#web novel review

[drratiosstudent]

(Spoilers) Lord of the Mysteries Review

*Posted on Reddit August 2024*

*But I decided to post it here because I plan on collating a list of my reviews for the things I read from 2025 onwards here*

Reddit: Anonttheal

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*Note, I am sleep deprived, dead, overwhelmed, emotional, hollow. I cannot describe the ineffable emotions I feel after reading. So apologies if it doesn’t make sense

General thoughts - how I got started

I mentioned in my post the other day that I was going to binge read the final volume and damn. I did. But oh my Goddess, I needed time to process my emotions and thoughts. Some of you might have seen my journey from the start when I joined this subreddit, from discussing my thoughts about the first few volumes, to posting memes along the way as Lord of the Memes, and venting throughout the journey. It’s been a long 5-6 months (I started in March). I want to start off by saying thank you to everyone who welcomed me kindly when I first started and advised me to avoid spoilers, and those who made me even more excited to continue the journey. I’m slightly upset and happy that I postponed reading LOTM for 1-2 years - happy because that means I can binge the whole of LOTM and head to COI (and hopefully be in time for our great Fool’s awakening), sad because I did not read this earlier and find this happiness haha. A part of me genuinely sometimes fear the ‘what if’ I had never touched it? My reading list is as long as the distance from Earth to the Cosmos at this point. Gotta thank the first LOTM trailer for hooking me, the fan arts, and the LOTM TikTok vids that kept appearing on my page. (It was that one TikTok vid explaining where I could read LOTM that made me read LOTM, I think it was from Mr. Mysteries? And then there’s LOTM Historian, I used to watch him rave about LOTM having no clue what was going on but thinking damn, the characters are cool but idk what’s going on but he’s high key glazing LOTM, I can see the passion in his eyes and I wanna know why). I was genuinely so curious about how excited LOTM readers were at the world building and story, and it made me happy to see people glaze LOTM so much (even though I didn’t understand a thing other than that the MC pretends to be a God and I was so confused - how can a human pretend to be God?). I genuinely pick novels/books/stories based on how much people glaze or analyse it + how many people cry over it. LOTM seems to fit the bill. Soon I was like - I need to know what makes these people so passionate. Now I understand. I am the same. Heh.

Review

I’ve said before to my friends and on here, reading LOTM for me was like peeling an onion. I know the first volume can be divisive but I was hooked BECAUSE of volume 1. I found it great, especially for someone who knew nothing but MC pretends to be God and wants to go home. You have no idea the emotional turmoil and shock I felt as the mysteries got revealed. I had to reread the ending of volume 1 a couple times before reading volume 2. That was how shocked I was. Then as I continued reading, I realised nothing is as it seems, and everything seems to be planned and foreshadowed from the start. The brain games, the strategies, the unique world building, lore, truth reveals, plot twist, Beyonder abilities, the Beyonder law, the way everything fits in together and makes such perfect sense, and how history affects the present was just amazing. There were no plot holes I could think of, and even though I was spoiled a lot (I have a tendency to seek out spoilers, but I still enjoy reading with spoilers in general), I still enjoyed it because there were so many plot twist I doubt scrolling through comments and videos would spoil the book for me. I absolutely loved how yesterday’s enemies might be your allies today, and allies can turn to enemies, and how even neutral parties may get involved. (Especially so in the final Godly battle when Klein was listing out his allies and enemies. I was literally kicking my feet before during and after the fight, and gaped when I realised MTOD might even side with Klein. And poor naive young me who thought Adam was alright would’ve been so shocked at Adam being one of the great antagonist for Klein later. Then there was also the Sasir in the FloG, where even Amon helped Klein, and his goal was revealed only later. Then the whole Amon thing of kidnapping Klein, only to actually turn out to target Pallez.) Everyone had their own agenda, and it was extremely fun, using my brain to deduce alongside Klein the motivations of different organisations, characters, and who we can trust. Klein also comes up with such unique and creative plans, back up plans, back up back up plans, and uses weapons, tools and his abilities in ways I think most of us would not have thought of. Instead of typical magical fights, we have sealed artefacts with side effects, using them for his advantage sometimes, him using the whistle, groselles travel, the genie, the brass book, and LEODERO in such creative and humorous ways. Then we have monocle guy, mushrooms, pregnancies and coincidences. I low key felt so paranoid and anxious whenever I saw them or thought that there were coincidences or ‘reasonable developments’. Klein had his wins, losses and sacrifices, he made mistakes and triumphed over many obstacles. Watching him grow was so fulfilling and satisfying, yet filled with so much grief and loss. I really loved the theme CF portrayed of humanity, loneliness, divinity, morality and love/relationships (in all forms, be it familial, romantic, platonic, those gray areas etc.)

