yep it works

src/activities/home/HomeActivity.cpp

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <SDCardManager.h>
 #include <Xtc.h>
 
+#include <algorithm>
 #include <cstring>
 #include <vector>
 
@@ -218,12 +219,32 @@ void HomeActivity::render() {
 
   constexpr int margin = 20;
   constexpr int bottomMargin = 60;
-
-  // --- Top "book" card for the current title (selectorIndex == 0) ---
-  const int bookWidth = pageWidth / 2;
-  const int bookHeight = pageHeight / 2;
-  const int bookX = (pageWidth - bookWidth) / 2;
   constexpr int bookY = 30;
+  constexpr int elementSpacing = 15;
+
+  // --- Calculate layout from bottom up ---
+
+  // Build menu items dynamically (need count for layout calculation)
+  std::vector<const char*> menuItems = {"My Library", "File Transfer", "Settings"};
+  if (hasOpdsUrl) {
+    menuItems.insert(menuItems.begin() + 1, "Calibre Library");
+  }
+
+  const int menuTileWidth = pageWidth - 2 * margin;
+  constexpr int menuTileHeight = 45;
+  constexpr int menuSpacing = 8;
+  const int totalMenuHeight =
+      static_cast<int>(menuItems.size()) * menuTileHeight + (static_cast<int>(menuItems.size()) - 1) * menuSpacing;
+
+  // Anchor menu to bottom of screen
+  const int menuStartY = pageHeight - bottomMargin - totalMenuHeight - margin;
+
+  // Calculate book card dimensions - larger, filling available space
+  const int bookWidth = pageWidth - 2 * margin;
+  // Card extends to just above menu
+  const int bookCardBottomY = menuStartY - elementSpacing;
+  const int bookHeight = bookCardBottomY - bookY;
+  const int bookX = margin;
   const bool bookSelected = hasContinueReading && selectorIndex == 0;
 
   // Bookmark dimensions (used in multiple places)
@@ -242,27 +263,26 @@ void HomeActivity::render() {
       if (SdMan.openFileForRead("HOME", coverBmpPath, file)) {
         Bitmap bitmap(file);
         if (bitmap.parseHeaders() == BmpReaderError::Ok) {
-          // Calculate position to center image within the book card
+          // Add padding around the cover image so it doesn't touch the frame
-          int coverX, coverY;
+          constexpr int coverPadding = 10;
+          const int availableWidth = bookWidth - 2 * coverPadding;
+          const int availableHeight = bookHeight - 2 * coverPadding;
 
-          if (bitmap.getWidth() > bookWidth || bitmap.getHeight() > bookHeight) {
+          // Calculate scale to fit image within padded area while maintaining aspect ratio
-            const float imgRatio = static_cast<float>(bitmap.getWidth()) / static_cast<float>(bitmap.getHeight());
+          const float scaleX = static_cast<float>(availableWidth) / static_cast<float>(bitmap.getWidth());
-            const float boxRatio = static_cast<float>(bookWidth) / static_cast<float>(bookHeight);
+          const float scaleY = static_cast<float>(availableHeight) / static_cast<float>(bitmap.getHeight());
+          const float scale = std::min(scaleX, scaleY);
 
-            if (imgRatio > boxRatio) {
+          // Calculate actual scaled dimensions
-              coverX = bookX;
+          const int scaledWidth = static_cast<int>(bitmap.getWidth() * scale);
-              coverY = bookY + (bookHeight - static_cast<int>(bookWidth / imgRatio)) / 2;
+          const int scaledHeight = static_cast<int>(bitmap.getHeight() * scale);
-            } else {
+
-              coverX = bookX + (bookWidth - static_cast<int>(bookHeight * imgRatio)) / 2;
+          // Center the scaled image within the book card (accounting for padding)
-              coverY = bookY;
+          const int coverX = bookX + (bookWidth - scaledWidth) / 2;
-            }
+          const int coverY = bookY + (bookHeight - scaledHeight) / 2;
-          } else {
-            coverX = bookX + (bookWidth - bitmap.getWidth()) / 2;
-            coverY = bookY + (bookHeight - bitmap.getHeight()) / 2;
-          }
 
           // Draw the cover image centered within the book card
-          renderer.drawBitmap(bitmap, coverX, coverY, bookWidth, bookHeight);
+          renderer.drawBitmap(bitmap, coverX, coverY, scaledWidth, scaledHeight);
 
           // Draw border around the card
           renderer.drawRect(bookX, bookY, bookWidth, bookHeight);
@@ -325,9 +345,66 @@ void HomeActivity::render() {
   }
 
   if (hasContinueReading) {
-    // Invert text colors based on selection state:
+    if (coverRendered) {
-    // - With cover: selected = white text on black box, unselected = black text on white box
+      // --- Cover image present: draw combined label at the bottom of the card ---
-    // - Without cover: selected = white text on black card, unselected = black text on white card
+      // Box contains: "Continue Reading" (larger) and "Title - Author" (smaller)
+
+      const char* continueText = "Continue Reading";
+      constexpr int boxPadding = 8;
+      constexpr int lineSpacing = 2;
+
+      // Build subtitle: "Title - Author" or just "Title"
+      std::string subtitle = lastBookTitle;
+      if (!lastBookAuthor.empty()) {
+        subtitle += " - " + lastBookAuthor;
+      }
+
+      // Calculate box dimensions based on both lines
+      const int continueTextWidth = renderer.getTextWidth(UI_10_FONT_ID, continueText);
+      const int continueLineHeight = renderer.getLineHeight(UI_10_FONT_ID);
+      const int subtitleLineHeight = renderer.getLineHeight(SMALL_FONT_ID);
+
+      // Truncate subtitle to fit within card (with padding)
+      const int maxSubtitleWidth = bookWidth - 2 * boxPadding - 20;  // Extra margin for aesthetics
+      bool wasTrimmed = false;
+      while (renderer.getTextWidth(SMALL_FONT_ID, subtitle.c_str()) > maxSubtitleWidth && !subtitle.empty()) {
+        StringUtils::utf8RemoveLastChar(subtitle);
+        wasTrimmed = true;
+      }
+      if (wasTrimmed && !subtitle.empty()) {
+        // Make room for ellipsis
+        while (renderer.getTextWidth(SMALL_FONT_ID, (subtitle + "...").c_str()) > maxSubtitleWidth &&
+               !subtitle.empty()) {
+          StringUtils::utf8RemoveLastChar(subtitle);
+        }
+        subtitle.append("...");
+      }
+
+      const int subtitleTextWidth = renderer.getTextWidth(SMALL_FONT_ID, subtitle.c_str());
+
+      // Box width is the wider of the two lines plus padding
+      const int boxContentWidth = std::max(continueTextWidth, subtitleTextWidth);
+      const int boxWidth = boxContentWidth + boxPadding * 2;
+      const int boxHeight = continueLineHeight + lineSpacing + subtitleLineHeight + boxPadding * 2;
+
+      // Position box at the bottom of the card, centered
+      const int boxX = (pageWidth - boxWidth) / 2;
+      const int boxY = bookY + bookHeight - boxHeight - boxPadding;
+
+      // Draw box background and border
+      renderer.fillRect(boxX, boxY, boxWidth, boxHeight, bookSelected);
+      renderer.drawRect(boxX, boxY, boxWidth, boxHeight, !bookSelected);
+
+      // Draw "Continue Reading" line
+      const int continueY = boxY + boxPadding;
+      renderer.drawCenteredText(UI_10_FONT_ID, continueY, continueText, !bookSelected);
+
+      // Draw "Title - Author" line below
+      const int subtitleY = continueY + continueLineHeight + lineSpacing;
+      renderer.drawCenteredText(SMALL_FONT_ID, subtitleY, subtitle.c_str(), !bookSelected);
+    } else {
+      // --- No cover image: draw title/author inside the card (existing behavior) ---
+      // Invert text colors based on selection state
 
       // Split into words (avoid stringstream to keep this light on the MCU)
       std::vector<std::string> words;
@@ -360,7 +437,8 @@ void HomeActivity::render() {
           // Still have words left, so add ellipsis to last line
           lines.back().append("...");
 
-        while (!lines.back().empty() && renderer.getTextWidth(UI_12_FONT_ID, lines.back().c_str()) > maxLineWidth) {
+          while (!lines.back().empty() &&
+                 renderer.getTextWidth(UI_12_FONT_ID, lines.back().c_str()) > maxLineWidth) {
             // Remove "..." first, then remove one UTF-8 char, then add "..." back
             lines.back().resize(lines.back().size() - 3);  // Remove "..."
             StringUtils::utf8RemoveLastChar(lines.back());
@@ -411,43 +489,6 @@ void HomeActivity::render() {
       // Vertically center the title block within the card
       int titleYStart = bookY + (bookHeight - totalTextHeight) / 2;
 
