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Obsessions of an Otome Gamer #2
Obsessions of an Otome Gamer, Volume 2
After pushing Kou and Sou away to avoid the bad endings in her future, Mashiro now dedicates herself to perfecting her piano playing in hopes of attending Seio Music Academy. But Kou and Sou aren’t out of her story yet, and they aren’t her only issues. Kon’s secrets are becoming harder to ignore and Sou’s fiancée makes a surprise visit. The otome game world has a script in mind for Mashiro, whether she likes it or not!
In the end, Mashiro must make a choice. Will she choose Kou or Sou?
The decision is yours!
- GenresLight NovelRomance
305 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 24, 2019
8 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 27, 2019
!!!!! How could it end like that?! Okay, okay, I know how, because of this poll running as of 4/27/19, but still...Also, I was so firmly Team Sou, how dare Natsu now make me question that?!
NON EMOTIONAL VERSION:
This is a good series. I like it very much. I look forward to future volumes. You should read it.
Full review eventually appearing on ANN when I calm down enough to write it.
NON EMOTIONAL VERSION:
This is a good series. I like it very much. I look forward to future volumes. You should read it.
Full review eventually appearing on ANN when I calm down enough to write it.
December 30, 2025
There are some genuinely moving moments, but also some middle book sluggishness. Full review to come. (below!)
***
Just as the first volume of Obsessions of an Otome Gamer covered Mashiro's elementary school years, this one covers the three years that she attends junior high. Her intense efforts at practicing piano have served her well, and she makes it onto the list for a piano competition sponsored by an internationally-known pianist. In the meantime, the larger plot of Hear My Heart's world comes to light, and Mashiro learns a secret that more closely connects her with her previous life.
There were definitely some "middle of the middle book" doldrums for me with this volume. Mashiro's group of classmates was far less interesting to me than the music-centered (and rich) Kon and Kou, to the extent that I didn't remember a single one of them between reading the first book a couple years ago, and this one. To a girl, all they care about is romance, and despite Mashiro telling us what their personalities were like, I honestly couldn't tell one from another.
I understand why they're in the story--it would be jarring for Mashiro's entire social life to center around rich boys and girls who don't attend her school. Mashiro mourns the fact that they'll be separated when she goes to high school , but all told there are maybe three sections featuring any of them.
Sou is off in Germany, absent from Mashiro's company except via the occasional letter. He and Mashiro parted on bad terms at the end of the first book, and through their letters they grow closer again. As much as I grumbled above about her girlfriends, I thought this part of the story was handled pretty well. There could possibly have been more from Sou's point of view than one brief chapter at the end of the book; as is, though, it was nice to see their initial brief and tentative correspondence transforming into longer and more meaningful letters.
So I'm a little puzzled that Kou's part of the story didn't work quite as well for me, despite his being a frequent presence in Mashiro's orbit in Japan. She isn't a mind-reader, obviously, but she still tends to interpret his words and actions in the least generous way possible, up until a few pages from the end. Through a piano-violin duet with him, she finally realizes through their music that .
That connected well with one of my favorite parts of the book: the descriptions of Mashiro's piano performances. I only recognized one or two pieces by name, and didn't track down the rest on YouTube as I did last volume, yet the feelings of the pieces--and her own feelings as she played them--came across strongly. Once or twice, there was an otherworldly feeling to the descriptions, perfectly apt for a girl who has crossed between two worlds.
I also really liked Mashiro's relationship with Kon, especially after Kon's secret was revealed to her. A deep, sisterly, and perhaps doomed bond! It was easy to feel both the joy and pathos of their relationship. (And I think the cover shows which bond the artist feels is most important, too.)
This volume was released in Japan in 2014 (over a decade ago!), and in the US in 2019, and I've seen nothing about a release date for the translations of the otome-game-like third volumes: one for Kou's ending, the other for Sou's. I wonder which boy won the survey in Japan and got his ending published first! I like the idea of each book's romance/plot being different, and providing different details about the mystery of Hear My Heart's world, encouraging readers to try both. Although my response to this series has been mixed, I'd be willing to see it through to the end. Sadly, I might not have the opportunity to.
***
Just as the first volume of Obsessions of an Otome Gamer covered Mashiro's elementary school years, this one covers the three years that she attends junior high. Her intense efforts at practicing piano have served her well, and she makes it onto the list for a piano competition sponsored by an internationally-known pianist. In the meantime, the larger plot of Hear My Heart's world comes to light, and Mashiro learns a secret that more closely connects her with her previous life.
There were definitely some "middle of the middle book" doldrums for me with this volume. Mashiro's group of classmates was far less interesting to me than the music-centered (and rich) Kon and Kou, to the extent that I didn't remember a single one of them between reading the first book a couple years ago, and this one. To a girl, all they care about is romance, and despite Mashiro telling us what their personalities were like, I honestly couldn't tell one from another.
I understand why they're in the story--it would be jarring for Mashiro's entire social life to center around rich boys and girls who don't attend her school. Mashiro mourns the fact that they'll be separated when she goes to high school , but all told there are maybe three sections featuring any of them.
Sou is off in Germany, absent from Mashiro's company except via the occasional letter. He and Mashiro parted on bad terms at the end of the first book, and through their letters they grow closer again. As much as I grumbled above about her girlfriends, I thought this part of the story was handled pretty well. There could possibly have been more from Sou's point of view than one brief chapter at the end of the book; as is, though, it was nice to see their initial brief and tentative correspondence transforming into longer and more meaningful letters.
So I'm a little puzzled that Kou's part of the story didn't work quite as well for me, despite his being a frequent presence in Mashiro's orbit in Japan. She isn't a mind-reader, obviously, but she still tends to interpret his words and actions in the least generous way possible, up until a few pages from the end. Through a piano-violin duet with him, she finally realizes through their music that .
That connected well with one of my favorite parts of the book: the descriptions of Mashiro's piano performances. I only recognized one or two pieces by name, and didn't track down the rest on YouTube as I did last volume, yet the feelings of the pieces--and her own feelings as she played them--came across strongly. Once or twice, there was an otherworldly feeling to the descriptions, perfectly apt for a girl who has crossed between two worlds.
I also really liked Mashiro's relationship with Kon, especially after Kon's secret was revealed to her. A deep, sisterly, and perhaps doomed bond! It was easy to feel both the joy and pathos of their relationship. (And I think the cover shows which bond the artist feels is most important, too.)
This volume was released in Japan in 2014 (over a decade ago!), and in the US in 2019, and I've seen nothing about a release date for the translations of the otome-game-like third volumes: one for Kou's ending, the other for Sou's. I wonder which boy won the survey in Japan and got his ending published first! I like the idea of each book's romance/plot being different, and providing different details about the mystery of Hear My Heart's world, encouraging readers to try both. Although my response to this series has been mixed, I'd be willing to see it through to the end. Sadly, I might not have the opportunity to.
January 13, 2022
Just sayin’, why can’t she have both guys or neither? Why does she have to choose one or the other? I’m kind of an all or nothing type of person. I am resentful that she has to only have one, or any. She doesn’t seem to love either one fully and honestly, she’s only what, 16? Let the poor girl have a childhood before being tossed into romantic stuff.
And the Big Bad is SO GROSS. I really hope this turns out well and that we get the next books soon. I am not thrilled with only one or the other being a choice, but I do want to see how each choice plays out.
3, I’m on the fence with this but I’ll see it through, stars.
And the Big Bad is SO GROSS. I really hope this turns out well and that we get the next books soon. I am not thrilled with only one or the other being a choice, but I do want to see how each choice plays out.
3, I’m on the fence with this but I’ll see it through, stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2019
The Feels oh my Lord The Feels
I feel in love with this series with the first book. It touched me and made me feel nostalgic because I remember those childhood days with close friends. This second installment gave me such a conflicting feeling. I loved it 100% but at the same time it drew a deep sorrow from me because I remember my own middle school years. It makes me envious of Mashiro because of how dedicated she is. How heart warming and determined. The interactions with both her sisters, Kon and Hana make me want a sister as well.
The music technicalities were a bit difficult for me since I’m no music major but it brought a touch of realism to the story. To be honest I disliked the aspect in the first novel but in this second one I really came to appreciate it. I believe it’s the way the author used metaphors in combination with those technical terms to really express what Mashiro is feeling and playing. It’s so hard to convey music with words but the author does it. Some scenes made me head over to YouTube so I could hear the sounds.
[Spoiler Alert] The interludes with Kou’s and Sou’s point of view really made this novel for me. The multiple perspectives dove straight into my head and heart and made me squeal a ridiculous amount. When Sou receives the cell phone strap in Germany literally made me squeal and roll around like a mad woman. The accompanying illustration just was the icing on the cake. His earnest expression paired with the authors words cinched it for me. I nearly died from the over load of feels.
The foreshadowing is a bit heavy in this novel and I can feel the next ones are going to get darker real fast. I want everyone to have a happy ending but I don’t think that it’s going to be possible. The author even states that in the afterward. I want everyone to get the ending they deserve.
There’s not much more about this novel I can say besides it’s a must read for anyone who is a fan of music, love and being reincarnated. I await with bated breath for the next novel. Personally as someone who loves Triads I want Mashiro to end up with both Kou and Sou. I just want a happy ending for everyone.
I feel in love with this series with the first book. It touched me and made me feel nostalgic because I remember those childhood days with close friends. This second installment gave me such a conflicting feeling. I loved it 100% but at the same time it drew a deep sorrow from me because I remember my own middle school years. It makes me envious of Mashiro because of how dedicated she is. How heart warming and determined. The interactions with both her sisters, Kon and Hana make me want a sister as well.
The music technicalities were a bit difficult for me since I’m no music major but it brought a touch of realism to the story. To be honest I disliked the aspect in the first novel but in this second one I really came to appreciate it. I believe it’s the way the author used metaphors in combination with those technical terms to really express what Mashiro is feeling and playing. It’s so hard to convey music with words but the author does it. Some scenes made me head over to YouTube so I could hear the sounds.
[Spoiler Alert] The interludes with Kou’s and Sou’s point of view really made this novel for me. The multiple perspectives dove straight into my head and heart and made me squeal a ridiculous amount. When Sou receives the cell phone strap in Germany literally made me squeal and roll around like a mad woman. The accompanying illustration just was the icing on the cake. His earnest expression paired with the authors words cinched it for me. I nearly died from the over load of feels.
The foreshadowing is a bit heavy in this novel and I can feel the next ones are going to get darker real fast. I want everyone to have a happy ending but I don’t think that it’s going to be possible. The author even states that in the afterward. I want everyone to get the ending they deserve.
There’s not much more about this novel I can say besides it’s a must read for anyone who is a fan of music, love and being reincarnated. I await with bated breath for the next novel. Personally as someone who loves Triads I want Mashiro to end up with both Kou and Sou. I just want a happy ending for everyone.
June 2, 2019
Il primo rimane il mio preferito, ma sta continuando bene.
Anche se ormai molti dei dettagli rimasti in sospeso nel primo volume sono stati chiariti, rimangono ancora punti da scoprire.
La storia mi piace, anche se ormai nei romanzi giapponesi il tema della reincarnazione è molto abusato (questo ê il terzo sull'incarnazione nei giochi otome). Le pecche sono purtroppo la ingenuità della protagonista (della serie ma i giapponesi davvero sono così ingenui?! ) e i due coprotagonisti maschili, specialmente Kou.
La caratteristica originale di questa Novel è lo studio approfondito di pezzi di musica classica sconosciuta ai più, pezzi che ho cercato e aggiunto alla mia play list.
Per gli appassionati di musica classica consiglio di ascoltare i pezzi mentre si legge.
Anche se ormai molti dei dettagli rimasti in sospeso nel primo volume sono stati chiariti, rimangono ancora punti da scoprire.
La storia mi piace, anche se ormai nei romanzi giapponesi il tema della reincarnazione è molto abusato (questo ê il terzo sull'incarnazione nei giochi otome). Le pecche sono purtroppo la ingenuità della protagonista (della serie ma i giapponesi davvero sono così ingenui?! ) e i due coprotagonisti maschili, specialmente Kou.
La caratteristica originale di questa Novel è lo studio approfondito di pezzi di musica classica sconosciuta ai più, pezzi che ho cercato e aggiunto alla mia play list.
Per gli appassionati di musica classica consiglio di ascoltare i pezzi mentre si legge.
April 12, 2021
I found the pacing to be off in this one, and the music focus felt more repetitive than interesting / meaningful for some reason.
The ending split that requires two separate novels is a bit off-putting for me, although kudos to committing completely to the otome theme, I guess. I don't think I'll continue from here, because it's getting a bit predictable at this point and I don't particularly care who she ends up with.
The ending split that requires two separate novels is a bit off-putting for me, although kudos to committing completely to the otome theme, I guess. I don't think I'll continue from here, because it's getting a bit predictable at this point and I don't particularly care who she ends up with.
December 5, 2019
I was nervous about this volume after the great impact the first volume already made on me. But Natsu didn't dissapoint me. There were so many things being revealed in this book. Not only once I fought back tears while reading. It was an amazing ride. Shoyu's illustrations did great emphersizing the story and the characters.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews