Sleeps In Sunbeams's manga / #shoujo(120)

Completed Opinion: Cute, sweet, and fluffy (pun intended) Main couple: 8/10 FL: 8/10 - Lady Zernoa de Rhanterra/Larissa. Raised poor, was sold to the Duke de Rhanterra to replace his daughter and capture the crown prince. Protective of her family, she starts to find joy when she rescues a cute rabbit. ML: 8/10 -Grand Duke Hadelrune de Strelitz/Rune. “Cursed” by a fairy to be a rabbit and find love. A renowned soldier and avoider of women and rabbits he can’t dodge his fate to be a cute cottontail with a thumping heck of a protective kick. Genuinely supportive and kind to Larissa. Story/Concept: A sweet idea that enabled the pair to cross social boundaries in an unique manner. Rabbit rune was endearing and by the time the FL met his human version they had already become very close. Tropes: Shoujo. Historical. Curse. Beast form. Royalty. Nobility. Identity charade. Ending: Happy. A few loose ends, a little rushed. Art: Pretty and colourful. Adult male characters had very large eyes and youthful features, they all looked like kids playing dress up though they did improve a little as story progressed. Smut: None. TW's: Suicide. Child abuse. Drugs.

Completed Opinion: Sadly annoying, some good ideas poorly executed, unsatisfying overall. Main couple: 4/10 FL: 2/10: Beth. The woman born to bad luck. Pure Yang energy. Reincarnated. The perpetual damsel in distress. ML: 4/10 -Yama. Ruthless and powerful but at the same time got some pretty huge weaknesses and flaws. Bit of a rapist creep but he isn’t human so.. idk. Protective of Beth, or is he? Story/Concept: I liked the concept of being the bride of Yama and getting revenge on those who sacrificed her and treated her and her parents so horridly but yeah, that just didn’t really happen. This was an annoying series of FL actions and choices where she kept putting herself in dangerous situations that required the ML to rescue her, call her honey and smite her foes while clasping her in his arms as he manfully said (nearly each and every time), “nobody harms my wife”. Sure, she helped him a couple of times, suddenly able to wield a sword like a boss, but it was just a flat attempt to give her some strength of character that felt very out of character. My main issues (other than the above & including spoilers) were that she hated Yama at first but it just took a couple of “not my woman” moments to have her all over him, there were loads of other powerful characters but no real explanation of who they were, their relationship to Yama or Beth, or why they were allies or enemies. Yama was always using her but had a “revelation” at the end that had him understand (wish I did) and he left her only to return after years at the end (didn’t actually see him btw) with no reason of what he did, if it mattered, where they would go, were they together now, why he went, what happened to the other woman (I could go on). Having a baby was meant to kill her but suddenly we see the kid and her no problems. In short, this story was immaturely written and full of flaws. Tropes: Shoujo. Reincarnation. Powered enemies. Yin & Yang. Demons. Damsel in distress. Deception and lies. Ending: Happy? Many, MANY unanswered plot questions. Art: Nice, but sometimes faces looked a bit weird and inconsistent. Smut: None. TW's: Ritual rape (implied no smut). Available on WebComics

Completed Story Opinion: A nice story, let down in a couple of areas but the sisterly bond was great. Main couple: 7/10 FL: 7/10 - Countess Charlotte De Perol. Childhood full of physical abuse and neglect. Becomes a powerful woman and has a sweet sister relationship. ML: 8/10 - Arthur, Duke of Cardiff. One of the last magi, capable of wielding the infernal flame. General of the Kings armies. Actually a very sweet guy who didn’t get enough story time with more pages dedicated to the king (who held him in a form of obligated servitude). Unable to live his life for himself. Story/Concept: One of the most refreshing aspects of this story was the sister bond between FL and her mercenary sister Kara. The story suited the title “Cheerful Countess Sisters” more than “Countess and the Blade” because little of the story had time between FL & ML and he was a magi more than a knight. There were let downs for me but the main one would be the amount of story dedicated to the king. He was responsible for a lifetime of misery for the ML because his need for power was his priority over their close brotherly bond and he never faced any consequences for that. In fact, with the exception of having the FL love him, his life was pretty perfect and given his cruelty (which the author attempted to balance with his love of the FL) and petty selfishness. He was also in the story a LOT more than the ML. Tropes: Shoujo. Historical. Royalty. Nobility. Sisterhood. Ending: Happy. Side stories were ok. Art: Pretty and colourful. TW's: Child abuse.

