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Stories with Substance

Stories that I genuinely liked with interesting characters. These characters have ambition, smarts, or interesting perspectives. I think that every good story must have a good main character, or everything will collapse, so I've only added my absolute favorites.

The stories are in order, but they are all enjoyable. Some have romance (BL or GB) and others don't. Some have period typical attitudes (ie, the value of women in a harem setting is not...spectacular). The majority are CN, but a few are also KN. There's...there's a lot of transmigration, admittedly. I have no defence there.

Please enjoy and let me know if my opinions are accurate!

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38 Followers

Erania

Created: Jul 16th, 2021, Updated: Mar 16th, 2025

Created Jul 16th, 2021

Updated Mar 16th, 2025

KR (4.7)

#1Debut or Die

211 Chapters Every 50.2 Day(s) 9869 Readers 89 Reviews 06-12-2023

Comedy Drama Mystery Psychological Supernatural

This novel is glorious and everyone should read it.... more>>

The characters! The plot! The realism, the twists, the main character! Oh, Park Moondae, my beloved. If TeStar was a real idol group, I would move to Korea just to support them. What a brilliant, talented author! I'm going to have to update the novel rankings in this list because this might be the best thing I've ever read. I'm trying not to vibrate in joy and just spoil everything, but I'm going to have to tell everyone in my friends' group about this.

Okay, so. The main character is brilliant. And not in that overdone, supposedly genius idiot kind of way, but a character who is very logical. Despite being this logical 'cold' character, it's wonderful to read between the lines to see how much he cares about his group. Because he doesn't even mean to be a good person, but he absolutely is. From the start, he sets his goals and reacts brilliantly to the challenges he faces. And on the way, he achieves stardom and fame, but this novel really emphasizes the ongoing hard work behind the scenes in the Idol World.

(I also like the lack of romance- this is an IDOL GROUP! Idols aren't encouraged to date, after all. And Moondae has bigger problems. Glad that the author instead developed the platonic relationships so well- you'll never go hungry!)

AND THE OTHERS! THEY AREN'T s*upid CARICATURES OR FLAT- THEY FEEL LIKE REAL PEOPLE! A REAL IDOL GROUP AND THE FRIENDSHIPS ARE DEVELOPED SO NATURALLY, SO REALISTICALLY- THEY'RE ALL SUCH COMPLEX CHARACTERS! THEY ARE ALSO SUCH GOOD BOYS!

I was worried about the System, because a system can really make or break a story, you know? But the elements are balanced really well, and honestly? This might be the one story where I like how the System is portrayed. Despite its existence, at no point do I think Moondae is overpowered. I think the author did a really good job.

Now, you might look at the chapter count and go "???", but under the comment section, the commenter Lynnezh has the translation up to chapter 211, and states that they plan to continue translating/MTL-ing in June, daily. They mention how to contact them- I got up to chapter 41 on another site and was nearly going insane when I found them and messaged them. Best decision of my fricking life. It's safe, and they've even added little fanarts and such.

tldr; If you read anything from this list, read this. I promise you won't regret it. <<less

CN (4.6)

#2The Job of an Imperial Concubine

36 Chapters Every 43.3 Day(s) 5268 Readers 170 Reviews 02-16-2025

Drama Fantasy Historical Josei Mature Mystery

This main character is absolutely wonderful! She's cunning, and more importantly, a complete bad*ss! She's not fighting on the physical battlefield, but she's in the emperor's harem. This story proves how difficult it must have been in ancient times, as it takes our MC every bit of cunning and strength to slowly secure her position in the harem. What's absolutely wonderful for me personally is that she's extremely logical and doesn't exactly fall in love with the ML, knowing he's flawed. Instead, she persists in slowly making him care about her, and that's where this novel really shines.... more>>

CN (4.3)

#3Transmigrated into a Parvenu’s Ex-wife in the ‘90s

477 Chapters Every 75.5 Day(s) 9970 Readers 124 Reviews 06-02-2022

Comedy Drama Fantasy Romance Slice of Life

This story is so interesting for me because of how the main character has to actively work to improve herself. She is a self-made woman... more>>

CN (4.1)

#4Quick Transmigration Cannon Fodder’s Record of Counterattacks

2171 Chapters Every 1.3 Day(s) 9473 Readers 176 Reviews 06-20-2025

Action Adventure Comedy Fantasy Sci-fi Supernatural Tragedy

I’ve tried writing a little blurb for this story multiple times, but it either ends up too long or too rant-like. But here we go again!... more>>

I’m not generally a fan of quick transmigration- the characters sometimes seem undeveloped, the problems are solved too conveniently, the main character is overpowered to the point of unlikability- I could go on forever. That being said, I genuinely like this story despite some of its questionable takes. Without spoiling too much, I think there are two aspects that really brought me into this story.

Firstly, there is a very legitimate common thread between the different worlds. To put it simply, Ning Shu experiences many different worlds, but there are some repeating characters, consistent worldbuilding in the background for the fix-it transmigrators, and problems that follow our main character regardless of where she goes. This adds a level of consistency to the story, especially because there’s no “ML is the same in each world, making them fated lovers or something”- there’s none of THAT. This is good because it’s an overused trope and rarely well done. In fact, there’s no ML (as far as I can tell, so far) and that makes my little realistic heart dance with joy. This story could even be considered a parody, making fun of some truly messed up tropes by adding some ‘real world’ consequences for overbearing Love.

The second aspect I appreciate is that there’s no protagonist halo. As people here would put it, there is no real “golden finger”. Ning Shu starts at rock bottom and stays there, only slowly progressing and becoming better at her job. Does this mean the first arc is messy? Yes! But is it refreshing to see a character genuinely struggle and strive to become better? ABSOLUTELY. Ning Shu is not your typical boss b*tch. She’s a sheltered person who, despite facing lots of pain, is a little dumb and it’s interesting to see her character develop as she takes on all these roles. Also, the fact that she usually asks for a gun is funny. She can be cunning, but the fact that her first response is to deck someone is hilarious!

All of this being said, I am aware of some of the author's less...palatable opinions. Part of me thinks that this is all one big parody, making fun of stories that genuinely emphasize things such as assault as, I don’t know, moral punishment. (Because we’ve all seen this, and it is gross.) Ning Shu has some opinions, but most of these opinions seem to be part of the character role she’s playing, to define the worlds she’s inside. To give an example of this, there was an early arc where the female lead was a village girl, compared to the villainess who had fair skin. There’s some mention of her being dark-skinned as such, and I definitely read that as Ning Shu reflecting on the era’s (unreasonable) beauty standards and class expectations rather than, I don’t know, some form of racism? But others may have thought otherwise, and it’s not as if the translator knows the author’s true intentions. Make of that what you will.

In conclusion, my ADHD brain loved the idea of problem-solving in multiple worlds, with very dramatic scenes that are even more interesting because Ning Shu is technically performing a story. There was much fun poked at typical hero/heroine tropes, (such as that one annoying white lotus girl who says it’s okay to sleep with a married person if it’s “twu wuv.” If you’re going to be like this, at least have the guts to admit that it’s societally unacceptable-).

TLDR; A relatable main character with minimal romance but truly interesting settings. Enjoy the variety, but as always…don’t take it too seriously. <<less

CN (4.6)

#5Living leisurely in Tang Dynasty

165 Chapters Every 16.5 Day(s) 2278 Readers 15 Reviews 06-16-2025

Adventure Comedy Fantasy Historical Romance

Come for the alternate history, stay for the very charming relationship between two brothers, Li Shimin and Li Yuanying. The way this author writes these... more>>

KR (4.3)

#6How to Get on the Main Character’s Flower Path

161 Chapters Every 7.7 Day(s) 2169 Readers 11 Reviews 04-18-2025

Action Adventure Drama Fantasy Harem Josei Mystery Romance School Life

There's comparatively few chapters, but this is everything I love! Genre-saavy heroine! Unique and well characterized side characters! Interesting worldbuilding! I'm tired, so I don't... more>>

CN (4.1)

#7The Villain’s Mother

302 Chapters Every 88.4 Day(s) 10592 Readers 126 Reviews 11-19-2021

Completed Fantasy Romance Slice of Life

It's been a long while since I've read anything on this site, especially in one sitting, but this story! This story has set my expectations high. At first glance, the plot seems familiar: a woman wakes up as the future villain's mother, a twist that occurs before her husband's demise and before she gives her child away. I anticipated the usual surge of instant parental emotions and the ML's immediate infatuation upon noticing the personality change. After all, isn't that the norm in such stories?... more>>

CN (4.3)

#8I Am Not Fit to Be the Male Lead’s First Love

0 Chapters Every 87.9 Day(s) 6711 Readers 101 Reviews 06-08-2022

Comedy Mystery Romance School Life Supernatural

I haven't finished this yet (because it hasn't been entirely translated lol) but I already love this so much. The translation is pretty good and while the romance hasn't started yet, you should give this a shot regardless because I think this novel has something quite rare: genuinely interesting and wonderful side characters! Not only is the MC hilarious and reasonably powerful with limitations, but the side characters and friends she makes are also so much fun! Song Zhaolin is absolutely baby!... more>>

CN (4.2)

#9Counterattack of the Cannon Fodder Chambermaid

201 Chapters Every 9.5 Day(s) 6207 Readers 144 Reviews 10-05-2020

Completed Adult Drama Historical Mature Romance

This one is...this one is really something. I know I say this a lot, but this one absolutely stunned me, and for good reason! It's a story, obviously, so while some elements of ancient China might be misrepresented, this story adds an element of urgency and pain. The MC has genuinely faced some traumatic things, and in a world where women are completely disposable (aka ancient...everywhere?), all MC wants is to live out her life as a normal servant and win her freedom. I genuinely felt terrible about her past life, and she's genuinely so desperate to survive.... more>>

CN (4.3)

#10Legend of Concubine’s Daughter Minglan

506 Chapters Every 13.1 Day(s) 8404 Readers 103 Reviews 04-10-2025

Historical Josei Romance Slice of Life Supernatural Tragedy

CN (4.4)

#11I Became The Stepmother of My Ex-husband

274 Chapters Every 88.1 Day(s) 10136 Readers 169 Reviews 04-17-2023

Completed Drama Fantasy Josei Romance Slice of Life

I read this quite a while ago, but it is still super memorable for me. This was first "real" novel on this site, the first one I finished, the first one I cared about. It's taken me a while to articulate exactly what I liked about it, so I hope this...commentary intrigues someone.... more>>

(I am not going to lie-I spent a lot of time looking at that title being like "Does this....is this in*est?" And because I find that badwrongcreepy for obvious reasons, I read a lot of reviews before I dived in.)

Our MC was married for one year before she passed because of an illness. During that year, her husband was...an absolute as*hole to her, because he wanted/expected to marry her sister due to a lot of misunderstandings. Our story starts after her death, where she wakes up as the beloved daughter of a now-deceased war hero. Because of her father's heroic death, she has some wealth now, but has absolutely no way of protecting herself from opportunistic family members. Her ex-husband's father, a very powerful general, is in town, and she tries to manipulate him into protecting her. He sees through it (she kind of fails) but tells her he'll take her to the capitol anyway, where she will be safe (safer) than she is now. And then they go back, where her ex-husband has now married her half-sister. That's the state of affairs, people! And it is so much fun!

MC's characterization is really good because she's this sharp character, who sometimes tries to blunt herself, but really she's just- she's very temperamental and intelligent. I find her so much fun, and I find the progression of ML's and MC's relationship fun because there's this sense of fascination on both sides. They want to understand each other.

I think the most interesting part is how things get revealed in the story, the facts that our MC only puts together after her death, the comeuppance that certain villains get and how it's proportional to the crime. I really love that the MC's half-sister used to be a modern person because it's interesting to see this from an external perspective. It's not positive. And it kind of has this message of...eventually the manipulator will be manipulated, and everyone gets their due.

Finally, the ex-husband! People are going to love (to want to punch) this man, and it's just all...so good!

I'm sorry if this particular commentary is just gushing! I will come back and add more concrete detail when I'm not reminiscing! <<less

CN (4.5)

#12After Transmigrating into a Short-lived White Moonlight, had a HE with the Villain

617 Chapters Every 78.5 Day(s) 12284 Readers 145 Reviews 04-17-2022

Completed Adventure Comedy Mature Psychological Romance Xuanhuan

This one is just *chef's kiss*. I adore this beyond logic. The MC is smart and sweet, and the ML is a traumatized bean. When I say this though, you might think this is the average transmigration novel. But no! The ML is genuinely crazy, and he has good reason for it.... more>>

CN (4.4)

#13100,000/Hour Professional Stand-in

362 Chapters Every 79.1 Day(s) 6377 Readers 165 Reviews 04-01-2022

Completed Drama Fantasy Psychological Romance

I have a type, don't I? Cunning protagonists with (some) moral limits. The main character here wants to go home, but to do that, she has to make a crap ton of money? So how does she, a formerly famous and talented actress get that dough?... more>>

CN (4.4)

#14Forced to Ascend the Throne after Transmigrating

369 Chapters Every 13.3 Day(s) 1865 Readers 31 Reviews 12-05-2024

Completed Comedy Drama Historical Romance Tragedy

How beautifully written. I didn't expect much going in, but oh. For a novel that's so sincerely funny, this broke my heart so much. No... more>>

CN (4.4)

#15Back to the Sixties: Farm, Get Wealthy & Raise the Cubs

701 Chapters Every 80.1 Day(s) 8853 Readers 204 Reviews 03-22-2022

Completed Comedy Drama Mature Romance Slice of Life Supernatural

CN (4)

#16Rebirth of the Evil Mother-In-Law

425 Chapters Every 77.9 Day(s) 9527 Readers 122 Reviews 04-27-2022

Completed Comedy Drama Fantasy Supernatural

This is something of a guilty pleasure for me, but I genuinely like the MC. She's not so much misunderstood, but more that the 'white lotus' main character influenced other characters to do terrible things to her and her daughter. The MC has a genuine reason to dislike the main character, and when she dies, she transmigrates into her own past. She's been put through the wringer by most of her family, and this time around, she's taking absolutely none of it!... more>>

CN (4.7)

#17Don’t Pick Up Boyfriends From the T*ash Bin

245 Chapters Every 56 Day(s) 17011 Readers 208 Reviews 12-11-2023

Adventure Comedy Drama Mature Psychological Romance Sci-fi Shounen Ai

I think this one is pretty well known, but if you're having any doubts, I definitely suggest you read it! Unlike the other ones on this list, this features a lot of gay couples, and it's literally about tr*sh boyfriends. Our MC is here with the System to fix up the lives of oppressed men who have faced cruelty and trauma. He's not interested in reliving the plot, but instead actively works out a way for the character he's playing to live a healthy, fulfilling life! It's literally the most unique transmigration system I've read so far, and while it's pretty long, you get hooked onto it immediately.... more>>

CN (4)

#18Mei Gongqing

91 Chapters Every 140 Day(s) 7430 Readers 104 Reviews 06-27-2024

Completed Drama Fantasy Historical Mature Romance Slice of Life

I really love historical romances, don't I?... more>>

KR (4.5)

#19T*ash of the Count’s Family

1134 Chapters Every 3.3 Day(s) 41403 Readers 612 Reviews 06-21-2025

Action Adventure Fantasy Martial Arts Seinen Supernatural

KR (4.1)

#20What Happens When the Second Male Lead Powers Up

236 Chapters Every 6.8 Day(s) 9793 Readers 65 Reviews 06-19-2025

Adventure Comedy Fantasy Mystery Slice of Life Supernatural

Turns out my standards for romance are particular enough that I seek out actively non-romantic stories so I can get my fix without feeling uncomfortable. I think this might be my first actual write-up for a story like this! Exciting!... more>>

So far, there isn't too many chapters, but I can tell you that I really like this story. People say this is reminiscent of TCF or ORV, but I think it's unfair to blame stories of the same genre for having similarities. All of these involve male transmigration into a story full of action, but the characters are distinct. Our MC is unique and the characters around him are similarly well developed.

I recommend this for several reasons, and perhaps the biggest is the mysteries present in the background, the social worldbuilding, and the main character himself. MC's transmigration is explored and the mystery present is genuinely important to the plot and his very existence has a knock-off effect on everything else. I don't want to exaggerate, because stories of this genre do typically explain the transmigration better than other genres, but the way the butterfly effect worked here was wonderful.

In terms of worldbuilding, there are two nations with distinct political and social customs. A very unique aspect is that our MC is not a mage, exactly, but actually a priest. His role is very therapist-like, and I find this interesting compared to our typical swordsman, strategist, mage combination. Another thing was the idea of a political partner versus a social partner. This ends up with two women ruling a nation in a queerplatonic partnership, and the political effect of this is interesting. (It gets very tiring seeing the same royal family representation every single time. Let's add some spice!)

Lastly, our main character. I won't be too specific, but our MC hasn't actually read the novel in question. His knowledge is second-hand, so he makes some funny assumptions at times that are very realistic. What I find heartwarming is his desire to get home, which is evident not only in the way he genuinely wishes on a magical object, but also in how he mentions his family. The lack of overdramatic, fake "woe is me, mine family is lost forever" theatrics and the very solemn, quiet way he thinks about his family in the middle of many tasks/experiences struck true to me, as someone with beloved siblings. I liked it very much.

If you're expecting a political mastermind, ala Cale Henituse, you're not going to find it here. But if you want a grounded character, developing friendships, interesting worldbuilding, and one really cute animal- this is for you. <<less

CN (4)

#21I Have Decided to Go Look for My Father

278 Chapters Every 71.1 Day(s) 4881 Readers 71 Reviews 03-10-2023

Comedy Drama Fantasy Romance School Life Slice of Life

I was hesitant to read this- I love stories with strong familial relationships, but lo and behold, this genre is an absolute snakepit. So I was pleasantly surprised by this story!... more>>

This is not an ordinary fake daughter/real daughter plot (I hate those terms, they are terrible and completely disregard healthy adoptive relationships). And this isn't your ordinary running away with the bun story. For such a sweet tale, the beginning is a little dark. I would say the main character's conception is tragic in that it's dubious consent on both sides, and there's emotional and verbal ab*se in beginning. It gets better, and then it gets sweet, but! I did feel so bad for the main character, and I think I reached a new level of rage at times.

