The Drab Princess, the Black Cat, and the Satisfying Break-up Vol. 3

The Drab Princess, the Black Cat, and the Satisfying Break-up (Light Novel) #3

by Rino Mayumi, Machi (Illustrator), Evie Lund (Translator)

The Cat’s Out Of The Bag!

With the High Mage exam just around the corner, Seren decides to break the news of her decision to become a High Mage to Crown Prince Helios and her family. She also learns a startling secret about Archmage Viol’s black cat familiar that will change her relationship with Viol. Will her plans to have a satisfying break-up finally come to fruition?

Genres: Light Novel, Fantasy, Romance

367 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 29, 2023

Reviews

[Mk · Rating 4 out of 5]

The series is complete! I thought we'd get another book or two, with Lord Viol properly wooing her, but it fully wraps with this one. The story is a lot stronger this book (Book 2 was mostly filler; book 3 is chock full of action) and very enjoyable. Throughout the book, the translator spelled her family name three different ways, which is not ideal but can be fixed with a reupload since these are digital only.

Overall, I liked it and will look forward to more gentle romances from this author!

[Mary Anderson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok. I enjoyed the first two books (especially the ballroom scene), and I was willing to work with the slow pace of progression (I've read "The Dragon’s Soulmate is a Mushroom Princess!" after all...), but this third volume may have broken my interest completely. Let me 'splain:

***This next part contains spoilers, so BEWARE***


The main chunk of this book consists of:
1. Seren still slowly learning magic (which reminds me - as the reader, I would also like to get a better understanding of the scope of this world's magic, but that has yet to happen)
2. Viol loving treats (and eating them with Seren)
3. Helios existing in the background/falling for Seren (who remains oblivious)

...which is what happens in the previous two volumes.

I will allow that there are some nuances (like Viol and Seren going into the magic forest area to slay beasts together - with Viol in human form), but all-in-all it's the same as the first two. Seren is still annoyingly oblivious; Viol could be cool if he were more than an antisocial mage with a sweet tooth; and the other characters exist for no real purpose.

This volume felt like a filler episode. There was so much page-wasting nothingness; like shopping sprees in the village, and inviting random side characters - who appear in name only - to the parlor, and other unnecessary long bits of text that I glossed over, wishing to get to the meat of the story (which, sadly, was missing). The only thing of note that happens between Seren and Viol is that they hug. Woot.

I was really hoping that this volume would finally lead us somewhere, but, alas, it was not the case. This book series looks to be far slower to develop than I anticipated (even with respect to other Light Novel series), and I'm not sure that I'll stick around for volume 4 (but we shall see, since I'm a stickler for collecting book series).

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seren is flying toward her goals at full speed. Literally. Now that she knows she will qualify for the High Mage exam for sure, she’s faced with a new task: figuring out how to tell her family. Seren has also been carefully planting the seeds for her absence once she’s broken her engagement to the prince. As her sister struggles with her new role at the salon, and it becomes clear that things are not what they seemed to her, it’s become clear that Seren is not as replaceable as she thought. Is Seren ready to put her plan into play, especially now that she wants to become a High Mage for herself and not for anyone else’s benefit?

After the last book, I was surprised at how fast the story picked up this time around! Honestly, it blew me away. This volume has everything: action, romance, character growth, and world building. I guess the second book was just a dip in the story because this one came out swinging! There’s also a nice balance between the rotating perspectives. While we still mainly follow Seren while occasionally switching over to seeing things from Viol’s eyes, we hopped over to a few others and it was extremely effective storytelling.

While I wish we learned more about Seren’s parents before this volume, I really enjoyed finally getting to see them. I just wish we knew more about how they were as parents so that I could compare that to their response to learning that Seren was going to be taking the High Mage exam. However, I really did like her parents and I’m excited to see how they pop up in the story again later.

All in all, this was an excellent read. I think this could actually pass as the final book because the story feels complete, but I know there’s four volumes in total since I got the last two books at the same time. I’m interested in seeing where the story goes from here and if we’re going to see things shake up since things run pretty smoothly in this volume.

[Mariána K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet, tender, cute, delightful... P u r r-fect!

I was absolutely happy reading the story along the way. The relationship between Vi and Serin Is just sweet tenderness. I am a little disappointed that they didn't put more into the development of the side characters. I feel like the prince gave up too easily and the friends that were trying to break up the engagement on the side because they secretly crushed on the girl didn't do anything. I felt like the author just kind of didn't want to deal with it anymore and focused on the sweet tenderness of our main characters. I feel like the quality of what we got was great but if she'd just taken a little bit more time and developing the stuff going on around and the side characters it would have been fantastic instead of just great. You can tell when reading the author likes to go into the details of the things they like. Pages and pages of descriptions of food and sweet foods.... And also a lot of details with the magic stuff that feel almost out of place in the story. If there had been a way to balance more of the action magic with the slice of life romance we could have had an epic story. As it stands, it is still a book I would categorize as bubble bath for the soul. I think you could stop here because the end was a nice wrap up and had a beautiful moment, but I also think that if there's any further volumes it'd be worth reading the next one at least just to see where it goes. With the romance stuffs mostly settled the author could really focus on the setting and the magic side of things, which could get very interesting if the focus adjusted in such a way. On the other hand, if the author wants to focus on marital bliss, that would be fine too!

[Sammie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't think I've ever read a book with so many confusing, unecessary and repetitive changes in POV before. This volume really managed to showcase all the author's weaknesses in writing in a grand way.

I liked the first two volumes. The writing style has always been average but at least the characters and the story were interesting. In this book, the author was trying on shoes that were just to big for her. Reading this was like watching a plane explode and slowly falling from the sky. Such a wordy but insubstantial, clumsy and amateurish way of writing was shocking to read. The only part of the book that was really worth reading was around 60-85% mark after everyone finally finds out about her plans all the way up to the public announcement. Everything before and after that is just painful to read.

The premise and general story of the book was interesting and still has potential to grow. I just hope the author does the same for her writing abilities.

[• Hutch · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot happened in this volume, but in some ways it felt a lot like the previous volumes.
Snacks were consumed.
Seren’s first battle against a mid-level beast occurred and went probably about as it should have.
Many issues were approached and dealt with, almost to the point you could say a bow was neatly wrapped around the package.
Seren’s ability to advance enough to qualify to take the exam in a two month span seems outlandish to some degree, but is also a good reflection of her tenacity and, more importantly, capability for magic — and why it ultimately makes sense that would be recognized and she would be allowed to continue on the path she has chosen.
I was also quite surprised how quickly other aspects of her life advanced once she had taken the exam. Within the span of the two final chapters, the relationship between she and (her new boss) Archmage Viol goes basically from near zero to lightspeed.
Oh yes, and more snacks were consumed.

[Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was touched by Serena’s father being supportive of his daughter’s dreams but I was SO pissed off at how the Queen and everyone else kept insisting she work to the bone as a princess instead because she was the only one capable of doing the jobs of these fucking fools…. Like literally no one gave a shit at the fact the her fiancé literally was gossiping about her and calling her ‘drab’ in a public place and how that must have hurt her feelings.

What annoys me even more is how poor Seren thinks that it’s all still her fault for being selfish for the first time in her life… but you know what? I’m glad she heard them badmouthing her and I’m glad she decided to become a High Mage and follow her true calling instead of withering away for people who will never appreciate her

[Mariela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok that really was a satisfying break up 😂. I was happy to see the Prince and her gaslighting sister get their just desserts. Prince had no choice but to swallow everything he felt but that's what you get when you take what you have for granted. And Seren got her cake and ate it too! Yes!! I enjoyed this. Gonna read the next one.

[Jorja Novalei Small · Rating 5 out of 5]

flawless

I kept putting off reading this book cause I was exhausted and worried for the serene but I’m so happy I read it. Now I’m worried for book 4 but I just noticed it’s her hand he’s eating the cookie from in the cover. I don’t think I’ve ever squealed as much as I have while reading this series lol. I love it so much

[Christina L]

I'm rereading the series from the beginning. It's much better to understand how everyone got where they are after not reading it for a long time. I will update the review once I finish it.

[Samanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet first love

Viol and Seren will steal your blushes as they realize they have fallen in love with each other.
This volume has more action scenes as well.

[Alarna · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was ok. i dont think i want to read the next one. :|