diff --git a/src/app/globals.css b/src/app/globals.css
index 651b7283..8ce10920 100644
--- a/src/app/globals.css
+++ b/src/app/globals.css
@@ -210,45 +210,63 @@ code, pre, .font-mono {
   }
 }
 
-/* Reading Mode page-flip transitions (3D book-style) */
+/* Reading Mode — two-phase book page turn */
 .page-flip-container {
-  perspective: 1200px;
+  perspective: 1500px;
 }
 
-@keyframes flip-out-forward {
-  0%   { transform: rotateY(0deg); opacity: 1; }
-  100% { transform: rotateY(-90deg); opacity: 0; }
+.page-flip-stack {
+  position: relative;
+  min-height: 100%;
 }
-@keyframes flip-out-backward {
-  0%   { transform: rotateY(0deg); opacity: 1; }
-  100% { transform: rotateY(90deg); opacity: 0; }
+
+.page-flip-page {
+  position: relative;
+  will-change: transform, opacity;
 }
-@keyframes flip-in-from-right {
-  0%   { transform: rotateY(90deg); opacity: 0; }
-  100% { transform: rotateY(0deg); opacity: 1; }
+
+/* Outgoing page stacks on top and flips away */
+.page-outgoing {
+  position: absolute;
+  inset: 0;
+  z-index: 2;
+  backface-visibility: hidden;
+  overflow: hidden;
 }
-@keyframes flip-in-from-left {
-  0%   { transform: rotateY(-90deg); opacity: 0; }
-  100% { transform: rotateY(0deg); opacity: 1; }
+
+/* Incoming page: subtle fade-in from underneath */
+.page-incoming {
+  animation: page-reveal 500ms ease-out;
 }
 
-/* Outgoing page: flips away */
-.page-flip-out-left {
-  transform-origin: left center;
-  animation: flip-out-forward 200ms ease-in forwards;
+@keyframes page-reveal {
+  0%   { opacity: 0.4; }
+  60%  { opacity: 0.8; }
+  100% { opacity: 1; }
 }
-.page-flip-out-right {
-  transform-origin: right center;
-  animation: flip-out-backward 200ms ease-in forwards;
+
+/* Next: outgoing page flips from right edge (like turning a book page forward) */
+@keyframes flip-out-forward {
+  0%   { transform: rotateY(0deg); box-shadow: -4px 0 16px rgba(0,0,0,0.1); }
+  40%  { box-shadow: -10px 0 30px rgba(0,0,0,0.2); }
+  100% { transform: rotateY(-120deg); box-shadow: none; }
+}
+
+/* Prev: outgoing page flips from left edge (like turning a book page backward) */
+@keyframes flip-out-backward {
+  0%   { transform: rotateY(0deg); box-shadow: 4px 0 16px rgba(0,0,0,0.1); }
+  40%  { box-shadow: 10px 0 30px rgba(0,0,0,0.2); }
+  100% { transform: rotateY(120deg); box-shadow: none; }
 }
-/* Incoming page: flips into view */
-.page-flip-in-left {
+
+.page-flip-out-left {
   transform-origin: left center;
-  animation: flip-in-from-right 200ms ease-out;
+  animation: flip-out-forward 500ms ease-in forwards;
 }
-.page-flip-in-right {
+
+.page-flip-out-right {
   transform-origin: right center;
-  animation: flip-in-from-left 200ms ease-out;
+  animation: flip-out-backward 500ms ease-in forwards;
 }
 
 /* Custom select dropdown styling */
diff --git a/src/components/ReadingMode.tsx b/src/components/ReadingMode.tsx
index f9a7ec91..31cc9d2b 100644
--- a/src/components/ReadingMode.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ReadingMode.tsx
@@ -28,14 +28,17 @@ export function ReadingMode({
   const [currentIdx, setCurrentIdx] = useState(initialChapterIndex);
   const [showToc, setShowToc] = useState(false);
   const [flipDir, setFlipDir] = useState<"left" | "right" | null>(null);
-  const [flipPhase, setFlipPhase] = useState<"out" | "in" | null>(null);
+  const [outgoingIdx, setOutgoingIdx] = useState<number | null>(null);
+  const [outgoingScroll, setOutgoingScroll] = useState(0);
   const contentRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+  const stackRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
   const touchStartX = useRef(0);
   const touchStartY = useRef(0);
   const flipping = useRef(false);
   const { isMiniApp } = usePlatformDetection();
 
   const chapter = chapters[currentIdx];
+  const outgoingChapter = outgoingIdx !== null ? chapters[outgoingIdx] : null;
   const hasPrev = currentIdx > 0;
   const hasNext = currentIdx < chapters.length - 1;
 
