January 2026 Reads

The Guy She was Interested in Wasn’t a Guy at All – Sumiko Arai

This series continues to be very very cute, and I love how we see Aya and Mitsuki’s friendship grow beyond the initial crush (however I anxiously await the kiss scene between the two, and I foolishly thought that it would take place in this volume). I also LOVE the rock and roll references throughout the Manga, listening to the music in the context of the story really helps draw me in! I can’t wait for the next volume!

Butch Heroes – Ria Brodell

I previously found a copy of Brogell’s More Butch Heroes at a local bookstore in Texas, and I asked the booksellers if they had a copy of the first one. They didn’t, so for my birthday I got myself my own copy of the first volume! Like with the first one, a lot of these stories throughout history were tragic, with people being executed or having to go from town to town because of who they loved or how they identified. It’s important to understand this part of queer history, and understand how far our community has come.

The Return of the Blues Brothers: The Escape of Joliet Jake – L. Pisano, S. Aykroyd, J. Werner, F. Sobreiro

Another birthday present for myself, and also the first book I finished in 2026! This book was an absolutely beautiful tribute to the characters of the original movie, while also paving the way for a new generation of Blues appreciation. One of my absolute favorite panels of the comic was the two main characters, NOT Jake and Elwood, but Robert, a disgraced cop, and Wolfie, an orphan from Jake and Elwood’s alma-mater St. Helen’s of the Blessed Shroud Orphanage, looking through a crypt. One of the characters shines a flashlight onto a grave (or whatever those are called when they’re specifically in a crypt) that reads “Big Mama Thornton.” It’s such a small tribute, but it goes to show that the writers and artists who worked on this book gave credit where credit was due. Thornton was the original singer behind “Hound Dog,” made famous by one Elvis Presley. 
And it would make sense that the writers would put a lot of care into this book–their parents either worked on the original movie or were involved in the expansion of the characters. Stella Aykroyd is the daughter of Dan Aykroyd, the original Elwood Blues, and Luke Pisano, the son of Judy Belushi-Pisano. Judy created The Blues Brothers Private, a tie-in book for the 1980 movie, and she made sure to keep her late husband John’s legacy alive, as well as taking care of the Blues Brothers characters after the movies. Sections in The Blues Brothers Private were referenced in the comic book.
All around, it was such a beautiful graphic novel. 

To The Moon And Back – Eliana Ramage

I think I’m still recovering from this book. Steph’s ambition and perseverance, as well as the love for her family and heritage, made my heart ache. I’m trying to think of more things to say about this book, but I’m not sure anything I can say can do it justice. Just read it, please.