Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys

Title: Between Shades of Gray
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Publisher: Philomel
Publishing Date: 2011
Length:  338 Pages
Summary: (From book) In 1941, fifteen-year-old Lina is preparing for art school, first dates and all that summer has to offer. But one night, the Soviet secret police barge violently into her home, deporting her along with her mother and younger brother. They are being sent to Siberia. Lina's father has been separated from the family and sentenced to death in a prison camp.  All is lost.
Lina fights for her life, fearless, vowing that if she survives she will honor her family, and the thousands like hers, by documenting their experience in her art and writing. She risks everything to use her art as messages, hoping they will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive.
It is a long and harrowing journey, and it is only their incredible strength, love and hope that pull Lina and her family through each day. But will love be enough to keep them alive?

My Thoughts:  This book made me cry. Repeatedly. I bawl through every story of the Jews in Germany during WWII, but I had absolutely no idea about the people of Latvia. What they were put through was horrific and should never have happened. Lina's voice tells the story of her people in an unflinching and truthful manner. It was a wonderful coming of age story that balanced well the concerns of a growing teenage girl growing up in a prison camp. Every character was memorable and emotionally poignant.  This book will become a classic.

Things To Be Cautious Of: It's the story of the horrors of prison camps. While none of it is excessively violent or crude, there is mentioning of the reality of what really happened. Some of these stories may be hard for sensitive readers. (Example, me.)

What I learned: Love is important. Stand for what you believe in and never back down. Family is the dearest thing you will ever have in life.

Review: Gone With the Wind, Margaret Mitchell

Title: Gone With the Wind
Author: Margaret Mitchell
Publisher: Macmillan
Publishing Date: 1936
Length: 959 pages
Summary: (From book) Margaret Mitchell's epic saga of love and war has long been heralded The Great American Novel. Gone With the Wind explores the depths of human passions with indelible depictions of the burning fields and cities of Civil War and Reconstruction America. 
In the two main characters, the irresistible, tenacious Scarlett O'Hara and the formidable, debonair Rhett butler, Margaret Mitchell gives us a timeless story of survival and two of the most famous lovers in the English-speaking world since Romeo and Juliet. 
Gone With the Wind is a thrilling, haunting and vivid book that readers will remember for the rest of their lives.

My Thoughts:  Wow. Well, this was not what I had expected. I always thought Gone With the Wind to be a beautiful love story that weaves through the South's perspective on the hardships on the Civil War. Instead, I got to read a book about a selfish female who was about as ditzy as they come and incredibly selfish. What do people see in her? Irresistible? Hardly. I wanted to slap her.  Granted, I almost felt bad for her at parts. She was a character who unfolded the tragic deviating of childhood ignorance and compassionate Christianity to vain, selfish and cruel loss of self.  She was incredibly mean to her own children. I don't want a book about Rhett Butler's family or what happened years later after Scarlett's vow at the end. What I want is a book written from the POV of Wade, her oldest and most neglected child. That poor boy needs therapy.
I don't feel like this book was about the South. It felt more like a depiction of humanity and the choices we make in a time of crisis and the question of if we will hold out and still be compassionate to those in need when all we really want to do is think only of ourselves.
Rhett Butler is a fascinating character. Outwardly, he appears shallow, dirty and sardonic, but when you get glimpses of him with children, he is incredibly kind.  And he has nothing but respect towards Mellie who I loved most of all. But he didn't seem like the type of hero to fawn over, or even a hero at all. Just a very broken, somewhat abusive man.
Ashley felt pathetic and the only really strong, lovable character was Mellie who was too innocent and good seeking to realize all the bad that was going on around her.
This book was about the different types of people there are in the world and how they deal with complete and utter loss. Some come through with their virtue and meekness intact, and others have thrown it under the bus and neglected all that they were taught in.
I found this to be a very interesting and thought provoking book, but was very disappointed in the main characters.
Things To Be Cautious Of:  Everything. Swearing throughout, including several harsh versions of the Lord's name, a desired affair, hints of passion, whore houses and glorifying of the KKK.