The world system and magic system has so much significance in real life too. The fact that one can only become a strong Beyonder by having money, resources and connection rings true in the real world. Alger and Audrey are key examples of this. Some may dislike how hard and long it took for Alger to grow compared to Audrey, but imo, CF did this on purpose. Alger suffered from discrimination since young, and continues to do so. Audrey has everything he lacks - the money, resources, connection + her identity not as a mixed blood. But this does not mean we should hate Audrey for what she has that she can’t control. I respect Alger for his determination despite all the barriers simply because of his identity, childhood and factors that slows his growth, and I respect Audrey for being open minded and brave enough to grow out of her shelter, realise the cruelty of the world, and use her benefits to help others. Life is unfair, and we can see that here. Same with Old Kohler, Daisy, the Sammers. Every character has their own strength and flaws, they felt so human even if they were not shown too much. Yes, some side characters can be shown in more detail, I know it is a flaw in this story, but no story is perfect, and we don’t expect a perfect story. As long as a story makes a big enough impact on me, I think it’s good enough. But the fact that so many people have side characters as their fav characters (other than Klein) shows just how well CF thought through the side characters + their roles in the story. I can tell CF did a lot of thinking into the roles characters have, and what they portray, and he for sure knows that some characters will be disliked, but the characters are there for a reason, to portray a message, a theme, or that their growth is supposed to send a message to us.

Regarding the world building of magic - The fact that as a Beyonder, you need anchors has relevance in this world too. As one rises up in the hierarchy, or holds a higher position in this world, it is easy to get lost in your own self importance, or to be in your own world, or be so involved in problems in your circle you don’t see the big picture and impact on other people. (We can look at celebrities, or extremely rich people - again, this is not all celebrities and rich people, and it also isn’t entirely their fault. When us ‘normal’ people treat them as powerful beings, when a huge number of employees rely on celebrities to maintain their status for their jobs, we are reinforcing the image to them, and their environment is already closed off to us. There is a barrier between us. They don’t completely understand how we live, nor do we understand their struggles. This again, is not a bad or a good thing, it’s just the complexities of life. Celebrities and rich people have worked hard to get to where they are (ignore old money), but there are flaws in this system). Having anchors, friends and family who ground us, and become a bridge to how the rest of the world is so so important. Loneliness is another core theme that is displayed throughout the novel too - the stronger one gets, the lonelier it gets. Same with the real world. Less and less people understand your struggles, and you will encounter the same sort of people again - those in the upper circle.  Moreover, being rich or famous undoubtedly makes you responsible to those who support you, and all the lives you can impact with one small mistake. This can be seen from Klein’s behaviour and choices, as well as other leaders and upper echelons members. All the faceless human beings who suffered the most amidst the fights of the powerful beings symbolises the real world also - most of the impact of the powerful are felt by the weaker ones.

Here comes the last bit before I rant too much - the fact that while Klein is indeed amazing, he relies a LOT on others for help. Which I think many of us need to learn from, as I think as a society, many of us tend to avoid seeking help, admit our vulnerabilities to others. It was refreshing to see an MC who is selfish in his own way, cares about his own life, and will be proactive in protecting both himself and his mental health. It really felt realistic when he took the cowardly way out or went ‘go to the Church for help’. Yet, he is also sacrificial as we can see at the end, and there are things more important to him than life. He is a very practical and priority oriented person. Although he doesn’t lower all his defences at the end, and has some secrets - he does take the initiative to seek out trustworthy individuals to entrust his life and plans to his partners. He has also shown time and time again how grateful he is for the help and how he returns the favour. We have seen his acts of kindness, both big and small along the way, and this would become a dissertation if I should list out all his acts. 

But this brings me to the next part - I love Klein’s interaction and relationship with everyone. They’re all unique in their own ways, and support Klein as different pillars. Just like how a house needs different pillars of support, all his companions provide him with different facets of a relationship, support and humanity. I am actually really grateful that CF did not include a love interest for Klein, because it does not suit his personality and mindset. Klein has stated that it is not his priority, and he wants to go home, then later on, it was too dangerous to become too close to others as well. If it was any other character with a different personality, mindset and priorities, romance could be possible. But with a practical and priority oriented Klein, it wouldn’t make sense for him to have a love interest. I’m not saying it’s not possible to focus on the apocalypse, gain strength and fall in love at the same time, but as someone who is somewhat similar to Klein in his thinking and values, I would make the same decisions as him. Heck, if I were transmigrated as well, I’d be pissed and want to go home ASAP. Life is not always great, but I have things I worked hard for here, family and friends. Plus, if I knew the world apocalypse was coming, and all the madness of the world, I’d just be wanting to go home. A demoness could come up to me and I’d just say - can you bring me back home? If not, can you make sure the family and friends I’ve made along the way safe? Then if like Klein, I found out the truth, I’ll just work hard on bettering myself and distancing myself from close companions to not endanger them. Lmao I already self-isolate enough when I’m in trouble lol. Working on it though as reading LOTM made me feel more comfortable and be more proactive in seeking support and help when I need it.

Yes, I do have my own personal ships which I will not name, as that’s not the purpose of this reddit and I don’t want to start a ship war - but even I would find it iffy if CF wrote it in. Unless it was a reasonable development I suppose (I’m not Adam I swear to Mr. Fool). But I can’t imagine it really. But, good news: no canon ships mean all ships are free (for the love of Mr. Fool, as long as the ship is APPROPRIATE, please don’t spread corruption.). Each ship brings its own unique tropes, humour or angst and I absolutely love it. (Honorary mention for Klein x Money and Klein x Bathroom ship)

Oh wait, before I end, I know some people are divided on liking/disliking certain characters, and I understand some side characters, esp TC members could be expanded on more. I share the same views, but I also think CF, as an experienced writer himself, expects people to see this flaw and knows himself that certain things can be better - he has mentioned before he has a few things he could work on. But what’s done is down, what’s written is written down. I do have some thoughts on the flaws of LOTM, but I’m in the high/low/overhwlemed of finishing the book, and I cannot think comprehensively and objectively about LOTM. But I can say CF gave us what he promised from the first volume, and fulfilled many of our wishes in watching Klein grow, and in learning about the world. He has done a phenomenal job in doing a research and writing down a story with perhaps the best world building, mysteries and plot twist I have read I full heartedly embrace the horrors of coincidences, pregnancies and mushrooms - Thank you, Cuttlefish, for writing something so great, for giving me something to look forward to everyday, for giving me a story with strong themes I could write a dissertation about and a good storyline. I’m glad I picked up this book, and I’m glad people glaze it.

Quick mentions of other things I like bc this is getting long: 

The FIGHT SCENES. In my reading experience, LOTM has the best fights I’ve ever read. The most creative, mind boggling and plot twisting fights that involves unique abilities, creative ways of using tools and abilities, 5D brain chess game that makes my brain twist in enjoyment, solving the puzzles of what the goals of each character is.

Klein’s personas. I love them all.

Sealed artefacts, just the concept and those with living characters are hilarious, esp when they ‘play’ with Klein above the gray fog or when Klein puts two sealed artefacts tgt.

In general, the character arc for the diff characters and side characters (Danitz, Anderson, Prissy, Shermane, Old Kohler, Daisy’s family, Sammers, Dunn and Daly etc.). (I do think they can be expanded more and be more fleshed out but that’s for another time if I ever review what could be improved. But I like where the TC members ended up.) Each side character has their own stories too and they pull at my heart.

Teamwork. This is vital in every single one of Klein’s plan.

Benson and Melissa… I could rant.

This fandom. The cult like ness, the memes etc. Most people are quite nice in general though, at least, when I scroll through reddit and in my comments. I've been avoiding a few things out of spoilers though.

There were also so many beautiful and impactful quotes, I want to create a document with them when I reread LOTM. But I’ll end with this:

“I can feel your joy, your exhaustion, your faith in life, and the heavy responsibility that you have borne from your letters. I can roughly guess why you ultimately made that choice. If it were me, I might not even be able to make such a decision.”

“From the beginning, you’ve been a guardian. You mimicked others until you were mimicked by others.”

