Lots of nods to previous time travel tales in the YA world. I liked McKinley a lot and enjoyed her adventures in the past where she gets the chance to see her parents (and other adults in her life) when they were just her age. Nice resolutions. ( )

It's 2018 in Gap Bend, Pennsylvania, and McKinley is preparing her costume for the annual Time Hop: this year, they're celebrating 1993. But then McKinley's system-obsessed father, William, says she can't go to the fashion show because she has to stay home with Grandma Bev, when McKinley knows she can handle it all just fine - she McKinley and Grandma Bev go to the Time Hop. But McKinley's dad shows up and there's a big scene; McKinley runs to the bathroom, and emerges...in 1993. When realization dawns, she searches for her best friend Meg's mom Jackie, who told her she can come to her for help any time.

Over the course of a week in 1993, McKinley gets to know the 12-year-old versions of Jackie, Jackie's future husband Ron, and "Billy" (William), all while trying to avoid cranky Mr. Jones - who, Jackie discovers, traveled back in time himself. In fact, Jackie's research turns up several potential time travelers in their town. McKinley wrestles with the idea of change: Will her actions in the past change the future (her present)? Can she change other people, or herself? McKinley is especially worried about Meg: they fought right before McKinley time traveled to 1993, and McKinley is scared that her actions in 1993 will somehow erase Meg from 2018. When McKinley does return from 1993's 1930s-themed Time Hop, she and adult Jackie debrief on the way to Meg's FACTS competition.

A perfectly executed middle grade time travel book. Each chapter title references a 1990s song (A Playlist for 1993).

Quotes

C.R.A.B.S.: Count your blessings, Right your wrongs, Assess your neighbors, Better your world, Shake up your routine (8)

Quotes

But there was something very different about knowing a thing and experiencing it. (194) ( )

First sentences: In most ways, Gap Bend, Pennsylvania, was just like any other small town.

Premise/plot: Gap Bend, Pennsylvania, has a tradition of hosting a 'Time Hop' community event. McKinley O'Dair is super excited. This year the Time Hop will be celebrating all things 1993. She realizes--foreshadowing--that 1993 was the year her father was her age.

After an explosive argument with her father--in which she runs away at the Time Hop--she finds herself traveling back in time. She's IN the "real" 1993. Her father is her own age. And she is clueless as to how to return to 2018.

My thoughts: I wanted to love, love, love this one. I didn't love it. I will try to share why I personally didn't love this one so that you can make up your own mind as to if this is one you'd be interested in picking up and reading for yourself.

What I liked: I liked the premise of time travel. I LOVE the premise of time travel. I seek out time travel books like they're candy. I was super excited about the premise of this one. The fact that she'd be able to "get to know" her father when he was her own age was intriguing. It had potential.

The chapter titles are song titles. I wasn't familiar with most of these songs, but, it could make a good side project for those that love music OR that love quests in general. Not having listened to these songs, I'm not sure if the song lyrics themselves have anything at all to do--themes? tones?--with the plot of the book. Perhaps they do. Maybe they don't. I will say that the characters themselves don't really talk music--artists, songs--all that often (if at all). (And when they do bring up a song title, I *think* it was a song actually released in 1997. Granted, perhaps the Backstreet Boys only covered "Hey Mr DJ Keep Playing That Song". But any internet search showed that the Backstreet Boys as the artist and the 1997 as the year it released.)

What I didn't like: I found almost all the characters (except McKinley's grandma) insufferable. I truly found them so incredibly annoying and obnoxious. The characters in 2018 and the characters in 1993--both were so unlikable that even the premise of time travel didn't really keep me loving the book. McKinley, our main character, was SO full of it. I just couldn't stand her smugness. And I don't think she was purposefully written to be smug. She wasn't the only annoying character, but, she was the one readers never got away from.

One thing that definitely bothered me was that every single character was disrespectful, rude, unkind, bully-ish. All the conversations McKinley and Jackie had in the past were SO rude and obnoxious. The way they treated others. The way they treated each other.

I also didn't like the fact that the fashion descriptions felt a LOT more like mid-to-late 1990s--than 1993. Again, every adult who lived through the nineties might have a different recollection of the details. So perhaps it's just me that thinks it's a tiny bit off. You can decide for yourself. Maybe 1993 was all about Doc Martens, silver spaghetti strap dresses, white baby doll tees, lace choker necklaces, butterfly clips, and denim vests. I wouldn't let the fashion descriptions keep you from picking up the book. If that was the only thing that annoyed me--slightly--I would still have enjoyed the book. It was mainly the characters being annoying. Again--totally subjective. ( )