#reading wrap

[vurrkit]

✦. ⊹ ˚ . ꒰ 🌸 MAY 2026 READING WRAPPED 📚 ꒱ ‧₊˚★

╰┈➤ 𐔌 Read Below for more In-Depth Reviews and thoughts !! ıllı

╰┈➤ 𐔌 The Fangirl's Guide To The Galaxy by Sam Maggs ⋮ 3/5 !!

. . . I stumbled across this book at a thrift store and thought it seemed charming, so I picked it up! It's definitely a bit dated by today's standards, but for the it was released I think it's very reminiscent of that era in fandom spaces. Though I didn't have the exact same experience as a fangirl; it brought me back to how I felt in the early 2010s as a young, geeky, tomboy, fangirl <3. I especially love the emphasis of community and feminism within the book and giving a voice/shedding light on women creators in geeky space through direct interviews and the entire end segment of the book (my favorite section!).. However, I really dislike it's stance on how fiction doesn't affect reality in regards to shipping and fanfiction. HOT TAKE WRITING PEDOPHILIA AND INCEST IN THE CONTEXT OF SHIPPING (not to shed light on the topic) IS GROSS WOAHHH OMG OMG OMG CRAZY WOW but also fiction can effect reality in a positive light. It's usually discussed in a negative way, but I mean the book is all about how a piece of media affects fangirls life in a positive way. It brings community, paves the way for other creators, helps others feel seen– Agruing against it for this book seems very hypocritical to me..... On the topic of that, the book is pretty light in humor which is totally fine and seems for a younger audience but with discussions of sed mentioned, it does make it a bit difficult to recommend this book based with the age range. Is this for older fangirls? Younger fangirls? People knew to the scene? People of the scene for a while? It can be generally all for fangirls just that age bit I feel like would be important to specifically list for much younger fangirls. I did give this book to my cishet guy friend though because I thought it'd be funny; he hasn't had a chance to read much of it yet unfortunately but he is very interested in what he has read.

╰┈➤ 𐔌 Tamberlane by Caytlin Vilbrandt & Ari Noble ⋮ Chapter 4 (Previously read 1-3, currently on 5 and up to date (UTD) but it's an ongoing series) ⋮ Ongoing series ⋮ 4/5 !!

. . . I went a bit more into detail in my previous reading wrap, but I adore the art (especially the rendering) and find it incredibly inspiring! I've loved the focus on parenthood within the series, and I've enjoyed the mystery set up in the previous chapters- and especially this one with the tension of council. Chapter 4 set up a lot of things nicely and had me VERY interested in the world building. Chapter 5 is on going, so I don't want to say as much until it's finished, but I've again LOVED THE ART, but feel it has been struggling a bit more and is weaker compared to the previous chapters so far.. I am still very interested in the story though and where it's heading!

╰┈➤ 𐔌 The moon on a rainy night by Kuzushiro ⋮ Volumes 1-2 ⋮ Unsure if it's an ongoing series, but there's definitely a lot left to read ⋮ 5/5 !!

. . . Such a beautiful series that touched my heart with the two volumes I was able to get my hands on. I adore the way the series writes disability within the series, demonstrating how disabled people have many different experiences. When media features disabled characters, I feel like their disability is tend to be used as a crutch to ONLY "explain" non-disabled people rather than it being written to SHOW disabled people and help other disabled people feel seen; but I feel like this series has balanced it out quite well with having so much education on disability and showing the experience. I also feel similarly with the queer topics of the story, it's portrayed quite well but doesn't have as much of a focus; but the little moments are very reflective of the experience shown so far. I plan to try and find the rest of my series at my local library but if anyone knows where to read the rest of the series online I'd really apperciate a link to it SUCH A TOUCHING SERIES RAHHH!!!

╰┈➤ 𐔌 Will the Pigeon graduate? By Mo Willems ⋮ 5/5 !!

. . . My friend called me to read me this book the day after we graduated, it was a very sweet experience <3. I loved how the author thought of the audience who grew up with his series and wrote a book for them specifically, just the whole experience of the book is so sweet as someone who grew up with the series.

╰┈➤ 𐔌 Ayashimon by Yuji Raku ⋮ Volumes 2-3 ⋮ Finished Series ⋮ 4/5 !!

. . . I was recommended this series by a Manga clerk and picked it up! I REALLLY LOVED THE CONCEPTS INTRODUCED IN THE SERIES!! And the art!! And the character designs!! And really everything!! And so I'm so sad and disappointed the series was canceled.. I feel like it wasn't given much of a chance to truly shine. It was a unique read, but it could have been so much more if given more time. I would recommended it though, it's a fun and shorter read, even if the pacing is rushed on account of the cancelation.

. . . I struggled a lot with reading this month, it was super busy initially with graduationing this year (class of 2026, woo!) And then the sudden shift of so much to so much nothing took a bit of a toll on me. I'm excited to read more next month though! I've enjoyed Cinderella Boy still such a great series! I've had.. Mixed feelings on the webtoon adaption of Fantasy High, I mentioned my issues with Ch5 of Tamberlane briefly and don't want to judge to harshly but the pacing and focus is definitely off this chapter on the account of how much wants to be shown I think, I've really loved six of crows it's such an exciting book (but I've had issues with the enemies to lovers trope featured definitely.. feels more like "complicated" oppressed x oppressor), ON THE WAY TO MEET MOM IS BEAUTIFUL, PREENY IS SO CHARMING AND NOSTALGIC, and then I've been reading the first move with a friend of mine! Reading it with a friend makes it so much funner :D I enjoy the way disability is written so far with the MC and another character's parent, but uhmm it's written a bit.. Millennial which is funny but also a bit awkward

[motherofcavy]

Reading Update 2026

As of April 19, 2026

Favorite Reads (in no order):

The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddartha Mukherjee

Incredible. I usually struggle reading nonfiction, but this book gripped me. Mukherjee is incredible at developing characters and stories. I really think the choice to write a "biography" instead of a "history" of cancer frames this book in a really compelling way. You really follow these characters through the highest highs and the lowest lows. It's also very educational, I learned a lot about not only cancer, but the history of public science campaigns and cancer research. I highly recommend. It's hopeful but not saccharine, it's serious but not maudlin. Check it out!

The Wayfinder by Adam Johnson

After a disappointing fantasy read, I really wanted something to reignite my love of the genre. I found that in The Wayfinder. It's a standalone fantasy epic based on Tongan legends, and wholly unique. The standout feature of the book is the unique narrative structure. Half of the book takes place in the future, half in the past. It's like half of the whole book is in flashbacks, but it doesn't really feel like that. The structure allows for mysteries to be introduced to the reader. Shortly after meeting a character in the past, for example, we may find out they died. But the how and why is left up in the air. The cast of characters is large, and many are incredibly unlikable (by design). But even the worst have traits that invite sympathy, and sometimes even say the correct thing. The "main" character grounds the story by being, imo, very likable. Having at least one person to root for propels the story. The moral dilemmas of this story are very complex and far more sophisticated than a lot of standard-issue sword-and-sorcery fantasy. Can't recommend this enough!

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

I've been meaning to get to this one for a while, and I could kick myself for not reading it earlier! I was one like a 3+ month reading slump before I tried this. I was instantly enraptured. It has everything I love. Fairytale elements, contemporary moral issues, and an annoying and relatable main character. Even the romance, which I often dislike in fantasy, was fantastic. So many books profess to be mythological or fairy tale 'retellings' or 'reimanings' nowadays, and it was so refreshing to read a real contemporary fairy tale. The worldbuilding felt intentional and deep, the conclusion was satisfying, and the prose was beautiful. I will say that many side-characters felt wooden (haha). For me I didn't mind it so much, but some people might dislike that. Overall, I'm super excited to read more from Novik. (I also just found out she apparently writes fanfic? so that's fun)

Not My Fav Reads:

DNF:

The Golden Rhinoceros: Histories of the African Middle Ages by Francois-Xavier Fauvelle

I actually got pretty far into this one, but at what cost. Sent me into the aforementioned 3+ month reading slump. It kind of felt like homework. I just didn't like the storytelling style. It felt detached and disinterested. I didn't grasp onto any throughline that would motivate me to continue. I would like to read African histories, but maybe reading some written by people from that demographic would be better.

Nightwood by Djuna Barnes

I think my mistake was trying to read this while in a slump, so I think I'll try to revisit one day. Just not what I wanted to read. My issue with a lot of classics is that I am a very sensory reader. I like to read things with very descriptive prose, anchoring me in a time and place. Nightwood doesn't have that, so I can't fairly review it at this time.

Misses:

Katabasis by RF Kuang

Kind of a miss for me. I didn't hate it by any means, just felt underdeveloped. I think the jokes could've been punched up, and many of the references to philosophy and rhetoric and logic seemed clumsily inserted. If I didn't have a baseline knowledge of some of these concepts, I would've had to google it, which I think results in a poor reading experience. I actually really liked the characters and didn't hate the romance. It's a shame because this seems like the kind of book I should adore, but I wasn't a major fan of the execution. I think this book signals an evolution for Kuang, and I'm excited to read her next book.

