義妹生活

義妹生活 #1

by 三河 ごーすと, Hiten (Illustrator)

From classmates to brother and sister, living under the same roof.

After his father’s remarriage, Asamura Yuuta ends up getting a new stepsister, coincidentally the number one beauty of the school year, Ayase Saki. Having learned important values when it comes to man-woman relationships through the previous ones of their parents, they promise each other not to be too close, not to be too opposing, and to merely keep a vague and comfortable distance.

On one hand, Saki, who has worked in solitude for the sake of her family, doesn’t know how to properly rely on others, whereas Yuta is unsure of how to really treat her. Standing on fairly equal ground, these two slowly learn the comfortable sensation of living together.

Their relationship slowly evolves from being strangers the more the days pass. Eventually, this could end up in a story about love for all we know.

Genres: Light Novel, Romance, Slice Of Life, Manga, Fiction, Japanese Literature, Indonesian Literature

Paperback

First published January 25, 2021

Reviews

[Saia Kamal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would rather not talk about this

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I were feeling more cynical, I'd blame this book's mediocrity on being based on a YouTube serial.

[Rin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really refreshing story. Despite the step sibling premise, the characters speak in mature and reasonable ways and the romance aspects are built naturally.

[H · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read V1 of Gimai Seikatsu because read good reviews and was supposedly similar to MotoKano/Mamahaha which was the last LN I read and semi enjoyed. Disliked beginning like him telling girl to make miso soup for him everyday for him getting her info on part time jobs that paid well but were little time - thats a one time info thing and everyday food is a lot of dedication even if she says its nothing to her. It feels cheap and would prefer MC make his own food or make food together. Pace is overall slow ish, and he doesnt ask questions like what she meant by "selling" to make money given he knows he misunderstood her point.

Then there was the end scene where she tried to sell her body to him, and that put me off a LOT. I know they've been in the same school for a while in different classrooms, but they only learned of each other a few days ago, and I don't like the logic she used of a fair give and take situation for money. I get her wanting independence because her father left her mother+her but felt she was fairly quick to turn to this avenue for money.

Otherwise, just didn't care for most of the other scenes and characters. MC's coworker tries to be "cutesy" or "funny" but I was neither amused nor humored, MC's friend is clearly saving birthday gift money for someone but I wasn't interested in this aspect that seems like it'll be a subplot, MC does unnecessary things like give her the umbrella when she was going to share with her friend anyway, MC asked her to cook every day for him when he couldn't even find her a job like he said he would, a lot of the "work"/"life philosophy" stuff from the writer is very overly obvious too IMO, like "relying on others to survive when you can't work" - yeah, no duh. Same for other things like "humans have natural reflexes that they can't help" - yeah, no kidding Sherlock.

I like that MC works in a bookstore and is reasonably studious and is careful around her and considerate of his new mother too like getting her the blackout curtains to sleep more for her nightlife job and scenewise thought the pulling the English-learning-music FMC away from the car was okay ish, but otherwise, most of the light novel was terrible, and I only forced through it because it was short. Overall, it was pretty terrible and uninteresting, slow, and a lot of things felt obvious logic-wise or forced and dumb like the above aspects of making her cook for him everyday.

[Nia Kenji · Rating 4 out of 5]

To start off I want to say I really loved this novel. I have never seen characters who fit the authors description style so perfectly before. To elaborate the story's descriptions feel incredibly minimal and since its from a first person perspective I have decided to see it as purposeful. Since the main character is a mellow person who seems to always be in a daze it fits well.

The biggest surprise for me though was the awkward comedy this novel provided. There wasn't many jokes outside of awkwardness being the punchline which will throw off some people but what is given is excellent. The duo that stood out to me in this novel was the main character and their best friend named Tomokazu carried the novels comedy. Mixing in absurd idioms using baseball as the base to the comedy of the duo knowing each other so well that its borderline creepy.

Honestly, don't know if I would recommend this piece if your not a sis-con but if you are this is probably the best piece in the market for you. I will be continuing this series of course and I am excited to see where the parent characters will fit into this story. If I get OraImo'd I will get so actually mad. Don't let me down Ghost.

[John Jenly Tirazona · Rating 5 out of 5]

very wholesome and refreshing imp

[Zevitjoss · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slowburn down to earth "realistic" stepincest story is an interesting idea especially with how most incest stories tend to focus on the absurdity of it all. The dynamic between the two leads is something I'm fond of. I somewhat relate to both their struggles with communication so seeing them finding the other and being able to communicate with each other in their own way even if it does sound kinda awkward from an outside point of view was really wholesome.

Even though this is marketed as a romantic comedy there isn't really a lot of jokes or maybe they were there but they were just so unfunny that I didn't even realize they were there. This book tries to discuss topics such as labor, gender issues, and a focus on stereotyping. These discussions mostly stem from dialogue between the two leads. The dialogue is a little awkward but the two leads are presented in a way that it feels genuinely natural for them to talk that way.

I'm a major fan of the wholesome slice-of-life cohabitation genre and personally I found this first volume quite lacking in that regard. Given that this is the first volume and they have just met I am willing to excuse it for that however. The characters feels a little bit too basic but I suppose it fits the down to earth story. I don't dislike the main character but he feels a little bit too basic for my taste though.

I enjoyed and was interested enough in the relationship that was being setup that I probably will try one more volume.

[Luis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The novel is good, I liked both characters' personalities and the kind of relationship that they are building.

I also liked the fact that they are very similar in their character and views. This is not the kind of novel "extremely introvert boy vs. extremely extrovert girl, or viceversa".

But I found one scene totally out of character: the one when Saki thought about selling her body to her stepbrother. It was like "WTF?? The writer is saying that Saki, despite her bad reputation, isn't that kind of girl; and suddenly she acts exactly like that kind of girl".

Saki's diary explains her behaviour: she thought she was owing him, and she hated that feeling. Maybe we could add that she trusted a lot in her new stepbrother and felt comfortable enough to give that step. But even thinking that, that scene was out of character in my view.

Except for that scene, the novel was enjoyable, I will go on with the next volume.

[Sarul Sakulthong · Rating 4 out of 5]

เป็นแนวโรแมนติก Slice of life ที่ Slow burn แบบสโลว์จริงจังมาก เหมือนอ่านชีวิตคนสองคนที่ไม่รู้จักกันแต่ต้องมาอยู่บ้านร่วมกันจริงๆ หลายๆฉากที่ถ้าเป็นเรื่องอื่นปูมาขนาดนี้มันต้องหวานน้ำตาลขึ้นแล้ว เรื่องนี้กลายเป็น “ก็ไม่มีอะไรนี่” ไปเสียอย่างนั้น โคตรจะหักมุม พออ่านจบเล่มเลยกลายเป็นต้องมาถามตัวเองว่าสรุปมันสนุกไหมหว่า จะตอบว่าไม่สนุกก็ไม่ใช่ จะพูดเลยว่าสนุกมากมันก็ไม่เชิง แต่ก็หยุดอ่านไม่ได้ ไม่มั่นใจว่าเป็นเพราะมันสนุก หรือว่าอยากเอาชนะก็ไม่รู้ แบบอยากรู้ให้ได้ว่าความสัมพันธ์ของทั้งคู่มันจะไปยังไงต่อ เลยไม่ยอมวางหนังสือลงเสียที แต่ผมคงไปหาเล่มต่อไปมาอ่านต่อแหละ ก็อยากรู้จริงๆนี่

[Hartwig Th · Rating 3 out of 5]

Average.

I commend this author for trying to write more mature and unique characters. I just couldn't connect with them, especially with the male main character whose emotional depth appears as shallow as an inflatable pool.
The story is based on a standard rom-com plot so far, no surprises here.
My highlight are the illustrations made by Hiten. They are really top-notch.

I'd not recommend this book unless you are into the whole step-sibling premise.

[Rez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story introduction. a slice of life gem

[Ceo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even tho the beginning was a bit slow the sol was really well done. to the point where I enjoyed almost every interaction.

[beldella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy that the book takes it’s time and there’s not an over-reliance on tropes of aversion. The characters feel like more realistic people than late stage caricatures.

[Loay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good lite novel

[Khari · Rating 3 out of 5]

恋愛まんが？

このキャラ達は自分のことを理解すぎて話過ぎる。

[Uka · Rating 1 out of 5]

Of course I got into this knowing it’s the typical stepbrother-stepsister thing so I’m not complaining about that, except it’s well…

It’s boring as all hell.

The main characters have absolutely no chemistry with each other. The dialogue are dull. The scenario and premise is of course basic as is, so when the execution is that bad there’s just… nothing good to say about it.

[Thelen Nikola · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐

[Alvaro · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slice of life, slow paced. I guess the characters being too rational doesn't allow for dramatic moments, perhaps it's better this way.

It is a slow burn romance, with some contradictory scenes. They are rover rational and well read but a bit stupid in some ways haha

I spoiled myself and it seems it improves a bit on the following volumes: different povs, slow burn romance doesn't takes forever to even start.

[Andy Febrico Bintoro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw this light novel was on the second rank in the NovelUpdates and want to know the content. Well, it's rather boring for me for this is a slice of life genre, but when you persist until the end, it's rather interesting.
The main character's father was remarry and thus bring his new stepsister. The first volume was the first two weeks introduction between them. Many things happened here, including many ambiguous words 🤣

[Juan Loarte Gomez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Siento que la serie sera un nuevo soplo al genero y sinceramente no me pude apartar hasta que me lo acabe. Así de adictivo se volvio😅

[Pan · Rating 4 out of 5]

surprisingly not garbo

[Master Kailai · Rating 5 out of 5]

06/26/2024:
人物刻画心思很细腻，很符合实际，也很引人入胜。让我对恋爱和人际关系有了更好的看法。很好这口。

05/23/2025: 知道为什么喜欢这本书了。我想告诉自己“世界还有这样细腻温和的关系是有可能的”。这本书的确有种疗愈的力量。