Time travelling is something we all wish we could do. Who wouldn’t want to go to the future and see what happens to our world? Or who wouldn’t want to go to the past and fix their mistakes – or experience the most fascinating parts of history? The fascination with time travel is so widespread that a lot of YA books feature time travel as an important part of the plot. Here’s a list of some of the best time travel books for teens. So if you’re into time travelling, or want to read a story about going to another time period, check this list out!
A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle
It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger. “Wild nights are my glory,” the unearthly stranger told them. “I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me sit down for a moment, and then I’ll be on my way. Speaking of ways, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract.” A tesseract (in case the reader doesn’t know) is a wrinkle in time. To tell more would rob the reader of the enjoyment of Miss L’Engle’s unusual book. A Wrinkle in Time, winner of the Newbery Medal in 1963, is the story of the adventures in space and time of Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin O’Keefe (athlete, student, and one of the most popular boys in high school). They are in search of Meg’s father, a scientist who disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government on the tesseract problem.
What do the readers say?
“This book is a classic. I purchased a class set as for novel study with my students (works for 5th and 6th grade). Condition-wise, the books came in magnificent quality. Content-wise, this a beautifully written book that lends itself to the exploration of various themes, motifs, symbols, etc. A great read for pleasure or for use in a classroom.” – Amazon Customer [Review from Amazon]
Passenger by Alexandra Bracken
Violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves in one tragic night. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she’s traveled years from home, and has inherited a legacy she knows nothing about, from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now. Nicholas Carter, meanwhile, is content with his life at sea, free from the powerful Ironwoods family which he served. The arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship, however, forces him to confront a past he can’t escape, and a family that won’t easily let them go. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a valuable object – something that Etta, his passenger, can find. In order to protect her, Nick must ensure that she brings it back to them, whether she wants to or not. Both face a perilous journey across centuries and continents, falling into a game the Ironwoods are playing, and threatening to separate Etta from Nicholas and from her path home forever.
What do the readers say?
“Highly recommended to young adult/teen readers who enjoy historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy and contemporary novels. This is hard to place in a genre but I expect it to be well liked by most readers as it is wonderfully written.” – Kyera, Amazon user. [Review from Amazon]
Tempest by Julie Cross
Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal college guy with a girlfriend. He can also travel through time. It’s not like the movies though – nothing changes in the present after his jumps. It’s all just harmless fun. Until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend Holly, however. Holly is fatally shot, and in his panic, Jackson jumps back to years into 2007. Now he’s stuck and can’t get back to the future. Desperate to return to 2009 and save Holly but unable to do so, he settles into the current year and learns what he can. But now the people who shot Holly are looking for him in the past, and these Enemies of Time will stop at nothing to recruit the powerful young time-travel. Recruit him… or kill him. Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.
What do the readers say?
“This is a roller-coaster ride with some big turns at the end that keep this exciting and still manage to give the absolute feel that this novel stands quite strong on its own despite being part of a trilogy.” – J.L.D., Amazon user. [Review from Amazon]
A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray
Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their groundbreaking achievements. Their most astonishing invention, called the Firebird, allows users to jump into multiple universes—and promises to revolutionize science forever. But then Marguerite’s father is murdered, and the killer—her parent’s handsome, enigmatic assistant Paul—escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him. Marguerite refuses to let the man who destroyed her family go free. So she races after Paul through different universes, always leaping into another version of herself. But she also meets alternate versions of the people she knows—including Paul, whose life entangles with hers in increasingly familiar ways. Before long she begins to question Paul’s guilt—as well as her own heart. And soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is far more sinister than she expected.
What do the readers say?
“I found myself really engaged in the story and I was dying to find out where the story would go and whether or not Marguerite would make it home safely. All of my questions were answered and the resolution of this book set the second book up perfectly, without leaving us with a huge cliffhanger. I cannot wait to read book two – I’m planning to start it tonight so I can find out what happens next!” – The Blonde Likes Books, Amazon user. [Review from Amazon]
The Here and Now by Ann Brashares
The world Prenna James comes from is in ruins. She and the others who escaped are here to prevent humanity’s destruction. But if they don’t follow The Rules, everything that matters will be gone: Friends. Families. Dreams. Love. Ethan Jarves can never know Prenna’s secret. That she’s not from another place. She’s from another time.
