Time Fixers - YA travel sci-fi, mystery, & emotional coming-of-age

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

After thoroughly enjoying Miles in Time, I had high hopes for its sequel and Time Fixers absolutely delivers. This second installment not only lives up to the original but deepens the story with a richer plot, higher emotional stakes, and continued character growth that makes it a standout in YA fiction.

 

Set once again in the small town of Frontier, Iowa, the book quickly raises the stakes when brothers Miles and Simon Hardy face their most personal mission yet: traveling back to 1999 to save their mother from a traumatic past that set her life on a tragic course. The emotional core of this story, the brothers’ fierce determination to protect their mom, gives Time Fixers its powerful heart. Their sibling bond is both believable and moving, adding real depth to the fast-paced, twisty plot.

 

Lee Mathew Goldberg expertly balances genres, blending time-travel sci-fi, mystery, and emotional coming-of-age moments into a story that feels fresh and surprisingly profound. There’s humor, danger, nostalgia, and a compelling mystery that draws you in deeper with every chapter. And while the stakes are high, the plot remains easy to follow, never bogged down by its complexity.

One of the things I appreciated most is how the characters have matured since book one. Miles, in particular, faces difficult moral choices, including where his loyalties lie and who he can trust. His developing feelings, complicated friendships, and the looming threat of their grandfather’s connection to a powerful corporation make for a layered and engaging narrative.

 Time Fixers also continues a thread introduced in the first book, with Miles exploring his romantic identity. While in Miles in Time this aspect felt briefly included, it becomes more integrated into the plot here. 

⚠️ Content note: For readers who prefer to avoid romantic subplots involving bisexual themes in YA fiction, it plays a meaningful role in character development.

That said, the romantic angle doesn’t overshadow the emotional depth or the core themes of family, sacrifice, and self-discovery. It’s handled thoughtfully and remains in balance with the rest of the story.

If you liked Miles in Time, you won’t be disappointed with Time Fixers. And if you’re new to the series, start with book one, but know that the sequel is where the story truly hits its stride.

As BookHookup, I am a longtime book reviewer. I received a free review copy of this book from Blackberry Book Tours and have not received compensation for reviewing or recommending it. Some links in this post are affiliate links. 

 

About the Author: Lee Matthew Goldberg 

Lee Matthew Goldberg is the Anthony, Lefty, and Prix du Polar nominated author of fourteen novels including THE ANCESTOR and THE MENTOR, and THE GREAT GIMMELMANS along with his five-book DESIRE CARD series. After graduating with an MFA from the New School, he’s been published in multiple languages and his writing has also appeared as a contributor in CrimeReads, Pipeline Artists, LitHub, Chicago Quarterly Review, Electric Literature, The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Jewish Book Council, The Millions, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, LitReactor, Mystery Tribune, The Nerd Daily, Monkeybicycle, Fiction Writers Review, Cagibi, Necessary Fiction, the anthology Dirty Boulevard, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, The New Plains Review, Maudlin House and others. He is the publisher of Fringe Press, the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series, and lives in New York City. Follow him at LeeMatthewGoldberg.com

https://www.leematthewgoldberg.com/
https://X.com/LMGBooks
https://www.facebook.com/LeeMatthewGoldberg
https://www.instagram.com/leematthewgoldberg/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8001634.Lee_Matthew_Goldberg

 

A Discovery of Time and Space: A Mixed Review

Lesley L. Smith's A Discovery of Time and Space presents a thought-provoking premise wrapped in a science fiction tale that blends time travel, self-discovery, and friendship. The story centers on Tiffani Taylor, a college student at the University of Colorado, who finds herself in a bewildering situation when she wakes up in a crosswalk, aided by an older woman who looks eerily like her. From that moment, Tiffani's world begins to unravel, revealing that she may not just be an ordinary student with ADHD—she might possess the rare ability to travel throughout time and space.

BookHookup Review: A Discovery of Time and Space

⭐⭐⭐☆☆

The plot is engaging and certainly kept me turning the pages. Tiffani’s journey, alongside her three best friends, Rory, Lin, and Ethan, is intriguing as they try to uncover the mysteries surrounding her powers. The twists, the puzzles surrounding her identity, and the potential multiverse she’s navigating all contribute to a storyline that has the potential to be exciting for fans of time travel and science fiction.

However, the novel does have its flaws. Tiffani and her friends, while endearing in their loyalty and wit, often feel like they are behaving more like junior high students than twenty-somethings. This disjointed age portrayal was a bit jarring, as their dialogue and actions often came across as immature for their age. Another issue for me was redundancy. In particular, Tiffani's internal thoughts, followed immediately by her saying the same thing aloud, felt repetitive and detracted from the narrative. Additionally, certain details—like dorm rules and Tiffani’s condition—were repeated multiple times, which slowed the pacing. A little tighter editing could have helped eliminate these redundancies and sharpened the pacing.

Despite these critiques, the author's execution of the time travel and multiverse elements is impressive. Smith’s ability to weave complex ideas without bogging the reader down in scientific jargon is a major strength. The plot is carefully constructed, and the time travel logic is well-thought-out. I was especially intrigued by the concept of "future selves" meeting their present counterparts—a neat idea that adds depth to the world-building.

While A Discovery of Time and Space does an excellent job with its core concept and the time travel elements, the disjointed age portrayal of the characters and the occasional repetitiveness detract from the overall experience. I would rate it 3 out of 5 stars. It's worth the read, and I’d pick up the next book in the series to check it out. Fans of time travel stories and college settings will likely find it a fun read, but those looking for deeper character development may find it lacking.