Klein has truly been an inspiration for me. I started reading this during a low period of time, and honestly, seeing Klein fight so hard for his loved ones and for himself, gave me the energy to find some motivation to work hard and take care of myself. Watching Klein rest, find his humanity, enjoy his food and life in between made me realise the importance of resting and not burning out in real life as well. What is life, what is humanity, if not for the pause in between the madness and cruelty of this world? There is beauty in life that is worth protecting and worth looking forward to. Perhaps it is the chaos that makes the beauty shine brighter, and it is only when we are at our weakest that we are the strongest. After all, it is easy to be strong when one is in a good state, but not so much when you are at your weakest. Watching Klein struggle against CW towards the end, when the thoughts of giving up was so prominent - after all of his achievements, this was perhaps Klein’s greatest feat. Just purely not giving up when it was so, so easy to. Especially when it was all his anchors that helped him keep him sane. I hope everyone here has some anchors, people they care about, to help keep them grounded amidst any hardships you may face.

Anyways, thanks for reading this long rant and for witnessing my journey. May the Fool bless you all. Have a great day/afternoon/night!

Time for me to read the side stories and COI.

Ugh, I really want to rant more but my brain is not braining with me after a lack of sleep from binging then heading straight to work. I swear I had like, a really good outline in my head. I was prepared to write a dissertation.

Oh one thing, I love how the things we fear are things you don’t expect - it’s not monsters or strong abilities, but small things like coincidences, forgetting/rememebring something (I recall the horror of reading Roselle saying he forgot something and realising he was corrupted) or things like Mr. Door is actually saying Don’t save me, or how there are so many diff ways you can suffer and die like reading, thinking, looking, hearing at the wrong things/things you shouldn’t hear or look at etc. The whole concept of corruption and cosmos is just so intriguing and how knowledge can make you suffer.

Note: Ngl, I also cringed alongside Klein when he got a church, and read the holy bible. Proud of him but also lmao.

Mini character review in comments below bc this is long: (Please note I am sleep deprived from all the reading and working, it might not make sense, I love all TC members. I miss them alr.)

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Alger - Love his glazing, experience and guidance of everyone. He inspires me and I think represents all the groups of people who are held back by society and life. He is a very complex character with his own motivations, strength and flaws. I think he was written to glaze The Fool and to show us what most people thought of strong evil Gods, but also to make us readers excited about TC meetings and how others view the Fool. I do wish we could’ve seen more of his life and his actions, but it warms my heart to see his sceptical nature and cold heart turn warm, and his relationship with Derrick. He gained a lot more warmth in his life, and I’m happy for that. He didn’t have a great childhood but watching him help those younger than him, and him being proactive in helping others was great. I love seeing him subtly become more grounded and closer with everyone. (I’d write more but I’m running out of space to give way for some important discussion on some characters that I’ve noticed). Imo, He plays an important role in describing many of us who submit to authority and fear, but also has an ambitious side to him. He knows how to play his strength, and he is a ‘guide’ to the readers and TC members that allows the story to move forward.

Audrey - Love her growth, warm heart and bravery to mature from a 17 year old naive girl to a woman who is proactive and tries her best to help others while dealing with her darker thoughts. (I understand she is a very divisive character, some love her, some hate her - I see both points of views. But liking characters are subjective. When reading about disliking Audrey, I was mostly focused on the analysis of CF’s writing instead, as I know me liking or disliking Audrey’s personality is just a matter of personal preference. I was concerned for her character at first but I think CF did realise the problem and slowly grew her arc. I do think CF has planned her arc from the very beginning, but it was slow at first. I won’t comment how much I like her character or how CF wrote her but, in general, I do like her like all the TC members, and I do wish more people of her status in the real world were like her.)

Derrick - Proud of his growth and determination + his innocence and kind heart. His loyalty and bravery as a child is worth commending. It is not easy to live in the FloG and to kill his parents, and to find the way out. Now he is someone important in the Church and for his people. The responsibilities on him has grown and I can’t wait to see how he has become in the future. (Sorry had to rant on this little sun. I think it is easy to overlook him as a character sometimes but imagine living in his environment. I would suffer.) I would rant more but sorry my eyes are hurting rn, ben staring at the screen too long.