What do the readers say?
“This book grabbed me from the very beginning and I could not put it down. I thought she’d hit her peak after “My Name Is Memory” because it was one of the best books I’ve ever read, but this followed suit. Incredible book, incredible author, and Ann Brashares truly is one of the greatest authors of our time.” – Erin, Amazon user. [Review from Amazon]
Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
Gwyneth Shepherd’s beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. Little do they know, though, it’s Gwyneth, who belongs to the middle class, who goes through time. She must unearth the mystery of why her mother lied about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability. With the help of another time traveler, Gideon, Gwyneth discovers who in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.
What do the readers say?
“This series has been such a fun read, filled with romance, adventure, and all sorts of puzzles. I recommend it to readers of all ages!” – BrainyBlonde, Amazon user. [Review from Amazon]
Future Shock by Elizabeth Briggs
Elena Martinez has street smarts, the ability for perfect recall, and a deadline: if she doesn’t find a job before she turns eighteen, she’ll be homeless. So things seem to look up when she gets an offer from the powerful Los Angeles tech giant, Aether Corporation. Along with other recruits – Adam, Chris, Trent, and Zoe – Elena is sent on a secret mission to bring back data from the future. All they need to do is gather the information they need, and they’ll be set for life. Something goes wrong when they arrive in the future, however, and they’re forced to break the only rule they were given: not to look into their own fates. They only have twenty-four hours to get back to the present and to find a way to stop a seemingly inevitable future – and a grisly murder – from happening. But changeing the timeline isn’t without deadly consequences, and Elena must learn – and learn fast – who to trust as she fights to save her life.
What do the readers say?
“Overall, I was thoroughly delighted with this novel, which I know I will re-read sometime in the near future! It’s really got everything — romance, a very detailed future scenario, mystery, and nail-biting suspense!” – Maria Behar, Amazon user. [Review from Amazon]
The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig
As the daughter of a time traveler, Nix has spent sixteen years sweeping across the globe and through the centuries aboard her father’s ship. Modern-day New York City, nineteenth-century Hawaii, other lands seen only in myth and legend—Nix has been to them all. But when her father gambles with her very existence, it all may be about to end. Rae Carson meets Outlander in this epic debut fantasy. If there is a map, Nix’s father can sail his ship, The Temptation, to any place and any time. But now that he’s uncovered the one map he’s always sought—1868 Honolulu, the year before Nix’s mother died in childbirth—Nix’s life, her entire existence, is at stake. No one knows what will happen if her father changes the past. It could erase Nix’s future, her dreams, her adventures . . . her connection with the charming Persian thief, Kash, who’s been part of their crew for two years.
What do the readers say?
“Mindblowing. Heilig’s prose can conjure a paradise worthy of the devil’s envy, ancient tombs of emperors, and a deep feeling of time and place that makes me suspect whether Heilig herself is capable of time travel. The characters of TGFE were deep, and rich in motivation.” – Roshani Chokshi, Amazon user. [Review from Amazon]
Time Salvager by Wesley Chu
Earth in the future is toxic, and humanity has spread into the outer solar system to survive. Time travel is the only key maintaining a fragile existence among the other planets and their moons. James Griffin-Mars is a chronman – a convicted criminal recruited for his unique psychological make-up, to undertake the most dangerous job there is: traveling to Earth’s past to recover resources and treasure, without altering the timeline. Most chronment never reach old age, and James is reaching his breaking point. On a final mission before his retirement, he meets an intriguing woman from a previous century – the scientist Elise Kim, who is fated to die during the destruction of an oceanic rig. James brings her back to the future, saving her life – but turning them both into fugitives. They’re lost in the wild and poisonous wastes of Earth, where they discover what hope may yet remain for humanity’s home world.
What do the readers say?
