May 2026 Reading Wrap Up

Lauren Kloos
Jun 1
3 min read

Better late than never (again)...

May was slumping a little bit...but I pulled through in the end!

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry - ★★★⯪☆

This was a heartbreakingly honest memoir about addiction and how resilience isn’t always enough. Addiction is an illness and a want to be better isn’t enough to be better. Matthew Perry did a wonderful job telling his story in an engaging way. I did only give 3.5 stars but only because there was a bit in the last 1/4 that felt a little repetitive and I almost gave up reading. But I’m glad I finished because it really was a good journey to be a part of.

Kaiju No. 8, Vol. 15 by Naoya Matsumoto - ★★★★☆

I’d been waiting for my hold to come in for 2 months and once it did I read the book within the hour. It’s a great continuation of the story and I’m excited to see where it goes. Too bad I have to wait for the next one to publish before I can keep going!

To Cage a Wild Bird by Brooke Fast - ★★⯪☆☆

I went into this book without much insight into what it was about. The beginning of the book felt kind of like The Hunger Games but it quickly distinguished itself as a unique work. The plot was intriguing but felt a little bit unrealistic. It seemed like it all came together very quickly but I guess that makes sense if you consider the build up that would have happened before the book started. The romance also felt forced and like it came out of nowhere. Overall, it was ok, but I'm not sure if I'll continue the series.

The Right Move by Liz Tomforde - ★★★★★

This has been one of my favorite reads so far this year! I love a fake dating relationship and this did not disappoint. The characters were well defined and loveable. The story blended the past and present of the characters' lives very well. The story showed the importance of deciding what is best for you in the long run and if what you want is worth giving up something important for.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott - ★★★★☆

This was a spectacular coming of age story. We watch as 4 girls deal with the hardships of life on their way to becoming women. The story teaches that in sickness and health, love is what matters most.

I listened to the full cast audiobook on Audible and it was amazing! The characters were well cast and the voice acting was phenomenal. I highly recommend you listen to the the full cast audiobook if you can.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Vol. 1: Cruelty by Koyoharu Gotouge - ★★★☆☆

My friend recommended this to me and I was very excited to read it. It was a good start, but some of the events in the books seemed a bit coincidental. The story follows a boy who lost his family to a demon. His little sister was turned into a demon, but appears to be the only demon who doesn't want to hurt people and wants to protect her brother. (I guess there is a first time for everything.)

The rest of the story was pretty good. I enjoyed that it takes place over time and he doesn't just become a demon slayer over night. I am looking forward to continuing the series as I know it is widely liked.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Vol. 2: It Was You by Koyoharu Gotouge - ★★★★☆

This was much better than the first volume and I really enjoyed how it introduced new pieces of the story that pulled me in as a reader. I am very intrigued to see what happens next!

Fire Force, Vol. 1 by Atsushi Ohkubo - ★★★★★

This was awesome and I can't believe I took so long to decide to start this series. It was an excellent introduction to the story and I can't wait to continue!

Fire Force Vol. 2 by Atsushi Ohkubo - ★★★⯪☆

This one was a bit of a disappointment after the first volume. The story is still interesting but it just felt like it changed a lot in this volume. I guess it's just getting into the actual crux of the story while the first volume was meant to be very flashy to pull readers in. Still, I am intrigued to see where the story goes.