Challenge Corner discussion

Rule One: Travel can only occur to a point within your lifetime.
Rule Two: You can only travel for ninety seconds.
Rule Three: You can only observe.
The rules cannot be broken.

In this riveting science fiction novel from acclaimed author Philip Fracassi, a scientist has unlocked the mysteries of time travel. This is not the story you think you know. And the rules are only the beginning.

Scientist Beth Darlow has discovered the unimaginable. She's built a machine that allows human consciousness to travel through time—to any point in the traveler's lifetime—and relive moments of their life. An impossible breakthrough, but it's not perfect: the traveler has no way to interact with the past. They can only observe.

After Beth's husband, Colson, the co-creator of the machine, dies in a tragic car accident, Beth is left to raise Isabella—their only daughter—and continue the work they started. Mired in grief and threatened by her ruthless CEO, Beth pushes herself to the limit to prove the value of her technology.

Then the impossible happens. Simply viewing personal history should not alter the present, but with each new observation she makes, her own timeline begins to warp.

As her reality constantly shifts, Beth must solve the puzzles of her past, even if it means forsaking her future.

To Ch 7, or 14%: We're off to a great start. What an intriguing set-up. I am really like Beth, the MC, as I generally enjoying following characters who are scientists. I am excited to get further into this tomorrow. I am sure the (view spoiler)[journalist is going to provide an interesting dynamic. (hide spoiler)]

To Ch 17, or 41%: There's still so much mystery surrounding (view spoiler)[Beth's husband. Is he really dead? Beth thought she saw him in the park and then their daughter mentioned him visiting her in her room. This organization Beth works for is shady as heck. Wondering if they did something to him and he's trying to let them know...IDK!! (hide spoiler)]

To Ch 18: I like that Beth is (view spoiler)[questioning whether or not the points she is getting brought back to are completely random or not. I agree with her, I don't think they are. But who is choosing them? Is it her husband, or the head honcho company guy? IDK (hide spoiler)]

To Ch 31: whoa, WTF!? So now, I think (view spoiler)[she's lost her timeline, because was Isabella actually born? Was her husband killed, or was she? This is getting trippy now, as I imagine this type of technology would be. (hide spoiler)]

To Ch 35: Alright, here we go. Tyreek claiming (view spoiler)[he's going to tell Beth the truth. (hide spoiler)]

Done! That was quite interesting. Great writing. I actually wish it would have been a little longer so all the topics could have been expanded upon even further. Overall, compelling read though!

Sorry - I've been/am ill - will try and read this when I can but I'm really behind on everything :(

I started reading this during my usual bout of insomnia and got to EDIT 63% and WHOA! I'll respond to your points going through in a bit (I've got to go to the doctors bleh) but this is my thinking right now

63%/end of chapter 26 (view spoiler)[ So, there's obviously something weird going on - I think Tariq is possibly being straight with her, but Abbie is telling the truth, but clearly omitting something. Some sh*t is gonna go down at this debrief, although I'm not sure what.

My first thought when Beth had no visual and no memory in that time travel session was that she was having an operation or something? And I think maybe sh'e's gone into the future rather than the past? And Isabelle is something to do with it; her dreams are more than just dreams... did giving birth to Isabelle screw with the timeline? And break the third rule of time travel?

So, if she was about to have an operation - going with that theory, then she died on the operating table but was revived? In an alternate reality? Is Colson actually alive? I feel like he might be... but that's too obvious. Did he sacrifice himself so their daughter might live? I'm not sure but so many thoughts about how this technology might work! (hide spoiler)]

megs_bookrack wrote: "To Ch 7, or 14%: (view spoiler)[We're off to a great start. What an intriguing set-up. I am really like Beth, the MC, as I generally enjoying following characters who are scientists. I am excited to get further i..(view spoiler)[" (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Yeah, it's a good set up, fast to get into it - I liked that too :)

megs_bookrack wrote: "To Ch 18: I like that Beth is [spoilers removed]"

To Ch 18 (view spoiler)[ I can't remember what I was thinking at this point, but definitely was suspecting various people... until later on lol (hide spoiler)]

I finished, sorry - catching up with comments! Mixed thoughts on this one...

megs_bookrack wrote: "To Ch 31: whoa, WTF!? So now, I think [spoilers removed]"

To chapter 31 (view spoiler)[ I loved this point, but it was painful too, seeing how traumatised Beth was. I thought at this point maybe there were multiple timelines? And, yeah, it's a bit of a mindfuck thinking about the technology o_0 (hide spoiler)]

megs_bookrack wrote: "Done! That was quite interesting. Great writing. I actually wish it would have been a little longer so all the topics could have been expanded upon even further. Overall, compelling read though!"

Yes, EXACTLY. It needed expanding on. It was, for me, ultimately unsatisfying. It's (view spoiler)[ nice that Beth had her happy ending and all that, (hide spoiler)]but I WANT MORE EXPLANATION! Definitely could've been about twice the length, some slower sections to modulate the super-fast pace, and some PROPER explanations of the implications of the technology. It was literally just that reporter saying, 'Someone observing does alter the timeline' and then... what? I wanted so much more from this! :(

Not your normal genre - glad you enjoyed this!

Ellen-Arwen wrote: "Sorry - I've been/am ill - will try and read this when I can but I'm really behind on everything :("

Oh, noooo, I'm sorry you weren't feeling well. It seems maybe you're better?

Ellen-Arwen wrote: "megs_bookrack wrote: "To Ch 31: whoa, WTF!? So now, I think [spoilers removed]"

To chapter 31 [spoilers removed]"

Right!? Yeah, poor Beth, she def went through it and the tech is horrifying!! LOL

Ellen-Arwen wrote: "megs_bookrack wrote: "Done! That was quite interesting. Great writing. I actually wish it would have been a little longer so all the topics could have been expanded upon even further. Overall, comp..."

Oh, yeahhh, I totally agree with your points. It could have been expanded on so much. It does leave a lot for the Reader to consider/think about though!

megs_bookrack wrote: "Ellen-Arwen wrote: "megs_bookrack wrote: "Done! That was quite interesting. Great writing. I actually wish it would have been a little longer so all the topics could have been expanded upon even fu..."

Glad we agree - I still need to write my review, dear me :O
I'm getting there with feeling better, slowly, just very little energy still. (view spoiler)[ Not a spoiler - just feels weird writing it so publicly lol. I'm coming off an anti-depressant that affects serotonin and noradrenaline and the withdrawal is just HORRENDOUS. So, although it's getting better now, I have to keep taking it down, and then I feel terrible again for another 5-7 days... then another notch down each 10 days! It's rough, not gonna lie, but it hasn't helped so I just want it over with I guess (hide spoiler)] So kind of you to ask *muah*