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challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thought the whole buildup to the final fight was great, but then it abruptly came to a stop. I would have appreciated there to be more of a wrap up after he was defeated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Rape, Kidnapping
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The first three books built up to so much tension and then this one with the “big secret” it just kinda fizzled out and was blah. So many details that were emphasized throughout the first three books felt unnecessary in the end. The ending itself was mediocre at best.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gore, Murder, Alcohol
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have adored the Bargainer series and unfortunately I liked this one the least. It absolutely dragged until I was about 70% into it. I even had the audiobook cranked to 2x. I didn't see the big plot twist coming and I did love seeing Callie come into her full power and role.
But God it was overly sappy. Des and Callie yapping about how much they love each other and that they are mates was just wayyyyy overdone. Ugh. The epilogue was nice though.
But God it was overly sappy. Des and Callie yapping about how much they love each other and that they are mates was just wayyyyy overdone. Ugh. The epilogue was nice though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Slavery, Grief
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I was very close to not finishing this book. The dialogue got very redundant and there was way too much spice considering they needed to save their kingdom from the Thief of Souls.
There was well written spice but just too much and not exactly at the best times. Also, Callie took a frustratingly long time to figure out the mystery (seemed fairly predictable to me).
That said, the ending of the book made up for the slow and repetitive build up at the beginning of the book. I thought things were tied nicely together and enjoyed the plot twists (even though I had several of them figured out).
Des was my favorite part of the series but I do respect that Callie did finally embrace who she was and turned full-on badass. I struggle with the injected cheesy dialogue from her and Temper. It’s just ill-fitting and immature, it does nothing to tie in with or progress the plot line.
The Thief of Souls was a phenomenal villain, genuinely made me feel uncomfortable but his defeat was a bit anti-climactic. I also found his motives to be weak and unconvincing. Overall, this series was solid but I wouldn’t go back and re-read.
There was well written spice but just too much and not exactly at the best times. Also, Callie took a frustratingly long time to figure out the mystery (seemed fairly predictable to me).
That said, the ending of the book made up for the slow and repetitive build up at the beginning of the book. I thought things were tied nicely together and enjoyed the plot twists (even though I had several of them figured out).
Des was my favorite part of the series but I do respect that Callie did finally embrace who she was and turned full-on badass. I struggle with the injected cheesy dialogue from her and Temper. It’s just ill-fitting and immature, it does nothing to tie in with or progress the plot line.
The Thief of Souls was a phenomenal villain, genuinely made me feel uncomfortable but his defeat was a bit anti-climactic. I also found his motives to be weak and unconvincing. Overall, this series was solid but I wouldn’t go back and re-read.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
i loved every minute of this series. the slight cliffhanger ending though… i want to know what his secret is. spoiler ahead (not for the ending): part of me thinks malaki was trying to tell callie about what des was up to with the thief, but i can’t be sure if he truly knew. i cannot imagine how it would’ve played out if he actually did tell her, and i’m glad he didn’t.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Slavery, Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, Pregnancy
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
4⭐️3🌶️(graphic scenes, but not very many)
“I love you, Callie, down to every feather and scale. I love your darkness, I love your mind, I love your humor and your most coveted dreams. And I love how you love me—wholly, deeply, passionately. “You’re not normal; you’ll never be normal. I’m so sorry to tell you that. You are so blindingly extraordinary that it physically hurts me sometimes, and I’ll never stop pushing you to believe this.”
I really loved the first half of this book! I love that we got more of Callie and des being happy and in love🫶 I won’t lie tho, this entire book had me anxious. Callie is constantly saying “we don’t get to have normal, we don’t get to be happy like this for long” like she’s always waiting for the other shoe to drop. It made me enjoy the happy parts of the book less, waiting for something to rip them apart or Callie to be kidnapped again.
I was a little disappointed in some of the twists we got in this book. There was so much foreshadowing thrown in our faces that by the time Callie (the world’s worst PI) figured it out I was like uhh yeah duh???
I hate to say it but I really liked the thief of souls, I was picturing him as Loki. I thought the ending was a little anticlimactic for something that had been building for 4 books to the Big Bad Villain™.
After reading the last book from des’ pov I was really missing it in this one. Callie’s inner monologue is still cringey to me! I know we didn’t get des’ pov bc it would’ve ruined the plot twist but I just loved reading through his eyes.
Overall, I really liked the series and can see myself rereading in the future! The audiobooks were all great too.
“I love you, Callie, down to every feather and scale. I love your darkness, I love your mind, I love your humor and your most coveted dreams. And I love how you love me—wholly, deeply, passionately. “You’re not normal; you’ll never be normal. I’m so sorry to tell you that. You are so blindingly extraordinary that it physically hurts me sometimes, and I’ll never stop pushing you to believe this.”
I really loved the first half of this book! I love that we got more of Callie and des being happy and in love🫶 I won’t lie tho, this entire book had me anxious. Callie is constantly saying “we don’t get to have normal, we don’t get to be happy like this for long” like she’s always waiting for the other shoe to drop. It made me enjoy the happy parts of the book less, waiting for something to rip them apart or Callie to be kidnapped again.
I was a little disappointed in some of the twists we got in this book. There was so much foreshadowing thrown in our faces that by the time Callie (the world’s worst PI) figured it out I was like uhh yeah duh???
I hate to say it but I really liked the thief of souls, I was picturing him as Loki. I thought the ending was a little anticlimactic for something that had been building for 4 books to the Big Bad Villain™.
After reading the last book from des’ pov I was really missing it in this one. Callie’s inner monologue is still cringey to me! I know we didn’t get des’ pov bc it would’ve ruined the plot twist but I just loved reading through his eyes.
Overall, I really liked the series and can see myself rereading in the future! The audiobooks were all great too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Rape, Pregnancy