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hanschub's review against another edition
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
5.0
the plot twists go crazy in this one
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Pedophilia, Blood, and Sexual content
Moderate: Slavery, Murder, Death of parent, Rape, and Death
Minor: Sexual assault and Pregnancy
jelkebooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Ugh, my feelings on this book are so incredibly complicated. I mean, no it's quite simple. I fucking hate the romance, but I did really like the plot and world that this is set in as well. I also just thought this book just absolutely flew by. It was a really quick, and engaging read. I truly couldn't put this one down, and I'm really excited to read the rest of the series hopefully soon.
So yeah, the romance is just one massive ick. All of the consent in this romance is just extremely questionable. I don't know. I already feel such an ick over how they got together in the first place, but I just wish Des would stop using his bargainer magic to force Callie to open up to him. At least nothing physical is done while she's under his magic this time around, but it still feels so gross and icky. Especially because they also keep mentioning that because they are mates he technically has the right to do with her whatever he wants. BLERGH 🤮🤮🤮!!! I also very simply don't see any chemistry between the two of them. Yeah, they have sex like all the time, but I don't even see the tension there, and when it comes to romantic feelings, and that emotional bond, I just don't see it AT ALL. I don't know. I'm just not seeing it.
All of that being said, I really was invested in the plot. I thought it was really interesting, and it had some great little twists. It was just extremely gripping, and I love how it build on what we already did in book one. I can't wait to see how the rest of the story is going to develop in the next book. We also got to some parts of the fae world, and learning more about it. I also thought that was really interesting as well. I just wish the romance was less of a focus in the series, and instead the story and world would be allowed to take more of a forefront and therefore develop a bit better but oh well.
So yeah, the romance is just one massive ick. All of the consent in this romance is just extremely questionable. I don't know. I already feel such an ick over how they got together in the first place, but I just wish Des would stop using his bargainer magic to force Callie to open up to him. At least nothing physical is done while she's under his magic this time around, but it still feels so gross and icky. Especially because they also keep mentioning that because they are mates he technically has the right to do with her whatever he wants. BLERGH 🤮🤮🤮!!! I also very simply don't see any chemistry between the two of them. Yeah, they have sex like all the time, but I don't even see the tension there, and when it comes to romantic feelings, and that emotional bond, I just don't see it AT ALL. I don't know. I'm just not seeing it.
All of that being said, I really was invested in the plot. I thought it was really interesting, and it had some great little twists. It was just extremely gripping, and I love how it build on what we already did in book one. I can't wait to see how the rest of the story is going to develop in the next book. We also got to some parts of the fae world, and learning more about it. I also thought that was really interesting as well. I just wish the romance was less of a focus in the series, and instead the story and world would be allowed to take more of a forefront and therefore develop a bit better but oh well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Grief
kassidyreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, Death, and Violence
Minor: Slavery, Rape, Death of parent, and Kidnapping
vreyna20_2004's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Okay so I hated this. I despised this. Usually, the second book is better compared to the first one and yet I couldn’t find anything that I liked about this book compared to the first one. The only reason why I’m reading this damn series is because Audible made it free for a time period. There’s only TWO things that I enjoyed from this book and it’s the shooting stars scene and Temperance giving up her morality to find Callypso. When I listened to that part I audibly awed at that because that’s so sweet then everything goes downhill.
Des is a fae who lives in a different world, right? But he listens to artists like Led Zeppelin and that’s not an issue, it's the fact he is a supernatural being listening to Led Zeppelin that irks me. Then you have Callyspo calling her siren “my siren” for the 13523357835th time. Honestly everything about her annoyed me like how she missed netflix like ma’am there’s important things going on you can live without your shows for a bit. Or her being oblivious to the word bastard and saying she didn’t know what it meant. FACEPALM. I also hate how dense this girl is like she’s extremely close to figuring things out but doesn’t and the things are so obvious. It felt like the author didn’t try to hide it. Also Des and Callypso are so damn fucking horny that they do it EVERYWHERE!!!! It’s fine when people can’t get enough of each other however they can’t even do anything without fucking like chapter 40 it felt forced to me and the fact that Des said to Callie “you haven’t been satisfied enough” so they keep fucking. I CANT!!!!!
And the writing sucks. Temperance and Callie give off the vibe of “I’m a girl and I can do everything” which is fine but Jesus Christ when you hear that for the 1363487645487th time you just get tired of it. My brain literally sizzled out and blacked out while listening to this damn book. I hate it and hate Callypso.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent, Rape, and Slavery
Minor: Death, Pregnancy, and Sexual assault
maddierandolph's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Violence, Blood, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Alcohol, Rape, and Sexual violence
Minor: Death
rumroza's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Murder, Sexual violence, Violence, Death, Sexual content, Rape, Trafficking, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Gore, Torture, Slavery, and Kidnapping
katiecoconut21's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
A Strange Hymn was a vast improvement on Rhapsodic. This book had the elements I was missing from Rhapsodic, a true romantic development on the relationship between Des and Callie, and an intricate fantasy world that I could get swept away in.
Where A Strange Hymn felt like a unique world, with a romance I could root for, and an intriguing plot, Rhapsodic was the set-up of a "soul-mate" scenario to make this book flow better.
Honestly, my experience with A Strange Hymn is lessened due to the first book, Rhapsodic. I personally would have loved to see a more drawn-out, slow-burn romance, one where Callie truly admits her feelings for Des when she sees his world, one where the Bargainer would have kept the huge secret of "we're soulmates" a secret for a little while longer.
Having said that, this book elaborates on what Rhapsodic was missing, particularly in terms of plot. The plot of the Thief of Souls is incredibly interesting, and I am glad we got to focus more on that in this book.
Overall, I enjoyed A Strange Hymn, and am glad I stuck with the series long enough to get over where Rhapsodic fell short.
Where A Strange Hymn felt like a unique world, with a romance I could root for, and an intriguing plot, Rhapsodic was the set-up of a "soul-mate" scenario to make this book flow better.
Honestly, my experience with A Strange Hymn is lessened due to the first book, Rhapsodic. I personally would have loved to see a more drawn-out, slow-burn romance, one where Callie truly admits her feelings for Des when she sees his world, one where the Bargainer would have kept the huge secret of "we're soulmates" a secret for a little while longer.
Having said that, this book elaborates on what Rhapsodic was missing, particularly in terms of plot. The plot of the Thief of Souls is incredibly interesting, and I am glad we got to focus more on that in this book.
Overall, I enjoyed A Strange Hymn, and am glad I stuck with the series long enough to get over where Rhapsodic fell short.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Rape
Minor: Abortion and Pregnancy
dddorika's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Slavery, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent
topi_nopi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Slavery, Rape, Death of parent, and Body horror
Minor: Abortion and Sexual assault
cdmkylo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Really struggled to get through this book for some reason. It wasn't until about 70% through when I felt it picked up and then completely devoured it. Lots of build up and mystery leading to the end with mild cliffhanger.
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder, Sexual content, Slavery, Sexual assault, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Rape, and Sexual harassment