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Glitch
A whirlwind adventure about a pair of kids who must break all the rules of time travel.
Regan Fitz and Elliot Mason have been enemies since they started training to become Glitchers—people who travel through time to preserve important historical events. But everything changes when they find a letter from Regan’s future self, warning them about an impending disaster that threatens them and everyone they know.
Will they be able to set aside their past in order to save the future?
Regan Fitz and Elliot Mason have been enemies since they started training to become Glitchers—people who travel through time to preserve important historical events. But everything changes when they find a letter from Regan’s future self, warning them about an impending disaster that threatens them and everyone they know.
Will they be able to set aside their past in order to save the future?
384 pages, Hardcover
First published June 9, 2020
144 people are currently reading
4,843 people want to read
About the author
Laura Martin
10Ìýbooks337ÌýfollowersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 423 reviews
November 18, 2020
OH MY GOODNESS! THIS BOOK! We listened to this book on a very long,very cramped car ride with 4 too many kids in the car and none of us wanted to get out. We literally were begging our parents to keep driving after we arrived to our destination so we could keep listening. If that doesn't attest to the awesomeness of this book, I don't know what will.
February 27, 2023
This was super fun
October 11, 2024
Regan Fitz and Eliot Mason are training to be Glitchers (time travel operatives who prevent people from changing the past). They can barely stand each other. Regan thinks Eliot is a know-it all with zero social skills. Eliot thinks Regan is the entitled daughter of the commander, and that she acts like a princess. When a note from the future - a very illegal note from the future with their names on it - arrives Regan and Eliot must find a way to work together to save their present and future selves from some unknown danger.
Laura Martin is a genius at writing exciting scifi adventures that are pitch perfect for middle grade. I can't see even reluctant middle grade readers easily putting this down after just the first chapter. It is perfectly paced with plenty of action while also giving moments for character building. Time travel can be tricky to write convincingly, and Laura Martin also does that. The training exercises to various key points in history are fun to experience with the Glitchers; it really makes history come to life in new ways. The futuristic world in which Regan and Eliot live is intriguing, and I really, really hope that there are more books with this duo. Highly recommended to any middle grade time travel fans, or anyone looking for an engaging and exciting middle grade read.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There are deaths and grave situations in the historical time periods, and some dicey situations in the present too. Martin is able to convey the seriousness and gravity of such events without including much blood or gore at all.
Laura Martin is a genius at writing exciting scifi adventures that are pitch perfect for middle grade. I can't see even reluctant middle grade readers easily putting this down after just the first chapter. It is perfectly paced with plenty of action while also giving moments for character building. Time travel can be tricky to write convincingly, and Laura Martin also does that. The training exercises to various key points in history are fun to experience with the Glitchers; it really makes history come to life in new ways. The futuristic world in which Regan and Eliot live is intriguing, and I really, really hope that there are more books with this duo. Highly recommended to any middle grade time travel fans, or anyone looking for an engaging and exciting middle grade read.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There are deaths and grave situations in the historical time periods, and some dicey situations in the present too. Martin is able to convey the seriousness and gravity of such events without including much blood or gore at all.
June 11, 2024
If I could time travel, I'd hand this book to my younger self so I could spend years obsessed with it. It's that good. 🙌🙌
April 1, 2021
I usually can't make it through a time travel book, but this story of rival Glitch Academy Cadets Regan Fitz and Elliot Mason, who are training to use their rare genetic ability to travel through time and prevent “Butterflies� (so named for the butterfly effect) from altering U.S. history, totally sucked me in and blew me away.
March 15, 2023
A little like , , or the author's own ; this story features a specialized school for students with unusual powers or talents. In Glitch, it's time travel.
Regan and Elliot are classmates training to be glitchers (time travelers who prevent other time travelers from messing up the world's history). The two have a complicated relationship; Elliot thinks Regan is a spoiled brat and Regan thinks Elliot is a know it all as one of the brightest (if not the smartest) students at the Academy. When the two are selected as a compatible pair for a new top secret program, they will need to set their differences aside and time travel together as a team.
If you like anything science fiction, loved the adventure of or are looking for time travel stories for tweens and young teens, give this a try.
Regan and Elliot are classmates training to be glitchers (time travelers who prevent other time travelers from messing up the world's history). The two have a complicated relationship; Elliot thinks Regan is a spoiled brat and Regan thinks Elliot is a know it all as one of the brightest (if not the smartest) students at the Academy. When the two are selected as a compatible pair for a new top secret program, they will need to set their differences aside and time travel together as a team.
