General Reading Recommendation Thread (Not Series License Requests)

geetop

Kinda feel that in Apothecary Diaries the FMC doesn’t have any romantic interests herself (or at least that she is honest about) it is more about her involvement with little mysteries that she solves.

kuali

@Fraeduu Apart from a few explicitly lesbian series, I don't know of many. Most of the others have a love interest or someone who will eventually become one, even if it'll take a long time.

Probably the closest of the JNC series that comes to mind is Making Magic - a lead that's eternally trapped before puberty, and a cast that's heavily female. 6 1/2 books in and nothing remotely resembling a romance.

Or Passing Beast Tamer, where the MC is utterly obsessed with fluffy animals and has no real desires beyond hoarding and petting fluff.

Next up would be Prison Life is Easy for a Villainess - the MC is engaged at the start and at the end, but those are political matches, not love ones. And there is no romance involved on the MC's part either time.

Then there's Death's Daughter and the Ebony Blade, which, despite a few close calls - even looking like the central trio might turn into a love triangle for a bit - looks like it'll probably end without any romantic pairings in the main cast. That one might be a little too close to the line for you.

Fraeduu

@kuali Thank you so much for those! As for a series that's explicitly lesbian, I wouldn't mind that at all if you had some ideas in that regard!

@geetop I was thinking about that! Though the later volume covers sort of give me the vibe that there's a romantic interest being pushed? Not sure how caught up you are to know if that might be the case?

HarmlessDave

@Fraeduu JNC titles:

Seriously Seeking Sister - silly fun one-volume, the Abilities Average of vampire princess novels.

Reincarnated as My Gag Character - the MC was born male, but as I read on it seemed clear to me that they were and are happier as a female.

The Invincible Little Lady - might eventually get a love interest like it or not, but that seems a ways off.

I'll also second the recommendation for Making Magic.

Non-JNC:

I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years -- as usual, the LN is much better than the anime.

Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear - it's bearrific ʕ•ܫ•ʔっ, and much much better than the rushed anime that crammed 5 volumes into one season, cutting out many of the fun moments and making random changes.

FUNA's 80,000 Gold and Abilities Average are both romance-free. As usual, they failed with the Abilities anime. I haven't seen the 80,000 Gold anime so I can't say how it compares to the novels.

geetop

@Fraeduu said in General Reading Recommendation Thread (Not Series License Requests):

@geetop I was thinking about that! Though the later volume covers sort of give me the vibe that there's a romantic interest being pushed? Not sure how caught up you are to know if that might be the case?

I am current on all the volumes of Apothecary Diaries and the FMC certainly has a young man greatly interested and she is certainly aware of it; she just doesn't firmly move on it (this is not a clueless romance story - I think of it as very slow moving; she has known the person about two years I think and is now about 19).

I think the story is very much in line with Maomao's personality and I like the gentle progression of romance (I would guess that the first 4-5 volumes are safe for you to read). It takes quite a few volumes to get to this point. It is my favorite JNC series so I am very biased towards it.

Dawnaxis

@Fraeduu , this is something I’ve looked for myself from time to time. There’s been some great titles mentioned already that I’m happy to second. And some of the titles below might not be what you are looking for regardless, despite the MC’s gender and a lack of male love interests. Still, in the spirit of “toss out everything and see what sticks”:

JNC:

Otherside Picnic: Great story, and both main characters (the two sides of the romance) are both female.
Her Marjesty’s Swarm: As best as I can recall, there is no romance of any kind at all during the story, not even a one-sided one directed at the MC. However, it is a fairly grimmer/more bleak story than most light novels (or at least the ones I typically read).
Gear Drive: Downside with this title is that it seems stuck on “indefinite hiatus” with just one published volume. But of what is available, no romance so far, and something I’ve returned to and read more than once. Still, it’s more just the opening to the greater tale than a full story in its own right.

Non-JNC:

“Bofuri: I don’t want to get hurt, so I’ll max out my defense!” Just some friends playing a game online, very chill, but an infectious sense of joy and no romance so far.
So I’m a Spider, So What?: Granted, much of the lack of romance can be attributed to the fact the MC is a spider, but she still identifies as a female spider. There are some subplots where other characters (male or female) are the view point character, a few of which include a romantic element of some kind. (I realize alternate viewpoints are common in many light novels, but they comprise a lot of this series - maybe about half the series, although the individual volumes can skew one direction or the other).

Just a few more to consider, if you’re still looking for additional options. I wish I had more to add myself, because it’s also something I’ve wished for.

Fraeduu

@HarmlessDave @geetop @Dawnaxis

Thank you all so much for the input and/or recommendations, I think I'm all set! I appreciate it ^^

Happy holidays!!

Geezer Weasalopes

@Dawnaxis said in General Reading Recommendation Thread (Not Series License Requests):

“Bofuri: I don’t want to get hurt, so I’ll max out my defense!” Just some friends playing a game online, very chill, but an infectious sense of joy and no romance so far.

Depending upon how you view such things, there are indications that the friend who pushed her to play such games is "interested" in her...her female childhood friend.

Aquantis

@hickwarrior said in Newbie questions:

recommendations from me:
Apothecary Diaries
Dahlia in Bloom
Heavenly Swords of the Twin Stars
A Late Start Tamer's Laid Back Life
D-Genesis
Only the Villainous Lord Wields the Power to Level up (note: waiting on more novels to be written)
Enough with this Slow Life! I Was Reincarnated as a High Elf...
Young Lady Albert is Courting Disaster
Now I'm a Demon Lord! Happily Ever After with Monster Girls in my Dungeon
Mythical Hero's Otherworld Chronicles
Private Tutor to the Dukes Daughter
Min-maxing my TRPG Build in Another World
The Greatest Magicmaster's Retirement Plan

rkkn

What are some good adventure or fantasy stories in which the central female character is fully adult? like mid twenties or older (older is better. also not counting any past lives)

Lily Garden

@rkkn not a light novel but you could check out Just Stab Me Now by Jill Bearup; the female protagonist there is in her thirties

Outinthegardener

@rkkn Well they're all either manga or manwa, not novels, but I'm enjoying these!

Einen Koyou wa Kanou deshou ka
Onna Kishi to Kemomimi no Ko
Like Wind on a Dry Branch

HarmlessDave

@rkkn - Elizabeth Moon's Deed of Paksenarrion trilogy has a protagonist that starts out as a young adult recruit in a mercenary company. It's one of my two favorite series about Paladins and is much more realistic than LNs.

For LNs, The Saint's Magic Power is Omnipotent isn't that heavy on the adventure but the main character is a summoned adult office lady. If the slower pace doesn't bother you it's a nice change from magic high school and villainess novels.

I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years is cute slow life with an office lady reincarnated as an adult.

Probably too young to fit, but Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World's Mitsuha is at least a high school graduate and the series has her acting as an adult not going to isekai Hogwarts. If you buy this one be sure to get the Kodansha light novel volumes not Sol Press and not the manga.