A review by jess_another_book_nook
Rhapsodic by Laura Thalassa

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

I decided to do this one as a buddy read with a friend and wasn’t sure what to expect going into it. In general, I tend to go into books blind. Following Callie’s POV the book has a dual timeline between the present and the last time she saw The Bargainer 7 years ago. 

 

This book is filled with a lot of supernatural elements and has a slow and tense burn as Callie and The Bargainer come together again after nearly a decade. I thoroughly enjoyed being thrust into the present with them and the animosity they have, but then having the relationship they did  have slowly revealed to us in the past timeline. It helped better establish the relationship and where the animosity and hurt were coming from. 

 

On the other hand, I felt there were some racial stereotyping and I got the ick when the character spoke. I also prefer to be shown things more than told them, so struggled with that aspect of the storytelling. 

 

Overall, I thought it was a fun and entertaining read.