I'd Rather Have a Cat than a Harem! Reincarnated into the World of an Otome Game as a Cat-loving Villainess Vol.2

I’ll admit, I side-eyed the premise at first—*another* villainess reincarnation story? But *I’d Rather Have a Cat than a Harem!* won me over by leaning hard into its absurdity. Jennifer Aquino’s narration is the secret weapon: her Amy sounds like a teenager who’s *seen things* (mostly cats) and can’t be bothered with your drama. The way she delivers lines like *“I’d rather be covered in cat scratches than attend this ball”* with equal parts exhaustion and glee sells the whole vibe. The pacing clips along nicely, though the middle act drags slightly during a festival arc that feels obligatory for the genre. Still, the payoff—Amy weaponizing her noble status to build a cat sanctuary—is worth it. What surprised me most was the *subtle* character work. Amy’s relationships evolve organically; her friendship with the crown prince’s fiancée avoids clichés, and Edward’s bewildered affection for her feels earned. That said, the side characters sometimes blur together—this is Amy’s show, and the audiobook knows it. The production is clean, with no distracting edits, though I’d love a touch more variation in male voices (Edward and his rivals occasionally sound too similar). But these are quibbles. If you’re craving an isekai that’s more *cozy* than *cutthroat*, with a protagonist who’d rather binge-treat her cat than binge-drama, this is your jam. Just don’t blame me if you start eyeing your own pet with newfound respect (or plotting their ascent to nobility).