by 狡猾天狗

https://www.asianovel.net/story/3120/

MC transmigrates into an apocalypse novel the day before it begins and is basically determined to do much better at surviving than the original owner. She was originally planning to stay far away from the protagonists (male lead is her stepbrother, female lead is a schoolmate) but ends up staying with them and the male lead's military team. She doesn't need their protection though, she can hold her own from the start and makes every effort to get stronger while navigating the plot points she can remember from the novel.

ML is the team's vice-captain Bai Mu.

(108)

Survival Game: I Became a Big Shot in Another World by Grinding Hard by 047Shi47 (开局一个茅草屋？天赋抽奖来翻盘 by 047是47)

https://wtr-lab.com/en/serie-17506/survival-game-i-became-a-big-shot-in-another-world-by-grinding-hard

Combines survival game + shelter/island building. MC is transported into another world where she has to level up herself and her shelter to survive everything from exotic beasts and plants to natural disasters. Large cast of both fellow humans and native clans, and I think all the characters are pretty well fleshed out. The plot starts off like it's just following MC to level up, but she soon gets embroiled in an overarching plot where threats to this whole world are introduced, a prophecy comes into play, and various mysteries are revealed.

I think the story is interesting, I have some theories about the MC since it's been hinted more than once that there's something about her that's special amongst all the Youzai ("cubs", the native clan members tend to call MC and other transmigrators that). I really like the MC, she isn't totally OP from the get-go, she has to gather resources and put in the work to grow stronger, but she has a high luck value and a very high mental value, which makes some things easier. She gets into a lot of trouble but is also competent enough to get herself out. I love her contracted plant Lili, it's wonderfully homicidal and loves to eat. MC herself has low empathy and morals, she prefers keeping to herself and prioritizes gaining benefits for herself even if it means scamming someone or straight-up looting someone's house lmao, but she does have some lines she won't cross, and she gradually grows more attached to some of the other Youzai and the clan(s) that adopt her.

The pace isn't always the fastest, don't go in expecting action-packed scenes all the time, but I don't think it's too slow either, you get a mix of watching her grow and watching her figure out the various problems plaguing Mist Continent and solving them.

No ship, just a strong female MC.

Natural Disaster: Reborn at the Beginning of the Apocalypse by A Shu tn (天灾，重生回到末世初始 by 阿树tn)

https://wtr-lab.com/en/serie-18018/natural-disaster-reborn-at-the-beginning-of-the-apocalypse

Apocalypse + rebirth, MC is reborn at the beginning after dying 4-5 years into the apocalypse. I always love a good apoc novel, and this one's pretty good. The MC here is extremely indifferent, she's not the hero type, she isn't even the lend a hand when it's not too far out of the way type, her main focus is her own wellbeing, and that's consistent throughout. When she does help someone, it's almost always in exchange for something.  I wouldn't call her evil or anything, it's just that if it's not her business, she won't care. She's emotionally distant and prefers her own company, her goal is to live a safe life where she isn't bothered by anyone (although that's a work in progress, a lot of people come to bother her lol), and while she does have her moments where she intervenes without benefits, they're far and few in-between. She's pretty OP, she does have a development stage where she has to work to get stronger, but her progress is fast enough that she basically doesn't run into anyone who can beat her. She does make a handful of friends - I feel like from her perspective she only has maybe two or three and the rest are friendly acquaintances or allies, while from their perspective they regard her as a friend and mentor/leader. I like her relationship with Zhao Lixin most, it was fleshed out really well imo.

I think the pace of the novel is okay. The plot doesn't drag, MC gets her downtime but there's more action than not. There are some places where it's a bit odd (ie. the time it takes bases/tech/spaceships to be built, seems a bit short) but for the most part it can be hand-waved, I don't think it's so jarring as to break immersion.

The ending left a lot to be desired. I said the pacing was more or less fine, but only up until the second to last chapter, then it was like the author ran out of steam or something and couldn't figure out how to write anymore so they rushed to wrap things up, and technically things were wrapped up but it was very abrupt.

The worldbuilding is pretty well done, very gritty, and very explicit when it comes to stuff like mu*der and suffering, so watch out for that if you're not into it.

No ship, single fem!MC plotline.