I'll Stop the World

A Novel

By: Lauren Thoman, Mindy Kaling - introduction

Narrated by: Michael Crouch, Natasha Tina Liu, Alaska Jackson, Brian Holden, Mark Sanderlin, Sarah Naughton, Scott Merriman, Marcus Stewart, David de Vries

Length: 12 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

“Lauren Thoman’s I’ll Stop the World is a whip-smart mystery with a vibrant cast of characters that gives off great eighties vibes. I was absolutely dazzled by this unputdownable genre-bending novel that’s equal parts coming-of-age suspense and emotional tale of forgiveness and second chances.”—Mindy Kaling

The end and the beginning become one in a heart-pounding coming-of-age mystery about the power of friendship, fate, and inexplicable second chances.

Is it the right place at the wrong time? Or the wrong place at the right time?

Trapped in a dead-end town, Justin Warren has had his life defined by the suspicious deaths of his grandparents. The unsolved crime happened long before Justin was born, but the ripple effects are still felt after thirty-eight years. Justin always knew he wouldn’t have much of a future. He just never imagined that his life might take him backward.

In a cosmic twist of fate, Justin’s choices send him crashing into the path of determined optimist Rose Yin. Justin and Rose live in the same town and attend the same school, but have never met—because Rose lives in 1985. Justin won’t be born for another twenty years. And his grandparents are still alive—for now.

In a series of events that reverberate through multiple lifetimes, Justin and Rose have a week to get Justin unstuck in time and put each of them in control of their futures—by solving a murder that hasn’t even happened yet.

©2023 Lauren Thoman (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Thoman debuts with a genre-bending combination of compelling coming-of-age and supernatural mystery. While the teenage tension leans toward YA, the blend of twisting time-travel narrative and nostalgia will captivate adults as well. The compelling cast of nine narrators creates an engaging listening experience. This audio will appeal to listeners seeking a retro roller coaster of suspense and supernatural mystery. Recommended for fans of J.L. Delozier, Stuart Turton, and Mary Kubica.”—Library Journal

“Thoman’s ambitious timeline of events is both expansive and compressed, with the storyline unfolding over the course of both one week and 38 years, and her portrayal of teenagers in varying degrees of crisis is sympathetic. A novel look at strange (and stranger) things.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Thoman’s sweeping debut defies categorization. A multigenerational mystery, a compulsively readable love story, an intricately woven sci-fi—whatever it is, I’ll Stop the World is the mind-bendy time-travel eighties romp we all need right now. I’m obsessed with this book.”—David Arnold, New York Times bestselling author

Good listen, might be a better read?

I found my mind drifting during this story, but I really enjoyed the way it ended. I wonder if it might have been a better read than listen. Either way, I would recommend it, especially to those of us who grew up in the 80's.

Wonderful

I liked the story, and has great characters. It ends wonderfully. Tho I was curious about old Justin.

Typical time travel

Another time travel story. It was good and interesting, but it was another typical time travel story.

Wonderful

I liked it a lot. The characters grow and evolve, while being flawed and human. The ast is described accurately (as per my recollection), and the vibe of the 80's perfectly captured. I will probably reread and relisten several times

Great book

Great story, well developed characters, and the story line kept me guessing and wanting more.

JUST BEAUTIFUL!

Oh, wow! This is definitely one of those books that sticks with you long after you've read it. It'll leave you with thoughts of whether or not something like this could really happen or has happened before. It'll have you looking at others just a tad but differently, playing closer attention to things than you ordinarily would. This was such a beautiful read!

A Great Time!

Loved it start to finish - entertaining w/ great plot twists & characters you care about. Well done!

Wish I could experience it for the first time again!

I struggled at times to keep up with the amount of perspectives/characters (ex. “who the heck is Karl or Bill and why should I care?”) but I would without a doubt listen/read this again just to experience the emotion of the last chapter. I pictured my own family members while putting myself in the shoes of the character who shall not be named in the last chapter and it ripped me apart. As a fan of time travel movies and books I would definitely recommend giving this one a shot.

Read via Kindle Unlimited
Listened via Audible

Kept me hooked!

I really liked this book! I love that there were different narrators for each character. It prevented confusion. I highly recommend this book!

If you only listen to one book, it has to be this one! Trust me on this!

I don’t have enough words to really explain how much I enjoyed this book! You know those book you think about years later? This is absolutely one of those. I’ll admit it sat on my TBR for a few weeks. Coming of age books typically are not my top go-to reds. All I can think is how I could have experienced this book a few weeks ago! I was seriously missing out. This is truly a book for all ages! I enjoyed it on kindle unlimited. Now I bought the book and the audiobook. The audiobook is narrated by multiple actors. It is was such an amazing experience. This is #1 play on my family road trip. I know they are all going to enjoy it!

I don’t want to give anything away. You can read the synopsis. It’s best to just jump right into it! You are going to LOVE it. It’s told from multiple POV characters that are all interconnected, but each are dealing with the own issues. All of it leading up to a significant event.

Check out other reviews. See what the other say. I promise that you are going to love it! Hands down! What are waiting for??? You’re totally missing out!