7th time loop Light Novel review (5 Novels)

So a few days ago I finished the 5. Light Novel of 7th time Loop in one day. (Was it shorter or was I just faster? ^^') And I have decided, after 5 "books" it is about time to write an review about them.

Interview style of course, so here we go:

(OBVIOUSLY SPOILER!)

2. Is it easy to read for someone who isn't the biggest fan of reading?

It is. It really is light, if you know what I mean. The plot isn't too heavy. The chapters are relatively short. And why the novels don't shy away from describing thoughts or feelings, or even clothes, places and objects, it also doesn't spend hours on it. It also doesn't give you too much information at once. Or has too many plot strings to follow. Every Novel focuses on only a relatively small amount of new people and most of the people from the previous novels are either not in it or hardly mentioned. So you have time to get to know the characters (as I am sure we will see them all again) but we finish their plotline (mostly) in one book and then more on to other characters with their plotline which we also finish in one book and move on to the next, while of course Rishes and Arnolds story moves on constantly and only ever so slightly intervines with the other characters story for as much and as long as is it necessary. Obviously... if you like heavy plots with lots of characters and intervening plot-threats and big descriptions and a huge ass world, then this is not a book for you, that much is for sure. But its a light novel and as such it feels like... how to describe it? I feel like a light Novel is a snack. Something that doesn't satisfy you for to long. But its nice and tastes good. A book is more like a big meal with a heavy dessert. It satisfies you much longer, but it also takes longer to eat and to digest. For someone who isn't a good reader, a light novel is perfect. Small. Fast. Nice. And doesn't ask to much of you as a reader. But I really think light novels are only meant for lovestorys and the likes, that don't focus on heavy things. But as I like lovestorys, that is more than fine for me.

3. So how is the lovestory betwen Rishe and Arnold?

Until book 5, I honestly would have described it as a story between a man who needed love and thought he would neither get nor deserve it and a woman who has so much love to give but never had the chance to do that before. Surrounded by a lot of complicated circumstances that funnily enough, get them only closer together on the long run. But the 5. light novel ruined that a bit for me.

Rishe always questioned Arnolds intentions. He saw her jumping from the balcony and the asked her to marry him after seeing how she would react if he would try to attack her with a sword. He insisted he fell in love with her and I wanted to hard to just believe that. I wanted to believe that a woman that was so strong and independent and full of surprises was something that just mesmerized Arnold so much that he thought: "If I ever want to marry someone than it would be someone like her... NO! It would be her! She is the one!" But after book 5 I feel like I was fooling myself.

I do believe that Arnold knew that what he needed for his plans (whatever they are...) was a woman like Rishe. Strong. Independent. Self-sufficient. Doesn't care about if something she does is ladylike. And able to protect herself. And that is why he pursued her to begin with. I do also believe without a shred of doubt that he did eventually fall in love with her head over heels. Likely also faster than he himself would have expected - even if he felt affection for Rishe from the start and did think he might actually really fell a bit for her at first sight. What you can see in the first Novel especially is that at first, Arnold wants her to believe the awful rumors he has spread about himself. Going as far as putting a hand on her throat and letting her know that he could kill her whenever he wants and that she should be wary of him because he is scary and dangerous and a murderous monster. (Bad for him that at this point, his affection for Rishe had already one over and allowed her to look past his pretense...) In fith Novel, when Rishe mentions that she would be fine, even if someday he kills her, he basically forbids her to say something like that ever again. He is too far gone to allow her to think that he would ever do anything like that to her. All the while, plotting something in the background that has something to do with her. So while I do believe that he absolutely loves Rishe dearly and deeply, I came to the conclusion that whatever he had planned at the start, when he proposed to her, is still in motion and that eventually, he will end up using her for something and possibly hurting her feelings in the process because it won't be something small. I am almost certain at this point that we will have a big fallout eventually. And it won't be pretty. (Lets hope don't do it like another Light Novel that had the character have a fight and only patch things up again like 4 Novels later...) I think the biggest hint for that isn't even Raul who who is ordered to hide something from Rishe, even with lies, while he shows up often enough close to her to wonder if his job is to spy on her (and certainly not just for protection) or the fact that he revealed that Arnold indulging Rishe in book 5 was all just a pretends and actually part of a plan that was supposed to give him some sort of information. That he wanted to figure something out. And with the situation at hand, it feels like he wanted to figure something out about Rishe. And while Rishe didn't think much of the facts that she figured out that all the things Arnold seemingly did for her, ended up having ulterior motives, I do not think this will keep on going so well forever. Rishe is selfless enough to understand Arnold reasons behind most of his actions and likely didn't even truly suspect he did them for her, but for me as a reader it actually hurt. He did of course some things for and with her that didn't have ulterior motives and that did show that he loves and cares about her. But there is something dark going on behind the scenes and I do not like it at all.

If we talk about Rishe... I found it fascinating, to say the least, that in her 6 lives, she never once experienced love. She is really naive in that regard too. But I guess one can easily forget with all the life experience she has, that she is only 15 and that it does make sense that given her life until the loops started had better things for her in store than love. However, it, of course, is also romantic to think that she was always meant to only fall in love with prince Arnold (even tho its ruined by Rishe just slightly mentioning that Arnold seemed awfully experienced in kissing - and even with the ongoing theory that Arnold himself is stuck in that freaking loop, we know every well it has never before been Rishe that he kissed... damn that 5th Novel. It ruined a lot of the lovestory for me... while still keeping me hooked on it with that kind of ending...) and thus experienced love only in the one loop, were she ended up being his fiancee. Anyway, while sometimes naive girls can be immensely annoying, when it comes to lovestorys. Rishes way of being naive is realistic enough to be okay. We can not forget that Arnold killed her in her previous life and that he had been a monster in all her previous lives, even tho they only ever somewhat "met" in one other life. So assuming that Arnold is not in love with her makes a lot of sense for her. Taking 5 books to get that she herself is in love with him... is a bit of a different story. But once again, she is only 15, has never experienced love before, Arnold has somewhat questionable ways to show his love sometimes (especially in the beginning) and given how much is going on around Rishe, I guess one can forgive her that she is a bit slow regarding the matter XD

Despite the little "mishaps" regarding my trust in Arnold in novel 5, I still love their lovestory and I love how it slowly but surely grows to be more. Ever Novel seems to be a step in the right direction - tho I wish we would finally get to that damn wedding already XD I also do not give up on the lovestory itself as I know that Arnold truly loves Rishe and that she loves him too, I know no matter what kind of stupid thing Arnold is doing, eventually, they will find their way back to each other. They are meant to be, I am sure of it. I guess its just getting to comfortable at this point, for a series that is supposed to keep the readers hooked. We've been at the point were Arnold refuses even the idea of killing Rishe, despite his best affords to look bad in her eyes at first and Rishe herself finally understood that she is in love with Arnold. Give us some lovers bliss in the next Novel and we are surely running into some drama and heartbreak soon. Its bound to happen. (And I am going to be furious about it XD)

4. Your favorite moments so far?

I loved the Kiss in the church. It was... like... you could feel it coming. But it was still so unexpected given how early it was. I loved the proposal scene with the ring. When he was going down on one knee I was like: "OMG! HE EVEN WENT DOWN ON ONE KNEE!" This is like... THE thing in a romance, if you ask me XD I love every time they oh-so-innocently share a bed. It gives a feeling of domestic bliss. I love every time they protect each other. It was especially hilarious when Rishe was hit with this poison Arrow and she wanted Arnold to drink the antidote because he sucked the poison out of her wound, even tho she was the one who got it directly into her blood and I squealed like an idiot when Arnold had enough of it and just gave it to her mouth to mouth XD The recent scene in the castle grounds with Arnolds father is one of my absolut favorites tho. Imagine them "fake" making out against a tree. It was great. But the kisses from the Epilogue were just the most perfect scene for me so far. How Rishe just wanted to "learn" to get used to it and Arnold had a hard time holding back. Chef kiss. Absolutely perfect!

5. All that previously mentioned stuff aside... what is something you wonder about for future Novels?

Honestly? "Will these two ever have sex?" is a question always on my mind XD I think one can tell that Arnold does want her, but he respects her boundaries way too much to initiate anything if she isn't asking for it and he already revealed that even when they are married, he will not take advantage for her. And don't get me wrong. That is per see a good thing. But I feel like with Rishe, who gets so embarrassed by every small touch, they will probably never end up making babys XD Granted, that is likely neither his nor her goal - but it is always mine ;P But seriously. Those kiss-scenes in novel 5 were a huge step for them but it was initiated by Rishe. And Arnold would not have done it if not sure she really wanted it, he even asked if she was sure, as he saw her shivering. And if there isn't some miracle. She will never allow them to cross the belt-line if you get me and while I do know we will not read much about it (so that isn't my reason) either way, I still feel like Arnold needs that. Like... he is the character that can't take his hands off Rishe after she finally allowed him to cross that line. Like this is the one thing I am sure that workaholic would come home early for XD He just feels like this kind of character.

6. What are the questions you have regarding the plot?

What is Arnolds plan? What is he hiding? Did Rishes meddling help in stopping Arnold from becoming the man who killed her in her last life, or did she actually only make him stronger? Why is Rishe stuck in that loop? Is Arnold also stuck in that loop? What is the secret behind Arnolds father? Is there a way to stop Arnolds father without Arnold killing him? (My biggest fear is that eventually, that man will be a danger to Rishe - I am sure Arnold doesn't keep her away from him without a good reason - and that is why he will end up killing him anyway in this loop...) Did Arnold kill his mother because she was trying to kill him and is that what he has those scars from? Will the time come where Rishe has to use all the friends and connections she made to her advantage against Arnold and his plans? What did happen to Arnold in all the previous loops that he ended up starting that war? And what happened to him after Rishe died? Will Rishe EVER have the chance to actually lead a carefree and lazy life? Is she even capable of that? XD

7. What is your biggest fear regarding the novels?

The the story will never be finished for one reason or another. Or that they stop translating them and I will never find the answers to my questions.