“Everything I like in a well-paced novel. Complex worldbuilding done right – smooth and intriguing throughout. Excellent characters and pace. My favorite kind of book is one where I simply don’t know what will happen next and the author keeps me guessing. Chu’s writing in TIME SALVAGER delivered exactly that type of read.” – El Queso Grande, Amazon user. [Review from Amazon]
Timebound by Rysa Walker
Kate Pierce-Keller’s grandmother gives her a strange blue medallion, and keeps talking about time travel. Kate thinks the old woman is just delusional, but everything becomes horrifyingly real when a murder in the past destroys the foundation of Kate’s present-day life. Kate learns that the 1983 killing is part of something much more sinister, and her ability to time travel makes her the only one who can fix the future. She travels back in time to the Chicago World’s Fair to try to prevent the murder, and the chain of events that follows. But changing the timeline comes with a great consequence – if she succeeds, the boy she loves will have no memory of existence. The fate of the entire world is in Kate’s hands – and she doesn’t know if she has the right to do it.
What do the readers say?
“I really enjoyed this first in a series. Kept me interested with the plot twists, but never felt contrived. I am enjoying the development of the main character Kate and look forward to reading book 2.” – Tj, Amazon user. [Review from Amazon]
Sleepless by Tracy Ward
Alex Millis has a superpower she can’t control. Her mind takes over when he goes to sleep, throwing her violently to just about anywhere in the world, like the base of the Eiffel Tower or the shore on the coast of Ireland. Her power is unpredictable, uncontrollable, and annoying. But it’s also responsible for introducing her to Nick, and extraordinary boy who can’t feel fear. Because of this, he can serve in the airforce. But he’s cold, distant, and apathetic. Alex meets him for the first time when he dies. Now they’re trapped together in an island prison on the Behring Sea, where their long, strange story is only beginning.
What do the readers say?
“I love this book. Couldn’t put it down. I went from thinking this is probably going to be too weird and unrealistic to keep my attention, to reading the entire book in one evening. Now I can’t wait for the next book to come out.” – Kindle Customer [Review from Amazon]
Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor
When fragile, sixteen-year-old Hope Walton loses her mom to an earthquake overseas, her secluded world crumbles. Agreeing to spend the summer in Scotland, Hope discovers that her mother was more than a brilliant academic, but also a member of a secret society of time travelers. And she’s alive, though currently trapped in the twelfth century, during the age of Eleanor of Aquitaine. Hope has seventy-two hours to rescue her mother and get back to their own time. Passing through the Dim, Hope enters a brutal medieval world of political intrigue, danger, and violence. A place where any serious interference could alter the very course of history. And when she meets a boy whose face is impossibly familiar, she must decide between her mission and her heart—both of which could leave Hope trapped in the past forever.
What do the readers say?
“So much fun! I couldn’t put this book down! I’m a huge fan of Diana Gabaldon’s books and this was definitely in that vein but with its own unique twist on history and time. A gripping suspenseful plot line, my only complaint is that I have to wait to find out what happens next!” – Mamacita, Amazon user. [Review from Amazon]
A Thief in Time by Cidney Swanson
HE CAN’T STAY — SHE CAN’T LET HIM GO Halley’s world is full of hand-outs and hand-me-downs. Even her apartment bedroom is shared, with her distant and self-centered mother. Halley has only a battered blue truck to call her own—until she meets Edmund, the second Earl of Shaftesbury. Edmund has a manor, employs dozens of servants, and has never been close to falling in love—until Halley crashes into his life during an accidental trip to 1598. Now a spiraling series of encounters with a dangerous time-traveling thief will bring their worlds together with heartbreaking ramifications.
What do the readers say?
“A Thief In Time is very exciting. The main character, Halley, is quite the character. I love the depth of spirit she shows in spite of a less than ideal upbringing. Ms. Swanson built her so well that I felt she was real. I love her friends and how it is they found themselves in the enviable position of having access to a time machine.” – darswords, Amazon user. [Review from Amazon]
Endless by Amanda Gray
Jenny Kramer knows she isn’t normal. After all, not everybody can see the past lives of people around them. When she befriends Ben Daulton, resident new boy, the pair stumble onto an old music box with instructions for “mesmerization” and discover they may have more in common than they thought—like a past life! Using the instructions in the music box, Ben and Jenny share a dream that transports them to Romanov Russia and leads them to believe they have been there together before. But Nikolai, the mysterious young man Jenny has been seeing in her dreams who has now appeared next door, was there, too. Jenny is forced to acknowledge that Nikolai has traveled through time and space to find her. Doing so means he has defied the laws of time, and the Order, an ominous organization tasked with keeping people in the correct time, is determined to send him back. While Ben, Jenny, and Nikolai race against the clock—and the Order—Jenny and Nikolai discover a link that joins them in life and beyond death.
What do the readers say?
“What would you do if you started to remember your past life? This novel weaves tragedy, romance, and fantasy together in a wonderful package, and I felt like I was reading a YA nod to SOMEWHERE IN TIME, which made the story even sweeter. If you like romance, impossible odds, and magic, you’ll love this novel!” – Jen McConnel, Amazon user. [Review from Amazon]
Collide by Michelle Madow
I should have died when I was shot at the Halloween dance.
Instead I woke up-one week earlier, in a parallel universe where my mom’s fatal car accident six months ago never happened.
A world with my mom still in it was all I ever wanted. But in this timeline, everything is different-my grades, my friends, and even my boyfriend. I’m a stranger in my own body, and I don’t like who I’ve become.
But one thing is the same-that shooting will still happen at the end of the week.
I’m the only one who knows. Which means I’m the only one who can stop it.
But first I need to convince someone-anyone-that I’m telling the truth… and then get them to help me.
What do the readers say?
“Time jumping at [its] best. Love that transcends space and time. Collide provides plenty of twists and turns that leaves you not left wanting for action in this ridiculously awesome book. Be prepared to be stunned with the climatic ending.” – Faerie78, Amazon user. [Review from Amazon]
Hourglass by Myra McEntire
For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. She’s plagued by phantoms ever since her parents’ death, and she just wants the apparitions to stop so that she can live a normal life. But everything that she’s tried has failed, and the visions keep coming back. When her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future – it may also alteer her past. He is insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened, but Emerson’s not sure about him. Dark, mysterious, and sympathetic, he believes every word she says, and charges an electric current through her. Emerson herself must understand, if she wants things to work out right.
What do the readers say?
“It was about time traveling and stealing time. It would be really hard to face what they had to face. I could actually feel it. I also loved the characters. I could connect with with them. Of course, there were the two gorgeous guys. I loved both Michael and Kaleb. Can’t wait to read book two!!! I recommend this book to everyone. I was blown away!!!!” – Kristina Snyder, Amazon user. [Review from Amazon]
Timeless by Alexandra Monir
When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor’s world, she is forced to uproot her life and move across the country to New York City, to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she’s never met. In their old Fifth Avenue mansion filled with a century’s worth of family secrets, Michele discovers a diary that hurtles her back in time to the year 1910. There, in the midst of the glamorous Gilded Age, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life – a man she always wished was real, but never imagined could actually exist. And she finds herself falling for him, into an otherworldly, time-crossed romance. Michele is soon leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves – a quest that will determine the fate of both of their lives.
What do the readers say?
“I just finished Timeless and I am still wiping the tears from my eyes. This was a fascinating and emotionally wrenching page-turner.” – K.M. Martin, Amazon user. [Review from Amazon]
Waterfall by Lisa Tawn Bergren
Bentarrini sisters Gabi and Lia are stuck among the rubble of medieval castles in rural Tuscany, on yet another hot, boring, and dusty archaeological site. But when Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient tomb, she gets transported instantly to fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, she’s stuck in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces. She is rescued by the knight-prince Marcello Falassi, who takes her back to his father’s castle – a castle Gabi has seen in ruins in another life. Suddenly, her boring summer in Italy is much more interesting. But what do you do when your knight in shining armor lives in a different world?
What do the readers say?
“Great book! Keeps you involved until the last page and then you want the next book!” – Amazon Kunde, Amazon user. [Review from Amazon]
Timekeeper by Tara Sim
Seventeen-year-old clock mechanic Danny Hart’s father has been trapped in a Stopped town east of London for three years. Danny, a prodigy not only in repairing clockwork, but also the fabric of time, becomes very fixated with staging a rescue – something that is quickly becoming a concern to his superiors. So they assign him to Enfield, a town where the tower seems to be forever plagued with problems. Danny’s new apprentice both annoys and intrigues, and though the boy is eager to work, he maintains a secretive distance. And he soon discovers why: he is the tower’s clock spirit, a mythical being that oversees Enfield’s time. Though the boys are drawn together by their loneliness, Danny knows falling in love with a clock spirit is forbidden, and means risking everything he’s fought to achieve. But when a series of bombings at nearby towers threaten to Stop more cities, Danny must race to prevent Enfield from becoming the next target, or he’ll not only lose his father, but the boy he loves, forever.
What do the readers say?
“I really enjoyed Timekeeper. There’s nothing about this book that would suggest this is Tara Sim’s debut novel, because it’s just so well done. There’s so many quotable parts and the ending most certainly took me by surprise. I can’t wait to read the next book to find out what happens next to Danny!” – Carol (bookish_notes), Amazon user. [Review from Amazon]
Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And her father has determined that accompanying him to Paris for winter break is the solution for everything. But Paris is a city of ghosts for Andi. And when she finds a centuries-old diary, the ghosts begin to walk off the page. Alexandrine, the owner of the journal, lived during the French Revolution. She’s angry too. It’s the same fire that consumes Andi, and Andi finds comfort in it—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs, words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes terrifyingly present.
What do the readers say?
“So many pieces to this book – from grief and depression, to the French Revolution parallel story, and the music that gets the main character through it. Learning to forgive and heal, but also finding someone who hears the same music in the sunrise as you do. Great book, but some may say there is too much going on. I, for one, loved every layer!” – vjrogers9, Amazon user. [Review from Amazon]
The Named by Marianne Curley
Ethan is a member of the Named, sworn to fight the Order of Chaos, an evil group determined to permanently change the course of history. But he is also a normal high school student trying desperately to keep up with his homework and fit in. When he is assigned to mentor Isabel, a cute classmate and future member of the Named, the line between his two lives begins to blur. So begins an epic quest as Ethan, Isabel, and others travel through time to battle dark forces and protect the future.
What do the readers say?
“This book, I have to admit, was quite impressive. Curley did great on this one. She turns the suspicion again and again until you just can’t take it anymore! If you are into novels that not only leave you on edge, but SET you ON the edge, then THIS is the book for you. It was the book for me!” – Brina Faire, Amazon user. [Review from Amazon]
All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain. Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present-imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside. Marina has loved her best friend James since they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was. Em and Marina are in a race against time that only one of them can win.
What do the readers say?
“If you’re looking for a well-rounded, action-packed novel that understands complicated friendships, family dynamics and character evolution, look no further! All Our Yesterdays has it all!” – Amazon Customer [Review from Amazon]
Prescient, a Time Travel Dystopia by D.S. Murphy
One minute, I was at a party. The next minute, the world ended.
I barely survived my first trip into the future – a future where humans exist on the brink of extinction. Where children are kidnapped and friends murdered. Where monsters hide in the shadows. A future I created, and one I’m somehow responsible for.
Now I’m torn between my present-day crush, whose father might accidentally destroy civilization, and my mysterious savior from the future, who won’t exist if I succeed in saving the world from a zombie apocalypse. But the more time I spend in the future, the less I want to save the present. And even if I can stop what’s coming, I’ll have to sacrifice the one thing I can’t bear to lose.
What do the readers say?
“”Guys, I’ve read a significant amount of books from teen to adult. From paranormal, love, horror, just about everything. I’ve just recently gotten into the apocalyptic genre and let me tell you… This book had me sitting on the edge of my seat until 2am. It was mind-blowing for me. I can’t wait for the next book. Eagerly awaiting to hear its out soon. Fingers crossed, hell, even my toes. For me to be saying any of this is astounding really. I do not do reviews. It is not something I ever considered. Thank you for your marvelous mind and imagination.” -Amazon Review”
Do you have other time travel titles you want to suggest? Let us know in the comments!
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