Twisted Wonderland Vol. 4

Title: Twisted Wonderland: Book of Heartslabyul, Vol. 4

Author: Yana Toboso, Wakana Hazuki

Publisher: VIZ Media 2024

Genre: Manga

Pages: 194

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!

Now that he’s officially a student at Night Raven College, Yu has to deal with Heartslabyul housewarden Riddle when his magic and emotions go wild! Yu and his fellow students Grimm, Ace, Deuce, Trey, and Cater confront the rampaging Riddle. But is he too powerful for them to get back under control?

Yeah! Such a great conclusion to this story. We get to see Riddle absolutely lose his mind a la the Queen of Hearts. We get to see how the characters react and attempt to put everything right. Chenya was a great addition to the cast. I would love to read more in this world.

Twisted Wonderland: Book of Heartslabyul

• Volume 1

• Volume 2

• Volume 3

• Volume 4

Next up on the TBR pile:

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. 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:

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:

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: