Phantasma by Kaylie Smith is a magical and engaging fantasy debut. With a well-crafted world, strong characters, and an exciting plot, it’s a fast-paced and immersive read that will appeal to fans of all genres. It is, of course, a must-read for romantasy lovers!

I absolutely adored this book! It was a perfect, gothic, spooky read! Perfect for spooky season. I really loved Ophelia and thought she had lots of layers - she was also relatable to me. I also love Blackwell - I wasn't aware I was into phantoms, but they/he sure does it for me! Ophelia's and Blackwells banter was fantastic and I loved how much he wasn't bothered by any of the insecurities Ophelia has and shared with him.

Something that was a little annoying at some parts was all the back and forth on if they were going to continue their physical relationship. It was giving me whiplash with "no we can't" to spicy times and then back. I think it was just done a few too many times throughout the book.

I don't have OCD, but from what I read and researched, this book show's respect to the condition. I could tell that the author did research or has experience with OCD.

Overall, I loved this book and recommend it to my friends! I cannot wait for book 2 to come out!

I loooved this book so much! Ophelia's daily life with OCD was really eye opening. And Blackwell was just amazing throughout the whole book!

A dark and sexy romantasy book

With some dark parts of the book that might trigger some readers

Will read this author again

A super fun, gory, unique, sexy romantasy set in New Orleans that surprised me, shocked me, and was a lot of freaking fun. If you love:
🩸 - blood and violence
🩸 - blood and making out lol
🩸 - devils and demons and phantoms and ghosts and ghouls
🩸 - thinking about haunted mansions and how you would escape while wearing a lacy nightgown

READ. THIS.

*I just wish it was gayer lol

This one had potential but just wasn’t for me. I’m not a much of a dark romance girl but I gave it a try and just didn’t love it. Not my cup of tea but might be perfect for others!

I picked this up when it was described as a darker caraval. I love creepy books involving games. The writing was easy to follow but not too simplex. The characters were interesting and not always doing dumb things as a plot device. It had a bit more spice than I’d normally read but it wasn’t over the top. I’m actually extremely excited to see a book 2. I loved this story all around

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, I sometimes struggle with fantasy/romantasy because of the world building and writing styles. But this book truly is amazing, and I hope that it surpasses other popular books (Fourth Wing, I'm looking at you) given just how good it is.

Reasons to read this book:
Set in New Orleans in the late 1800s/early 1900s
Paranormal beings (ghosts, apparitions, phantoms, devils, necromancers, specters)
Gorgeously gothic atmosphere
OCD representation in the main character
Salaciously spicy sex scenes
A challenge/puzzle world built on the 9 circles of hell
Super hot Blackwell
Sisterly bonds
The GORGEOUS COVER!!!

Big warning though -- this is GRUESOME! If you are afraid of blood, violence, death, murder on page - then you might want to stay away.

This is perfect for spooky season, and I think it will be raved about for the coming years.

Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 / 5 ⭐️
If you’re looking for a spooky season romance that leans into the horror and paranormal with *excellent* spice and a cute fluffy ghost cat to boot? This is it! As far as spooky season romances go, I enjoyed this departure from the cute and embraced the path of the gore, horror, and Devils. 😈
I was so pleasantly surprised by the unfolding of this story from being plopped into the action right at the start. I love when stories start this way: no preamble, just tossing you into the story and you catch up.
The author’s incorporation of her own struggles with OCD through the main character was interesting, compelling, and endearing. I felt her catharsis through writing this character.
Don’t even get me started on Blackwell 🥰😋🥵
We get a man (phantom) who lives to eat 😉. We get hurt and comfort in many ways and multiple times, which I LOVE as one of my favorite tropes. I heavily seek out fan fiction that features this. And the level of protective and possessive while still giving her choice? 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 He has the wickedest and sweetest mouth on him, saying both FILTHY and heartbreakingly beautiful things.
Also, the Danny Phantom vibes from his description are spot on and I’m here for it!

