Monthly Rewind: July 2025

L I F E

A bit late for this month, partially because I’ve been sick the last week or so! But I’m slowly feeling human again. 😅I had a fun month at work in July as Penguin Random House was celebrating its 90th anniversary! The entire year so far has been filled with numerous events for the occasion, but as July 30th was its official date, a lot was happening at work! I volunteered for the ‘Nothing Like A Book‘ event, which was held at the Truman Brewery on July 19th and 20th, 2025. I volunteered on the 19th at the Book Nook, giving out free books to anyone who stopped by. When I initially volunteered, I wasn’t expecting to be given such a front-facing role. The introvert in me was actually dying the entire time. 😅 But it was so lovely meeting everyone who came by the stall!

I know there isn’t much of an overlap between my audience here and on Twitch but I do like giving updates here when I can. I now officially have a new model that will be used for streams from now onwards. I commissioned a lovely artist called artsy_vii who creates these adorable pixel png models! I’ve been waiting since early this year for their commission list to open up so I could have a new model of my OC, Nara. I will miss the models I created myself but I’ve been wanted a new model for consistency for a while now and I love what I got from Vii!!!

B O O K S

In July, I read 6 books!

For transparency, books marked with an asterisk (*) signify books I received through work at PRH.

Everything Is Tuberculosis*

Another day to be furious at the pharmaceutical industry. John Green has always made content that is accessible and informative to anyone who is new to a topic. A perfect non-fiction book for people who don’t read non-fiction. It covers a lot of ground and very easy to read. Don’t come into this book expecting an authoritative perspective of an expert, but rather a man reflecting and telling a human story that highlights the fight against one of the world’s most infectious diseases.

Bad Diaspora Poems*

An interesting experimental poetry collection which focuses on race, migration and diaspora. I’m not a poetry girl at all, but I loved how the poems were arranged like a historical record!

My Instructor Won’t Yield

A popular driving instructor finds his match when he’s paired up to teach the mysterious Yaotome, whose secret might just question everything he knows about the “sharp-suited prince”. I loooooved this! It was SO sweet and adorable! I am upset this is only a one-shot! I would’ve loved to have more chapters about Chiba and Yaotome!

I Wanna Be Your Girl*

When Hime’s best friend, Akira, comes out as trans – she makes it her mission to protect Akira from the attention of their school mates when Akira decides to wear the girls uniform at school. I remember reading this manga ages ago on … very legal sites (I swear) and it’s such a wholesome story! Super excited to see it published in English under Penguin! (Fun fact: I actually assigned the ISBNs for this title! Such a wild moment now that I’ve been at Penguin for over a year and seeing stuff I helped work on be actual published stuff now??)

A Hex for Hunger

I thought I was pretty set on The Emperor of Gladness being my top book of 2025 but then along came A Hex for Hunger and I fear this book will become my personality for the foreseeable future. A trans guard returns from the dead and is forced to become a guard to the necromancer who resurrected him. How could I not want to read this?

Sorry to everyone who watches my streams, I’m pretty sure I’ve not stopped mentioning this ever since I read it. I met Alistair Reeves last year at MCM Comic Con where I got my copy of A Spell for Heartsickness (one of my favourite books of 2024 OF COURSE) signed and I remember telling him I was super excited to read A Hex for Hunger! I can’t believe how much time has flown and it’s already out? READ IT NOW.

This Book Made Me Think of You*

Five months after the death of her husband, Joe, Tilly discovers that her husband has left her with one last gift. Twelve books to be delivered to her, one for each month, to help her process her first year without him.

I discovered this book at work when the different divisions were recommending upcoming releases to read and I knew this one will be devastating just from the title alone. And it was. Tilly is a better woman than me because I would’ve simply perished too if I discovered those books.

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That’s it for this month! Tell me what went on in YOUR life this month! What sort of things was important for you this month? New obsessions? New TV shows? Or book? Any new song recs (I’m always open to new music!)? Best books you read this month?