#j.recs

[dragonji]

Jae's Webnovel Record and Reviews

Finally I may unveil my personal project for keeping track of any and all webnovels I can get my insatiable claws on! Primarily for fan-tl'ed works, as I feel that the more popular novels/authors get plenty of reviews beyond my own, though a few big name works may get in on occasion. If you're looking for lesser-known titles or novels with a comparatively small eng fanbase I hope this doc will give you some options- you can also recommend me any obscure favorites of your own not on the list and I'll see about checking them out (though I make no promises ;^_^). Happy reading comrades!!

[sleepthislifeaway]

Had this song on repeat ever since it came out it fucks SO. HARD.

Their older stuff is more post hardcore, good for fans of sleeping with sirens, pierce the veil, black veil brides etc. Newer stuff is in a similar vein to what bring me the horizon did with that's the spirit and amo

[dragonji]

please, I'm begging for some webnovel recs 🙏 don't have to be particularly good, just entertaining enough and preferably a little gay

Oh anon take my hand and allow me to impart my hard-won knowledge I swear not to lead you astray<3 ( In absence of any other genre/length preferences I will attempt to give a variety but my tastes do skew heavily for longer xianxia/historical danmei so yknow. smiles fangfully. Also only doing completed tls for now bc otherwise this wld be even Longer ahaha...)

Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know: Thee high cultivation novel of this year decade century etc. Literally in the top 3 of novels I've ever read that's how serious this is. Pragmatic and cold leader of the top evil sect acquires a book detailing the dogblood love drama of a righteous cultivator girl that just so happens to involve him as one of the romance candidates, along with his unhinged usually repressed to hell right-hand man. Not seeing the logic in any of this he decides to embark on a quest to figure out how true it is, and also keep aforementioned right-hand man from his book-self's unfortunate fate at the same time. Really really incredible cast of side characters who are dynamic and endearing all on their own, with very concise and satisfying worldbuilding. Plays a lot with the conventions and tropes of its genre to great effect, really funny, a healthy balance of light-heartedness and dashes of angst, well-paced, and truly a joy to read every time.

2. Zhe Zhi: Mid-length, cultivation setting. Poignant and efficient with its plot, a bit trope-y in its righteous vs evil sects thing but in a humorous way. The top disciple of the righteous sects is kidnapped and raised by an evil cult for most of his childhood, only escaping when one of the twin sons of the cult leader manages to get him an opportunity. He swears to come back to rescue his only friend, and after 10 years manages to do so only to find that they already escaped thanks to their shixiong (other twin son) who was poisoned in the process. He resigns himself to helping their shixiong as repayment despite personally disliking him. Along the way they find the hidden truth about the cult's past and all of their escapes. Disciple is unfailingly devoted and upstanding, while the ML is a bit two-faced but equally as devoted to his loved ones. There is an age gap in this one but nothing happens until they're both well into adulthood, and they have a really fun dynamic once they're together. Supporting cast was good too, not too complicated with the setting or plot but still satisfying on both counts.

3. Purely by Accident: Short historical comedy baihe, about a crossdressing bandit chief getting accidentally engaged to the nation's princess and eventually falling in love. Bandit chief has a passive, devil-may-care personality that really carries the story, emphasis on humor but surprised me with some well-done drama and political maneuvering too. Refreshing takes on gender and attraction throughout, and some of the best translation work I've ever read. Also has a deeply repressed sensitive devoted bodyguard side character that makes me insane👍

4. The Villainous Junior Brother Was Actually Secretly in Love with Me- First off tw for discussions of rape, abusive relationships, and suicide, none between main cp! Cultivation setting, fairly lengthy. A genius disciple of a renowned master gets reincarnated into his younger self after being betrayed, abused, and killed by his master and shixiongs despite years of seemingly-mutual peace and affection. With his rebirth he realizes his shidi who always fought with, derided, and hated him was actually trying to make him quit their sect and escape. In his new life he decides to repay his shidi with endless indulgence and gentleness and to try to save them both. This has truly horrendous consequences for his shidi's peace of mind lol. Huge fan of their dynamic as a cold-faced but sympathetic loner with an absolute crybaby flustered flop of a tsundere. The comedy-relief sectmates do their jobs Extremely well and most of the side characters were used efficiently. There is an unfortunate amnesia plot further in that I found personally distasteful, and it loses steam by the later chapters for an abrupt end, but still well worth the read even if only for the humor and unique ML!

5. My Junior Still Hasn't Killed Me- short little transmigration novel with a cultivation setting. Fairly silly and a bit of a rushed plot but overall cute and a fun read. Main guy transmigrates into a background cannon-fodder character with the mission of reforming the villain of the novel into an upstanding ascended cultivator. MC's personality is satisfyingly realistic, a little foolish but charming and funny in his failures. I will warn it does fall into the "bending" the love interest language (thankfully not as frequent or exaggerated as it usually is in the genre). The villian is understandably blackbellied esp in early chapters but he's pretty sympathetic and eventually sincerely likeable. Translation is mid but bearable, couple of good side characters to help carry a decent if simple plot.

[sleepthislifeaway]

Tiny uk-based punk band I discovered last year when I stumbled across them playing a street gig in my town and I've loved them since