(There is also this whole thing with attempted r*pe/assault. Our character straight-up electrocutes him, and then another person comes in later to destroy him after the person finds out. It's all very justified, and she's physically unharmed, but! Take! Care! Of! Yourself!)

So! Analysis without spoilers! Ultimately, this is a story about a father and a daughter. There are many stories like that, but many of them have this unfortunate habit of making every interaction false, sickly sweet, or over the limit to the point where it's vaguely in*estuous (and that's badcreepywrong)! This story is not like that, and they still have a wonderful relationship. There are not too many chapters yet, but so far I do appreciate that they really are building a relationship. No instant love, no excessive drama in the reunion. It plays out realistically.

I also appreciate a capable MC! Our main character is smart, but her reactions to some things ring true to an emotionally ab*sed teenager. She has many moments where she is worried she'll be abandoned, and it shows that the author isn't just wiping away the trauma. Our girl is working through it over time. She's smart, but given who her parent is and her history as a very intelligent student, she's not too overpowered either.

There are also no scheming relatives on her father's side. It's very cute, because her grandfather, uncles, and cousins are all so excited to meet her. They love her and it's such a contrast to the, um, other side. Gu Chenyi is my favourite character so far, because he seems like such dork. I don't know, I guess I really love this portrayal of close relatives, close enough to be your siblings.

This is overall a pretty sweet story, well written in that the relationships develop naturally, that the traumatized main character slowly recovers from her trauma while proving herself above her shitty ex-family. I will come back and clean this review up later, when I'm less...dead inside. <<less

CN (4.6)

#22Royal Road

386 Chapters Every 35.7 Day(s) 6049 Readers 46 Reviews 01-04-2024

Completed Action Adult Drama Fantasy Historical Mature Romance Yaoi

KR (4.1)

#23The Reincarnated Cop Who Strikes With Wealth

112 Chapters Every 61.9 Day(s) 2497 Readers 9 Reviews 03-12-2023

Action Adult Fantasy Mature Mystery Psychological Tragedy

There's not a whole lot of chapters yet (so don't expect some deep plot analysis just yet, lmao!) but I think this is a novel... more>>

CN (4.5)

#24Turning Back Time

3 Chapters Every 0.7 Day(s) 1189 Readers 29 Reviews 03-17-2015

Completed Drama Josei Romance Slice of Life Tragedy

Catch me crying at 3 AM because of this!... more>>

CN (4.7)

#25Mulberry Song

3 Chapters Every 1194 Day(s) 5474 Readers 99 Reviews 09-03-2015

Completed Drama Historical Josei Romance Supernatural Tragedy

If you're looking for something heartwrenching and concise, this is the perfect novel. The pain of realizing you love someone only after they're gone, knowing... more>>

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Comments (6)

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peerlesscucumber· Oct 25, 2021 04:23 PM
fabulous list, i love your write-ups too!
Reply · 1 Like · ·
- Erania· Author · Jan 24, 2022 03:57 PM
  Thank you!
  Reply · Like · ·
Kailei· Jul 18, 2021 09:56 PM

I love your little list!!! Many of these novels are ones that I have read at some point or plan to read so it falls right into line with my tastes.
I would love to see more of your insights and thoughts on the rest of the novels, because I feel for the ones that you did they were pretty on point and make excited to read the ones that I am less familiar with.
I would love to see this list grow or to see other lists like this.

Reply · 1 Like · ·
- Erania· Author · Jul 25, 2021 08:31 PM
  Thank you! I'm so glad someone shares my taste in novels! I will finish writing my insights and see if I can discover some other high-quality reading material!
  I would also really like a rec list that I could reference, lol. I'm probably not the only one tired of the one-dimensional characters that plague this site, but digging through novels to find genuinely interesting stories is surprisingly difficult!
  Reply · Like · ·
Taroreo· Aug 30, 2021 06:41 PM
This is amazing! You've done a great job! (≧▽≦)
Reply · Like · ·
- Erania· Author · Sep 25, 2021 11:03 PM
  Thank you!!!! It's so much work, lmao...just hunting through the novels and laughing at the horrible character development and weird romances! Why are all the MLs complete sociopaths? Why is there so much untagged in*est? Sometimes, hon, it's all I can do to not scream....
  I'm glad you like the list though!
  Reply · Like · ·

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