If you like anything science fiction, loved the adventure of or are looking for time travel stories for tweens and young teens, give this a try.
Read
June 21, 2020Glitch by Laura Martin, 384 pages. Harper, 2020. $17.00.
Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: G
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Have you ever wanted to travel back in time? Well, get tested to see if you have the glitch in your DNA. If you do, you will automatically be taken to the Glitch Academy where you will learn history, self-defense, and glitching, the ability to time travel. You will be secluded from the rest of the world, taken away from your family, and spend your time studying history. But you will also learn how to detect butterflies (the bad guys) who want to change history. If they succeed, the world as we know it wouldn’t exist. Regan and Elliot who are two cadets at the Academy and are not the best of friends, are put in a situation where they need to put their differences aside as they are asked to save the Academy and the world as we know it.
I really liked this book and I think tweens and early teens would enjoy reading it. It is a fast read. The author did an incredible job expressing in detail, but not too much detail, what the academy is like for all of the cadets who attend. I really like the way she described the feelings the two main characters had towards each other. I do have a hard time understanding exactly how things all worked out because of the time travel aspect of the book but as long as I don’t think that much into it, it works.
Candice
Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: G
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Have you ever wanted to travel back in time? Well, get tested to see if you have the glitch in your DNA. If you do, you will automatically be taken to the Glitch Academy where you will learn history, self-defense, and glitching, the ability to time travel. You will be secluded from the rest of the world, taken away from your family, and spend your time studying history. But you will also learn how to detect butterflies (the bad guys) who want to change history. If they succeed, the world as we know it wouldn’t exist. Regan and Elliot who are two cadets at the Academy and are not the best of friends, are put in a situation where they need to put their differences aside as they are asked to save the Academy and the world as we know it.
I really liked this book and I think tweens and early teens would enjoy reading it. It is a fast read. The author did an incredible job expressing in detail, but not too much detail, what the academy is like for all of the cadets who attend. I really like the way she described the feelings the two main characters had towards each other. I do have a hard time understanding exactly how things all worked out because of the time travel aspect of the book but as long as I don’t think that much into it, it works.
Candice
March 9, 2023
Loved this, especially the snarky relationship between the two kids (though, I’ve been reading waaaay too many enemies to lovers romcoms and kept having to remind myself that this is a book FOR CHILDREN and that there will be none of that 🤣).
Time travel books are really tricky to pull off, but this one worked. Did it all make perfect sense? .. not exactly, but it made enough sense to be reasonable and super engaging. I am a little freaked out by the amount of war/violent death these kids are forced to see up close while glitching - yikes.
I would love for this to be turned into a series!
* Reading Olympics Spring 2023
Time travel books are really tricky to pull off, but this one worked. Did it all make perfect sense? .. not exactly, but it made enough sense to be reasonable and super engaging. I am a little freaked out by the amount of war/violent death these kids are forced to see up close while glitching - yikes.
I would love for this to be turned into a series!
* Reading Olympics Spring 2023
February 10, 2022
A quick and engaging Middle grade Time- Travel story.
I loved how the author handled the Time-travel really well.
Highly recommend this book!
I loved how the author handled the Time-travel really well.
Highly recommend this book!
December 30, 2024
Got two of this author’s books for my boys for Christmas and then realized I wanted to pre-read them before I handed them to my nine year old after I found some slightly questionable content in the other one. This one is great! Super fun, great for middle grade kids.
June 4, 2024
This is fun middle grade adventure book with time travel, teamwork, and fun characters. I did it as a read aloud for my kids ages 7, 11, and 13, and they all enjoyed it throughout.
February 10, 2022
The story: Turns out time travel isn't all it was cracked up to be. Nowadays, criminals called Butterflies make jumps through time to change the course of events for their future profit. In response, every country has its own Glitch Academy, which trains students to stop the Butterflies and preserve the course of history. Cadets Regan and Eliot are arch-enemies who somehow find themselves partnered up as a team just at the crucial time that Butterflies attack the Academy itself. Can they put their past behind them long enough to make sure the future doesn't come crashing down around them?
June Cleaver's ratings: Language G; Violence PG; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse G; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (scences of sci-fi violence, nothing graphic) PG; overall rating PG. Good for grades 5-8.
Liz's comments: Here's a cool sci-fi story about the dangers of messing with the time line. Temporal anomalies aren't just for Star Trek! It's a relief when Eliot finally gets control of his anger, which is grating; otherwise everything's just fine with this story. Told in alternating points of view, it's good for both boys and girls.
June Cleaver's ratings: Language G; Violence PG; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse G; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (scences of sci-fi violence, nothing graphic) PG; overall rating PG. Good for grades 5-8.
Liz's comments: Here's a cool sci-fi story about the dangers of messing with the time line. Temporal anomalies aren't just for Star Trek! It's a relief when Eliot finally gets control of his anger, which is grating; otherwise everything's just fine with this story. Told in alternating points of view, it's good for both boys and girls.
February 23, 2022
I struggled to get through this one, though an unfortunate plunge in the bathtub and the subsequent week waiting for it to dry out surely played a role in how long I took to get though it (thank goodness it wasn’t a library book!)
Time travel stories are always hard to follow and the resulting paradoxes don’t ever fully resolve properly, and this one certainly had those issues. And flipping perspective back and forth between the two main characters adds to the whiplash.
But the premise is interesting and fun and hopefully encourages kids to explore the past: students are trained to “glitch� or time-travel to preserve important historical events- even the tragedies, like Lincoln’s assassination. It’s an important lesson for kids of all ages to learn about and respect history, so we can properly understand our own place in it- even the parts we’d rather change or simply ignore.
Time travel stories are always hard to follow and the resulting paradoxes don’t ever fully resolve properly, and this one certainly had those issues. And flipping perspective back and forth between the two main characters adds to the whiplash.
But the premise is interesting and fun and hopefully encourages kids to explore the past: students are trained to “glitch� or time-travel to preserve important historical events- even the tragedies, like Lincoln’s assassination. It’s an important lesson for kids of all ages to learn about and respect history, so we can properly understand our own place in it- even the parts we’d rather change or simply ignore.
May 14, 2022
Again, thankful for state awards for bringing me to new titles like this one. Time travel, adventure, new friendships, suspense - so much to enjoy with this one!
It's helpful to have some knowledge of historical events, but not a prerequisite.
It's helpful to have some knowledge of historical events, but not a prerequisite.
March 8, 2023
Most of the time, I find middle-level books very bland, but read them to be able to recommend to my students. This one was different! I actually enjoyed it immensely. Great option for Spy School lovers.
August 8, 2024
Idk what to say. I finished this yesterday, but forgot to log it. Anyway, no time for a good review now. But this book was good! Well, now that I think about it, more like a three and a half stars. It was just missing backstory.
December 1, 2021
We all loved it. Hoping for a second book!
June 13, 2023
Giving Amari and the night brothers vibes- loved the history aspect.
February 23, 2023
Great audiobook to listen to with my kids! Want a sequel!
January 5, 2024
this book is Sheer Entertainment
RIVALRY REVIEW
INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERIZATION: 4/5. Regan and Elliot are good characters with good character arcs. It doesn't hurt that almost all of their background, strengths, and personalities are very similar to another rivalry that I really enjoyed (which will be reviewed later because duh), just switched around a little.
INITIAL DYNAMIC: 4/5. Very irritated with each other, very good. There was never the head-to-head element (except for One scene) that usually characterizes rivalries in a school setting, but the resentment was there.
RIVALRY DEVELOPMENT: 5/5. They nailed this one. The progression felt natural, not too rushed, and at the end it was clear the events that caused their relationship to change.
GENERAL CHAOS LEVEL: 4/5. I won't lie, while these two had the bickering and the petty revenge (see bonus points section) down pat, there was that extra little bit missing, the bit that causes an event to go completely absolutely off the rails. Maybe they're too well trained.
Average: 4.25/5
BONUS POINTS:
CROSSING A LINE (+0.5) - For those rivals that go above and beyond, that prove they have absolutely, completely ZERO chill. is so out of pocket. Have some bonus points for it.
TRAGIC: YOU MAKE A GREAT TEAM (+1) - There's only one thing that makes rivals hate each other more, and that's being told "you two work so well together!" Absolutely devastating for them, highly entertaining for me. You go, guys, and your perfectly matched strengths and weaknesses. Good luck!
SITUATIONAL DRAMA (+1) - I would be dumb, and also a liar, if I didn't give bonus points to a plot that tells 2 mfs who hate each other, straight to their faces, that they're gonna be forced to stick together like glue. these two had to train, study, eat (pretty much everything but use the bathroom and sleep) side-by-side. Priceless.
TOTAL RIVALRY SCORE: 6.75/5.
With a satisfactory beginning, middle, and end, Regan and Elliot's rivalry might be missing a few style points, but it's a solid, no-nonsense showing that absolutely deserves its mention in the book description.
