"My body, your altar."
Holy moly this book had some of all that is good: suspense, romance, Victorian style fashion, ghouls, you name it.
Ophelia Grimm is a reluctant necromancer living with OCD. We follow her through the trials of Phantasma, a devil-operated tournament, in an attempt to save her sister and the family estate. While participating in Phantasma, she meets one of my personal favorite MMCs, Blackwell.
And what a waist-coasted delight this Phantom is. Their joint journey is so much fun to follow, from the puzzles to the banter, all the way to some of the most swoon worthy proclamations I have read in a long time.
"My soul will go to its grave with your name echoing in my mind." I MEAN COME ON!!
The writing is so heartfelt. I loved Ophelia's growth and acceptance of her full self and desires. I missed this book as soon as I finished it!

“…taking care of yourself first is not a sin.”

“Phantasma,” by Kaylie Smith

I loved this book so much!!!!! One of the best books I’ve read this year and definitely is a top favorite book of all time. I adored every second of this book. I loved how the mc has massive OCD and is super loyal to her family. I loved the entire plot of doing trials in a haunted mansion with ghosts and devils tormenting the contestants. I loved the mystery of her finding her sister, finding out why her mother was involved, and about Blackwell. I literally loved everything and would change a single thing. I bought a physical copy so fast lol. 5 out of 5 stars.

-Magic
-Mental Illness
-Ghosts, Devils
-Necromancers

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

This book is my new obsession! It was just a perfect paranormal gothic romance that had every ingredient to make it a perfection. It kept a good pace, the characters were really well written and all in all it felt like a really unique story. Both Ophelia and Blackwell were very easy to fall in love with. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would.




Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with this arc.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing me with this ARC.

"Phantasma" by Kaylie Smith truly was a fun and super entertaining read. The story revolves around a competition (fight or die / similar to "The Hunger Games"), but with a gothic fantasy, romantic twist. I really appreciated the short chapters, which made it super easy to keep turning the pages, and the writing was engaging and on point.

Getting to know the characters was enjoyable, and I especially loved the relationship between the main character and her sister. The love interest came off as a bit bland for my taste, but honestly, that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story.

The romance definitely brought some heat (maybe a bit too often during some chapters, but... it is a romantasy after all). The haunted house setting was so cool, with a cast of quirky characters to match. Overall, "Phantasma" is a quick, fast-paced read that’s perfect if you’re looking for something entertaining. I highly recommend it!

Rating: 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Trope:
- Dark Fantasy
- Steamy
- Spicy
- OCD Rep
- Morally grey mmc
- Devils
- Haunted Mansion

This story is essentially ACOTAR x Caraval, and as someone who loves both of those series, this was an easy 5🌟 read for me.

We follow Ophelia, a necromancer with OCD representation, who is forced to participate in a deadly game called Phantasma in order to find her missing sister. The rules of this game are simple: survive, stay alive in a literal hell of mazes and challenges, and don't fall in love.

There are nine levels in total, and in the final level, only one can survive. We meet a mysterious stranger, Blackwell, who is a ghost that she has to make a bargain with to help her survive the games until she finds her sister.

I love it—like, really love it 🥰. The games were gruesome and full of gore. We had haunted mansions and horror nightmares, but we also got plenty of spice. I love Ophelia; her character development was amazing, from the first time we met her to the end—just perfect. The OCD representation was so well executed. The romance is my favorite—Blackwell is just so flirty and sexy 🤭🤭.

Though I could see the plot twist coming from the beginning, I still loved it because we got layer upon layer of twists 🥰🥰.

Welcome to Phantasma, where the stakes are high, the dangers are real, and the only thing scarier than the monsters lurking in the shadows is the possibility of losing your heart.

WOW what a ride this was! Think of Caraval.. but a more mature, action filled story.Kayla Smith takes us on a wild, pulse-pounding ride through a haunted mansion where nothing is as it seems, and the only way out is to win a deadly game.

