Gray Area by Leah Decker was an okay read. It's the story of a young woman doing her student teaching who has to face a school shooting during the school day. It's a difficult topic that's becoming increasingly more common. The book is about how this young woman deals with the trauma and how others respond (or don't) to it, all while she's learning how to be a teacher.

Overall, I didn't think the book lived up to its potential. It wasn't a bad read, but it also wasn't great. I gave it three stars.

As a teacher myself, this was a tough read - with similar events seemingly happening every other day, it's equal parts terrifying and frustrating that this is now our reality. While Rachel frustrated me at times, I found her experiences incredibly accurate despite what others may think - she reminds me of myself in some ways as a student teacher, yet the barriers and hardships she faces are true and realistic.

While the story is about a teacher, that's not the only audience this applies to. I appreciated that it also touched on the difficulties and messiness of being in your twenties while also being faced with major decisions you're forced to make at such a young age. I hope that more audiences pick this one up, not just teachers - these problems are ones that impact everyone in our community, not just those in education. Thanks so much for this ARC!

Gray Area was an engaging and relatable read that pulled me in from the very beginning. As a fellow educator, I immediately connected with Rachel and her journey through the early, often overwhelming days of student teaching. The author highlighted the emotional complexity of entering the classroom for the first time — the self-doubt, the small victories, and the challenge of balancing expectations with personal identity.

Rachel’s introverted nature felt refreshingly authentic, and her internal struggles mirrored so many of my own experiences when starting out. The contrast between her and her mentor teacher also served as a thoughtful reflection on how education has evolved while still holding onto some of its traditional roots.

This book beautifully illustrates that so much of becoming a teacher can’t be taught in a lecture hall — it has to be lived, felt, and learned in real time. Gray Area is a must-read for educators, especially those who remember (or are currently facing) the rollercoaster of their first classroom experience.

Rachel Harding, or Ms. H as her students call her, is working through her student teaching when there is a shooting on the school grounds (not a school shooting to be clear). This occurs early in the novel, and the rest of the book follows Rachel as she deals with the aftermath of the experience and her own life, familial concerns, romantic concerns, and roommate problems that are all exacerbated by this event.

Not quite what I expected from the description, the event occurs very quickly off the page and is also resolved rather quickly. The main character also expects the worst out of everyone around her even though she is pretty miserable and closed off herself, even before the incident. Overall, it is an interesting look into teaching in the modern world, and I recommend it if the above description interests you.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.

There were times when I got very frustrated with Rachel. She expected so much from others but didnt extend herself much. I found her experience in teachers college to be realistic and interesting and the way the shooting went down was realistic also. All in all a good book. Would love to read more from this author. Being in your early 20s is such a confusing disorienting time. Thia book was good at showing that.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A poignant novel about a teacher in training who has a violent episode on campus during her first week at work. The feelings about the shooting and her ambivalent roommate and distant cohorts make for an unsettling start to the idealistic young teacher's career.

The novel is the relatable, sad yet hopeful coming of age story of a young woman who truly wants to do a good job in difficult circumstances and times.

"Gray Area" by Leah Decker is a thought-provoking and suspenseful thriller that explores the complexities of morality, loyalty, and truth. The story likely follows characters navigating a world where right and wrong are blurred, and the lines between good and evil are constantly shifting. With its gripping plot and complex characters, this book is perfect for fans of psychological thrillers and moral dilemmas. Decker's writing crafts a sense of tension and uncertainty, keeping readers engaged and invested in the story. Overall, it's a thrilling ride that challenges readers to question their own moral compass.

As an educator who has spent 20 years in the classroom and watched the field of education evolve in profound and sometimes unsettling ways, I found Rachel’s journey in this book deeply resonant. The author captures the raw vulnerability and uncertainty that often accompany the early years of teaching, particularly for those entering the profession in today's complex world.

This story weaves together powerful themes—gun violence in schools and its emotional aftermath, the stark contrast between privilege and poverty, and the search for belonging within an unfamiliar college environment. Rachel's experience as a student teacher, caught in the chaos of a tragic event, is portrayed with such emotional clarity that I often felt like I was right there beside her. Her isolation, fear, and quiet strength as she processes everything are heartbreakingly real.

Having mentored many young teachers over the years, I was particularly moved by the honesty with which her development—both as a person and as an educator—is portrayed. I found myself wanting to reach out and reassure her, as I’ve wanted to do with many of my own students over the years. This is more than just a story about a student teacher; it’s a powerful reflection on what it means to teach in a world that feels increasingly uncertain.

I received a copy for review, and these thoughts are my own. I wholeheartedly recommend this book—not just to educators, but to anyone seeking to understand the emotional landscape of those who choose to stand in front of a classroom in today’s world.

As a teacher who went through the student teaching process, I found myself nodding along with Rachel and her experiences. This book has a lot, a shooting at school and the aftermath, finding comfort in a college setting, those in poverty vs those in wealth, all while navigating the world of teaching. The author did a great job making you feel Rachel’s uncertainty and wonder while experiencing things for the first time.

I received a copy for review. All opinions are my own. What a great book, told from the point of a view of a student teacher who experiences gun violence first hand. I was captivated to follow how she navigates the event and the aftermath. The book does a great job showing how isolated and alone she feels in her struggles and her character development was just amazing. I loved her character and wanted to hug her many times throughout. A must read for everyone that’s living in modern times.