3.75 Stars, Rounded Up

If you love the movie Back to the Future, you'll probably enjoy this book. What am I saying? Everyone loves Back to the Future. I guess what I am saying is that there was a lot to love about Lauren Thoman's novel, I'll Stop the World.

This Young Adult novel tells the story of 2023 teenager, Justin, who travels back to 1985 to prevent his grandparents murder. Compelling plot, right? I thought so too. But here is where the book goes from being a five-star read to 3.75 for me. The time travel element is not introduced until 100+ pages in the book. The first 1/4 of the book is setting up the story with chapters that switch from character to character faster than I put the McFly's futuristic dehydrated pizza on my vision board.

I lost count of how many different POVs we get in this book - all I know is it is a TON. Some are in 1985 and some are in 2023 and without labeling them, it is hard to piece everything together and keep track of who is who. As an added level of confusion, there are interludes that transport you to a different point in the story to fill in background that helps the story come together and make sense.

At times, I felt like I needed a bulletin board with red string ala Charlie Day from It's Always Sunny (or I guess Stan from this novel).

But, after the halfway point in this novel, I finally felt like I had a good handle on who was who in this cozy time-traveling mystery and I was able to finish the last 60% of this book in one sitting.

The second half of this book is where it shines. Things set up in the beginning make perfect sense and the final payoff is amazing. I did guess where somethings were going, but others shocked me. It is a YA novel and it feels like it, so don't get into this thinking you're in for a dark and twisted thriller because that isn't this book's vibe.

Ultimately, I really enjoyed I'll Stop the World and I would highly recommend it to others. I do think that the first part could use a little editing so we can get to the action and meat of the novel a little quicker and I think some characters POVs did not serve the story (sorry, Lisa). These aren't minor quibbles, because they made me tempted to DNF the book after 80 pages, but once I pushed through I was happy I did.

This is Thoman's debut novel and I can tell she is an expert at crafting a compelling story. I'm curious to read her future work and hope that others enjoy I'll Stop the World as we await for what else she has coming.

Thanks to NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy of I'll Stop the World by Lauren Thoman in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Truly enjoyed this book. Just when I thought I had figured out what was going on there was another pivot. I love when I am kept in suspense until the end.

This is a YA, which is a genre I rarely reach for. However, this was clever an enjoyable read. I love the time travel and of course all of the 80s references. The characters are a diverse group teenagers, who are facing realistic challenges that many still face today, while facing the pressure of undoing a tragedy that happened before their time. It took a bit of time to get to the time travel part, which was what I was looking forward to the most. Overall, it was an easy yet enjoyable read.

Thanks so much for the advanced readers copy, I usually enjoy Mindy’s choices but found this one hard to enjoy. I will still read other books she endorses. Thanks again.

Lauren Thoman's coming of age story I'll Stop the World is filled with creative twists and 80s references that will appeal to teenagers and 40-somethings alike. Told from multiple perspectives and across decades, the cast of characters is complicated and real. Suspending belief to follow the time travel arc is achievable in part because Justin's story comes to make perfect sense, and in part because the characters (especially Rose and Lisa) are so relatable and unforgettable. I think that my teenagers will enjoy this as much as I did!

I know a lot of people didn't but I loved the various characters. It wasn't too hard to keep track of. I liked that it jumped from 1985 to 2023 but it just didn't keep my attention. It picked up in the middle when Rose and Justin met but then it slowed down again and I have to admit, I rushed through to finish this book. While we will buy it, I likely won't recommend it.

The 3rd book in my Spring Reading Bonanza was a difficult start but really paid off in the end. So much so I'm going to buy a copy just for my teen niece. The mystery was filled twists and turns that led the characters on a fantastic journey. I can see why Mindy Kaling swooped it up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mindy's Book Studio for providing an eARC for a honest review.

rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I’ll be the first to admit I don’t always take YA that seriously anymore, but this book made me feel EVERYTHING! I felt like I was reading about my friends and I didn’t want it to end.

'I'll Stop The World' is the story of Justin, your everyday teenager whose life is defined by the mysterious deaths of his grandparents. He's a loner who never believed he had a future, and doesn’t give much thought to the unsolved crime that happened long before he was born.
One fateful night, Justin’s choices send him crashing into the path of Rose Yin, a determined optimist who will do anything to help her friends. Justin and Rose live in the same town and go to the same school, but have never met–because Rose lives in 1985. Justin won’t be born for another 20 years, and his grandparents are still alive.
Justin and Rose have one week to send Justin back to his own time by stopping a murder that has yet to happen.

I love, love, LOVED the characters! Every single one of them. I love the care the author took in fleshing out their personalities and backstories. At first, I wasn’t sure how this was going to become a story with an arc of events, just because there are so many characters. To give perspective, there are at least 8 main characters with POV chapters, and even more supporting characters to progress the plot. But trust and believe, each of these characters is necessary and makes the ending that much more satisfying.

My only criticism of the book might be with the editing. There were some chapters that felt *maybe* unnecessary, some events that could have been trimmed to account for pacing (it ends up being around 400 pages!), but nothing that kept me from enjoying the overall story. The character development reminded me of Stephen King’s 'It', where you come to know each member of the Loser’s Club to fully understand their personalities and the choices they make.

Overall, this was a strong debut! I would recommend this to anyone who loves YA, coming-of-age, or time travel stories. Honestly, even if these genres aren’t what you normally go for, give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised! 😄

There was so much to love about this book! First was the fact that while the story revolves primarily around Justin and Rose, it's told from the perspective of several characters. I almost regretted having read the book blurb because the big reveal that Rose is from 1986 while Justin is from 2023. The storytelling was cleverly told so that when that reveal came about a third of the way in, it was a big twist moment.
I also really appreciated that while there are things about the 80s to love--the music, the fashion, the hair--there was a lot to not. The characters face racism, sexism, and homophobic attitudes to name a few. And everyone smokes. It was uncomfortable to read at times, but I'm glad the author didn't shy away from the unglamorous realities of the 80s.
I also just really loved this mystery. By seeing the perspective and narrative of so many characters, I really got invested in their story. By the climax, I needed to know how it ended and truly, my heart was pounding as i raced through the final pages to see how it all resolved. It was exhausting in the very best way!
There's one thing--the book depicts some rather graphic scenes of bullying. It served a narrative purpose, so I gritted my teeth and endured it, but it was very hard to read.

Justin is a high school student with a bleak future ahead of him- his grades are terrible and he has no plans for college. He doesn't have many friends and his relationship with his alcoholic mother is strained. One fateful night he travels 38 years back in time, to the week before his grandparents were murdered. In 1985 he meets Rose and the two team up to try and prevent the tragedy.
I enjoyed this book- it was a heartwarming tale and fast-paced, told through the viewpoints of a LOT of characters. It dragged a little in the middle, and there were a few parts that seemed repetitive and unnecessary but overall a fun and engaging read

I have very mixed feelings on this one. The premise is interesting and so are the characters, but it took SO long to get to the point of the book that it almost lost me at first. I feel like it was trying to do too much and trying to be too much. The ending was very predictable and not really satisfying, in that the reader knew it was coming for such a long time. I could see this being a better TV series than a book.
I may recommend this to others, depending on the audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mindy's Book Studio for the ARC!

A phenomenal mystery! With such a twist! It already is insane that they are from different eras, but to add the mystery on top just made it even more phenomenal! I highly recommend!

Me putting this off was such a wrong choice. This novel is the definition of a page-turner.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed the storyline! It was cute and kept me on the edge of my seat to find out how it would end. I couldn’t quite wrap my head around how Justin was Stan and visa versa but other than that I loved it!

DNF- I didn’t realize this was YA when I picked it up. I struggled to get into the characters and sometimes the multiple points of view were hard to keep up with. I typically don’t give a star rating to DNF, but have to on NetGalley. I won’t be posting it to goodreads or anywhere else though. Just because I couldn’t get into the characters doesn’t mean it’s a bad book! The writing was good from what I read.

In Lauren Thoman's latest novel, "I'll Stop the World," readers are taken on a time-traveling journey filled with mystery, intrigue, and the challenges of teenage life. While the book has some captivating elements, such as the well-crafted mystery that keeps readers guessing, it is bogged down by an excess of teenage angst and a confusing structure.

The novel tells the story of Justin Warren, a young man trapped in a dead-end town where the suspicious deaths of his grandparents continue to cast a long shadow. When a twist of fate sends Justin hurtling back in time, he meets Rose Yin, a determined optimist living in 1985. Together, they have just one week to solve the murder that hasn't happened yet and set their futures on the right course.

As much as I enjoyed parts of the story, I couldn't ignore the overwhelming teenage drama. I mean, it's a YA novel, but sometimes it felt like I was drowning in it. And don't even get me started on the confusing structure and the gazillion characters to keep track of—some editing could've gone a long way.

All in all, "I'll Stop the World" has some cool elements, but it's held back by teenage angst and a confusing narrative. I'd give it a solid three stars—worth checking out if you're into time-travel mysteries, but be prepared for a few bumps along the way.

What a cool, intriguing novel. This one kept me guessing a long time. Justin's story continued to go where I didn't expect it, which was really refreshing for a novel. I loved the tension and chemistry throughout, and I think readers will be on the edge of their seats to find out how it ends. Neat take on a beloved trope.

This was a really good book! It took me a little bit to get started on it, because I was in a bit of a reading funk, but this book pulled me out of it! Thank you! Solid 4.5 star read!

Definitely different, genre bending, with Back to the Future vibes. Well developed characters and meticulously thought out plot as is necessary for time travel stories. Suspension of disbelief was called for quite a bit of course but you definitely find yourself rooting for the characters to figure out why they’re there and make the fix. Ultimately about family and sacrifice and destiny. Not sure it needed to be set in the 80’s, I personally didn’t get enough of that vibe. But definitely creative and provocative.

This was much more YA than I believed it to be a cool and unique idea but it was drawn out and slow. Characters just didn’t really grab me.