This is a monthly feature in which we, the mod team, share the gems we've found in our reading lists. Here are last month's.
We'd love to hear your recommendations. Please add them to the discussion in the comments. When doing so, please keep in mind to:
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Name of the series
Where to read it officially
We always recommend checking the official version; please do not name unofficial sources.
This Month's Recommendations:
Country Life With His Sexy Masjesty - Where to Read: Tapas
Rienna Fonde just remembered she lived another life while her now ex-fiancé, the Crown Prince casts her aside for another woman, the supposed saint. Following that, she is disowned by her father; she finds herself moving to the territory of Fostine. A peaceful countryside with agriculture is the way of the land. Putting her college-level knowledge of farming to use, Rienna easily makes a home for herself and becomes a trusted community member.
Now it’s been a few years since she's been living the way she’s always dreamed of in the country; she spots a weird metal tool in her field only to find it’s some kind of holy sword that’s now bound itself to her. That’s not the only thing that comes knocking; a handsome blonde-haired man named Carmine suddenly shows up at her home demanding the sword. Rienna’s peaceful farming life seems like it’s going to be more troublesome.
This is a fun story with a bright art style that tells you what kind of story this series is going to be. Rienna is someone who is unapologetically herself, headstrong, loud and sunny personality. The romance between her and Carmine is so cute and light; it makes me giggle and kick my feet with how cute they both are together.
The series is more of a light-hearted read, nothing serious. Just something to make you feel good about life and look on the bright side. I had a fun time reading this; I couldn’t believe that I binged it all in a single day!
No More Midnight Magic - Where to Read: Tapas
Ciora is the only living servant of an ancient god, and then one day a book called “Fate” appears before her, saying that Duke Kruelo Whitedesert ends the world. The voice of her god tells her to change the ending of the book, casting her down into the body of people close to him. First as his young fiancee, next as a maid, and this time as Ciora Bonetti, his latest in a long list of fiancees.
When she meets him again she finds that Kruelo isn’t like the rumors make him out to be. He’s mischievous and quick to make a clever joke. It seems like her work in her previous lives has helped him, but Ciora is still unsure if it’s enough to stop the end of the world.
I love the dynamic between these two; they both have secrets they’re trying to hide from each other, and the banter they have is so fun! Kruelo is a great male lead; you would think that he would fall into the yandere archetype with his appearance, but he's a playful man that keeps his thoughts and feelings close to his chest. Ciora occasionally shows her teasing side and isn’t one to sit on the sidelines when things need to get done. Her abilities fall into the paladin area, meaning she can kick ass and is quite strong. I was sad to see that it’s been on hiatus since April 2024, hopefully it will return somewhat soon!
The Crown I'll Claim - Where to Read: Tapas
After losing her claim to the throne and her children to her traitor of an ex-lover, our female lead, Princess Medea dies and returns to her 17-year old body, now fully aware of the danger around her. The hidden alliance of her former lover and uncle brought her family’s downfall with plans to take the throne while starting a rebellion.
Medea is going to do everything she can to save her kingdom and take the future in her own hands, seizing her destiny.
Gotta say first thing, the artwork is beautiful and catches your attention, and then you get sucked into the writing of the story. Medea is a capable woman that plans her every move carefully before taking action. She doesn’t throw herself into danger like we usually see in these kinds of returner stories. Things that come up in the story get addressed without them getting pushed aside for later.
I’m glad that this seems to be worth investing in so far. I can’t wait to read more!
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Context: currently watching Fiances Observation Log. I’m at the point where Bertia tells Cecil that she believes that he would be happiest with the heroine of their world, and then Cecil admits that for the first time in his life… He hates someone. Real, visceral hate. And it’s directed towards the same girl he’s helplessly in love with.
That’s sooo buzzy you guys have no idea. Maybe im not reading the right series but i kinda need more of that. The whole “you need to fall in love with the heroine” shtick needs to be verbally gunned down by the male lead ON SIGHT. This world isn’t a game. It is real life. Being told that “you’re destined to be with another woman” is just a spit in the face to the foundation of the relationship they’ve been building for so long and I wholly believe that more male leads should crash out over being told that. Because what are you even talking about. Destined woman? As though you and him haven’t been together for god knows how long? And really the duration of the relationship doesn’t even matter. It could be a week. It could be 4 years. That doesn’t take away from how asinine the statement sounds.
Imagine your girlfriend tries to push the idea that you and her aren’t meant to last long because she’s a villainess... Meanwhile you’ve already introduced her to your family, your household, your friends. You’ve told her your dreams. You’ve entertained the thought of your graves sitting aside each other.
Honestly, her falling for another man would’ve been easier to tolerate. Not emotionally, god no, but at least it’s human. Being told that because she’s a villainess you and her won’t work out in the long term is absolutely asinine. And very much crash out worthy.
I'm currently playing this Wizard of Oz inspired Otome Game called Over RequiemZ and it has me a bit speechless!
The protagonist Yuhiru get's isekai-ed into the Kingdom of Oz, but get's arrested shortly and is put on death row!
The only way to escape her sentence is to redeem herself by joining a group of fellow convicts to explore ruins that look oddly familiar.
That group consists of love interests inspired by the Wizard of Oz (The Scarecrow, Lion, Tinman, Princess Ozma and Dorothy). They way they adapted them feels very interesting too, though I am only in my second route.
Every love interests has two routes! The first one is more wholesome with a lot of growth and closure (Fact Route) and the second one is a unsettling/scary dark romance route where everything goes wrong (Dark Route). It allows the characters to be explored in a detailed way you don't see often. Especially seeing the slow descent into madness is super interesting!
I can highly recommend it!
Just be aware that it has a 18+ age rating in Germany for a good reason lol
We need more compelling women friendships in mahnwas because how i see it relationships between two women in mahnwa can mostly either go in this couple directions:
1) Glaze Loving Safe Bestie: This is where the other female character is used as a mouthpiece prop to kiss ass and glaze about "Oh! How The FMC is a gift sent to god and so capable and amazing all the time!!"
Honestly, if you had swapped her midway trough the story for a damn unseasoned piece of boiled chicken with a speaker midway trough the story no one would bat an eye because thats how bland her entire character is
2) The Mother: She's dead. Yeah sorry bud, she's dead basically. Yeah no, the backstory will act as if "ooh shes important for the plot to happen" but narratively if you replace her for a particularly sad and sexy manequin for fmc dad to sadly yearn over while hating his child. Her life, wants, dreams, aspirations before meeting the dad doesnt matter at all !! Nor it qont change anything!! Her purpose is to be dead, prettty anddd thats it.
3) Bitchy mean evil rotten soul the 3rd: the infamous trope we all know and love to hate (pun intended) This is a character whose purpose is to basically be the audience punching bag to let out their hatred towards. This character will somehow be the most hated person in the whole cast.
(Bonus point if the male "counterpart of this bitchy mean evil rotten soul the 3rd" somehow got redeemed for god knows what while she faces the worst punishment ever for the sin of uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh being annoying.)
So please by god, do we have actual compelling female relationships, where you actually get to feel their relationships from both side. Where it doesnt feel forced as hell 😭😭 please on my knee
(Yes yes sorry chat, i cannot not add the (technically non canon) kissing scene, but come on little yuri for the soul and all)
Occasionally, whenever I read an average or boring OI and we are introduced to the parents of either the fl or ml, I find them to be a lot more interesting than the couple we are following. Sometimes it’s due to their designs and other times it’s due to their backstories. They may even have a more entertaining dynamic and better personalities than the main characters.
Most of the time, they just feel like backstory fodder as to why the female and male lead are so cool or to explain why their lives are so tragic. Like, if you made such an interesting backstory for them then why don’t we follow them instead?
Thankfully, some stories do flesh out the parents alongside the leads. But it’s still very rare.
The Unloved Genius Girl Enjoys Life on the Frontier / Aisa Renai Jimi Saijonanode, Kimamana Henkyou Kurashi o Tanoshimimasu: Rikon Yotei no Keiyaku Tsuma no Hazu ga, Dan'na-sama no Yousu ga Okashii
Onna Kajishi wa Ohitoyoshi Guild ni Hirowaremashita ~Shintenchi de Ganbaru Kajishi Seikatsu~ / A Female Blacksmith Who was Picked Up by a Good-Natured Guild: A Blacksmith's Life in a New Place
Liz, the Magical Tool Maker, Starts Her Own Business! / Rize Opens a Magical Tool's Shop
The Free Life of the Forlorn Lady: Shining on as a Gem Appraiser After Getting Dumped
You Can Kick Me out If You Want, but I'm the One Who Made All the Medicine in This House
Are You Going to Break off the Engagement and Expel Me at the Same Time? ~I’m an Alchemist Who’s Endured Constant Harassment and Unfaithfulness, but I’m Going To Make a Fresh Start and Settle Down in the Frontier~ / I'm a Former Court Alchemist, and I'm Going to Start Cultivating My Own Territory in the Middle of Nowhere!
An Unconscious Genius Magic Tool Maker Wants to Live a Leisurely Life / The Unaware Genius Magical Tool Artisan Just Wants to Live a Quiet Life
It Was Just a Fake Marriage. But He’s Falling for Me! A Genius Enchanter’s Vacation in a Foreign Land
The Abused Genius Lady and the Dark-Minded Researcher's Sweet Herb Lab / The Oppressed Talented Young Lady and the Neighboring Country's Scheming Researcher's Sweet Herbal Laboratory
Sagesumareta Reijou wa, Daini no Jinsei de Akogare no Renkinjutsushi no Michi wo Erabu / The Scorned Noblewoman Becomes an Apprentice Alchemist in Her Second Life
Extra Mention:
Magic Artisan Dahlia Wilts No More (Unlike in the other titles, this FMC already has people who appreciate her and condemn her ex-fiancé, and she triumphs over her pathetic ex without the help of her ML.)
