Ascendance of a Bookworm (Manga) Part 3 Volume 3 – by Ryo Namino, Miya Kazuki, Quof (translator)

Even though finishing the main light novel series has scratched the itch, I do like to read the manga editions when they come out.

July 23, 2025.

A Song For You And I by K. O’Neill

Gentle fantasy graphic novel. My favourite from O’Neill is still the Tea Dragon series in art style. I liked the storyline and art of this more than The Moth Keeper though.

July 29, 2025.

A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston, Dorothy Dillingham Blue (Narrator)

My second Ashley Poston of the month. This one had a better narrator but the story was more lacklustre. It was not fantastical enough for me. The magical realism aspect was barely there.

1.8x. July 13-16, 2025.

Evergreen Chase by Juneau Black

Started this during an insomnia night (can’t drink coke!). This was a short story and prequel to the series. The mystery was very simple to the point of being a storybook. It was fine though because it was cozy.

Read July 17, 2025 on Kobo Libra 2.

Onyx Storm (Parts 1 & 2) [Dramatized Adaptation] by Rebecca Yarros, Graphic Audio full cast

I really do not care about the main couple anymore. I only like the dragons. I still find that aspect interesting. I actually found some of the voice acting by the supportive cast better than the leads or maybe I was tired of listening to Violet. I was quite bored for most of this book except for the dragon stuff. There were too many characters. The ending was confusing.

1.75x. July 16-21, 2025.

The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong

I started this before a very hectic week and did not really read have time to read most of it. Once I got into it, I gobbled it up. I knew I would like it from the start. I ended up loving it because it hit my particular wheelhouses of found family, immigrant story, and lonely daughter. All things which resonated deeply with me. It’s very similar to Legends & Lattes with the found family crew, adventuring, and baking.

June 29-July 8, 2025. Read a bit on Kobo Libra 2.

The Stand-In by Lily Chu with Phillipa Soo (Narrator)

Continuing on with the romance on audiobooks. This was a Canadian romance novel set in Toronto and featured a half-Chinese protagonist. The writing in it is not bad per se. Gracie was likeable and relatable. The way it dealt with caretaking for a parent with dementia, anxiety, and depression seemed good. The sexual harassment storyline was a bit over the top and the end of it was predictable. I did not like that it had a misunderstanding trope in the last third which results in the usual third act breakup. Boring romance tropes. There was another soap opera element as well which I was fine with but not the bad romance tropes. The best thing was listening to Phillipa Son’s narration. I would have been bored without it and she made the characters. I am almost tempted to listen to more books by this author since Soo is the narrator, but I doubt I will find the writing better. Most of these modern contemporary romance novels are not for me.

1.75-2.5x. July 6-8, 2025.

Sheets by Brenna Thummler

This is a popular graphic novel which I have been meaning to read for years. Maybe it was my fatigue or recent stress, but I only thought this was okay. The mood was more somber than I imagined. The teenage protagonist Marjorie was grieving from the sudden death of her mother, dealing with her depressed father, being bullied at school, and working their family business while being harassed by a charlatan. While there is a lighthearted tone with Wendell and the ghosts, the human dynamics were a bit depressing until the very end. It gets wrapped up too neatly and quickly. The art was nice. I do not think I will pick up the rest in the series.

July 10, 2025.

Mirror Lake by Juneau Black, Cassandra Campbell (Narrator)

Revisiting this cozy fantasy mystery series during this busy summer. The mysteries are really easy to solve including their twists and the vibe is cozy. It’s easy going. Vera was still too risky but not stupid. Narrator did a good job as before.

1.5x. July 9-12, 2025.

ADHD 2.0 : New Science and Essential Strategies for Thriving with Distraction—From Childhood Through Adulthood by Edward M. Hallowell and John J. Ratey, Fred Sanders (Narrator)

This ADHD book was short and felt like it focussed more on environmental and neuroplasticity. I related more to it as a result. I think environment and lifestyle coping strategies are how I’ve managed my ADHD symptoms since I was a child. Consequently, I can see why the environment has harmed my quality of life and affected ADHD symptoms. I liked the concise presentation and recommendations.

1.8x. June 30-July 3, 2025.

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston, Brittany Pressley (Narrator)

Romance with magical realism in the form of time travel. I have found contemporary romance easier to consume if there are some fantastical elements. I liked this book more than the Emily Henry I have tried. This was actually a grief novel too. The protagonist Clementine was grieving all of the book from the sudden death of her Aunt. That aspect was realistic and well done.

Since I’ve been so busy this summer, I decided to try listening to romance on audio since they do not require as much concentration. I normally switch to print for fiction especially when I do not love the narrator. The narration was fine but I wanted a background audiobook for walks and chores. I will try more romances or lighter novels on audiobooks this summer since I will not have enough sitting reading time. I’ll switch back to more text reading and nonfiction audio when things get a bit calmer hopefully after summer is over.

1.8-2.0x. July 3-6, 2025.