Ophelia is on a mission—her sister has vanished, and the only way to save her is to enter the sinister contest known as Phantasma. However not everything is what it seems, as secrets unfold and the sisterly bond threatening to break.. Ophelia must do the impossible to survive.

Phantasma isn’t an ordinary competition. It’s a labyrinth of perilous trials, filled with dark magic, treacherous rivals, a mansion that seems alive with malicious intent and the threat of death around every corner. Each of the nine challenges is more dangerous than the last, and Ophelia quickly learns that survival isn’t guaranteed, especially when the other contestants will do anything to win.

Enter Blackwell, the mysterious and dangerously charming stranger who offers Ophelia a deal: his guidance through the treacherous trials in exchange for ten years of her life. Blackwell is a walking enigma—arrogant, alluring, and maybe just a little too good to be true. Ophelia knows she shouldn’t trust him, but as the trials grow deadlier, she finds herself drawn to him in ways she never expected and let me tell you, the chemistry is sizzling and the spice scenes are so hot that you can’t help but root for these two.Their banter is sharp, their connection deep, and the stakes of their relationship are as high as the game they’re playing.

Smith’s writing is as atmospheric as it gets, plunging readers into a world where every twist of the corridor and flicker of candlelight could spell disaster. You can feel the tension , with each challenge pushing Ophelia closer to the edge—both physically and emotionally. And just when you think you’ve got the story figured out, Phantasma throws in another twist that leaves you breathless. I will be honest, at the beginning I did suspect that ending twist, but slowly throughout the story, I forgot about this suspicion… to then be left gobsmacked!

Smith masterfully balances the romance with the horror, creating a story that’s angsty, nerve wracking as well as heart warming.

Phantasma is a hauntingly addictive read that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. I had to finish this as soon as I started, but felt so sad when I did finish it…what am I going to do with my life now? I need more Phantasma!!! I would love to see a spin off of the other side characters, such as Sinclair.. his character had me intrigued.

With its blend of dark fantasy, romance, and nail-biting suspense, it’s perfect for fans of twisted fairy tales and gothic love stories.

Just remember the rules: stay alive and don’t fall in love. But where’s the fun in that?

I adored every second of this book! This is for sure in my top books of the year!I adored every second of this book! This is for sure in my top books of the year!

This books has everything you could ask for! Gothic vibes, haunted house with trials, a HAWT MMC who is a phantom, OCD rep, and a forbidden romance all wrapped up into one amazing book! This book gives me Caraval vibes but more dark, mysterious, and way more spice!

"Welcome to Phantasma. There are only two rules to the game. Stay alive. And don't fall in love."

Ophelia grew up knowing her one goal in life. To continue the legacy of being a Necromancer. We learn what this entails and how Ophelia and her sister grew up in the same house but their lives are complete opposite. I love Ophelia, the way she grew leaps and bounds in the books, and her OCD rep.

When Ophelia enters this house she is immediately entranced by Blackwell. Let me tell you this man, or Phantom, is something else. He is arrogant, sarcastic, handsome, and charming all wrapped up into one. He really wrapped me around his finger with his charisma!

The ending was spot on, all the characters were amazing and I have a soft spot for Poe.

Again, I highly recommend this read to all!

5/5 stars
5/5 spice

Quote:
"One thing Blackwell had always been right about was that soft hearts did know one any good. They bled for those who didn't deserve it." "They broke over and over again. They bled for those who didn't deserve it."

Yall I was soooooooooooooooo excited to receive an arc for one of my most anticipated books of the year and let me tell you that it did not disappoint. I absolutely devoured this book and I’m trying my hardest not to reread it. Go pick this book up!!

Welcome to Phantasma where danger quite literally lurks around every corner and nothing is quite as it seems. The walls can shift, there are ghost and ghouls, and it’s hard to know who is really a friend or foe. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when this cover caught my eye on NetGalley, but this book sucked me in with well woven elements of fantasy, romance, thriller-like twists and turns, and a touch of haunted house horror. If you enjoyed “A Court of Thorns and Roses” or the “Kingdom of the Wicked” series, you should give this a read. I couldn’t figure out how Ophelia’s story was going to unravel as she went through the nine challenges or how other characters would play into her success or downfall, and this book had me guessing over and over. I am looking forward to see what happens next in the second book of this series. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for this arc!

