You know those topics that you love? For me, I have a bunch….Give me anything on The Titanic, with assassins, archaeology, and time travel. I’m sure I’m also forgetting about a hundred others. Look, I have lots of things that cause me to go into deep dives. But after seeing people not aware of a recent release with time travel, I’ve decided to start a campaign for more time travel books.
Fantasy Books
Okay technically time travel straddles this line between fantasy and science fiction. I think the root stems from how can they travel. Is it just straight up magic? Or do they have science which propels them through time. For these picks, most of them fall into the former and tend to have a looser less science based idea. But I will literally take any form of time travel.
For these picks, I’m also organizing them by settings. So for fantasy books it means it’s a secondary world or a world where the bulk of the action does not take place in our contemporary time period. Just so you know! I felt like I had to add these two caveats in advance.
(Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links. For more information you can look at the Policy page. If you’re uncomfortable with that, know you can look up the book on any of the sites below to avoid the link)
Only a Monster is a stunning fantasy and it’s the book that prompted this whole post. Using a half monster half human heroine to also discuss biracial identity, Len’s debut is pure action. The time travel is a monster power which requires the theft of life from ordinary humans. Do you get now why they call them monsters? But nothing is ever that clear cut. If you especially love a historical fiction London setting and a heavy secret society vibe, this is for you.
Find Only a Monster on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository.
The first book I probably read in this category is The Girl from Everywhere. Heilig’s world revolves around our main character, and her father, who can travel using a map. They can go anywhere, or anytime, as long as they have a map of it. In The Girl from Everywhere, has a fantastic and unique world building concept I still can’t get over. At the same time, the family complexity, specifically between Nix and her dad is stellar. If you love the idea of a historical late 1800s Hawaii and complex family dynamics, this is for you.
You need to pick up The Girl from Everywhere on Amazon(US), your local indie, and Goodreads.
The great thing about Stolen Time is that is manages to balance time travel (both to the past and to the future) with a secret group of travelers who are trying to return the future to normal. This is a must read if you love time travel, but you also love betrayal, dangerous knife fights, and mystery. Not going to lie, I’m watching Loki at the moment, and based on where the books seem to be going, if you love that vibe and this idea of a time organization, this is a must read.
Find Stolen Time on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound & The Book Depository.
Contemporary Picks
Opposite of Always is a book that continues to echo in my mind. It’s a story about trying to save everyone, about our relationships unraveling in front of our eyes, and about love. Stuck in a loop where he meets Kate at a party, and she keeps dying, Jack must learn the first rule of time traveling – that our actions have consequences. This book manages to be emotional, thoughtful, and action packed all at once. If you love the idea of a character grappling with what they could do with time travel, it’s a must read.
Check out Opposite of Always on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound & The Book Depository.
And finally, there’s the only one I haven’t read yet, but had to include because I already know I’m going to love it. Rachel Lynn Solomon’s upcoming release, See You Yesterday promises a story of Groundhog Day where Barrett is stuck re-living her first day of college over and over again. Except she finds out that another student is also stuck and they have to figure out if they can escape. This is giving me serious “Palm Springs” which is this movie I stumbled across the other day. I love the idea of being stuck with someone and so you know I’m even more excited for this book!
Find See You Yesterday on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository.
Opposite of Always & See you yesterday is on my list to read!
I’m just hoping the time travel isn’t too overwhelming, as sometimes I do have some problems with that
Haha Do you have trouble with the thought behind time travel? The time travel in both of them, with the time loops, are an element but not like totally overwhelming where I’d place them only in SF
The Girl from Everywhere has been on my TBR for so long! Glad you liked it!
Oh yay! I just have such a soft spot for unique magic systems!
I was hoping, supposed to get a copy of the new Solomon book early, but I did not. I’m sure it will be one of my favorites! I know I like the Outlander books. Not sure what my other top time travel books would be. Oh yeah, there was a YA one that they said was for Outlander fans, and I thought it would be a series, but no more ever came out that I know of, Into the Dim by Janet Taylor. The Ruby Red series by Kerstin Gier loved those. All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrell, which also needs a sequel, but the author has said there probably will not be one.
https://lisalovesliterature.bookblog.io/