-    // If cover image was rendered, draw box behind title and author
-    if (coverRendered) {
-      constexpr int boxPadding = 8;
-      // Calculate the max text width for the box
-      int maxTextWidth = 0;
-      for (const auto& line : lines) {
-        const int lineWidth = renderer.getTextWidth(UI_12_FONT_ID, line.c_str());
-        if (lineWidth > maxTextWidth) {
-          maxTextWidth = lineWidth;
-        }
-      }
-      if (!lastBookAuthor.empty()) {
-        std::string trimmedAuthor = lastBookAuthor;
-        while (renderer.getTextWidth(UI_10_FONT_ID, trimmedAuthor.c_str()) > maxLineWidth && !trimmedAuthor.empty()) {
-          StringUtils::utf8RemoveLastChar(trimmedAuthor);
-        }
-        if (renderer.getTextWidth(UI_10_FONT_ID, trimmedAuthor.c_str()) <
-            renderer.getTextWidth(UI_10_FONT_ID, lastBookAuthor.c_str())) {
-          trimmedAuthor.append("...");
-        }
-        const int authorWidth = renderer.getTextWidth(UI_10_FONT_ID, trimmedAuthor.c_str());
-        if (authorWidth > maxTextWidth) {
-          maxTextWidth = authorWidth;
-        }
-      }
-
-      const int boxWidth = maxTextWidth + boxPadding * 2;
-      const int boxHeight = totalTextHeight + boxPadding * 2;
-      const int boxX = (pageWidth - boxWidth) / 2;
-      const int boxY = titleYStart - boxPadding;
-
-      // Draw box (inverted when selected: black box instead of white)
-      renderer.fillRect(boxX, boxY, boxWidth, boxHeight, bookSelected);
-      // Draw border around the box (inverted when selected: white border instead of black)
-      renderer.drawRect(boxX, boxY, boxWidth, boxHeight, !bookSelected);
-    }
-
       for (const auto& line : lines) {
         renderer.drawCenteredText(UI_12_FONT_ID, titleYStart, line.c_str(), !bookSelected);
         titleYStart += renderer.getLineHeight(UI_12_FONT_ID);
@@ -473,21 +514,8 @@ void HomeActivity::render() {
         renderer.drawCenteredText(UI_10_FONT_ID, titleYStart, trimmedAuthor.c_str(), !bookSelected);
       }
 
-    // "Continue Reading" label at the bottom
+      // "Continue Reading" label at the bottom of card (only when no cover)
       const int continueY = bookY + bookHeight - renderer.getLineHeight(UI_10_FONT_ID) * 3 / 2;
-    if (coverRendered) {
-      // Draw box behind "Continue Reading" text (inverted when selected: black box instead of white)
-      const char* continueText = "Continue Reading";
-      const int continueTextWidth = renderer.getTextWidth(UI_10_FONT_ID, continueText);
-      constexpr int continuePadding = 6;
-      const int continueBoxWidth = continueTextWidth + continuePadding * 2;
-      const int continueBoxHeight = renderer.getLineHeight(UI_10_FONT_ID) + continuePadding;
-      const int continueBoxX = (pageWidth - continueBoxWidth) / 2;
-      const int continueBoxY = continueY - continuePadding / 2;
-      renderer.fillRect(continueBoxX, continueBoxY, continueBoxWidth, continueBoxHeight, bookSelected);
-      renderer.drawRect(continueBoxX, continueBoxY, continueBoxWidth, continueBoxHeight, !bookSelected);
-      renderer.drawCenteredText(UI_10_FONT_ID, continueY, continueText, !bookSelected);
-    } else {
       renderer.drawCenteredText(UI_10_FONT_ID, continueY, "Continue Reading", !bookSelected);
     }
   } else {
@@ -498,27 +526,7 @@ void HomeActivity::render() {
     renderer.drawCenteredText(UI_10_FONT_ID, y + renderer.getLineHeight(UI_12_FONT_ID), "Start reading below");
   }
 
-  // --- Bottom menu tiles ---
+  // --- Bottom menu tiles (anchored to bottom) ---
-  // Build menu items dynamically
-  std::vector<const char*> menuItems = {"My Library", "File Transfer", "Settings"};
-  if (hasOpdsUrl) {
-    // Insert Calibre Library after My Library
-    menuItems.insert(menuItems.begin() + 1, "Calibre Library");
-  }
-
-  const int menuTileWidth = pageWidth - 2 * margin;
-  constexpr int menuTileHeight = 45;
-  constexpr int menuSpacing = 8;
-  const int totalMenuHeight =
-      static_cast<int>(menuItems.size()) * menuTileHeight + (static_cast<int>(menuItems.size()) - 1) * menuSpacing;
-
-  int menuStartY = bookY + bookHeight + 15;
-  // Ensure we don't collide with the bottom button legend
-  const int maxMenuStartY = pageHeight - bottomMargin - totalMenuHeight - margin;
-  if (menuStartY > maxMenuStartY) {
-    menuStartY = maxMenuStartY;
-  }
-
   for (size_t i = 0; i < menuItems.size(); ++i) {
     const int overallIndex = static_cast<int>(i) + (hasContinueReading ? 1 : 0);
     constexpr int tileX = margin;