This book was a perfect read to start out fall. While reading, the thing I kept on finding myself thinking over and over, was "This is just SO MUCH FUN", and that's really the perfect way to describe this book. It was dark, spooky, spicy, and just an overall fun time. I'm a sucker for a competition arc in a book, and this book delivered that in a very unique way.

This was low fantasy, set in New Orleans, with a necromancer as a main character. She enters Phantasma, a competition that travels from city to city offering up a wish to the winner if they're able to survive the terrors inside. This competition is perfectly spooky, and we also get a romance that had me giggling and kicking my feet. I just love it when a love interest is down BAD for the main character, and I love good banter.

It's important going in to know that this is a pretty graphic book, and while it's not a horror novel, it's horror adjacent. It reminded me of a cross between Serpent & the Wings of Night and the board game Betrayal at House on the Hill. If you like a darker fantasy setting with spooky and scary elements, this is the book for you.

Is it too soon to call this my favorite book of the year? Nope, because it is. As someone who has read over 300 books so far this year, I can confidently say that this book is the best book that I have read so far this year. It was so fast paced and engaging and I devoured every word of it. With all of the constant twists and turns, levels, and just overall excitement, it was a recipe for a great book. It was the perfect blend of horror, fantasy, romance, paranormal, and spice without it being overwhelming. It was just perfect. I can see myself revisiting this book for re-reads very often.

Ophelia enters a competition called "Phantasma" to attempt to find her sister and bring her home. Phantasma is a competition where many people compete in different levels based on morbid games that would sometimes end in death, or facing your biggest fears outside of the levels. No time of the day is completely safe while you are in Phantasma. However, at the end, the winner may wish for anything, and it would be granted to them.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the advance copy to read and review.

I was intrigued to read this based on it being marketed as similar to Caraval, which I loved. This did not disappoint in the slightest.

I loved the unusual premise of ghosts, devils and necromancers. It took me a little while to get into and understand the different meanings of the characters. But as soon as we got to the Devils Manor I was hooked. The characters were well presented, with great chemistry. There was a decent amount of spice but also a great plot with the 9 challenges Ophelia has to face.

The pacing was great and had me enthralled to find out what was going to happen.

I also love the mental health representation with the OCD tendencies. As someone who suffers with intrusive thoughts I found Ophelia extremely relatable especially when she was trying to push against the inner voice.

I think this is going to be one to watch in the fantasy book genre for 2024. Perfect for Halloween season.

4.5 stars.

🥀 𝑷𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒎𝒂. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙳𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚕'𝚜 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚛. 𝙰 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚗 𝚜𝚙𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚛𝚞𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚔. 🥀

If you have been looking for the perfect fall/spooky read, 𝑷𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒎𝒂 𝒃𝒚 𝑲𝒂𝒚𝒍𝒊𝒆 𝑺𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒉 is what you’re looking for! 🖤


✨ARC REVIEW!✨

Phantasma was exactly what I was expecting - a 5⭐️ read! It was like Caraval but darker, with gothic vibes, more plot, more suspense and thrill. And it’s definitely not a YA read. The spice was 🤌🏻🔥!! I’m giving it 3 🌶️! All I’m going to say about the spice is that the transporting ability is freakin hot!

I loved how the 9 challenges reflected the 9 circles of Hell. And the challenges were designed so intricately well, that I was always kept at the edge of my seat. The clues were so fun to try and figure out. I loved how gruesome the consequences were if you didn’t pass the challenge. And the fact that Phantasma is held in a haunted gothic manor satisfied my needs for the perfect spooky read.

What’s noteworthy is the OCD rep! The author did a beautiful job at incorporating this into the story and showcasing how it affects the FMC, Ophelia. It was an eye-opener to see how much more there is to OCD than just being cleaned and organized. That there can be dark symptoms and it needs attention like any other health condition.

