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It’s nice to be reminded that fantasy stories don’t have to have world-ending stakes to be just as engaging. Despite being exactly what it says on its cover - a low stakes novel about a former adventurer opening a coffee shop - I could not anticipate how appealing it would be. I blew through this novel in two days despite its simplicity thanks to continuing to say to myself ‘one more chapter couldn’t hurt.’ I loved the slowly building romance in the subplot, and the dual themes in the story of the power of change and finding people who see you for who you really are tugged on my heartstrings.

I do have a few complaints - some of the early problems set up in the story just kind of vanish thanks to the power of baked goods, and I was a bit sad that the stone ended up being some kind of magic after all. I think it would’ve made the points the story was trying to get across hit harder if the store’s initial success really had been a combination of luck and friendship the whole time.

But even with that said, I can’t recommend this book enough. I think the word “cozy” has gotten a bit diluted thanks to marketing forces being what they are, but this book is exactly that. It reads like a warm blanket on a cold day, the perfect way to unwind.

“I mourn the people we could have been if a different world had shaped us.”

A fantastic sequel, as well as a masterclass in how to continue raising the stakes in the middle of a series while not taking anything away from what drew people to it in the first place. While Iron Widow was a clear reimagining of the anime Darling in the Franxx, Heavenly Tyrant shows that the worldbuilding established in the first volume leaves more than enough room for the series to stand on its own terms as a fantasy sci-fi space opera in its own right.

This volume also addressed the only real complaint I had for the last book. To pull a line from that review - 'The book is already hundreds of pages - some extra space to properly flesh out scenes wouldn't be that much more to ask, would it?' That wish came true in this book. While Heavenly Tyrant is a bit longer - Iron Widow was 400 pages, and the sequel is over 500 - there’s not a single wasted moment. There’s no pulling back from action scenes or conversations this time around. It feels as if the author has gotten the same boost of confidence as Zetian does in this volume, and it’s a treat to read because of it. Everything flows to the grand cliffhanger of this volume, and every scene serves its purpose in redefining character relationships, recontextualizing parts of the worldbuilding that previously came across as added flavor instead of deep foreshadowing, and raising the tension as Zetian realizes that she’s getting everything that she’d ever dared to hope for - but the fight is far from over.

I’m also in awe with how the relationship between Zetian and Qin Zheng is portrayed. It’s a truly toxic relationship with the blurriest of lines, and I’m glad that the good Qin Zheng does over the course of the novel is never used as a way to excuse the terrible things that he is responsible for. Instead, this deepens the portrayal of him as a complicated and divisive individual, the exact person that their world needs to rebuild, and yet simultaneously the worst kind of ruler who lives up to the name of this book. And Zetian is given the same treatment, even though she’s the perspective character for this series. No one is above reproach, and this book is a great exploration of the phrase ‘absolute power corrupts absolutely.’ And while Qin Zheng has clear and obvious feelings for Zetian by the end of this book, this is not a romance. The way that they each use each other for their own purposes while an undercurrent of animosity flows between them, only held back by their shared agenda, provides some of the most compelling parts of this volume. By the end, no one would blame Zetian for continuing to go along with him in service of her own goals - but the catharsis I felt when she didn’t is unparalleled. “Now your fantasy ends” indeed.

There’s moments here and there where I’m pretty sure I recognize the anime tropes that the author is pulling from - the mention of the red sea alone was enough to turn me into the Leonardo Di’Caprio pointing meme - but Heavenly Tyrant soars past all of that to turn into an incredible narrative in its own right. I loved every moment of this one, and I can hardly wait for the next.

Place your bets now - what will Zetian blow up next time? A moon? A solar system? My money is on universe-sized robots throwing around galaxies like shuriken. IYKYK.

There are times when a predictable plot line is exactly what I want. There can be something comforting in turning to a story and knowing how each beat will play out, a balm to the nerves during tough times or just when trying to wind down after a long day. But even when that’s the kind of story I crave, I still want at least a little variety. Shake up the details just a little bit. Add some unexpected conflict for zest. For me, part of the fun in following a story where you already know the ending is in seeing the characters overcome the obstacles put in the way of that predetermined fate.

But seven volumes deep into My Next Life as a Villainess, I have to admit that even a change in circumstances is not enough to keep the boredom from creeping in. Katerina only knowing the bare-bones outline of the game sequel she’s living through should create more tension with the new people in her life, but in practice it’s just more of the same. She meets someone, they make an assumption about her, she breaks that assumption, and they fall for her. Admittedly there seems to be a twist this time around where someone falls for Maria instead, but the formula holds true. And while the writing has improved by leaps and bounds since the first two volumes, the author is still not skilled enough to stop drawing attention to the formula their entire series hinges on. And once you notice the formula, you notice that there’s little difference in the variations as well. And once that happens…it really hinges on how much you like villainess isekai stories if you want to stick it out.

As for me, I have to tap out here. The anime version brought a lot of nuance and detail that this version lacked, and after shaking off my initial surprise at how simple the original is, I’m not finding the fun in endless repeats of Katarina accidentally enthralling the world anymore. Maybe I’ll come back on a rainy day, when this kind of plot is exactly what I’m looking for, but for now, I’ve got a backlog calling my name.