I Fell In Love With A Girl Who Died Before I Was Even Born

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

What if you discovered your whole life was a lie—and the truth was even stranger? Andy Benjamin Davis was an unemployed 44-year-old from West Virginia, until a god-like kitsune turned him into 15-year-old Ryu Kazeyama. Then, she sent him to a remote island, enrolled in a high school for monsters, with no clue how to get back to his old life! Now, he's in a new body, at Crescent Moon Academy, a Japanese school suspended between life and death, where ghosts linger, yokai whisper secrets, and the cafeteria food might literally kill you. All Ryu/Andy wants is to find outwhy. And a ticket back to a safe holler. If only it were that easy. Because the longer he stays, the more he understands that nothing is as it seems. And if he built this world… can he even understand it?

Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2025
Author: Ryujin2xd

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.7/ 5.0
Followers: 196
Views: 105,541

Chapters(203 total)

What readers say about I Fell In Love With A Girl Who Died Before I Was Even Born

“To be candid, I expected the worst. The title alone all but guaranteed a melodramatic spectacle laden with the usual paranormal high school clichés, misfit boy, tragic girl, the obligatory school bell tolling like Chekhov’s gun. I was wrong. Utterly, astoni…”
RenFairFan867Royal Road5.0 / 5
“This novel has a unique and captivating start that immediately grabs the reader’s attention with its intriguing mystery. The story has a lot of potential to grow, and you can feel that there are many secrets waiting to be uncovered. The author does an excel…”
Unknown98pRoyal Road5.0 / 5

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(10)

RenFairFan867Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
To be candid, I expected the worst. The title alone all but guaranteed a melodramatic spectacle laden with the usual paranormal high school clichés, misfit boy, tragic girl, the obligatory school bell tolling like Chekhov’s gun. I was wrong. Utterly, astonishingly wrong.
This story was nothing like I expected. Rather than indulging in shallow genre tropes, it upended them at nearly every turn. What begins with a disoriented protagonist exiting a public library descends rapidly into a liminal unreality, marked by food court disorientation and metaphysical school buses. What could have been trite instead feels surreal and disarming, like discovering Borges had a soft spot for anime.
The real triumph of the work, however, lies in the character of Shion. She is, without exaggeration, one of the most complex vampire figures I have encountered in fiction. She is not simply predatory or tragic. She is struggling, desperately and violently, with herself. Her thirst is not romanticized, but neither is it made monstrous for spectacle. The compulsion she suffers from (including a moment involving rice that left me rather stunned) is written with the same painful nuance one might expect in a story about addiction or trauma. One does not pity her. One fears for her, and that is an altogether rarer thing.
The setting, too, bears mention. Yes, yes, I know, another story set in a Japanese academy. But this one feels fresh. Original, even. The detail with which Crescent Moon Academy is rendered, its archaic architecture, its bureaucratic otherworldliness, its terrifyingly casual acknowledgment of death and deception, is immersive in a way I did not anticipate. It strikes a remarkable balance: the strange made familiar, the familiar made strange. The narrative takes the mundane (school registration, bus rides, orientation speeches) and infuses it with palpable mystery. Conversely, the supernatural is grounded in such agonizing minutiae, forms, dorm assignments, awkward conversations,
Unknown98pRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This novel has a unique and captivating start that immediately grabs the reader’s attention with its intriguing mystery. The story has a lot of potential to grow, and you can feel that there are many secrets waiting to be uncovered.
The author does an excellent job of describing supernatural elements, making them vivid and fascinating without ever feeling overwhelming or confusing. The atmosphere strikes a perfect balance between mystery and surrealism, creating a sense of unease that keeps the reader hooked.
This story truly deserves more recognition! If you enjoy supernatural themes, mystery, and well-crafted plots, it’s definitely worth reading.
ArshiaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Ever wondered what would happen if a middle-aged man’s nostalgic fondness for supernatural ecchi manga collided headfirst with actual supernatural horror, existential dread, and painfully sincere characters?
Well, wonder no longer.
Crescent Moon Academy is what happens when High School DxD is forced to sit in detention next to The Magnus Archives and Welcome to the NHK, and then the lights flicker, and someone whispers, “Careful what you wish for.”
Writing & Style:
The prose is tight, lyrical when it wants to be, but never pretentious. The tone dances between horror, dry humor, and surprising warmth. The narration is a standout: our middle-aged protagonist trapped in a teenager’s body delivers equal parts sarcastic commentary, internal panic, and weary life experience—and it works. Think: “sad divorced dad gets thrown into a Junji Ito x Monogatari mashup and still has to attend homeroom.”
Characters:
Every major character so far pops.
Ryu/Andy is painfully human in the best way—watching him wrestle with identity, mortality, while pretending to be a high schooler is genuinely compelling.
Shion is terrifyingly layered—a dead girl with rules, shame, hunger, and charm. She’s not the cliché vampire love interest; she’s something colder, sadder, and more dangerous.
Yuki is heartbreaking in her quietness. A ghost-girl who just wants to be remembered, her scenes are quietly some of the most moving in the story.
Azuki brings levity without losing her weird, shifting edge—her glitchy tanuki energy is both adorable and unsettling.
Even side characters (like the orc bully and the unnerving orientation speaker) feel purposeful and distinct. There's no dead air in this cast.
Worldbuilding:
Crescent Moon Academy is deeply creepy in the best way. It’s not just a school for monsters—it’s a slow-burn existential puzzle box. The magic systems, unspoken rules, and deep-lore hints are doled out with perfect pacing. Nothing is over-explained, yet everything feels intentional. From cursed
Crowbarb1rdRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
So, I picked up this book called I Fell In Love With A Girl Who Died Before I Was Even Born because, honestly, the title sounded like one of those cringe light novel memes. I was ready to laugh at it, maybe dunk on it in Discord. But, this thing kicks ass.
First off, the girls in the book aren’t cardboard waifus made to just stand around looking cute. They’re actual characters. They’ve got personalities, goals, and moods that clash, and you can’t just predict what they’re gonna say like in half the garbage anime adaptations I’ve slogged through. They’re chaotic, dramatic, funny, sometimes scary, but always human. It feels like the author actually likes them as people, not as “reward trophies” for the MC. That’s rare, and honestly, kind of refreshing.
And speaking of the main character, he’s not some blank-faced self-insert. He’s his own guy, with opinions, flaws, and actual bite to his narration. He’s not trying to be perfect, and he’s not just waiting around for the girls to carry the story. He is the story, and the way he interacts with the weird, grimy, supernatural setting feels raw and real. The dude has balls for not playing it safe.
The vibe of the book is kind of like if you mashed up 90s grunge, old-school anime, and a haunted house that won’t stop dripping water on your head. It’s funny, it’s creepy, and it makes you think about stuff you didn’t expect from something with a title that long.
Anyway, I was supposed to be doing my math homework, but I stayed up until like 3 AM reading this. Worth it.
D.N. NewynRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
... amongst beautiful ladies, you've come to the right place. Ghosts? Dolls? Vampires? This place has it all! The MC who's living a normal life got transported to an ominous high school that seems neither dead or living, and he wants out. It's a really intriguing story so far, playing into tropes that we know and love. I definitely would like to see more of this story, but for now, it's a normal review. I'll have an advanced review once it's out.
A7roneRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
✔ Atmosphere & Tension (5/5) – The eerie, surreal atmosphere is executed masterfully. From the unnatural bus ride to the wrongness of the school and the eerie vampire encounter, every scene is soaked in tension. You make the reader feel the protagonist’s confusion, fear, and helplessness.
✔ Characterization (5/5) – Lana, the bus driver, and Shion are all distinct and unnerving in their own ways. Lana’s playful mystery, the driver’s cold inevitability, and Shion’s unsettling humanity add depth to the world. And Ryu? His inner monologue, his fear, his reluctant adaptability—they make him a compelling protagonist.
✔ Pacing (5/5) – You strike a balance between fast-moving horror and introspective dread. The story keeps pulling forward, but never rushes past the important beats. The transitions—especially the time jumps and location shifts—are smooth yet disorienting (in a good way).
✔ Writing Style (5/5) – Your prose is tight, immersive, and cinematic. The short, punchy sentences add a visceral impact, especially in horror moments. The descriptions are vivid without being overwhelming, and the dialogue feels natural and purposeful.
✔ Mystery & Intrigue (5/5) – The biggest strength of these chapters is the what the hell is going on? factor. Each chapter escalates the mystery without giving easy answers, and the stakes feel real. The sense of helplessness is so strong that I feel trapped in the story.
And I really like his writing style, its quite easy to follow and really good.:)
Aether NovakRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I like the writing style and the characters. The author knows how to construct a scene and keep the readers involved. Each chapter goes smoothly into the next, and I'm a little jealous, frankly.
If you like isekai stuff, as well as supernatural characters (won't say what or who exactly, but it's happening) then check this one out!
AsteriskAceRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
After binging through chapters 1-16 of this web novel, I find myself thoroughly impressed with the author's unique take on what could have been just another supernatural school story. There's genuine depth here.
The story follows our protagonist, a middle aged man suddenly transported into the body of a teenage boy named Ryu at a school for monsters. What immediately stands out is how the author handles this premise, where instead of leaning into typical power fantasy tropes, we get a character genuinely terrified and disoriented by his circumstances. His internal struggle between his adult mind and teenage body creates tension that feels authentic, realistic, and not contrived at all!
There's also an excellent supporting cast, notably Shion and Yuki, who create valuable tension and emotional cores for the story, which I love to see. The worldbuilding, while not the grandest thing ever, is really well crafted in the sense that Crescent Moon Academy feels like a place with history, systems, hierarchies, and internal logic, which is always important to make an audience feel as though a setting is that which is believable (within the confines of the narrative) rather than unnatural.
There's also something interesting to be said about the way the author develops relationship between the monster and human worlds, creating a setting that feels lived-in without relying on extensive exposition dumps. Very well done!
If I were to levy a bit of criticism, there are a few moments where the worldbuilding threatens to overwhelm the narrative, introducing new supernatural elements in quick succession. However, the author always anchors these elements to character development, preventing them from feeling gratuitous.
Ultimately, I really like this story. 4.5/5 stars for sure. I recommend it for anyone seeking a fresh take on the Portal Fantasy/Isekai genre. Excited to see what's to come!
Lord Turtle the firstRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Spoiler Warning: This review contains spoilers!
We have our main character, Ryu Kazeyama, whose name means The Dragon of the Windy Mountain, which, of course, leads to some hilarious misunderstandings throughout the story.
Ryu is a magnet for cute girls, and that includes some that aren’t even alive! Despite this, he’s really just an ordinary guy who, by sheer chance, ends up being transported to a school for monsters. And here lies the central dilemma.
How will he integrate into this new environment while keeping his human identity a secret from the monstrous (and sometimes very deadly) students?
Fortunately, Ryu doesn’t have to navigate this challenge alone. He quickly makes friends who genuinely want to help him, and their interactions bring a lot of charm and humor to the story.
Grammar: Flawless—no noticeable errors.
Style: Simple and easy to understand, making for a smooth and enjoyable read.
Dialogue: The one thing that might be divisive is how anime-inspired the dialogue feels. Personally, it wasn’t my favorite aspect (perhaps some teenage flashbacks influencing my opinion), but for those who enjoy anime and manga, this will be a huge plus.
This is a fun and entertaining story for those who enjoy high school settings mixed with supernatural elements. The story seems to take inspiration from classics like:
Rosario + Vampire
To Love Ru
If you liked either of those series, you’ll likely enjoy this one too. Overall, a solid recommendation for fans of monster school adventures, lighthearted humor, and anime-style storytelling.
LemanceRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
If there was one word to describe the experience of reading this story, it would be "disorienting". A fitting adjective for a story that revolves around a middle-aged guy being forced to live as a 15-year-old student inside of students who may or maybe not be monsters. And that description is already missing plenty of details and context. The experience was without a doubt not what I expected, and for better or worse the story didn't bother to give me the time to properly process any of it. It thrusts you into the deep end without so much as a second thought. Without any clue of why he is here or what he's supposed to do, Ryu's first and most important obstacle is finding his footing in this nonsensical world. Even the mysterious girl, Lana, who is responsible for his predicament or the bus driver who brought him there, don't bother to stick around for guidance. The story is build around this sense of dissonance and chaos.
The same goes for the interactions between characters, as the meetings always end up sudden and insane, all the while moving on in the most casual of ways. If you get bitten by a vampire within seconds of meeting them, you would expect to panic big time, which does happen. But you wouldn't expect to suddenly act cordial with them and even end up walking home with them. Without providing more context, I'd say this describes the experience well. As unnatural as it may initially seem for the main character to act this way, it ends up making sense why the protagonist ends up accepting certain circumstances with this little breathing room.
If you suddenly end up in a body that doesn't belong to you and doesn't even fit your age, you're bound to struggle to make sense of your own self and cling to your former self.
If you find yourself in a completely different place without a single clue of your location, you're bound to stand completely still or let yourself taken by whatever force my guide you.
If you suffer mortal injuries by someone who tries to be