Reviews with content warning for Kidnapping - Rhapsodic

Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

Rhapsodic by Laura Thalassa

86 reviews

kkopacetic's review against another edition

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dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.5

Way too much SA. A .5 bump only for the resilience of the FMC.

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kerrythefire's review against another edition

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dark medium-paced

3.5

This was ok but I wanted it to be so much more. I felt like it had some really good bones and potential, but I never pulled me in much below the surface.

Even with the flashbacks, I felt like I wanted more of Callie and Des' relationship development. I wanted to really understand their closeness... and I felt more told than shown. It didn't help that at times where I thought Des was kinda broadcasting things, Callie had a really aggressive doubt or confusion response. Like, she should have gotten it a little quicker.

I was interested in the mystery plot, but it needed more world building to actually hook me. As it is now, I don't think I'll continue with the series because I don't care quite enough to find out for the time I'd need to put in to get there...

I, like others, also didn't really get why they needed to make Callie 16 at the start. I feel like she could have been about to turn 18 and it still would have worked...

TWs:

rape, ongoing sexual assault of a minor by parent figure, gore, blood, violence, death

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smartcookiesca's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense 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

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bvroegop's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No

2.0

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passivemoon's review against another edition

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challenging medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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poetsofsweetpea's review against another edition

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dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Rhapsodic was a fairly spicy Romantsy story. It was scary but threaded with sexual assault. The age difference between the characters was problematic for me. It wasn't just that there was one, but the age and circumstances of their first meeting gave me the ick. The mystery of the children and catatonic fae was scary, but I wasn't satisfied with the resolution. Perhaps the payoff is further down the series, but I won't get there. I don't like sexual victimization as a plot point, and it was really the only thing moving the story forward.

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readyforit's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense 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? No

4.25

4.25⭐️1.5🌶️(I was promised spice with this series and honestly there were only a couple scenes and they weren’t super graphic)

This book is an urban romantasy set in our modern world but with an unknown other fae world. Callie is a human with siren powers who we learn has 322 debts to repay to The Bargainer (aka the fae king of the night realm aka aka rhysand 2.0). The story flips back and forth between Callie’s teenage years (about 7 years ago) when she made the bargains and present day, when The Bargainer has finally come to collect. Des is a possessive, obsessive, desperate man who would crawl home to her. I love how he’s only soft for her🥹 Callie is another one of those copy-paste badass FMC who is sassy and can fight and get shit done. You know her, you either love or hate her.

This book has a lot of similar elements to ACOTAR. If you hated how much world-building was in ACOTAR, you’ll probably enjoy this more since the world-building is minimal and woven into the flashbacks. I think it was a bit misleading of the author to write that the bargainer had “something else in mind” for Callie to repay her debts, which is honestly a really good premise for a spicy book, but didn’t deliver. Whoever rated it a 4/5🌶️ is out of their mind lmao.

I’ve read a lot of criticism about how des grooms Callie, and I think if that is a trigger for you, just skip this book. I don’t think des uses grooming techniques to form a relationship with Callie. I think they were two lonely people, one a human teenager and one the equivalent of a fae adolescent or young adult (idk he’s like 200 something), who formed a deep friendship that evolved into something more. He technically waited until she was 23 to come back to be with her and still gives her a choice. If every relationship between a human teenager and supernatural 100+ yo MMC is grooming then we also have to criticize twilight, the vampire diaries, ACOTAR, etc. It’s important to remember that this is 1. Fantasy and 2. Fiction.

Overall, I really liked the book but I don’t think I’ll reread unless the rest of the series really grips me. I felt like the first part of the book was very good and then the climax was a little lacking. I assume the villain will show back up later in the series.

I also listened to the audiobook and the narrator is pretty good! I would’ve liked it better if they hired a male narrator to do a duet for des’ lines but he doesn’t get a pov so I understand why they didn’t.

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