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 … 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.
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Hell couldn’t give me a more wicked man; heaven couldn’t give me a more perfect moment.
Rhapsodic is a dark enemies to lovers and morally grey story about fairies. After reading The Wicked King by Holly Black I started looking into other books about fairies and I knew that I wanted to read this one as soon as I stumbled across the cover. It was a fast, romantic read that had a decent plot.
I shouldn’t be here. Good girls don’t do this. And bad girls … well, I’m not one of those am I?
You’ve killed a man. You’re worse than a bad girl.
Personally, I love morally grey characters and enemies to lovers romances, so for those points Rhapsodic was a perfect match. Callie makes a living as a private investigator, using her siren abilities to go after indecent men. Years prior she had called The Bargainer, a fairy who grants deals, to help hide the mess after she killed her step father who had abused her. Along the way she made many more deals with The Bargainer, Des, each one she owed symbolized by a bead on a bracelet. Immediately the beads reminded me of Daughter of Smoke and Bone and the Wishmonger, even though this is quite different. Slowly the relationship between them grows into a romance.
“You play a dangerous game with me, siren. Making deals is its own sort of compulsion.” His voice is so low that only I can hear it. “And you offer them to me so easily.” He pauses, his eyes shining wickedly. “Don’t think I’ll ever stop taking them– because I won’t.”
I loved the first 70 percent of this book. The alternating scenes and timelines of the past and present really kept me reading and I loved the characters, but the last quarter of the book was not to my taste. For one thing, there was a little too many sex scenes in it for me. Another thing is that Callie acted like a damsel, yet liked to pretend that she was a strong woman who could take care of herself. I don’t mind either narrative, but the conflict of the two drove me nuts.
“I’m not asking you to never feel sad, Callie, I’m asking you to fight. Always fight. You can do that, can’t you?”
I suck in a deep breath. “I don’t know,” I say honestly.
His entire demeanor gentles with that confession. “Can you try?”
I am typically not a person who really enjoys books where the focus is more on the romance than the plot, but I actually did really like this book. It’s the reason that I hated A Court of Thorns and Roses. I think it’s the characters that really made this one so good. It reminded me of A Court of Thorns and Roses a lot, but a lot shorter, without the intricate world building, and with characters that I actually liked.
Bloodsucking children, phantom visitors, and a man who goes by the name of the Thief of Souls. It’s enough to give me nightmares.
Overall I really liked the characters, the romance was great, but a little too much sex for my taste, and the plot seemed to be a secondary focus. It was a great read though and definitely worth checking out. I would recommend this to fans of Sarah J. Maas because it has a lot of similarities to her books. I hated A Court of Thorns and Roses though, and I really liked this. After reading this I would like to check out Laura Thalassa’s young adult series, The Unearthly.
I like it that he’s fucked up like me, that he’s wicked and sinful and makes no excuses for it. I like it that he doesn’t care that I might be a little wicked and sinful too.
In a time of crisis Callypso aka Callie calls out for aid… her hands covered in blood… she reaches out to The Bargainer.. a mythical wish granting entity whose help always comes with a price… for Callie it’s her heart.. from the moment she met him, she has been his…she just didn’t know it at 16.
Fast forward 7 long years and Callie is kicking ass and taking names using her own skills… she’s a siren and a strong one… sometimes too strong…. but her strength won’t help her when the bargained returns to call in his debts.
Intense and gripping from the get go this book quickly morphed in to one of the most breathtakingly wonderful love stories that I have ever had the pleasure to read. Filled with mystery and intrigue and a harrowing past it’s both dark and light. Which is very spot given the fact that our leading man is the king of the night…. and our leading lady is a siren, who glows with her own power… light and dark night and day.
The slow and steady reveal of story was brilliantly crafted, jumping backwards and forwards ( in Callie’s perspective ) in to the past and current tense… made for great reading. Allowing us to see the development of their friendship over time and of The Bargainers ( aka Desmond’s ) feelings for Callie. Alongside his conflict when it comes to helping her, wanting her and his reasons for staying away from her for so long.
It’s a wonderfully emotive story packed full of heartbreak, major ‘FEELS’ and chemistry, that compliments and blends brilliantly with its fantasy/Fae/PNR theme. I loved the mystery and intrigue that filled its pages and I’m dying to know more.
After reading this first in series I will definatly be continuing on with the series. I’m so totally invested in this couple and their story. Bring on book 2!!
I admit, this one started out a little slow for me. I wasn’t loving it as much as I wanted… but that might have been because I came straight from reading Pestilence, which is ridiculously good, and was craving more of the same.
But then halfway through it got me… something kicked in, and ohmygod by the end I was loving it! Boom, boom, BOOM! Excited for the next one!
Like a bad movie where you can’t look away, I just couldn’t stop reading even though I knew I wasn’t reading fine literature. I had to find out how things would end even though I felt a bit “dirty” afterwards. Unfortunately, this book ended with a bit of a cliffhanger, and so I feel compelled to read the next book…
I confess that I liked the 2 main characters and found the overall concept of the book to be unique, which is why I’m going with 2 stars rather than just 1 star. I just wish there wasn’t so much overly descriptive sex within these pages. This kind of over-sexed drama seems to give an unrealistic view of relationships – like it’s all a honeymoon. If all of us behaved in this fashion, nothing would ever get done.
Good God! This is so good. I found both main characters extremely likeable individuals! So much tension, so much anger, so much lust, so much love.
I fell into this book so easily, Thalassa’s writing flows across the page. And even though I’ve come to an end (of this one), I crave more, like my life depends on it.
Magical with a hint of the dark.
I’ve never read a story by this author. I don’t know why it took me so long. The story itself isn’t one dimensional. The plot is unique and the characters evolve immensely throughout the story. The pov of Callypso Lillis can be seen throughout the book but Desmond’s pov remains a mystery. Until Des chooses to give over any secrets, his thoughts remained a mystery. I loved and hated the mystery mainly because I wanted to see how he felt about being The Bargainer and The King of the Night. I also wanted to see how he felt about Callie during the times she was insecure about their relationship.
I loved how Des eventually opened up to Callie and he was giving up secrets like candy. She was the exception.
I can’t wait to delve into book two, A Strange Hymn. Callie and Des’ relationship can only evolve more. I can tell a war is coming. I hope Callie and Des are willing to fight. Oh one other thing… I almost forgot. Callie’s name, which I indicated up top, is Callypso Lillis. I wonder if the author chooses the character’s name based around Greek mythology? The distance between Callie and Des would make sense.
I have a confession to make: I am in love with everything by Laura Thalassa.
My addiction / problem began when I first started reading Pestilence. And because I got a slight taste of her style I couldn’t just stop. So I went searching and came across Rhapsodic (The Bargainer). I was completely astonished but what I found. I was also intrigued.
I love a good Paranormal book. So when I read the synopsis – I knew that this book was made for ME. Specifically for me. I don’t know how, just that I knew it and felt it in the bottom of my soul.
Again, like with her previous book, I was captivated by her unique writing style and great world development. A world where anything and everything was believable. So much so that I felt like I was living within those pages. THAT right there is exactly what I looking for in a book. I love feeling like I am experiencing and feeling what the characters are going through.
We get to meet the lovely Callypso Lillis, who only happens to be a Siren. Unfortunately for her, she’s never really lived a good life. She’s been dealt a very bad and wrong card, one where she is forced to grow up too early and learn hard lessons. But throughout these hardships, she meets the one known as the “Bargainer”.
The Bargainer is an individual that likes to make deals in exchange for secrets and information. And he’s always up to something. Always scheming for his best interest.
I absolutely loved everything about this book. I found myself laughing and swearing at the same time throughout the entire book. I loved even the simplest of things.
I sat on the edge of my seat, wondering and guessing what was going to happen next and why. Seriously, I gushed the entire time, even after I finished reading the book. This was most definitely a 5 Star Book for me!
Oh, My Giddy Aunt!!! I bloody loved this book.
This was just so good, I found Rhapsodic a delight and this has been on my TBR pile for quite a while, well it was certainly well worth the wait it really was fantastic capturing my attention instantly.
Rhapsodic basically tells the tale of Callypso Lillis a human Siren and Desmond Flynn AKA The Bargainer and King of the night.
Callie has tried to forget The Bargainer after having her heart broken into two, but when a certain Des Flynn comes back into her life regarding the armful of debts she still owes, Callie is coerced into helping the King of the night to repay her debts, first little things like decorating his guest bedroom and then more important tasks like glamoring human changelings with her siren powers for information.
Things are occurring in the Otherworld and Des needs Callies help in unravelling the mystery.
Rhapsodic is told from Callie’s POV and though I would have liked to maybe get more of an insight into Desmond’s head it did work.
Alternate flashbacks of present time and the past mean we get to revisit Desmond and a teenage Callie as they forge a deep friendship and I also found both Des and Callie here to be great characters.
So this book, hand on heart I am completely in love with Des, Desmond of the sexy wings, long white-blonde hair, bad attitude and third most wanted on the supernatural politia list.
His sexy butt is so delectable I was actually drooling.
Callie I also liked though a greater appreciation for Desmond’s single-minded devotion towards her would have been nice his steadfastness with Callie is beautiful.
Though Callie is kicking in her bravery and her courage is immense She really is a fitting mate to The Night King.
Out of the two, I have to admit to being slightly more enchanted by our Bargainer, what can I say I’m such a girl at heart.
I don’t want to give away to much here so will just say that Rhapsodic has plenty of action and is truly a captivating enchanting tale.
Half the book is spent on earth and the rest in Otherworld with the fae.
The underlying mystery here with the sleeping maidens and them creepy-ass kids adds an extra element to the story.
I also really loved the ending here, it was so unexpected but such genius and it definitely left me wanting more.
I am now really looking forward to the next book in this series.
This completely worked for me and I would definitely recommend this especially if you like your fantasy with a touch of romance.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
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I think I’ve found a new author for my bookshelf! Great story, and even though you know Callie and the Bargainer are destined to be together, what a wonderful journey it is to get them to that point.
If you love The Court of Thorns and Roses series than you will LOVE this!!! A must read! Trust me you will love this author!
Laura Thalassa is one of my new favorite authors! Her book, Rhapsodic, was recommended to me and once I started reading it, I one-clicked the next 2 books in the series. Just so good!
I read it free on KU, loved it so I purchased it after.
Loved. I have no other words to describe how I felt about this book, the characters, the plot, everything. I read it free on KU, but loved it so much I purchased it after.