Swept Away by Beth O'Leary

Title: Swept Away

Author: Beth O’Leary

Publisher: Berkely 2025

Genre: Romance

Pages: 384

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Beachside Cafe; Cover Lover - Birds

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 3

What if you were lost at sea…with your one-night stand?

Zeke and Lexi thought it would just be a night of fun. They had no intentions of seeing each other again. Zeke is only in town for the weekend to buy back his late father’s houseboat. Lexi has no time for dating when she needs to help take care of her best friend's daughter.

Going back home with a stranger seems like a perfect escape from their problems. But a miscommunication in the dark, foggy night means no one tied the houseboat to the dock. The next morning, Zeke and Lexi realize all they can see is miles and miles of water.

With just a few provisions on the idle boat, Zeke and Lexi must figure out how to get back home. But aside from their survival, they’re facing another challenge. Because when you’re stuck together for days on end, it gives you a lot of time to get to know someone—and to fall in love with them.

I have enjoyed O’Leary’s past books, but had heard grumbles about this newest one. I went in with a bit of trepidation, but was pleasantly supposed. I really enjoyed seeing two characters with the ultimate forced proximity trope learn to rely on each other and eventually love each other. I am always the most excited in romance books for the parts where characters actually talk to each other. That’s what most of this book was about! Absolutely perfect. On the other hand, I knocked off a star because of the last section on land. We get the big reveal/twist that I totally telegraphed early on. That third act break-up was completely unnecessary and definitely should have been changed. I wouldn’t have minded a bit of a struggle at the end, but the way it played out was way too melodramatic. A little switch and this could have been a 5 star read for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 10

Title: Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 10

Author: Gege Akutami

Publisher: VIZ Media 2020

Genre: Comics

Pages: 192

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about. Should any demon consume Sukuna’s body parts, the power they gain could destroy the world as we know it. Fortunately, there exists a mysterious school of jujutsu sorcerers who exist to protect the precarious existence of the living from the supernatural!

In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna were lost and scattered about. Should any demon consume Sukuna’s body parts, the power they gain could destroy the world as we know it. Fortunately, there exists a mysterious school of jujutsu sorcerers who exist to protect the precarious existence of the living from the supernatural!

This volume is mostly one big showdown at Shibuya Station starring Gojo! I loved seeing how all the different groups of sorcerers and curses interacted amongst the humans. We get some great little jump scares and reveals. And we learn a bit more about the dynamics between the Womb Paintings, Mahito, and Geto. I cannot wait to see how they resolve this battle in the next volume.

Jujutsu Kaisen

• Volume 1

• Volume 2

• Volume 3

• Volume 4

• Volume 5

• Volume 6

• Volume 7

• Volume 8

• Volume 9

• Volume 10

• Volume 11

• Volume 12

• Volume 13

• Volume 14

• Volume 15

• Volume 16

• Volume 17

• Volume 18

• Volume 19

• Volume 20

• Volume 21

• Volume 22

• Volume 23

• Volume 24

• Volume 25

Next up on the TBR pile:

Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 9

Title: Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 9

Author: Gege Akutami

Publisher: VIZ Media 2020

Genre: Comics

Pages: 192

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about. Should any demon consume Sukuna’s body parts, the power they gain could destroy the world as we know it. Fortunately, there exists a mysterious school of jujutsu sorcerers who exist to protect the precarious existence of the living from the supernatural!

Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto have been assigned a mission to escort the Star Plasma Vessel to Master Tengen. When they’re ambushed by Toji Fushiguro, a mercenary known as the Sorcerer Killer, will Gojo and Geto survive? And will this be the turning point where Gojo becomes the world's strongest exorcist while Geto embraces a life of ruin and rebellion?

This volume carried so much emotional weight. Get to see the great dynamic between Gojo and Neto and then the twist in their friendship. What is going to happen when Gojo realizes exactly who is behind the present day troubles? Plus we get to learn more about Toji Fushiguro. My favorite scene was the one between Megumi Fushiguro and Gojo. Loved seeing a young Megumi interact with his future mentor. And we get some great action sequences!

Jujutsu Kaisen

• Volume 1

• Volume 2

• Volume 3

• Volume 4

• Volume 5

• Volume 6

• Volume 7

• Volume 8

• Volume 9

• Volume 10

• Volume 11

• Volume 12

• Volume 13

• Volume 14

• Volume 15

• Volume 16

• Volume 17

• Volume 18

• Volume 19

• Volume 20

• Volume 21

• Volume 22

• Volume 23

• Volume 24

• Volume 25

Next up on the TBR pile:

How to Be Eaten by Maria Adelmann

Title: How to Be Eaten

Author: Maria Adelmann

Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company 2022

Genre: Magical Realism

Pages: 291

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Retelling

Where I Got It: Library

In present-day New York City, five women meet in a basement support group to process their traumas. Bernice grapples with the fallout of dating a psychopathic, blue-bearded billionaire. Ruby, once devoured by a wolf, now wears him as a coat. Gretel questions her memory of being held captive in a house made of candy. Ashlee, the winner of a Bachelor-esque dating show, wonders if she really got her promised fairy tale ending. And Raina's love story will shock them all.

Though the women start out wary of one another, judging each other’s stories, gradually they begin to realize that they may have more in common than they supposed . . . What really brought them here? What secrets will they reveal? And is it too late for them to rescue each other?

I cannot remember who exactly recommended this book to me, but I want to say thank you! This was the weird feminist rage book that I had been looking for. We get to see a group of fairytale characters wrestle with their trauma and how they are perceived by the public. We don’t get a resolution to their troubles, but a realistic portrayal of their issues. I found myself raging right alongside them. From the ways that the public treats their truth to how they treat each other. I loved the weird little pieces of insight the characters gain along the way. The biggest reason that I took off a star from my rating is the ending. I just really hated the big reveal of Will and how it impacted the women. Annoying.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Frankenstein by Junji Ito

Title: Frankenstein

Author: Junji Ito

Publisher: VIZ Media 1999

Genre: Manga Horror

Pages: 408

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Where I Got It: Library

The master of horror manga brings the world's greatest horror novel—Frankenstein—back to life.

Junji Ito meets Mary Shelley! The master of horror manga bends all his skill into bringing the anguished and solitary monster—and the fouler beast who created him—to life with the brilliantly detailed chiaroscuro he is known for.

Also included are six tales of Oshikiri—a high school student who lives in a decaying mansion connected to a haunted parallel world. Uncanny doppelgangers, unfortunately murdered friends, and a whole lot more are in store for him.

Frankenstein - Absolutely amazing! I adore this manga version of Mary Shelley’s classic horror story. Ito highlights the horror so well in his drawing style.

Neck Specter
Bog of Living Spirits
Pen Pal
Intruder
The Strange Tale of Oshikiri
The Strange Tale of Oshikiri: The Walls
These interconnected stories started out well. Neck Specter was amazing, but then they started to feel a bit stale. Mostly I think it’s because Oshikiri is not a great character.

The Hell of the Doll Funeral - Very creepy short that I loved.

Face Firmly in Place - Strange and not that enjoyable.

Boss Non-non
Hide-and-Seek with Boss Non-non
These two stories about a cat were not of much interest to me. They were lacking in the horror that I love.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 8

Title: Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 8

Author: Gege Akutami

Publisher: VIZ Media 2020

Genre: Comics

Pages: 192

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about. Should any demon consume Sukuna’s body parts, the power they gain could destroy the world as we know it. Fortunately, there exists a mysterious school of jujutsu sorcerers who exist to protect the precarious existence of the living from the supernatural!

Yuji Itadori and his classmates are fighting two of the three reincarnated Cursed Womb: Death Paintings brothers. Meanwhile, Megumi Fushiguro loses consciousness after finally defeating a special grade curse that possessed a Sukuna finger! Whoever wins the fight between Itadori and the brothers will be the one to secure the prized finger!

Um… we get a giant flashback story within this volume of the story. We get a sorta conclusion to the curse story started in volume 7 and then everything switches. My star rating is really based on the flashback section featuring a ton of characters. I literally gasped when Gojo’s classmate showed up. I am so interested in how their partnership turns in the intervening years. I am so deeply invested in this entire story now. I cannot wait to see how this plays out.

Jujutsu Kaisen

• Volume 1

• Volume 2

• Volume 3

• Volume 4

• Volume 5

• Volume 6

• Volume 7

• Volume 8

• Volume 9

• Volume 10

• Volume 11

• Volume 12

• Volume 13

• Volume 14

• Volume 15

• Volume 16

• Volume 17

• Volume 18

• Volume 19

• Volume 20

• Volume 21

• Volume 22

• Volume 23

• Volume 24

• Volume 25

Next up on the TBR pile:

Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 7

Title: Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 7

Author: Gege Akutami

Publisher: VIZ Media 2019

Genre: Comics

Pages: 192

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about. Should any demon consume Sukuna’s body parts, the power they gain could destroy the world as we know it. Fortunately, there exists a mysterious school of jujutsu sorcerers who exist to protect the precarious existence of the living from the supernatural!

Despite the injuries and losses they suffered in an attack on the Goodwill Event, the students of Jujutsu High have little time rest as people start dying under mysterious circumstances. Could these strange deaths have anything to do with Sukuna's lost fingers?

We get a conclusion of the Goodwill Event and an interesting development in the relationship between Idatori and Todo. I’m still trying to wrap my brain around the friendship between those characters. Something is fishy… And then we get a new mystery of the unlocked doors and Fushiguro’s stepsister. I thought that we would continue with this story, but the volume ends in a strange way. We get the introduction of two new curses. Battle commences…

Jujutsu Kaisen

• Volume 1

• Volume 2

• Volume 3

• Volume 4

• Volume 5

• Volume 6

• Volume 7

• Volume 8

• Volume 9

• Volume 10

• Volume 11

• Volume 12

• Volume 13

• Volume 14

• Volume 15

• Volume 16

• Volume 17

• Volume 18

• Volume 19

• Volume 20

• Volume 21

• Volume 22

• Volume 23

• Volume 24

• Volume 25

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

Title: The Stolen Queen

Author: Fiona Davis

Publisher: Dutton 2025

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 352

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Cover Lover - Headwear

Where I Got It: BOTM

Egypt, 1936: When anthropology student Charlotte Cross is offered a coveted spot on an archaeological dig in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, she leaps at the opportunity. That is until an unbearable tragedy strikes.

New York City, 1978: Nineteen-year-old Annie Jenkins is thrilled when she lands an opportunity to work for former Vogue fashion editor Diana Vreeland, who’s in the midst of organizing the famous Met Gala, hosted at the museum and known across the city as the “party of the year.”

Meanwhile, Charlotte is now leading a quiet life as the associate curator of the Met’s celebrated Department of Egyptian Art. She’s consumed by her research on Hathorkare—a rare female pharaoh dismissed by most other Egyptologists as unimportant.

The night of the gala: One of the Egyptian art collection’s most valuable artifacts goes missing, and there are signs Hathorkare’s legendary curse might be reawakening. Annie and Charlotte team up to search for the missing antiquity, and a desperate hunch leads the unlikely duo to one place Charlotte swore she’d never return: Egypt. But if they have any hope of finding the artifact, Charlotte will need to confront the demons of her past—which may mean leading them both directly into danger.

This book started out strong. I was hoping for an interesting deep dive into women in archaeology and the issue of artifact provenance. I wanted to get into a philosophical discussion. Instead, we quickly turn to a melodramatic family conspiracy featuring a meek main character, an overbearing mother, a potentially bad husband, a tragedy, and a caricature of a real person. It just all felt very cliche by 50% of the book. I keep reading hoping that we would get back into the interesting parts of the artifacts. But nope. And then we get the reveal about Charlotte’s husband and child and I just couldn’t care any less. Blergh. I think I really need to step away from historical fiction books for awhile. They are just feeling very tired lately.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Venus in the Blind Spot by Junji Ito

Title: Venus in the Blind Spot

Author: Junji Ito

Publisher: VIZ Media 2019

Genre: Manga Horror

Pages: 272

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Where I Got It: Library

This striking collection presents the most remarkable short works of Junji Ito’s career, featuring an adaptation of Ranpo Edogawa’s classic horror story “Human Chair” and fan favorite “The Enigma of Amigara Fault.” With a deluxe presentation—including special color pages, and showcasing illustrations from his acclaimed long-form manga No Longer Human—each chilling tale invites readers to revel in a world of terror.

Billions Alone - Creepy body horror at its finest.

The Human Chair by Edogawa Ranpo - Very unsettling story. Loved it!

An Unearthly Love by Edogawa Ranpo - Dolls, always creepy…

Venus in the Blind Spot - Such a great story about obsession.

The Licking Woman - Um. Gross. Even for me.

Master Umezz and Me - Weirdly out of place story full of real emotion.

How Love Came to Professor Kirida - Strange story, but somehow I liked it.

The Enigma of Amigara Fault - Extra extra creepy story. I especially loved the the ending image. Horrifying!

The Sad Tale of the Principal Post - Interesting story, but not creepy enough for me.

