YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

Three hours is 180 minutes or 10,800 seconds.

It is a morning's lessons, a dress rehearsal of Macbeth, a snowy trek through the woods.

It is an eternity waiting for news. Or a countdown to something terrible.

It is 180 minutes to discover who you will die for and what men will kill for.

In rural Somerset in the middle of a blizzard, the unthinkable happens: a school is under siege. Told from the point of view of the people at the heart of it, from the wounded headmaster in the library, unable to help his trapped pupils and staff, to teenage Hannah in love for the first time, to the parents gathering desperate for news, to the 16 year old Syrian refugee trying to rescue his little brother, to the police psychologist who must identify the gunmen, to the students taking refuge in the school theatre, all experience the most intense hours of their lives, where evil and terror are met by courage, love and redemption.

Could we make this a little earlier? I'm wanting to read it for Netgalleyathon as one I'm most keen for, but need an earlier date XD

Oops, I literally just saw your comment Maddie lol!

Starting this one now. :)

First quarter - (view spoiler)[It has been so long since I wanted to read this book that I had forgotten exactly what it was about. It made it initially all the harder to read about the school shooting when it came as such a surprise. The teacher hiding the children in the theatre acted so calmly and rationally but I'm not sure I would have had them turn their phones off to avoid bad news. They could be receiving new information and she has blocked that for them.

The students saving the headmaster were also so level-headed and brave. I assumed, at first, that there were only the two of them hiding out in the library but we later see another perspective and learn there are another ten or so students in there with them. I understand fear, even more so given the young age, but it was only two of them who barricaded the door AND saved the headmaster.

The news presenter, Melanie, was so unlikable, and not only as we see her through Hannah's perspective. I hate what she insinuated by mentioning that Hannah's boyfriend, Rafi, was from Syria moments after mentioning the explosion.

Following this we got see Rafi's perspective and how bravely he reacted to the explosion he discovered. He saved all of the little ones, even when the teachers believed there was no threat outside of his PTSD. Luckily the headmaster trusted him! (hide spoiler)]

XD We all know how that turned out, it's okay haha

Idk when the heck I'll get to our BRs *upside down smiley* My reading's out of control

No worries. I totally feel you! I haven't started Gilded Ones yet.

haha I hope you do!! I want to read our brs xD I better go back and make sure I have enough time to still start them and comment

Second quarter - (view spoiler)[Ooh, these poor kiddies on the beach. It is all just a game for them but the horror soon kicks in! (hide spoiler)]

Third quarter - (view spoiler)[This is one of the most painful books I have ever read! I read to about 50% and had to put it down for a day as the sorrow and the fear were really starting to effect me. (hide spoiler)]

Fourth quarter - (view spoiler)[This entire thing was super tense but I felt overwhelmed by this tension, at the end. This entire book was spread over just three hours and it was so phenomenally well executed but I also struggled to see how it would all come together. Why were the gunmen there and how would the children and teachers evade them? These questions plagued me throughout this! (hide spoiler)]