There’s something irresistible about a good time travel story—whether it’s romantic, tragic, twisty, or laugh-out-loud ridiculous. I’ve loved them since I was a kid (thanks, Mom and Dad), and they’ve inspired everything from my favorite comfort reads to an entire plot arc in the Fate Weaver series.
So in honor of To Spell & Back—my own magical misadventure into time travel—here are my top five books and movies about time travel (plus one bonus pick in each category).
📚 My Top 5 Time Travel Books (Plus a Bonus)
Bonus: To Spell & Back by ReGina Welling & Erin Lynn
A magical matchmaking mishap sends Lexi straight into a tangle of timelines and second chances. Chaos, humor, and heartfelt revelations included.
1. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Time travel with a side of alchemy, forbidden romance, and witchy academia. Diana and Matthew’s journey into Elizabethan England is pure escapist magic. Love love love this entire series.
2. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
A timeless classic where science, faith, and fantasy intersect. Meg Murry journeys through time and space to rescue her father—and herself. This is ReGina’s favorite book, so I’ve both read and been read it many times!
3. I Think We’ve Been Here Before by Suzy Krause
With the end of the world predicted, reality bends in an unexpectedly quirky novel about human connection and the meaning of life and death. I just read this and absolutely loved it.
4. The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
A genre-bending mystery where the protagonist must solve a murder at a glamorous country house… but wakes up in a different guest’s body each day until he cracks the case.
5. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
Time-turners, twists, and the best plot payoff in the entire series. It’s not just for kids—this one holds up as a smart, layered time loop story. This is absolutely my favorite of the HP books.
🎬 My Top 5 Time Travel Movies (Plus a Bonus)
1. Back to the Future Trilogy (1985–1990)
The gold standard. Hoverboards, puffer vests, and the kind of storytelling that makes you want to believe in paradoxes and plutonium. Great Scott!
2. Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)
Crude? Yes. Hilarious? Also yes. Four friends find themselves back in 1986 and attempt to rewrite their lives—with varying levels of disaster. I can’t help it, I 💗 John Cusack.
3. 17 Again (2009)
Zac Efron gets a second shot at high school—and life—as his 37-year-old self is magically transformed back into his teen body. A sweet, surprisingly wise comedy.
4. 13 Going on 30 (2004)
Big ‘80s energy meets millennial awkwardness as a 13-year-old wakes up in her 30-year-old body. Romantic, funny, and surprisingly moving.
5. When We First Met (2018)
A charming rom-com where a guy uses a magical photo booth to relive the night he met the girl of his dreams… again and again and again. Saw this recently, thought it was adorable!
Bonus: Timeline (2003)
Based on the Michael Crichton novel, a team of archaeologists is sent back to 14th-century France. Sword fights, castles, and chaos ensue.
What would you add to the list?
Let me know your favorite time travel stories—I’m always on the lookout for new ones!
📚✨ Erin