Monthly Wrap-Up: June 2026

Another horrible reading month 😪 And you know what? I'm not even surprised. Lol. I just can't seem to shake off this damn reading slump 😭 There's a readathon coming up next week that I'm thinking of participating in, so hopefully that will help. But in June, I ended up reading 4 books... again. Lol. That was a total of 922 pages, which is 50ish pages less than the previous month 🤷‍♀️😂

• 3 were full-length novels, and 1 manga
• 1 was part of a series, and 3 were standalones
• 2 were books I purchased, and 2 were from the library
• All 4 were finished copies
• All 4 were physical books
• 1 was 5 ⭐, 1 was 4.5 ⭐, and 2 were 4 ⭐
• All 4 were traditionally published
• 1 was by a new-to-me author, and 3 were by previously read authors
• 3 were adult books, and 1 was YA
• 1 was fiction, and 3 were nonfiction
• 1 was action, and 3 were history

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #474: On the Struggle Bus

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

Review: Sakamoto Days (Vol. 10) by Yuto Suzuki

Title: Sakamoto Days: Vol. 10

Series: Sakamoto Days #10

Previous books in this series: Sakamoto Days #1 | Sakamoto Days #2 | Sakamoto Days #3 | Sakamoto Days #4 | Sakamoto Days #5 | Sakamoto Days #6 | Sakamoto Days #7 | Sakamoto Days #8 | Sakamoto Days #9

Author: Yuto Suzuki

Genre: YA, manga, adventure

Publication date: December 2023

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Taro Sakamoto was once a legendary hit man considered the greatest of all time. Bad guys feared him! Assassins revered him! But then one day he quit, got married, and had a baby. He’s now living the quiet life as the owner of a neighborhood store, but how long can Sakamoto enjoy his days of retirement before his past catches up to him?!

As Sakamoto and his friends hunt for the database at the JCC, Shin winds up in a serious duel with a teacher who might have information on what they want. Meanwhile, Sakamoto deals with Amane, a boy with a connection to X. Thanks to X’s schemes, the JCC faces an unprecedented crisis!

My rating: ★★★★⯪

This was such a fun volume! There were so many fun moments and just bickering between the characters, which is actually one of my favorite things about this series. Lol.

The Flower Market Reading Challenge *Update*

This challenge was SO fun! Jane is so creative! I just wish I hadn't been in a reading slump for most of it 😅 BUT I did it! I completed the challenge!

Review: The Haunting of Paynes Hollow by Kelley Armstrong

Title: The Haunting of Paynes Hollow

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Genre: Adult, horror

Publication date: October 2025

Published by: St. Martin's Press

Source: Purchased hardcover

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Synopsis: From New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong comes a nail-biting supernatural horror about a haunted lakeside property and twisted family secrets.

When Samantha Payne’s grandfather dies, she figures she won’t even get a mention in the will. After all, she hasn’t seen him in fourteen years, not since her father took his own life after being accused of murdering a child at their lakefront cottage. Her grandfather always insisted her father was innocent, despite Sam having caught him burying the child’s body, his clothing streaked with blood.

But when she does attend the reading of the will at the behest of her aunt, she discovers that her grandfather left her the very valuable lakefront property where the family cottage sits. There’s one catch: Sam needs to stay in the cottage for a month. To finally face the fact she was wrong and her father was innocent, in her grandfather's words.

Traveling to Paynes Hollow, Sam is faced with the realities of her childhood and the secrets kept hidden in the shadows of her memories. When her aunt goes missing a couple days into their stay, Sam begins to question everything again. Plagued by nightmares and paranoia, she begins hearing sounds in the forest and seeing shapes crawling from the water as the rippling waves of the lake promise something unspeakably dark lurking just below their surface.

My rating: ★★★★⯪

"What's in there?" I asked.
"The headless horseman.”

