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Return from Death: I Kicked the Bucket and Now I’m Back at Square One With a Boyfriend Who Doesn’t Remember Me #1
Return from Death: I Kicked the Bucket and Now I’m Back at Square One With a Boyfriend Who Doesn’t Remember Me Volume 1
Magic School Is A Lot Harder When You’re Trying Not To Die!
Life seemed perfect for Oriana after she started dating Vincent in the winter of her fifth year at the academy. Little did she know, her beloved would soon die under suspicious circumstances. Before she can process anything, she wakes up to find herself back in her seven-year-old body with no idea how she died. When she finally returns to the magic academy in hopes of reuniting with her boyfriend, she finds out Vincent has no memory of her! Now she’s back at square one. Can Oriana navigate this second chance at life and change the course of Vincent’s fate? Making her crush work out really is a matter of life and death!
Life seemed perfect for Oriana after she started dating Vincent in the winter of her fifth year at the academy. Little did she know, her beloved would soon die under suspicious circumstances. Before she can process anything, she wakes up to find herself back in her seven-year-old body with no idea how she died. When she finally returns to the magic academy in hopes of reuniting with her boyfriend, she finds out Vincent has no memory of her! Now she’s back at square one. Can Oriana navigate this second chance at life and change the course of Vincent’s fate? Making her crush work out really is a matter of life and death!
341 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 30, 2021
36 people are currently reading
175 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
October 12, 2021
Okay, so to be clear… this book is mainly a romance novel with fantasy elements. It takes place in a magic academy, but at least in this particular volume the romance overpowers the magic and fantasy. It's like Harry Potter if you cut down most of the magic and action scenes, and put relationship and friendship issues in their place. Oriana and Vincent used to be a couple, until she found him dead one day before succumbing to death herself and got thrown back in time to when she was only seven. When she finally gets to meet him again, she goes straight for lovey dovey mode right off the bat and inevitably creeps him out since he doesn't retain the same memories.
That being said, "back at square one" isn't exactly accurate either since Vincent falls in love with Oriana at first sight, which means he already likes her from the beginning. So this book deals with the issue of Oriana trying to prevent Vincent from dying again, while Vincent struggles against the image of him from the other timeline, who Oriana loved. This type of "me but not quite me" conflict is typically used in amnesia stories, so it's kind of refreshing to see it in a time reset story. Since Oriana does things differently in this timeline to ensure Vincent's safety, the story also deals with the possible butterfly effect. Things don't exactly play out the way they did in her previous life, eventually leading to a cliffhanger that puts Vincent in her shoes while also leaving a new clue that she didn't pick up before.
It sounds like we might learn about the mystery of their deaths in the next book, but as I said earlier, this particular volume is mainly about romance. The bittersweet youth with all the unrequited love, misunderstandings, and failure to notice how the other party might be feeling. There's very little world-building, seeing that the book takes place inside the magic academy and barely puts any focus on the magic or the lessons. That being said, the romance is pretty well-written with barely any bullying or toxicity involved. As long as you keep in mind that the book dedicates a large portion to Oriana and Vincent's relationship, it is quite an entertaining read.
That being said, "back at square one" isn't exactly accurate either since Vincent falls in love with Oriana at first sight, which means he already likes her from the beginning. So this book deals with the issue of Oriana trying to prevent Vincent from dying again, while Vincent struggles against the image of him from the other timeline, who Oriana loved. This type of "me but not quite me" conflict is typically used in amnesia stories, so it's kind of refreshing to see it in a time reset story. Since Oriana does things differently in this timeline to ensure Vincent's safety, the story also deals with the possible butterfly effect. Things don't exactly play out the way they did in her previous life, eventually leading to a cliffhanger that puts Vincent in her shoes while also leaving a new clue that she didn't pick up before.
It sounds like we might learn about the mystery of their deaths in the next book, but as I said earlier, this particular volume is mainly about romance. The bittersweet youth with all the unrequited love, misunderstandings, and failure to notice how the other party might be feeling. There's very little world-building, seeing that the book takes place inside the magic academy and barely puts any focus on the magic or the lessons. That being said, the romance is pretty well-written with barely any bullying or toxicity involved. As long as you keep in mind that the book dedicates a large portion to Oriana and Vincent's relationship, it is quite an entertaining read.
January 27, 2022
Ugh. Knew how that was going to end. Depressing. 3, I hope the next one is better, stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2021
Oriana will save her man...mostly from himself
A couple quick nitpicks - yeah I found Oriana's constant I ADORE YOU comments annoying and the level of disparity in communicaiton between them was frustrating at times.
This story excelled however in the slow (okay very slow) build up in the background mystery of why Vincent originally died. It ramps up at the end, causing me to have some spoiler filled theories about "Vince" and his original actions.
The translation is smooth, with very few moments of "uh...what?" and a lot of style. The secondary charaters were all lively and I hope for them SO MUCH.
I'm looking forward to when volume 2 is available translated!!
A couple quick nitpicks - yeah I found Oriana's constant I ADORE YOU comments annoying and the level of disparity in communicaiton between them was frustrating at times.
This story excelled however in the slow (okay very slow) build up in the background mystery of why Vincent originally died. It ramps up at the end, causing me to have some spoiler filled theories about "Vince" and his original actions.
The translation is smooth, with very few moments of "uh...what?" and a lot of style. The secondary charaters were all lively and I hope for them SO MUCH.
I'm looking forward to when volume 2 is available translated!!
November 24, 2024
Interesting story, but the writing feels a bit shallow, and the casual misogyny isn't helping. I'm staying for the drama though.
June 8, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.3
December 23, 2024
Picking this one up solely for the fact that I'm a sucker for reincarnation in-every-lifetime-I'll-find-you romance.
Sadly, I must report that even (one of) my favorite tropes couldn't redeem this. The writing/prose was bad to the point of actively detracting from the reading experience. Maybe it would work for someone with a stronger stomach for cringe, but alas, I am not God's strongest soldier.
The characters were flat, the main girl what's her face I've already forgotten her name most of all. She has zero personality traits other than "in love with Vince". C'mon, give me something more to work with. Also, how did they supposedly fall in love in their previous life? Why should I care about their relationship in this one? The writing simply didn't sell it at all. Also, the reasons for their miscommunication/conflicts were stupid as hell.
I read a couple chapters of the manga, and I think that medium serves the story much better because it skips the majority of Oriana's inane inner monologues. No one talks like that. The logic is not, in fact, logicking.
I can't be sure if the prose sounds ridiculously absurd and nonsensical because the writing was just plain bad, or if stuff got lost in translation/poor localization. Also, she's conveniently the daughter of a wealthy merchant and spoiled by her dad who buys her anything she wants... but then when the situation calls for it, she's not privileged enough to be considered an "elite" because she wasn't born a noble. Pick a lane, please.
This story is so unserious, but not even in a fun or entertaining way. Unfortunately. Because I was ready to like this if it hit the pining right.
Sadly, I must report that even (one of) my favorite tropes couldn't redeem this. The writing/prose was bad to the point of actively detracting from the reading experience. Maybe it would work for someone with a stronger stomach for cringe, but alas, I am not God's strongest soldier.
The characters were flat, the main girl what's her face I've already forgotten her name most of all. She has zero personality traits other than "in love with Vince". C'mon, give me something more to work with. Also, how did they supposedly fall in love in their previous life? Why should I care about their relationship in this one? The writing simply didn't sell it at all. Also, the reasons for their miscommunication/conflicts were stupid as hell.
I read a couple chapters of the manga, and I think that medium serves the story much better because it skips the majority of Oriana's inane inner monologues. No one talks like that. The logic is not, in fact, logicking.
I can't be sure if the prose sounds ridiculously absurd and nonsensical because the writing was just plain bad, or if stuff got lost in translation/poor localization. Also, she's conveniently the daughter of a wealthy merchant and spoiled by her dad who buys her anything she wants... but then when the situation calls for it, she's not privileged enough to be considered an "elite" because she wasn't born a noble. Pick a lane, please.
This story is so unserious, but not even in a fun or entertaining way. Unfortunately. Because I was ready to like this if it hit the pining right.
January 21, 2023
I was completely blindsided by this book. I thought it was going to be a light-hearted and comedic romance, but no, this was a far cry from lighthearted. In fact, this was the most suspenseful and angsty light novel I've ever read. There was some fluff and comedy, there was romance, indeed there was. In fact, it could be considered one of the most romantic tales of all, similar to Romeo and Juliet or The Cowherd and weaver girl . I somewhat predicted the ending but it still left me stunned and speechless. I refuse to believe that was the end. It must have been a deadly cliffhanger, yes, that's what it was.
The author's other work Hello, I am Witch had similar longing and slight self-pity themes, but nowhere near the level of this one. It did, however, have a very satisfying ending for the male and female lead so the chances of there being a book 2 with a happier ending is high. I will believe this to be truth.
The author's other work Hello, I am Witch had similar longing and slight self-pity themes, but nowhere near the level of this one. It did, however, have a very satisfying ending for the male and female lead so the chances of there being a book 2 with a happier ending is high. I will believe this to be truth.
February 3, 2022
This book was pretty much what you'd expect, although the ending pleasantly surprised me. Mainly a fantasy-setting romance, Return from Death was cute at times, cringey at times, but always strangely addictive. For instance: I stayed up until 3 am reading it because my library hold became available right as I laid down to sleep.
I don't even know what drew me into the story so thoroughly. Oriana is, quite frankly, a dislikable character; minimally developed, single-minded in her goals, and painfully focused on her first-life love, Vincent. I feel like in this book, it would've been helpful to see outside of Oriana's POV more often than we did. Seeing her through others' eyes would have created a nice juxtaposition between who she is in her mind, and how she is perceived by her peers.
Moving past whatever gripes I may have for this book, I can't deny that I read the whole thing and enjoyed my time doing so! Despite its flaws and shortcomings, it IS a cute (and somewhat intriguing) story with the potential to grow exponentially in future volumes. I'll keep an eye on it!
I don't even know what drew me into the story so thoroughly. Oriana is, quite frankly, a dislikable character; minimally developed, single-minded in her goals, and painfully focused on her first-life love, Vincent. I feel like in this book, it would've been helpful to see outside of Oriana's POV more often than we did. Seeing her through others' eyes would have created a nice juxtaposition between who she is in her mind, and how she is perceived by her peers.
Moving past whatever gripes I may have for this book, I can't deny that I read the whole thing and enjoyed my time doing so! Despite its flaws and shortcomings, it IS a cute (and somewhat intriguing) story with the potential to grow exponentially in future volumes. I'll keep an eye on it!
November 12, 2021
Oriana finds herself back in the past, shortly after the mysterious death of her boyfriend, Vincent. When she reunites with Vincent, she is surprised that he doesn't recognise her. Undeterred by this, she sticks close to him, determined to make sure he does not meet the same fate.
This is a very sweet story, of a young girl determined to change the fate of the person she loves, while said person, puts her at arm's length. Vincent struggles against the image/memory of the 'Vince' that Oriana fell in love with, dismissing her claims that she also likes Vincent, but despite everything, he finds himself falling in love with her, something he doesn't admit until the very end.
As the story progressed, with the ending that came to be, I had a suspicion that this was how it was going to end.
A very sweet (yet bitter sweet story), I really enjoyed this, and look forward to the next volume to see what happens next!
This is a very sweet story, of a young girl determined to change the fate of the person she loves, while said person, puts her at arm's length. Vincent struggles against the image/memory of the 'Vince' that Oriana fell in love with, dismissing her claims that she also likes Vincent, but despite everything, he finds himself falling in love with her, something he doesn't admit until the very end.
As the story progressed, with the ending that came to be, I had a suspicion that this was how it was going to end.
A very sweet (yet bitter sweet story), I really enjoyed this, and look forward to the next volume to see what happens next!
February 7, 2023
Mutsuhana is so good in writing passionate, high sexual tension scenes that are so... Chaste, lol. Really, I love it. I also love how even though the premise sounds rather cheesy - a girl finding herself going back in time and deciding to save her boyfriend who died in the previous timeline - the way the idea was developed is lovely. Oriana, at first, seemed to be rather annoying, clinging to Vincent whom she's trying to protect. But over time we also got to see Vincent's POV, who of course felt uncomfortable having a girl unknown to him always sticking around and professing her love to him. Oriana later must also face the hard question whether it's Vincent in this timeline or the previous timeline that she loves. Not to mention the mystery of his death...
There should be books 2 & 3, now I wonder why they haven't been translated... PLEASE, THE CLIFFHANGER!!
There should be books 2 & 3, now I wonder why they haven't been translated... PLEASE, THE CLIFFHANGER!!
October 7, 2021
Love the non-toxic characters!
This is probably the first time I read a novel without toxic side characters in a story related to rebirth to the past. When FL was heartbroken, her classmates tried to cheer her up. When she and ML made up, they're very happy for her. I was so touched by their kindness because FL was busy chasing ML, and they still regarded her as a friend? that so kind of them! Even the girl who supposed to be her love rival that appeared for a moment knew some boundaries. She got my respect.
The ending ended in a cliffhanger but I I'm very satisfied with it in this volume because in previous timeline FL and ML died without knowing the cause of dead. So it makes sense for this volume to end in a cliffhanger.
This is probably the first time I read a novel without toxic side characters in a story related to rebirth to the past. When FL was heartbroken, her classmates tried to cheer her up. When she and ML made up, they're very happy for her. I was so touched by their kindness because FL was busy chasing ML, and they still regarded her as a friend? that so kind of them! Even the girl who supposed to be her love rival that appeared for a moment knew some boundaries. She got my respect.
The ending ended in a cliffhanger but I I'm very satisfied with it in this volume because in previous timeline FL and ML died without knowing the cause of dead. So it makes sense for this volume to end in a cliffhanger.
March 2, 2025
An engaging time loop story by Eiko Mutsuhana, I started reading this expecting a trope woven old story line, However, the author has a fresh look at the time loop storyline that holds the reader’s attention. This was original published in English in 2021 by Cross Infinite World. They were the publisher of the first two volumes of the LN series i English and I think that the 3rd volume was never published in translation. If so, this is a loss to LN readers. Seven Seas picked up the Manga version of the story and has announced 4 volumes so far to be released on a ~ quarterly basis.
I plan to continue with volume 2…
I plan to continue with volume 2…
May 2, 2025
god everything about this was so wonderful. couldn’t get enough of it when i read the manga months ago and resigned myself to never hearing about this story again not knowing there’s a light novel and my god did it live up to all my expectations.
the mystery is balanced wonderfully with the relationships between the main cast of characters and the magical setting just feels like icing on the cake that aids the world building. seeing how oriana deals with her unthinkable fate keeps you on the edge of your seat and makes you really just root for her.
loved this almost as much as the gorgeous manga adaptation and hope it gets animated well soon!
the mystery is balanced wonderfully with the relationships between the main cast of characters and the magical setting just feels like icing on the cake that aids the world building. seeing how oriana deals with her unthinkable fate keeps you on the edge of your seat and makes you really just root for her.
loved this almost as much as the gorgeous manga adaptation and hope it gets animated well soon!