Completed story Opinion: I enjoyed this a lot but it had a few flaws. Firstly, there was not a lot of couple time as most of the story occurred with each in their separate residences and not even physically crossing paths for a while. Secondly, the entire arc of the FL sister and ex boyfriend was incomplete. There was absolutely no resolution for whether they ended up together, or turned on each other, or if the crown prince had a part in their relationship or even if the crown prince got to stay the crown prince. Extremely unsatisfying for all story aspects apart from the MCs.. Main couple: 8/10 FL: 8/10 - Liu Shuangshuan, eldest daughter of Prince Mu. I liked the FL, she was intelligent and kind, and refused to stay the victim in a toxic relationship. Transmigrated with her younger sister from the modern world. Her sister transmigrated to be Liu XiangXiang, younger daughter of Prince Mu and daughter of the current princess consort. ML: 8/10 - Fifth Prince . Poisoned as a child, the fifth Prince managed to miraculously survive but remained in a weakened body and remained sickly. However his mind was sharp and cunning and his calm presence earns him the love and loyalty of many. Story/Concept: An interesting story that has three connected people transmigrating together. In the Imperial era there is a lot of palace intrigue and the carry over hostilities between the FL and her sister and ex. The MCs dynamic was really lovely, but I would have enjoyed more couple time. We never even got a kiss. And as mentioned above, too many unresolved issues like what happens with the Mu men when they return home, and did the baby get safely delivered. Too much incomplete. Tropes: Historical. Royalty. Transmigration. Sibling rivalry. Cheating ex. Bitchy younger sister syndrome. Childhood meeting. Forgotten memories. Assassins. Palace intrigues. Smut: None. Ending: Too many unresolved plot points. Happy for MCs. Art: Consistently pretty. TW's: Extra: Available and completed on WebComics app.

Completed story Opinion: For me, this was a lovely story. I really liked how the FL rose from being an orphaned commoner turned slave to being one of the most powerful people of the empire based on her own strength of character, intelligence, and hard work. There was no luck of birth, no sudden lost royal family reunion to pave her way. She was the one to bargain with the emperor when a slave, the one who studied until exhaustion, and the one who worked all hours as the emperor’s secretary. Her compassion and sweet nature suited the tyrant emperor who pushed her to achieve and fell for her. Yeah, I really liked the story. Main couple: 8/10 FL: 9/10 - Celestia. A strong FL, with the ability to negate magic. A ML: 9/10 - Emperor Van. The Emperor of the Burg Empire, known as the Red-Eyed Psychopath. Tyrant but a man of strength for his empire and soft for his FL. This was not a man to mess with but people gonna try anyway. I really liked his Roman emperor hair style and stance. Story/Concept: I love a rags to riches story and I liked how this author didn’t fall back on old tropes like a sudden royal family connection reveal or being universally loved. This FL worked hard and the ML was a great mix of vulnerable inexperience (with respect to love) and phenomenal power, ruthlessness, and ability to endure. Tropes: Historical. Royalty. Tyrant falls in love. Rags to riches. Cheating ex. Political intrigue. Smut: None. Ending: Happy. Art: Consistently pretty. TW's: Slavery. Ruffled pink work outfit.

Completed Story Opinion: There was a lot of drama about this being a story of grooming but it really wasn’t. It’s got a 9yr age gap between Estelle and her knight but when they get to the time of realising their feelings she is an adult and even then there is a lot that happens and a lot of character development before they become a couple. The healthiest relationship was actually between the Castielo family members with a doting dad and protective brother. The irony that they were so strong and loving given their demon heritage often intruded on my thoughts. Main couple: 8/10 FL: 8/10 - Estelle Castielo, Pink Eyes. Abused for her first 11 years, the FL had a lot of insecurities and trauma to deal with, but she was sweet, strong, and likeable. I loved her coming into her adult strength too. ML: 8/10 - Knight Emile. Around 9 years older than FL? Protective of Estelle, has a darker history than you would think given his personality in the first half and a more dangerously unpredictability to him. Story/Concept: The story was told in two distinct stages. Childhood and adulthood. In Estelle’s young years, there were a few highly traumatic arcs but overall it was a time of strong family bonds and the everyday innocence and sweetness of childhood. In her adult years the story changed pace intensely, introducing angst, drama, self sacrifice, and a significant time of separation for the FL and ML. There were times you just want things to settle down, but there was a lot to resolve and overcome. Overall I enjoyed the roller coaster ride and it’s subsequent character growth. Tropes: Historical. Shoujo. Family love. Elementals. Demons. Dragons. Magic. Tough childhood. PTSD. Smut: None. Ending: Happy. Art: Consistently pretty. TW's: Child abuse. Kidnapping. Child trafficking. Torture. SA (not from ML).