Kelley Armstrong writing horror?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #473: From Science to Sci-fi

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

Review: If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay

Title: If Something Happens to Me

Author: Alex Finlay

Genre: Adult, mystery thriller

Publication date: May 2024

Published by: Minotaur Books

Source: Borrwed from library

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Synopsis: For the past five years, Ryan Richardson has relived that terrible night. The car door ripping open. The crushing blow to the head. The hands yanking him from the vehicle. His girlfriend Ali’s piercing scream as she is taken.

With no trace of Ali or the car, a cloud of suspicion hangs over Ryan. But with no proof and a good lawyer, he’s never charged, though that doesn’t matter to the podcasters and internet trolls. Now, Ryan has changed his last name, and entered law school. He's put his past behind him.

Until, on a summer trip abroad to Italy with his law-school classmates, Ryan gets a call from his father: Ali's car has finally been found, submerged in a lake in his hometown. Inside are two dead men and a cryptic note with five words written on the envelope in Ali’s handwriting: If something happens to me…

Then, halfway around the world, the unthinkable happens: Ryan sees the man who has haunted his dreams since that night.

As Ryan races from the rolling hills of Tuscany, to a rural village in the UK, to the glittering streets of Paris in search of the truth, he has no idea that his salvation may lie with a young sheriff’s deputy in Kansas working her first case, and a mobster in Philadelphia who’s experienced tragedy of his own.

My rating: ★★★★☆

I read The Night Shift by this author a couple of years ago, and I loved it! And after all this time, I finally got my hands on another of his books, and it was another solid mystery thriller.

Review: Spy x Family (Vol. 4) by Tatsuya Endo

Title: Spy x Family: Volume 4

Series: Spy x Family #4

Previous books in this series: Spy x Family (#1) | Spy x Family (#2) | Spy x Family (#3)

Author: Tatsuya Endo

Genre: YA, adventure, humor

Publication date: March 2021

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Master spy Twilight is unparalleled when it comes to going undercover on dangerous missions for the betterment of the world. But when he receives the ultimate assignment—to get married and have a kid—he may finally be in over his head!

The Forgers look into adding a dog to their family, but this is no easy task—especially when Twilight has to simultaneously foil an assassination plot against a foreign minister! The perpetrators plan to use trained dogs for the attack, but Twilight gets some unexpected help to stop these terrorists.

My rating: ★★★★★

Bond! I love Bond!

Review: How to Fake a Haunting by Christa Carmen

Title: How to Fake a Haunting

Author: Christa Carmen

Genre: Adult, horror

Publication date: October 2025

Published by: Thomas & Mercer

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: A desperate woman’s plot to frighten her husband out of her life takes a nightmarish turn in a chilling novel of modern horror by a Bram Stoker Award–winning author.

Lainey Taylor is being pushed to the brink by her alcoholic husband, Callum. Prone to hallucinations and erratic behavior, it’s only a matter of time before he puts Lainey’s life—and that of their daughter, Beatrix—in jeopardy. A divorce and full custody is out of the question. In Callum’s words: Over my dead body.

Lainey’s sympathetic friend Adelaide has a wild solution. They’ll stage a haunting so convincing it will drive Callum out of Lainey’s life for good. Nothing too over the top: strange smells, noises in the walls, and flies unleashed along the windowsills. It could work. Considering Callum’s alcohol-induced night terrors, he’s already close to broken. With each new scare, Lainey is closer to seeing the haunting through to its bitter, freeing end.

But in a house filled with so much rage, resentment, and fear, is it any wonder that Lainey and Adelaide’s plan goes horribly wrong? As their fake haunting spirals into something no one can control, Lainey discovers that the only way out of this frightening trap is to join forces with Callum, or die trying.

My rating: ★★★★⯪

"So"—Adelaide's eyes had that glint again, all fire and excitement—"what do you say? Shall we turn this place into a motherfucking haunted house?”

