diff --git a/lib/Epub/Epub/EpubHtmlParserSlim.cpp b/lib/Epub/Epub/EpubHtmlParserSlim.cpp
index 420e8a8..9d7ef52 100644
--- a/lib/Epub/Epub/EpubHtmlParserSlim.cpp
+++ b/lib/Epub/Epub/EpubHtmlParserSlim.cpp
@@ -117,13 +117,21 @@ void XMLCALL EpubHtmlParserSlim::characterData(void* userData, const XML_Char* s
     return;
   }
 
+  EpdFontStyle fontStyle = REGULAR;
+  if (self->boldUntilDepth < self->depth && self->italicUntilDepth < self->depth) {
+    fontStyle = BOLD_ITALIC;
+  } else if (self->boldUntilDepth < self->depth) {
+    fontStyle = BOLD;
+  } else if (self->italicUntilDepth < self->depth) {
+    fontStyle = ITALIC;
+  }
+
   for (int i = 0; i < len; i++) {
     if (isWhitespace(s[i])) {
       // Currently looking at whitespace, if there's anything in the partWordBuffer, flush it
       if (self->partWordBufferIndex > 0) {
         self->partWordBuffer[self->partWordBufferIndex] = '\0';
-        self->currentTextBlock->addWord(std::move(replaceHtmlEntities(self->partWordBuffer)),
-                                        self->boldUntilDepth < self->depth, self->italicUntilDepth < self->depth);
+        self->currentTextBlock->addWord(std::move(replaceHtmlEntities(self->partWordBuffer)), fontStyle);
         self->partWordBufferIndex = 0;
       }
       // Skip the whitespace char
@@ -133,8 +141,7 @@ void XMLCALL EpubHtmlParserSlim::characterData(void* userData, const XML_Char* s
     // If we're about to run out of space, then cut the word off and start a new one
     if (self->partWordBufferIndex >= MAX_WORD_SIZE) {
       self->partWordBuffer[self->partWordBufferIndex] = '\0';
-      self->currentTextBlock->addWord(std::move(replaceHtmlEntities(self->partWordBuffer)),
-                                      self->boldUntilDepth < self->depth, self->italicUntilDepth < self->depth);
+      self->currentTextBlock->addWord(std::move(replaceHtmlEntities(self->partWordBuffer)), fontStyle);
       self->partWordBufferIndex = 0;
     }
 
@@ -156,9 +163,17 @@ void XMLCALL EpubHtmlParserSlim::endElement(void* userData, const XML_Char* name
         matches(name, BOLD_TAGS, NUM_BOLD_TAGS) || matches(name, ITALIC_TAGS, NUM_ITALIC_TAGS) || self->depth == 1;
 
     if (shouldBreakText) {
+      EpdFontStyle fontStyle = REGULAR;
+      if (self->boldUntilDepth < self->depth && self->italicUntilDepth < self->depth) {
+        fontStyle = BOLD_ITALIC;
+      } else if (self->boldUntilDepth < self->depth) {
+        fontStyle = BOLD;
+      } else if (self->italicUntilDepth < self->depth) {
+        fontStyle = ITALIC;
+      }
+
       self->partWordBuffer[self->partWordBufferIndex] = '\0';
-      self->currentTextBlock->addWord(std::move(replaceHtmlEntities(self->partWordBuffer)),
-                                      self->boldUntilDepth < self->depth, self->italicUntilDepth < self->depth);
+      self->currentTextBlock->addWord(std::move(replaceHtmlEntities(self->partWordBuffer)), fontStyle);
       self->partWordBufferIndex = 0;
     }
   }
@@ -263,7 +278,7 @@ void EpubHtmlParserSlim::makePages() {
   // Long running task, make sure to let other things happen
   vTaskDelay(1);
 
-  const auto lines = currentTextBlock->splitIntoLines(renderer, fontId, marginLeft + marginRight);
+  const auto lines = currentTextBlock->layoutAndExtractLines(renderer, fontId, marginLeft + marginRight);
 
   for (auto&& line : lines) {
     if (currentPageNextY + lineHeight > pageHeight) {
diff --git a/lib/Epub/Epub/ParsedText.cpp b/lib/Epub/Epub/ParsedText.cpp
index f8d9b9b..8e050a5 100644
--- a/lib/Epub/Epub/ParsedText.cpp
+++ b/lib/Epub/Epub/ParsedText.cpp
@@ -1,144 +1,137 @@
 #include "ParsedText.h"
 
 #include <GfxRenderer.h>
-#include <Serialization.h>
 
+#include <algorithm>
+#include <cmath>
+#include <limits>
 #include <vector>
 
-void ParsedText::addWord(std::string word, const bool is_bold, const bool is_italic) {
-  if (word.length() == 0) return;
+constexpr int MAX_COST = std::numeric_limits<int>::max();
+
+void ParsedText::addWord(std::string word, const EpdFontStyle fontStyle) {
+  if (word.empty()) return;
 
   words.push_back(std::move(word));
-  wordStyles.push_back((is_bold ? TextBlock::BOLD_SPAN : 0) | (is_italic ? TextBlock::ITALIC_SPAN : 0));
+  wordStyles.push_back(fontStyle);
 }
 
-// Consumes data
-std::list<std::shared_ptr<TextBlock>> ParsedText::splitIntoLines(const GfxRenderer& renderer, const int fontId,
-                                                                 const int horizontalMargin) {
-  const int totalWordCount = words.size();
-  const int pageWidth = GfxRenderer::getScreenWidth() - horizontalMargin;
+// Consumes data to minimize memory usage
+std::list<std::shared_ptr<TextBlock>> ParsedText::layoutAndExtractLines(const GfxRenderer& renderer, const int fontId,
+                                                                        const int horizontalMargin) {
+  if (words.empty()) {
+    return {};
+  }
+
+  const size_t totalWordCount = words.size();
+  const int pageWidth = renderer.getScreenWidth() - horizontalMargin;
   const int spaceWidth = renderer.getSpaceWidth(fontId);
 
-  // measure each word
   std::vector<uint16_t> wordWidths;
-  {
-    auto wordsIt = words.begin();
-    auto wordStylesIt = wordStyles.begin();
-    while (wordsIt != words.end() && wordStylesIt != wordStyles.end()) {
-      // measure the word
-      EpdFontStyle fontStyle = REGULAR;
-      if (*wordStylesIt & TextBlock::BOLD_SPAN) {
-        if (*wordStylesIt & TextBlock::ITALIC_SPAN) {
-          fontStyle = BOLD_ITALIC;
-        } else {
-          fontStyle = BOLD;
-        }
-      } else if (*wordStylesIt & TextBlock::ITALIC_SPAN) {
-        fontStyle = ITALIC;
-      }
-      const int width = renderer.getTextWidth(fontId, wordsIt->c_str(), fontStyle);
-      wordWidths.push_back(width);
-      std::advance(wordsIt, 1);
-      std::advance(wordStylesIt, 1);
-    }
+  wordWidths.reserve(totalWordCount);
+
+  auto wordsIt = words.begin();
+  auto wordStylesIt = wordStyles.begin();
+
+  while (wordsIt != words.end()) {
+    wordWidths.push_back(renderer.getTextWidth(fontId, wordsIt->c_str(), *wordStylesIt));
+
+    std::advance(wordsIt, 1);
+    std::advance(wordStylesIt, 1);
   }
 
-  // Array in which ans[i] store index of last word in line starting with word
-  // word[i]
-  size_t ans[totalWordCount];
-  {
-    // now apply the dynamic programming algorithm to find the best line breaks
-    // DP table in which dp[i] represents cost of line starting with word words[i]
-    int dp[totalWordCount];
+  // DP table to store the minimum badness (cost) of lines starting at index i
+  std::vector<int> dp(totalWordCount);
+  // 'ans[i]' stores the index 'j' of the *last word* in the optimal line starting at 'i'
+  std::vector<size_t> ans(totalWordCount);
 
-    // If only one word is present then only one line is required. Cost of last
-    // line is zero. Hence cost of this line is zero. Ending point is also n-1 as
-    // single word is present
-    dp[totalWordCount - 1] = 0;
-    ans[totalWordCount - 1] = totalWordCount - 1;
+  // Base Case
+  dp[totalWordCount - 1] = 0;
+  ans[totalWordCount - 1] = totalWordCount - 1;
 
-    // Make each word first word of line by iterating over each index in arr.
-    for (int i = totalWordCount - 2; i >= 0; i--) {
-      int currlen = -1;
-      dp[i] = INT_MAX;
+  for (int i = totalWordCount - 2; i >= 0; --i) {
+    int currlen = -spaceWidth;
+    dp[i] = MAX_COST;
+
+    for (size_t j = i; j < totalWordCount; ++j) {
+      // Current line length: previous width + space + current word width
+      currlen += wordWidths[j] + spaceWidth;
+
+      if (currlen > pageWidth) {
+        break;
+      }
 
-      // Variable to store possible minimum cost of line.
       int cost;
+      if (j == totalWordCount - 1) {
+        cost = 0;  // Last line
+      } else {
+        const int remainingSpace = pageWidth - currlen;
+        // Use long long for the square to prevent overflow
+        const long long cost_ll = static_cast<long long>(remainingSpace) * remainingSpace + dp[j + 1];
 
-      // Keep on adding words in current line by iterating from starting word upto
-      // last word in arr.
-      for (int j = i; j < totalWordCount; j++) {
-        // Update the width of the words in current line + the space between two
-        // words.
-        currlen += wordWidths[j] + spaceWidth;
-
-        // If we're bigger than the current pagewidth then we can't add more words
-        if (currlen > pageWidth) break;
-
-        // if we've run out of words then this is last line and the cost should be
-        // 0 Otherwise the cost is the sqaure of the left over space + the costs
-        // of all the previous lines
-        if (j == totalWordCount - 1)
-          cost = 0;
-        else
-          cost = (pageWidth - currlen) * (pageWidth - currlen) + dp[j + 1];
-
-        // Check if this arrangement gives minimum cost for line starting with
-        // word words[i].
-        if (cost < dp[i]) {
-          dp[i] = cost;
-          ans[i] = j;
+        if (cost_ll > MAX_COST) {
+          cost = MAX_COST;
+        } else {
+          cost = static_cast<int>(cost_ll);
         }
       }
+
+      if (cost < dp[i]) {
+        dp[i] = cost;
+        ans[i] = j;  // j is the index of the last word in this optimal line
+      }
     }
   }
 
-  // We can now iterate through the answer to find the line break positions
-  std::list<uint16_t> lineBreaks;
-  for (size_t i = 0; i < totalWordCount;) {
-    i = ans[i] + 1;
-    if (i > totalWordCount) {
-      break;
-    }
-    lineBreaks.push_back(i);
-    // Text too big, just exit
-    if (lineBreaks.size() > 1000) {
+  // Stores the index of the word that starts the next line (last_word_index + 1)
+  std::vector<size_t> lineBreakIndices;
+  size_t currentWordIndex = 0;
+  constexpr size_t MAX_LINES = 1000;
+
+  while (currentWordIndex < totalWordCount) {
+    if (lineBreakIndices.size() >= MAX_LINES) {
       break;
     }
+
+    size_t nextBreakIndex = ans[currentWordIndex] + 1;
+    lineBreakIndices.push_back(nextBreakIndex);
+
+    currentWordIndex = nextBreakIndex;
   }
 
   std::list<std::shared_ptr<TextBlock>> lines;
 
-  // With the line breaks calculated we can now position the words along the
-  // line
+  // Initialize iterators for consumption
   auto wordStartIt = words.begin();
   auto wordStyleStartIt = wordStyles.begin();
-  auto wordWidthStartIt = wordWidths.begin();
-  uint16_t lastBreakAt = 0;
-  for (const auto lineBreak : lineBreaks) {
-    const int lineWordCount = lineBreak - lastBreakAt;
+  size_t wordWidthIndex = 0;
 
+  size_t lastBreakAt = 0;
+  for (const size_t lineBreak : lineBreakIndices) {
+    const size_t lineWordCount = lineBreak - lastBreakAt;
+
+    // Calculate end iterators for the range to splice
     auto wordEndIt = wordStartIt;
     auto wordStyleEndIt = wordStyleStartIt;
-    auto wordWidthEndIt = wordWidthStartIt;
     std::advance(wordEndIt, lineWordCount);
     std::advance(wordStyleEndIt, lineWordCount);
-    std::advance(wordWidthEndIt, lineWordCount);
 
+    // Calculate total word width for this line
     int lineWordWidthSum = 0;
-    for (auto it = wordWidthStartIt; it != wordWidthEndIt; std::advance(it, 1)) {
-      lineWordWidthSum += *it;
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < lineWordCount; ++i) {
+      lineWordWidthSum += wordWidths[wordWidthIndex + i];
     }
 
-    // Calculate spacing between words
-    const uint16_t spareSpace = pageWidth - lineWordWidthSum;
-    uint16_t spacing = spaceWidth;
-    // evenly space words if using justified style, not the last line, and at
-    // least 2 words
-    if (style == TextBlock::JUSTIFIED && lineBreak != lineBreaks.back() && lineWordCount >= 2) {
+    // Calculate spacing
+    const int spareSpace = pageWidth - lineWordWidthSum;
+    int spacing = spaceWidth;
+    const bool isLastLine = lineBreak == totalWordCount;
+
+    if (style == TextBlock::JUSTIFIED && !isLastLine && lineWordCount >= 2) {
       spacing = spareSpace / (lineWordCount - 1);
     }
 
+    // Calculate initial x position
     uint16_t xpos = 0;
     if (style == TextBlock::RIGHT_ALIGN) {
       xpos = spareSpace - (lineWordCount - 1) * spaceWidth;
@@ -146,24 +139,27 @@ std::list<std::shared_ptr<TextBlock>> ParsedText::splitIntoLines(const GfxRender
       xpos = (spareSpace - (lineWordCount - 1) * spaceWidth) / 2;
     }
 
+    // Pre-calculate X positions for words
     std::list<uint16_t> lineXPos;
-
-    for (auto it = wordWidthStartIt; it != wordWidthEndIt; std::advance(it, 1)) {
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < lineWordCount; ++i) {
+      const uint16_t currentWordWidth = wordWidths[wordWidthIndex + i];
       lineXPos.push_back(xpos);
-      xpos += *it + spacing;
+      xpos += currentWordWidth + spacing;
     }
 
+    // *** CRITICAL STEP: CONSUME DATA USING SPLICE ***
     std::list<std::string> lineWords;
-    std::list<uint8_t> lineWordStyles;
     lineWords.splice(lineWords.begin(), words, wordStartIt, wordEndIt);
+    std::list<EpdFontStyle> lineWordStyles;
     lineWordStyles.splice(lineWordStyles.begin(), wordStyles, wordStyleStartIt, wordStyleEndIt);
 
     lines.push_back(
         std::make_shared<TextBlock>(std::move(lineWords), std::move(lineXPos), std::move(lineWordStyles), style));
 
+    // Update pointers/indices for the next line
     wordStartIt = wordEndIt;
     wordStyleStartIt = wordStyleEndIt;
-    wordWidthStartIt = wordWidthEndIt;
+    wordWidthIndex += lineWordCount;
     lastBreakAt = lineBreak;
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/Epub/Epub/ParsedText.h b/lib/Epub/Epub/ParsedText.h
index 13fe815..05f2532 100644
--- a/lib/Epub/Epub/ParsedText.h
+++ b/lib/Epub/Epub/ParsedText.h
@@ -1,24 +1,29 @@
 #pragma once
+
+#include <EpdFontFamily.h>
+
+#include <cstdint>
 #include <list>
+#include <memory>
 #include <string>
 
 #include "blocks/TextBlock.h"
 
+class GfxRenderer;
+
 class ParsedText {
   std::list<std::string> words;
-  std::list<uint8_t> wordStyles;
-
-  // the style of the block - left, center, right aligned
+  std::list<EpdFontStyle> wordStyles;
   TextBlock::BLOCK_STYLE style;
 
  public:
   explicit ParsedText(const TextBlock::BLOCK_STYLE style) : style(style) {}
-  explicit ParsedText(std::list<std::string> words, std::list<uint8_t> word_styles, const TextBlock::BLOCK_STYLE style)
-      : words(std::move(words)), wordStyles(std::move(word_styles)), style(style) {}
   ~ParsedText() = default;
-  void addWord(std::string word, bool is_bold, bool is_italic);
+
+  void addWord(std::string word, EpdFontStyle fontStyle);
   void setStyle(const TextBlock::BLOCK_STYLE style) { this->style = style; }
   TextBlock::BLOCK_STYLE getStyle() const { return style; }
   bool isEmpty() const { return words.empty(); }
-  std::list<std::shared_ptr<TextBlock>> splitIntoLines(const GfxRenderer& renderer, int fontId, int horizontalMargin);
+  std::list<std::shared_ptr<TextBlock>> layoutAndExtractLines(const GfxRenderer& renderer, int fontId,
+                                                              int horizontalMargin);
 };
diff --git a/lib/Epub/Epub/blocks/TextBlock.cpp b/lib/Epub/Epub/blocks/TextBlock.cpp
index 42d5d2e..cc3cb60 100644
--- a/lib/Epub/Epub/blocks/TextBlock.cpp
+++ b/lib/Epub/Epub/blocks/TextBlock.cpp
@@ -3,29 +3,13 @@
 #include <GfxRenderer.h>
 #include <Serialization.h>
 
-void TextBlock::addWord(std::string word, const bool is_bold, const bool is_italic) {
-  if (word.length() == 0) return;
-
-  words.push_back(std::move(word));
-  wordStyles.push_back((is_bold ? BOLD_SPAN : 0) | (is_italic ? ITALIC_SPAN : 0));
-}
-
 void TextBlock::render(const GfxRenderer& renderer, const int fontId, const int x, const int y) const {
   auto wordIt = words.begin();
   auto wordStylesIt = wordStyles.begin();
   auto wordXposIt = wordXpos.begin();
 
   for (int i = 0; i < words.size(); i++) {
-    // render the word
-    EpdFontStyle fontStyle = REGULAR;
-    if (*wordStylesIt & BOLD_SPAN && *wordStylesIt & ITALIC_SPAN) {
-      fontStyle = BOLD_ITALIC;
-    } else if (*wordStylesIt & BOLD_SPAN) {
-      fontStyle = BOLD;
-    } else if (*wordStylesIt & ITALIC_SPAN) {
-      fontStyle = ITALIC;
-    }
-    renderer.drawText(fontId, *wordXposIt + x, y, wordIt->c_str(), true, fontStyle);
+    renderer.drawText(fontId, *wordXposIt + x, y, wordIt->c_str(), true, *wordStylesIt);
 
     std::advance(wordIt, 1);
     std::advance(wordStylesIt, 1);
@@ -57,7 +41,7 @@ std::unique_ptr<TextBlock> TextBlock::deserialize(std::istream& is) {
   uint32_t wc, xc, sc;
   std::list<std::string> words;
   std::list<uint16_t> wordXpos;
-  std::list<uint8_t> wordStyles;
+  std::list<EpdFontStyle> wordStyles;
   BLOCK_STYLE style;
 
   // words
diff --git a/lib/Epub/Epub/blocks/TextBlock.h b/lib/Epub/Epub/blocks/TextBlock.h
index b5a4921..4b2b031 100644
--- a/lib/Epub/Epub/blocks/TextBlock.h
+++ b/lib/Epub/Epub/blocks/TextBlock.h
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 #pragma once
+#include <EpdFontFamily.h>
+
 #include <list>
 #include <memory>
 #include <string>
@@ -8,11 +10,6 @@
 // represents a block of words in the html document
 class TextBlock final : public Block {
  public:
-  enum SPAN_STYLE : uint8_t {
-    BOLD_SPAN = 1,
-    ITALIC_SPAN = 2,
-  };
-
   enum BLOCK_STYLE : uint8_t {
     JUSTIFIED = 0,
     LEFT_ALIGN = 1,
@@ -23,19 +20,14 @@ class TextBlock final : public Block {
  private:
   std::list<std::string> words;
   std::list<uint16_t> wordXpos;
-  std::list<uint8_t> wordStyles;
-
-  // the style of the block - left, center, right aligned
+  std::list<EpdFontStyle> wordStyles;
   BLOCK_STYLE style;
 
  public:
-  explicit TextBlock(const BLOCK_STYLE style) : style(style) {}
-  explicit TextBlock(std::list<std::string> words, std::list<uint16_t> word_xpos,
-                     // the styles of each word
-                     std::list<uint8_t> word_styles, const BLOCK_STYLE style)
+  explicit TextBlock(std::list<std::string> words, std::list<uint16_t> word_xpos, std::list<EpdFontStyle> word_styles,
+                     const BLOCK_STYLE style)
       : words(std::move(words)), wordXpos(std::move(word_xpos)), wordStyles(std::move(word_styles)), style(style) {}
   ~TextBlock() override = default;
-  void addWord(std::string word, bool is_bold, bool is_italic);
   void setStyle(const BLOCK_STYLE style) { this->style = style; }
   BLOCK_STYLE getStyle() const { return style; }
   bool isEmpty() override { return words.empty(); }
diff --git a/lib/GfxRenderer/GfxRenderer.h b/lib/GfxRenderer/GfxRenderer.h
index a927bbb..7482cb9 100644
--- a/lib/GfxRenderer/GfxRenderer.h
+++ b/lib/GfxRenderer/GfxRenderer.h
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <EInkDisplay.h>
+#include <EpdFontFamily.h>
 
 #include <map>
 
-#include "EpdFontFamily.h"
-
 class GfxRenderer {
  public:
   enum FontRenderMode { BW, GRAYSCALE_LSB, GRAYSCALE_MSB };