Happy Q4, friends! The time of the year has arrived where we are not sure where this year went and the rest of the year will disappear out of nowhere. I have currently fallen out of audiobooks (this happens to me from time to time but this time might be more or less permanent?) and read only physical books last month, which is my favorite medium for reading anyways. Okay, here’s everything I read in September: FRANKENSTEIN by Mary Shelly Another AP Lit Book Club, this time picked by yours truly! It was my first time reading Frankenstein ever, and it was so much different than what I expected based…

Hi, friends! Here’s everything I read in August (a few days into September because I just got back from my first trip to Chicago!!): JADE LEGACY by Fonda Lee You know I am obsessed with Jade City series, and I am happy to report that Jade Legacy, the last book of the trilogy, did not disappoint! In each Jade City book, the Kaul family faces new challenges on another magnitude. Jade Legacy spans across several decades and the world beyond Kekon. The way Fonda Lee develops the story over the three books paints the earlier struggles smaller in retrospect but it really speaks to her ambition and ability in developing…

Happy end of July, friends! Here’s everything I read this month: BUTTERMILK GRAFFITI: A CHEF’S JOURNEY TO DISCOVER AMERICAN’S NEW MELTING-POT CUISINE by Edward Lee If you’re like me and obsessively watched Culinary Class Wars on Netflix, Edward Lee is the Korean American chef from the show. Naturally, I had to read his James Beard-winning food memoir Buttermilk Graffiti. I actually listened to the audiobook and wish I had read a physical book instead, both because the audiobook is not narrated by Edward Lee himself and I think I would’ve processed some of the essays better in a written format. Some of the chapters are based on his recent travels…

Hi, friends! I cannot believe we’re halfway through 2025 already (though I say this every year or even month, it feels). Recently, I’ve implemented hibernation weekends and a day off during the week (I used to do the latter organically/subconsciously in my 20s), and those have helped me prioritize rest and find balance, which have been a goal of mine for the last couple of years. Having said that, I’ve been reading more (still need to get my sleep schedule back on track and focus better in the mornings) and also more physical books, which I definitely romanticize over other formats. Anyways, I read a good number of books (for…

Happy June, friends! Here are the eight books I read in the month of June: GIOVANNI’S ROOM by James Baldwin It was about time I finally read a James Baldwin book (at the ripe age of 32)! I started with Giovanni’s Room since it seemed to be the most recommended book out of all of his writings (at least according to my TikTok algorithm). David is an American living in the 1950s Paris, and while his girlfriend Hella (also American) is in Spain contemplating their future together, David meets Giovanni through an acquaintance. David goes home with Giovanni, or rather to “Giovanni’s Room” which becomes a symbol for how David…