Speaking of the FMC. I LOVED Ophelia! I always admire a heroine who is strong-willed and witty. It really made the banter between her and the MMC, Blackwell, so much fun and entertaining. And did I mention that Blackwell is a Phantom? That’s right! And remember I mentioned transporting ability?? Yup! BLACKWELL 🥰😍🫠 but the way he makes Ophelia feel safe and not “broken” because of her condition is beyond swoon-worthy!

Definitely add this book to your TBR especially if you’re a fan of these tropes:

• dark fantasy romance
• forbidden romance
• forced proximity
• OCD rep
• Necromancer X Phantom
• haunted gothic mansion

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the arc!! 🥰🫶🏼

I love a dark fantasy romance so this book really excited me and the fantastic characters kept me hooked.

n Phantasma, the only thing deadlier than losing the game is losing your heart.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Kaylie Smith for providing me with an ARC of Phantasma! I was absolutely enthralled with this dark gothic romantasy book filled with ghosts, devils, necromancers, and a deadly game that takes you through the circles of hell.

I really enjoyed following Ophelia, partly because she is not the most likable character, but as the book goes on, you really get invested in her story and her success. I found the romance to be super steamy, and the mystery to be a fun one to unravel.

If you are a fan of Caraval, KOTW, and ACOTAR, I think you will have a lot of fun with this one!

4.5 stars. Imagine Caraval by Stephanie Garber, but instead of YA, it’s for a mature audience. It has a gothic theme with trials, magic, phantoms, and demons. The stakes are high, verging on horror instead of fantasy, and the spice is next level. I was slow falling into the book, but after a quarter of the way through I couldn’t put it down. Sleep was lost, and it was worth so it.

A step away from my normal paranormal/fantasy type books. This was a darker romance with a Gothic vibe.

Take a family who make their living dealing with death magic, add in a murdered mother, a financial struggle and a mysterious but very dangerous game. One with a prize worth risking everything for. When Ophelia's sister enters the game ahead of her, Ophelia feels the need to go in after her and save her from herself (and the game).

Necromancers, deals with devils in disguise, Phantoms, secrets and amnesia like memory lapses all combine into a fantastic fantasy romance. Who can you trust in a haunted mansion when anyone could be out to get you? Who do you make a protection pact with?

I loved the world building and the FMC dealing with OCD so thoughtfully handled and really helps to tie the entire storyline together. This was definitely darker than my usual reads and there was plenty of danger and unaliving but it wasn't a straight-forward horror like story either.

Blackwell was the epitome of tall, dark and handsome with a mind with more holes than Swiss cheese! He exuded "Who did this to you" vibes and you're never really sure where he stands - he does take morally grey and runs with it!

Spicy without being over the top and a great paced romance.

Well having the hots for a ghost was not what I saw happening but I’ve been attracted to stranger so here we are 😂 this book was so good I don’t even know where to start. It’s described as caraval meets kingdom of the wicked and I got both vibes at the start, that dark witchy vibe, entering a game, sisterly love, it’s all there!! But once the game begins this is a story that stand on its own, it’s so much darker and sexier than I expected. I love the characters within phantasma, they were well thought out and described with interesting and sometimes spooky devils and ghosts. I loved Blackwell, his teasing had me giggling and kicking my feet. I adored Ophelia as an FMC, she was strong, she was fair and she took no crap. I also loved how her OCD and anxiety was portrayed, I have never suffered with OCD but the anxiety resonated with me so it was not surprising that the author based the rep on her own experience. Very well done. All in all I loved it and I can’t wait for more

Thank you to netgalley and second sky books for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review

Holy shit! I absolutely could not put this down. What an incredible ride this was, and I still haven't stopped thinking about it. Definitely had a lot of hand-wringing, nail-biting moments.

When Ophelia and her sister Genevieve find the mother dead in their living room, Ophelia, being the eldest, inherits the family magic and, along with it, the responsibility of carrying their family legacy. But when they learn of the debt their mother was in, her sister enters Phantasma—a game that is held in a cursed manor all over the world and has been scheduled to come to New Orleans next in order to win it and clear the debt. Ophelia has no choice but to take part in it herself to save her sister.

