MY MAY & JUNE READING WRAP-UP
Eiyo Fadneiras,
I believe it's time for me to share my May & June 2026 reading wrap-up. So here are the books I've read during May & June 2026...
#1 THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLES
AUTHOR: Hiro Arikawa
PUBLISHER: Doubleday
GENRE: Slice-of-Life
LANGUAGE: English
PAGES: 247 pages
THE STORY
The story follows an adventurous stray cat. While on his adventure in the streets of Tokyo, the cat was unexpectedly hit by a car. He was badly injured. A young man named Satoru found the cat. Satoru rescued the cat and nursed it back to health.
As the cat got healthy again, it tried to leave Satoru's apartment. But Satoru did not allow the cat to leave. He asked the cat to be his friend and pet. The cat agreed. Satoru named it Nana. At first, the cat felt strange with the name. Nana sounds like a girl's name. The cat is a boy. But the cat accepted it. At least, he has a name. Nana, it is ^_^
Five years pass by. Satoru and Nana have a good life together. They have built a heartwarming bond together. One day, Satoru takes Nana to four different places in Japan. During the road trip, they meet four different people. Nana feels strange that Satoru asks all the people if they can be Nana's new owner.
New owner for Nana? Hey... what's going on? When they reach Satoru's aunt's house, his secret is revealed. And it's not a good one...
MY REVIEW
The Travelling Cat Chronicles (TTCC) is now listed as one of my all-time favorite books. It's one of the best books I've read this year. I know it's too early for me to say this, but this book is definitely going to be listed in my Top 10 Fiction Books of 2026 list. Hehehe ^_^
TTCC is a heartwarming story about unconditional love between a human and a cat. Satoru and Nana are miracles to each other. Their bond is unbreakable and for eternity. Even though they got separated in two different realms, their bond remains. Nana loves Satoru forever. He will always be Satoru's cat. I really like the bittersweet ending and the way the author portrays unconditional love.
I like that Hiro Arikawa writes this story using the POV of a cat. It makes me able to walk in a cat's paws. It makes the story so beautiful to read. But Nana is a very witty cat. Hehehe ^_^
Overall, I'm giving TTCC a 10/10. It's a very beautiful book indeed. I highly recommend it to fellow bookworms, cat lovers, and cat owners. TTCC will make you realise that all cats are more than their cuteness ^_^
#2 THE KAYANGAN HAZEL
AUTHOR: Elvroseth
PUBLISHER: Suara Hati
GENRE: New Adult Romance + Psychological Horror
LANGUAGE: Bahasa Malaysia
PAGES: 853 pages
THE STORY
The story follows the students of Kolej Alam Cahaya. Raja Leonard Iskandar (Leo) is the king of the elite school. He is handsome yet cold-hearted. Tuan Amaya Cinta (Amaya) is the unlucky girl of Kolej Alam Cahaya. Everyone in school calls Amaya the Princess Frog just because they see her as an unattractive girl. Yes, they bullied her badly. Amaya also has a stammering problem.
But Leo doesn't bully Amaya. He protects her instead. Everyone in Alam Cahaya thinks Leo is into Amaya. But Leo keeps giving Amaya mixed signals. Sometimes he is sweet to her. Sometimes he is mean to her. Having Amaya by his side makes Leo feels presured. He conducts something terribly unforgivable. It ruins Amaya. Amaya leaves Alam Cahaya and Leo's life.
10 years later, Amaya returns. But she's no longer the same stammering girl. And Leo wishes to win Amaya back. Will he succeed? Will Amaya forgive Leo?
THE REVIEW
I have to admit that The Kayangan Hazel (TKH) is the most brutal romance novel I've ever read. It gives me the feeling of riding a rollercoaster that looses it's control. However, I'm glad that I finished reading it. Whew! I survive the brutal rollercoaster ride.
The story is told by using Amaya's POV. The author writes the story with strong expression. It makes me able to feel Amaya. At the beginning of the story, Amaya is portrayed as a girl with very low self-esteem. This part is a huge clap for the author. Kudos, Elvroseth! But most incidents that happen in the story don't make sense to me.
Leo is a book heartthrob that I will never have a crush on. What he did to Amaya back in high school is totally unforgivable. Plus, it's bad that he stops Amaya from working on her dreams of becoming a doctor and prevents her from meeting her mother. Amaya's mother was on her deathbed at that time.
I also feel that Leo and Amaya's relationship is fake. They are only good with each other during sexual intimacy. Other than that, they only quarrel with each other about their past. There are no scenes of them chatting and geeking out about the things they like. Plus, I don't feel there's chemistry between them.
Overall, I rate this novel 6/10. Even though I don't enjoy this novel, I'm still recommending it to those who want to try it. Don't let my review influence you, guys. Last but not least, I want to congratulate myself for reading the novel till the end. Good job, Fadima. Hehehe ^_^
#3 DEAR JOHN
AUTHOR: Nicholas Sparks
PUBLISHER: Grand Central Publishing
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
LANGUAGE: English
PAGES: 335 pages
THE STORY
John Tyree, an angry rebel, doesn't know what to do in life. So he enlisted in the army right after high school. Then, during a furlough, he meets a lovely college student named Savannah. John likes everything about Savannah Lynn Curtis. Their attraction is mutual and quickly grows into a romantic relationship.
Savannah knows John's duty in the army. She vows to wait for John to finish his tour of duty. But along comes 9/11. Their connection is strongly tested. Like so many proud men, John must choose between love and his country.
When John returns to North Carolina, he discovers how love can transform him in ways he can't imagine...
MY REVIEW
Dear John is another beautiful romance novel by Nicholas Sparks. Wow! This man never fails to deliver beautiful stories. I cried in the middle of the story. And I cried towards the end as well.
Dear John is a story about true love. Yes, Nicholas Sparks also delivers beautiful moral messages about true love in this beautiful love story. True love is unconditional and sincere. It's not possession. True love means you care for another person's happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choice is. And the choice might also not include you.
Reading Dear John also teaches me to surrender to Allah SWT's plan. No matter how good your plan is, Allah SWT will always be the best planner. Not all connections you make are here to accompany you. Some are here to teach you a valuable life lesson and change you. That's what happened to John when Savannah entered his life. From a hot-headed young man, John becomes gentle and a loving person. That's beautiful. I like that this story moves at a fast pace. Nicholas Sparks's writing is also sharp and precise. It makes me able to feel the characters so well.
Overall, I'm giving Dear John a 10/10. I love the story so much. It's now one of my all-time favorite reads. I highly recommend my friends to read Dear John. It's a novel you must not miss.
#5 THE ACCIDENTAL MALAY
AUTHOR: Karina Robles Bahrin
PUBLISHER: Epigram Books
GENRE: Social Satire
LANGUAGE: English
PAGES: 217 pages
THE STORY
The story follows a Chinese-Malaysian heiress named Jasmine Leong. Jasmine is about to be crowned as the CEO of Phoenix, her family's billion-ringgit bak kwa business. Jasmine is so excited to achieve her dreams.
But after her grandmother passed away, Jasmine found out that she is actually a Malay-Muslim. Her late father reverted to Islam after falling in love with a Malay woman. Jasmine's new identity threatens to upend her life and ambitions. Is Jasmine willing to accept the fate history has designated for her?
MY REVIEW
Dear Karina Robles Bahrin, I'm going to be honest here, and you may not like my review. So, I apologize in advance. Sorry.
Firstly, this story has an interesting plot. Reading the blurb intrigued me to read the book. Jasmine Leong is actually a Malay-Muslim. That piques my curiosity. Kudos! The author has a good idea.
But halfway through the story, I felt disappointed. There are so many racial issues being pointed out. It makes the story disturbing and draggy. Plus, I don't like the way the author portrays Malay and Muslim people. However, I don't want to discuss that now.
Overall, I'm giving this book a 7/10. Although I don't enjoy The Accidental Malay, I still want to recommend it to my blog readers and fellow bookworms. Guys, please don't be influenced by my review. Who knows... this book might be your cup of tea ^_^
#5 PENGANTIN BUAT NELAYAN
AUTHOR: Maisarah
PUBLISHER: Creative Exclusive Publication
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
LANGUAGE: Bahasa Malaysia
PAGES: 490 pages
THE STORY
Mellisa Dayana and Athif Najmi are from two different worlds. Mellisa is an actress and a rising star of the Malaysian entertainment industry. Athif Najmi is an ordinary fisherman. One day... fate brings them together...
Mellisa is accused of having a bad scandal. She lost everything that she had built. Athif saved her. They get married. Mellisa is not happy during their early days together. She quarrels and argues with Athif a lot. Everything is a huge shock for Mellisa. This is not the life she had been dreaming of. But Athif is always cool and patient. Athif's coolness makes Mellisa falls for him.
But their union still faces obstacles. Mellisa's ex-fiancé returns to the scene to win her back. Mellisa's evil aunt, Azura, still wants to hunt her. Azura just can't see Mellisa happy. Is this fairytale going to last forever?
MY REVIEW
Firstly, I describe Pengantin Buat Nelayan (PBN) as a Malaysian version of Notting Hill. It's a heartwarming romance story about a celebrity and an ordinary boy. And I would like to congratulate the author for coming up with a brilliant and unique idea. A fisherman as a male lead. Wow! That's cool!
I like the way the author writes Athif Najmi's character. He is an adorable and swoon-worthy book heartthrob. Athif is cool, patient, gentle, kind-hearted, and responsible. I like the way he treats his mother and younger sister. Athif is also proof that a hero does not need to be an extremely rich businessman and drive a luxurious sports car. He just needs to be a good man with vision.
I like the character development in Mellisa Dayana. She begins as a bratty diva. But as the plot evolves, Mellisa grows into a matured kind-hearted woman. Her true, authentic self. There are a lot of good moral values shared in this story. PBN is an eye-opener novel for me. It makes me see fishermen differently. As humans, we must never look down on fishermen. Fishermen are important people. Without them, we won't eat good fish.
I love this novel a lot. The writing style is also very chic and enjoyable. Overall, I'm giving PBN a 10/10. Congratulations, Maisarah! PBN is a very lovely romance novel to read. I highly recommend my fellow bookworms who are into the romance genre to check it out. Trust me, you are going to love PBN and have a crush on Athif Najmi. Auuuuwww!!!!!! <3 <3 <3
Okay, so these are the books I've read during May and June 2026. Thank you for reading my wrap-up. Keep up the reading spirit, guys. See you in my next post ^_^
XoXo,
Fadima Mooneira ^_^
(Authorpreneur, Novelist, Blogger, Illustrator & Crafter)
#MyMayAndJune2026ReadingWrapUp #BookReviews #TheTravellingCatChronicles #HiroArikawa #TheKayanganHazel #Elvroseth #DearJohn #NicholasSparks #TheAccidentalMalay #KarinaRoblesBahrin #PengantinBuatNelayan #Maisarah #ContemporaryRomance #NewAdultRomance #SliceOfLife #SocialSatire #FadimaMooneirasLibrary #Edutainment #FadimaMooneiraDotCom
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