don't let the name fool you- it's an epic, mature romance that spans two lifetimes. as others have said before, the characters are really the highlight of the novel. the main pairing undergoes so much development throughout the story and it's an incredible thing to watch. the side characters, side pairings, and plot really got me as well. i often reread scenes of this, and they draw tears every time. don't be off-put if you dislike a harsher mc! we get pov changes between the mc and ml and honestly it's quite hard to say whose pov i like more. (the mc has my entire body, heart and soul.) it has an incredibly mature premise,... more>> and the tl by suika and rynn presents warnings at the beginning of each of the translated chapters. the tl is wonderful as well. i read from the tl, then the google drive edited mtl, which is much more readable than other mtl's ive read in the past. overall, its lovely, and don't be scared by the chapter count. it's a beautiful romance that breaks your heart over and over again.

a solid solid solid 10/10. it holds an incredibly special place in my heart.  <<less

"there is nothing wrong with this novel you guys are just mean" - me, literally everydayI love this novel. tr*sh of the counts family has a lot of lighthearted, fun, shounen-esque power scaling. there's not too much emphasis on fighting and tr*sh of the counts family is really mainly focused on the dynamics between the colorful cast of characters. despite the large cast and the fact they're all united by our (showstopping brilliant deserves everything) mc, they all interact with each other in really fun and satisfying ways. its definitely less of a shounen than it is a slice of life combined with some toppling government action in the background, and there are some really... more>> emotional moments as well. the best part of the novel is the characters and their interactions, i absolutely adore them, and the mystery throughout the novel.

an easy 9.9/10. it hits that lovely sweet spot for me, i just prefer completed novels and am salty i have to wait to see more cale. that being said, the authors and translators are brilliant and doing incredible work. all translators, past and present, thanks for bringing us such high-quality content! as someone who works in tl'ing as well, people don't appreciate us enough. i love your guys' work! thank you!!! <<less

oh, where do i begin? orv is a cult-classic for good reason. the worldbuilding is just incredible, although it does get a bit confusing at times, once you've got it locked in it's there for good. at some points i was getting a bit confused because i don't have the cultural background to understand some of the mythology allusions, especially the korean ones. but that didn't detract at all from what was an incredibly enjoyable and heartwrenching reading experience. every character is incredibly well-developed. orv is a much darker novel than what i'm used to reading, and so much heavier than i was prepared for, but it was completely worth it. the incredibly well-executed themes... more>> of escapism, the place literature and media has in our modern lives, and true bonds make this one of my favorites of all time. however, some of the arcs do drag on for a bit too long. even so, i enjoy every bit of orv i can eat up. 

9.7/10. please give this lovely novel a try. <<less

rim is an incredible novel with incredibly misleading tags. the harem is not the main focus of the story, although it does play a prevalent role plot-wise more than relationship-wise. romance is rarely the focus of the story, and when it is it's done in either a surprisingly thoughtful manner or with the utmost hilarity. rim's best aspect is hands down its comedy, but the worldbuilding and non-romantic relationships are just as enjoyable. don't look here expecting a sweet protagonist; lee kiyoung is the most conniving mc i believe i've read to date, and he gets away with it too.... more>>

9.5/10, super underrated. the tags put people off, but give it a try; it won't disappoint. <<less

an absolute classic, and my introduction into cn, kr, and jp novels! the main couple stole my entire heart, and mdzs has many adaptations to its name as well! the translation is a treat as well! ... more>>

a strong 9/10! it doesn't hold as special of a place in my heart as some others on this list, but it is very memorable and impactful.  <<less

the first of mxtx's works, and it shows. its a fun, quick story and with a cute romance. its a very fun premise and good execution. there are some quality feels, especially for the original villain of the story, and the mc's narration is very funny! not as long or ambitious as either tgcf or mdzs, but a good read nonetheless. there is some questionable content in relation to the main pairing, so watch out for that if you dislike black belly (which i do, but mostly the themes of it are light in the ml. its really just one scene that i dislike. otherwise the romance is sweet.) it also has the classical shizun/disciple... more>> relationship, albeit somewhat warped. i really ended up liking the side pairing that wasn't endgame, unfortunately. there's another cute sidepairing which did end up canon, so that was great!

altogether, a solid 8.4/10. i have reread this during long car rides and short bus trips, and i enjoyed it immensely. not the novel to read if you want a long, heartwrenching saga. it's short, sweet, and knows what it is. i highly recommend the author's other works as well! mxtx is of course a well-known name in the danmei field, and for good reason. i honestly prefer this over heaven offical's blessing! <<less

absolutely adore this novel. the characters are incredibly funny and it's all a good lighthearted time. wonderful for a quick pick-me-up. the length is perfect for the type of story it is. the gaming aspect was surprisingly well done, although i can see where people might take issue with it. regardless the gaming portion isn't as much of the focus of the plot as it works as a catalyst for the relationship which is the most enjoyable part of the novel.... more>>

9/10, i really, really like this novel. it's honestly comedy gold. <<less

teio is a very clever novel. too clever for me, considering i couldn't begin to wrap my head around the puzzles. the relationship was very cute and the comedy was done well. the plot is the focus of the book, which is an issue because much of it is incomprehensible on first, or even second, read. i know that a lot of other readers had a hard time with it. i definitely preferred the relationship to the plot, though all the characters were good and despite my general confusion, the main story was entertaining. i thoroughly enjoyed the elements of humanism, especially in the later chapters.... more>>

