Nika

There were so many, and nothing happened last July. If I were to put it into words, other than impromptu, I would say it felt like I was drunk. July was hazy, and I knew I did have fun during the vacation, but it felt like it was a fevered dream.

Up until now, I'm still a hangover and am recovering, to be honest. I still feel the tiredness and the soreness of my body.

Would I recommend the vacation? The road trip, definitely. The hiking up the little hill and up to the falls? Not so much 😫.

I thought of doing a post on that but then realised I didn't have that many photos of the road trip. I was busy trying to survive the heat and the hike to bother taking photos 😭.

All I could offer is a review and a wrap-up. Review of The Castle of Otranto and my July Wrap-Up is at the bottom.

As you know, I've been trying my best to get on the ones that are quite old on my Kindle tbr. That's also the same goes for my series that I started and genre that I seemed to have forgotten 🙈.

These titles might have been quite an impulse read from me, but I am kind of happy that I did, considering I did find these two interesting and perhaps thrilling at times.

I am also reminded of some fantasy I've been meaning to read, so I have some titles ready for next month 🤎.

Anyway, full review of these titles are at the bottom ✨️.

I've been really on the hunt for more cosmic or lovecraftian horror since I learned about this sub genre. I came upon this series, which I've already seen or caught my interest until I personally check them out myself.

True to my instinct, which has been 50/50 initially, I didn't really enjoy this. I think my first impression might have been one reason, but who knows.

However, as I've checked on the next books, some proclaimed that the next one turns out to be better, so I am quite leaning to continue sometime soon.

For those who are interested in my review and the details of this novella, they are at the bottom 🤎.

Happy Tuesday, everyone ✨️. Still quite sore from the vaca, but I'm hoping to feel the best as soon as possible 😫.

Anyway, I finally read the first volume of one of the most exciting and anticipated comic runs I've been wanting to read ✨️. Poison Ivy is one of the DC characters I've been really intrigued on aside from Supergirl, Wonder Woman, and Batwoman.

I would say this run is very promising. It started really strong and compelling in storytelling as well as the character writing so far. I'm really eager to continue this soon ✨️.

Full details of this comic, and my full review are at the bottom 🤎.

SERIES TITLE: Poison Ivy (2022-) AUTHORS: G. Willow Wilson (Author), Warren Louw (Cover Art), Jessica Fong (Cover Art), Joshua Middleton (Cover Art), Marcio Takara (Artist), Marcio Takara (Inker), Arif Prianto (Colorist) EDITIONS: Collected Editions NUMBERS OF CE: 7 Collected Volumes ISSUES: 1-6 KINDLE PAGE NO. : 204

I just got back from an unplanned 2 night vacation, and I'm very sore. I thought I'll post today since this post was scheduled last Friday night, but I wasn't able to 😫.

Anyway,I wasn't really going to post about this book, considering I did not enjoy this. It is quite saddening when I thought I'd enjoy this.

Reading this made me or made crave for a good pirate romance that, if possible, a gothic one as well 😫. So if you have some reads like that, not particularly gothic, but if there is gothic, then let me know ✨️.

Full review of this classic is on the next photo, and details of this or the synopsis are at the bottom 📍.

Title: Frenchman's Creek Author: Daphne Due Maurier Genre: Historical, Victorian, Classics, Gothic, Romance

Reading this novel reminded me of some of my previous historical horror ones. One of them would be the Two Deaths of Lillian Carnichael. Mostly the vibe, in the first half and the gothic vibes.

I've been really excited to read this one. Albeit late post of my review, I greet this novel a Belated Release Day 🤎.

My full review is on the next photo, and the full details of this novella are at the bottom ✨️.

Thank you, @putnambooks, for the e-arc via Edelweiss.

◆ Title: Muñeca ◆ Author: Cynthia Gómez ◆ Genre: Historical, Latinx, Queer, Horror, Gothic, Novella ◆ Release Date: June 2, 2026 ◆ Pages: 171 pages ◆ Publishing/ Imprint: G.P. Putnam's Sons

Happy Tuesday, everyone 🤎.

I'm quite proud of myself to easily finish this Duology in just a span of like no more than 3 months ✋🏽. That's to say I'm in a state of WANT for more fantasy like this. Well, definitely more of this Duology.

I would say I prefer the first one to this, to be honest. But still, this was a pretty good read.

I also got Veronica Roth's newest book, and I just realised that upon getting the Kindle, the cover looks like Marika from the Elden Ring, and that got me so intrigued and excited for it.

I'm hoping to read that one perhaps next month.

Anyway, my full review 𝐓𝐨 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐚 𝐑𝐚𝐳𝐨𝐫 is at the bottom ✨️.

For today's review, it is from one of my favourite authors/ mangakas. It's been honestly a while since I've read a manga, and I think it's high time for me to get back on some of my tbrs.

Going back to this book, I've believed this was released this year or late last year. I can't be sure since there's also another one from this author that's also been released so recently. It could be this or that one.

Full review of 𝐌𝐨𝐚𝐧 is at the bottom for anyone who is interested in this manga collection. I would say this collection is perhaps better than the recent previous I've read from the author's.

𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐣𝐢 𝐈𝐭𝐨 really knows how to employ those weird, disturbing, and cosmic horror like elements that really are thrilling.

Once again, ✨️ HORROR ✨️. I've been really, REALLY loving this genre that 5 or 6 of the books that I've been wanting to read that's set for this readathon are all in horror with a sprinkle of another sub genre.

So, yep. I really, REALLY hope I'd follow through that pile 🤞🏼.

I'll probably get the audio as well to help me get into them since I'm kinda feeling under the weather. That also meant that I haven't been reading my crs 😫.

Anyway, this horror novella has been on my tbr for like a few months— maybe three. I'm kinda glad that I've been able to read on my Kindle titles these past few months.

I did kinda expect MORE THINGS from this one based on the synopsis. As I read this, I was keen on reading more of this type of horror as I look back at the time I read this.

This is that < possession horror > and some kind of < religious context > into it. I would say this kinda terrified me. If you're interested in my review of this, the review at the bottom ✨️.

New review from me today ✨️. Good job of me for continuing the series in no more than 2 months span. As you know, I've been quite bad when it comes to continuing a series, usually taking me a year or years at most.

As you know, I've always loved a good fantasy. I would say this classic, dark fantasy series is leaning to be a favorite. The story is becoming more investing and fascinating. New characters that if not equally compelling– a more of a solid character build up.

📍 If you're interested in this classic, dark fantasy, expect that this series has:

◆ Dark fairytale like mood

◆ Myths and expanding world lore

◆ Complex characters

◆ Character & Plot driven arcs

◆ Bittersweet – open ending conclusions

Full review of this is below. I've also posted a review on the first novel recently, so if you're interested in that, scroll down on my profile grid ✨️.

Living rent-free in my mind other than Greek Mythology is Batman and everything that concerns the Batman comic. I read this and started the New 52 series after the Batman new movie announcement that will revolve on The Court of Owls, which I'm super excited about.

However, I'm also thinking if this is how they'll introduce their own rendition of the Robins and Batwoman since we get a cameo on them. Perhaps, none at all, and their own tweaks of the arc.

Either way, I'm definitely excited for Batman 2, and I'm hoping they will bring this Batman to the DCEU, like, PLEASE 😫.

Full review at the bottom 🤎.

I realised actually that if they couldn't or won't bring some Plot Run to the cinematic universe, like the live action one, might as well make some of them animated or cartoon ones? Like I'm honestly wishing they would like the What If's series.

One of the series that I want to honestly wish to see being animated is this comic run. Although, at the end or this series run was something pretty anticlimactic and lacklustre, I'd definitely want to see this being made into a cartoon or animated ones and perhaps some tweaks as well in the storyline to make it better.

Anyway, full review of this comic seriesat the bottom 🤎.

Anyway, last June, I read a total of 23 books. Most of them are definitely comic books. I've been really obsessed with tracking back, especially since I've been reading fanfics that go with my comics.

Also, some podcasts here and there are TV shows and movies as I went into a little break 🙈.

I'm keen on doing comics as well this July and more of my arcs perhaps and some horror, fantasy and romance that I'm eyeing last month that I wasn't able to read, but hopefully this month.

As of now, I'm still reading my 2 arcs (Muñeca and If I Could Give You The Moon). I didn't read anything on the weekend, lol. I'm on my way to finishing Muñeca as of the moment.

I definitely promised that I would post about my dear beloved Jason Todd, A.K.A Second Robin, A.K.A Red Hood. Unfortunately, I have yet to finish this run, but I am still halfway through the run despite my initial plans to finish it last month.

Anyway, the first 3 volumes were definitely my fave so far. I don't know what happened on the 4th one, but I have high hopes for the rest of the run.

As of now, this time around, I'm reading 2 arcs (Muñeca and If I Could Give You The Moon), which I'll probably be prioritising before getting back to this and starting Ivy 🤎.

If you're interested in my thoughts of this run so far, head at the bottom 🤎.

Reading this fantasy for my Classic Fantasy Book Club on X for the month of June. It was a really wonderful decision I made since I've been able to discover many interesting fantasy. One of them would obviously be Tanith Lee's Flat Earth and another one I am so excited to read.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐥𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝'𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 is quite a magical read for me that reminds me of Lorf of the Rings vibe. Many quite enjoyed this one, and I can see why. This has ▪︎ forbidden romance, ▪︎ elve x mortal, ▪︎ royalty, ▪︎ magic, and ▪︎ adventure.

I would say this is an okay read for me. An okay introduction for the author's work for me as I plan on checking some of the author's works.

If you're interested in my thoughts on this novel, my full review is at the bottom 📍

Anyway, I think I mentioned in one of my previous posts where I mentioned that the Sentinel Plot was something I really want to expand more and delve more. Funny enough, this XMen run might have just given me that and so much more.

Then, again, this supposed to be 'Haven for XMen' was not continued later on. I couldn't be sure since I hadn't finished the next run and just barely began.

Going back to the Sentinel Plot, this is to say the most terrifying XMen Plot I ever got to experience. If you've watched the XMen Future Day Past, the movie LITERALLY MADE IT SO DARK.

I would say this run was quite a good read, especially if you're new to the XMen Comics or your knowledge of XMen is through the movies. Also recommend Jonathan Hickman's New X-Men, which was the first volume I really did enjoy 💗.

Full review of this run is at the bottom ✨️.

So yeah, I just had to find more time to dedicate into these parts because there's no way I just wouldn't. Not to mention the Avengers Doomsday— that had me TWEAKING and loosing it.

That also reminds me that I have finally finished Chip Zdarsky's Daredevil Comic run. I read the whole run in its omnibus edition, and I would say it was a fun experience. I love the first omnibus volume. This again reminds me if we gonna see DD on the new Spiderman movie, which I'm hoping to consider there's Frank or The Punisher there.

Anyway, full review of this omnibus volume is at the bottom ✨️.