Abby lives with Sam in a cave, not knowing her past, not knowing what happened to her, not really knowing who Sam is. She knows she loves Sam, because he saved her and cares for her. But as times goes on Abby starts to remember and life with Sam doesn't seem as rosey as it used to.
Circle Nine was a depressing and difficult read for me. It's not light literature, something that can More...
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Sep 02, 2011
Mandi
rated it:
This book is beyond dark. Twisted. And, so captivating. The story itself is fascinating and easily sucks in the reader. The subject matter can be overwhelming, but I think this book is important because it can potentially create discourse for teens suffering from trauma, abusive relationships, and mental health issues.
If you're going to read this book, prepare yourself. It can leave you feeling emotionally drained once you become attached to the characters (and you will). In my More...
If you're going to read this book, prepare yourself. It can leave you feeling emotionally drained once you become attached to the characters (and you will). In my More...
Sep 19, 2011
Jayjay
rated it:
Originally posted on http://wefancybooks.blogspot.com soon :)
One Sentence Reaction
A world that is created with questions and doubt, it will keep your page turning and turning.
Blurb
She doesn’t know anybody, all she knows is Sam. The mysterious boy who she knows is her only hope in finding the truth. Who she really is, and why doesn’t she remember anything from the past, not even her name. With only a necklace named her Abby, the only thing she can do is trust Sam. Wi More...
One Sentence Reaction
A world that is created with questions and doubt, it will keep your page turning and turning.
Blurb
She doesn’t know anybody, all she knows is Sam. The mysterious boy who she knows is her only hope in finding the truth. Who she really is, and why doesn’t she remember anything from the past, not even her name. With only a necklace named her Abby, the only thing she can do is trust Sam. Wi More...
Jul 17, 2011
Melissa (i swim for oceans)
rated it:
Abby can't remember anything. When she wakes, she doesn't know where she is, who she is, or what is happening, but there is a fire, and she has to escape. The only person around to help her is Sam. She doesn't know who he is, but he says he can help her, and she feels as though she can trust him, so she does. The pair begin a life together in what Sam calls a cave-palace - a world central to the two of them alone, with the world outside called Circle Nine. Abby can't remember anything though, an
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Oct 11, 2011
Susan
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Dec 04, 2011
Tasha
rated it:
Circle Nine.. Well, I will certainly be reading more of Anne Heltzel. Her writing is LOVELY! I really, really enjoyed this read.
In the beginning of the book there is a large house fire. A girl, our main character, wakes up with absolutely no memory of her past. She doesn't even know her name. There is a boy next to her, pleading for her to run with him away from the fire. The girl, Abby, sees only this boy's face. She feels that she has been re-born, detached from all previous memor More...
In the beginning of the book there is a large house fire. A girl, our main character, wakes up with absolutely no memory of her past. She doesn't even know her name. There is a boy next to her, pleading for her to run with him away from the fire. The girl, Abby, sees only this boy's face. She feels that she has been re-born, detached from all previous memor More...
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Aug 16, 2011
Mrs. Heather Maddox
rated it:
More like 3.5 stars....
For once, I am at a loss for words! I am very conflicted as to how I feel about this book.
The writing style was very strange and I do not know if it is because I have an ARC copy or if the writer really wanted it to be this way, but the conversations all took place in italics instead of quotations. I did get used to it after a while, but then all conversation when the main character was having her memories, quotations were used? It made me think tha More...
For once, I am at a loss for words! I am very conflicted as to how I feel about this book.
The writing style was very strange and I do not know if it is because I have an ARC copy or if the writer really wanted it to be this way, but the conversations all took place in italics instead of quotations. I did get used to it after a while, but then all conversation when the main character was having her memories, quotations were used? It made me think tha More...
Jul 17, 2011
Kristina
rated it:
3.5 Stars
I really wanted to read this book because the summary intrigued me. I thought that it was going to be a supernatural story set in a dystopian future, but that was not the case at all. This is a story about a boy named Sam, who after saving Abby from a burning building, has her live with him and takes care of her. Abby has no idea who she is, or how she knows Sam, but in the beginning is content with her situation. The more we read, the more we learn that Sam is actually a ver More...