@@ -46,21 +49,28 @@ export function ReadingMode({
   const navigate = useCallback((idx: number, dir: "left" | "right" | null) => {
     if (flipping.current) return;
     flipping.current = true;
-    // Phase 1: flip out the current page
+    // Capture scroll offset so the outgoing page can render at its old position
+    const scrollOffset = contentRef.current?.scrollTop ?? 0;
+    setOutgoingScroll(scrollOffset);
+    // Freeze container height so layout is stable during the flip
+    if (stackRef.current) {
+      stackRef.current.style.minHeight = `${stackRef.current.offsetHeight}px`;
+    }
+    // Set outgoing, swap to incoming, and scroll to top immediately
+    setOutgoingIdx(currentIdx);
     setFlipDir(dir);
-    setFlipPhase("out");
+    setCurrentIdx(idx);
+    scrollToTop();
+    // After animation: unfreeze height, clean up
     setTimeout(() => {
-      // Phase 2: swap content and flip in the new page
-      setCurrentIdx(idx);
-      scrollToTop();
-      setFlipPhase("in");
-      setTimeout(() => {
-        setFlipDir(null);
-        setFlipPhase(null);
-        flipping.current = false;
-      }, 200);
-    }, 200);
-  }, [scrollToTop]);
+      if (stackRef.current) {
+        stackRef.current.style.minHeight = "";
+      }
+      setOutgoingIdx(null);
+      setFlipDir(null);
+      flipping.current = false;
+    }, 500);
+  }, [currentIdx, scrollToTop]);
 
   const goPrev = useCallback(() => {
     if (hasPrev) navigate(currentIdx - 1, "right");
@@ -139,17 +149,37 @@ export function ReadingMode({
           }
         }}
       >
-        <div className={`mx-auto max-w-[720px] px-6 py-8 sm:px-8 sm:py-12 ${
-          flipPhase === "out" && flipDir === "left" ? "page-flip-out-left"
-          : flipPhase === "out" && flipDir === "right" ? "page-flip-out-right"
-          : flipPhase === "in" && flipDir === "left" ? "page-flip-in-left"
-          : flipPhase === "in" && flipDir === "right" ? "page-flip-in-right"
-          : ""
-        }`}>
-          {chapter?.content ? (
-            <StoryContent content={chapter.content} />
-          ) : (
-            <p className="text-muted text-sm italic">Content unavailable</p>
+        <div ref={stackRef} className="page-flip-stack">
+          {/* Incoming page (underneath) */}
+          <div className={`page-flip-page ${outgoingIdx !== null ? "page-incoming" : ""}`}>
+            <div className="mx-auto max-w-[720px] px-6 py-8 sm:px-8 sm:py-12">
+              {chapter?.content ? (
+                <StoryContent content={chapter.content} />
+              ) : (
+                <p className="text-muted text-sm italic">Content unavailable</p>
+              )}
+            </div>
+          </div>
+
+          {/* Outgoing page (on top, flipping away at its old scroll offset) */}
+          {outgoingChapter && flipDir && (
+            <div
+              className={`page-flip-page page-outgoing ${
+                flipDir === "left" ? "page-flip-out-left" : "page-flip-out-right"
+              }`}
+              style={{
+                background: "var(--paper-bg, #F5F0E8)",
+                top: `-${outgoingScroll}px`,
+              }}
+            >
+              <div className="mx-auto max-w-[720px] px-6 py-8 sm:px-8 sm:py-12">
+                {outgoingChapter.content ? (
+                  <StoryContent content={outgoingChapter.content} />
+                ) : (
+                  <p className="text-muted text-sm italic">Content unavailable</p>
+                )}
+              </div>
+            </div>
           )}
         </div>
       </div>