My Happy Marriage, Vol. 5

October 24, 2023 by Leave a Comment

By Akumi Agitogi and Tsukiho Tsukioka. Released in Japan as “Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon” by Fujimi L Bunko. Released in North America Yen On. Translated by David Musto.

Well, now I just feel bad. One of my go-to jokes about this series is the hideous irony of the title, after all. And in the Afterword the author says they worry about it as well, and asks readers not to constantly harp on it. So that’s half this review needing to be totally rewritten, then. That said, there are signs in this book that we are working our way there, if painfully slowly. Miyo still hates herself so much it’s almost suffocating, but is starting to realize (or be told point blank) that keeping everything to herself can actually be more painful than a possible rejection. She and Kiyoka have a scene where they share a bed (engineered, of course), and it’s as sweet as you’d expect, even though nothing happens, of course. And at the end of the book, we even get an explicit confession of love! Which, um, is actually tragically awful given… (waves vaguely at the cliffhanger)

We pick up where we left off, as the Emperor has been abducted. The Powers that Be make a decision to keep this quiet, which is not that hard given the Emperor is mostly a figurehead now anyway. That said, they really need to protect the prince from the bad guys now. They also need to protect Miyo, so make the decision to do both at the same time and have her staying at the palace, along with Kiyoka, Hazuki, and Yurie. Oh yes, and Arata, her faithful bodyguard. It should be a lot easier now, but there are still ominous rumblings. Miyo’s dreams about her mother and Usui turn out to be something he can talk back to her in, and he doubles down on destroying the world in order to teach it a lesson. Meanwhile, it turns out that the government and military is positively filled with traitors, and that’s bad news for Kiyoka in particular…

All of the My Happy Marriage books have rolled along on a sense of dread, and this one is no exception. We already know from the fourth book that Arata is working for the enemy, so the only question is whether he’s going to be a double agent or a triple agent. Usui is a wonderfully terrible villain, and the thing that pleased me most about the entire book was hearing that his arc should wrap up in Book 6, because I want to be nowhere near him again. The Education Minister’s secretary ends up being like something straight out of a horror movie, and in fact there is a fake climax to the book that reads like the end of a horror film. That said, this is the first book where The Bad Guys Win, and all seems lost. Thankfully, all seeming lost is what finally galvanizes Miyo to get off her ass and be proactive. I’m not sure I approve of her “I will do this by myself so as not to put anyone else in danger” attitude, but it’s otherwise nice to see, and terrific character development.

Still riveting, still fantastically written, still leaves you depressed. Great stuff.

Filed Under: my happy marriage, reviews

Young Lady Albert Is Courting Disaster, Vol. 3

October 23, 2023 by Leave a Comment

By Saki and Haduki Futaba. Released in Japan as “Albert-ke no Reijō wa Botsuraku o Goshomō Desu” by Kadokawa Beans Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by Ray Krycki.

Theoretically a short story volume, this reads more like an interquel between the series as originally conceived by the author and the “this was stupid popular, write more” sequel that we will no doubt get in the next volume. It’s meant to wrap up all the loose ends that weren’t wrapped up in the second book, which is an awful lot of loose ends. It’s also meant to show how this is a series driven by its women, and they are all awesome in different ways. Now, the men are awesome too… well, some of the men. Patrick and Adi, pretty much. And Gainas once he’s let out of the doghouse. But frankly, this is a comedy, and the comedy comes from seeing the women in the book not only be awesome, but be awesome in ways that are funny. Mary Albert is best at that, of course, but everyone gets a look in as we go along.

As Mary plots something secret in the background, which everyone except Adi believes is going to be her announcing that she will be the next head of the family, the other cast members all have their own short stories. Margaret has abandoned her old boyfriend and is trying to get a hottie by hook or by crook… even if that hottie may not quite be old enough yet. Parfette is still reluctant to forgive the penitent Gainas, so sets him a task, that will hopefully go well given it’s meant to take an entire year. Carina is still finding new ways to beat up and torture her old boyfriend, and is (unconsciously, perhaps) really starting to get into it. Alicia and Adi go around to deliver invitations to her wedding with Patrick to all her friends, which neatly connects the other stories in the book we’ve had to date. Finally, Mary unveils her grand idea to the public, though she has to destroy an evil noble family first to do so.

A lot of this book relies on the reader being OK with the cliches of “noble society set in the sort-of Victorian age” novels, so if the idea of Margaret trying to entice a ten-year-old to be her future husband is icky, be warned. That said, she pretty much knows how far is too far, so it doesn’t get too weird. I also really enjoy the running gags of Alicia greeting Mary with a flying tackle every time they meet each other (which is every day, so Mary is understandably annoyed by it. Alicia is one of those rare otome game heroines who’s enthusiastic and brash rather than meek and polite, and it’s nice to see. As for Carina… look, anytime her and her ex are on the screen, the book becomes a treatise on the joys of BDSM, and discovering you have a new kink. Like the other parts of this book, it doesn’t go too far (the only sex in the book is between Mary and Adi, and it’s really sweet) but let the buyer beware.

I’m not sure what the fourth book will bring… perhaps the opening of Mary’s Chicken Palace… but I’m definitely going to read more. This is fun.

Filed Under: reviews, young lady albert is courting disaster!

Fiancée No More: The Forsaken Lady, the Prince, and Their Make-Believe Love, Vol. 1

October 22, 2023 by Leave a Comment

By Mari Morikawa and Bodax. Released in Japan as “Konyaku Haki no Sono Saki ni: Suterare Reijō, Ōji-sama ni Dekiai (Engi) Sareru” by DRE Novels. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by Adam.

Just as we’ve had so many isekai and “game stat world” light novels that it’s super refreshing to get a normal fantasy book, we’ve had some many novels where the protagonist is a “villainess” trying to change her fate, redeem herself, or otherwise fight against her narrative that it’s nice to see a book that straight up *is* that narrative. Yes, technically the book begins with a broken engagement. But Estelle, our heroine, really is a heroine for once. She’s well known for being a nice, if somewhat plain, young noble lady. She helps to care for her people after they’re wounded fighting dragons, and she also helps fight the dragons herself if need be. Oh yes, and she has a secret: she’s got magic powers, a rarity in this country, and can see the mana within people, and tell what their emotional state is. Sadly, this has left her mostly a bundle of introversion, so the broken engagement is not a good thing.

So yes, we open with Estelle having her engagement broken. Not because Lyle, her fiance, hates her now. It’s just that his family is on hard times, and they can get financial assistance if he marries Diana Pautrier – who does hate Estelle, but that’s neither here nor there. Now Estelle needs to find another engagement – which is hard, given her parents are dead, she’s only an Earl’s daughter, and the valuable magic powers she has she’s kept a secret from most everyone. Worse still, it means they have to give up their neutrality and pick a side in the upcoming throne war between the first and second prince. She and her brother attend a ball held by the first prince, and since she’s actually choosing to ally with him, he gives her the second dance of the night after his fiancee. Then she’s shot trying o prevent him being killed by an assassin, and everything goes off the rails.

So yeah, the title is the spoiler now she’s engaged to the first prince. He knows about her powers, and regards her as a “walking alarm”, so is content to dump his current fiancee (who does not take it well) and get engaged to Estelle, saying that it’s true love. Which it isn’t, but the main reason to read this book is to see these two people, both dealing with their engagement out of need and not true love, slowly falling for each other. Estelle is cognizant of it almost immediately, but feels guilty as she can see Arcrayne is being manipulative and teasing and also she feels bad for giving up on Lyle so soon. As for Arcrayne, he’s not intending this to be anything but “she is useful”, but rapidly realizes she really is a terrific fiancee for him. There’s even a realistic depiction of both “we are pretending I just had my first time” and, later on, “we have to pretend I didn’t just have my first time”, which is sweet.

The antagonist of the book is dealt with here, but there’s clearly more antagonists waiting for future volumes, including Arcrayne’s ex-fiancee, as well as the Queen, who I have a sneaking suspicion has a past with Estelle’s family. In any case, if you want a straightforward romance plot with heroines and villainesses who stay in their lane, this is very good.

Filed Under: fiancee no more, reviews
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