Isekai Worth Reading

We simp for Melissa in this house.

There's a reason this is most people's number 1 isekai.

Girl gets isekai'd into a novel's villainess and figures her life will be awesome if she can just not act like a villain and avoid getting too involved in the plot. But like most isekai, it isn't that easy.

Fun, funny, great characters and great plot.

FL: Badasss type
ML: (likely) Puppy type
Plot:

Body Swap

The villainess trades bodies with the heroine, and they learn neither life is what they thought.

I don't have the words to communicate how good this is. Good. It's good. It's very good. This is a gift.

Note: this isn't lighthearted. It's plotty. There are two FL's.

FL: Badass type and Naive type respectively
ML: (likely) Devoted type
Plot:

Time Travel

Protag is executed and gets sent back to her younger self after finding out it was all the plan of her supposedly sweet step-sister. Now, all she wants is revenge.

A rare, imperfect fl who isn't always rational and deceives herself. This is how a time travel isekai is meant to be done.

FL: Clever type
ML: Respectful type.
Plot:

Girl who just escaped her abusive family gets isekai'd into an otome with an equally abusive family. Oh, and it's hard mode where all mistakes mean death.

One of the best protags you'll ever read in isekai. All li's have equal romance to them. The focus is survival and romance, but it's also the fl calling everyone out on their shit and it feels wonderful.

FL: lowkey badass type
ML: (tbc)
Plot:

Protag isekai'd into a novel as the villainess's side-kick. To survive, she glomps onto the heroine figuring it will protect her from being killed by an li.

Fl is different than pretty much any other isekai protag. She's not super pretty, she's not selfless, she's not gifted, she's not strong, she's not particularly clever. She's fun and funny and will win your heart.

FL: Funny type
ML: Teasing type
Plot:

Protag grows up as ...you ready? The elder sister of the dead wife of the ml of a novel. To prevent her little sister's death, she stands strong against his proposal and ends up proposed to herself.

This is one of few ways to do this plot and have me like it. The ml and fl are equals, they have fun together, tease each other, and the fl has been open and honest about where she stands. Their relationship is friendly and fun.

FL: Cheeky type
ML: Teasing type
Plot:

Time Travel.

MC did a lot of bad to elevate her brother to emperor - who then turned on her leaving her to a fate worse than death. Hero seeks her help. It's too late to fix things, but it's not too late to turn back time.
Great fl. Great ml. Great plot. I especially like that the fl doesn't stop doing evil shit. Evil shit has its uses.

FL: Strategic type
ML: Respectful type
Plot:

Not a romance isekai, but you could swing a ship between the mc and the ml if you wanted to.

I love this so much I'm gonna get the book. The protag is a bit of a jerk, poker-faced, neither kind or righteous. He has a goal to live free of drama and he's dedicated to it. It keeps backfiring, but he's dedicated. Plot perfectly paced and interesting.

MC: (Unashamedly) Selfish type
LI: n/a
Plot:

While the protag here gets isekai'd it's treated more of a catalyst than the focus of the plot. We start with a standard villainess confrontation scene and end up with a refreshing tale of empowerment, politics and the responsibilities of rank.

I LOVE this. It's playing my song. Female empowerment in a rigid society.

FL: Strategic type
ML: Supportive type
Plot:

Time Travel

Abused (fake) daughter of a duke gets murdered and sent back to her younger self. She's resolute that she will not longer live begging for affection, but escape is not that easy.

Self-advocating fl who is neither OP nor a waif. You feel her frustration as she tries to wrestle freedom from the hands of her asshole, abusive family.

FL: Clever type.
ML: Puppy type.
Plot: