another month, another sneak peak from my friends over at manta 😘
this month, manta is holding a campaign called "a glimpse inside" which features 8 short & spicy new titles for y'all to enjoy! alongside the campaign, a promotion (both a gem back event and first ep free for each title) is running that will allow you to unlock up to 15 episodes for free 👀
i decided to dive into 2 titles this time around and, trust, they make a strong case for how good the remaining six must be. there are no spoilers ahead, just general thoughts and minor character details!
let's get a move on, folks!
im gonna start with "saving my first time handsome knight" as it was my favorite of the two i read.
this title follows cielo, a young woman is who about to enter the palace as a new concubine for an elderly king. obviously, girl is NOT happy about losing her virginity to an over 80 year old man. i mean, who among us would me? she is being "trained" in bedroom techniques day after day and, honestly, old fella ain't gonna appreciate it. what's a girl to do?
well, for cielo, there is only one thing, or rather person, to do......a very handsome knight named caelum. AS SHE SHOULD!!!!
we follow along as cielo attempts to seduce caelum and score the first time of her dreams. like i said, no spoilers. only thing i will say is that i appreciate the direction this one went and think the author did a great job wrapping everything up in the end. both leads are charismatic and likeable, you really can't help but to root for them. i highly recommend this one, it was a fun (and obviously spicy) read!
the second title i read was "how i ended up seducing my childhood friend." now, i love me a childhood friend to lover success story so i was in as soon as i read to title and i can confidently say that this one hit the spot.
here we have rosaline, a young woman who is about to be sent of the monastery after her parents took a throwaway comment she made as a child a bit too seriously. much like cielo, she is none too pleased with how her life is developing and is not about to take this one laying down.
her master plan? convince her childhood friend elion to help her break the necessary vow of chastity to required to enter the monastery. i mean, what are friends for? but, of course, it could never be THAT easy to get elion to agree to the plan.....
i find this one to a bit more lighthearted overall than the previous title but equally enjoyable. if you're a childhood friend ml lover like me, this one is for you! the trope is done well and the author did an amazing job of balancing spice with budding young love. 10/10, honestly.
alright, folks, y'all GOTTA take advantage of the current promotion and enjoy this campaign to the fullest. there's a little bit of something for everyone, y'all won't regret giving all 8 titles a try!
as someone who's manhwa journey began with a love for manga and anime, this is extremely exciting to me. so many titles have dropped and i've decided to a compile a complete list of romance titles currently available at the time of this post, since that is my preferred genre. you can find it at the end of my review :)
as for the review, i HAD to choose "a sign of affection." ive heard about this one for so long but never found the time to check out the original manga or anime adaption. so when manta presented me the chance to take a sneak peek at the first volume? oh, i JUMPED on it.
without further ado, mostly bc im dying to talk about this, let's dive right in.
a sign of affection
"a sign of affection" follows yuki, a typical college student who is deaf. this kind of representation in manga is unfortunately rather rare so it means a lot to see a fl like this. from what i've read so far, her deafness is not seen as a weakness but as a part of her as a whole. you can tell of research and care went into building her character and kudos for such a respectful depiction of a deaf woman.
so, yuki meets itsuomi on the train when a foreigner attempts to ask her for directions, not realizing she can't hear him. per usual manga cliches (and that's not a slight, don't fix what ain't broke), a crush begins to form.
let's talk about itsuomi. i love this man. when he learns yuki is deaf, he never looks down on her or treats her like she's lesser bc of it. he makes an effort to communicate with her in a way she's comfortable with and even begins to learn sign language (yuki makes him a sign language journal bc she is adorable and so kind and sweet). he's trilingual and loves visiting other countries. he actually goes to laos shortly after meeting yuki and sends her pics from his trip as well as bringing back a souvenir for her. it's pretty clear that itsuomi also has a crush on yuki and i am rooting for these two so hard. in just the first volume alone, their interactions are so heartwarming and i love how her deafness is not treated as a barrier to their relationship. itsuomi wants to make an effort for her and does not find it bothersome. a relationship based on kindness and respect is a beautiful thing.
however, where there is a ml, there is usually a second ml. this one is yuki's friend, oushi. when we first see him, we quickly realize that he learned sign language awhile ago, based on his proficiency, and that's pretty protective of her. the first volume doesn't explore much more with him but i think we all know where this is going. i feel for the guy but itsuomi is such a green flag that im not gonna consider jumping ship regardless of oushi's backstory.
overall, this manga is very sweet and wholesome. there's a reason why it's so popular and the first volume makes a gentle but impactful case for its reception. im excited to continue reading and im so happy manta got this title in particular on their platform.
