In my last blog post, I did say that my blog is all about recommending interesting manga and light novels that you should read.

But the question is, what kind of manga and light novels that I tend to recommend on my blog? Will the manga and light novels that I recommend will be something that you’ll enjoy too?

Well, I admit that I only recommend a handful of series on my blog. And it also doesn’t matter to me whether the manga or the light novels are popular or not.

The only thing I care about is it’s interesting enough for me to keep reading until the series is over. That seems to be the case with all the manga and light novels that I recommend on my blog.

If you’ve been reading all the posts about the books that I recommend so far, I’m sure that you already know what kind of books I enjoy reading.

But if you’re new to my blog or you just want a clear cut answer from me, then these are the kind of series that I tend to recommend on my blog.

The manga and light novels are in mystery, thriller and suspense genre

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to you since I write thriller and suspense seinen light novels.

So, it’s obvious that most of the series I recommend tend to be in this genre.

If you enjoy books in this genre, then you’re more likely to enjoy all the books that I recommend on my blog.

Will books in mystery, thriller and suspense genre are the only genre I recommend on my blog?

Of course, not. I hate to admit it, but there aren’t that many books licensed in English that are in this genre. And that also applies to books in Japanese too.

Okay, what I say is only an estimate on my side. So, don’t quote me on that.

You will still see me recommending books from other genres. But the mystery, thriller, and suspense will be my top priority.

It has a military-themed story

Back then, I wasn’t into the military-theme story that much. But that seems to change when I began writing the Trigger Locked series.

Now, I will give a priority to books that have a military-theme story even if it’s not in my usual genre.

The Combat Baker and Automaton Waitress are one of the examples. It’s a military-themed story that takes place in the fantasy setting.

Just like the mystery, thriller, and suspense genre, there aren’t that many military-themed books that are licensed in English. But at least I have better luck in finding books that has a military-themed story compared to finding books in mystery, thriller and suspense genre.

The main character is in the special force

For some reason, I will read books in any genre in a heartbeat whenever the main character is in a special force or even in the military.

It looks like the Trigger Locked series does change my preference in manga and light novels in a big way, huh?

That seems to be the case with manga like SPY x FAMILY. To be honest, I wasn’t a fan of comedy manga. But I was willing to give SPY x FAMILY a try because the main character is a spy.

I don’t encounter many books with this type of character that much. But if you notice that I’m recommending a book that isn’t in my usual genre, then it must have something to do with the main character being in a special force.

The story has to be interesting

As much as I prefer the books to be in a genre I love and have characters that are in a special force, those things are pointless if the story is boring.

Yes, having an interesting story is still important to me. It’s because of this reason that I’m recommending these books on my blog in the first place.

And that leads me to another question: how do I define interesting?

I admit that it’s a tricky question since what is interesting is a subjective matter. But here’s how I define the story to be interesting.

The story has an interesting concept

When I think of a story that has an interesting concept, Bungou Stray Dogs comes to mind.

The literary figures with a superpower? I find the concept to be interesting. Just imagine Mark Twain has a superpower derived from the title of his books.

I admit that I’m not into this type of character with a superpower. But the fact that the characters in Bungou Stray Dogs are based on the real person makes it intriguing enough for me to have a look at it.

The story blends facts and fiction together

This is big for me. Most of the stories that leave a lasting impact on me tend to have this part nailed down.

For some people, they see manga and light novels as a form of escapism. But for me, I don’t want the story just to entertain me. I also want the story to be educational too.

It’s because of this reason that I enjoy watching Dr. Stone anime because the story revolves around science.

I admit that it’s not easy to differentiate facts from fiction if you don’t know much about the subject. But if you feel that it sounds realistic, then it probably is.

A little of Googling here and there can help you with clearing up any misunderstanding you have about the subject.

The story triggers me emotionally

A good story can trigger all sorts of emotions within you. And it will leave a lasting impact on you because of how much the story triggers you emotionally.

The emotion can be anything: heartwarming, fear, dystopian, etc.

That seems to be the case for me. There are quite a few books I enjoy reading because it triggers me emotionally. And I’m not even the emotional type, to begin with!

Keep in mind that the books that I recommend tend to be the one that makes people facepalm. It’s also possible that the story is focusing on a sensitive subject too since these topics can cause discomfort to some people.

Well, it can’t be helped since that’s the kind of book that I enjoy reading.

But there are also quite a few books that are heartwarming too.

So, the books that I recommend aren’t just about violence or any sensitive subjects that can make your skin crawl. There are quite a few books that will give you a warm and fuzzy feeling too.

What about nonfiction books?

While my blog talks about manga and light novels pretty much most of the time, I also love to talk about the nonfiction books that I find interesting as well.

Unlike manga and light novels, I don’t have any specific preference other than I find the subject of the book to be interesting.

All I can say is that the nonfiction books that I talk about on this blog seem can be about anything.

Just to let you know that I’m still being selective about which books made it to my blog even though I don’t have anything specific in mind.

I’m just following my own muse.

Is my blog for you?

There’s no doubt that my blog is definitely for you if you enjoy reading the same thing as I do.

But if it’s not, that’s fine too. I know well enough that my blog isn’t for everybody.

I’m sure that there are other blogs out there that cater to the type of books that you enjoy reading. That’s where you should be going if you find that my blog isn’t a perfect fit for you.