BEAUTIFUL WRECK: December 2015

[Amy, Queen of Time]

For December 2015, we will be reading:
Beautiful Wreck by Larissa Brown

Now that the weather is frigid outside in a large portion of northern hemisphere locales, it's the perfect time to snuggle up in front of the fireplace with a winter-themed time travel book. I read this last year, and I think you're in for a lovely time. An Icelander of the future time travels back to Viking Iceland, makes a place among its people, and finds love there. I'm not usually one who likes romance-themed novels, but this is an exception. Larissa's writing style is uniquely gorgeous and vivid. Everyone I've recommended this book to has adored it. I never read books twice, so the fact that I'm willing to read this one again speaks volumes about my desire to want to return again to the world of this novel.

Link to my blog review of Beautiful Wreck (with photos to whet your appetite):https://evanescentepiphany.wordpress....

GoodReads Rating: 4.12 stars

Book Blurb:
In a bleak future built on virtual reality, Ginn is a romantic who yearns for something real. She designs environments for people who play at being Vikings. But when her project goes awry, she’s stranded in the actual 10th century, on a storybook farm in Viking Iceland.

Heirik is the young leader of his family, honored by the men and women who live on his land. But he is feared and isolated because of a terrible curse. Ginn and Heirik are two people who never thought they would find a home in someone else’s heart.

When forces rise against them to keep them apart, Ginn is called on to decide—will she give up the brutal and beautiful reality of the past? Or will she have the courage to traverse time and become more of a Viking than she ever imagined?

Where to Buy
Kindle $2.99: http://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Wreck...
Amazon Paperback $14.99: http://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Wreck...

Pre-Reading Question:
Is there any one specific place and time that you've studied and/or obsessed over that you are yearning to visit?

[Heather(Gibby)]

I started this book a couple nights go, and it is pretty easy to get into. I haven't participated in a TT group read for awhile, feel good to be back!

When I dream about time travelling, I usually stick to within my own lifetime, and wanting a "do-over" on some of my choices, I have never dreamed of immersing myself into another time or place. Perhaps my great grandmother, as I feel some of our family history has been lost.

[Amy, Queen of Time]

Heather(Gibby) wrote: "I started this book a couple nights go, and it is pretty easy to get into. I haven't participated in a TT group read for awhile, feel good to be back!

When I dream about time travelling, I usually..."

I'm glad you're back. :-)

I used to dream about a very specific do-over within my own lifetime, but I had a chance recently to talk with the person I wanted a do-over with and it turned out that they had no idea what I was talking about. They'd forgotten the whole situation, and I surely wasn't going to remind them of it. Perhaps that's proof that future me was able to time travel and take care of it, right? ;)

[Heather(Gibby)]

I finished chapter 5 "Walls" last night, so if you have not got that far-don't read spoiler.
(view spoiler)[It seems to me that Ginn has accepted that she has been accidently transported to Viking time without any misgivings, or struggle. would she not for a period of time try to get back, talk about what she misses? she just seems to adjust and then be happy about her surroundings (hide spoiler)]

[Nathan, First Tiger]

Pre-reading question:

I think my most frequently thought of time travel destination would be in my own lifetime also, or just before. I think it would be fascinating to meet family members early in their lives. I'd love to know my dad who passed away when I was young but I think it would be really interesting in general to get to know people I have a context for in my own life too. Kind of like watching an old movie and seeing a now famous actor back when they were just starting out.


If I was leaping into the distant past I think I would enjoy exploring the Americas before they got discovered by Europeans. Most of our Native American tales seem to revolve around a time when white people were showing up, but it would be cool to explore some of the centuries before that. North America would be a wild place to explore then. I would know where I was but I bet it would feel incredibly foreign.

[Heather(Gibby)]

Is anyone else actually reading the book? I was also wondering if Larissa had made any contact and was going to join the discussion and possibly answer questions.

I am close to half-way through, and although I am enjoying the story, I don't feel that the time travel element is adding too much to the story. the main character (so far) has not used her knowledge of the future to influence or help her in first century Iceland.

[Larissa]

Heather(Gibby) wrote: "Is anyone else actually reading the book? I was also wondering if Larissa had made any contact and was going to join the discussion and possibly answer questions.

I am close to half-way through, ..."

Hi Heather,

I am here! And I'm very happy to answer questions. I try to hang back when people are discussing my book, because I don't want anyone to feel hesitant about what they write. I've checked in twice, but didn't see many readers.

I don't want to try to explain away anything, but I can tell you what I intended. I think Ginn feels the future (her own time) is senseless and doesn't provide her with any strengths she needs in the real world (10th century.) There isn't much she would draw on of value that could help her on the farm or in her relationships.

I intended for the main function of the time travel to be putting Ginn in a world where she belongs, and where she can develop outside of her normal values and strictures. I don't think that if she'd grown up in the 10th century, she would have the perspective to be able to fall in love with a Heirik, or have the other relationships she has. She needed to be from somewhere/sometime else. That's my intention, anyway. I never know how it will read to others.

[Heather(Gibby)]

Thanks so much for responding Larissa! i will save my questions until I am done the book, as some of them may yet to be revealed.

HOpefully some more members will join in on the discussion

[Heather(Gibby)]

Finished the book last night and I have some mixed feeling about it.

As an enjoyable read I give it high marks, but if you are looking for the twisty stuff that makes for excellent time travel novel, this one falls short. I see the time travel as a plot device to put Ginn into tenth century Iceland, and provide a bit of tension, in that Ginn has to decide whether or not to travel back to her present time.

At the end of the book, the author has some discussion questions, and one of them was: If you could take ten things back with you in time what would they be?

I would take healing, medicinal items most likely, like penicillin.

[Larissa]

Heather(Gibby) wrote: "Finished the book last night and I have some mixed feeling about it.

As an enjoyable read I give it high marks, but if you are looking for the twisty stuff that makes for excellent time travel no..."

Heather, thank you so much for reading. I would take that same thing, and in fact the heroine in my next book does. I did expect that readers who are mostly into the time travel aspect of tt books would not find Beautiful Wreck to be satisfying, but for those who like the historical aspects of tt fiction, I hope it provided a satisfying glimpse of another time and place.

I really appreciate it.
Larissa