thanks again to my friends at manta for this sneak peek 💖
currently available romance titles as of 4/7/2026:
the fragrant flower blooms with dignity
a condition called love
fall in love, you false angels
something's wrong with us
in the clear moonlit dusk
anyway, im falling in love with you
peach mermaid
how i met my soulmate
a couple of cuckoos
sweat and soap
wotakoi: love is hard for otaku
matcha made in heaven
nina the starry bride
lightning and romance
chihayafuru
this vampire won't give up
haru's curse
1122: for a happy marriage
5 centimeters per second
a brief moment of ichika
a galaxy next door
a girl & her guard dog
a kiss with a cat
a kiss, for real
a serenade for pretend lovers
a springtime with ninjas
abe-kun's got me now
an older guy's vr first love
and yet, you are so sweet
aoba-kun's confessions
araki won't be tamed
arisa
asahi-sempai's favorite
atsumori-kun's bride-to-be
beauty bunny
beware the kamiki brothers
black panther and sweet 16
boarding school juliet
boss bride days
boss wife
can i kiss you every day
changes of heart
chihiro-kun only has eyes for me
cosplay animal
defying kurosaki-kun
doing his best to confess
domestic girlfriend
don't tempt me, vp
don't toy with me, miss nagatoro
drowning love
ex-enthusiasts: motokare mania
falling drowning
forget me not
four kisses, in secret
fuuka
gakuen prince
gazing at the star next door
ge: good ending
getting closer to you
girlfriend, girlfriend
guilty
harem marriage
having an idol-loving boyfriend is the best
heroine for hire
home office romance
honeko akabane's bodyguards
hotaru's way
house of the sun
how do you do, koharu
how to grill our love
i am here
i cross-dressed for the irl meetup
i fell in love after school
i guess i became the mother of the great demon king's 10 children in another world
i have a crush at work
i see your face, turned away
i want to hold aono-kun so badly i could die
i'll be with them again today
i'll win you over, sempai
im in love and it's the end of the world
interview with monster girls
irresistible mistakes
kanafukaka
kigurumi guardians
killing line
kira-kun today
kiss him, not me
kiss me at the stroke of midnight
kitchen princess omnibus
knight of the ice
koigakubo-kun stole my first time
kusunoki's flunking her high school glow-up
last gender
ldk
let's dance a waltz
let's kiss in secret tomorrow
liar x liar
living-room matsunaga-san
love after world domination
love and lies
love at first memory
love hina omnibus
love massage: melting beauty treatment
love, that's an understatement
love's reach
lovesick ellie
mabusasa
maga-tsuki
maid in honey
manga dogs
mars
medaka kuroiwa is impervious to my charms
men's life - her secret life in the boys dormitory
mermaid melody pichi pichi pitch: aqua
mikami-sensei's way of love
missions of love
momo's iron will
moteki
mr bride
my best butler
my boss's kitten
my boy in blue
my boyfriend in orange
my darling next door
my darling, the company president
my little monster
my lovesick life as a 90s otaku
my maid, miss kishi
my pink is overflowing
my sweet girl
my wife is a little intimadating
my wife is wagatsuma-san
mysterious girlfriend x
nezumi's first love
nighttime for just us two
nodame cantabile
o maidens in your savage season
ogami-san can't keep it in
oh, those hanazono twins
our bodies entwining, entwined
our fake marriage
our fake marriage: rosé
our love doesn't need a happy ending
our precious conversations
paradise residence
pass the monster meat, milday
peach girl
peach girl next
peach heaven
perfect world
practice makes perfect
sailor moon
princess jellyfish
pupposites attract
queen bee
ran the peerless beauty
real girl
rent-a-(really shy)-girlfriend
rent-a-girlfriend
sachi's monstrous appetite
sakura's dedication
sankarea
saving sweets for after-hours
say i love you
school rumble
searching for my perfect brother
she, her camera, and her seasons
she's my knight
sheltering eaves
shikimori's not just a cutie
shugo chara
shugo chara chan
star-crossed
such a treacherous piano sonata
suzuka
tenpuru - no one can live on loneliness
that beauty is a tramp
that blue summer
that wolf-boy is mine
that's my atypical girl
the café terrace and its goddesses
the flowers of evil
the full-time wife escapist
the garden of words
the gods lie
the golden sheep
the honey-blood beauty & her vampire
the prince in his dark days
the prince's black poison
the prince's romance gambit
the quintessential quintuplets
the springtime of my life began with you
the story of our unlikely love
the tale of genji: dreams at dawn
the transcendent one-sided love of yoshida the catch
the untouchable midori-kun
the wallflower
the walls between us
the writer and his housekeeper
those not-so-sweet boys
those summer days
to be next to you
to write your words
tokyo alice
tokyo tarareba girls
tokyo tarareba girls returns
tokyo tarareba girls returns 2
tsuredure children
tune in to the midnight heart
tying the knot with an amagami sister
vampire dormitory
voices of a distant star
waiting for spring
wake up, sleeping beauty
watari-kun's ****** is about to collapse
we must never fall in love
we're new at this
welcome back, alice
what did you eat yesterday
what i love about you
when we shout for love
when we're in love
when will ayumu make his move
will it be the world or her
with the sheikh in his harem
world's end and apricot jam
yamada-kun and the seven witches
yamaguchi-kun isn't so bad
you got me, sempai
you must be this tall to propose
you're my cutie
you're my pet
your lie in april
hitting rewind with you
love out on a limb
love in focus
drawing from your memory
the ayakashi hunter's tainted bride
snow & ink
the boy i loved became the jaded emperor
the wizard and his fairy
perfectly fine on my own, so my fiance can twist in the wind
On your 7th anniversary, may the love and memories you've created last forever. Loveland City will always be here to witness and protect the love you share. Happy anniversary! — MLQC Team
you know, i was on and off when playing mlqc the last couple years but im definitely feeling the sadness now that the server closure is hours away. definitely gonna miss the boys and im so grateful that the community rallied together to archive as much as they could.
well, this month, my friends at manta gave me the chance to revisit "the beast within" as the manhwa comes to close. to celebrate the grand finale, manta is running a promotion that are perfect for a nice binge-read. it is a gem back event with 8 episodes available for free. as you reach different milestones, you will earn gems back (up to 50 when 30 episodes are purchased) and can enjoy up to 18 episodes free (including the previously mentioned 8 episodes).
now, this review is going to focus less on the story as a whole and more on my thoughts of how the ml and fl grew as characters. i don't wanna spoil all the details so this is the direction we're going with this one! there will be no pictures included to ensure that goal, btw.
❗SPOILERS AHEAD❗
ray (fl)
ray, my beloved. i loved her from the start and my love remains unchanged. id lay down my life for her 😤
first of all, girlie got a haircut after a timeskip. i love a good bob and she ate that look up. but let's talk about her pre-timeskip growth for a sec bc a backbone was born and it was glorious.
ray made it abundantly clear to clodan that she is not an object to be possessed by him. when his overwhelming jealousy had him acting a fool, she did not falter in her convictions. she knew he was wrong and was not going to easily forgive him. this followed him finally confessing his love for her and this fact alone highlights how much she has changed. the ray we first met, a girl starved for love and affection, would have felt similarly but remained silent in order to avoid jeopardizing clodan's love for her. however, ray has learned that she deserves both love AND respect. for the first time, she sees her own existence as meaningful in itself and not just in connection with the men of her life (clodan and her brother, hayes). i was honestly so proud of her, this is a huge step towards learning to love the most important person.....herself.
of course, this does not make her immune to clodan's manipulations. he's a master at it, after all. trauma is a tricky thing, almost water-like as it find ways to trickle through the cracks of your resolve. it is not a sign of weakness in ray to be gaslit by clodan, it is simply the ever rippling grasp trauma holds on her. however, ray now has the awareness of clodan's nature and can piece together what is happening. that is what makes all the difference and sets the stage for the next act of her life.
the next act comes in the form of a six year timeskip. i will not go into explicit detail but i will say ray truly has grown into a brave young woman who now has something to fight for. her character arc was beautifully done and it shows that she did not need to sacrifice her sense herself for love.
clodan (ml)
oh, clodan, the reddest of flags.
listen, he's not for everyone but i like him. feeling a little hypocritical about that given how hard i went against cesare from high society.....but i accept my flaws so whatever.
just like ray, clodan is imprisoned by his own trauma. unlike ray, his way of coping comes at the expense of all who have the misfortune to be around him. clodan truly does love ray but clodan also does not truly understand what love must entail. love cannot be a means of control. love should not be destructive. clodan is unable to come to terms with that and it is ray who pays the higher and more painful price bc of it.
don't get me wrong, clodan suffers bc of his mistakes. he has six years of it and, boy, does he grovel at the end. however, i can easily see readers not forgiving him and i don't think i entirely forgave him either. his trauma is not an excuse of his actions, it is the explanation. we can feel for his own pain while condemning what he put ray through.
i apologize for not going on as long about clodan but ray truly was the more compelling character to me. i stayed for her with the hope she has her happy ending. all i will say is im satisfied where we ended up.
but it would pain me to mention the true mvp of this story....the gardener. that man is right behind ray for me, i would simply hang the moon for that sweetie and that is my truth.
overall, i really enjoyed this title. it was painful, it was spicy, it was maddening, and it was so beautiful. the true star was ray but none of the characters were one dimensional or uninteresting. everyone had their demons to overcome and it was truly riveting to read.
thanks again to manta for introducing this title to me. it as a whole may not be in my top ten but ray certainly is.
my friends over at manta gave me another sneak peak this month and, my angst lovers, this one is for you.
