I set an ambitious goal for my Thanksgiving break: to read five books. While I didn’t quite get through all of them, I managed 3.5—and I’m still counting it as a win. Here’s a quick rundown of the books I tackled and my thoughts on each:

1. Going Infinite by Michael Lewis

This biography of Sam Bankman-Fried was nothing short of engrossing. Lewis dives deep into the complexities of SBF’s life and the FTX saga, weaving a narrative that’s masterfully told and far from the hagiography some critics claimed it would be. My favorite part? The bizarre inventory of items on SBF’s desk: a canister of Morton salt, a pillow and blanket, playing cards, two unopened iPhones, and mosquito repellent. It’s little details like these that make Lewis’s work unforgettable.

2. The Impossible Life by Matt Haig

Reading this felt like wrapping myself in a warm hug. Haig, also the author of The Midnight Library, delivers a heartwarming story about a 72-year-old woman who gains magical powers and saves Ibiza from an environmentally disastrous hotel project. There’s a poignant passage about how love and understanding are intertwined—it moved me to tears. I’ll admit, I’m now daydreaming about having magical powers myself.

3. Sirens & Muses by Antonia Angress

Angress’s debut novel transported me to the turbulent world of art students during their sophomore year, set against the backdrop of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Told from the perspectives of three students and one instructor, it’s beautifully written and emotionally compelling. I was so hooked that I stayed up until 1 a.m. to finish it.

4. The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Coates’s slim collection of essays packs a powerful punch, exploring the Black experience and the craft of writing. One idea that stuck with me: writers should aim to “haunt” their readers, leaving them pondering the words long after they’ve put the book down. All four books I read this week did exactly that for me.

Next Up: Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout

I didn’t quite make it to this one, but it’s at the top of my stack. Strout’s sequel to Olive Kitteridge promises more slices of raw, true-to-life human experience—something I adored in her earlier work.