The game contains nine levels, inspired by the nine circles of hell. The person to clear all levels and win the contest gets to have their one wish granted. Here she meets Blackwell, who makes a bargain with her to help her with the levels of the game to find her sister, in return asking her to help him look for something he needs to find within the manor.


The plot was really well paced and will keep you at the edge of your seat right till the very end. The gothic setting of Phantasma was so captivating and enthralling that you can't help but get lost in it. The curiosity to learn more about these characters, the mystery they're trying to solve, the different levels of the game, and the manor and its many secrets. I loved the concept of the nine levels of the game being inspired by the nine circles of hell. Things kept getting more intense and dangerous as they cleared more levels, and the idea and hints of every challenge were so spectacularly done. The group of people partaking in the contest were diverse, which heightened the whole experience. There were devils too, each one wicked in their own way, trying to get them to make deals.

Ophelia Grimm was an absolute delight. Firstly, I loved the fact that she was tall because I'm tall and so tired of reading about FMCs who are tiny. She was a force to be reckoned with. I loved how badass she was, not having a care in the world about what others thought of her, calling people out when needed. She was so brave, never backing away from anything the game, manor, devils, or contestants threw at her, facing every challenge head-on even as things kept getting more gruesome with each level. Though she didn't spend her time trying to form friendships or bonds in Phantasma, she definitely had to question her morals, what she was willing to do, and how far she was willing to go with each level. These conflicts were well portrayed. Being sheltered the way she had, taking part in Phantasma really made her find herself in the most unexpected place and situation. Her struggles with OCD were very well woven into her character, and it was definitely well explored when it came to the game itself and how that was something the manor used as a pushback in her challenges. With this, Ophelia not only had to fight other contestants but also her own mind that was working against her.

As Ophelia tries to find clues about her sister, she unearths some secrets and shocking revelations about her family that make her question if she truly ever knew them as well as she thought she had, leaving her feeling confused and betrayed. She starts wondering if all that she had been taught to follow was really the truth.

Blackwell had me smitten right from their first encounter. He was mysterious, charming, sexy, mischievous, flirty, sarcastic, and just loved to mess with Ophelia. There was so much that was unknown about him due to his situation, and it only made the story more compelling as the plot unfolded. I loved how he was always there to help Ophelia, even before she made the bargain. He was so protective of her and took care of her after every level in whatever way she needed him to. Watching him slowly fall for Ophelia was so beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time, given the curse and their limited time with each other. My heart definitely ached for how lonely and hopeless he had felt for so long, and Ophelia was the first one to truly want to know him.

When it comes to the relationship between Ophelia and Blackwell, it felt natural and effortless for them to get comfortable with each other from the first moment. Though Ophelia had her reservations about trusting a Phantom given all the teachings from her mother, she couldn't help finding her way to him each time. Their constant bickering and banter was amazing, giving way to flirting, which made me smile a lot. They made a pretty great team, helping each other out in their quests. However, they also feel a sense of rightness, a pull towards each other that neither could explain. This leads to their relationship going from just their bargain to gradually developing much deeper feelings. Knowing the rule about not falling in love in Phantasma, they fought really hard against these feelings. They were both willing to do whatever it took for the sake of the other, which was just so beautiful and heartwarming.

The growing tension between Ophelia and Blackwell and all the close proximity led to some amazing smut, and damnnn the skills of that phantom, dirty talking being just one of them. The way he teased and worshiped her body was something.

The game, mystery, romance, and everything about this book were all well placed, timed, and executed.

Thank you, Kaylie Smith and Netgalley, for providing me with the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This was a great book! Gothic fantasy with forbidden love and deadly competition inspired by the Nine Circles of Hell....this caught my attention and kept me invested until the end. I loved this unique Phantom and Necromancer romance taking place in a haunted mansion in New Orleans, a swoon worthy MMC, fantastic banter, a FMC with OCD, forced proximity with spice. Loved it! Would definitely recommend.