Absolutely captivating! A dark, gothic paranormal fantasy romance set in New Orleans. This book kept me entertained from the first page to the last. Strong FMC with representation of OCD, a devastatingly handsome FMC with a delicious mouth, deadly games, a haunted house of horrors, plot twist, great spice, and an hea! I’m pretty sure this book has every single one of my favorite micro tropes as well. The only thing I disliked was the overuse of some descriptive words. Not a deal breaker just something I did notice.

Caraval meets gothic paranormal romance. Contestants must face their greatest fear and fight to the death for the ultimate prize of a wish. Phantasma is a game of pleasure, pain, and fear. One rule is to not fall in love, for love only leads to ruin.

Ever wondered what it would be like if Caraval collided with The Haunted Mansion?

Well look no further than Phantasma, a thrilling dark paranormal romance that will set your heart racing for more than one reason.

After the death of their mother Ophelia and Genevieve are faced with losing their family home to the bank. Genevieve acts rashly and runs away to try and win Phantasma a deadly game run by devil's, ghosts and phantoms. Win and you can request your hearts wish, but losing is far more likely and deadly. Ophelia follows her sister through the depths of hell while she tries to not break Phantasmas cardinal rule - don't lose your heart.

Read this if you love-

• Spice
• Handsome devil's
• Dangerous contests
• Sisterly love
• All is not what it seems
• Mischievous cats
• Morally grey characters
• Hurt her and die

ARC Review-

This book reminded me of the Night Circus mixed with ACOTAR mixed with Kingdom of the Wicked and I LOVED it. Set in a gothic, New Orleans, necromancer Ophelia battles her inner demons while facing actual demons in order to save her sister and her family’s legacy. While taking part in a series of trials inside a haunted manor, she meets an infuriatingly attractive, cocky, persistent Phantom who offers her a deal in which he would help her through the trials, and in exchange she would help him find the key to his freedom. Chaos, romance, and plot twist ensue as these two beings navigate their new partnership in the House of Phantasma.

I loved everything about this book. The setting was enthralling, the OCD rep was very well written and beautifully heartbreaking to follow, the strangers to reluctant allies to lovers was fantastic. I definitely can’t recommend this book enough and I really like that it was a standalone. I don’t often find romantasy books that are standalone so I am very happy about this discovery and that everything was tied up at the end. If the author decides to continue the series as an interconnected standalone series, I would be very interested in reading more about Sinclair and his journey, given what we learned about him towards the end of the book.

Overall, I totally recommend picking this book up as soon as you can. I really believe it will be the next big romantasy craze once it releases officially!

Thank you NetGalley and Second Sky/Forever publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book a lot. This is one of those books where the characters will stick with me for a while, living in my head rent free. I love that the male main character is a ghost, we really need more books with those, they're always so unique. The dark, gothic vibes overall were also amazing.

I love slow burn, and this book wasn't, but I can't really complain with the great smut-to-story ratio it had. There were quite a few steamy scenes, but not so close to each other that it felt too much. I would definitely recommend this to people who like to have a little more smut in their romance books, while still focusing on the story too.

The story was exciting and never got boring, nor too high-stress. Great balance there, too. My only complaint there is that the ending wrapped up real fast. There are still some questions left unanswered, though no pressing ones, so I assume that's for a reason - hopefully some of the other characters will be getting books too. There are so many interesting characters where we only got a glimpse of the story. I also have to mention that the main character here was super interesting though!

Overall, I really liked this book and can't wait to read more of the author in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and Kaylie Smith for providing the ARC in exchange for a honest review!

5⭐️ Oh my gosh this book was everything! This is a dark gothic fantasy with some elements of romance as well. The setting takes place at a magical house where a competition called Phantasma occurs, and the house travels around the world for anyone to enter the game. This book specifically follows Ophelia and her journey with Phantasma. This book had twists and turns that made me just want to keep reading! With the competition there are different levels and each level corresponds with something specific. I found reading about the different challenges so interesting and I really enjoyed how they kept me guessing. The banter in this book was so good as well. This book had magic within the house but also magical being as well. If you liked the book Caraval this is similar to that but a bit more dark and twisted and so entertaining! This book was everything I was looking for!

Thank you NetGalley, the author, and the publishers for this eARC for my honest opinion.

*♡Thank you to NetGalley and Kaylie Smith for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion♡*

4.75⭐😈
Wow, this book, I could not put it down!!
A dark, gothic, spicy Caraval which did not fail to disappoint! A morally grey MMC and a determined, fiesty FMC discovering who she is without her mother while competing in a deadly contest run by devils to find her sister. The only rules, stay alive and dont fall in love.

I loved the chemistry between Ophelia and Blackwell, the tension and the heat made it gloriously satisfying to read their relationship develop. I cannot wait for fanart!

The story keeps you guessing all the way through and I gasped more than once at the twists and turns it took. The challenges Ophelia must face to win Phantasma are a good and refreshing mix of phycological trials with gory results.

The OCD representation through Ophelia seems well thought out and tastefully executed. It doesnt overide the overall story, but adds a depth which makes the character all the more interesting.

Would definitely recommend Phantasma, it will not disappoint 😈🥰

Okay wow! This book absolutely took my breath away. First of all, the depiction of New Orleans in this story was absolutely spot on. Kaylie Smith put her whole heart into this book. This was an absolute dream to read. This was a prime example of gothic fantasy done right. This was a perfect mixture of Caraval and Kingdom of the Wicked which really sold me. I also really love the mental health representation the author presents us with. Our main character Ophelia struggles with OCD and even anxiety as well. It’s amazing to see how resilient she is as she faces both the internal trials of her mental health, as well as the external trials of Phantasma.
Phantasma is the gothic, Haunted Mansion style sibling of Caraval in my eyes. You have daring contestants, high stakes, mystery, and even a dark and witty male love interest. Blackwell was definitely written for those who grew up with a crush on Danny Phantom and grew up obsessed with dark fantasy books. I highly HIGHLY recommend this read. Especially if you are looking for a book to read this spooky season!

Nothing bad to say about this one! Absolutely dark and magical. A fast paced read that I honestly could not put down. I had my own thoughts over how this read would end but with some twists, the ending was not what I expected, which I loved! There was some spice, magic and a main character who is very determined. Highly recommend!

Thank you to netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to advance read.

This book felt familiar and yet fresh.

When a book boasts a deadly game, I want my anxiety about the characters to be as high as the stakes and this did not disappoint. While I had an idea where this book was going, it did not take away from the storyline at all. I loved how chapter by chapter new information was revealed and things started to come together more and more.

Ophelia as a main character was relatable and I found her strength through her insecurities and mental health struggles to be relatable. And Blackwell, well, he is that morally gray stranger we all would make a bargain with in a heartbeat.

Overall, one of my favorite Romantasy books I have read, and I will definitely be recommending it to everyone.

This is like Caraval's older, more mature big sister 😂🖤 I really enjoyed it, Ophelia is a great character. It's fast paced, spicy, kept me guessing at every turn!

Thank you Second Sky/ Forever and Netgalley for the e-arc of Phantasma

4.5 ⭐️

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I thought the plot was great and it kept my attention. As soon as the fmc entered Phantasma and the storyline really started developing, I was hooked. Also while I had some predictions on the twist at the end, there was no way to figure out all of it, which made it even better. I highly recommend this book.

This was super fun! I was a little nervous going in, since this is a newer indie author with her first adult novel. I went in with no expectations and was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked this.

The beginning was a little rough, but the plot quickly developed into something fast-paced with nonstop action. Although, I do think the word “macabre” was slightly overused- I think it showed up at least 15 times. The ending also felt a bit rushed, but tied everything up nicely. Though, I did have some leftover questions about specific aspects in the novel.

Phantasma is a haunted house the mysteriously appears in different cities as a competition mimicking the nine circles of hell. If you survive all nine circles, a devil’s grant is gifted to the winner- your wish is their command with no strings attached. Ophelia enters the competition after her sister disappears, thinking that this is the only place she could have gone. Ophelia experiences a real type of hell in this house and discovers truths that have been hidden for centuries. Will she find her sister and save her family from debt? Or will she succumb to the devils and their bargains?

Devils, demons, phantoms, necromancers- this book has it all! To boot there’s an awesome love story that makes this the ultimate romantasy.

Mental health is also acknowledged in this book. Ophelia suffers from OCD manifesting as malignant voices in her head compelling her to do things. I thought this was well done and an important lesson to readers.

Overall, 4 out of 5 stars and would recommend when it comes out September 3rd.

This was the perfect boom since I was looking for something dark and magical. It was such an enjoyable read that I couldn’t put it down.

This book was SO immersive, once I started I simply couldn't stop. One of the things I liked most while reading was FMC, Ophelia. She’s so funny and easy to love, I laughed a lot with her and with the dynamic between her and Blackwell. The romance in this book was top tier, the banter got me giggling and kicking my feet most of the time!

If you liked Caraval but want something more dark, I highly recommend this one. Thank you NetGalley for the arc! :)

The cover and blurb really pulled me in to reading this book. But I did not expect to be so obsessed with it! This book was intense, dark, addictive and simply perfection!

I really liked how the book started. The world building was really good and it gave us plenty of story building up to Phantasma. It made me feel a bit on edge (in a really good way!) because I was wondering what was going to happen and how anything was going to happen.

I loved reading about Phantasma, it was a dark, enamouring world. There’s a lot that goes on within the world but none of it is the same. It’s so creative!

