RAW no romance novel recs in the comment section - I highly recommend one novel even though it's ongoing. Check in the comments for more.... more>>

[NR] no romance

[RM] romance is not a major plot point

[IR] I dropped it

[6] raw novels currently <<less

I want to scout for novels that are everything EXCEPT romance to cleanse my brain. I'm over the usual, and shallow love affairs. Blame my age. ... more>>

*currently under construction* <<less

For recommending female protagonists that don't immediately lower their IQ and EQ when a (ML) man enters the picture. Strong is also used somewhat lightly. This recommendation list will be more geared towards female leads who's actions/words are pivotal in the story. Due to the landscape of light novels with female protagonists, this list will not be completely romance free, but stories recommended will either be slow romance or the story itself will not pivot around the male lead's actions/story.... more>>

Order added as I recall them. Some I haven't read in a while so my thoughts aren't necessarily accurate. If you have a recommendation, please leave a comment of what I should try out! <<less

Reject love, embrace freedom.... more>>

No romance / harem / smut / shoujo / josei etc.

Tags like "Slow Romance", "Late Romance", "Romantic Subplot" are also excluded. <<less

Protagonists that are Gods and are mysterious leaders. The focus of the stories is on other characters in the story and how they are effected... more>> by the mc's actions. <<less

NOT RANKED BY NUMBER. Lots of diversity in the novels. Different kinds like zombie apocalypse, horror, or light-hearted reads like comedy and romance. They all have their own quirks and differences, but one thing that they all have in common is that they are strong in their own way, and they are all female leads. Mentally, physically, talent-wise, etcetera. Some have romance and some don't.  If that's your cup of tea, go right ahead! I don't put bad novels on this list. So read them all. 3/5+ stars only!... more>>

THE ONES WITHOUT RATING ARE NOVELS IM STILL READING!

UPDATES EVERY WEEK!  <<less

Protagonists who try to survive in games/instances/apocalyptic worlds.... more>>

No bl and gl.

Feel free to recommend one.

PS. not ranked. <<less

This is a collection of books I’ve read on Novel Updates. I might rank them in when I finish reading more. There are a variety... more>> of genres, horror, comedy, romance, etc. (also I don’t like super scary so the horror ones aren’t too scary!) All novels are completed with completed translation as well.  <<less

mostly powerful fmc and/or near death experiences with intrigue 

Novels with a female protagonist (including gender-bender male to female) in no particular order.
Feel free to leave opinions or recommendations.
Ratings:
5- didn't read... more>> yet / is reading
4- finished reading
3- would read when book is picked up again or has new updates 
2- stopped reading after catching up
1- dropped <<less

I don’t think I’ll be doing a lot of reading this year but so far I’ve read 4 novels already and I need a place... more>> to note them down <<less

Interesting FL with good story arcs and good/interesting romances - I usually don't like stories with love rivals so most of these will be 1v1... more>>

Feel free to comment recs to add to the list too! <<less

Check the comments for more recommendations. I only added novels above 3 stars, and I'm not gonna bother personally ranking them. ... more>>

Check out my other lists here!

Badass Heroines who aren't damsels in distress 1 - 
https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/62346/

Badass Heroines who aren't damsels in distress 2 - 
https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/63149/

Girl Crush FL (CN Only) - 
https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/89513/

Top Tier Novels (Personal Opinion) 1 - 
https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/62483/

Top Tier Novels (Personal Opinion) 2 - 
https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/74300/

Slow Burn Goodness - 
https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/64099/

Overpowered KR MCs Give Me Life - 
https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/71430/ <<less

If you're like me who can't resist temptation of good novels in price of killing sleep, then you're in the right place! These novels are the one which I read by killing my sleep. These are source of great imaginations and entertainment as these leads are very independent and strong. So, let's enjoy these together.... more>>

Because the 1st, 2nd & 3rd list was full and on huge demand, the much-awaited 4th list is here! {Note: Novels that were added on those lists will not be added here! So, if you came here without seeing them first, Go See that 1st!}

And here I'll try to add all the novels whom I liked the most and was beautiful which couldn't fit on the previous lists. You won't regret reading them cause they're really nice.  This list will include korean, chinese, japanese and other novels. Enjoy reading! ヾ(≧▽≦*)o   <<less

2022-

List of novels where the heroine doesn't turn into a blushing mess and solves her own problems. ... more>>

I like independent MC who are smart or strong.

Popcorn read: A novel with little substance yet so easy to read that you have finished it before you know it. 

Not yet translated: 

第九农学基地/Ninth Agricultural Base: Horror; Post-Apocalypses; Mutated Plants; School life; 

我在废土世界扫垃圾/I'm sweeping up tr*sh in the wasteland: Horror; Post-Apocalypses Nightmares

噩梦入侵 / Nightmare Plague: Horror; Nightmares; 

支付宝到账888万元/ Four College Students' Apocalyptic Quest for 8.88 Million Yuan: Horror; Zombie Apocalypses; Group of Girls; 

这个梦我喜欢！/ I love this dream!: Fantasy world; ABO; Superpowers; Monsters; 

 都市怪谈拆迁办 / Strange Tales Demolition Office: Horror; Strange Rules Ghost Stories; 

她作死向来很可以的 / She's Always Been Good At Courting Death: Horror; Secret World; Instances; Superpowers; 

赛博神明降临无限世界/ Cyber ​​gods descend into the infinite world <<less

List of transmigration stories (BL [Boy Love] / BG [Boy x Girl]) that I find interesting.... more>>

Interesting Transmigration Stories #1 is here: https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/12031/

Interesting Transmigration Stories #3 is here: https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/86227/ <<less

This list only includes stuff that are not on my goodreads account.

A dump of BL/BG/no-CP novels that are survival games/leveling wuxianliu 无限流 novels. Good ones in this genre should either 1) Good world-building (outside the games) 2) Well-developed characters and/or romance 3) Interesting games/concepts for each "level" 4) Well written 5) Decent ending. It's pretty hard to meet all of these but YMMV lol... more>>

For FL-led novels, it's either low-CP or no-CP or even if there's romance, it's more like ML is there to be a power couple/fulfill reader desires so be warned

For BL, sometimes it's heavy on the romance less on plot (if that matters to you)

Classics that are not on NU include:

穿进赛博游戏后干掉BOSS成功上位 author: 桉柏
Get into the cyber game and take out the BOSS Ignore the name, a well-developed FL, side characters

在废土世界扫垃圾 author: 有花在野 - Sweeping up tr*sh in the wasteland (unfinished?) - I haven't tried but highly reccedHorror; world-hopping; unconventional concept/more humour, no-CP

支付宝到账888万元 - Four College Students' Apocalyptic Quest for 8.88 Million YuanHorror, zombie, group of girls, no-CP? - I haven't tried but highly recced

人设不能崩[无限] 条纹花瓶 - Image Can't Collapse

Interesting live-stream concept, FL is a drama queen who takes new personas each game, basically no-CPauthor has several other OGs including 八十一道送命题 (81 Questions) and 无限列车 (Limitless Train) - decent reads if you want strong-FL with good game concepts <<less

Lately, I have been obsessed with CN Novels with badass FMCs, so naturally I had to make a list with the ones I've read/reading. Every single novel on this list is worth reading, so rest assured! P.S: I'll add my reviews as I finish reading each novel.... more>>

Also, check out my other lists here: 

Top Tier Novels (Personal Opinion) 1 - 
https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/62483/

Top Tier Novels (Personal Opinion) 2 - 
https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/74300/

Badass Heroines who aren't damsels in distress 1 - 
https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/62346/

Badass Heroines who aren't damsels in distress 2 - 
https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/63149/

Slow Burn Goodness - 
https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/64099/

Overpowered KR MCs Give Me Life - 
https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/71430/

The Blissful World Of VRMMORPGs - 
https://www.novelupdates.com/viewlist/73205/ <<less

Fls have full agency over their lives.✓... more>>

Supportive male characters/male leads.✓

No toxic mls.

No male leads that drag female leads down. <<less

Books that I believe are very good or fun to read. 

No description.

She’s not like other girls haha. List will contain stories with spirits, systems, schools etc where normal people are scared or get destroyed the MC... more>> has a happy time around or survival games where mc flourishes  <<less

Female MCs I’ve enjoyed reading without too much focus on romance. If it’s not completed on here, I either read the MTL or the translation’s... more>> online somewhere, both of which tells you how much I liked it. Please recommend anything that’s been finished translation wise, thanks! Genres span a lot, but MC has goals outside of romance or is a baddie. <<less