I LOVED the premise of this book! This is what our protagonist has been dealing with in her home life:

My current reality—shackled to a man more concerned with drinking than his daughter, my dreams reduced to getting through each day, holding things together for Bea while practically falling apart myself.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #472: In My Nonfiction Era

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

Review: Tastes Like Candy by Jessica Lacy

Title: Tastes Like Candy

Series: Tastes Like Candy #1

Author: Jessica Lacy

Genre: YA, horror, mystery thriller

Publication date: September 2025

Published by: Sourcebooks Fire

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: A senior year goodbye morphs into carnival carnage...

Everyone at Pritchett High wants an invitation to the Senior Scavenge, and this year, Violet Warren and her friends are the lucky ones. Eight girls will break into the Poison Apple Carnival after hours for a scavenger hunt, a school tradition to welcome the best and brightest into their senior year.

But warm welcomes turn into gory goodbyes as those hunting become the hunted. One by one, Violet's friends are viciously murdered by a mysterious masked figure running loose through the carnival grounds.

Can Violet survive this roller coaster ride from hell and unmask the killer in time?

Or will her head end up on a cotton candy pike?

My rating: ★★★⯪☆

I loved the premise of this book! I especially loved the setting!

The Poison Apple Carnival was Belldam's premier Halloween-themed year-round tourist attraction for families.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #471: Mood Reading Strikes Again

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

Sunday Post #507: Almost There...

Welcome to The Sunday Post hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where I talk about what is going on in life and the blog, and show you all the bookish things I got that week!

2026 Summer Library Program

I have been waiting for this since the Spring Reading Program ended! I was so chocked that I actually finished it, but this is the year where I said that I was actually going to try completing reading challenges. We'll see how this one goes, though. Even though I join every year, I don't think I've ever completed one of my library's summer reading challenges 😅 Lol.

Review: Kindergarten Wars (Vol. 2) by You Chiba

Title: Kindergarten Wars Vol. 2

Series: Kindergarten Wars #2

Previous book in this series: Kindergarten Wars #1

Author: You Chiba

Genre: YA, manga, action, humor

Publication date: September 2025

Published by: Yen Press

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: The new employee, Hana, has suddenly turned traitor! But then she’s shot by the true mastermind behind it all, her own father...Just when all seems lost, Rita, thought to have perished in an explosion, appears on the scene! Who will take charge during the deadliest playtime of all? 

My rating: ★★★★⯪

The last volume ended in a bit of a cliffhanger, so we finally got a resolution to that situation at the beginning of this volume. And all I have to say is that Hanna’s father is insane. Even after everything Hanna did/tried to do, I felt SO bad for her! 😩

Review: Sakamoto Days (Vol. 9) by Yuto Suzuki

Title: Sakamoto Days: Vol. 9

Series: Sakamoto Days #9

Previous books in this series: Sakamoto Days #1 | Sakamoto Days #2 | Sakamoto Days #3 | Sakamoto Days #4 | Sakamoto Days #5 | Sakamoto Days #6 | Sakamoto Days #7 | Sakamoto Days #8

Author: Yuto Suzuki

Genre: YA, manga, adventure

Publication date: August 2023

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Taro Sakamoto was once a legendary hit man considered the greatest of all time. Bad guys feared him! Assassins revered him! But then one day he quit, got married, and had a baby. He’s now living the quiet life as the owner of a neighborhood store, but how long can Sakamoto enjoy his days of retirement before his past catches up to him?!

Sakamoto comes running to Shin’s aid and clashes violently with Shinaya, who’s being controlled by Gaku! Our heroes are striving to get information on X, who continues to operate in the shadows, but nothing has gone as planned during the JCC transfer test. How will it all end?!

My rating: ★★★★☆

In this volume, we finally find out how Sakamoto and Shin did on the exam and whether they got into assassin school. And let me just say, the results were hilarious.

June 2026 TBR

Things did not go well this month...

