Continuing the milestone tradition of recommendations!
The Mitarais’ House is on Fire: Thirteen years after her mother takes the blame for their house burning down, Anzu disguises herself as a housekeeper and infiltrates the home of her father’s new wife, a family friend who she believes is responsible for the arson. In her own words, “We had a great deal taken by this woman. I’m taking it back. I’m taking everything back.” But she quickly realizes that as she delves deeper, there are more secrets waiting. And as closely as she watches her target, she’s closely watched in return... This story is absolutely crackling. I love the revenge drama, the smart twists, and the depiction of public vs private life. And I froth at the mouth for a particular dynamic. Now licensed in English and NETFLIX SHOW COMING SOON
Kieli: I read the manga years ago and the light novels have been on my backlog for a while, but I’m glad I finally got around to it. The title is the name of the heroine, a lonely and blasphemous teenager who can see ghosts. Following an encounter with an Undying, an immortalized young man who fought in a bloody war 80 years prior, and his antique radio possessed by one of his victims, they travel the world. For better or worse, considering Undying are being hunted down for their regenerative cores and there are rumors of new experiments. The ending is bittersweet and I choose to read it as a hopeful one; the whole series is certainly memorable and very underrated.
The Jinx’s Lover: I read this one a long time ago and considered recommending it in its early days but I caught up on it again and it’s so good. As a young girl, clairvoyant Seulbi runs from the abusive hold of a wealthy conglomerate for a day and into the arms of kind but poor Sugwang, who soon finds himself shockingly lucky. When the company retrieves her, that luck turns into misfortune for 7 years...until he meets her again in her second escape attempt. It’s pretty funny, and I think it’s good for Kdrama fans!
The Alchemist Who Survived Now Dreams of a Quiet City Life: A light novel series, now completely translated in English! Mariela is the titular alchemist who placed herself in suspended animation during a disaster, only to awaken...200 years later. Unlike in the past, alchemists are extremely rare and in high demand due to the dangers of the nearby Labyrinth, a monster-infested structure that’s proving to be the worst in history. The male lead is a slave she rescues, a former adventurer humbled by the loss of his supernatural eye and is now devoted to her. He saves the labels from wine bottles they drink together, that’s real love!!!
My Blissful Marriage: A light novel as well as a manga about an arranged marriage in a low fantasy Meiji era setting. Miyo is the daughter of a clan with supernatural powers, but when discovered to be utterly mundane, she’s treated no better than a slave by her family. Cue her engagement to an ill-tempered officer rumored to drive away any woman in his presence. Of course, as the days unfold and they learn more about each other, they grow closer. Now licensed in English!
Kimi no Koe: A fairly new Taisho era manga. A young entrepreneur with a telepathic ability uses his skills to work his way up society, including a marriage to an affluent family’s daughter...only to find out that he can’t discern her thoughts at all. And she’s mute. It’s primarily from the guy’s perspective, and he’s kind of a bastard, but a loveable one.
Tsuka no Ma no Ichika: A college student in remission from an unnamed disease reunites with her favorite professor, who’s now terminally ill. A love story, in spite of their impending mortality. It’s nothing but pain. I do wish they would’ve progressed a little further, but it’s a poignant and earnest work about making the most of time you have left.
Sesame Salt and Pudding: Trying to get out of being summoned home, a drunken 22-year-old machinery operator marries one of the older customers in her favorite bar. I mean...it’s a dumb decision, but the heroine is the charming kind of dumb, so she’s actually not as annoying as a lot of characters I’ve seen. The male lead is mellow and sardonic and highkey a dirty old man, but at least, that part of him is honest! They’re cute together, the translation is excellent, and I got hooked.
Marriage of Convenience: This is how you pull off a reincarnation manhwa. A heroine who doesn’t immediately flip personalities and has realistic character development, while still retaining her core traits. A male lead who recognizes his own inadequacies, while still being a badass and an utter simp. The marriage in question starts off with a power imbalance, and the progression to a union of equals is just delicious. The side characters are also very loveable, with funny expressions in the background, and overall, it’s a great binge read.
I’m a Terminal Cancer Patient But I’m Fine: In my line of work, I think it’s good to get perspective. This is a humorous yet honest memoir, written by a mangaka who was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer. The explanations are thorough and accurate, interjected with advice and of course, to listen to the medical professionals. The author is also a survivor of childhood physical abuse, so I really admire her resilience and I’m glad she has a good support system, especially from her husband. Although...can some of the hot doctors make it over here...asking for a friend...