📚March 2026 recap📚

💛💛💛💛🖤BL Metamorphosis, Vol. 1 by Kaori Tsurutani
💛💛💛💛🖤SOTUS, Vol. 1 by BitterSweet and Kei Shichiri
💛💛💛💛🖤Minato’s Laundromat, Vol. 1 by Yuzu Tsubaki and Sawa Kanzume
💛💛💛💛🖤Cat + Gamer, Vol. 4 by Wataru Nadatani

I also read the short story ‘Symbiosis’ by D.A. Xiaolin Spires.

I was able to pick up an Illumicrate edition of ‘A Closed and Common Orbit’ by Becky Chambers from their vault sale using book money that my Mum gave me (I used the rest to buy T-pop songs). This was the first book that I ever read by this author, and still my favourite.

The last few months of my first year of university are brutal since everything has ramped up and I’ve got competing deadlines. There is a huge difference in how much work is required and how much time it is taking, and I’m struggling a bit with trying to manage everything. Also, the timing of when assignments are due basically means that the “breaks” are a lie.

Husband and have watched a couple of episodes of the second season of ‘Andor’. I’ve mostly been watching BL series and falling asleep on the sofa, though I did also watch ‘The Other Bennet Sister’ and found it to be excellent.

Family finished watching ‘Starfleet Academy’, the second season of the live action adaptation of ‘One Piece’, and the anime series ‘Tamon's B-Side’. We’ve been continuing to watch ‘Gachiakuta’.

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📚Book Review📚

📖 BL Metamorphosis, Vol. 1 by Kaori Tsurutani

A bit slow moving, but still a lovely story about two lonely people at different stages of life who are drawn together by a mutual interest in BL stories. My Nan introduced me to romance stories, so I really like the portrayal of the age gap between the protagonists and the ways in which they are able to relate to one another while still feeling a bit awkward about how to approach such a friendship. I hope to continue this series as soon as I’m able to find a copy of the second volume for a reasonable price.

📖 SOTUS, Vol. 1 by BitterSweet and Kei Shichiri

The live action adaptation of SOTUS was, I'm fairly certain, the first Thai BL series that I ever watched - so it holds a fair amount of nostalgia for me. Classic university setting with engineering students. I was really happy to be able to get my hands on a manga version (based on the original novel by BitterSweet). I'm looking forward to reading the next volume (as soon as my book budget allows).

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[1st January 2026] fifty-third Post and Post 213

📚Top Five of 2025📚

I read a total of 57 books this year (plus 16 additional short stories), and my top five read in 2025 are as follows:

5. Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

4. System Collapse by Martha Wells

3. A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

2. The Cybernetic Tea Shop by Meredith Katz

1. Vicious by V. E. Schwab

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📚December 2025 recap📚

I finished reading a total of five books in December: four manga volumes, and one novel.

💛💛💛💛🖤- A Man Who Defies the World of BL, Volume 2 by Konkici
💛💛💛💛🖤- I Think Our Son Is Gay, Vol. 01 by Okura
💛💛💛💛🖤- My Beautiful Man, Volume 2 by Yuu Nagira and Megumi Kitano
💛💛💛💛🖤- Hazelthorn by CG Drews
💛💛💛💛🖤- Old-Fashioned Cupcake by Sagan Sagan

In addition, I read the short story ‘Autonomy’ by Meg Elison.

I have an essay assignment due on the 6th January, which meant that I was stuck doing coursework until late in the month, and didn’t have much mental energy left over for reading. I actually had quite a lot of trouble getting through ‘Hazelthorn’ because it was difficult to read as the parent of an autistic child, but the writing is beautiful and terrible and I’m very glad that I persisted.

Family finished both ‘May I Ask for One Final Thing?’ and the latest season of ‘Spy × Family’, and have been watching a mix of the first season of ‘Stranger Things’ and holiday themed television.

Songs I’ve been obsessed with recently include ‘Skinship’ by DEXX, ‘Red Lights’ by Bang Chan and Hyunjin, and ‘Poor Boy’ by Daou Pittaya.

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📚November 2025 recap📚

I finished reading a total of five books in November: four manga volumes, and one novel.

💛💛💛💛🖤- A Man Who Defies the World of BL, Volume 1 by Konkici
💛💛💛💛🖤- The Metalhead Next Door by Mamita
💛💛💛🖤🖤- Cinderella Closet, Volume 1 by Wakana Yanai
💛💛💛💛🖤- My Beautiful Man, Volume 1 by Yuu Nagira and Megumi Kitano
💛💛💛💛🖤- Husband Material by Alexis Hall

In addition, I read the short story 'The Seed' by Sheri Singerling.

November was another ridiculous month with another two assignments due for my university modules, and ongoing disruption from the roadworks plus the replacement of the gas supply line into the home we’re renting - hence why this month was heavy on the manga.

Family has been watching anime (as usual), continuing with ‘May I Ask for One Final Thing?’, and the latest season of ‘Spy × Family’.

Songs I’ve been obsessed with recently: ‘Bite’ by Mad Tsai, ‘BOUNCY (K-HOT CHILLI PEPPERS)’ by ATEEZ, ‘White Rabbit’ by Daou Pittaya, ‘Orchid / Flame’ by Hannah Bahng, ‘Darkside’ by Neoni, and ‘Sadistic’ by JASP.ER.

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📚Book Review📚

📖My Beautiful Man, Volume 1 by Yuu Nagira and Megumi Kitano

Can love grow from obsession? While grappling with ongoing trauma, Hira develops an intense and obsessive devotion towards fellow classmate Kiyoi.

I'm a bit of a sucker for stories where someone is dealing with a disability of some kind - in this case a stutter - and, since I already watched the live action adaptation of this series, my heart just aches for Hira in this first installment of the manga version of the light novels.

Trigger warning for content that depicts bullying and references suicidal thoughts.

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📚Book Review📚

📖Cinderella Closet, Volume 1 by Wakana Yanai

I’m preoccupied with preparing essays for university right now, and I’m still in the middle of reading a few things at the moment (just kind of slowly).

I watched the live-action adaptation of Cinderella Closet recently, and liked it enough that I decided to check out the manga. This first volume in the series is a solid introduction to the characters and a good start to the story (if a bit slow).

Haruka and Hikaru are both lovely characters (though in vastly different ways) and observing their interactions is quite heartwarming, as we get to see them both find comfort and strength in one another in unexpected ways. Haruka is very straightforward but lacks confidence in herself, whereas Hikaru wears self-confidence like armour and is more complex and jaded. Definitely a friendship that you can get behind, as they are both protective of each other.

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📚Book Review📚

📖A Man Who Defies the World of BL, Volume 1 by Konkici (translated by Adrienne Beck)

I kicked off November by reading the first volume of the manga series and watching the latest season of the live action adaptation ‘A Man Who Defies the World of BL 2024’ (the final season is due to start airing later this month). Obviously this is going to be a lot funnier if you’ve ever dipped a toe into the waters of BL fandom, but I think I would still generally recommend it as being an enjoyable read. Basically about a chap at university trying to remain a background character and pointing out (and avoiding) all of the BL tropes.

📖The Metalhead Next Door by Mamita (translated by Adrienne Beck)

I also read another one-shot BL manga about someone struggling with a stutter / social anxiety and their developing friendship with their next-door-neighbour (which eventually turns into romance). This was actually really sweet, though it did end up being slightly spicy towards the very end of the story.

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📚Book Review📚

📖The House in the Cerulean Sea by T J Klune

I found this one a bit slow going if I’m honest, which probably says more about my headspace right now than anything in particular about the story.

I think it is a lovely gentle story with a lot of heart, but I didn’t feel any urgency to find out what would happen next - which meant I had to prod myself to keep reading. It also did that thing that I just really can’t stand where a person’s appearance is mentioned repeatedly in a negative way… that just irks me so much, even if it is mostly a person thinking negatively about themselves.

The children are absolutely lovely, and I can see why so many people really enjoyed this one… but I just wasn’t feeling the love story aspect at all - which didn’t so much feel subtle as borderline nonexistent until near the very end - so that part fell a bit flat for me. As a story about found family though, that’s where it really shines.

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