A Strange Hymn (The Bargainer #2) – Laura Thalassa

Blurb

Siren and soulmate to the King of Night, Callypso Lillis survived the clutches of Karnon, the mad king, and his twisted prison. But the nightmare isn’t over. Callie wears the physical reminders of her time as a captive, and mounting evidence suggests the Thief of Souls is still out there.

When a fae celebration thrusts Callie and her mate, Desmond Flynn, into the Kingdom of Flora, they take their investigation with them. But under the bright lights and striking blooms of the realm, they find there are more immediate issues to deal with. No place is more uniquely savage than the great fae halls, and no amount of bargains can save Callie from royal intrigues.

Fairies play dangerous games. Some want love, some want vengeance, some want flesh, and some want things too unspeakable to utter. One thing is for sure: no one is who they appear to be. Not even Des, who only grows more enigmatic with every passing secret.

But the Kingdom of Flora has its own secrets, from bleeding trees to branded slaves and missing guards. Something is stirring in the land of all that grows, and if Callie isn’t careful, it will claim everything and everyone she loves—and her along with it.

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Stats

Page Length: 324
Publication Year:2017
Genre: Fantasy
Characters:  Callie, Des, Temper

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Thoughts

I thought this was a very good follow-up to Rhapsodic. I liked how the story carried on right where the other one left off.

Story

The story begins with Callie still trying to accept her physical changes from her time spent with Karnon. Des begins to train Callie in combat and in a bid to make her feel more at home in his world he takes her on a tour of his kingdom.

After visiting many islands in the Kingdom of Night Des and Callie are called to a solstice celebration at the Kingdom of Flora, this where the story really starts to get interesting.

I thought the storyline of this book was very clever, it did keep me guessing until the end, I was not expecting the Thief of Souls to be who he was.

Characters

The shining light of this book was the chemistry and understanding between Des and Callie. I loved reading the banter between them.

I like to take a moment here and talk about Desmond Flynn, this guy is so swoon worthy it’s ridiculous! For a character who is so dark and badass, he says the most romantic things to Callie. I loved that he treats Callie like an equal and actively trains her himself so that she can defend herself. I also like that he embraced her wings and scales even when she herself couldn’t.

“Seven years apart,” he continues, “and the woman you became was a world away from the girl I met.” He tilts my head so that he can look me in the eye. “That only made me want you more. You were both old and new, familiar and exotic, within reach and forbidden. And I wanted you so badly for so long I was sure it would kill me. “And when I look at you even now—especially now—I see one simple truth.” He stops speaking. I sit up a little. “What was the truth?” In the darkness, I can see him staring back down at me. “You are magic, love.”

I really liked Callie’s character development in that she learned to accept herself. Her Siren side is also an absolute pleasure to read. I like how fearless and independent she is. She doesn’t feel the need to hid behind Des, the way she stood up to Mara (The Queen of Flora) was brilliant! This quote right here is a prime example of what I love about her:

“I wrap my own towel the best I can around myself, accidentally plucking a few of my feathers in the process, my eyes fixed on the Bargainer. I am absolutely creeping on this man right now and I have zero regrets.”

I also loved that we got to see more of Temper (Callie’s BFF) in this book. I really enjoy the fierceness of her character.

Favorite Quote:

Conclusion:

This was a very enjoyable read. If you loved Rhapsodic than this is a must read. I’m super excited that the last book is set to be released this year!

My Rating:  5/5  🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