"f my ex" is a modern romance manhwa with both a tailored and r18 version (...do i even need to say which one i read at this point? 🙈) and, as the title so aptly alludes, we're in for a messy time.
also!! manta will be running a gem-back event for this title through feb 26th ❤
full disclosure: i paused my reading before the angst hit bc i am not emotionally ready for the gut punch and inevitable time jump rn lol. obviously, i'll make a guess about what i think the breaking point will be but no official spoilers for that portion, just speculation.
anyways, let's jump into it!
❗SPOILERS AHEAD❗
per usual, we start with my newest crush (i like all women way too much, i fear). this is eunyu, a junior in college. right off the rip, we see that eunyu prefers to wear baggy clothing and baseball caps to hide her face. still looks cute as heck to me but i digress.
we find out later that she has a major complex when it comes to romance. she grew up watching the deterioration of her parents' marriage. she cites her father's eventual infidelity as a result of his superficial desire for her mother's youthful looks. once those began to fade, he strayed. it's understandable that a young girl would develop trauma as she witnessed her mother's despair and i cannot fault her for attempting protect herself throughout the story. if you've never witnessed a healthy romantic relationship, any possibility of finding yourself falling in love can be utterly terrifying.
unfortunately, this is not the only issue for this sweet girl. we quickly realize that her coworker at one of her many part-time jobs is obsessed with her and begun stalking her. the real painful kicker here? he claims it was love at first sight further worsening her existing trauma. this all results in her stalker physically attacking her but have no fear! if there's one thing a romance manhwa has, it's impeccable timing.
but we gotta take it back real quick and introduce our ml first. this is jaeha and, yes, i know, he's pretty fine. the typical ml design but don't fix what ain't broken, you know? he's a year above eunyu and just returned from his military service. he also spent some time abroad in the us.
you see, jaeha is into eunyu from the jump. can we see how that is gonna be an issue? even though he legitimately likes everything about her, him confessing the immediate attraction very much concerns eunyu. they grow closer when they're paired together for a group project and both are feeling the spark. at first, she legit thinks she has hay fever, not even considering for a second that she has feelings for jaeha. she turns him down and explains her mistrust of love at first glance. jaeha says they can just be friends but that never lasts long, now does it?
when jaeha attempts to give eunyu space, she is hit with a double whammy of trouble. first, the school forum is claiming jaeha has a gf abroad. second, her stalker has clocked what's going on between the two. both suck but one in a way more sinister way. she begins receiving texts from an unknown number claiming they belong together and gets calls where no one speaks on the other end. this all culminates in the previously mentioned attack.
however, prior to this, eunyu agreed to meet jaeha and was on her way to see him. thank god he put the pieces together and get to her right in the nick of time. he does take a brick to head but is able to knock the creep out and sustain only minor injuries.
it is his protection of eunyu at the risk of his own life that allows her to realize how deep his feelings truly run and she makes the decision to start a relationship with him.
now, this is right around where i stopped. obviously stuck around for their first time (bc ofc i did) and then immediately chickened out before things fell apart. my current guess for what causes the eventual break up? i think it's a mixture of her mom either falling ill or dying (pls be the first) and the re-emergence of her trauma. she'll be the one who dumps him and jaeha will not get actual answers as to why. so ouch all around.
like i said earlier, i get why eunyu acts the way she does and i cannot fault her for falling victim to her trauma. it's a hard thing to break free from. however, jaeha does not deserve what's to come and i would understand if he felt hurt AND angry in the aftermath. but given the amount of green flag energy this man radiates? i don't think it'll ever result in any sort of contempt for eunyu, mostly confusion and sadness.
when im emotionally ready, i will happily let this manhwa tear my heart out.
thanks again to manta for sharing another amazing title with me. will i let it marinate for a bit so i can immediately get to the happy rekindling of first love? sure will but, angst lovers, it's time for y'all to have some fun.
another year, another sneak peak from my friends over at manta 🥰
this month's title is the duke's fluffy secret, available both for all ages and 18+. if y'all have read my other reviews, it's clear what version i've been reading 👀
full disclosure: i actually checked out this title when it first dropped on the platform but obviously did a reread immediately. and folks? just as good as i remembered it.
❗SPOILERS AHEAD❗
per usual, we start with our fl. per usual x2, she's gorgeous and im in love with her.
this is viviana, the duchess of house fortuna, and she's not having a good time rn. her husband is not fulfilling certain needs of hers and she has taken matters into her own hands (we love a pioneering woman in this household). however, one of her sessions leads to a massive misunderstanding when said husband overhears and accuses her having an affair. she obviously does not take kindly to that and rips into him....and then almost immediately takes an accidental swan dive down the stairs, leaving her "partner-in-crime" (iykyk) as the sole survivor of her tumble. she's dead but hey! she did prove her she was not stepping out on her marriage! silver linings, y'all.....
now, we know damn well this ain't the end for viviana. in typical manhwa fashion, she reawakens in the past, conveniently a month before her wedding. the solution is clear..... call off the wedding and run! but, dear reader, it can never be that easy, can it?
well, hello there, ml! (is this a safe space to say white hair and red eyes in a ml is top tier?)
this is alto, viviana's husband-to-be and mr "can't satisfy my wife."
(...i had to dunk on him but i do actually love him, i swear)
you see, alto was also not having a good time before the regression trope. while it becomes clear that he was in love with his wife, he held himself back in their marital bed. why? well, my man has a secret.
we've got a werewolf, folks! 🗣
unfortunately, alto has A LOT of trauma intertwined with his identity. he feels a deep sense of abandonment stemming from his parents (his mother reacted very badly when she discovered alto's father was a werewolf and that mentality then focused on her son) and was abused by his grandfather as a means of "education" (the lesson? rigid control of his emotions so he doesn't reveal his true self to others). the man was going through it and his behavior in the original timeline becomes profoundly tragic. he has loved viviana since he met her but was groomed to such an extent that he had no clue how to reach her. it doesn't negate her hurt but it does reveal that he was never intentionally cold and unloving.
all this to say, alto is a green flag. he stands apart from other mls in the regression genre since he was never a terrible person who needs to grovel to atone for the sins of his past self. his fatal flaw was never being taught how to process his emotions without shame. he never knowingly hurt viviana (minus the first night, something neither party ever received proper education on how to navigate it), he never abused her and his accusation of her being unfaithful never came from a place of anger. actually, id argue it was never a full-on accusation in the first place. it was a manifestation of his own insecurity that he did have the tools to properly convey. don't get me wrong, viviana was completely justified in her reaction bc she had no way of knowing the depths of his trauma. there is no villain, just two victims who never found the chance to truly connect at any level.
needless to say, viviana's plan of calling off the marriage was unsuccessful and alto's fear of viviana discovering he was a werewolf was unfounded. we now have a beautiful (and spicy) tale of lovers overcoming miscommunication and finally getting to know one another. i highly recommend this title as these two easily became one of my all-time favorite manhwa couples. the ride can be bumpy but it doesn't feel like an earthquake so it's perfect for readers who enjoy smaller doses of relationship angst.
also, special shout-out to viviana's maid and alto's aide. supportive friends AND a solid secondary couple.
thanks again to manta for sharing this manhwa with me and happy reading to those who decided to give it a try ❤
my friends over at manta came through once again with not just one series but a rollout of a new feature on their platform! ever wanted to delve deeper into the lore of your favorite manhwa? well, get ready bc manta now has added 40+ novels to their catalog and they're waiting for you!
here's a list of the novels currently available and i have starred the ones featured in my header, just in case the beautiful cover art has peaked your interest 😉:
1) under the oak tree*
2) lift my curse, sir knight
3) a wicked husband
4) flower of allure
5) the redemption of earl nottingham*
6) tempest night
7) justice for the villainess
8) the hidden muse
9) predatory marriage
10) high society
11) wish upon a husband
12) betrayal of dignity
13) trash will always be trash
14) it was just a contractual marriage
15) the accidental heiress*
16) the 11th school trip
17) lady devil
18) savor the taste
19) love history caused by willful negligence
20) ballboy tactics
21) i raised a black dragon
22) i've become a true villainess
23) disobey the duke if you dare
24) the tainted half
25) the noble pirate
26) the golden forest
27) shall we bathe, your grace?
28) adeline's darkest night
29) a marriage contract with my two husbands
30) may god bless your demise
31) kneel before me
32) rewriting my tragic ending
33) observing elena evoy
34) the flower of veneration
35) winter wolf
36) falling for the enemy
37) finding camellia
38) die melusine
39) lies become you
40) princess of the animals
41) amina of the lamp
if you're a seasoned manhwa reader like me, im sure you recognized MANY of these titles and have read the manhwa adaptions. we have some iconic stories available and, i promise, reading the original novel will strengthen your love for any manhwa. there's so much lore to be discovered that has to be cut as a novel is adapted and already beloved scenes from manhwas are given a whole new light as you experience them in their original form. novels aren't for everyone but i highly recommend giving them a go!
now, let's get into the titles i featured in my header. these will be less of a review and more of an explanation of why i chose these particular novels to highlight.
first up is the redemption of earl nottingham. if you like angst and slow burn romance, this one is for you. the growth of the leads is so satisfying to witness...and painful but it's worth it, trust me! i love the era this story is set in and how it explores classism and *SPOILER* navigating the lives of immigrants in america. i have cried, gotten angry, and felt butterflies as i read this. it's truly a journey and the destination is a beauty to behold.
next up is under the oak tree! i mean, come on, this one is a given. it's a manhwa juggernaut and the novel holds up to the hype. you can check my page for my review of the manhwa for more details on my thoughts. all i want to say rn is this.....this title is not a victim of being overhyped, it has earned its status of iconic.
the last title is the accidental heiress. i really believe this one is heavily slept on and im personally offended by that. it's a slow burn romance that feels like a warm hug. this one just makes me happy and the manhwa remains as one of my top comfort reads. my one complaint was not getting to fully experience the romance of the leads after the confession and im looking forward to the novel giving me the chance to fall in love with riella and hann all over again. i swear, they are a top tier couple.
all in all, this was a great move by manta. the one advantage other platforms had over them was the inclusion of novels in their catalogs but now they've swept away the competition. i can't wait to see what novels are to come 🥰
happy holidays, everyone, and even happier reading!!
just in time for season 5's premiere, manta was kind enough to share a sneak peak into this iconic series. full disclosure: i started reading this LONG ago but happily took the opportunity to reread it so im fully ready to delve into the new season.
things are gonna be different this time tho. instead of reviewing the series as a whole, im gonna review our fl and ml bc i love them dearly.....while also sometimes side-eying the ml 👀
❗SPOILERS AHEAD❗
let's start with my beloved, maxi. i will not tolerate any slander about her, i would die for this woman.
maxi starts off very sweet and naive with a sad upbringing. due to constant abuse from her noble father, she suffers from intense low self-esteem and a stutter. she is married off to the ml, a peasant knight, as way for her father to send the ml to the dragon subjugation in his place. however, she only spends one night with him before he leaves for 3 years to fulfill his military obligations. the entire time he's away, she lives in fear that he will divorce her upon his return. however, our ml takes her back to their home and their love story begins.
maxi already caught my attention as one of the few fls with a disability at the time and my love for grew as she did.
let's start with the obvious: she is so cute and i adore her freckles. i will always fold to the fl and she is no exception. throughout the story, the only thing i wanted was her happiness and safety. she deserves to be loved and i will fight anyone who calls her weak or pathetic. she is a victim of abuse and that trauma has shaped her. readers should approach her character with this knowledge and give her some grace. her environment shaped her into a scared and insecure young woman at no fault of her own. instead of attacking her, one should cheer on her gradual growth. like i said before, i will defend her with my life.
maxi truly does blossom and comparing her at the start to where we find her at the beginning of season 5 shows just how impressive and resilient of a character she is. instead of hiding in the shadow of her husband, she goes out of her way to harness her ability as a healer and step up for the sake of her ppl and husband. she does not back down when the ml tells her to and follows her own sense of justice. the maxi of the past would have never thought herself capable of that and it really is a beautiful example of a victim rising above her trauma.
maxi, my love, here's to a well-deserved happy ending in the future ❤
aw, riftan. i both love you and want to throttle you sometimes. i will say this....his heart is in the right place but he doesn't always go about things in the right way.
and, yes, to state the obvious, he is extremely attractive. maybe that's why im so lenient with him lol.
despite maxi's fear of divorce before his return, this was NEVER on the table for riftan. he fell in love with maxi way before their arranged marriage. it always was and always will be maxi for him. gotta love a man of intense yearning 😍
however, due to his inexperience with women and kinda stunted emotional growth, the man does not know how to express himself well at times. all he wants is to protect maxi but he has a tendency to come off as overbearing and controlling. i honestly don't believe that he intends to present as such but, god damn, when he fumbles, he fumbles HARD. there are a few moments of him yelling at maxi instead of communicating his concerns and i want to fling him into the sun each time. like, come on, dude, i know you're better than that.
regardless of that, it's clear how devoted he is to maxi. he loves her so much and it's the "let the world burn" type of ml if something were to happen to her. when he retrieves maxi after three years, he immediately begins to make up lost time....if you catch my drift 😏
while riftan's growth is a bit slower (and more frustrating lol) than maxi's, it's clear that he is improving and wants to be better for his wife. his main goal needs to be seeing maxi as her own person who is capable of protecting herself and to stop putting her on a pedestal where nothing and no one can touch her. his growth is entwined with hers and it is his slow pace that quickens maxi's resolve to prove herself. he comes off unintentionally toxic but that does not absolve him of his missteps. i have faith he will become a great partner to maxi and will no longer try to shield her from a world she must experience in order to truly find herself.
riftan, my man, do NOT let me down.
all in all, under the oak tree is a staple in the romantic manhwa genre for a reason. it has beautiful art and even more beautiful character growth. there will be moments of frustration for any reader but trust the process, y'all, it's all to build up to a satisfying conclusion.
if you read this manhwa and enjoy it, i also highly recommend the original light novel. it allows for a deeper look into the characters AND has a side story completely in riftan's pov that covers the time before the story takes place.
thank you once again, manta, for this peak into another great series. this reread has reignited my love for it (and maxi) and i cannot wait for the rest of season 5!
manta keeps me spoiled, what can i say? as you can tell from the pic, this month's sneak peak is....not for everyone. if you're a monster lover, keep on reading. if not.....yeah, sit this one out.
like the last title, this one has both a tailored version and a r18 version. i (obviously) opted for r18 BUT there's been very minimal spicy scenes and the one we saw is.....definitely for the monster lovers lmao. last warning, my vanilla friends, it's gonna get weird. let's talk about "how about a cosmic horror?" for a second.
our story starts with irae (another cute fl enters the chat ❤) waking up in the hospital after an accident. she is very quickly blindsided by her husband coming to visit for two two reasons....
1) she has no memory of being at all
2) and, well, he looks......
hello, ml. obviously, irae is NOT about this and tries to get this monster outta her room but, for some reason, she's the only one concerned about this situation. well, it makes sense when everyone else only sees this:
OH. so he DOES have a face......right? maybe. at this point, irae is convinced that this is merely a symptom of some sort of brain damage and we TOTALLY buy that as fact, right? so legit, no cosmic horror in this house....right?
ANYWAYS!
his face keeps changing but nowhere closer to human. im talking planets, flowers, boxes....the list goes on. somehow, this isn't the weirdest thing happening here. irae keeps seeing strange things and the life described by her husband does not match up with her memory at all. something ain't right but, damn, this man is so smooth that it's hard to dwell on it.
now, what do i think of this title? well, i am intrigued. im really enjoying the small details that heighten the tension and set you on edge with the nagging feeling that something sinister is at play. we got a thriller on our hands and im so down.
i wouldn't call myself a monster lover but i am pretty open-minded so a certain dream (or is it a memory....🤔) irae had did not give me the ick so i can see why some ppl will NOT want to touch this one with a ten foot pole.
if none of that scares you off, i do recommend checking this one out! there's a lot of potential here and im eagerly waiting for the big reveal of what the hell is up this dude.
thank you, again, manta, for sharing another great title. see y'all next month 😘
my friends over at manta were kind enough to hook me up again with a sneak peek at their newest title, the beast within! fyi: there are two versions available due to the title's r18 rating, the tailored version and the full version (this one can be found on the web and can then be seen on the app when added to your library). im currently reading the full version, obviously 🙈
i have many thoughts about this one but, before we start, i have to give a trigger warning for mentions of abuse and let it be known that this seems to be a dark romance title. if that is not your thing, i suggest passing on this one. manta has titles that may be more up your alley, feel free to hmu for suggestions! but for my fellow dark romance fans? time to discuss the beast within.
y'all know what im about to say......
A NEW BOMBSHELL HAS ENTERED THE VILLA 🗣🗣🗣
seriously tho, can i have some commotion for this beautiful woman? got it out of your system? great! time to be sad 😀
our fl is ray lisbon. she has ended up at this mysterious manor alongside her older brother, hayes. per the usual manhwa playbook, her life has not been easy. her father passed away and left behind massive amounts of debt, her mother fell ill from the shock of it all, and her brother severely mistreats her. what really broke my heart is that ray is illiterate after her brother kept firing her tutors. someone pls be nice to my girl, im begging you.
especially you, sir 🤨
*sighs and taps mic* ANOTHER BOMBSHELL HAS ENTERED THE VILLA......yay?
maybe not yay.
so, this is clodan, our ml. let's get it out of the way....he's hot. like really hot and now my most attractive ml ranking has taken a hit. thanks for that, dude. but, like so many mls, can the looks make up for the red flags?
y'all, im in a tricky spot rn bc i dunked hard on cesare from high society and now im simping for what seems to be a massive black flag. cognitive dissonance at its finest, pls cut me some slack here. moving on.....
okay, clodan has an immediate interest in ray. i get it, man, me too. i can't go into too many details bc a lot of his backstory would be major spoilers so let's just call him dangerous and keep it rolling. ray has no experience with men and quickly ends up reciprocating his interest. and, well, things start getting strange in the manor but only hayes seems to have noticed.
im sure y'all weren't expecting me to dedicate a paragraph to the fl's older brother but his character actually highlights something i really like about this manhwa so hear me out.