***
Although the beginning is a bit info-dumpy and there's kind of a lot of setup, this is really fun. also the not-sequel bait sequel bait makes me laugh because i've already read this book and it still surprised me
RIVALRY REVIEW
INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERIZATION: 4/5. Regan and Elliot are good characters with good character arcs. It doesn't hurt that almost all of their background, strengths, and personalities are very similar to another rivalry that I really enjoyed (which will be reviewed later because duh), just switched around a little.
INITIAL DYNAMIC: 4/5. Very irritated with each other, very good. There was never the head-to-head element (except for One scene) that usually characterizes rivalries in a school setting, but the resentment was there.
RIVALRY DEVELOPMENT: 5/5. They nailed this one. The progression felt natural, not too rushed, and at the end it was clear the events that caused their relationship to change.
GENERAL CHAOS LEVEL: 4/5. I won't lie, while these two had the bickering and the petty revenge (see bonus points section) down pat, there was that extra little bit missing, the bit that causes an event to go completely absolutely off the rails. Maybe they're too well trained.
Average: 4.25/5
BONUS POINTS:
CROSSING A LINE (+0.5) - For those rivals that go above and beyond, that prove they have absolutely, completely ZERO chill. is so out of pocket. Have some bonus points for it.
TRAGIC: YOU MAKE A GREAT TEAM (+1) - There's only one thing that makes rivals hate each other more, and that's being told "you two work so well together!" Absolutely devastating for them, highly entertaining for me. You go, guys, and your perfectly matched strengths and weaknesses. Good luck!
SITUATIONAL DRAMA (+1) - I would be dumb, and also a liar, if I didn't give bonus points to a plot that tells 2 mfs who hate each other, straight to their faces, that they're gonna be forced to stick together like glue. these two had to train, study, eat (pretty much everything but use the bathroom and sleep) side-by-side. Priceless.
TOTAL RIVALRY SCORE: 6.75/5.
With a satisfactory beginning, middle, and end, Regan and Elliot's rivalry might be missing a few style points, but it's a solid, no-nonsense showing that absolutely deserves its mention in the book description.
***
Although the beginning is a bit info-dumpy and there's kind of a lot of setup, this is really fun. also the not-sequel bait sequel bait makes me laugh because i've already read this book and it still surprised me
November 6, 2023
We loved this audiobook! My kids (ages 9-13) really wanted there to be a sequel.
April 17, 2022
The audio version was slightly better. A lot of the language was clunky. We'd get bits from a child's perspective, then the same character would sound much older. Some of the other parts were awkward - have you ever tried swallowing a golf ball? I had times it was tough to tell who was narrating, even with the name at the start of the chapter.
April 1, 2023
The boys and I listened to this on audio and it was fantastic! I'm not usually into time travel, but this kept it fairly simple so I didn't feel lost in the confusion. You learn about historical events, the characters grow and change over the course of the book, it was fast paced and fun. Everything we could want for a family read aloud! Highly recommend!
July 28, 2022
sci-fi isn't my usual to-go genre, but there was still the history buff in me that adored this. regan and elliot's characters are both well-developed, with a clear backstory and personalities that don't drag on throughout the story. though they're not flawless or without their faults, they are relatable and we get a clear understanding of where they stand early on in the book, which clears up confusion afterward.
anyway, the plot - it's this dystopian world where kids are born with the glitcher gene in their DNA. a glitcher is someone who is able to travel seamlessly through time. only one in a half million have it in their DNA, so thereafter they are admitted to one of the glitch academies around the world, which specialize in preserving the narratives of their own countries. this is where we are introduced to one of our protagonists; regan fitz; her mom is the commander in chief of her glitch academy, so naturally she's expected to follow in her footsteps. however, she drastically fails her practice simulation of abraham lincoln's assassination, which prepares her for real missions where she has to root out the butterflies, aka the glitchers' main adversaries who seek to change history instead of preserving it. here, we also meet our other protagonist, elliot mason, regan's worst archenemy. the two squabble and end up finding a letter that goes against everything their faction stands for - which of course results in an unlikely duo teaming up to save the day. fast-paced and witty, martin's middle grade novel is sure to be a delight for all lovers of sci-fi and time travel.
anyway, the plot - it's this dystopian world where kids are born with the glitcher gene in their DNA. a glitcher is someone who is able to travel seamlessly through time. only one in a half million have it in their DNA, so thereafter they are admitted to one of the glitch academies around the world, which specialize in preserving the narratives of their own countries. this is where we are introduced to one of our protagonists; regan fitz; her mom is the commander in chief of her glitch academy, so naturally she's expected to follow in her footsteps. however, she drastically fails her practice simulation of abraham lincoln's assassination, which prepares her for real missions where she has to root out the butterflies, aka the glitchers' main adversaries who seek to change history instead of preserving it. here, we also meet our other protagonist, elliot mason, regan's worst archenemy. the two squabble and end up finding a letter that goes against everything their faction stands for - which of course results in an unlikely duo teaming up to save the day. fast-paced and witty, martin's middle grade novel is sure to be a delight for all lovers of sci-fi and time travel.