His expression shifted into something like thoughtfulness. “What is your name?”
She stared at him for a long time, deciding if she should risk giving it over to him.
He gave a dramatic sigh. “If I give you my name first, would that help?”
“Possibly,” she answered.
“You can call me Blackwell. It’s nice to officially make your acquaintance…?”
A long pause. Then, “Ophelia Grimm.”
“Ophelia,” he repeated, tasting every syllable. Her name on his tongue sounded like a wicked prayer. “You are exactly the person I’ve been waiting for.”

“Phantasma” is a “captivating from the first page” dark romantasy book by Kaylie Smith.

Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Plot: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Characters: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Suspense: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Romance/spice: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

What you’ll find in this book:
⭐️ Forbidden love
⭐️ Steamy dark Romantasy
⭐️ Deadly games
⭐️ Strong Female main character
⭐️ Slow-burn Romance but quick pace book
⭐️ Jaw-dropping twists & suspense

My Review:

AMAZING! I was captivated from the first page and couldn’t put it down! Interest stayed the same throughout the book! Deliciously captivating story and characters. This book is all about how a love that looks life-threatening and totally forbidden (we talk life or death forbidden) can eventually work out. A dark life-altering romance that will keep you on your toes!

The writing style and chapter separation are so good that you go from one chapter to the other without stopping.

If you are a lover of supernatural romance and love games and puzzles as much as I do this book is totally for you. One of the best I read this year!

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for my early copy. All opinions are mine and sincere.

#Phantasma #NetGalley

I’m not sure a book could surprise me as much as this one has. I absolutely judged this book by its cover and therefore put off reading it because I was scared it was going to be a poorly written dark romance, but honestly this book was wonderful. I loved the trials or everything the MC went through. I loved the steamy scenes. And I loved the writing. I regret this took me so long to get to, but I’m so thankful for the opportunity to read it and be able to praise it to other people.

While Phantasma had an intriguing concept with its deadly trials reminiscent of the nine circles of hell, it ultimately felt bogged down by a romance that overshadowed the fantasy elements. Ophelia, our main character, came across as immature and frequently blamed her sister for her own poor decisions, lacking the accountability I wanted to see.

The relationship between Ophelia and Blackwell was especially troubling. Their rapid transition from strangers to lovers was unconvincing, and the awkwardly timed intimate scenes detracted from the more serious moments of trauma and danger. It felt like the story was more focused on "romance" than on character development or the gripping plot it had set up.

There were glimpses of potential, particularly with the character of Genevieve, who remains a mysterious figure I’d like to learn more about. However, the overall execution left me wanting more depth and coherence. I wouldn’t compare it to Caraval, as it lacked that whimsical charm, and while it has dark elements, it didn’t quite resonate like ACOTAR. It’s a missed opportunity for a richer story.

Phantasma felt like Caraval on steroids.

When you think steroids, you think stronger, bigger, but this was more in your face. A lot of aspects felt forced. The romances and physical intimacy that followed was insta-lust/love and at times a bit cringe. The lady-lead didn't feel 'strong', very reminiscent of Tella in Caraval, and I couldn't stand her.

I love romance and I love fantasy, but I'm not sure how excited I am about the growth of the romantasy genre. It tends to focus more on the romance (Which I truly love), but it's at the expense of plot. I want to see a better balance on romance and plot.

I loooved this book. Starting with the characters, the mysteries, the demons and challenges and the ending, everything felt just right for me.

I was really excited to get into this book, especially after I've seen some artwork on the gram, and it did not disappoint. The story follows Ophelia as she's trying to find her sister who disappeared after a fight. Soon enough she'll be disappointed to find out that there are many things she didn't know about her sweet sibling. The clues will take her to Phantasma, a magical house filled with demons where people always risk their lives hoping that they will win the big prize, and that's where she hopes that she will find her sister. There she will face many difficulties, make some friends, and some enemies and hopefully, she will be able to find all the secrets she needs to.

Now, it sounds really bad already, but Ophelia is not you ordinary girl, she's a necromancer and she also has OCD, both things being quite important in this story and I loved how the author showed the struggles and how people deal with it everyday.

I think this book managed to stand out and had many unique elements (at least compared to what I read so far), but everything blended together really nicely and the book was easy to read

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Phantasma was SO much fun. This is a pretty dark one so be aware of the triggers before jumping in including some graphic violence during each challenge. There are different paranormal beings including witches, necromancers, devils, and phantoms, the romance was fantastic, and each level brings a new devil/challenge for the contestants to overcome.

This won't be for everyone, however, I loved it! Cannot wait for the next one

Having seen this being raved about on tiktok and instagram by early readers of the book, I knew I had to read it for myself. A book that was a mix of Caraval, Throne of the Fallen and A Court of Thorns and Roses? Count me in!

I reallllllly enjoyed it, and I loved that our FMC has OCD. I feel like you don't see that often enough in books, especially not portrayed in a way that makes you understand it a bit more, like this did.

I can't wait to get into the next book!

This book is unique and gorey and saucy and funny and scary and sad and sweet and dark and amazing. I loved every single page. This book is so unabashedly itself - is that something you can even say about books? Don’t care, I’m saying it anyway. She just leaned into the weird and rolled with it and I’m here for it. Plus the ending was so good and satisfying. I didn’t know how she was going to wrap it up and it was perfect.

⭐️ 4.25
🌶 3.5

Thank you NetGalley, Second Sky and Kaylie Smith for the free review copy.

Let the games begin! Talk about being on the edge of my seat. This book was such a fun, macabre read - perfect for spooky season.

Set in an alternate early 1900's New Orleans, Phantasma is a richly described, opulent gothic mansion that would make Dracula drool, inhabited by demons and haunted by apparitions, ghouls and phantoms. The details of the colours and textures throughout, in particular, really added an authenticity to the worldbuilding.

However, the regularly-scheduled hauntings curbed my house envy, because those ghosts aren't messing around. Their job is literally to k!ll or scare as many contestants into forfeiting as possible, using their greatest fears against them. These scenes shifted the story from paranormal fantasy to horror-esque.

Combined with the genuinely deadly and vividly described violent trials based on the 9 realms of Hell, this book isn't recommended for anyone who gets scared or squeamish easily. A lot of horrible deaths and injuries happen on page, so things do get dark. Definitely not pitch black, but darker than average.

One of the most poignant aspects was Ophelia's OCD. The personification of her inner mental voice responsible for her obsessive thought patterns and Ophelia's own feelings about her struggles with her compulsions really hit home for me. This representation was handled authentically and respectfully.

Emotionally, this book feels like a roller-coaster. One minute, someone d!es gruesomely, then the FMC and MMC are getting intimate and then it swings back to snarky banter. Personally, I loved it because it kept me on edge and nervous throughout.

Speaking of, the romance was delightful! I loved the main couple's dynamic and the spice was spicing nicely. If you like praise kinks, Dramione fanfics and the headboard scene in Silver Flames, you'll have fun. Also, this is definitely a case of insta-lust. Warning: this book is NSFW from around 20% onwards for both gore and spice.

Overall, if you love interconnected standalones, dark gothic paranormal romance combined with sadistic ghost hauntings, violent illusions conjured by a sentient mansion, menacing yet oddly charming demon hosts and an arrogantly sauve, protective, snarky phantom MMC who could be Draco Malfoy's twin, you'll probably love this book.

Now bring on book 2!

One of the best books I've read this year. A stunning depiction of OCD in a tale that is as haunting as it is romantic. The writing is breathtaking, and I felt like I was beside Ophelia in Phantasma the whole time. I'm already itching to open the pages again--and I cannot wait for the sequel!

Did I just find my favorite book of 2024?? Holy. Crap. I can’t even explain how much I loved it. Every single thing was perfect. The plot, the pacing, the characters, the ✨vibes✨ It felt like a blend of Kerri Maniscalco, Stephanie Garber, and Erin A. Craig in all the best ways. I will now be trying to convince everyone I know to read this book.

If you love gothic fantasy romance with a touch of mystery, this is a must read.