Even though this is unfinished as a manga, I have read the complete web novel and really enjoyed the story. While they start young their story follows them through several years and it’s lovely how they deepen their connection and manage to fall in love, defying the boundaries of space and time in a cleverly contrived way by the author. Suxi, who had been well cared for since childhood and had achieved excellent results, was a good girl everyone liked. Lu Huan was exiled from his childhood and suffered humiliation before he became an emperor. One day, Suxi downloaded a love cultivation Game App, and found that the game protagonist’s eyes were dark and beautiful. He was drawn completely according to her taste, and she immediately opened the mode of baby raising mode. “Why is there no fire in the cub’s house? Do you want gold to buy it for him?” “The pup looks better in snow white. Ouch, buy, buy, bought it!” “Why was there a trace of footprints on the cub when he came out of the door? Is it a side mission to deal with the bully ?!” Suxi enjoyed playing the cultivation game. Lu Huan had lived in mud and blood since he was a child. He thought that living was just a matter of getting through one day then another. Until he made a complicated discovery- A warm charcoal fire was smuggled into his room. His torn old clothes were quietly replaced with new ones. Those who bullied him and ridiculed him, who knows who taught them a lesson, but their faces were swollen and they dared not go out. On his long lonely journey, he had a female bodhisattva walking his path with him.

Completed story Opinion: From beginning to end this was a fast paced story and I found that suited the characters. Both FL and ML were rather blunt, honest, and upfront. They communicated so well and there was a lot of mutual respect so they progressed through the story rather swiftly. Their filler scenes weren’t made up of misunderstandings and angst but lovey dovey moments and shared interests like sword fighting or solving the problems surrounding the FLs situation. Main couple: 9/10 (bonus points for best communication) FL: 8/10 - Jeongyun/Lecian Fucernien. 17 -> 18yo. Very self confident, pragmatic, upfront, and self sufficient. Not one to be restricted by social norms. Well versed in self defense. ML: 8/10 - Duke Kiernan Satosian. Captain of the imperial guard and close friend to the crown prince. Similar personality to FL only a bit softer than her at times; forthright, honest, supportive, respectful, great communicator. Story/Concept: This is an isekai story featuring truck-kun. When Jeongyun finds herself in the body of the marquess’s unloved daughter she knows that she will be killed before facing a revenge arc. But this FL would rather skip the death given her encounter with truck-kun and stay alive first time around. With her strong, independent personality she immediately takes charge and makes changes. Along the way she meets and befriends characters who were barely mentioned in the original story and gathers herself loyalty and love strong enough to withstand a long nurtured nefarious political plot that risks her own life. Tropes: Historical. Shoujo. Isekai. Strong, independent woman. Political intrigue. Royalty. Supportive ML. Smut: None. Ending: Happy. Art: Full colour, average art especially with respect to historic outfits. TW's: Child abuse. Kidnapping. Murder. Cruelty.

Completed Note: I read the official version Opinion: I enjoyed this isekai. Overall the story was well paced, the FL was understandably wary of the ML, the ML was enjoyably yandere and dangerous with the soft spot that grew for the FL, the art was pretty, and the story entertaining enough to keep the reader invested. While there was an irritating lack of communication at times, common sense has you understanding the FLs reasons for not trusting the ML with her real thoughts. Main couple: 8/10 FL: 8/10 - Regina Bloise. Isekai’d to become the daughter to an Earl and the unfortunate witness to a murder. She is kind, cautious, a good friend and more pragmatic and independent than she first seems. ML: 9/10. Grand Duke Arsene Graroy. Brother to the current emperor, the one who does the dirty work (kills) for the emperor. A bit yandere, ruthless, dangerous and intimidating. The type to smile and have a polite conversation while destroying you. Enjoys playing cat and mouse with Regina but soon finds himself admiring her and experiencing feelings that are new. Very loyal and protective. Story/Concept: This is an isekai story that has a new (for me) reasoning behind taking the FL from one world and putting her in another. There were some plot holes but overall it was great to watch Arsene fall for his gentle Regina and to watch Regina finally trust the Duke. I am a fan of yandere type in stories and Arsene had some fantastic scenes with that yandere glint in his eye. Side character were interesting and the villain was a suitably loathsome person. Tropes: Historical. Shoujo. Isekai. Power struggle for throne. Yandere ML who is gentle with FL. Possessive/protective ML. God given powers. Evil dowager empress. Demons. Smut: None. Ending: Happy. Art: Full colour. Generally pretty a with good details. TW's: Murder/violence. Implied child abuse. Unedited MTL smut scenes from epilogue @ https://cometothedarkside97.wordpress.com/2021/07/03/ive-been-proposed-by-a-villain-unedited-mtl-smut/