I'LL STOP THE WORLD

Thoman's debut novel, presented by an ensemble of narrators, is a time-traveling, mind-bending second-chance story well suited for young adults. Justin Warren's life is going nowhere until fate sends him traveling from 2023 back to 1985. There he teams up with optimistic Rose Yin, and together they have one week to stop the mysterious deaths of Justin's grandparents. The first three hours, roughly 20 chapters, chronicle the doldrums of small-town life. In addition, there are point-of-view and timeframe switches that are not made clear. As a result, connecting to characters and following along can be challenging. But the individual narrations help flesh out personalities, especially those of secondary characters. Ultimately, if listeners resist the urge to stop listening, the ending is rewarding. E.P. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2023]