Kill the Villainess, Vol. 1

Gr 7 Up–When the narrator wakes up in a world resembling a romance novel she once read, she takes up the role of Eris, the book’s antagonist. After trying everything and anything to return to her original universe, yet coming up empty, Eris visits a fortune teller with hopes of turning this storyline around. Will she ever be able to go back home? This is a refreshing take on the isekai genre, setting itself apart with a protagonist who is intended to be the antagonist of her new world but who endears herself to readers by never losing sight of her goal, no matter how farfetched it may seem. Additionally invigorating is seeing a character try to return to their initial world, rather than simply accepting their fate, keeping readers intrigued to see the outcome. The artwork and character designs are beautiful, particularly that of the female lead, and the plot provides plenty of unpredictable turns. With webtoons-to-print volumes becoming more prevalent, young readers and libraries can easily turn to this manga series as a gateway title for the budding genre.