Yeah, I know 🫣 I was sick for most of the month, and now I feel like I'm in a slump 😩 It's been rough over here.

I read two books off my tbr, and read 4 books overall. And I only completed 5 prompts across those 4 books 😅

Monthly Wrap-Up: May 2026

May was not a good reading month for me. I was sick basically the entire month, and with the vertigo, I just did not feel like reading. I'm better now, but I still don't feel like reading, and I fear that I have fallen into a reading slump 😩 I ended up reading 4 books, which was about 971 pages. That's 1200 pages LESS than the previous month. Yeah, it was that bad 😬 But hey, at least I haven't failed my 52 books in 52 weeks challenge 😆

• 3 were full-length novels, and 1 manga
• 1 was part of a series, and 3 were standalones
• 3 were books I purchased, and 1 was from the library
• All 4 were finished copies
• All 4 were physical books
• 3 were 4 stars, and 1 was 3 stars
• All 4 were traditionally published
• 1 was by an author I've previously read, and 3 were new to me
• 2 were adult books, and 2 were YA books
• 2 were fiction, and 2 were nonfiction
• 1 was action, 1 urban fantasy, 1 memoir, and 1 history

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #470: It Was... A Week

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

Sunday Post #506: Finally!

Welcome to The Sunday Post hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where I talk about what is going on in life and the blog, and show you all the bookish things I got that week!

Library Springtime Reading Challenge *Update*

I don't know why I thought I failed this challenge, but for the last week I've been sad about it... I DIDN'T, though! Omg! All I needed to do was look at the freaking paper for the dates! 😂 For some reason I thought the challenge ended on the 21st, but it doesn't! It ends today, on the 30th, and I finished this challenge like a week ago! Anyway, I'm gonna go to the library today and see if they still have prizes available. I literally could've gone last weekend to check 🤦‍♀️ In my defense, I've been sick for like a month, so my brain has been struggling these days 😂

Review: Lotería by Cynthia Pelayo

Title: Lotería

Author: Cynthia Pelayo

Genre: Adult, anthology, horror

Publication date: July 2012

Published by: Union Square & Co.

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: The Mexican board game of Lotería is a game of chance—similar to bingo. However, in Lotería instead of matching up numbers on a game board, players match up images.

There are 54 cards in the Lotería game, and for this short story collection you will find one unique story per card based on a Latin American myth, folklore, superstition, or belief—with a slant towards the paranormal and horrific. In this deck of cards you will find murderers, ghosts, goblins and ghouls. This collection features creatures and monsters, vampires, werewolves and more.

Many of these legends existed long before their European counterparts—passed throughout the Americas via word of mouth, collected just like the tales the Brothers Grimm. These are indeed fairy tales—Latin American fairy tales—but with a horrifying slant.

My rating: ★★★★☆

I enjoyed this book so much!! I love playing Lotería and I love horror, so this book was made for me! 😆 And for those unfamiliar with Lotería:

Review: Review: Sakamoto Days (Vol. 8) by Yuto Suzuki

Title: Sakamoto Days: Vol. 8

Series: Sakamoto Days #8

Previous books in this series: Sakamoto Days #1 | Sakamoto Days #2 | Sakamoto Days #3 | Sakamoto Days #4 | Sakamoto Days #5 | Sakamoto Days #6 | Sakamoto Days #7

Author: Yuto Suzuki

Genre: YA, manga, adventure

Publication date: June 2023

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon | B&N

Synopsis: Taro Sakamoto was once a legendary hit man considered the greatest of all time. Bad guys feared him! Assassins revered him! But then one day he quit, got married, and had a baby. He’s now living the quiet life as the owner of a neighborhood store, but how long can Sakamoto enjoy his days of retirement before his past catches up to him?!

In the third stage of the JCC transfer test, the participants are divided into multiple teams for a deadly game of “tail tag.” Three applicants, who have skipped the opening stages of the exam because of special endorsements from seasoned assassins, cause a stir with their disturbing styles. Meanwhile, Shin is determined to show Mr. Sakamoto—who just so happens to be an opponent in this round—that he’s made progress!

My rating: ★★★★☆

In this volume, we continue to follow the characters as they try to complete the entrance exam to get into assassin school. Specifically, stage three, the final stage, of the exam.

Review: Spy x Family (Vol. 3) by Tatsuya Endo

Title: Spy x Family: Volume 3

Series: Spy x Family #3

Previous books in this series: Spy x Family (#1) | Spy x Family (#2)

Author: Tatsuya Endo

Genre: YA, adventure, humor

Publication date: January 2020

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Master spy Twilight is unparalleled when it comes to going undercover on dangerous missions for the betterment of the world. But when he receives the ultimate assignment—to get married and have a kid—he may finally be in over his head!

Twilight has overcome many challenges in putting together the Forger family, but now all his hard work might come undone when Yor’s younger brother Yuri pops in for a surprise visit! Can Twilight outsmart Yuri, who actually works for the Ostanian secret service?!

My rating: ★★★★★

I love this series so much! I think that goes without saying at this point, but I’m gonna say it anyway 😆

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #469: On the Struggle Bus

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

Sunday Post #505: This is Getting Old

Welcome to The Sunday Post hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where I talk about what is going on in life and the blog, and show you all the bookish things I got that week!

Review: Camp Creepy (Sinister Summer #3) by Kiersten White

Title: Camp Creepy

Series: Sinister Summer #3

Previous books in this series: Wretched Waterpark (#1) | Vampiric Vacation (#2)

Author: Kiersten White

Genre: Middle Grade, mystery, humor

Publication date: January 2023

Published by: Delacorte Press

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Follow the Sinister-Winterbottoms on their most outrageous adventure yet, when they find themselves at a normal summer camp!

After leaving the Sanguine Spa in pursuit of Edgaren't, the kids find themselves at a mysterious summer camp, Camp Creek. There are lake games and happy counselors, and there's even a tie-dye cabin. It's all very . . . normal.

But if Theo and Alexander know one thing, it's that normal doesn't always mean good. When everyone around her starts acting strange, Theo wonders if maybe the fumes from the tie-dye cabin are seeping into their brains, and she resolves to investigate what's really going on at Camp Creek.

My rating: ★★★★☆

The Sinister-Winterbottoms had been to the strangest water park ever, where the cabanas were mausoleums, the slides were gargoyle tongues, and the wave pool was a cave that triggered existential terror. They had visited the Sanguine Spa, with its tunnels and caves and downright vampiric residents—both the bats and, possibly, Lucy herself—and the woods that felt like they would eat the children if they could. They had braced themselves for whatever was next, certain that they were ready for any menacing weirdness they would face.
But nothing had prepared them for what they were looking at right now.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #468: Some Nonfiction

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

Sunday Post #504: I'm Tired of This, Grandpa

Welcome to The Sunday Post hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where I talk about what is going on in life and the blog, and show you all the bookish things I got that week!

Review: Review: Sakamoto Days (Vol. 7) by Yuto Suzuki

Title: Sakamoto Days: Vol. 7

Series: Sakamoto Days #7

Previous books in this series: Sakamoto Days #1 | Sakamoto Days #2 | Sakamoto Days #3 | Sakamoto Days #4 | Sakamoto Days #5 | Sakamoto Days #6

Author: Yuto Suzuki

Genre: YA, manga, adventure

Publication date: June 2022

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon | B&N

Synopsis: Taro Sakamoto was once a legendary hit man considered the greatest of all time. Bad guys feared him! Assassins revered him! But then one day he quit, got married, and had a baby. He’s now living the quiet life as the owner of a neighborhood store, but how long can Sakamoto enjoy his days of retirement before his past catches up to him?!

Sakamoto and X finally face off! Although Sakamoto has vowed not to kill, X shakes him up by threatening his family. How will Sakamoto fare when confronted with an enemy who has a bloodthirsty grudge against the JAA?!

My rating: ★★★★☆

In this volume, Sakamoto and friends are trying to get into the JCC assassin school to get some information... as students. Lol. I thought this was really funny. And I just really enjoyed this volume in general.

Review- The Sawbones Book: The Hilarious, Horrifying Road to Modern Medicine by Justin McElroy & Sydnee McElroy

Title: The Sawbones Book: The Hilarious, Horrifying Road to Modern Medicine

Author: Justin McElroy & Sydnee McElroy

Genre: Adult, nonfiction, medical science

Publication date: October 2018

Published by: Weldon Owen

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: A compelling, often hilarious and occasionally horrifying exploration of how modern medicine came to be!

Wondering whether eating powdered mummies might be just the thing to cure your ills? Tempted by those vintage ads suggesting you wear radioactive underpants for virility? Ever considered drilling a hole in your head to deal with those pesky headaches? Probably not. But for thousands of years, people have done things like this—and things that make radioactive underpants seem downright sensible! In their hit podcast, Sawbones, Sydnee and Justin McElroy breakdown the weird and wonderful way we got to modern healthcare. And some of the terrifying detours along the way.

Every week, Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband Justin amaze, amuse, and gross out (depending on the week) hundreds of thousands of avid listeners to their podcast, Sawbones. Consistently rated a top podcast on iTunes, with over 15 million total downloads, this rollicking journey through thousands of years of medical mishaps and miracles is not only hilarious but downright educational. While you may never even consider applying boiled weasel to your forehead (once the height of sophistication when it came to headache cures), you will almost certainly face some questionable medical advice in your everyday life (we’re looking at you, raw water!) and be better able to figure out if this is a miracle cure (it’s not) or a scam.

My rating: ★★★★☆

As I’ve explored genres outside my comfort zone, one subgenre of nonfiction that I discovered that I really enjoy is science. And, specifically, in this case, medical science. When I picked up this book, I was hoping it would sort of be in the same vein as Quackery, and it kind of was! I really enjoyed it!

Review: Kaiju No. 8 (Vol. 1) by Naoya Matsumoto

Title: Kaiju No. 8 Vol.1

Series: Kaiju No. 8 #1

Author: Naoya Matsumoto

Genre: YA, manga, action

Publication date: December 2020

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: With the highest kaiju-emergence rates in the world, Japan is no stranger to attack by deadly monsters. Enter the Japan Defense Force, a military organization tasked with the neutralization of kaiju. Kafka Hibino, a kaiju-corpse cleanup man, has always dreamed of joining the force. But when he gets another shot at achieving his childhood dream, he undergoes an unexpected transformation. How can he fight kaiju now that he’s become one himself?!

Kafka hopes to one day keep his pact with his childhood friend Mina to join the Japan Defense Force and fight by her side. But while she’s out neutralizing kaiju as Third Division captain, Kafka is stuck cleaning up the aftermath of her battles. When a sudden rule change makes Kafka eligible for the Defense Force, he decides to try out for the squad once more. There’s just one problem—he’s made the Defense Force’s neutralization list under the code name Kaiju No. 8.

My rating: ★★★★⯪

I really liked this manga! I loved the premise and the execution was great!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #467: Rough Start to the Month

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

Sunday Post #503: That was Rough...

Welcome to The Sunday Post hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where I talk about what is going on in life and the blog, and show you all the bookish things I got that week!

Review: Night Terror (Bleak Haven #2) by Vincent Ralph

Title: Night Terror

Series: Bleak Haven #2

Previous book in this series: Dead Fake

Author: Vincent Ralph

Genre: YA, horror

Publication date: January 20th 2026

Published by: Wednesday Books

Source: Borrwed from library

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Synopsis: Who the hell holds up a bookstore? That’s what Noah asks when his favorite spot is suddenly targeted by masked attackers.

But these people don’t want a ransom. They are searching for Bleak Haven’s very own urban legend – The Burning Book.

When something with a thirst for flesh creeps from its pages, Noah must team up with the other hostages and try to escape the mall without turning their town into a bloodbath.

My rating: ★★★★⯪

Despite all the real-life killers that Bleak Haven has endured, what scares some folks most is the Burning Book. They believe bad things are hidden within its pages the kind of things that even fire cannot kill.

This book was so freaking fun! I mentioned it in my review of the last book, and I’ll mention it again, I am LOVING the modern-day Fear Street vibes! Ah! It’s SO good! Though maybe I shouldn’t say ‘modern’ for this one, as it takes place in 1987. Lol. But still! My point stands! Lol.

Review: The Deep by Nick Cutter

Title: The Deep

Author: Nick Cutter

Genre: Adult, horror

Publication date: January 2015

Published by: Gallery Books

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: A strange plague called the ‘Gets is decimating humanity on a global scale. It causes people to forget—small things at first, like where they left their keys, then the not-so-small things, like how to drive or the letters of the alphabet. Their bodies forget how to function involuntarily. There is no cure.

But far below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, a universal healer hailed as “ambrosia” has been discovered. In order to study this phenomenon, a special research lab has been built eight miles under the sea’s surface. But when the station goes incommunicado, a brave few descend through the lightless fathoms in hopes of unraveling the mysteries lurking at those crushing depths…and perhaps to encounter an evil blacker than anything one could possibly imagine.

My rating: ★★★☆☆

What if the devil unleashed a perfectly unexplainable plague on humanity? If so, isn't it equally possible that God created the perfect, if inexplicable cure?

I've always been a mood reader, but in recent years, my mood has been asking for more and more super niche subgenres. One such subgenre is aquatic horror, aka horror that takes place in/around water. Lol. I don't know what it is, but sometimes I'm just in that very specific mood. Lol. Thus, this book. I had seen this book around quite a bit when I was looking for books to read in this subgenre. And it ended up being just... fine.

Review: Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan

Title: Percy Jackson's Greek Gods

Series: Part of the Camp Half-Blood Chronicles

Author: Rick Riordan

Genre: Middle Grade, fantasy, Greek mythology

Publication date: January 2014

Published by: Disney Hyperion

Source: Purchased hardcover

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Synopsis: Who could tell the origin stories of the gods of Olympus better than a modern-day demigod? PERCY JACKSON provides an insider's view with plenty of 'tude in this illustrated collection.

A publisher in New York asked me to write down what I know about the Greek gods, and I was like, "Can we do this anonymously? Because I don't need the Olympians mad at me again." But if it helps you to know your Greek gods, and survive an encounter with them if they ever show up in your face, then I guess writing all this down will be my good deed for the week.

So begins Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, in which the son of Poseidon adds his own magic—and sarcastic asides—to the classics. He explains how the world was created, then gives readers his personal take on a who's who of ancients, from Apollo to Zeus. Percy does not hold back. "If you like lots of lying, stealing, backstabbing, and cannibalism, then read on, because it definitely was a Golden Age for all that."

Dramatic full-color illustrations throughout by Caldecott Honoree John Rocco make this volume—a must for home, library, and classroom shelves—as stunning as it is entertaining.

My rating: ★★★★★

This book was so fun! Right from the start, I loved it! Especially because Percy purposefully did NOT start the book off with Zeus 😂 His sassiness is one of my favorite things about him 😂 Anyway, this book talks about some of the major Greek gods, and because this is middle grade, the myths were consumable, even when it came to those darker myths. And the myths were also pretty concise, which I appreciated.

