diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/reading.py b/bookwyrm/views/reading.py
index 3cd153d2..2aa9136d 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/reading.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/reading.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 """ the good stuff! the books! """
+import logging
 from django.contrib.auth.decorators import login_required
 from django.core.cache import cache
 from django.db import transaction
@@ -15,6 +16,8 @@ from .status import CreateStatus
 from .helpers import get_edition, handle_reading_status, is_api_request
 from .helpers import load_date_in_user_tz_as_utc
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 
 # pylint: disable=no-self-use
 # pylint: disable=too-many-return-statements
@@ -36,6 +39,7 @@ class ReadingStatus(View):
         # redirect if we're already on this shelf
         return TemplateResponse(request, f"reading_progress/{template}", {"book": book})
 
+    @transaction.atomic
     def post(self, request, status, book_id):
         """Change the state of a book by shelving it and adding reading dates"""
         identifier = {
@@ -45,6 +49,7 @@ class ReadingStatus(View):
             "stop": models.Shelf.STOPPED_READING,
         }.get(status)
         if not identifier:
+            logger.exception("Invalid reading status type: %s", status)
             return HttpResponseBadRequest()
 
         # invalidate related caches
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/status.py b/bookwyrm/views/status.py
index af15064f..670ea571 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/status.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/status.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 """ what are we here for if not for posting """
 import re
+import logging
 from urllib.parse import urlparse
 
 from django.contrib.auth.decorators import login_required
@@ -21,6 +22,8 @@ from bookwyrm.utils import regex
 from .helpers import handle_remote_webfinger, is_api_request
 from .helpers import load_date_in_user_tz_as_utc
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 
 # pylint: disable= no-self-use
 @method_decorator(login_required, name="dispatch")
@@ -72,11 +75,14 @@ class CreateStatus(View):
             form = getattr(forms, f"{status_type}Form")(
                 request.POST, instance=existing_status
             )
-        except AttributeError:
+        except AttributeError as err:
+            logger.exception(err)
             return HttpResponseBadRequest()
+
         if not form.is_valid():
             if is_api_request(request):
-                return HttpResponse(status=500)
+                logger.exception(form.errors)
+                return HttpResponseBadRequest()
             return redirect(request.headers.get("Referer", "/"))
 
         status = form.save(commit=False)