The Third Rule of Time Travel

The premise was intriguing, and the narrative started well, but when the protagonist began using vulgar language over a very small incident (even though I know the author was trying to show how much she was upset by the underlying situation) I was done. Too bad. There are better ways than that to show emotional distress.

This book has a 5-star concept. There are echoes of Blake Crouch, the Severance TV show, and even Lost. The character works for a hyper-secretive company named Langan, and the president at the time is Whitmore -- how can I not think of Severance's Lumen and Lost's Charles Widmore?

Although the promise of the time travel conceit meant that I couldn't put it down, the first two-thirds were slow, and everyone and everything outside of the main character felt underdeveloped. The last third significantly picked up the pace and reached a satisfying conclusion, even though it's not exactly how I would have preferred it to end.

This was a rollercoaster ride with endless twists and turns leaving you wondering where you'll end up. I was hooked from the opening, since reading the plane accident and the three rules of time travel. Every page took me on an adventure that had me at the edge of my seat all the way to the end. This was simply an exhilarating adventure of a read.

This story follows Beth Darlow and her journey on trying to crack the mystery of time travel. “That said, nothing is certain. Not the past, not the future. Nothing.” And you'll have to read The Third Rule of Time Travel to find out if she actually did solve time travel... or not? Maybe the narrator is reliable or maybe not?

That last 30% had me going through so many emotions. I was just sat for the ride, letting the book take me on its adventure. I really don't want to say too much because it's really a book that you should go into knowing very little and just be shocked where it will take you. I so recommend checking this one out, you will be amazed.

But always remember never anger the universe. Never fuck with fate.

Final rating: 4.5 stars ✨ (rounded up because it was just so damn good!)

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Publishing for the amazing and incredible opportunity to review an ARC of The Third Rule of Time Travel.

Side note: Orbit just keeps delivering with this new releases! Giving us readers exactly what we didn't know we wanted.

For more of my reviews, check out my blog.

Thank you to Orbit Books for providing me with an eARC.

The Third Rule of Time Travel is my first book by Fracassi, and WOAH, what a phenomenal read it was. I'm a sucker for all things related to time travel, and this novel didn't disappoint. The Third Rule of Time Travel has a serious hint of horror in it, a creeping sense in the background that something has gone horribly wrong. It's like a discordant humming in your ear – you know something is coming, you know it, you can sense it, but you're not quite sure what it is. Just amazing writing by Fracassi.

The main character, Beth, is a bit flat when it comes to characterization, but it doesn't really matter because the rest of the book is so interesting that you don't care. Gah. This was so well done. I highly recommend this one – especially if you're like me and love time travel stories.