Rhapsodic by Laura Thalassa is a paranormal romance novel that follows the story of Callie, a Siren who makes a deal with the enigmatic Bargainer to clean up a mess in her past. The book alternates between past and present, unraveling layers of emotions and mysteries as Callie navigates her complicated relationship with the Bargainer. Set in California and the Otherworld, the story is fast-paced, mysterious, and sexy, with well-developed characters and a touch of eerie elements. The writing style includes witty banter, a mix of darkness and heroism in characters, and focuses on relationship development over plot, creating a captivating and enchanting tale.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include themes of sexual abuse, stalking, and racial stereotypes.
Has Romance?
Romance is a central focus of the narrative, with the development of the relationship being at the forefront.
From The Publisher:
Callypso Lillis is a siren with a very big problem, one that stretches up her arm and far into her past. For the last seven years she's been collecting a bracelet of black beads up her wrist, magical IOUs for favors she's received. Only death or repayment will fulfill the obligations. Only then will the beads disappear.
Everyone knows that if you need a favor, you go to the Bargainer to make it happen. He's a man who can get you anything you want ... at a price. And everyone knows that sooner or later he always collects.
But for one of his clients, he's never asked for repayment. Not until now. When Callie finds the fae king of the night in her room, a grin on his lips and a twinkle in his eye, she knows things are about to change. At first it's just a chaste kiss-a single bead's worth-and a promise for more.
For the Bargainer, it's more than just a matter of rekindling an old romance. Something is happening in the Otherworld. Fae warriors are going missing one by one. Only the women are returned, each in a glass casket, a child clutched to their breast. And then there are the whispers among the slaves, whispers of an evil that's been awoken.
If the Bargainer has any hope to save his people, he'll need the help of the siren he spurned long ago. Only, his foe has a taste for exotic creatures, and Callie just happens to be one.
Ratings (155)
Incredible (21) | |
Loved It (55) | |
Liked It (40) | |
It Was OK (18) | |
Did Not Like (14) | |
Hated It (7) |
Reader Stats (370):
Read It (162) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (157) | |
Did Not Finish (14) | |
Not Interested (36) |
3 comment(s)
This is kind of YA/NA, and kind of not. Basically, there's 2 timelines - the now, where Callie is 24, and 8 years ago when she first met the Bargainer. The story is pushed along those 2 timelines in tandem.
Mostly I really liked it, but that's only because I made myself ignore some of the stupid stuff with Callie. Honestly, there's no difference, to me, in the age 16 Callie and the age 24 Callie. Her narrative never moves out of the overly dramatic crap you get in her younger self. And that's honestly my only problem with the book. Des is amazing, the story is fascinating, and I can't wait to see things with the Thief of Souls progress. I can't wait for more of Des's secrets.
But Callie is kind of meh - really emo and whiny. I feel like ... nothing justified her extremely antagonistic behaviour towards Des. Not in the early timeline, and not in the now. It was so clear his life revolves around her, both then (when he somehow cleared his life to spend every evening with her, because she needed him) and now. Every part of his house was a memorial to her and the memories they share. He never did some horrible thing to her back in the past, and in fact he bent over backwards to help her. She's too self-absorbed to see anything outside her own incredibly emo bullcrap, honestly. And when you finally get to see That Day ... my jaw was on the floor over how obvious it was that he adored her and she fucked it up.
She out of nowhere cast a binding on him! I was stunned.
I'm hoping that she's going to mellow out as we move forward, now that her relationship is more stable, so that I can enjoy the story more.
Grooming
Quick, enjoyable fantasy read with engaging characters and a mystery to solve. A+ on the steaminess scale.
What can you read after
Rhapsodic?
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