Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

It's the 40th anniversary of Back to the Future, a classic sci-fi comedy movie about getting stuck in the past thanks to some unfortunate timing (see what I did there?). This week we'll be considering all the What Ifs through time travel, alternate universes, and alternate timelines. What if we never invented electricity? What if everybody had to wear color-coded outfits based on personality tests? What if I could go back in time and reread my favorite books for the first time again?

Links and lists to get you started:
Time travel genre shelf: https://www.goodreads.com/genres/time...
Best time travel fiction: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...
Best of time travel and alternate universe: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Alternate History novel: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Best steampunk: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/6...

ATY Listopia: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

What are you reading for this prompt?

These subgenres are in my top ten favorite types of things to read so I absolutely love this prompt!

For the prompt I am using The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard, which has a super cool time travel concept. I hope it's amazing!

Also on my plan are Under Fortunate Stars by Ren Hutchings, which has time travel, and Dread Nation by Justina Ireland, which is an alt version of the American Civil War ... with zombies.

I'm also planning to finish out the Lady Astronaut series, which is alt history set in the US in the 1960s. And the Shades of Magic series, which is alt history set in London in the early 1800s and also has parallel/alternate universes.

I'm not certain if these are "alternate history" or "historical fantasy" (what's the difference?) but Gods of Jade and Shadow, which is set in a fantastical alternative version of Mexico in the 1920s and The Gilded Wolves, which is set in a fantastical alternative version of France in the 19th century, are also on my plan.

I'm not a big horror fan, but I loved Stephen King's 1963, so I'm reading Fairy Tale.

I've got a bit of a case of be careful what you wish for with this one! I liked it, I voted for it, I had a good list of potential books for it, but when it came to choosing I looked at that list and thought "urgh, none of them". So I've gone through the TBR several times, and at last found something that I'm excited about - The '86 Fix by Keith A. Pearson. Of course, by the time I get around to reading it, I might have changed my mind again :)

The Children of Green Knowe - Lucy M. Boston
Lost in a Good Book (Thursday Next #2) - Jasper Fforde
The Mirror - Marlys Millhiser

Once again trying to overlap books with other challenges, it might be%:
LSo Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
One Italian Summer
Before We Forget Kindness

For this prompt, I read:
Toward Eternity by Anton Hur - 4* - My Review

I read The Husbands. I thought it was entertaining and would be good for someone who likes romance.

I would recommend:
Recursion
11.22.63
Wrong Place Wrong Time - mystery with time travel twist

I’m going to try for all three categories. The Thursday Next series might fit all three. Starts with The Eyre Affair

So far I plan to read
The Well of Lost Plots
A Tale for the Time Being - worth rereading
Wrong Place Wrong Time - I have this slotted for the country music song title

Samantha wrote: "I read The Husbands. I thought it was entertaining and would be good for someone who likes romance.

I would recommend:
Recursion
11.22.63
[book:Wr..."

Great recommendations!

I read The Well of Lost Plots from the Thursday Next series. Very enjoyable.

I read Darling Girls
the book is told in alternating time lines which works well for the narrative.

I read Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness for this prompt. It is book two of a series, and they travel back to William Shakespeare's time! I love this series. Okay - technically I am only two books in, but so far, I love this series!

I read The Crystal City. This series is set in a fictitious US that is different from the one that actually was.

I'm planning to read Time Travelling with a Hamster and The Long Earth for this. I love these genres and have read many books that would fit this prompt. Some favorites are:
The Space Between Worlds
Dark Matter
Recursion
The Lathe of Heaven
The Time Machine
The Eyre Affair
Just One Damned Thing After Another
Doomsday Book
1Q84
Time and Again

I read The Many Daughters of Afong Moy. Jamie Ford.

What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon

I read Kitty Cat Kill Sat: A Feline Space Adventure by Argus, a strange and weirdly wonderful tale.

This one was a difficult choice for me to make since this is one of my favorite topics. Some of the other options I will read for other prompts, or hopefully next year.

What I ended up using for this prompt was The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley. It had time travel, some romance, a little bit of thriller, and some references to climate fiction. For the most part I enjoyed it, but I felt like the ending could have been fleshed out more, as there was a twist that felt a little rushed. It was also surprising to find out that one of the main characters was based on a real person!

This was not a prompt I was looking forward to, but one where I enjoyed what I read.

A Study Of Resonance was an excellent novella of a fanfiction, which had both time travel and an alternate timeline. I enjoy Potter-fics that examine magic in depth, and this was a very good example. I also enjoyed its use of minor characters and a focus on what soul magic might involve.

Time Travel: A History was an interesting look at the history of time travel in literature and a look at whether it has any basis in physics.

I read The Ministry of Time.

I really loved The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fford. The concept is very original and clever, with many references to classic books. I suspect the whole series will fit this prompt.

I jumped the gun and read Lost in a Good Book at the end of 2024. There is a lot of time travel in the plot, and I really enjoyed it.

This year I read The Well of Lost Plots, which has less time travel, but more about the alternative universe of the Well of Lost Plots. Overall I liked it, but it seemed to drag at times.Thursday is pregnant in this book, and I felt tired whenever she did. 🤷‍♀️

Marie wrote: "I've got a bit of a case of be careful what you wish for with this one! I liked it, I voted for it, I had a good list of potential books for it, but when it came to choosing I looked at that list a..."

Did you end up reading this? I read it a couple of years ago and have read several more of Keith Pearson's books since then, all of which would fit this category, I think. He deserves to be more widely known imo.

The Names

for the alternate time-lines portion.

Just started but it is terrific. Published this year. Will add it to listopia.

I read:
No Time Like The Past by Jodi Taylor

REJECT: A book related to time

Finished: 07/14/2025
Rating: 4+ stars

Number 5 in the Chronicles of St. Mary's series. I love these books. Full of humor and wit. The characters are amazing.
The historical aspects are well researched. Can't miss with the "disaster magnets".

I read Civilizations by Laurent Binet, which speculates about a history in which Columbus never survived the New World, and Atahualpa the Incan ruler, via a few misadventures, conquers Europe instead. It sounded like an intriguing premise, but I found this a very dry read after the first third or so.

My full review can be found here.

Does anyone know if Stardust by Neil Gaiman fits this prompt? It's on the Alternate History Listopia but I wanted to double-check since its synopsis makes it sound like a fairy tale-esque fantasy novel rather than an alternate history/world.

Irene wrote: "Does anyone know if Stardust by Neil Gaiman fits this prompt? It's on the Alternate History Listopia but I wanted to double-check since its synopsis makes it sound like a fairy tale-es..."

I read it a long time ago, but I'm pretty sure it involves crossing from an English village into a fantasy world. It would work for "set in a fictional place" for sure, but I suppose an interpretation of "alternate historical England that has access to a fairy world" could work?

Wendy wrote: "I read it a long time ago, but I'm pretty sure it involves crossing from an English village into a fantasy world..."

Thanks Wendy, this is really helpful! I think I would probably consider it a bit of stretch then for this prompt so I'll keep looking!

I read Dark Matter by Blake Crouch for this topic ( Read September 4th; 4*)

Celia wrote: "The Names

for the alternate time-lines portion.

Just started but it is terrific. Published this year. Will add it to listopia."

ooo! That's in my readathon plan for this prompt!

I read the Time Machine, 4 stars.