Rhapsodic by Laura Thalassa

Title: Rhapsodic

Author: Laura Thalassa
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: The Bargainer #1

Paperback, 326 pages
Publication: November 15, 2016 by Lavabrook Publishing Group
Source: Personal library
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Callypso Lillis is a siren with a very big problem, one that stretches up her arm and far into her past. For the last seven years she’s been collecting a bracelet of black beads up her wrist, magical IOUs for favors she’s received. Only death or repayment will fulfill the obligations. Only then will the beads disappear.

Everyone knows that if you need a favor, you go to the Bargainer to make it happen. He’s a man who can get you anything you want... at a price. And everyone knows that sooner or later he always collects.

But for one of his clients, he’s never asked for repayment. Not until now. When Callie finds the fae king of the night in her room, a grin on his lips and a twinkle in his eye, she knows things are about to change. At first it’s just a chaste kiss—a single bead’s worth—and a promise for more.

For the Bargainer, it’s more than just a matter of rekindling an old romance. Something is happening in the Otherworld. Fae warriors are going missing one by one. Only the women are returned, each in a glass casket, a child clutched to their breast. And then there are the whispers among the slaves, whispers of an evil that’s been awoken.

If the Bargainer has any hope to save his people, he’ll need the help of the siren he spurned long ago. Only, his foe has a taste for exotic creatures, and Callie just happens to be one.

My Thoughts

Have you seen those tiktok videos or IG posts where they mention a book so many times that you cave in and buy it? Well, Rhapsodic was that book for me. It also helped that the book featured a Fae and Siren. The synopsis sounded promising, but I was a bit hesitant in starting the book. The reviews were divided, people either loved it or hated it. However, curiosity got the better part of me.

 

The opening chapter had me intrigued. With our heroine’s siren budding powers, she becomes the target of everyone’s attraction whether she wants it or not. Even her own father. After multiple violent attacks against her person, she fights back which is how The Bargainer came into her life. She makes a deal with him to get rid of the evidence and the police off her back in exchange for a favor of  The Bargainer’s choosing at a later time. One favor becomes two favors and so on until she owes him over 300.

 

The book jumps back and forth from the present to the past, alternating chapters showing readers Callypso’s relationship with The Bargainer over the course of seven years from the age of 16. This book was tricky since the heroine was so young at the start. Callypso spent most of her time with him and although nothing truly happened until the very end of the seven year (a kiss) its hard to ignore that he’s an adult and she a minor. Many people had issue with this, and I too can see what’s problematic with this relationship. But the same could be said about Twilight and other novels featuring century old sups and their teenage human love interest. So I wouldn’t get too bent out of shape about it. Like Twilight again, The Bargainer waited for Callypso to get older to pursue an intimate relationship…specifically 23-years-old (unlike Bella’s 18).

 

I like the plot for the most part, it was different. What I didn’t like was how rushed the ending was and the problem solved. For example, The Bargainer was plagued by the Thief of Soul for almost what, 10 years or something? Thousands of women put under the sleeping spell and countless numbers of children born and The Bargainer couldn’t protect his Kingdom from this villain? Then suddenly Callypso comes along and attracts The Thief of Souls attention and her bracelet from The Bargainer led him straight to her and the Thief. It was a little too easy, convenient, and anticlimactic in my opinion. Overall, I liked Callypso and The Bargainer Des. Honestly can’t think of anything negative about them. I read a review that Callypso’s best friend, Temperance was poorly written and that I agree with. I guess she was the token person of color friend because the way the author wrote her. Was it supposed to make her sound ‘ghetto’? Well, whatever the author was trying to do, she failed. Because hello....most women don’t call their friends the B-Word or other degrading terms. Normal people of any ethnicity don’t talk like Temperance at all. Talk about trying to stereotype people. Like Temperance, most of the side/secondary characters were poorly developed. I didn’t care about their story nor were they memorable.