Fors - Honestly at first glance, she seems lazy, but I think we all forget she worked in a hospital before (I think? Idk if she was a doctor or surgeon). Can you imagine how hard she must’ve worked for that? The patients she must’ve seen, the bad cases, the people crying, the patience, empathy and steadfastness she must have? There’s a reason the Abraham wife took her in. Then she became a bestselling author. She’s the epitome of success at whatever she wants to do. No doubt she worked hard in those field. Yes, she has her own advantages with regards to her growth as a Beyonder, she did have it relatively easy - but don’t forget, The Fool, TC members and Abraham family can only give her support and guide her. She was the one who had to take the steps herself. They can hold her hand, but she must walk with her own two feet, and as a Beyonder, that is not easy as well. She worked hard to digest her potions and help the people she care about. She can be lazy, but when it comes to her values like protecting the Abraham family, Xio and ppl she cares for, she will work hard. But to hate a character for having things easier than others feels a little sad. It reminds me in real life of people who hate people who were born with good luck or good family and benefits, things they cannot control. Same with some people who hate Audrey for having it easy. I’m happy for people who are lucky, sad for those who are not - In my mind, it is more important to focus on the important issues such as how we can decrease the inequality between people and growth in life + career. As long as those with benefits use their advantages to help others, I think that’s the best they can do already. Sorry long rant about Fors and Audrey. But also, it would be al little monotonous if all TC members struggled to grow. I think CF did this to show some disparity in how diff people grow as a Beyonder. Having different roles in life allows one to increase their sequence in different ways - be it fast or slow, and some things are out of their control.

Emlyn - Our messiah - our saviour - our lord of dolls and the pride of Sanguine. While I find his character hilarious, I do like his growth in understanding that being the ‘messiah’ comes with its own responsibilities. He brings some lightheartedness and allows us to compare his inexperience to other TC members’ experience. These characters are required for us to understand Alger and other experienced characters’ wisdom, and for us to witness The Moon’s growth at the end.

Cattleya - Her character is very complex, and that’s what I like about her character. Parts of her personality reminds me of me as well, which made it a bit hard for me to read. Especially when Audrey analysed her it felt like viewing me as well. It’s not about Cattleya’s complex relationship with Bernadette/motherlike figure, but her personality of being cautious and how she tries to hold herself up well in front of others and works hard to become a powerful figure. Then we only realise how she feels like a child and seeks consolation and protection from others later from Audrey’s analysis and Klein who saw her in her dream. I do think she could be developed more, but I do liked the scenes we have of her where she showcases her wisdom, experience and abilities. She’s like the female version of Alger. I have to admit I was a bit pissed at Cattleya and lost my trust in her but I slowly regained it back. People make mistakes, learn from it, and hopefully don’t make it twice. She deserves a chance to learn.

Leonard + Pallez - OUR DEAR POET!!! I really thought he was going to be our antagonist, and I was influenced by Klein. Although I chuckled at his antics and his ‘protagonist of times’ personality, I was also quite fearful and paranoid of his every actions at the beginning. But after Volume 1, my heart just broke for him. Imagine losing your captain of a few years, and a colleague whom you learnt to trust. I honestly think he has lost many people throughout his time as a Beyonder up to his final status as a high ranking deacon. It has already been mentioned that it is common to have to fight against your colleagues. I’ve no doubt he lost many. He is perhaps one of my fav characters ngl, watching him go for revenge, get stronger, and finally dig that grave and try his best to help his friend. His relationship with Pallez is hilarious as well. He has his own strength, and I do wish we saw more of that + sleepless pathway abilities in midsequence. We have Arianna for high sequence and Tingen’s Leonard low sequence. Proud of his growth though. He is perhaps one of the fastest official Beyonder to rise up the ranks. Yes, he had Pallez’s guidance, but look at Pallez - do you think he would help Leonard like that? Pallez seems more like someone who helps during life or death situation, gives some useful information, and guides his students to his own conclusions rather than giving the answers straight up - unless concise answers are required. At least, that’s my assumptions based on his convos with Pallez. Besides, Leonard had to do the acting himself, Pallez can’t act for him. I’m sure he did solve many cases in the Church and acted hard. He was almost on par with Klein, just like a month or two behind, at least until Seq 5, when Klein massively shot up the ranks due to his circumstances. Praise Pallez though, yes he was hiding all the time, but to hide from THE AMON for this long? Honestly he did quite well and did help Klein and Leonard massively with his own wisdom.

Xio - Looking as a character as a whole, I do like her personality and mindset. She’s an inspiration. She works hard, has integrity, holds strong to her values. But we don’t see much of her. I’m sure she’s a great MI9 Colonel, and people respect her, but I honestly for the first time, can’t write that much about her. I like her concept, and I hope she gets more time in COI. Looking at her background, she must have a lot of experience and wisdom from being a bounty hunter until now as an MI9 member.