i find hayes and his relationship with ray as a great example of how complicated familial abuse can be. he demeans ray constantly but still shows concern for her safety when he realizes that clodan is more than a reclusive nobleman. after being incapitated by clodan, he attempts to escape with ray in the middle of the night. when he realizes ray is under clodan's influence, his abusive nature overcomes any brotherly concern left as he strikes her and flees the manor alone.....or so we think. deep down, hayes does care for his sister but he cares for himself and his reputation more. it's not shocking in the slightest but it does further the despair you feel for ray as you realize just how truly alone she is in this world. his character highlights how the "love" someone may feel for will not keep you safe from their inherently abusive nature. his "love" was only willing to protect his sister to an extent and it was nowhere to be found when the target was on his back. i think the author tackled this complicated relationship well and i hope this bodes well for how the main romance will be handled further down the line.
one more thing regarding the brother....clodan does drop a very weird line about hayes sneaking into ray's room at night for "a taste." this is not something that actually happened, just the product of clodan's unhinged jealousy. when i tell y'all my body recoiled VIOLENTLY at that one....honestly? kudos to the author, that was a masterful display of how messed up the ml is.
now, my final verdict of this title....i love it. the art is gorgeous and the author has shown immense promise at how this dark romance will play out. ray is an easy fl to like and empathize with. you just want to protect this poor girl at all costs. clodan is an absolutely intriguing ml, one that will be well-liked by fans of the dark romance genre. even after that creepy line, i still really enjoy his character. this manhwa has so much potential and i cannot wait to see how it all unfolds.
im gonna end this with a shoutout to the gardener who went out of his way to plant blue roses as thanks to ray for the kindness she showed him. i love you, man, pls don't die 🙏
so, surprise post after over a year of inactivity! manta comics gave me a little sneak peek of one of their titles and, to be honest, i ate it right up and proceeded to binge all the available episodes. anyways, let's talk about high society 👀
❗NO MAJOR SPOILERS❗
let's get introduced to our fl and ml before we really delve into my thoughts.
now, this beautiful woman is adele. can we just take a moment to appreciate this absolutely lethal face card? my queer heart about beat outta my chest when i saw her. i simply will never recover from this.
you see, adele has a problem. she is living in the slums of gimora and is pretending to be a man named abele. why? glad you asked. women aren't even safe in a fictional world so this was essential to ensure her safety. unfortunately, her disguise was seen through and she has been given a week to produce a protection fee or else. her main source of income is from being a shoeshiner so this will not be an easy thing to accomplish. well, luck is seemingly on her side bc she finds herself shining the shoes of quite the infamous man...
the man of infamy is cesare buonaparte, the most high-ranking noble in gimora. he too has a problem. this man does NOT want to settle down but he is being pushed to marry a woman due to marriage pledge between their families. yeah, the stakes are a lot less low for him but you'd think he was about to be brought out to the gallows.
this is where adele comes in. she is able to convince cesare to enter a three month contract that will solve both of their problems. and no, it is not a marriage contract. well...not in the way you'd expect.
adele has been tasked with acting as cesare's long lost younger sister who has returned to gimora in order to debut into society. her main goal? to secure a marriage proposal from the della valle family. she now has to learn the ways of nobility and dodge the suspicions of cesare's prospective fiance. what could possibly go wrong?
...
it's cesare, cesare is exactly what can go wrong bc OF COURSE he is.
can adele juggle perfecting her role of a noble lady and cesare's growing affection for her. i'll leave to y'all to find out.
but, what do i think of this manhwa? i absolutely love it. the art is absolutely gorgeous and the character designs are top tier. i believe the author is doing an amazing job at exposing the classism at play and adele's struggle to not let her emotions at the blatant disrespect for who she was overwhelm who she must become.
as for adele as the fl, she is easily one of my favorites. she is a very smart woman who has figured out how to deal with the personification whiplash himself. it's not easy but she is handling him with impressive ease. it's honestly thrilling to witness her growth and im eagerly awaiting to see what she does next.
but now, we have to talk about cesare...
frankly, i hate this man.
to be more specific, i love to hate him. he is a red flag but, gosh, it is fun to watch him yearn. if i had it my way, his feelings would be unrequited until the end of time but i've been around the manhwa block long enough to know where this will most likely land. however, im not too mad about that. i love a good redemption arc so i will not say no if we get one. but more than that, i do love hating a man so im having a jolly good time regardless of where this goes.
i want to give a huge thanks to manta for the sneak peak and subsequent obsession i now have for high society. manta can be accessed on the web or their app and they currently have a very impressive catalogue of titles available. i highly recommend checking them out but definitely give high society the honor of being your first read on their platform. you will NOT be disappointed 😉