I really wanted to read this book because the summary intrigued me. I thought that it was going to be a supernatural story set in a dystopian future, but that was not the case at all. This is a story about a boy named Sam, who after saving Abby from a burning building, has her live with him and takes care of her. Abby has no idea who she is, or how she knows Sam, but in the beginning is content with her situation. The more we read, the more we learn that Sam is actually a ver More...
Aug 04, 2011
Kathleen
rated it:
I'm not sure what I thought this book was about when I downloaded the eGalley, but I was completely mistaken. I had a preconceived notion of some sort of scifi or dystopia, but Circle 9 is 100% realistic fiction, of the ROOM and STOLEN variety.
If you've read any other reviews of Circle 9, you'll know that it has a powerful effect on the reader... it gives you the chills, makes your stomach turn, and makes you frantic at the idea that such a thing could happen.
I can't go int More...
If you've read any other reviews of Circle 9, you'll know that it has a powerful effect on the reader... it gives you the chills, makes your stomach turn, and makes you frantic at the idea that such a thing could happen.
I can't go int More...
Sep 20, 2011
Infinite Playlist
rated it:
Lang und breit
Aus irgendwelchen Gründen (ich tippe auf das Cover und ein paar irreführende GoodReads tags) dachte ich, Circle Nine wäre ein Dystopie. Im ersten Drittel des Buches hätte das auch der Fall sein können, aber umso mehr ich las, desto klarer wurde mir, dass es gar nicht um eine kaputte Welt der Zukunft geht. Also nicht irre führen lassen. Es handelt sich hier um einen Mysteryroman der Gegenwart.
Circle Nine ist eine ganz besondere Art von Buch, mit der nicht jeder etw More...
Aus irgendwelchen Gründen (ich tippe auf das Cover und ein paar irreführende GoodReads tags) dachte ich, Circle Nine wäre ein Dystopie. Im ersten Drittel des Buches hätte das auch der Fall sein können, aber umso mehr ich las, desto klarer wurde mir, dass es gar nicht um eine kaputte Welt der Zukunft geht. Also nicht irre führen lassen. Es handelt sich hier um einen Mysteryroman der Gegenwart.
Circle Nine ist eine ganz besondere Art von Buch, mit der nicht jeder etw More...
Jun 19, 2011
Precious
rated it:
The story started out as sweet and confusing. Abby had no memory of what her life was, who she was and what her name was. She didn’t even know the mysterious boy who was with her. Everything was lost. But she woke up and her angel was in front of her, waiting for her, ready to save her from the chaos. She trusted him, even though she was wary and confused. She was lost and it would not be so hard for her to be anchored to the only person she knew: Sam. It was as if I walked into a fantasyland fi
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Jun 29, 2011
Reading
rated it:
Not sure about this one. It is seriously eccentric.....peculiar, preternatural, odd, bizarre, curious, weird....but kind of beautiful, totally frustrating, psychedelic. It sucked me in on the very first page, and wouldn't let me go. The writing was beautiful, very poetic. The ending was so frustrating, though. Actually much of the book was frustrating.
I think fans of Stolen by Lucy Christopher will like this one too.
I think fans of Stolen by Lucy Christopher will like this one too.
Nov 17, 2011
Tammy
rated it:
I had mixed feelings for this one. I expected a lot more because the summary drew me in, but it wasn't all that great. I wanted to keep reading even though I really did not like the plot. I think it's because I wanted to see if there would be a major twist that made the book better. But no, I finished it feeling thoroughly disappointed.
Jul 15, 2011
Cheryl
rated it:
Seventeen year old Abby has no recollection of her past only of Sam, the boy who loves her and takes care of her. Her dependence on Sam for everything starts to unravel when she begins to have flashes of memory from her past. A psychological thriller for older teens and adults.
Oct 16, 2011
Michele(mluker)
rated it:
A very intense story about how one mistake, one wrong choice can alter your life.
Abby loses her memory, Sam is there to help her. An insanely gripping story about how one can manipulate, brainwash, and control another.
VERY good read.
Abby loses her memory, Sam is there to help her. An insanely gripping story about how one can manipulate, brainwash, and control another.
VERY good read.