Amon - I am THIS close to making the monocle emoji into my flair. I use it all the time in my texts now and it is one of my most frequently used emoji. He is one of my fav antagonist with such unique ways of making us feel terrified and horrified and his deception skills are maxed out. Especially his final battle with Klein. He is cunning, mysterious and a joy. A joy to read. Not to experience. I literally love Pallez’s quote about Amon. 

Adam - Our Visionary, our author, the one who made us all terrified of coincidences. I thought he’d be leaning on Klein’s side due to his help in Klein’s Seq 4 arrangements but oh was I wrong. I love being wrong. I love how complex the brothers are, and how even saying his name omg. The scene where he was next to Anderson and Danitz, and how he could be beside you and you wouldn’t know, and how he can make things happen - he is wow.

Evernight Goddess - PRAISE THE GODDESS! Our initial investor, our saviour, our lovely transmigrator!!! I love her so much, she has helped Klein a lot and honestly is on par with Amon and Adam, perhaps higher. She is the hidden manipulator and schemer behind it all alongside Adam, and I love it, how everything slowly revealed towards Amanisis and when Klein finally met her. Then her and Lilith’s betrayal, then her killing Klein omg I was like why then I realised why and was like wow. I would rant more but my brain is not working anymore. I am also considering choosing the sleepless pathway as my flair. Ofc not just bc of her but honestly with my lifestyle and personality it’d be pretty easy to act it out.

I wanted to add Azik but I'm actually really tired but I love his relationship with Klein, his personality, his wisdom - literally made him my profile icon lol. I think, I would be grateful if I had a teacher like him. I love the letters he and Klein sent to each other, watching their relationship grow, their trust with one another. He is and always will be Klein's eternal teacher, mentor and friend.

On a final, final, final note - thank you Cuttlefish and Klein, for bringing me this miraculous world and characters, and for giving me some sort of warmth, hope and positivity in this messy thing called life. :)

[coffeebookslovegt]

Por Dios, Penelope Featherington, ¿te vas a casar conmigo o no?

[heyykiwi]

HELPPPPPLEASE

I am looking for a book I read a while ago

It was about this girl who could know how the people would die just by touching them, so she always stayed away from everyone, and she meets this boy (obviously) and she doesn’t want to touch him because, you knowwww

I don’t remember if she sees his death or not when she touched him.

I also remember there is a car crash somewhere in the book, I think it was not a stand alone book, I think it had more books written

Plsss help me, I read this one back in 2014, maybe

[web-novel-polls]

Have You Read This Web Novel?

To save the hopeless Dark Fantasy World, I held back my tears and destroyed the world, then killed the Demon King and returned. Now, I’m trying to save the world using the “System” I gained as a “Regressor’s Privilege”… But the Main Heroines have also awakened their own memories of the previous timeline. God damn it. - Novel Updates

If you’re in the process of reading this web novel, please choose whichever option best fits your situation. You do not have to be completely finished with it to answer “yes.” 

[hopeymchope]

Why Raeliana Ended Up... Being So Awesome

"Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion" is SO fucking good - so much more up my alley than I ever expected - and I'm going to now struggle to explain why.

The short version is that it's all about the quality of writing and the likeability of our lead heroine. The dialogue is so human and the conflicts never feel based in stupid actions that could just be equally discussed. The characters are all smart and engaging. The animation's no slouch, either, and the opening song is a BANGER.

...okay, so there's a lot of stuff to like. But the writing is the MAIN factor.

I'm getting ahead of myself. See, this all began as a Korean serial web novel, and I would DEEPLY like to read it some day but DAMN, there doesn't seem to be an English translation. It was then adapted into a manwha that thankfully IS being published in English. (...I'd still rather have access to the original source material though.) And now it's additional gotten a visual novel that's coming to Steam and it has this anime adaption! The very last of those being how *I* finally discovered it.

You know what this shot implies *already*, don't you?

Let me get this disclaimer out of the way: This is... an isekai. And I usually recoil from isekai stories because it's not a setup I like to begin with, but they are also SO overdone by now that they feel SO generic.

And yet... lately I've found a couple delicious exceptions. Such as this one.

Lovely Sarcastic Independent Aggressive Manipulative Funny Adorable Badass

Your quick story setup: A young woman (in the web novel and manwha, she's Korean; in the anime, she's Japanese) is killed under mysterious circumstances and wakes up inside the body of Raeliana, a minor character from a Eurpoean Fantasy-style romance novel she recently read. In the book she read, Raeliana's murder is what spurs the main heroine of the story, Beatrice, to come home from studying abroad, investigate and charge the killer with his crime, and fall in love with the mysterious Duke Noah Wynknight along the way.

This immediately presents our New Raeliana with multiple concerns rolling around her brain:

She now lives in a world that resembles a Regency-era European country, albeit with magic and monsters. This means that, as a woman, her options for autonomy are limited. Women in this fantasy world may have slightly more freedom than they did in reality at the same time... but not by a lot. And this becomes an overarching issue to EVERYTHING ELSE she tries to do.

She wasn't fully reincarnated, either — she woke up inside an already-adult body. Which implies that she somehow stole it from the soul that previously inhabited it. If that's the case, where's the Original Raeliana? And how will New Raeliana feel about suddenly occupying another person's life and altering it by her actions, either unwittingly or intentionally?

New Raeliana knows from reading that novel that "she" — or rather, the body she's inhabiting — is supposed to die soon. She also knows who the culprit will be: Her own fiancée that she's been engaged to for years, with both families long having agreed upon the match. She has no intention of just letting herself die twice in rapid succession, but how is she going to get adequate leverage to break it off? And even if she does, will that actually change her fate?

....though if she doesn't die, where does that leave Beatrice's future?

Of course, New Raeliana is wielding the inside knowledge she gleaned from the book about this world and its characters. She uses those resources to work her way into a protective arrangement wherein she lives at the mansion of Duke Noah Wynknight under the guise of being his fiancée. (The Wynknights are evidently well-known for their tradition of incoming fiancées having to live in the same house with their future husband, albeit on separate floors.) Then it's matter of manipulating over events into her favor...

PLOTTING.

This situation makes Noah and Raeliana into Uneasy Allies. And many more challenges will threaten that alliance, as well as his standing and her own survival, including physical dangers from murderers and monsters, societal threats from plotting nobles, the potential exposure of their lies, emotional turmoil from within, and SO MUCH more.

Duke Noah ain't a slouch on SKETCHY-ASS behavior, either.

Ultimately, this is a love story — the kind where some initial antagonism melts into affection against the supposed "better judgment" of those involved. It's can pretty touching, honestly. But along the way, there's just so much fun dialogue and characterization PLUS some really badass bits. The greatness isn't in the concept; it's in the execution. Which is something that's kind of hard to explain in a review like this one. You just have to see it for yourself, and I don't want to ruin any of the highlights.

Well... maybe I can imply a few things.

FEATURING SUCH DELIGHTFUL TROPES AS:

Fake Relationship

Deconfirmed Bachelor

Bodyguarding a Badass

Belligerent Sexual Tension

The Quiet One

Violently Protective (Boy)friend

Wham Shot

[takeariskao3]

UGH

Does anyone know how to make these go away without having to lock down my entire account

[crimsoniv0j]

I am an avid reader of novels, mangas and webtoons. I have been reading them for almost 16 years now and here are the sites that are legit and I greatly recommend to check!

[kiyosho-art]

GRAPHIC NOVEL RAFFLE

Hello! To herald the release of my 330 page graphic novel about dinosaur, Connected Skies, I am holding a raffle to help spread the word. If you win, you get a free paperback copy! Free shipping, too. You've got nothing to lose, jump in.

RULES:

Follow me.

Reblog this post.

Comment, and I will assign you a number.

Let's make this massive story known!

DEADLINE: September 1st

There is also a raffle on Instagram for the same thing.

[carolncn]

I'm excited to share that I've completed my first short story, which consists of 9 chapters. You can find it on Wattpad and Web Novel.

[redsnerdden]

Lackadaisy Volume 2 Review: The Walls Are Closing In!

Lackadaisy Volume 2 Review: The Walls Are Closing In! #Lackadaisy

It’s time once again to take a step back in time with the latest volume of Tracy J. Butler’s Lackadaisy! If you recall in the previous volume, a violent raid involving a rival operation has left our favorite Lackadaisy palace with Bullet Holes! Mitzi and the Lackadaisy crew have their backs against the wall as the gang struggles to secure more booze, secure new connections, but unbeknownst to…

[cedarnommer]

I just finished episode 0 of this web novel. Where do I even begin?

Firstly, I'm really glad that this ended up being done like this instead of a visual novel. It honestly feels more innovative than a visual novel in some ways. The text formatting is gorgeous. The artwork is so wonderful and colorful and pretty and cute and nice and I really really love it. The fact that this has a soundtrack is astonishing and so cool.

I really like the characters. Firstly in a normal way in that they have really fun personalities. Each one feels like an interesting person or monster(?). I also like them in a completely not normal way and this is really embarrassing to write in public but wow the main character is cute and has those sweet biker shorts on that show off their butt and their sporty look contradicting their nerdy personality is so sweet. And Selene is so sweet and is big and god I want to be hugged by a woman that big. And Drippy has a big personality and big.. erm....... I'm just digging myself a hole here. Anyway!! The characters are cute and hot and pretty and adorable and goshh..

The writing is really fun. There's a lot of cool expressions and clever writing which goes a long way to really make scenes feel nice. The pacing never felt off and it was hard to take my eyes off the screen sometimes as I just kept wanting to read more and more.

And finally. This is queer as heck. It shows deep connections. It shows the feeling of exclusion. It shows the feeling of finding community. And most importantly - it shows the feeling of being different and wanting to change yourself. Something that I want more cishet people to try out themselves.

I experienced a lot of emotions during reading all of this. I laughed, I cried, my face turned red, I started covering my face in embarrassment, I smiled, I was excited and I was incredibly curious. I highly recommend you give this a read. It's really good!

NEW RELEASE: CURSE/KISS/CUTE episode 0: “Aster Asks!”

Read it for free in your web browser right now!

CURSE/KISS/CUTE is a new episodic erotic web novel about cute gay monsters hooking up in a cursèd wood, with full illustrations and an original soundtrack. 🔞 For adults only! 🔞

[kaavyadrinksberries]

Review: Ascending, Do Not Disturb

Title: Ascending, Do Not Disturb

Author: Yue Xia Die Ying

Summary:

You think too much, cultivation is not like this… When Kong Hou steps on the path to cultivation, she learns that all xianxia stories are full of lies. A relaxed cultivation story. Kong Hou: a traditional musical instrument like a harp. The female protagonist’s name.

(Summary from Novel Updates)

My Thoughts:

This was a super cute and fluffy read. Kong Hou is a genre savvy protagonist. Her sect is also super nice and I love how cute and wholesome her sect is. The adventures and fights are fun. The romance is also super cute, the ML is an interesting character and the chemistry between the two is so cute. This is also a really funny read, and just so wholesome. This is one of the most wholesome xianxia novels I have ever read. This is so different from Yue Xia Die Ying's other web novels, but just as good.

[coffeebookslovegt]

Puede que haya tenido prejuicios en el pasado. Pero viéndote de pie junto a Alec. Es lo que toda madre quiere para sus hijos.

Gracias por amar a mi chico.

[jazzystudios82]

Webcomic Recommendation: Disobey the Duke if You Dare ♡

Summary: "After the death of her second husband, Lily is forced into a third marriage by her father. Her new husband, a duke, is rumored to be a monstrous warmonger, but to her surprise, he turns out to be a kind and thoughtful man. The only catch… she must never see his face. Will Lily respect his wishes, or will she disobey the duke?"

Distributer: Manta Comics

Source: Manta Comics

Creator: Romance Machine K

Genre: Romance & Drama

Status: Ongoing

Personal Rating: 3 out 5 stars (so far) ⭐️

Availability: Amazon

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[filmcourage]

I've Sold Over 3 Million Comics... Here Are Tips That Can Help Other Creators - Stephen L. Stern

Watch the video interview on Youtube here.

[wornoutspines]

Semantic Error (Miniseries / Movie Review) | A Sweet Exploration of Love Beyond Labels

I thought #Hearstopper was PG but turns out #SemanticError is even sweeter, a delightful blend of romance and personal growth. Don’t miss this sweet #BL series #KoreanDrama #Review Read my review ⬇️

Semantic Error unfolds as a refreshing addition to the realm of Boys’ Love (BL) narratives, offering a tender portrayal of love transcending societal norms and personal barriers. Directed by Kim Soo-jung and based on Jeo Soo-ri‘s homonymous web novel, the series delves into the unlikely connection between two contrasting individuals: the rigid computer science major, Chu Sang Woo, and the…