Keepsake - I always love creepy item stories.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Sensor by Junji Ito

Title: Sensor

Author: Junji Ito

Publisher: VIZ Media 2019

Genre: Manga Horror

Pages: 240

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Where I Got It: Library

A woman walks alone at the foot of Mount Sengoku. A man appears, saying he’s been waiting for her, and invites her to a nearby village. Surprisingly, the village is covered in hairlike volcanic glass fibers, and all of it shines a bright gold. At night, when the villagers perform their custom of gazing up at the starry sky, countless unidentified flying objects come raining down on them—the opening act for the terror about to occur!

I loved the beginning of this story. The strange village and the visitor was a great setup for a creepy, otherworldly story. I loved following along as the story got stronger and stronger. But somewhere along the way, I started to lose interest. Really it was probably after the destruction of the cult, and the then the cult leader returned. It turned out that I didn’t actually care about this story or the characters. Weird turn I must say.

Next up on the TBR pile:

This Inevitable Ruin by Matt Dinniman

Title: The Eye of the Bedlam Bride (Dungeon Crawler Carl #7)

Author: Matt Dinniman

Publisher: Dandy House 2024

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 724

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Cover Lover - A title and/or scene that makes you laugh

They call it Faction Wars. The ninth floor. Nine armies, each led by rich and powerful aliens from across the galaxy. Each team has one objective: to capture and hold the castle at the very center of the battlefield. Strategy, alliances, pitched battles, and, of course, betrayal... It all makes for great fun and even greater television. After all, none of these powerful aliens really die when they’re playing war.

Except this time. This time, winner takes all. Those who fall, stay in the ground.

As the AI continues its rapid decline, Carl and company take advantage of the chaos. For the first time ever, the crawlers are fighting back. They are now one of the nine teams. And this season, there’s a tenth army on the playing field. The NPCs, who are normally used as nothing but cannon fodder, have become fully self-aware and formed a team of their own.

For Donut and Katia, the stakes are even higher. Only one of them will be allowed to leave this level. If they all want to survive, they’re going to need a little help from a veteran or two. This is it. This is what they’ve been fighting toward. This is war. This inevitable ruin.

I finally got time to listen to the newest Carl book! And my goodness, I knew it was going to be a doozy. We finally get to see Faction Wars and the outcomes of so many things set up during the previous few books. I could not wait to see how Carl, Donut, and crew screwed over the corporations and the various enemies of the Princess Posse. The book starts and we immediately dive into nonstop action. Within the action, we get a few quiet moments of serious emotional weight. Just what I was expecting from this volume. The ending wasn’t a huge surprise overall, but I did love how it played out. I cannot wait to see what happens on the 10th Floor.

Dungeon Crawler Carl

• #1 Dungeon Crawler Carl

• #2 Carl’s Doomsday Scenario

• #3 The Dungeon' Anarchist’s Cookbook

• #4 The Gate of the Feral Gods

• #5 The Butcher’s Masquerade

• #6 The Eye of the Bedlam Bride

• #7 This Inevitable Ruin

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lovesickness by Junji Ito

Title: Lovesickness

Author: Junji Ito

Publisher: VIZ Media 1998

Genre: Manga Horror

Pages: 408

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Where I Got It: Library

Ryusuke returns to the town he once lived in because rumors are swirling about girls killing themselves after encountering a bewitchingly handsome young man. Harboring his own secret from time spent in this town, Ryusuke attempts to capture the beautiful boy and close the case, but…

Starting with the strikingly bloody “Lovesickness,” this volume collects ten stories showcasing horror master Junji Ito in peak form, including “The Strange Hikizuri Siblings” and “The Rib Woman.”

This collection didn’t quite work for me completely.

The Beautiful Boy at the Crossroads
A Woman in Distress
Shadow
Screams in the Night
The Boy in White

All of these stories were connected focused on a mysterious fog filled town full of fortune seekers. The middle really dragged, but I did like the ending.

Narumi’s Boyfriend
The Seance

Two connected stories that didn’t quite work for me. I didn’t like the characters.

The Mansion of Phantom Pain - Definitely my favorite! I loved the existential horror in this story.

The Rib Woman - Another great story, this time focused on body perfection.

Memories of Real Poop - Um, what did I just read? That’s going to be a no for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Title: Service Model

Author: Adrian Tchaikovsky

Publisher: Tor Books 2024

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 376

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Cover Lover - Cityscape

Where I Got It: Library

To fix the world they must first break it, further.

Humanity is a dying breed, utterly reliant on artificial labor and service.

When a domesticated robot gets a nasty little idea downloaded into its core programming, they murder their owner. The robot discovers they can also do something else they never did before: They can run away.

Fleeing the household they enter a wider world they never knew existed, where the age-old hierarchy of humans at the top is disintegrating into ruins and an entire robot ecosystem devoted to human wellbeing is having to find a new purpose.

Sometimes all it takes is a nudge to overcome the limits of your programming.

I had absolutely no frame of reference going into this book. It was picked for my speculative fiction book club and I just dove in. Right away, I was intrigued by the narration by the robot. The writing took a bit to get used, but it was perfect for the characters and the story. We slowly orient ourselves in the world and attempt to understand what has happened in the manor. Once that is revealed, we begin our quest with Uncharles and slowly piece together the world as it stands. I loved the language, the characters, and the plot. We get a very fresh-feeling robot story wrapped in a post-apocalypse world. We get to see a future destroyed by humans and continued by robots. I loved that we get a big mystery aspect to the story while keeping our robot a robot. While Uncharles has its own thoughts and decisions, it is still a robot with all the logical thinking and inability to really imagine. I found this book to be very refreshing. I cannot wait to discuss this with my book club friends in June.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 6

Title: Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 6

Author: Gege Akutami

Publisher: VIZ Media 2019

Genre: Comics

Pages: 192

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about. Should any demon consume Sukuna’s body parts, the power they gain could destroy the world as we know it. Fortunately, there exists a mysterious school of jujutsu sorcerers who exist to protect the precarious existence of the living from the supernatural!

During the Goodwill Event, the Kyoto School's authorities order their students to assassinate Itadori. However, Mahito and a horde of special grade curses and curse users complicate matters by attacking the students. The teachers move quickly to counterattack but find themselves cut off by a barrier. Can the students survive this demonic onslaught?!

Oh no! The students are now in some actual danger due to outside influences. I loved seeing how they figured out the new situation and responded accordingly. I loved seeing the students from both schools come tougher to help each other to dispel the curses. The added complication of the bubble targeting Gojo was a fun wrinkle in their plans. I cannot wait to see how they overcome this obstacle and what it reveals about the characters and the larger mystery.

Jujutsu Kaisen

• Volume 1

• Volume 2

• Volume 3

• Volume 4

• Volume 5

• Volume 6

• Volume 7

• Volume 8

• Volume 9

• Volume 10

• Volume 11

• Volume 12

• Volume 13

• Volume 14

• Volume 15

• Volume 16

• Volume 17

• Volume 18

• Volume 19

• Volume 20

• Volume 21

• Volume 22

• Volume 23

• Volume 24

• Volume 25

Next up on the TBR pile:

Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 5

Title: Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 5

Author: Gege Akutami

Publisher: VIZ Media 2019

Genre: Comics

Pages: 192

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about. Should any demon consume Sukuna’s body parts, the power they gain could destroy the world as we know it. Fortunately, there exists a mysterious school of jujutsu sorcerers who exist to protect the precarious existence of the living from the supernatural!

Everyone’s surprised (and not necessarily in a good way) when they find out Itadori is still alive, but there’s no time for a heartwarming reunion when Jujutsu High is in the midst of an intense competition with their rivals from Kyoto! But good sportsmanship doesn’t seem to be in the cards once the authorities decide to eliminate the Sukuna threat once and for all...

We dive right back into the Goodwill Event between Tokyo and Kyoto. We get to see more of the Kyoto students and learn more about their specific techniques and talents. I loved seeing how the different characters’ personalities simultaneously work together and clash with each other. The new relationship between Todo and Itadori is interesting. I wonder what will come of that…

Jujutsu Kaisen

• Volume 1

• Volume 2

• Volume 3

• Volume 4

• Volume 5

• Volume 6

• Volume 7

• Volume 8

• Volume 9

• Volume 10

• Volume 11

• Volume 12

• Volume 13

• Volume 14

• Volume 15

• Volume 16

• Volume 17

• Volume 18

• Volume 19

• Volume 20

• Volume 21

• Volume 22

• Volume 23

• Volume 24

• Volume 25

Next up on the TBR pile:

Stitches by Hirokatsu Kihara

Title: Stitches

Author: Hirokatsu Kihara (art by Junji Ito)

Publisher: VIZ Media 2024

Genre: Horror Short Stories

Pages: 112

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Where I Got It: Library

A tumor shaped like a man’s face slowly moves across a woman’s body. The sea shoots glowing balls into the sky, much to the distress of beachgoers. And a girl dressed up for a holiday has no eyes, no nose, nothing—her face is a total blank.

Hirokatsu Kihara pens true stories of unsolved mysteries, stitched together with page after page of Junji Ito’s original illustrations in this collection of nine eerie tales and a bonus manga story.

We get a short collection of horror stories illustrated by Junji Ito.

Face - Creepy creepy body horror that I love!

Library - Cute little ghost story.

From the Sea - Lacked the horror factor that I wanted.

Festival of the Dead - Low on horror, but a lovely take on ghosts.

The Play - Anything with marionettes is creepy to me.

Folk Dance - Meh.

The Kimono - Creepy kid ghosts are always great.

Snow Day - Not enough horror.

Lips - Weird and lacking a point.

Bonus Manga: Summer Graduation Trip - Actually my favorite story in the collection. This manga story was full on creepy and lovely.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Remina by Junji Ito

Title: Remina

Author: Junji Ito

Publisher: VIZ Media 2005

Genre: Manga Horror

Pages: 256

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Where I Got It: Library

An unknown planet emerges from inside a wormhole, and its discoverer, Dr. Oguro, christens the body “Remina” after his own daughter. His finding is met with great fanfare, and Remina herself rises to fame. However, the object picks up speed as it moves along in its curious course, eliminating planets and stars one after another, until finally Earth itself faces extinction… Is the girl Remina the true cause of the catastrophe? A masterwork of horror from Junji Ito, unfolding on a universal scale.

Not my favorite of Ito’s stories. This one started interested, but quickly devolved into one long chase scene. I wanted more suspense and creep factor in the story. Instead, I found Remina herself to be a blank piece of paper and Remina the planet was not horrifying enough. I would have liked more time spent exploring the surface of the planet. So not my favorite.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Dissolving Classroom by Junji Ito

Title: Dissolving Classroom

Author: Junji Ito

Publisher: Vertical Comics 2013

Genre: Manga Horror

Pages: 178

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Where I Got It: Library

What destiny awaits them after the screaming?

A pair of twisted siblings—Yuuma, a young man obsessed with the devil, and Chizumi, the worst little sister in recorded history—cause all sorts of tragic and terrifying things to happen wherever they go. These scary short stories will shock you with a literal interpretation of the ills that plague modern society.

We get a collection of stories that focus on a mysterious pair of siblings. The first story really just pushes you into horror and doesn’t let up. I loved some of the stories in this collection. The social commentary was spot on! A few of the stories got a little obscure, but the sheer horror kept me engaged. Overall, I really good mini collection of Junji Ito stories.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Fragments of Horror by Junji Ito

Title: Fragments of Horror

Author: Junji Ito

Publisher: VIZ Media 2014

Genre: Manga Horror

Pages: 224

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Where I Got It: Library

An old wooden mansion that turns on its inhabitants. A dissection class with a most unusual subject. A funeral where the dead are definitely not laid to rest. Ranging from the terrifying to the comedic, from the erotic to the loathsome, these stories showcase Junji Ito’s long-awaited return to the world of horror.

Another collection of short horror stories from Ito.

Futon - Very creepy with a fun twist at the end.

Wooden Sprit - Meh. Not a fan of the weird sexual nature to this one.

Tomio * Red Turtleneck - Fun and gory, but the ending was weak.

Gentle Goodbye - Very sorrowful story.

Dissection-chan - Jumbled and weird, but not in the good way.

Blackbird - My favorite from the collection, very trippy and creepy.

Magami Nanakuse - Not sure what we were going for with this one.

Whispering Woman - Slow descent into madness.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Tomie by Junji Ito

Title: Tomie

Author: Junji Ito

Publisher: VIZ Media

Genre: Manga Horror

Pages: 752

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Quarter of a Century - 2016

Where I Got It: Library

Tomie Kawakami is a femme fatale with long black hair and a beauty mark just under her left eye. She can seduce nearly any man, and drive them to murder as well, even though the victim is often Tomie herself. While one lover seeks to keep her for himself, another grows terrified of the immortal succubus. But soon they realize that no matter how many times they kill her, the world will never be free of Tomie.

I do love Ito’s Tomie stories. You just know going in that everyone is going to die, even Tomie, and somehow she will come back in some creepy way. Most of these stories were great fun and I enjoyed seeing how Tomie manipulates various people. I will admit that over 700 pages of Toomie stories got a little repetitive. But I still really enjoyed this collection of stories.

Next up on the TBR pile: