Rhapsodic by Laura Thalassa
Product Details
Web ID: 15843661This book romanticizes grooming
The only way I was able to power through this book was by reading it as a horror book instead of romance, where the protagonist is the victim. The fmc was “fifteen about to be 16” when they met and he essentially groomed her until he felt she was more of an adult. Had I known this, as well as all the sexual assault mentioned, I would’ve never wasted my money. The premise is nice but the execution was god awful.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
good read
first of all ⚠️ caution, if you do not like reading mentions of 🍇 and s3xu@l a$$ault then this book is NOT for you. second, I am happy they finally banged because I was getting worried. there is a lot of tension in this book. ❤️it is slow building. loved it. The plot is good it was interesting, has good mystery and excited to see where it goes. there are some scenes in the book that was pretty detailed but I was able to push through those pages. overall solid read and I will continue the series.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Fast-Paced and Shallow
In Rhapsodic, the first book in The Bargainer series, we follow Callypso Lillis—Callie for short—who, at the age of sixteen, makes a life-altering mistake. The siren inside her is beginning to emerge, and one fateful night, she defends herself against her abusive stepfather. With nowhere to turn and no one to call, she calls upon The Bargainer, a dangerous Fae known for granting favors at a steep price—one he can collect at any time. Once Callie receives her first favor, she finds herself unable to stop asking for more, despite knowing the cost. Seven years later, and with many favors granted, The Bargainer returns to collect what he’s owed, leaving Callie to wonder why he disappeared seven years ago, what he truly wants from her, and whether he’s—surprisingly—flirting with her. As they work together to solve a mystery plaguing his kingdom, Callie realizes that what she once thought was a simple crush might not have been so trivial after all. Right from the start, I should note that this book features an age gap romance. The narrative alternates between Callie's initial meeting with The Bargainer and their present-day interactions. As many reviewers have pointed out, this can feel a little strange, but I personally didn’t find it problematic. Their relationship is primarily built on friendship, with The Bargainer helping Callie process her trauma. That said, in the present-day storyline, I found some of their conversations about the past cringeworthy. I wish certain elements of their relationship felt more natural and centered around growth rather than destiny. One of the strongest aspects of the book is its world-building. I loved the concept of characters having alternate personas that represent their basic human instincts. Callie, for instance, must control her siren side to prevent it from harming others. I also found Callie to be a compelling character. Her pain, her sense of being an outcast, and her longing to be seen as "normal" resonated with me. Despite the age gap, it was the slow-burn romance between Callie and The Bargainer that kept me hooked. The way their relationship evolved felt believable, and the anticipation of when they’d finally get together made it hard to put this book down. That said, this book felt a bit like fast food: quick and satisfying in the moment, but not something I’d return to again or crave more of. As a reader, I wanted more depth—both in the world and with the side characters. The ending, in particular, left me feeling unsatisfied. I found myself thinking, You don’t need a man to fix you! It felt like the resolution leaned a little too heavily on a romantic fix rather than Callie finding her own strength. Overall, I’d recommend this book as a quick, light read—more of a snack before diving into something with a bit more substance. While it offers a fun, slow-burn romance, it doesn't quite dig deep enough to make me want to continue the series.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Couldnt finish it
Usually, I can power through a book, but this one was different—I couldn't stand the main female character. She was more frustrating than engaging, and the writing itself felt off. It didn’t help that she would bargain to spend time with the male lead while she was just 16, and he was clearly an adult. Unlike other books where a supernatural character may be centuries old but appears young or is newly transformed, here it felt uncomfortable. Many people say if you like Sarah J. Maas, you’ll love this, but honestly, I loved her books, and this one just fell flat and missed the mark entirely.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Mid
How can a book with such a good premise be so boring in execution? Also the "romance" felt like grooming. DNF.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
It has wings. Just read it :)
Okkkkk back to reality. I started this book a month ago, yet I read 80% of it in the past 3 days! This was a blind buy one day when I was browsing at Barnes and Noble. And you’ve guessed it what piqued my interest….the wing on the cover. I must have read a quick summary that confirmed it had beings with wings with romance and that’s what sealed the deal for me! But boy I cannot stress this enough, how GLAD I am that I did not read some of these HORRID reviews before diving into this book. I would have missed out on so much by having pre-determined feelings based on some of these. If anything, I’ve got more to say about people’s misconception about this story. Guys…it’s a story. It’s so weird to me that people have tied this to “Grooming” and if you’re one of those people, please brush up on your knowledge on what grooming actually is. Anyway, moving on. I really liked this book and confidently give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars. I’d hoped there would be more world building, but other than that, it got the point across. We follow our FMC who came across a business card that leads us to meeting the Bargainer. She makes all sorts of deals with him and then seven years later he returns to collect his debt. The POV shifts from the time line when Callie meets him (about a year in past POV) to Present time (seven years later). I loved every aspect of reading the story this way. We get to learn what happened all those years ago and what is happening now that he is back. Without any spoilers though, I LOVE the Hansel and Gretel style wiring where Laura drops breadcrumbs between the timelines as we uncover Bargainer’s true intentions. Read your triggers. I love how Laura writes this character as a victim of abuse but inside, the siren, is this bad-@$$ who will never be broken again. And for anyone that has gone through abuse, I feel we all have a little siren inside of us…we just have to tap into her. I resonated so much with our FMC and am glad I didn’t see some of these awful reviews before reading. Lastly, this book left me with a feeling. I can’t quite describe what it is and even my review doesn’t come close, but I love this book high feeling. Definitely will be picking up the next one! I need to know what happens to all of the coffins!!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Loved!
Absolutely loved this book. Can’t wait for the 2nd!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Must read!!
I absolutely devoured these books, I loved everything about them and they have quickly been added to my favorites list. Highly recommend!!
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com