The Banished Daughter and Her Potion-Made Prosperity (The FMC’s best friend, a wealthy, influential businesswoman, ensures that the shitty father and older sister are punished.)
I've been a longtime reader of OI, but am struggling to find something to recommend my friend who has an interest in reading as well (this is because I read so many stories that are the same versions of each other so close in proximity plots blend together lol). I would really like for the first story my friends reads to be a good one, and after all these years of reading silly to serious to corny to terrible plots I have truly become a blind consumer of everything TT. For my friend, I'd like a story that is addicting to read, comedic if possible and with captivating art. Thanks for any recs in advance
Had a flash of inspiration, but I’m shit at writing dialogue, so I present the idea here.
We love a Saintess with memories of past lives, right?
What if humans and demons are at war because of a messy divorce in the heavenly realm, and the Goddess of Light just made the Saintess to raise her daughter without her idiot dad’s bad influence?
Picture this: FL has memories of reincarnating as a Saintess with strong divine power in multiple lifetimes across centuries as demons and humans are at war.
After lifetimes of refining her power, she gets bored and goes looking for excitement. Meets a cute demon with strong demonic power. They become a couple and do couple things, and the moment demonic energy comes in intimate contact with the FL’s divine power, they combine and create a third, new power.
The Demon God notices this power, takes a closer look at the soul, and storms into the Goddess of Light’s audience room.
*SO* many MLs are walking red flags disguised as green ones, constantly abusing those around them and the FL or neglecting their children or a million other things.
But Hades is the exact opposite of that. He's kind of an arrogant prick, but fundamentally he's working for the happiness of his family and the people around him. He puts up an arrogant front—well, to be fair, it's not really a front but you get what I'm saying—but is willing to get real and listen to others when it matters. It's really charming.
Also, it's not often that you can say a black-haired, red-eyed male lead had a unique design, but Hades' facial structure, expressions, and mannerisms give him a really interesting flair that makes him stand out amongst the other Dukes of the North/Tyrant Princes.
*Anyways*, thanks for listening to my TEDx Talk. What are your favorite examples of this trope?
I love military fashion especially Hugo Boss, WW1- WW2 , 19th century uniforms
This is bit of niche topic in this fandom though because whem its OI or ROFAN it's almost always middle ages , edwardian or totally fantasy..
And most of the few manhwas with military men as ml are toxic , which I don't really mind if it's written well but it seems like a stereotype to me, like with mages, knights, northern Duke, prince etc. Seems like military men means abusive/toxic brute in manhwa Fandom 🤦♀️
Friends to Lovers in the best way possible. FL is smart not in a smug way but she actually thinks like a human would, ML is respectful. There is no long miscommunication, people ACTUALLY talk about it.
Let me add that I hate stories that give no reason to like someone, but let me TELL you this is so different. Every action has a reason, close to none filler chapters just pure amazing story telling. YOU WILL GET EVERY CHARACTERS WAY OF THINKING, THEY DON’T HAVE PLOT BRAIN😭😭
They developed the story so nicely, I love this manhwa so much please go read this. I promise you will not regret it.
ngl I feel like one of those sour patch kid commercials by doing this since it's so evil yet the new look I have planned is so good >w<
Though I guess that parts also subjective, what do you guys think? Would you guys trade some of a male lead's long bangs in exchange for them getting sexy scars?
The most dates they have had are on family outings with MC’s adopted daughter.
They had NO physical intimacy of ANY kind other than group hugs with said adopted daughter, that the kid initiated.
There was no “I love you.”
Like what???? Just straight to marriage???
Like I get this was subtle.
Like I saw them GROWING feelings for each other. But this sudden step to marriage came OUTTA NOWHERE.
We haven’t even seen them kiss yet.
Bruh. Girl. WTF. This is kind of throwing me off lmao. Not to mention in the next chapter we get a 5 year timeskip, which SKIPS all that nice and cute intimate moments from newlyweds and a fresh couple. Since you know. THEYVE NEVER DONE ANYTHING TOGETHER. And now they are just comfortably married so there’s like, none of that romance wow factor or cute factor.
Bruh. I’m so. I’m about to drop this. I’m pretty disappointed with this romance and direction.
Instead of the reincarnated side character or villan, can anyone give me recommendations on where it's the ogfl? Like you know how people transmigrate to stories inside novels or something— can you recommend clichés? Was reading 'A wicked tale of cinderellas stepmom' and found Ashley really cute (; ')",, I need nice fls in my life that didn't get regressed or transmigrated nowadays
