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Lauren Thoman

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I'll Stop the World: A Novel Kindle Edition

by Lauren Thoman (Author), Mindy Kaling (Introduction) Format: Kindle Edition

11,195 ratings

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“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.

From the Publisher

WARNING: California’s Proposition 65

Editorial Reviews

Review

“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

“I’ll Stop the World layers mystery upon mystery, from the everyday secrets in the lives of teens coming of age in a small town now to the dark shock waves still radiating out from deaths that took place decades before. Lauren Thoman’s debut novel is a time-bending page-turner packed with twists no one will see coming. This is a story that continues to resonate long after you finish.” —Gwenda Bond, New York Times bestselling author of Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds

“In this standout debut, Lauren Thoman takes the reader on a wild ride, deftly wrapping a coming-of-age story with a clever mystery, sprinkled with eighties nostalgia that’ll have you reaching for your Bubble Yum. As I tore through the pages, I fell in love with the cast of flawed and funny characters, who felt as real as the friends I grew up with. Best of all, Thoman delivers an impossibly satisfying ending in a way only the very best time-travel storytellers can. This one should go at the top of everyone’s must-read list!” —Brianna Labuskes, Wall Street Journal bestselling author

“A brilliant, thought-provoking page-turner that so deeply sucked me into a world of richly drawn characters and fast-paced action that I never wanted to leave.” —Sonali Dev, USA Today bestselling author of The Vibrant Years

“A page-turning, time-bending mystery full of heart. I’ll Stop the World gave me a chance to solve a cold crime from a refreshing new perspective. Lauren Thoman is an exciting new talent not to be missed!” —Kara Thomas, bestselling author of That Weekend and Out of the Ashes

From the Publisher

Justin Warren’s grandparents’ unsolved murder left his mother broken before he was born. Stuck in a tiny nowhere town, he gave up on a bright future a long time ago. But when Justin accidentally crashes his car off a bridge, he wakes to find himself still in his hometown—but a version that’s not quite the home he knows...

Because it’s 1985. His grandparents are still alive. And he has seven days to save them.

When his path crosses with the kind and helpful Rose Yin, the two become conspirators in a sequence of events that will reverberate through lifetimes—and put them in control of their own futures.

I’ll Stop the World is much more than just a mystery. It’s been a long time since a book left me in tears, but this one did it. It’s no surprise that Mindy Kaling selected it as the first debut from her new imprint, Mindy’s Book Studio. I could go on and on about my love for this book, but Mindy says it best: “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.”

—Megha Parekh, Editor

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B24448C2
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mindy's Book Studio (April 1, 2023)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 1, 2023
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 7.7 MB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 426 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #77,747 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #243 in Time Travel Romances
- #276 in Time Travel Fiction
- #540 in Coming of Age Fiction (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
11,195 ratings

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Lauren Thoman

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Lauren Thoman writes speculative fiction for teens and adults. Her debut novel, I'll Stop the World, was selected for publication in 2023 by six-time Emmy nominee Mindy Kaling through her eponymous imprint, Mindy's Book Studio. Lauren's pop culture writing has also appeared in numerous online outlets including Parade and Vulture. Lauren lives outside of Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and two children in a house full of dogs and fish. When she's not writing, she's probably on the hunt for tacos or coffee, poking around her flowerbeds, or buried underneath a pile of dogs.

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11,195 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this novel to be a favorite book with shockingly satisfying plot twists and a diverse cast of young adult characters. The writing is imaginative and easy to read, while the time travel elements are engaging. Customers describe it as an emotional and thought-provoking read, particularly as a coming-of-age story. The pacing receives mixed reactions, with some finding it fast-paced while others say it's slow going at the beginning.

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Story quality Plot twists Character development Writing quality Time travel Heartwarming Ages Pacing

341 customers mention "Story quality"331 positive10 negative

Customers enjoy the story of this novel, describing it as one of their favorite books of the year.

"...characters- and there were MANY- are multi-faceted and develop well throughout the novel...." Read more

"...novel, Thoman does a great job of developing characters and weaving a puzzling narrative. It's time travel, and those are always fun stories...." Read more

"This is a story that gips you tightly and doesn’t let go until the very end!..." Read more

"...And this book covers racism, LGBTQ issues, politics and progress across the span of 30 years. I really liked it a lot...." Read more

275 customers mention "Plot twists"213 positive62 negative

Customers enjoy the book's plot twists, describing them as shockingly satisfying and unexpected, with one customer noting the many mysteries and threads to follow throughout the story.

"...The story features LGBTQ+ relationships, racial diversity, and multiracial families, blended families, and neurodivergence just to name a few, and..." Read more

"...It's time travel, and those are always fun stories. The ending is satisfying, and you'll probably be guessing all the way until the conclusion how..." Read more

"...Well written, fast paced, great characters and twists and turns you won’t even expect! “..." Read more

"...It was intriguing enough for me to get to the end, and I look forward to more by Thoman, as I feel this was a good first novel by this author...." Read more

141 customers mention "Character development"113 positive28 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, which features a diverse cast and is told from multiple points of view, while maintaining a balance between plot and character development.

"...Well written, fast paced, great characters and twists and turns you won’t even expect! “..." Read more

"...It’ll surprise you 😊 The main characters were so real and so flawed but so lovely at the same time...." Read more

"...The characters and storyline are interesting to where you’re never droning on reading. I always wanted to keep going to see how it ended...." Read more

"...What this book has: A diverse cast of multi-faceted characters; a setting that leaps off the page; a killer high-concept premise; dialogue that I..." Read more

122 customers mention "Writing quality"96 positive26 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, finding it easy to read and appreciating the author's imaginative style, with one customer noting the beautiful way it describes feelings and emotions.

"...blends many genres together in I’ll Stop The World with the ease of a veteran author. Part historical fiction, part mystery, part science fiction...." Read more

"...Well written, fast paced, great characters and twists and turns you won’t even expect! “..." Read more

"...I look forward to more by Thoman, as I feel this was a good first novel by this author. I can see why Mindy Kaling took a chance on her." Read more

"...I finished it quickly, reading for long chunks of time (unusual for me these days)...." Read more

91 customers mention "Time travel"80 positive11 negative

Customers enjoy the time travel elements in the book, describing it as a best-selling novel that takes readers back in time.

"...Part historical fiction, part mystery, part science fiction...." Read more

"...This one was interesting. It’s definitely got Back to the Future vibes, in all of the best ways...." Read more

"...Stop the World is a young adult speculative fiction novel with multiple timelines, several POV characters, and gobs of teenage angst—but beneath the..." Read more

"...THIS IS A TIME TRAVEL BOOK oh God it feels good to just say it, but I have to warn you that time travel does not occur for a while, and I was..." Read more

60 customers mention "Heartwarming"57 positive3 negative

Customers find the book emotionally engaging and thought-provoking, describing it as a poignant YA novel that explores deep questions about life and relationships.

"...I took over 50 notes and made 250 highlights while reading this book...." Read more

"...-faceted characters; a setting that leaps off the page; a killer high-concept premise; dialogue that I can imagine actual people having..." Read more

"...novel with multiple timelines, several POV characters, and gobs of teenage angst—but beneath the surface, there's much more packed into this fast-..." Read more

"...Good world building is another favorite of mine and this book has it in spades...." Read more

37 customers mention "Ages"29 positive8 negative

Customers appreciate this young adult novel as a coming-of-age story suitable for teens and up, with one customer describing it as a mind-twisting read.

"...80s vibes, this is a book that can absolutely be enjoyed and appreciated by all ages...." Read more

"Oh a fun coming of age story! Wrong. Oh I was so wrong...." Read more

"...At its core, I'll Stop the World is a young adult speculative fiction novel with multiple timelines, several POV characters, and gobs of teenage..." Read more

"...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...." Read more

66 customers mention "Pacing"32 positive34 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it excellent and fast-paced, while others describe it as slow going at the beginning and a slow read.

"...Well written, fast paced, great characters and twists and turns you won’t even expect! “..." Read more

"This book was like a long train ride. I must say slow at the beginning and speeding up as it went along...." Read more

"...angst—but beneath the surface, there's much more packed into this fast-paced novel...." Read more

"...I have to admit that the book started a bit slow for me, as I'm far removed from the age and world of several of the main characters...." Read more

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Jess
Will keep youhooked from start to finish and constantly guessing at what comes next!
Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2023
Verified Purchase

I’ll Stop The World by Lauren Thoman: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟

Would you go back in time to change the past if you could?

In Lauren Thoman’s debut novel I’ll Stop The World, Justin doesn’t have much of a choice. At a breaking point with his family and future in 2023, he finds himself on a collision course with the past when accident lands him in 1985. Bewildered at his predicament, he finds Rose at the right place, but in the wrong time. Rose believes that fate brought her and Justin together for a reason- to stop a tragedy from occurring in just one week.

WOW. This book absolutely blew me away. Thoman blends many genres together in I’ll Stop The World with the ease of a veteran author. Part historical fiction, part mystery, part science fiction. Her characters- and there were MANY- are multi-faceted and develop well throughout the novel. Thoman gives her characters true diversity in a tactful way, which is easier said than done in a novel taking place in the past. The story features LGBTQ+ relationships, racial diversity, and multiracial families, blended families, and neurodivergence just to name a few, and we love the representation 👏

I absolutely love a good mystery, it’s one of my most read genres, but statistically I rate books mystery genre books lower than average. I’m perpetually looking for a mystery book that will keep me hooked from start to finish and constantly guessing at what the answers are. with I’ll Stop The World, I have found the mystery book I’ve been searching for! I took over 50 notes and made 250 highlights while reading this book. Clues abound in every chapter, and constant revelations will keep you guessing right up to the end. Reading ISTW is like doing a 500 piece puzzle.

The following are notes are not intended to be negatives- just things to note about I’ll Stop The World:

This book is L O N G. At 446 pages, it is stacked and packed. You cannot skim this book, there’s so much information contained on each page. For many readers, this is a time commitment. Clear your schedule, because once you start, you won’t want to stop.
The cast is very large, with over 30 characters with speaking roles in this book and 7 POV characters. If you do not like multiple POV, this is not the book for you.
With many pages, characters, and twists, taking notes or highlighting/annotating is the key to success! If you do not like to physically mark your books(I don’t!), I recommend the eBook to allow you to highlight and notate to your hearts content. Plus using the search feature was helpful when I needed to retrace my steps!
Lastly, this book is was marketed in Amazon's First Reads campaign as an adult mystery. In my opinion, this is better characterized as a YA/coming of age, featuring primarily teenaged characters who act like teenagers, with teenage-appropriate language and content. However, especially with the retro 80s vibes, this is a book that can absolutely be enjoyed and appreciated by all ages. Just manage your expectations if you are anticipating adult content.

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14 people found this helpful

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Ben Young
Gotta Get Back in Time!
Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2023
Verified Purchase
You have me at "time travel." That'll always be the case.

It's an interesting and entertaining story. It's also very close to being a page-turner. For a debut novel, Thoman does a great job of developing characters and weaving a puzzling narrative. It's time travel, and those are always fun stories. The ending is satisfying, and you'll probably be guessing all the way until the conclusion how things will be resolved and how the crime occurred.

A few things bugged me about the story though. Some chosen plot points felt unnecessary and forced. And the story gets held up on several occasions for interludes and jumping between characters with drawn out storylines. Some of the dialogue is stilted. The Back to the Future references throughout the entire thing are too on the nose. And the main character, Justin, I didn't like him very much. That may have been the point since he doesn't like himself either.

Unfortunately, for a time travel book, I didn't feel like there was anything unique about how it was used. It was generic time travel. There wasn't a spin on the idea that hooked me, unless you run with the suggestion that God made it happen. Don't get me wrong, I'm a believer, but that's not enough to make it feel different than other time travel ideas I've read.

Most of the plot twists toward the end, I was able to figure out before I reached them. I'm not sure if that's because of how the story unfolds or if I'm a good puzzle solver. Kind of stinks when one of the major twists is revealed, and it doesn't have the impact I'm sure the author intended.

Overall, it is an enjoyable and entertaining story. It's 3.5 stars for me, forcing me to 4 on Goodreads rating system. Don't allow my criticisms to hold you back from giving it a read.

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24 people found this helpful

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susan davenport
wow, what a ride!!
Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2025
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This is a story that gips you tightly and doesn’t let go until the very end!
Well written, fast paced, great characters and twists and turns you won’t even expect!
“I’ll Stop The World” is well worth the time it takes to read it….you lucky newcomers!

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Diana D
Good, but confusing at times
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2024
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I liked this overall; 3.5 stars rounded down to 3. I liked the premise - a slightly different take on time travel - but I found it difficult to keep the timelines and characters straight, and I sometimes felt the 1985 sections weren't different enough from the 2023 sections today help distinguish them immediately. There was a lot of teenage angst going on - not too surprising with the main characters all being in their teens - but it sometimes got too heavy handed. And there wasn't enough real character development on the adults to make it clear who THEY were. For instance, we're told that Diane (and Rose and Lisa and, I assume, Rose's dad) were Black, but I never fully "got" that they were Black in a town presumably predominantly white in 1985. Not that the story had to focus on racial issues, but I never felt that Diane and her family were truly different from the others in town.

I did like the way the story ended, although there were a few small loose ends that didn't get fully resolved or explained. It was intriguing enough for me to get to the end, and I look forward to more by Thoman, as I feel this was a good first novel by this author. I can see why Mindy Kaling took a chance on her.

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Top reviews from other countries

Kindle Customer
Absolutely stunning book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 9, 2023
Verified Purchase

Got this as an Amazon first read selection. I'll be honest, I got about an eighth of the way though and I was finding it hard to follow due to having so many characters and flipping between them all. I was even going to give up, and I went back to read the synopsis because I couldn't remember why I'd picked it and there must have been something which appealed to me.

The synopsis made me carry on reading, and I'm so glad I did, because if I hadn't, I would have missed out on this absolute stonker of a book!

Once I'd got the hang of who was who, I really got immersed. The writing is easy and flows so well, descriptive and immersive without being over the top; the plot is brilliant and original, all the characters are full and interesting, and the last 45 minutes reading are so well entwined that it had me racing towards the end whilst simultaneously not wanting it to finish.

What a brilliant debut novel. I'm so glad I stuck with it, my life has been enriched by this book. 100% recommend

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karen Ferguson
great twist
Reviewed in Australia on April 6, 2023
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Started a bit slow but once you get to the twist it makes great reading and you will want to go back to the beginning again

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ShelbysMom94
Excellent read
Reviewed in Canada on August 20, 2024
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It is fast moving, intense, funny and sad with twists and turns and keeps you guessing til the end. Absolutely loved the book.

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Kindle Customer
One of the better Kindle First Reads
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 5, 2023
Verified Purchase
Enjoyable story, likeable characters. If you enjoy the twists and turns of time travel, this is well worth a look.

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Karen Matthews
Couldn't put this one down till I finished
Reviewed in Australia on April 19, 2023
Verified Purchase
Wow! What an interesting read! Keeps you guessing until the end! Most unusual plot line. Wonderful cast of interesting characters

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I'll Stop the World: A Novel Kindle Edition

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5.0 out of 5 stars Will keep youhooked from start to finish and constantly guessing at what comes next!

4.0 out of 5 stars Gotta Get Back in Time!

5.0 out of 5 stars wow, what a ride!!

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but confusing at times

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely stunning book

5.0 out of 5 stars great twist

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the better Kindle First Reads

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put this one down till I finished

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Will keep youhooked from start to finish and constantly guessing at what comes next!

Gotta Get Back in Time!

wow, what a ride!!

Good, but confusing at times

Absolutely stunning book

great twist

Excellent read

One of the better Kindle First Reads

Couldn't put this one down till I finished