Currently reading. My first priest novel! And, yes, I'm now a believer.... more>>

I'm legitimately astounded with how good priest's writing is, not just her grasp of language (which is great) but also her character writing (which is spectacular). She does something I rarely see in WNs: she characterizes her characters through their flaws. In fact, she sometimes focuses so much on their flaws that even I start feeling that she might be a tad harsh on her own characters.

I've also never quite read a xianxia like Liu Yao, where cultivators aren't seen as divine, immortal beings but are just as petty and arrogant and human as the rest of the world -- and this includes the main characters! Everyone is (dare we say it) *ugly* in some way, and from that ugliness, we find something to love about them regardless.

The overall trajectory of this story is a familiar one: a ragtag group becomes a found family, faces disaster, and has to find some way to overcome it. But the way priest writes it is utterly unique. Honestly, this is one of the stories that impressed me so much because I would've never thought to write it this way. <<less

Holy heck, this series is amazing! It's actually /super/ close to toppling Liu Yao as my favorite xianxia, and that's no easy feat. This is my first encounter with Cyan Wings' work (though I've heard good things about their other stories), and if this kind of quality is representative of the author's other writing... well, I'm definitely going to do some extensive reading in the next little while.... more>>

Anyway, while the premise initially makes this series seem more comedic than it actually is (though there definitely is some comedy there, but the story is actually very... plot-focused), it's actually a very incisive critique of typical BG xianxia romances -- as well as harem stallion novels. It's not a really unique take (others have definitely done it before), but Cyan Wings absolutely elevates it with some really, truly excellent writing.

I think what sets this story apart from so many others is that the readers can really see how much Cyan Wings actually loves xianxia. Because underneath it all, this novel is a REALLY GOOD xianxia novel! It reminds me of ALL the reasons I love xianxia, and even my usual critiques of the genre (e.g. random acts of violence) is actually explained here. The whole "life/death is cyclical and cultivators are humans trying to defy the heavens" is done SO WELL and really informs the story, instead of just serving as background noise for the protagonists. Honestly, I don't think I can even read most other xianxia after this because they're going to pale in comparison.

Another thing is that the characters are also well-developed, and none of them are there just for the sake or it, or to act as random cannon fodder. Even though it's really easy to slip into a character assassination of the original female lead with this kind of story, this series never does this! In fact, the female lead, Baili Qingmiao, is given a lot of help, and even when the other characters disagree with her actions, it never feels malicious. And even as Wenren E follows his path of slaughter (and tries to get Baili Qingmiao to turn to a path of indifference), none of his philosophy feels particularly preachy, as if the author was trying to convince you of the their views (hoo boy, how many xianxia have you read where the MC was just the author's mouthpiece? too much); all of his thoughts/ideologies feel suitable for his character, just like most of the other characters' thoughts/ideologies feel suitable for theirs. Even when I disagreed with Wenren E, I could understand why he acted the way he did -- and he's certainly a fun MC to root for! Always sure in his ways, but still baffled by most human emotions (and not afraid to admit it either). He's exactly the kind of character I like -- cool and confident but still open to the advice and opinions of others.

Oh, and although this story is really plot-focused (and the xianxia is ooh [chefs kiss]), the relationship is also front and center, and the chemistry is so good. Usually with these types of emotionless characters, it feels awkward if they get into a relationship, but here the author manages to write the slow moving towards that relationship so naturally! Wenren E really, really values Yin Hanjiang, and the fact that he wants Yin Hanjiang to stand by his side instead of below him is just... wow, true love, right there. Honestly, my fatal weakness is open and honest communication in a relationship, which fits this to a T. Like, wow, did the author reach into my brain and just pull out everything I want to see in a relationship right here??

So, uh, TLDR; this story is incredible. It blows literally every other story of its kind out of the water. <<less

Currently reading. Quick transmigration novel. Note: this is a WN about taking revenge on scum boyfriends, so cw: for mentions of abuse, su*cide, r*pe, s*xual assault, domestic violence, etc. that happens to characters before MC comes and throws these scum in the tr*sh (and then kicks them a few more times for good measure).... more>>

The high score is completely deserved with this one: this novel is an absolute gem. And all the reviews are correct: this is, hands down, the best quick transmigration novel ever. There's no competition. I both want to read more QT novels after this and also never read another QT novel again because nothing could possibly match up to this story. It's *that* good.

What sets this story apart from others of its ilk is the amount of compassion the protagonist has for the characters of these worlds. While the story is nominally a revenge novel, it neatly sidesteps most of the terrible tropes of revenge novels. For one, while the protagonist isn't opposed to using violence to teach people a lesson, he's also not indiscriminately violent, and actually leaves ways out for the villains--if the villains don't do evil, then evil won't be done to them. But of course scum has gotta scum, and watching the scum get their just desserts is sweet. For two, the protagonist genuinely cares for the characters he transmigrates into, and his first and principal worry isn't about taking vengeance for them but rather about paving a future in which they could stand on their own two feet. It's pretty fantastic, and always heartwarming to see moments with these characters after the protagonist leaves.

There's also an overarching plot involving the systems and a lord god that has suspiciously similar motives to a certain creature from a certain magical girl show (entropy gathering, anyone?) and the MC and ML definitely have a lot of chemistry together. But for me those are small potatoes in the grand scheme of just how well-written these worlds are. The author even managed to get me to not hate an ABO world, and that's certainly a first!

But, yeah, if you can read only one QT novel in your lifetime, read this one. It's worth it, every chapter. <<less

Not usually a fan of arranged marriages, but oh man, this novel already oozes with politics, and I love that. The two main characters have so much chemistry. And their actual point of conflict is written incredibly well. It isn't something petty or a misunderstanding, and it's also not something so serious that the readers can't see them overcoming it. It's the perfect degree of betrayal where you're horrified about what one side has decided to do, but you can also understand why they decided to make that decision. These chapters (18-22) are what really cemented to me that this was a Good Novel.... more>>

Extra plus for the two characters having healthy doses of respect for one another, but also having distance because of the aforementioned betrayal. A breath of fresh air from the usual enemies-to-lovers tropes of arranged marriages. The two are political enemies, yes, but they don't actually hate (or even dislike) the other.

EDIT: Now that it's finished being translated, I can say that (1) this is great (though it ends a bit too cleanly, politically, but that's not a huge deal) and (2) it's way more fluffy than I ever imagined. I would've loved to see more extras of their married, domestic life together with all the scheming stuff out of the way, but I'm still quite satisfied. 10/10 would fluff again. <<less

Really nicely rendered politics that tie in super neatly with character relationships. The character voice itself is also fantastic. Just the right tinge of unreliable, and pulled off so well that it takes the readers a while to realize that Prince Huai really does not know what he's talking about, especially in terms of character relationships. (Though it does almost skirt the line into frustrating territory, especially after a set of extras told from another perspective revealed certain things that Prince Huai was utterly oblivious to...)... more>>

But [clenches fist] this novel played with my feelings like nothing else. Despite its use of some really archaic turns of phrase, I really couldn't put it down once I got into it. The ending is super nicely written as well, and I feel like it'll stay with me for a long time. (It's so innocuous when you read it, but it's the kind of ending that hits you when you least expect it.) Really enjoyed this. Definitely one for the books (and the "must reread" list!)

大風颳過's writing is great, and the translator for this one does her justice. <<less

Yes, That One Novel that everyone knows about -- and for good reason! Very well-fleshed out characters (even villains) along with an actual plot that's carried out towards a neat conclusion. Not a feat most WNs have managed to accomplish. (Also less consent/power dynamic issues than the author's previous Scum Villain, so extra points. But cw: for r*pe fantasy in the extras.)... more>>

Only criticism I have is that the author's pacing is... not quite there yet. There's really long, extended flashbacks interspersed throughout the story that completely breaks up present time plot momentum. I feel that they could've been integrated more cleanly into the story, whether by splitting them up more, or by changing where they were placed. Minor criticism, in the grand scheme of things though. <<less

Essentially p*rn with plot, so expect lots of unrealistic s*x. cw: for some su*cide ideation, particularly at the beginning... more>>

If the premise of "grindr but in Ancient China" doesn't get you, I don't know what will. This is like a "greatest hits of fanfiction tropes" done well. It has 1) slightly clueless (about feelings) protagonist, 2) a one-night stand turned into a full-blown affair into Love, and 3) a love interest who falls in love first despite originally being confident that he could never love anyone else but his first love.

Personally, what elevates this one for me is the protagonist who is completely and utterly ordinary, but who suddenly finds himself amongst extraordinary people. His complete down-to-earth, grounded-in-reality personality is super refreshing and leads to some great comedic moments (especially when he simply brushes off people who look down on him). There's no real one-note character here either. While I wouldn't exactly call them completely three-dimensional, even the antagonists feel like genuine people rather than plot obstacles to introduce tension.

The only criticism (if it even is that) is that the s*x is, yes, very much the p*rn-type of sex: completely unrealistic. (Self-lubricating a**holes is not a thing!!) Also, while most of the s*x is *technically* consensual, it's the sort of p*rn-consensual where one party is overwhelmed with desire and cajoles the other into, like, outdoor s*x or something even though the other is initially uncomfortable. (Though the protagonist's two great loves seem to be food and s*x, so it's not a hard sell lmao.) There's still none of the usual assault-treated-as-love issues like some other BLs have, so I'll count it as a win. <<less

Currently reading. Modern day detective novel.... more>>

I've never been /this/ immediately engaged in a WN before this, and right after I finished the currently translated chapters, I actually went, "OK, now I /need/ to go read the raws." Because wow!! In these first few chapters, the mysteries are already incredibly intriguing and the main leads have such stellar chemistry with one another. Overall, it just feels like a very, very well-written detective novel, and the romance definitely seems to take a backseat (so far) to the (very compelling) main plot. And, yeah, I'm super down for that. (And now also in need of a ton more BL detective novels to read.)

Also, can I just say that I feel so bad for Yan Xie whenever I read the raws because his name (嚴峫) is the most complicated set of characters I've ever seen?? (Well, I guess he writes in simplified for his family name, but still.) I sympathize with his a**holery-ness because I'd probably be mad too if I had to write that name on all my schoolwork. <<less

Currently reading.... more>>

A fairly involved, historical(-ish) WN. I love reading about political maneuvering, and this certainly delivers. The two main leads also have a lot of chemistry, despite one being a complete as*hole (though that's kind of the point), so that's always a plus.

But I actually have a lot of complicated thoughts about this novel, mainly because I agree with the base premise (that people should do good and treat people well even if they don't receive the same in return), but I disagree with the way that the author tries to reinforce this message through the hardships that the MC faces. Mainly because I disagree with a lot of the way she characterizes some of the characters. Because 1) I don't think people are actually as bad as she writes them to be (or at least not bad /in the way/ she writes them to be -- I think tr*sh Bin Boyfriends still remains the only WN that really nails that "real-life bad person" characterization) and 2) it lowkey feels like some of the characterization of certain characters are just vehicles for the author to proselytize about her own ideas of human nature, some of which I agree with and some... I really don't.

I guess the social scientist in me just really chafes at being forced to read about individual actions being extrapolated into larger systems, when I much prefer the other way around (talking about how systems affect/influence individual actions).

A (long-ass) example: Yan Wushi once criticized Shen Qiao for giving food to a boy because it was apparently "hypocritical" since there were other starving beggars around he couldn't save. This is actually a very common moral issue brought up in these types of stories, and I always lowkey laugh at the complete disconnect from reality that creators have for bringing this up.

Because 1) yeah you can't f*cking save everyone, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to help the people in front of you; small mitigating efforts are just as important as large changes, and saving ONE LIFE is better than not saving any. (I think the author does say this, but imo it was said a bit clumsily.) 

2) All this focus on individual starvation COMPLETELY misses the point -- poverty is a SYSTEMIC issue that should be addressed on the governmental level. And it can be addressed. Poverty is NOT A NATURAL FACT OF LIFE, and it shouldn't be treated as such. Like, these stories always uses the excuse of "not interfering with government affairs/complicated politics" as a way for the protags not to actually, you know, actively work for wide-sweeping changes, which is complete bullsh*t because the people you are purportedly trying to help are RIGHT THERE and I'm sure they're eager to tell you how exactly you CAN help. Like... the poor are so often treated as morality pets or random mooks in these stories, as if they didn't have their own thoughts and ideas (but just don't have the power or means to enact them, while the protags do) that it's really clear that these authors have never met an actual poor person in their life. And while this author isn't quite as bad as others, it's still clear that she's simply using these scenes as a way to further her own pet ideas rather than any real concern about the issue of poverty and starvation. Which would be less egregious in another novel that wasn't about the protag being a good person who helps people.

[...That was a lot longer than I intended this to be. Sorry, apparently I had strong feelings about this.]

Now this whole rant makes me sound like I really dislike this novel, and I really don't lmao. It's just that there's so much good in this novel that the small little bits that bother me just stand out more, especially since I agree with what the author is trying to say, but just not how she's saying it. Ah... <<less

Another pretty famous Mo Xiang Tong Xiu webnovel. I kind of see this as a lowkey combo of both Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation and Scum Villain. (The MC is a bit like Wei Wuxian while the ML is a bit like Luo Binghe.) I like this novel just slightly less than Grandmaster.... more>>

This novel imo had a reallyyyy good start. Some great and fantastic characterizations. And Xie Lian is probably my favorite protagonist out of all her works. I love how his kindness was born of adversity, and how he sticks to his morals even when it's unpopular or detrimental to do so. The comedy is great in these few chapters because thrilling things happen, but nothing *too* bad or angsty. It also handles flashbacks relatively better than her previous works ever did (though there are still two longgg flashbacks which, while I felt was necessary, also dragged for a few chapters longer than it really needed to).

However, once it reaches a certain point, the WN starts to feel like what I call a "first pass" novel, as in it feels underedited, not in terms of word choice or whatever, but in terms of the events that happen. Characters summarily get pushed on buses or completely disappear right after their backstories are revealed and events happen one after another without any breathing room. The comedy also starts getting increasingly more out of place, to the point where I'd get mood whiplash from a particularly heart-breaking flashback to a romantic comedy routine. There were also several things left unanswered, particularly about important side characters, at the end, so it never felt quite that satisfying. This second half actually made me wonder if Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation's "first pass" was also like this, and how good Heaven Official's Blessing would be if MXTX actually gets around to editing it.

I also have misgivings about the way certain details/plot points re: poverty and war are handled here, similar to my misgivings about the way Thousand Autumns handles such things. I think MXTX is slightly more ambitious in that she tries to address the inherent messiness of warfare and displacement and poverty, but I personally think she mishandles it, especially since Xie Lan chose such an ass backwards way to go about purportedly "helping" his people. And while I understand the fact that he failed was intentional framing, the fact that the author never actually interrogates what exactly his mistakes were is the true failing here. Instead, she kind of just waves it off as "politics are complicated and different populations are just prone to friction" which is... yes... but also... no... It felt a bit like she understands that the situation is complex but that she doesn't really know why/how it's complex, and as such, tried writing around it to... middling results. A bit nitpicky, especially since I do appreciate her ambition in trying to write something like this, but noteworthy since it's such a pivotal moment for Xie Lan's character.

And, finally, everything else aside, I was never super invested in Hua Cheng as a love interest (ditto for Binghe from Scum Villain). His dedication certainly moved me, yes, but it never felt like the author really knew how to organically grow this dedication. Someone else in a (much harsher) review noted that Hua Cheng treated Xie Lian as essentially an "idol" rather than someone he loves, and I agree, and while that might work for some, I usually like my romances more down-to-earth.

Overall, though, Mo Xiang Tong Xiu's character and plot writing is still miles above most other danmei authors, and I *do* think Heaven Official's Blessing is a worthy read (I marathoned it in two days). Just... I hope the author comes back and edits this a bit more in the future. <<less

Oh boy, this WN hits all my buttons. It's so rare to find a dark-ish romantic take /without/ any s*xual assault, and Outside the Law pulls it off beautifully. (Note: there is a /faked/ s*xual assault present, and slightly dubious consent.)... more>>

What I really love about this is the dynamic between the two main characters, and how this dynamic is reframed and re-envisioned as the story goes on. I'm glad that the author made it fairly obvious from the get-go that one of the protagonists is really not as he seems (and, as the plot goes on, the dubcon-ish elements in the beginning gets shown in a new light). The two main characters' relationship isn't healthy by any means, but the author never tries to pass it off as that, which I appreciate.

It also gets astonishingly fluffy at the end. A story that starts off rough and ends in fluff? Yeah, totally my thing. I definitely reread this story a whole heck of a lot. <<less

This is one of those stories I never expected to like but that hit me like a ton of bricks. 九月買的餅乾's writing is just so... perfect for tugging on heartstrings; it's hard to describe.... more>>

I do agree with a lot of the criticism of this: that Cheng Donglan is a pushover and that it's unhealthy to have one's life revolve so wholly around someone else. But, I don't know what it is, the author manages to convince me that Cheng Donglan and Yuan Yuan will be happy in spite of these issues, that Yuan Yuan loves Cheng Donglan as much as Cheng Donglan loves him, and that's a rare thing to see in romances where one side is super self-effacing.

I guess, as always, I'm a sucker for romantic fluff, and I definitely enjoy stories where you see their life after getting together, and in this way, Loneliness delivers quite well. <<less

Within just a few short chapters, this novel made me feel things in my cold, dead heart.... more>>

OK, that might be a tad bit of an exaggeration, but I legit cannot stop thinking about this novel after I read those initial chapters. Have you ever read the first few paragraphs of something and went, "Oh man, this is going to be /good/"? Well, that's exactly how I feel here. There's something about this that just oozes substance, and I haven't even gotten to the actual plot yet!

It's also one of those novels that is just so well-written that, even if I might not like any of the future plot developments, I have a feeling that I'll still be suitably impressed by them. (We'll see if this feeling actually holds true, I guess.)

I also spent way too long searching for an actual physical copy of this dang thing (which seems to be completely OOP, unfortunately), and this is literally the first Chinese WN that has made me go, "I want to /own/ it and get it all over my dirty, dirty hands," so if that doesn't say something about how much this has affected me, I don't know what will. <<less

I absolutely /adored/ this. I was initially hesitant to read it because of the reviews saying it was full of misunderstandings, but I was pleasantly surprised. While there are misunderstandings, most of them are actually necessary to the growth of the relationship, and they (mostly) lead to characters deciding to be better communicators and overall better people. It's really nice to see, actually! Especially when I didn't find most of the misunderstandings frustrating -- they seem like honest mistakes people in first-time relationships make.... more>>

It also helps that Renzi is exactly my favorite type of person: naive, honest-to-a-fault, and believes the best in everyone. This story was a joy to read, and I largely think it's because of him. I like his childish confidence, and how he just gets back up when he fails and never takes these (many, many, many) failures to heart. I was also pleasantly surprised at how well-fleshed out he is as a person, and how the author actually explains why he is the way he is. (Overprotectiveness from his friends and family... his family pampering him while also being strict so he always felt it was better not to do anything than to do it wrong... etc.) It definitely makes him feel much more like a real person than most other danmeis.

Also, the comedy is side-splittingly funny. Just... this story was such a good time for me that I was legitimately sad when it was over. <<less

I'm honestly kind of lowkey annoyed how good this is because it definitely doesn't seem that way, but it's certainly one of those that slowly seeps into you as you read, and you realize that this is actually... a familiar story written well.... more>>

Basically, it's a sugar daddy/sugar baby story (or friends-with-benefits, however you want to frame it) that ends in love. It kind of flirts with the scum abuse subgenre, but it really isn't scum abuse, and it's honestly all the better for it. Both the MC and the ML feel like real characters instead of just caricatures to introduce maximum angst. MC isn't a white lotus; he has a sharp tongue but he knows when best to use it, and he's also self-aware and confident in himself. ML starts off as lowkey scum, but he's open about his methods and firm in his boundaries, and it's only when he tries to trick both himself /and/ the MC about his own feelings that things fall apart.

It's also refreshing to see a series where an actor really just acts... to put food on the table, instead of as some grand ambition.

Anyway, the series is just a really realistic take on two people trying to make a relationship together, and despite how it initially appears, there actually isn't much drama or angst. In fact, I felt like I was eating dog food through most of the second half of this story -- it gets /really/ sweet, everyone. And the ML's repentance is done well enough that even I was rooting for him at the end, and that almost never happens. <<less

So this is the first Priest novel I actually finished (I really need to get back to Liu Yao...) and it legitimately took me ages because I kept starting and stopping since imo priest *really* spins their wheels with some of the cases here.... more>>

It's not a bad novel by any means, and I think, unlike the other police novel listed here (Breaking Through the Clouds), it definitely tries to be a much more "unconventional" police detective novel, since it actually tries to handle Big Topics such as police corruption, poverty, and such.

Does it handle it well? Uh... not entirely, but it'd take too long to articulate exactly why.

Mostly, I'm not a huge fan of the framing related to some of the cases, particularly the Lolita one (ugh). And I think it also falls into a similar trap as some other novels listed here in how it addresses systemic poverty/wide-reaching corruption -- it's still much too focused on individual acts of goodness and not enough on systemic changes to the system (even when the police corruption is exposed, there's no talk about actually reforming the actual system that led to this corruption taking root and fermenting). Like, there are some service-level critiques of corruption within the police force, but while those fears are framed as being understandable, they're still ultimately kind of hand-waved at the end, when the "good" police officers arrest the bad ones and save the day. (But, of course, it's a police story, so what do you expect.)

Oh, and there's some [waves hands] overtures to "people's livelihoods are determined by the families and circumstances they were born into" but... again, another very hand-wave-y not-even-critique observation, and basically no character who actually grew up in poverty was a lead character. In fact, the villains are the ones who did, which, uh, has some Unfortunate Implications, even if it's clearly unintentional.

Anyway, other than those issues, this story can get quite engaging once it picks off, and once the two characters stop sniping at each other and start developing a relationship (which still feels a bit sudden to me after all that animosity, but ah well), they actually become an endearing couple. I'm still not a fan of jealousy being played as comedy, and how much "good-natured" control over Fei Du's lifestyle that Luo Wenzhou has at the end, but Silent Reading is not the first, will not be the last, and isn't even the worst, offender, so whatever.

TLDR; Takes a while to get going, but a decent police/detective story once it gets off the ground. Has the same issues as most police stories (and the mysteries honestly weren't... super interesting mysteries imo, not even the reveal of the ultimate villain), but engaging enough if you like that kind of thing. I'm kind of harsh on it, but I think that's because it tries more than other stories of its ilk, so its deficiencies stand out even more. <<less

I actually quite enjoy this! Despite its sometime foray into some of the worse excesses of xianxia (the propensity to mu*der random mooks just for being rude, for instance). But it's a xianxia that actually reminds me why I /enjoy/ xianxia. The people in it actually feel like people, and none of the advancements ever feel like complete cop-outs or there simply to add power-levels. I mean, I even like the super xianxia-esque tournament arc here, so I have to be pretty gone on this WN, right?... more>>

Honestly, this is one of those stories where it's hard to describe why I like it; I just do. It somehow manages to hit all my "xianxia is cool" points, so yeah. <<less

A really well-written slice-of-life. Incredibly engaging even when not much happens in the story.... more>>

The relationship in this is super sweet too, and the two adults here actually act like it and communicate like adults. The sudden angsty backstory gave me a bit of mood whiplash, but I liked the way it resolved, and the way the two communicated afterwards.

I did find it odd that the author kept bringing up their age difference at first, especially considering that they're only five years apart and in their 30s, so the age difference seemed incredibly negligible to me. (And 35 is... like... not that old...) But this is a bit of a nitpick. <<less

Much like the author's earlier Tattoo, an extremely well-written slice-of-life that's incredibly engaging even during the most everyday moments.... more>>

I enjoyed this a lot more than Tattoo tbh, since it felt a lot more down-to-earth with its problems (no sudden whiplash tragic backstory) and the characters feel even more mature, with the way that they handle both life and their relationship.

It's a bit hard to explain why the writing is so good here, since it's so innocuously written (which just goes to show how good it is, that the words just fly by!) But if you like fluffy romances, this definitely delivers. <<less

A feel-good rebirth/time rewind story. I read this on a whim but was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this, and how much the author worked to get the two main characters on equal footing in a relationship despite their relationship initially being built on money.... more>>

The male lead is a tad bit more possessive than I would life, but he's legitimately respectful towards his lover's space and boundaries, and that's heartening to see. I also felt like the face-slapping gets a bit too dragged out in the end, especially when I just want more relationship fluff, but it's all right for what it is. <<less

A! QT! Without! Sexual! Assault!... more>>

Honestly, as a QT, it's fairly average. It's not fantastic (well, nothing's tr*sh Bin Boyfriends), but it's not terrible either. The worlds are decently written, the characters are fairly one-note (typical of QTs though), and the main character has such plot armor that nothing ever goes wrong for him.

But, the shining grace of this: No s*xual assault! No pervasive sexism! No bestiality!! I can't believe I'm praising a story for not having bestiality, but, man oh man, do QTs love them. There's literally zero objectionable things about this. And there's even a point in one of the stories where the male lead realizes that if you love someone, you have to let them go! I'm astounded at how these all sound like basic common decency, but that I've rarely seen other stories say.

I mean, as a story, Scattering IQ is pretty fun to read if you enjoy face-slapping QT complete with lots of lovey-dovey moments between the male lead and main character (they fall in insta-love after the first arc, so zero tension there), and the best plus is that I don't feel skeevy after finishing it! So, yeah, I reread this a lot just to remind myself that, yes, there are QTs out there that don't rely on s*xual assault to move the plot forward. Thank the heavens. <<less