I also found that blackwell’s character was very mysterious and intriguing. To start off with, there’s not a lot known about his character but I love a mysterious man so I was obsessed with him quickly. Hehe

I would honestly really recommend this book. I was obsessed from the first chapter and loved every moment of it!

Where to start with this novel? It can literally live rent-free in my head for the rest of eternity (as long as I get to steal Blackwell from Ophelia!)! I loved everything about this novel, and literally every time I got my critical cap on to try and find areas of improvement, the author literally read my mind and by the next page was like BAM, here it is. I cannot fault this book in the slightest and will be getting the paperback as soon as it comes out! I really feel like I won the ARC lottery with this one, and the author has created a crazy fangirl who will happily shout out about this novel to anyone!

So why did I like it?

*Set of challenges based on the nine circles of hell. And when I say they are creative – they are creative! I got AIB vibes, hunger game vibes – it was on the edge of your seat kind of reading

*Main female character – she’s sassy, can tango with devils, knows how to ask for what she wants – I bow down to her (although I will be stealing her beau). I also really appreciate the OCD rep – it had a creative spin to it (told via a voice in her head), and as someone who doesn’t live with OCD, it really helped me empathise with those who do and appreciate what they go through.

*Blackwell – the ghostly love interest. I didn’t think ghosts would be my thing, but apparently this one is. He’s the right mix of cheeky, spicy and romantic. Give me. Will willingly make a devil’s pact if I get some of those spice scenes to myself!

*Fast-paced – the book moved! I managed to read this in three nights, and probably would have finished sooner if I wasn’t sleep deprived with a newborn.

*Tropes – forbidden romance, forced proximity, “good girl” – yes please!

I can count on one hand the number of novels I’d re-read (I’m a notorious one read only kind of person) and rave about to others – this book is joining those select few!

I’ll happily walk through those nine levels of hell, if I could make a wish with the head devil at the end, and demand the author writes more now! Run, don’t walk to pre-order this book!

Ophelia must enter a dangerous contest in order to win a wish that will save her sister.
It took a few chapters for me to really get into the story, but once I did, I wasn’t able to put it down! Ophelia had such great character growth. Blackwell was such a great character but it’s hard for me to put into words why without spoilers. The chemistry between the two leads was just… perfect.
A beautifully dark gothic fantasy with spice, perfect for fans of Caraval.

4 stars on StoryGraph

Phantasma is a fun, spicy debut romantasy standalone novel that is sure to interest fans of the genre who are looking for a dark, creepy twist.

I thought the premise was interesting. We have the trope of “trials” that our main character is forced into, but with the twist of them being based on the nine circles of hell. I also really liked the magic system and how intertwined it was with the trials themselves.

I did enjoy Blackwell and Ophelia’s journey and their relationship was a ton of fun to read. Their dynamic is comforting, which was a nice foil to the horror setting for the book.

The best part by far was Ophelia and the depiction of OCD. This was such a well done take and something I haven’t seen in a romantasy novel before. The anxiety and tension that this detail adds and how Ophelia grows and changes while handling her OCD really brings this book to the next level and helps it stand out from many other books I’ve read.

What I really did want, and why this was a 4 star read for me, was just a little more depth. I wanted to understand a bit more about the side characters and their arcs. Even at times Blackwell and Ophelia’s feelings felt rushed. If there was a little more time fleshing out the character moments I would have bumped up the score for sure! There were times where just a little more time to let things settle and sync in would have been great.

Overall, this was a fun story, and worth a read if you’re looking for creepy romantasy book!

Phantasma is a beautifully written, stunning gothic romantasy. I absolutely loved this book! When Ophelia's sister disappears, she realizes the only way to save her is to enter Phantasma - a deadly game based on the nine circles of Hell. With her sister's life on the line, Ophelia cannot afford to be distracted. Unfortunately, the charming and arrogant Blackwell has a different idea. To make it to the end of the game, Ophelia will need Blackwell's knowledge of the house and the different levels; however, such information does not come cheap. If Ophelia cannot uphold her end of the deal, she will forfeit ten years of her life to Blackwell. With her life at a stake, Ophelia must battle monsters, survive fatal obstacles, and resist her dark desires.

I seriously loved everything about this book! To begin with, the setting is spectacular. I could vividly imagine every aspect of this haunted mansion that creates its own horrors. The house had everything one would expect is a gothic mansion: huge chandeliers, secret passages, large libraries, and resident ghosts. Next, the challenges, based on the nine circles of Hell, were all very creative and progressively got more horrifying. I definitely had nightmares after reading about some of the levels. Finally, the characters were all well-developed and interesting. I enjoyed getting to know Blackwell's history right alongside Ophelia. Phantasma is easily one of my favorite books of 2024! Definitely a five-star read!