Review: The Ragpicker King (The Chronicles of Castellane #2) by Cassandra Clare

Title: The Ragpicker King

Series: The Chronicles of Castellane #2

Previous book in this series: Sword Catcher

Author: Cassandra Clare

Genre: Adult, high fantasy

Publication date: March 2025

Published by: Del Rey

Source: Won in a giveaway

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Synopsis: Kel Saren, body double to Conor, crown prince of the dazzling city of Castellane, is caught between two worlds. In order to protect his beloved prince, Kel must find the culprits responsible for a massacre at the royal palace—and the only clues are held by the Ragpicker King, the notorious criminal who rules Castellane’s underworld. The trail Kel follows leads back to the Hill, where among decadent nobles and glittering parties a dark conspiracy to destroy the royal family has taken hold—a conspiracy headed up by the monstrous Artal Gremont, the man engaged to marry the woman Kel adores.

Meanwhile, Lin Caster must face the aftermath of the greatest risk she’s ever taken. To save the life of a dying friend, Lin has falsely claimed to be the Goddess Reborn, the legendary heroine destined to save her people. Now the terrifying—but strangely magnetic—leader of her people has arrived to test her powers. The price of failure is exile, and only through her alliance with the Ragpicker King can she continue to access the magic that may save her.

Then Prince Conor reappears in her life, demanding that she use her healing powers to cure the madness of his father, the King. Lin soon realizes the King is gripped by an ancient and terrible magic, one whose lure she cannot deny any more than she can deny her growing passion for Conor.

As the simmering tensions in Castellane reach a fever pitch, Lin and Kel must decide who to trust when any false move means death—or worse.

My rating: ★★★★☆

I really enjoyed this book! I tend to enjoy anything Cassandra Clare writes, though 😆

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #466: Vampires, Witches, and Emo Bands

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

Sunday Post #502: Not Again...

Welcome to The Sunday Post hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where I talk about what is going on in life and the blog, and show you all the bookish things I got that week!

May 2026 TBR

April was a rough month when it came to completing my tbr. But I honestly saw it coming. Lol.

Monthly Wrap-Up: April 2026

Another month has passed, and my Resident Evil hyperfixation continues 😆 Honestly, most of the books you will see below I read within the last week because I was trying to catch up after most of my time went to playing these games 😂 I enjoy a readathon, though, so all the binge reading was very fun for me. Anyway, in April I also read 9 books, for a total of 2248 pages, which is about 400ish pages less than the previous month.

• 4 were full-length novels, 2 manga, and 3 novellas
• 6 were part of a series, and 3 were standalones
• I started 1 series, and finished 1
• 2 were books I purchased, 1 was an ARC from an author, and 6 were from the library
• 8 were finished copies and 1 ARC
• 4 were physical books, 3 were ebooks, and 1 was an ebook/audiobook combo
• 3 were 4.5 stars, and 6 were 4 stars
• 8 were traditionally published, 1 was indie published
• 5 were by authors I've previously read, and 4 were new to me
• 5 were adult books, and 4 were YA books
• All 9 were fiction
• 2 were action, 1 mystery thriller, 1 cozy fantasy, 4 sci-fi, 1 urban fantasy

Review: Spy x Family (Vol. 2) by Tatsuya Endo

Title: Spy x Family: Volume 2

Series: Spy x Family #2

Previous book in this series: Spy x Family (#1)

Author: Tatsuya Endo

Genre: YA, adventure, humor

Publication date: October 2019

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Twilight must infiltrate the prestigious Eden Academy to get close to his target Donovan Desmond, but has he ruined his daughter Anya’s chances with his outburst during the admissions interview? Perhaps the truly impossible mission this time is making sure Anya both becomes an exemplary student and befriends Donovan’s arrogant son Damian!

My rating: ★★★★★

At this point, it has been quite a while since I watched the anime, so when I read this volume, there were a bunch of things I forgot. For example, I forgot that Anya wanted a castle! Lol. Or that Yor (being the assassin she is) momentarily thought about killing one of the parents to get Anya into the fancy private school. Lol.