10/10. Psychological horror, gritty and raw gore, and characters that are dynamic—this novel is really one that deserves its tags. The slow but vivid reveal of the atmosphere, setting, and mystery all contribute to the striking impact of the plot. This is for those that want a thriller that is on par with Silent Hill 2. The BL aspect of this novel is very much slow and late-game; don’t read this expecting to be greeted with romance.... more>>

TWs include: mu*der/massacre, gore, nonhuman-human relationships, body horror, paedophilia, mentions of r*pe, cannibalism, mind-altering substance abuse, etc. <<less

9/10. Though you’d expect your typical “overbearing CEO gong and shrinking daisy cute shou” tropes in play with this duo genre novel, the characterisations of the MC and ML are surprisingly mature and realistic in spite of the dog blood sprinkled here and there.... more>>

The MC is tenacious and stubborn, a true wolf pup that struggles to survive no matter what. The ML is a besotted and hopelessly-in-love boy who makes it a life goal to give the MC everything he deserves. The synergy between these two is painfully sweet. Though their relationship initially seems unbalanced, the power dynamic between these two is actually equal, with them both giving and taking in such a mutualistic and healthy way. The relationships they have with tbe side characters are in no way compromised by their mutually dependent love; friends are wonderfully friends, and the MC’s tight bond with his female best friend and male best friends is allowed to thrive.

The author doesn’t shy away from mature themes, and explores these themes in thorough detail in flashbacks and side story both. Toxic families and found families are vilified and celebrated respectively. The side characters are so wonderfully crafted, and the author does a phenomenal job at hinting at their multi-dimensional personalities.

TWs include: descriptions of death, torture, underaged prostitution, r*pe/noncon, drug abuse, child abuse, neglect, toxic familial relationships, etc. <<less

8/10. Even without any knowledge on League of Legends, this e-sports novel is an absolute blast. The translation team makes the author’s vivid writing absolutely riveting and immersive, and the games themselves are written too such a degree that you can imagine what’s happening on the character’s screens. The relationship between the MC and ML is unambiguous, with no conflict concerning their romance.... more>>

Minor TWs: nationalism/xenophobia. There might be a few that find the nationalist prejudice of the characters a little off-putting (the non-Chinese characters/teams are mostly written in a negative way or in a very dismissive manner in that they aren’t as “good” as the Chinese characters). <<less

8/10. If world-building is your thing, this novel absolutely excels at it with its innovative and expansive settings. The author does a phenomenal job at setting up a complex and fascinating plot, and each arc that they expound upon is truly immersive. The complexity of the various mysteries is absolutely fantastic to uncover with each chapter. The only drawback here is that the characters fall short of this amazing backdrop. The MC, ML and side characters all suffer from comparison with the in-depth background. In any other novel, their characterisation would be considered alright despite their obvious plot armour and OP traits, but as a result of the setting, feel shallow in comparison.... more>>

TWs include: mu*der, gore, body-horror, disfigurement, descriptions of non-con/rape, starvation, torture, etc. <<less

8/10. For those that want a sweet and unambiguous romance between two wonderfully developed characters mixed in with e-sports/streaming and domineering CEOs. The MC and... more>> ML are gorgeously characterised, the side characters are fun and three dimensional, and the plot progresses at a great pace—the conflict between the characters is meaningful and not drawn out. This is really a jewel amongst CN BL novels. <<less

8/10. Yet another uncomplicated and cute romance between two extremely soft boys. They complement each other exceedingly well, acting as each other’s foils; their personalities... more>> are fixed, fun, and throughout the plot, doesn’t contradict with previous behaviours, making them extremely empathetic and memorable. The surrounding characters are also very charismatic with intriguing backstories and relationships, though occasionally fall into tropey behaviours. Long story short, this novel very much focuses on characters and their interrelationships, placing a lot of focus and detail into their development—the overall trajectory of the plot is pretty much predictable otherwise. This may be detrimental to some readers, but may be a plus for others. <<less

8/10. Not the typical transmigration novel with a fantastic premise, full of potential; the MC is brought to life in a virtual/game world years after... more>> his death due to his investment into VR prior to his accident. The game in which he now lives is the reality of his life, as well as the reality for all of the NPCs around him. Death to the NPCs is just as decisive as death in the real world, with their data “ending/deleted” upon reaching 0HP—something that RL players generally wouldn’t comprehend due to their ability to respawn. Romance in this fic is extremely slowburn, taking a backseat to world building and character development. <<less

8/10. For those that love a wholesome slow-build romance between two people stuck in different worlds. In which the MC unwittingly raises a prince through... more>> a cub-raising phone game. Despite the very ungrounded supernatural premises of the story, the characterisations of the prince and the MC are surprisingly realistic and distinct. <<less

8/10. The MC is an absolute cinnamon roll, and his friends are fantastic. The characters involved are really given a chance to shine through with... more>> the author skilfully using the genre’s expected trajectory to their advantage. As we know the MC will inevitably succeed, the side characters are allowed to be charismatic and fascinating. The struggles that they all face are both empathetic and riveting, not detracting from the plot at all—though the plot itself may occasionally seem to be full of “filler” content to pad things out. This is such a feel-good novel despite the plot that occasionally comes in and hits hard with its twists. <<less

7/10. For those that crave some vividly written horror of the East Asian variety. Though not quite Junji Ito-levels of psychological horror, the author does an amazing job at evoking discomfort and fear with their descriptions and settings. The MC is surprisingly relatable, and his personality does a great job at bringing levity to the otherwise heavy atmosphere brought by the setting. If not for the weak ending of this novel and the loose ends of some plot points/characters, it would have scored at least an 8.... more>>

TWs include: TWs include: graphic descriptions of body horror, gore, death/mu*der, unethical/nonconsensual medical experimentation, nonhuman-human relationships, etc <<less

7/10. Chock-full of shameless yet hilarious characters, the path that FTW takes to victory is full of tension, excitement, setbacks, and most importantly, unabashed flirtation.... more>> The MC is indisputably well-matched with his perfect-in-almost-all-aspects ML, full of both talent and drive to succeed. Their interactions with the side characters are fun due to the author’s ability to display their charm and charisma. Though most are well foreshadowed, some of the conflict involved aren’t quite as well-paced as the characterisation, occasionally feeling as if the author added it just for the sake of it. Nevertheless, the author does a fantastic job at keeping the gameplay relatively fresh despite the genre’s tendency to become repetitive. <<less

7/10. For those looking for a story that has ups and downs, full of character progression that is caused by hardship. The author does a surprisingly thorough job with the pacing of this novel, juggling fluff with hard-hitting tension due to game elements as well as angst. The MC is passive and hesitant, and the reasons for this are well-explained in the plot, though it takes time to uncover both the MC’s past as well as the ML’s. This novel has a startlingly realistic approach to hard-hitting topics such as homosexuality in China and mental illness. And this brings us to the TWs.... more>>

TWs include: h*mophobia, su*cide, depression, dubcon, a weird and dubious segment about babies falling in love with each other at the end. <<less

7/10. For those that love trope subversion. Unambiguous and blatant, the MC and ML enter their relationship with mutual feelings and trust, and the evidence of their hard work throughout the plot results in a very satisfying conclusion.... more>>

Please be aware that the original Chinese language results in awkward and potentially racist-seeming phrases when translated into an English-speaking culture. Approach the wording in this novel with an open mind. Words in Chinese have different connotations to their equivalent in English. <<less

7/10. To put it succinctly: a hapless hypers*xual man is unwittingly surrounded by yanderes that want to monopolise him. The author has a surprisingly deft hand at writing mature themes with levity; there are comedic undertones to the horrors and thrills that the MC has to experience, making what would otherwise be a horrifying experience far more enjoyable (for the reader). The world-building is also excellent, though the characterisation often falls into sidelines due to the heavy focus on the MC and his various forced relationships.... more>>

TWs include: yandere characters, dubcon/noncon, mental illness (hypersexuality, mysophobia), nonhuman-human relationships, gore, body horror, etc. <<less

7/10. Rife with hilarious situations, coincidences, and misunderstandings, the plot of this novel initially unfolds bit by bit—but at a certain point, goes completely off the rails in typical Yu Wo fashion, taking readers on a rollercoaster ride to the end. The MC is almost constantly placed into awkward situations that are completely misunderstood by the side characters, seeming as if the world is completely against her... but it somehow works out in the end, due to her insane luck. The ML may occasionally come off as creepy and/or weird, but slowly unveils a very understanding personality behind his guileless and innocent facade. The side characters are occasionally allowed to come into the spotlight, bringing... more>> more depth to their otherwise fairly stereotypical personalities; they have hidden depths that the author hints at but doesn’t completely unveil.

There are multiple unabashed 00’s tropes that can be found in this novel, so please be warned; the most off-putting in current days would be the portrayal of “gays are always pe*verts”. <<less

6/10. If there is only one thing to be said about this novel, it’s that the MC is s*upid cute. Cute because she’s s*upid, and... more>> s*upid because she’s cute; the novel doesn’t shy away at all at reminding you of her dumb choices in life, and how that inevitably makes the ML fall in love, because how can something so dumb still be alive??? It’s ridiculous, and he needs to keep her safe. At all costs. <<less