 

At the moment I am a little curious to see how Callypso and Bargainer Des’s relationship/ story will play out but not so invested that I need to read the sequel immediately. Would I recommend this book? Not really. The writing and story was decent but nothing spectacular. There are far better faerie fantasy out there. But if you’re looking for a quick brain candy smutty book...then you may be interested in Rhapsodic.

 

Beneath the Haunting Sea by Joanna Ruth Meyer

Title: Beneath the Haunting Sea
Author: Joanna Ruth Meyer
Genre: Fantasy
Series: N/A

Hardcover, 400 pages
Publication: January 9, 2018 by Page Street Kids

Source: I received a review copy from Saichek Publicity in exchange for a honest review.

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Can't you hear it, Talia?

Can't you hear the waves singing?

Sixteen-year-old Talia was born to a life of certainty and luxury, destined to become Empress of half the world. But when an ambitious rival seizes power, she and her mother are banished to a nowhere province on the far edge of the Northern Sea.

It is here, in the drafty halls of the Ruen-Dahr, that Talia discovers family secrets, a melancholy boy with a troubling vision of her future, and a relic that holds the power of an ancient Star. On these shores, the eerie melody of the sea is stronger than ever, revealing long-forgotten tales of the Goddess Rahn. The more dark truths that Talia unravels about the gods' history--and her own--the more the waves call to her, and it may be her destiny to answer.

 Beneath the Haunting Sea was a wonderful surprised. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would and who would’ve known that this was exactly the book I needed to read. Not only was the imagery and writing beautifully detailed and written but it was also the perfect self-discovery, fantasy adventure that we need more of. Many reviewers mentioned that this was very Jane Austen-ist, and I couldn’t agree more. Beneath the Haunting Sea is in the same vein as Lord of the Rings, The Princess Bride, and Stardust…so if you’ve enjoyed any of the aforementioned novels; then you’ll love Beneath the Haunting Sea.

Meyer hits the ground running with her debut young adult novel as readers are introduced to Talia, who was destined to be a future queen one minute and an exiled princess the next. After the coup d'etat, Talia found herself shipped off to Ruen-Dahr and betrothed to a boy she’s never met. It is there that she learns about her true lineage; that has her and her betroth Wen’s lives entangled. I haven’t read many novels involving sirens or sea gods/goddesses, so picking this book up was a breath of fresh air amid all the Urban Fantasy books I’ve been reading. I loved Meyer’s writing, she had me glued to the story from page one. And while I normally hate flashback scenes, Meyer expertly woven them into the story/dialogue that I found myself looking forward to hearing the tales of Rahn and the Billow Maidens.

Talia was a pretty good protagonist, most of the time. She is without a doubt independent and brave considering everything she’s been through and it is a lot. But I couldn’t help find her interaction and infatuation with Caiden vexing. On one hand, yes I know she’s just a teenager and she sees a handsome young man that she’s bound to be swooned by his charm but by when you reached the end of the book, everything was for naught. Meaning, the story line involving Talia and Caiden was pointless and brought nothing to the story except some teenage angst. This would be my only complaint because it took up a fair amount of page time which I thought could’ve been utilized better but It didn’t make me enjoy the book any less. I also really liked Wen, Talia’s betroth, he’s such a caring sweet heart. Although I felt bad for him for the majority of the book, he definitely got the short end of the stick. On a random note, can I just saw how awesome are these characters names? I thought it was perfect for each of the characters…Talia, Wen, Caiden, Blaive…love it!

Beneath the Haunting Sea is what I’d call a hidden gem of 2018. I haven’t heard much press about it until it was put on my radar for review and I glad for it! Beneath the Haunting Sea is a story about fate, love, selflessness and embracing who you are. I highly recommend Beneath the Haunting Sea to all Gothic Victorian, Fantasy, Jane Austen-lovers; this is a debut you don’t want to miss! 

Spectacle by Rachel Vincent

Title: Spectacle
Author: Rachel Vincent
Genre: Speculative Fiction
Series: Menagerie #2

Trade Paperback, 400 pages
Publication: May 30, 2017 by Mira

Source: I received a review copy in exchange for a honest review.