March 4, 2023
Loved everything about this book. It had the right amount of angst, and took me on a roller coaster ride of emotions! I legit teared up at sm,e parts hahaha I’m also curious who the murderer is
July 27, 2023
I read this as a manga at first, and then I was intrigued to read the light novel version. Honestly, I think I cried on every single chapter in this book. Every word just hits right into the chest for me. I do wish the illustrations are as good as the manga, but the story is just so good. I'm onto reading the 2nd book now. I do wish the 3rd book would get published soon, because I don't think I can have my heart torn into pieces like this. I need a happy ending to soothe this heart!!
October 22, 2023
Me gustó mucho la historia y el romance de Vincent y Oriana (son tan lindos).
La verdad, esperaba algo diferente, pero me sorprendieron algunos desarrollos. Estaría encantada si algún día hicieran la adaptación a anime. Pronto comenzaré la segunda parte, porque terminó con un cliffhanger tremendo XD
La verdad, esperaba algo diferente, pero me sorprendieron algunos desarrollos. Estaría encantada si algún día hicieran la adaptación a anime. Pronto comenzaré la segunda parte, porque terminó con un cliffhanger tremendo XD
March 23, 2024
I'm such a sucker for heart-ache, emotional romance novels. Mc is very clearly childish, which fits their ages, so it is understandable, although the constant confession and no boundaries displayed from FL make me want to jump into the novel to smack her into her senses. She is such an airhead I want to die from second-hand embarrassment. I love this dearly nonetheless.
July 29, 2025
I swear, this one got my attention because Oriana is a great protagonist.Her love and determination makes her story so fun.
As the story goes on, Vincent also grew a lot on me. They make an adorable couple.
Also, I love when authors have no problem inserting sexual innuendos about dumb teenagers not knowing how to deal with sex.
Eagerly waiting to read the next volume.
As the story goes on, Vincent also grew a lot on me. They make an adorable couple.
Also, I love when authors have no problem inserting sexual innuendos about dumb teenagers not knowing how to deal with sex.
Eagerly waiting to read the next volume.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2021
Fun and entertaining story
I really enjoyed reading this! The author created great characters, emotion, and world building. It made me crazy the story ends in a cliffhanger, so now I can’t wait for the next book! Please hurry!!!
I really enjoyed reading this! The author created great characters, emotion, and world building. It made me crazy the story ends in a cliffhanger, so now I can’t wait for the next book! Please hurry!!!
April 1, 2023
Cute and Thrilling
Despite taking place in a Magic School, and the main character experiencing "Return By Death," this story is wholly original, and the characters will keep you invested on every page.
Despite taking place in a Magic School, and the main character experiencing "Return By Death," this story is wholly original, and the characters will keep you invested on every page.
December 31, 2023
The light novel is cute, but honestly I think the manga adaption is better. It really has a calm, bittersweet tension that the novel doesn't quite capture- and that art is GORGEOUS. But I'm thankful that the author came up with the story so it could get that adaption!
August 8, 2025
i like the plot at the beginning. i teared up when I read this and the comic. but the ending is so anticlimactic. what's with this neverending loop?? i hope book 2 will let us know the secret behind this time loop.
October 4, 2021
DNF 60%
Romance? Likable love interest? I havent seen that yet
Romance? Likable love interest? I havent seen that yet
January 2, 2022
I THOUGHT THIS WAS A STANDALONE AND THIS IS NOT AND I NEED THE NEXT BOOK TO COME OUT ALREADY BECAUSE OF THAT CLIFFHANGER
February 6, 2022
Pretty good, but you can stuff your cliffhanger.
March 29, 2022
That ending......heart been broken so many times
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2022
I find the mystery part of it so exciting.
Read
July 12, 2023manga ver: up to chap 6
November 25, 2023
Could barely finish this.
May 21, 2024
going to cry. i prepared myself for that ending but i am still going to cry. i hate and love this at the same time
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews