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A review by livist
Rhapsodic by Laura Thalassa
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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This started a bit slow but got better. I would say this one leans more romance than fantasy. A lot of the magic is just doing more common things, so I guess it’s more like cozy fantasy? Idk genres
When I read romantasies I’m torn between two parts of me: the toxic romantic and the matured realist and this book was no exception.
The toxic romantic is like my own siren, she calls me to chill out and just enjoy the overbearing protectiveness of the male lead and ignore the large age difference between them.
I was purely a toxic romantic in my teens and early twents and that aged me would have found 0 problems with this story. However, my old ass was so perturbed. Like I always just ask why couldn’t she have been ending high school and all her sad years were in college? It’s so icky that he wants to fuck her at 16 and while the toxic romantic is all heart eyes over the, “I knew it from the moment I saw you trope,” the realist in me is like eewwww she wasn’t even 16 yet when you first met her!!!
Usually in these situations other stuff is happening fast enough to take me out of that mind set/distract me but because this leans more romance, that was the central focus. Their past and how it affects their present.
There’s a fantasy plot unfolding ever so slowly in the background but it’s only enough to delay them hooking up for most of the book and then suddenly she’s kidnapped and held for days in prison. It felt like it came from left field because it wasn’t the primary focus and then bam she’s in prison.
Also the main character is so so so insecure it is so frustrating. I don’t know how many times she had to be like,”he looked at me seductively BUT THATS JUST HOW HE IS. He doesn’t think I’m pretty bc I’m just me and he left me.” I wanted to just scream to get therapy girl.
Ultimately, Caly trades one possessive guy for another, albeit she has more history with Des.
There were some cute and funny moments too. Endearing he wanted to watch movies with her. I liked Desmond overall. I liked him a lot at the beginning when it seemed he had a strong moral compass and didn’t take her favor. I think the whole repayment thing was an interesting plot device too.
I liked the whole until the end of darkness metaphor and it being more meaningful in that darkness never seems to end. I liked some of the seemingly random customs/traditions, I enjoyed that part of the world building. Also lol to werewolves basically having a period.
I honestly liked the flashbacks to show their relationship building but when it was clear he wanted more from teenage her I was icked out. That’s when I wanted to be like let’s never go back to the past ever again.
I know a lot of her self esteem issues come from trauma bc the girl has really been put through the ringer and she seems like she’d be more bad ass but unfortunately a lot of it gets sidelined. I mean the girl gets nerfed instantly when she goes to the other world.
Otherwise, I thought the idea that earth has supernatural beings that walk amongst humans and there’s a separate magical world as a cool concept. I honestly wish we spent more time in magic land or ever more demonstrations of Cali doing more than fretting over her insecurities.
I’ll probably finish this series. This review seems very critical as it is the realist that often writes, but I enjoyed it overall and want to see more of where this goes. I just hope Caly gets some self love and we never tread back to high school ever again.
When I read romantasies I’m torn between two parts of me: the toxic romantic and the matured realist and this book was no exception.
The toxic romantic is like my own siren, she calls me to chill out and just enjoy the overbearing protectiveness of the male lead and ignore the large age difference between them.
Usually in these situations other stuff is happening fast enough to take me out of that mind set/distract me but because this leans more romance, that was the central focus. Their past and how it affects their present.
There’s a fantasy plot unfolding ever so slowly in the background but it’s only enough to delay them hooking up for most of the book and then suddenly she’s kidnapped and held for days in prison. It felt like it came from left field because it wasn’t the primary focus and then bam she’s in prison.
Also the main character is so so so insecure it is so frustrating. I don’t know how many times she had to be like,”he looked at me seductively BUT THATS JUST HOW HE IS. He doesn’t think I’m pretty bc I’m just me and he left me.” I wanted to just scream to get therapy girl.
Ultimately, Caly trades one possessive guy for another, albeit she has more history with Des.
There were some cute and funny moments too. Endearing he wanted to watch movies with her. I liked Desmond overall. I liked him a lot at the beginning when it seemed he had a strong moral compass and didn’t take her favor. I think the whole repayment thing was an interesting plot device too.
I liked the whole until the end of darkness metaphor and it being more meaningful in that darkness never seems to end. I liked some of the seemingly random customs/traditions, I enjoyed that part of the world building. Also lol to werewolves basically having a period.
I honestly liked the flashbacks to show their relationship building but when it was clear he wanted more from teenage her I was icked out. That’s when I wanted to be like let’s never go back to the past ever again.
I know a lot of her self esteem issues come from trauma bc the girl has really been put through the ringer and she seems like she’d be more bad ass but unfortunately a lot of it gets sidelined. I mean the girl gets nerfed instantly when she goes to the other world.
Otherwise, I thought the idea that earth has supernatural beings that walk amongst humans and there’s a separate magical world as a cool concept. I honestly wish we spent more time in magic land or ever more demonstrations of Cali doing more than fretting over her insecurities.
I’ll probably finish this series. This review seems very critical as it is the realist that often writes, but I enjoyed it overall and want to see more of where this goes. I just hope Caly gets some self love and we never tread back to high school ever again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Child abuse and Rape