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When their coup of Metzger's Menagerie is discovered, Delilah and her fellow cryptids find their newly won freedom brutally stripped away as they are sold into The Savage Spectacle, a private collection of "exotic wildlife." Specializing in ruthless cryptid cage matches, safari-style creature hunts and living party favors, the Spectacle's owner, Willem Vandekamp, caters to the forbidden fetishes of the wealthy and powerful. At the Spectacle, any wish can be granted—for the right price.

But Vandekamp's closely guarded client list isn't the only secret being kept at the Spectacle. Beneath the beauty and brutality of life in the collection lie much darker truths, and no one is more determined than Delilah to strip the masks from the human monsters and drag all dark things into the light. 

I had the pleasure of reading Menagerie last year and absolutely fell in love with Vincent’s new series. It was one of my top novels of 2016. I honestly wasn’t sure if Spectacle could out do the last book. I knew Vincent wasn’t going to make life any easier for Delilah and the Metzger crew, but never in a millions years did I expect what was going to happen in Spectacle. It had everything that I loved in the first book and so much more. I was blown away by Vincent’s writing and storytelling, she certainly out did herself. No sophomore slump here!

Spectacle takes place approximately a month after the events of the first book. Delilah and the other cryptids are somewhat free now after hijacking the menagerie. The traveling show is still making it’s engagement from city to city but little do the humans know that the cryptids are really running the shows. Until a rival cryptid dealer found out the truth about Metzger’s Menagerie. Delilah and her cryptid friends found themselves locked-up once again and at the mercy of The Savage Spectacle’s owner, Vandekamp. Spectacle was as gruesome, horrifying and unimaginably crueler than its predecessor and this time around we saw a different kind of abuse. Menagerie was all about physical, bodily abuse and the endurance of an individual. We saw that again, but this time it was all about the the psyche. Showing us that abuse, torture and imprisonment could take on many forms; and doesn’t necessarily mean chains, whips, or starvation.

Spectacle and the series as a whole is not for the faint of heart. This book is brutal. The things done to the characters are pure evil and disgusting. There are some pretty horrific descriptions of what happens to the characters in the book. But Vincent’s storytelling isn’t all about brutality. It’s about rising up and breaking the metaphorical chains. It’s about people/species as one, the ‘underdogs’ fighting for equal rights and their freedom. The humans in Vincent's world see the cryptids as nothing but barbaric monsters, but again we see that appearances, the species they’re born into doesn’t define them or make them inherently good or evil. It’s the choices one make. And that sometimes the real monsters are not what you’d picture with sharp fangs and claws. Vincent also paints a terrifying picture of a different type of torture. In Spectacle, Vandekamp uses high-tech collars to control the cryptids. He could immobilize, silence them and induce pain with a touch of a button. Slowly taking away their free will and their will to fight. I honestly didn’t think anything could be worst than Metzger, but a cage is a cage no matter how shiny and pretty it looked.

If you love dark Speculative Fiction, then read this series. If you want a thought-provoking story, read this series. If you want to read one of 2017 must read novels, then read this series. This series, needs to be read in order, so I suggest starting with Menagerie. Spectacle exceeded all of my expectations and I thought the sequel was even better than the last book. I loved Spectacle! It was unputdownable and had me constantly on the edge of my seat. I can’t wait for the third book, especially with the little revelation at the end. I was super happy about it! Someone needs to acquire this series for TV/movie rights stat!

Reckoning by S.J. Harper

Title: Reckoning
Author: S.J. Harper
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Fallen Siren #2

Mass Market Paperback, 304 pages
Publication: October 7, 2014 by Roc

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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Special Agent Emma Monroe has a secret. She’s a Fallen Siren, cursed by the gods and banished to Earth for her failure to prevent the kidnapping of Persephone. As an FBI agent she saves the lives of others believing redemption could be one rescue away.

Her partner Zack is a werewolf and former Black Ops sniper who once carried out a string of questionable assignments. Now he’s determined to atone for his past. Ironically, there’s a portion of his past Zack doesn’t remember—an affair with Emma. Giving into their attraction for one another almost led to their undoing. Now it’s back to business as usual.

While trying to unravel the mystery behind a series of kidnappings in Southern California, Emma and Zack become entangled with political tensions in the vampire and Were worlds. Not to mention the struggles they face in their relationship with one another. With so much uncertainty, they come to realize the only thing they can really count on is one another…or can they?

Reckoning is a great follow-up to last year’s debut Cursed, an Urban Fantasy with a perfect combination of mystery, romance, and paranormal. Reckoning picks up 5 months after the events of Cursed. Emma our heroine was cursed never to find love or happiness by the Goddess Demeter when she failed to save Demeter’s daughter from the clutches of Hades. As penance Emma must save those that are lost/or missing and bring them home safely; hence her working in the FBI’s missing unit. Like the first book Emma and her partner Zack are on another case, this time involving three missing girls all from the same academy. Unlike the first book, there is a big subplot interconnected with their current case that involves the weres and vampires.

As much as I enjoyed the first book, I thought Reckoning was even better especially since readers are seeing more of the paranormal side. In the first book besides knowing Emma was a siren and Zack a werewolf, readers didn’t see so much of the paranormal; at least not till the very end when it was revealed that vampires were being taken which in turn introduced readers to the Vampire King Kallistos. I was so happy that I got to see more of Kallistos, like I mentioned in my review of Cursed I was super intrigued by Kallistos even if he was only in 4 or 5 pages. So Emma is in a no-strings –attach relationship (but not a relationship) with Kallistos which is both fine by them. I really like Kallistos and seeing him with Emma. Of course I haven’t forgotten about Zack, even though his intimate memories of Emma are wiped; they still have plenty of banter and chemistry between them. I love both of the guys; they’re great in completely different ways and I’m torn on who Emma should be with now.

I know that Emma is still in love with Zack, but it really bugged me that for most of the book she kept prying and grumbling about what Zack did in his own time or if it involved his Ex Sarah. I mean there were also times where she’d sabotage her own plan to keep them apart. I honestly think if she’s spending the majority of the book regretting her choice and consciously trying to jump start Zack’s memories then she should have never given him the potion in the first place(yes, which mean I think they should of just taken a chance and try to find a way around Demeter). The more Emma thought about not being able to be with Zack, she started to direct that frustration out on Kallistos who has been nothing but caring and protective of her. Yes, he enchanted a tracking device on her without her knowedge but I think it was all within reasons as he is the Vampire King with lots of enemies (who would target what he cared for the most, which is Emma). Emma would accuse him of being unethical in some aspect of his life but he was always upfront about himself. Emma knew all of this of course but she was finding any/all reasons to end their current arrangement.

The ending was pretty horrible (in terms of what Demeter did) but not surprising. Did I feel bad for Emma? Not really. Demeter gave Emma a short reprieve in the love department, and of course she jumped on that ASAP. Any thoughts of Kallistos went straight out the door, I mean, wow you’ve been sleeping with the guy for 5 months…the least you can do is give the guy a heads-up right? Nope. Then the twist comes, the horrible thing I mentioned and who comes in to pick her up when her world is crashing down? Kallistos, of course. I know Emma said from the start that her arrangement with him is only physical but it still rubbed me the wrong way.

Overall I enjoyed Reckoning, the book grabbed me immediately from the first page and kept me glued to the very end. The plot was fast-paced and engaging, and I love that the authors expanded on the world. My only issue with this book is that I wasn’t happy with Emma and how she handled her relationship with Kallistos and Zack. My complaint about Emma in the first book about how she was a hypocrite (when she was mad Zack didn’t want to tell her he was a were even though she knew, and yet she wasn’t willing to tell him what she was) reared its ugly head again in this book. I would have rated this book a 5 but because of those two reasons I deducted a star. With how things ended, I am curious to see how everything will play out in the next book…I just hope Emma will give Kallistos a fair shot and not just use him.