I am 2 full weeks into my Book-A-Day challenge, and although I taught all this week, I am still on track. Whew! Today, I finished 8 Keys, which is a Reading Bowl selection for our district this year. I must admit that I struggled to get into this one. I don't think I hit "the zone" until almost 100 pages in (you know, that zone where you are committed to a book and can't put it down?).
Part of that could be that I read this immediately after I read When You Reach Me, which shares many coincidences: both have 6th grade female protagonists with male best friends, experience bullying, and are receiving messages from an unknown source and struggle to piece together the mystery). There are more similarities I could list. So, I spent those first chapters comparing the books, which I am sure took away from 8 Keys.
Nevertheless, it was a pretty good read. I just preferred When You Reach Me instead - better writing, better character development, better suspenseful elements.
Part of that could be that I read this immediately after I read When You Reach Me, which shares many coincidences: both have 6th grade female protagonists with male best friends, experience bullying, and are receiving messages from an unknown source and struggle to piece together the mystery). There are more similarities I could list. So, I spent those first chapters comparing the books, which I am sure took away from 8 Keys.
Nevertheless, it was a pretty good read. I just preferred When You Reach Me instead - better writing, better character development, better suspenseful elements.
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