Twisted Wonderland Vol. 3

Title: Twisted Wonderland: Book of Heartslabyul, Vol. 3

Author: Yana Toboso, Wakana Hazuki

Publisher: VIZ Media 2023

Genre: Manga

Pages: 162

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

Stranded in the world of Twisted Wonderland, Yu must brave a magical school filled with ghosts, monsters, and uncooperative students!

Still trying to get his friend Ace out of trouble, Yu attends one of Heartslabyul Dorm’s traditional unbirthday parties. But instead of solving Ace’s problems or having a bit of fun, they wind up incurring the wrath of the housewarden, Riddle!

We finally get to the Unbirthday Party and see everything really start to come to a head. I loved the take on the classic story mixed with the new characters and interpretations. I loved seeing Trey and Cater be at the center of the all the fuss. Riddle is a great tyrant, even if I am slightly tiring of his schtick. I can’t wait to see how Yu and Grim and Ace and Deuce get out of this mess.

Twisted Wonderland: Book of Heartslabyul

• Volume 1

• Volume 2

• Volume 3

• Volume 4

Next up on the TBR pile:

Twisted Wonderland Vol. 2

Title: Twisted Wonderland: Book of Heartslabyul, Vol. 2

Author: Yana Toboso, Wakana Hazuki

Publisher: Viz Media 2023

Genre: Manga

Pages: 194

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

Stranded in the world of Twisted Wonderland, Yu must brave a magical school filled with ghosts, monsters, and uncooperative students!

Yu is formally enrolled in Night Raven College. He’s even a prefect…of Ramshackle Dorm. But that doesn’t mean things are getting any easier for him. When his classmate Ace shows up on his doorstep after getting in trouble, Yu faces his biggest challenge yet!

Okay a bit of slow volume as we get more acquainted with Night Raven College. We get a little adventure involving some crystals, but overall this volume dragged a bit. I get it Ace and Deuce are fuck-ups and Riddle is a tyrant. My favorite parts involved Cater and Trey.

Twisted Wonderland: Book of Heartslabyul

• Volume 1

• Volume 2

• Volume 3

• Volume 4

Next up on the TBR pile:

Twisted Wonderland Vol. 1

Title: Twisted Wonderland: Book of Heartslabyul, Vol. 1

Author: Yana Toboso, Wakana Hazuki

Publisher: VIZ Media 2021

Genre: Manga

Pages: 198

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

Stranded in the world of Twisted Wonderland, Yu must brave a magical school filled with ghosts, monsters, and uncooperative students!

Yu is whisked away to Night Raven College, an arcane academy in the world of Twisted Wonderland. Stranded until he can find a way home, Yu is allowed to stay on campus despite having no magic of his own. But when his new friends land him in trouble with the headmage, his future at the school looks bleak. Now Yu’s fate hinges on bringing together a pair of argumentative first-years and a fire-breathing monster cat…

I know that this is based on a video game, but I love finding new stories based on Alice in Wonderland. In this one, we get the start of a story involving a new-to-this-world character, new students, tyrants, a mysterious headmaster, a cat?, and some fun adventures. Loved this start of the series. Can’t wait to see what trouble Ace and Deuce get into next.

Twisted Wonderland: Book of Heartslabyul

• Volume 1

• Volume 2

• Volume 3

• Volume 4

Next up on the TBR pile:

Alley by Junji Ito

Title: Alley

Author: Junji Ito

Publisher: VIZ Media 1992

Genre: Manga Horror

Pages: 344

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Where I Got It: Library

Every night, a young man hears children playing outside his boarding house—but the alley below his window is fenced off from the world. Then, when a young woman’s family starts acting strangely at the same time she begins having bizarre dreams, she decides to stay with her aunt, but the town she heads for has neither addresses nor roads… Also, an all-you-can-eat ice cream bus that’s more sinister than sweet!

Legendary horror author Junji Ito presents ten bloodcurdling short stories.

Alley - Such a great story! I especially loved the ending!

Descent - Loved this super weird story! Great unexplained phenomena.

The Ward - Very nice creepy locked room style horror story.

The Inn - Meh

Blessing - Meh

Smoker’s Club - Meh

Mold - Oh loved this one that included a ton of body horror

Town of No Roads - Confusing story. Not a fan.

Memory - Okay I guess

Ice Cream Bus - Always creepy when stories involve children.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

Title: Great Big Beautiful Life

Author: Emily Henry

Publisher: Berkley 2025

Genre: Romance

Pages: 432

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Breezy Pier; Read Around the US - Georgia

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 4.5

Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: to write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years—or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be theMargaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the twentieth century.

When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game.

One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice—and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over.

Two: She’s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication.

Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition.

But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can’t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room.

And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story—just like the tale Margaret’s spinning—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad . . . depending on who’s telling it.

I absolutely loved the romance between Alice and Hayden. I loved seeing these almost enemies slowly thaw toward each other and start to connect. I loved their little banter. I even enjoyed their misunderstandings and their miscommunications. Their relationship felt really real to me. I loved those pages within each chapter. What made this not quite amazing to me was the storyline with Margaret. While I enjoyed reading about her life, I found the entire construct to me very very reminiscent to Taylor Jenkins Reid’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I found myself drifting slightly during those sections. And the big twists at the end was a bit contrived. I just didn’t really love that whole section, which was a lot of this book. I didn’t hate this book, but definitely not my favorite Emily Henry selection.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Tombs by Junji Ito

Title: Tombs

Author: Junji Ito

Publisher: VIZ Media 2023

Genre: Manga Horror

Pages: 344

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Where I Got It: Library

Countless tombstones stand in rows throughout a small community, forming a bizarre tableau. What fate awaits a brother and sister after a traffic accident in this town of the dead? In another tale, a girl falls silent, her tongue transformed into a slug. Can a friend save her? Then, when a young man moves to a new town, he finds the house next door has only a single window. What does his grotesque neighbor want, calling out to him every evening from that lone window?

Tombs - I had already read this story, but I really loved it. Creepy creepy.

Clubhouse - Meh. Didn’t really deliver.

Slug Girl - Loved this body horror story.

The Window Next Door - Fun, but I wanted more.

Washed Ashore - I do love creatures from the depths.

The Strange Tale of the Tunnel - Okay story, creepy enough, but not horrifying.

Bronze Statue - Didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

Floaters - I wanted more.

The Bloody Story of Shirosauna - So much gore, but I did enjoy it!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Deserter by Junji Ito

Title: Deserter

Author: Junji Ito

Publisher: VIZ Medai 2011

Genre: Manga Horror

Pages: 392

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Where I Got It: Library

A vengeful family hides an army deserter for eight years after the end of World War II, cocooning him in a false reality where the war never ended. A pair of girls look alike, but they’re not twins. And a boy’s nightmare threatens to spill out into the real world…

This hauntingly strange story collection showcases a dozen of Junji Ito’s earliest works from when he burst onto the horror scene, sowing fresh seeds of terror.

Bio House - Weird murdery story. Not my favorite.

Face Thief - Another weird story that I wasn’t a huge fan of.

Where the Sandman Lives - Okay this one was kinda interesting and fun.

The Devil’s Logic - Meh

The Long Hair in the Attic - My absolute favorite from the collection. Just the right amount of suspense in this one.

Scripted Love - Very forgettable.

The Reanimator’s Sword - Not a big fan of the religious bent to this story.

A Father’s Love - Nope. Not for me.

Unendurable Labyrinth - Decent

Village of the Siren - Very weird premise. I was definitely intrigued. Kinda wish that this one was longer.

Bullied - Not very excited about this one at all.

Deserter - I’ve somehow read this one before. I liked it, but not my absolute favorite.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #10

Reading: I got back into the Jujutsu Kaisen manga series. And holy cow, the story took a turn this week! I am floored.

Watching: I only have 5 episodes left of S1 of Goblin. I am so invested in this story.

Listening: Stray Kids’s new song “Hollow” and ATEEZ’s new song “Lemon Drop” have been on repeat. I cannot wait until tomorrow when Stray Kids’s new EP drops.

Making: I’ve got multiple lsat minute lists created for the retreat. Just a few tasks left.

Feeling: The retreat is on Thursday and I am so ready to go!

Planning: Tomorrow is my last prep day for the retreat… I am making my last grocery lists.

Loving: I was craving some good iced tea, but didn’t want all the sugar in the regular sweet tea. Thankfully Gold Peak sells a Slightly Sweet version. Perfect for a hot day!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Stray Kids "Topline"

Based on my new obsession, I decided to do a Top 10 series of my favorite Stray Kids songs. There are so many songs, but I keep coming back to the same ones again and again. (I’m focusing on songs featuring all 8 members; no subunit or solo songs.)

A much harder song that most on my Top 10 list, but I will admit to always rocking out to this song when it comes up in shuffle.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #18

As I look outside my window: It’s bright and sunny and going to be very hot today. I’m staying in doors.

Right now I am: Going to read a manga series or maybe watch some Stray Kids content. Not sure which…

Thinking and pondering: What am I completely forgetting about for the retreat?

On my bedside table: More manga; The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo; The Wedding People by Alison Espach

On my tv this week: Once I got back home, we restarted our currently airing shows. We also caught up to 2025 with Um Actually and finished S4 of Clarkson’s Farm.

Listening to: ATEEZ’s new EP Golden Hour Part 3 with “Lemon Drop” and desperate repeating Stray Kids’s new song “Hollow” awaiting the drop of the EP on Wednesday.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Pork and Green Chili Stew

• Tuesday - Honey Lime Tilapia

• Wednesday - Sloppy Joe’s

• Thursday - Retreat

• Friday - Retreat

• Saturday - Retreat

• Sunday - Leftovers

On my to do list: Mostly I’m just putting things away to get everything ready for me to leave on Thursday.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Swim Lessons; Dentist Appointment

• Tuesday - Swim Lessons; Pool Day

• Wednesday - Swim Lessons; Retreat Errands

• Thursday - Swim Lessons; Co-op; Retreat!

• Friday - Retreat!

• Saturday - Retreat!

• Sunday - Retreat!

What I am creating: I started working on the homeschool plan for next year. I got all the big pieces, I just need to start laying it all out.

My simple pleasures: Stray Kids concert clips. New music. The lazy river at the waterpark.

Looking around the house: I should vacuum I guess. And I would like to get the kitchen put away a little better before I leave.

From the camera: My reading material for the water park. Sad, but kept me entertained while taking a break from slides and the lazy river.

Black Paradox by Junji Ito

Title: Black Paradox

Author: Junji Ito

Publisher: VIZ Media 2009

Genre: Manga Horror

Pages: 208

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Where I Got It: Library

Four people intent on killing themselves meet through the suicide website Black Paradox: Maruso, a nurse who despairs about the future; Taburo, a man who is tortured by his doppelganger; Pii-tan, an engineer with his own robot clone; and Baracchi, a woman who agonizes about the birthmark on her face.

They wander together in search of the perfect death, fatefully opening a door that leads them to a rather bizarre destiny…

Why did I love this story so much? It’s full of otherworldly scenes, unreliable characters, and terrifying visions. Right away we get four characters than find themselves in a strange situation. From there, things get weirder and weirder. I loved see an escalation of horror as we progressed through the chapters. The central idea of where the stones come from and what they actually are was just amazing! I could not come up with an idea like that. I loved seeing Junji Ito’s mind work to confront his characters with choices and consequences. So good!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Gyo by Junji Ito

Title: Gyo

Author: Junji Ito

Publisher: VIZ Media 2002

Genre: Manga Horror

Pages: 398

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Where I Got It: Library

The floating smell of death hangs over the island. What is it? A strange, legged fish appears on the scene... So begins Tadashi and Kaori's spiral into the horror and stench of the sea. Here is the creepiest masterpiece of horror manga ever from the creator of Uzumaki, Junji Ito. Hold your breath until all is revealed.

Something's rotten in Okinawa...

I had been waiting for this volume for weeks. Many Junji Ito fans put the Gyo collection among his top works. I started reading with no notion of what this one would be about. Thankfully the horror starts very quickly and does not let up throughout the entire collection. The creep-factor was turned up very high for this story. Seriously, it even got a bit gross for my tastes. But I loved the strange background story of why walking fish start to appear all over. I loved following Tadashi' and Kaori as they live in the horror. I truly could not put this one down until I reached the end!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Smashed by Junji Ito

Title: Smashed

Author: Junji Ito

Publisher: VIZ Media 2019

Genre: Manga Horror

Pages: 416

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Where I Got It: Library

Try not to be noticed when you eat the secret nectar, otherwise you’ll get smashed… What horrific events happened to create the earthbound—people tied to a certain place for the rest of their short lives? Then, a strange haunted house comes to town, but no one expects it to lead to a real hell… Welcome to Junji Ito’s world, a world with no escape from endless nightmares.

Bloodsucking Darkness - Lots of creep in this one. Loved it.

Ghosts of Prime Time - Probably my least favorite in the collection.

Roar - Fun creepy story set in the wilderness.

Earthbound - Loved this creepy story that reminded me of “The Tell-Tale Heart.”

Death Row Doorbell - More sad than scary.

The Mystery of the Haunted House
The Mystery of the Haunted House: Soichi’s Version
Two stories focused on the same family and creepy haunted house. I enjoyed the first one. The second one wasn’t a favorite.

Soichi’s Beloved Pet - Not a big fan of Soichi and his stories.

In Mirror Valley - Strange story focused more on hatred than horror.

I Don’t Want to be a Ghost - I always enjoy Ito’s ghost stories.

Library Vision - Weird, descent into madness story. Lovely nod to Lovecraft.

Splendid Shadow Song - Didn’t quite work for me.

Smashed - Loved this creepy story featuring an alien? Whatever it was, it was great.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

Title: Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games #0.5)

Author: Suzanne Collins

Publisher: Scholastic 2025

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 387

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Where I Got It: Borrowed from a friend

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch's name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He's torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who's nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he's been set up to fail. But there's something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena..

Multiple people from co-op have read this one and passed a copy around the group. They wanted me to read it so we could discuss, so I did. I was not interested in Snow’s story, but will admit that Haymitch’s story had me intrigued. He’s such an interesting character in the original trilogy. Of course, we know where he ends up and in what state. His book really dives into his experience during the Second Quarter Quell and how it set him up to be the Haymitch that Katniss knows. Of course the story was going to tragic. No happy endings here. The beginning of the book was a little dull. And I truly never really cared about Lenore Dove at all. I just kept reading so we could get to the game and encounter the characters involved there. Once the characters arrive in the Capitol, the story really started picking up for me. I loved seeing Haymitch make connections with characters known to us (Mags, Wiress, Beetee, Effie, and Plutarch) and characters new to us but important to this story. I especially loved seeing a ton of parallels between Haymitch and Katniss’s experiences the games. My biggest quibble with the story is the amount of repeated song lyrics woven through the prose. I started skipping them at some point when I realized that we were just repeating the same things over and over. I am certainly we will have some good discussion at co-op about the book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Uzumaki by Junji Ito

Title: Uzumaki

Author: Junji Ito

Publisher: VIZ Media 2020

Genre: Manga Horror

Pages: 653

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Where I Got It: Library

Kurouzu-cho, a small fogbound town on the coast of Japan, is cursed. According to Shuichi Saito, the withdrawn boyfriend of teenager Kirie Goshima, their town is haunted not by a person or being but a pattern: UZUMAKI, the spiral—the hypnotic secret shape of the world. The bizarre masterpiece horror manga is now available all in a single volume. Fall into a whirlpool of terror!

Finally I get to read all the stories associated with Korouzucho and the mystery of the spirals. These stories get progressively weirder and weirder until we come to complete otherworldliness and desolation. I loved following a kind of descent into the madness at the spirals take over. These stories were very reminiscent of Lovecraft. I loved having Saito as a voice of reason that is suffering from his own style of madness. We get to meet some fun villagers and outsiders on our journey to uncover the mysteries of the spirals. The story focused on the row houses was my favorite. Full of terror and body horror, just how I like my terrifying stories.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Stray Kids "Hall of Fame"

Based on my new obsession, I decided to do a Top 10 series of my favorite Stray Kids songs. There are so many songs, but I keep coming back to the same ones again and again. (I’m focusing on songs featuring all 8 members; no subunit or solo songs.)

There’s a vibe to this song that I cannot get out my head. My favorite parts of the song are Bang Chan’s sections, no surprise there.

Next up on the TBR pile: