Goodreads Choice Awards Book Club discussion

We will be buddy reading Between Shades of Gray in February, anyone welcome to join in :)

Kristie - Do you want to have a think about maybe having a reading schedule, so that way I don't race ahead of you?

Yay, I'll comment even though I read this book in 2012.

@Lynn if I remember correctly I read this book in less than 48 hours so it's a very fast read. A schedule might be a good idea, otherwise you'll be done 1pm on february 1st. Hehe ;)

Lol...oh geez. I have the audio of this one, so I can't really break it down by page numbers. The audio is 7 hours 47 minutes. If I can listen for 2 hours a day, it would take me about 4 days (unless I do a personal read-a-thon!). Do you want to break the book down so it makes sense? According to the book page, it is 344 pages, so 25% per day would be 86 pages per day. Or do you want to make it closer to 50-60 pages per day in case other people join and read at a different pace? Either way is fine with me, but I just don't know what pages it makes sense to stop on.

Maybe Lynn can make a schedule according to chapters. They say the chapter number on audiobooks if I remember correctly.

Perfect!

Yeah, we'll just do it by chapters.
Have a look at how many there are and then let me know how many you want to tackle each day (obviously no rush at the moment)

it is a pity that it came out with "fifty shades of gray", because this book was far better, but it may have gotten lost in the shuffle! it crossed young adult lines into adult, as well. it is excellent.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I agree. I initially thought the books were related somehow, just by the similarity in title.

Ok, up until this exact moment, I thought this was a part of the 50 Shades series. I have seen this book title many times and I just assumed. Now that I have looked at the cover and read the description, it looks very good! I think I will join you for this one.

Glad I'm not the only one that made that assumption, Vicki! Welcome to the discussion. :)

I usually don't read books as soon as they are released, but somehow I read Between Shades of Grey in March 2011, which was exactly its release time. I loved it, and I agree, I would've missed it otherwise because its title similarity with 50 shades...
Between Shades of Grey is one of my all time favorites, and will follow this discussion to hear your thoughts on it.

Isn't it kind of sad that a really good book got lost in the brouhaha over a not so good book that gained fame for its erotica content which attracted so many readers and which would probably have been considered porn not too many years ago?

I read this book a few years ago based on a recommendation from my son. He read it in school and thought it was a very good book and he felt like he learned a lot from it (he was in 6th grade at the time). I also read it and found it to be a great read. I look forward to following the discussion to see what others think of this book.

I might join you ladies with this one. It's been a while since I read a historical fiction.

Am I too late to join? Been wanting to read for a while! X

Not too late, Joanna! We are planning to start reading on February 1st.

Fab! My first buddy read

Welcome!

Kristie - Have you had any thoughts about a schedule how you're going to restrict me?

lol! No! I haven't at all. I have the audio, so I can't see chapters at all. The audio is about 8 hours and the book link says there's about 350 pages, so somewhere around 50 pages a day?? That will put me at a little over and hour a day of listening time. If I somehow get a free day to listen nonstop, I'll let you at it.

Too funny. I'm picturing a book that automatically snaps shut after 50 pages are read.

Krisite - Are you ready to start this on Monday?

Yup. I'm still trying to listen to Red Queen, but I'm not getting very far. If I'm not done before Monday, I'll just set it aside.

I finished Red Queen and I'm ready to start this one! :)

I have started, it's already heartbreaking :(

I've stopped at page 49, end of chapter 12.

So no messing around with any happy backstory, straight into horribleness (is that a word?) and the night they were taken :/

The man who broke his leg and wouldn't shut up I really wanted to slap ... but I suppose we are going to come across all kinds in this story, reacting in their own way to fear.

I didn't know what to think with the mother and baby, I couldn't decide if it was more cruel to take the baby or leave it.

Despite the tough subject matter, I found those first 50 pages a really quick and easy read.

I ended after chapter 17. I swear I was listening and it said chapter 11.....then, chapter 18. oops!

I really like that they jumped right into the story. It grabs you right from the start.

I agree about the man with the broken leg. He was so annoying. I understand that he felt everyone should face reality, but seriously, her little brother is 10 years old. Let the officers be brutal, you should be the buffer if at all possible.

I thought it was worse to send the baby, I think. It might have a chance of adoption in an orphanage. They would have some type of wet nurse or something to feed the baby for those whose mom's died during delivery.

I think it's sad that some people think only of themselves in situations like this. Like the woman trying to hide the hole so that only her family could use it. That's awful.

I also am finding the book to go by quickly. It's kept my attention the entire time. One issue with the audiobook though, is that when it jumps to the past scenes there is no notice at all. So, you are listening to the current story, then all of a sudden the next sentence doesn't make sense and you have to make that mental shift.

Kristie wrote: "I ended after chapter 17. I swear I was listening and it said chapter 11.....then, chapter 18. oops! "

You did that on purpose so you could be ahead of me for once :p

And here's me being all good for you .....

Ally & Joanna - Are you two still planning to read this with us?

Kristie wrote: "I think it's sad that some people think only of themselves in situations like this. Like the woman trying to hide the hole so that only her family could use it. That's awful. "

In severe situations like this, I think you tend to see the extremes of human nature.

That is absolutely true. Still sad though. It wasn't really taking away from her to share it. It's not like they were giving away food or clothing.

Lynn wrote: "Kristie wrote: "I ended after chapter 17. I swear I was listening and it said chapter 11.....then, chapter 18. oops! "

You did that on purpose so you could be ahead of me for once :p

And here's m..."

lol! That's right! I am ahead of you for once. And I'm sure it will last about 30 seconds.

Well to try and keep together as planned, do you want approx 50 pages after chapter 18 for tomorrow?

Sure. How about if you tell me which chapters to stop after. If you could look in your book and tell me what is 50 or so pages out each time.

Ok, read / listen up to the end of Chapter 27 :)

Ok, will do!

And so I don't forget to comment (by the end of ch 17) (view spoiler)[ I was happy when the annoying bald man with the broken leg told Lina to give the ham to her mother. I would have been so mad if he had eaten her food!

I love that Lina's mom has kept her humanity and is trying to help everyone, thanking people, even sharing her food with cranky people, even though she is hungry herself. (hide spoiler)]

Lynn wrote: "Ok, read / listen up to the end of Chapter 27 :)"

Oh hang on, that's 50 pages after I finished ..... ie page 103

50 pages after where you finished we should be reading up to the end of Chapter 31

ok! lol Got it.

I'm glad you both like this book. I loved it so much even though it was indeed full of "horribleness".

I don't really remember what happened with the baby, but I feel sometimes instinct kicks in, especially for a mother and that's not always in the best interest of all the parties involved.

I am planning on joining you to, but will be a little behind. Sounds like a good one though.

I'm planning to read this as well . Doing a buddy read with a GR friend in another group. Starting it tonight. Ok to join in here too ?

Of course Angela, looking forward to hearing yours and Vicki's thoughts

I will add some of my comments using spoilers, since other people are joining the read and haven't started yet.

@Savanes re: mother/baby (view spoiler)[ In the beginning of the book, when they are collecting people to put on the trains, one of the people they collect is a mother that is giving birth to a baby. They take her out of the hospital the moment after she gives birth and put her and the baby on the train without medical care. The point we are at now, the mom has not been able to nurse the baby. I guess her milk ducts are clogged. My opinion, is that it would have been better to leave the baby behind in the hospital than to take it on the train. But, as you said mother's instinct. I'm sure the mother didn't know what was to come. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 18 and 19:
(view spoiler)[Not surprising but the baby died :(

I bloody loved Andrius and his reaction to the bald man, you tell him!

Totally got a soft spot for her little brother Jonas, such a sweet boy and his reactions / behaviour is so heartbreaking.

I'm assuming the art / handkerchief and trying to get this message to her father is going to be a main theme of the book. But I just don't see how this realistically would work? So I'm worried that the story would ultimately spoiled by this :/ (hide spoiler)]

End of Chapter 23:
(view spoiler)[To be sold or not to be sold, what would be best?

There's going to be a romance between Lina and Andrius isn't there? It's only going to end horribly because there's no way as he grows older that he'll be kept with the kids, females and elderly etc (hide spoiler)]

End of Chapter 27:
(view spoiler)[Ona shot dead .... someone was bound to be shot dead sooner or later but ..... ugh

(I'm so eloquent with my words! ;) ) (hide spoiler)]

Got to the end of Chapter 31:
(view spoiler)[I wonder if her mother will eventually translate for them? (hide spoiler)]

Once again, I'm still enjoying it and finding it very 'easy' to read.

Tomorrow's reading will be to the end of Chapter 42.

I just got to the end of chap 31, but I can't read any spoilers on the app! I'll check it when I get home tonight.

In response to Lynn's spoilers and the end of chapter 31 (view spoiler)[ Yes, I was expecting the bay to die. It was still sad though, especially because she didn't want to give it to them or throw it away. Then for her to be shot, just awful.

I am also concerned about the handkerchief. It may get to her father, I think in the book it will, but in reality that would be such a long shot...near to impossible.

Jonas is very sweet and innocent. I'm worried about how this will change him and if he'll make it.

I was thinking there may be a romance between Lina and Andrius too. I think that at some point he's going to do something and it will be clear that he's not "simple" and he will be killed. Maybe he will attempt to defend Lina??

I don't know if the mother will translate. I'm afraid that they could make her life even more difficult if she refuses. (hide spoiler)]

I'm enjoying it too. Having no trouble keeping up. :) end of 42 tomorrow!

I love all your spoilers, it reminds me of the story!