8/10. not my favorite, but a good read nonetheless. <<less

cold sands is a bittersweet war drama that follows a prisoner of war who believes he has nothing to live for. the ml of the story is charming, and the mc is sympathetic. they both have flaws which are showcased throughout the story. i read this in line at disneyland and underneath my blanket during a camping trip, and enjoyed it a lot. it has the feel of a classical tragedy, with a very tragic ending that turns sweeter at the end. the characters all feel very human, and the conflicts they face will tear at you. ... more>>

this will hurt you, especially if you're looking for a sweet romance with a happy end. be careful! as for personal enjoyment, 8.5/10. on a technical scale, 9.6/10. it rates a little lower for me because i personally enjoy a happier tale, but it was a ride i enjoyed to the fullest. <<less

this is a quick, sweet story about healing from trauma and discovering new reasons to live. the mc and ml are both very sweet, as is their romance. its a good read, and the tl is high quality. there is very little action, its more of a slice of life story, although the ml is a cultivator. ... more>>

8.3/10 for personal enjoyment. a good novel if you enjoy a slower paced story.  <<less

another one of mxtx's works, like mdzs! i picked this up second to mdzs, i believe! its another beautiful novel, the prose is beautiful and the main couple are so sweet and loving. the mc made me hurt a lot, but i didn't relate to him as much as the mc from mdzs, which is why this is a bit further down in my list. the plot was somewhat heavy at times, but the tl was excellent and i enjoyed it very much. it has the feeling of a classical epic tale. ... more>>

some cons were that i feel like the main relationship was not developed enough, and while this was very long, it introduced so many characters it was difficult for the author to develop or explore many of them. some arcs definitely dragged on much longer than they needed to, and i found myself losing patience for them as it went on.

a 7.5/10 for me. a classic, but not my favorite. <<less

a quick n fun read. i wish there was more development in terms of the relationship, since the characters face very little conflict after the... more>> relationship is set up. the author doesn't really dedicate to the initial premise all that much, the hidden identity rarely comes up in serious situations other than one scene at the end. otherwise, it's very humorous and pretty enjoyable! 7/10 <<less

a really fun romp throughout a game-like world! the horror tag is real, although it is somewhat watered down for the sake of romance. there is gore, and other sensitive topics and themes present in the novel. however, the romance is fun and the mystery is nice. not anything too outstanding, in terms of romance. however, the plot is a fun ride.... more>>

a good 7/10! while i wouldn't read it again, it had moments that made me laugh. its a good time! <<less

not incredibly memorable, in fact, i almost entirely forgot i'd read it until i checked my kindle and found it complete. there are some fun parts, and in some sections the author really nails the comedy. it's a little too long for me to enjoy it solely on that, though, and i wouldn't reread it. the relationship was pretty shallow.... more>>

6/10 <<less

3 days of happiness isn't a danmei, but rather a very short and introspective take on a mc whose sold his lifespan for money, and how he spends the time he has left on earth. it asks the questions on the idea of "what defines a fulfilled life?" the romance isn't the central focus of the novel. it is a very technically developed book, and the themes are well presented and executed. ... more>>

on a level of personal enjoyment, 7.2/10. it was somewhat slow to me despite having only a few amount of chapters, and i didn't get very invested in the characters or plot. on a technical scale, 9/10. i can tell the themes could resonate well with others, and the people i recommended it to became highly invested. give it a try, its a very quick read! <<less

the legend of the sun knight is a pretty fun read, but incredibly slow at times. a lot of the comedy doesn't hold up to today, and it's quite frustrating to read something that goes on for so long but has very little in the ways of character development. despite that, sun holds a special alcove in my heart. legend of the sun knight has a certain charm, if you can sit through it. the themes of friendship and family can be quite impactful at times.... more>>

6/10. not for everyone, and certainly not completely for me. but it's a good read nonetheless. <<less

a classic in the xianxia novel field. it has an interesting premise, and some charming characters. however, there was only one character i really remember after reading the novel. the initial reincarnation aspect (first reincarnation of a modern day woman into a xianxia world) doesn't come into play much, which dulls the charm of the premise a bit. it is a very slow novel, despite not being slice of life focused. not a very fun read for me. i didn't become invested in any characters past their initial charm, and the romance was somewhat flat. the ml isn't very interesting, although the mc's shamelessness is a comedic point in their relationship that improves it somewhat. ... more>> style="line-height: 40px;"> i very much enjoyed one of the side characters, and it was upsetting when they ended up with an unsatisfactory ending. it definitely brought down my enjoyment of the novel by a lot.

a good 6.8/10. the characters were flat and the development of the overarching plot wasn't done very well. the ending was also fairly hasty. i would not read it again.  <<less

not especially my favorite. it is short, but also moves quite slowly. not very memorable, although the common premise does have its own charm. i preferred the side couple over the main couple.... more>>

6.5/10 for me. <<less

this was a fun, lengthy novel. i read this on an airplane to pass time. the world is fun and the characters are cute. the narration from the mc is very funny. but the relationship personally isn't for me, especially at some points throughout the novel. there are many moments of non-con in the novel which aren't addressed after the fact. it very much damped my enjoyment and good feelings towards the main relationship.... more>>

5/10. it was fun at times but the relationship wasn't the best. it was enjoyable, however. not worth a reread personally. i disliked the ending greatly, though it is a HE. <<less