July 4, 2024
Such a fun middle grade read.
I read this awhile ago and then just finished rereading it. I love the ever evolving plot. As a writer myself, usually I can predicate some of the major plot points according to standard plot structure but this kept me guessing!! I love when I can just enjoy a story without dissecting the plot structure! (Can I get an amen from my fellow writers? 😂)
I loved Reagan and Elliot's enemies-to-friends relationship, a perfect friendship for MG!
Personally, I find it hard to wrap my head around time-travel but that's no dis-credit to the author, I was just a bit confusing trying to figure out the logic of it. 😆
CW's: Blood and death related to historical events like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory or wars, etc.
All in all, a beautiful representation of the middle grade genre!
� 4 Stars �
I read this awhile ago and then just finished rereading it. I love the ever evolving plot. As a writer myself, usually I can predicate some of the major plot points according to standard plot structure but this kept me guessing!! I love when I can just enjoy a story without dissecting the plot structure! (Can I get an amen from my fellow writers? 😂)
I loved Reagan and Elliot's enemies-to-friends relationship, a perfect friendship for MG!
Personally, I find it hard to wrap my head around time-travel but that's no dis-credit to the author, I was just a bit confusing trying to figure out the logic of it. 😆
CW's: Blood and death related to historical events like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory or wars, etc.
All in all, a beautiful representation of the middle grade genre!
� 4 Stars �
September 27, 2020
I flew through this one in a few days, which was awesome! I'd been in a reading slump, and this brought me out of it.
When I was about the age of the characters in this book, I wrote a story about time travel. I was obsessed with it back then (Back to the Future II was my movie!) and I loved thinking about it, reading about it, and writing about it. So this book made 12-year-old Flo smile so wide.
It had great pacing and action, and the progression of the friendship between Elliott and Reagan was believable and well done. I'd read Laura Martin's other book, Float, and enjoyed it, so I think I'm officially a L.M. fan! Can't wait to see what she shares with us next!
When I was about the age of the characters in this book, I wrote a story about time travel. I was obsessed with it back then (Back to the Future II was my movie!) and I loved thinking about it, reading about it, and writing about it. So this book made 12-year-old Flo smile so wide.
It had great pacing and action, and the progression of the friendship between Elliott and Reagan was believable and well done. I'd read Laura Martin's other book, Float, and enjoyed it, so I think I'm officially a L.M. fan! Can't wait to see what she shares with us next!
October 22, 2021
Oh my goodness, where has this book been that I've missed it until now? This was such a fun read! We were constantly engaged and wanted to keep reading never stop the entire book. Time travel adventures like this thrill me and this one was done well and was perfectly written for the middle grade crowd without being juvenile and dumb. Loved it. Fun read aloud with my thirteen year old and I just know my ten year old will LOVE it, too. I would highly recommend this book- it's definitely on "the" list for me.
May 26, 2023
I would rate this 3 stars, my kids would rate it 5. But since I'm in charge of the GR account, my rating is the one that gets posted ;) However, I should add that time travel is *rarely* appealing to me, so I knew that would be a hard sell for me. Also, I should probably rate this 4 stars simply b/c it appealed to all 3 of my kids, which is an increasingly difficult requirement and few books seem to fit the bill these days. Aside from all that, this is a story of friendship, adventure, and time travel into real historical events, all elements that were appreciated.
April 11, 2024
A fun and exciting adventure! I needed a palate cleanser and this middle grade novel was exactly what I was looking for. I'd highly recommend this for upper elementary/middle school readers, especially ones that used to love Magic Tree House. I appreciate how the main characters made the conscious choice to start treating each other with respect. Overall, a lot of good lessons for kids among the sci-fi and action, plus some history bits! Great on audio too. 4.5/5â�
August 23, 2020
Fun time travel romp for teens.
I liked the setting, with the academy, and competitive nature of students.
The character arc was a little clunky, with a huge leap forward at one point. I wish that would have been a little more gradual, and more at the character's initiative rather than having to be told.
I liked the setting, with the academy, and competitive nature of students.
The character arc was a little clunky, with a huge leap forward at one point. I wish that would have been a little more gradual, and more at the character's initiative rather than having to be told.
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