Reading Check In

 The past few months have been a very busy time for me. I have gotten a little reading in, but between work, school, and sheer mental exhaustion, I haven't had the time or energy to blog. I did want to stop by to post briefly about the books I have finished lately though, just to maintain my reading record.

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

This was a fun little mystery/suspense novel about a mysterious inheritance and a very troubled family with lots of twists and turns. It wasn't the most complex or wise story I've ever read, but it kept me turning the pages until the end. 3 stars.

The Windeby Puzzle by Lois Lowry

This was a very unique middle grades historical fiction novel based on what the author supposed the life of a young person living in the iron age might have been like. Lowry based her story on a real-life adolescent skeleton unearthed in England and presents the reader with two different versions of what might have happened to it. I appreciated the story for its unusualness, but I doubt it would catch the interest of the middle grades readers it's intended for. 3 stars.

Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives it Changed by Dashka Slater

This young adult nonfiction novel chronicles the true story of a high school that became embroiled in turmoil when a social media account featuring several racist jokes about students surfaced. The author chronicles the creation of the account, the painful discovery of it, and the terrible consequences that followed. This was a fantastic read that asked deep questions about the effects of racism and the damage that comes with passive participation in it. 4 stars.

Slade House by David Mitchell

This was a fun and well-written horror novel about a mysterious house that only appears to a chosen few and is connected with several disappearances. Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different person that visits the house and the reader is left to piece together the narrative from their various accounts. I really liked this one. It's a perfect read for the spooky season. 4 stars.

I'm currently reading a very long book, The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, so it will likely be awhile before I'm back here. Hopefully by then I'll be in a better place to write a full review.

2023 Reading Challenges Tally:

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 17/24

Clear the Shelves 2023: 12/24