Emma by Jane Austen

BEFORE YOU ATTACK ME! I actually really liked Emma when I first read it. I'm a fan of Jane Austen in general! But this is not my favorite Austen. I liked the character development of the eponymous Emma, but again, I am more of a sensory reader. Austen's work is very dialogue heavy. I think the main difference in the reading experience for me is that I have previously listened to audiobook versions of Austen novels, so that also may be a factor. Also, I know it technically isn't incest, but I'm still weirded out by Knightley and Emma's dynamic. So yeah, overall found it charming, but it wasn't for me.

[vurrkit]

✦. ⊹ ˚ . ꒰ ☘️ MARCH 2026 READING WRAPPED 📚 ꒱ ‧₊˚★

╰┈➤ 𐔌 Read Below for more In-Depth Reviews and thoughts !! ıllı

✦ ‧₊˚ ꒰ 📖 ꒱ ⋮ WHAT I READ & FINISHED

╰┈➤ 𐔌 The Werewolf Boyfriend by Ka.tcomics ⋮ Currently up to date on season one + bonus content (ON GOING SERIES)

. . . I stumbled upon this when I was super sick, demotivated and bored; it was a light but endearing read I finished in a day as my first read of March <3!! I looooved the art style– It's use of colors and the smooth line art really hooked me. I don't tend to read a lot of of slice of life romance stories, so it was a nice change of pace for me! I really enjoyed the characters, particularly the main one, Tia, as I loved her cute design and her portrayal of being a caring person. I also enjoyed Krista and found her especially interesting, I'm hoping to learn a lot more about her and explore her character in the future- I think she might be my favorite <3. I didn't particularly dislike any of the characters within the series– I think this is because I can just tell how loved the characters are by the creator through the panels and how much fun they seem to be having. A lot of darlings <3! However, I do believe this fondness of the love interest, Michael, does effect the narrative slightly. I understand this is early on in the series and that character development- especially when a character is healing and learning to become better, takes time and sometimes there's rough moments in that healing journey– I enjoy that Michael has flaws such as being stubborn and quick to frustrate. I feel as if there aren't many consequences or accountability by the narrative itself though. The story itself shows how Micheal experiences guilt for his lashing out and how it puts people around him at risk, but upon criticism being given to Michael from Krista, it's treated that she's too harsh; not just from the characters, I think the characters having their own opinions and interpretations is interesting and can be a great tool to explore them in depth without saying much through their reactions! But it feels as if the narrative itself constantly reminds the reader how he is troubled rather then letting them form their own opinions on his complexity. I do have hope this series can improve on that in the future though as Micheal begins to change and develop from the character shown in the bonus content.

╰┈➤ 𐔌 Gokurakugai by Yuto Sano ⋮ Read Volumes 2-5 this month + up to chapter 32! (ON GOING)

. . . I discussed many of my feelings during my February wrap, but to recap: I loved the one shot when I had read it initially, and was looking for the serialization, then was very disappointed with the amount of change. I felt as if the series lost a lot of it's charm and what had drawn me to it in the first place. A lot was changed within the serialization that matched modern popular anime– I wouldn't have had a problem with this if it was done out of genuine interest of the author to explore these topics, but it doesn't feel genuinely inspired.. It follows typical tropes with little to no exploration or attempting to bring an interesting take on the tropes. Alma, the male lead, initially was much more playful and street smart– And then.. Was turned into a typical food motivated protagonist with the need to help people, but his need to why he wants to help isn't very explored. And also he's a half demon now. I actually ENJOY Tao's change, it was a bit jarring from her rebellious and chaotic personality before, but knowing her history I do enjoy and believe it makes sense for her to seem much more jaded and serious after all she had gone through. It makes her moments where she is actively involved or the focus compelling; but also, I feel like Tao AND Alma were the leads in the oneshot, and in the serialization it focuses heavily on Alma's perspective.. Which I dislike as he isn't as charming anymore, and it feels as if Tao is being sidelined.. And the change to focus on a male lead rather than a female lead when it's also following more popular trends certainly comes off as.. Something. I wish there was more of Tao and Alma TOGETHER where they'd have individual moments rather it being alma-centric. The pacing of the series is also quite jarring; There isn't much of a smooth transition from scene to scene (especially when the setting changes) and certain scenes come off as awkward and immersion-breaking from unnecessary dialogue.. And just generally, chapters can come off as rushed- I believe the worse of this is Volume 2 where over half the content is not related to the main story and the development between Alma and his love interests- It's very quick and not much is explored of Utsu and Kanata.. HOWEVER, NARRATIVELY, the series flourishes when discussing trauma and abuse the characters have endured. It's written respectfully and has a lot of care put into how the subject is portrayed. I wish for more moments like those truly. Oh also kickass art style and character designs;.. But outside of that, not much of the series feels special or unique anymore.

╰┈➤ 𐔌 The Summer Hikaru Died by Mokumokuren ⋮ Read Volumes 1-4 (ON GOING)

. . . Many, many loved ones of mine recommended the series to me, but I only recently got around to reading it. I have trouble conveying how much I love this series– It's beautiful and I love it's use of metaphors and subtext. It's a hauntingly beautiful yet twisted series that I can't wait to show my thoughts on in the future better as I read more <3.

╰┈➤ 𐔌 After Dark by Al Berg ⋮ Up to Date (ON GOING SERIES - HIATUS)

. . . I discussed this series my February Wrap– The art style truly aids in the story telling of the series, I never seen or understood just how vital an art style is to a story outside of being aesthetically pleasing before this, and it taught me a lot through that. Drew is also an extremely interesting protagonist as an unreliable narrator. Reading it, I felt as if I couldn't entirely trust his perspective, which made me uneasy in a way that wanted me to discover the truth– But also why he interpreted his actions as anything other than what happened. I also adored the series take on werewolves through their designs; they're very stylized and fun, but also uncanny.. Typically a lot of werewolf media goes full cute or full terrifying, but this was a great mixture of the two. My only gripe with the series in the ending of season 2.. I understand it was canceled suddenly which contributed with the rush pacing towards the end, but I did find it rather disappointing as it effected the introduction of a group of characters I'd been looking forward to seeing. I do have hope for when the series comes back this up-coming may though, it'll be better smoothed over and more focused and development will be given to those characters and their relationship with Drew.

╰┈➤ 𐔌 Never A Hero by Vanessa Len ⋮

. . . I was looking forward to the sequal after finishing the first book in the series last February (which I discussed in my reading wrap), and I feel as if the sequel absolutely delivered in every way possible. My favorite aspect of the sequel was being able to explore rhe characters introduced from the first book in more depth-.. But also understanding they aren't necessarily the same characters. Nick is the best example of that, but there's so many little moments sewn into the narrative on how these are different people fundamentally. Even in Joan's case despite the fact she has the recollection of the previous timeline, as she changed as a person fundamentally. The relationship between Nick and Joan is also heartbreaking; I've never been much of a fan of the fated soulmates trope within media as I felt like there's a lack of development into the relationship– But this series has completely shattered my negative perception of the trope. Everything expanded upon in the sequel was compelling; and I can't wait to read the final book in the series. (Also: GORGEOUS COVER ART. Analyzing it after reading the book is so fun!)

╰┈➤ 𐔌 Kaiju No. 8 by Naoya Matsumoto (Volume 1) ⋮

. . . My final read of the month! I expected a gritty, action-heavy manga based on the genre.. But it was much more silly and comedic than I expected which REALLY made it stand out amongst other stories focusing on Kaiju, and made it so much more enjoyable and engaging to read. I giggled a lot reading it! The designs of the Kaiju are amazing, I particularly love Kaiju No. 8's due to how expressive it is. From the design being complex, I expected it to be more stoic but I love the expressions so genuinely. I find the structure of the government and jobs related to Kaiju also quite interesting, and hope to learn more about it in the series! Also, I don't think being 30+ is particularly old.. But it's rare to see a main character around that age in Manga, and I'm happy to see a MC of that age! I can't wait to read more of this series.

[drannastudieslanguages]

my reading wrap of 2025! I finished my reading goal:) I got back inot reading and rediscovered the how much I enjoyed it in the first place. It helped that I got into bl and comics

[onebigfangirlworld]

January 2025 reading wrap up

Was it just me or did January seem to drag on and on forever? But we are now 1/12ths done with the year!!

Since this is the first time I'm not in school, while I've started my reading journey, I was curious to see how much reading I could get done. I ended up reading 14 books in total this month. Between snow days, and time off work I started January by reading so much that I burnt myself out a little bit and was not wanting to read as much as I had bee. Which you can probably tell when that hit by looking at the calendar graph. I did start my banned book challenge and got two of the 10 books read during January. I'm hopeful I'll finish the challenge in February but who knows at this point. And yes I did read Hidden Empire by K.L. Mann twice within a week sue me okay?!?

5 Star Reads: Sold by Patricia McCormick, and Let's Talk about It by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan

Lowest Rated (2 Stars): The Butcher's Game by Alaina Urquhart

DNF's: Rook and Rebel by Kate Crew

Currently Reading: Her Soul To Take by Harley Laroux (ebook)