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!

God, I am never going to recover from this book; I just know that the book hangover to come is absolutely going to ruin me— like I am unwell; just thinking about good this is! I went to sleep after finishing it and I woke up thinking about Blackwell and the ending— please, please bury with this book because I fear, I am in love with the Devil/Phantom and I'm never going to shut up about it.

A gothic romantasy I'll take 14 of those, right now, because I'm addicted!

The first few chapters really had me feeling uncertain, because I wasn't quite sure if I was following the story, but I’m so glad that my curiosity got the better of me, because things started to pick up when Phantasma, a deadly game that plays on your worst fears, with the promise of your most desired wish coming true was introduced.

I can't even begin to put into words the roller coaster of this book; the tension, the twists and turns that literally had me holding my breath until the VERY last page— like I was so close to thinking that this wasn't going to be a HEA, and in fairness, I think how it ended was left quite open, so can only hope that there is another book to follow.

I really loved Ophelia, she started off being quite sheltered and meek, but she really came into herself once she entered Phantasma. The OCD and anxiety representation was phenomenal, for that alone, I'd give it all the stars.

Blackwell: he had no business being as funny as he was, especially with his charming arrogance and quick wit, when it came to Ophelia. Never would I have thought I'd be here obsessing over a ghost, but here we are. I'm not mad about it, because Casper the friendly ghost was always my favourite movie to watch growing up! I just knew that there was more to Blackwell than he let Ophelia believe, but never couldn’t quite put my finger on it, and I would have never of predicted just how connected he was to Phantasma. The tension between them both was so criminally good; I didn't want for it to end, and she brought him to his knees, literally and figuratively, god I am never going to recover from it, I swear.

I'd like to thank Second Sky/Forever, Net Galley and Kaylie Smith eternally for the e-ARC, this is my honest review.

Tropes

Forbidden romance
Forced proximity
Mental illness rep (Anxiety/OCD)
Gothic vibes
Paranormal romance: witches, ghosts, devils
Touch her and die vibes
Dark Fantasy
Phantom MMC
Necromancer FMC
"good girl"

Thank you Second Sky and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own! What a thriller! In order to save her sister Ophelia must enter Phantasma, a game in which she’ll face nine challenges that become more and not dangerous. Her competitors will stop at nothing to win. Because, you see, the prize is a single wish. When Ophelia meets a mysterious stranger who offers her a deal, can she trust him? Blackwell, the man, is attractive and doesn’t seem dangerous. But things can be misleading. The rules of the game state to stay alive and not to fall in love. Could her connection to Blackwell be her downfall? Or will she win and be granted her wish? A thrill ride from start to finish that I couldn’t put down! If you like horror and gore mixed with a little romance and spice you’ll love this! Kaylie Smith creates a dark and creepy atmosphere that will be you into the games and on the edge of your seat! Highly recommend!

Thank you Second Sky/Forever for sending me an arc through NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

I'm OBSESSED with this book and it'll forever live in my mind rent free.

As someone with OCD, I can't tell you how much this book means to me. Ever since I was a child, I had thoughts in my head that'd tell me to do something in a specific way, to reach somewhere within a time limit, to count everything I saw, to sort things a certain way… or something bad would happen. It's gotten much better in my adult life, but I could perfectly relate to Ophelia, so thank you, Kaylie, for being vulnerable and sharing your experience with OCD through this book.

I loved the concept of Phantasma and that it was inspired by the nine circles of hell. The choice of supernatural beings and magic and the gothic vibes were amazing – I've never read something like that before. The pacing was perfect. While the 9 levels of Phantasma kept me on my toes, I also liked the slow and vulnerable moments between Ophelia and Blackwell. Blackwell was a great and unique mmc. Don't get me wrong, I do like a dark-haired shadow daddy, but having Blackwell as mmc was refreshing. Ophelia's character development was amazing. I loved how strong she became and learned to face her demons. The spice level was 2.5-3, which was just the right amount for me. Even though I predicted the plot twist, the ending still managed to surprise me and was very well thought out.

Overall. it was a dark, sensual, bloody, fascinating, intriguing and entertaining story you need to read if you like romantasy.

Oh hey it’s meeeeeee I’m reading this for work! Aaaaaaand there's a character limit on reviews here are some more words

Despite the promising setup, I didn’t enjoy it as much as expected. If this book weren’t an ARC, would probably have considered DNFing it. At first, I thought it was because I needed time to get through the beginning but actually the boredom lingered during quite a big part book. But wanting to write a proper review, I forced myself to continue, and I am actually glad I did. I did enjoy though most of the time the dynamics between Ophelia and Blackwell, a mysterious stranger who offers her a risky bargain. Their interactions and banter made the book more enjoyable to me.
The end of the book is where Phantasma truly shines. I found it well-crafted, making the earlier boredom worth enduring.
I was surprised by the amount of spicy scenes in the book. I had expected just one or two, but there were more than anticipated but they don’t dominate the plot. They could be removed without detracting from the storyline.

Overall, Phantasma has a lot of elements that should have made it a compelling read for me. Trials, romance, high stakes… But I found myself lacking interest. I do understand though why a lot of people would like this book. I truly loved the ending and would give this book 3,5 stars (the rating might seem high because of what I said, but expect from the boredom, I don't really have anything else to complain about and I was really hooked whilereading the ending).

If the author writes another book in this universe, I would probably read it. There’s enough promise in the world-building and characters to pique my interest for a potential continuation.

One word - A-MA-ZING! I’ve read loads of books based on concept of nine levels of hell but this one just stunned me. First of all, the chemistry between the characters is chefs kiss, this shadow daddy will not disappoint you. Second of all, the world building in this book is just so exquisite that you just submerge yourself in it, believe it and loose yourself there. I love loved loved the fact that it’s seems to be a stand-alone because it was just the right amount of everything and you’re satisfied with how it ended. Highly recommend!

This book felt like a dark version of caraval in Some ways and I absolutely loved caraval. This book had the perfect gothic vibes. I enjoyed the characters. Blackwell and Ophelia were amazing. The game was perfectly thought out and written. I would love to read more from this world and I can’t wait to see what Kaylie has next!

I'm not into a dark fantasy, but I was looking for anything that would pique my interest. This was not a book I particularly enjoyed. The plot is becoming increasingly muddled, and the fl goal is uncertain.⠀
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The concept is intriguing; it reminds me of Caraval mixed with the Hunger Games. So Ophelia attends a tournament in a demon castle to find her sister, who has mysteriously vanished. Throughout the competition, she faces challenges that remind me of Harry Potter like a gigantic snake appears, followed by a sword, which she stabs lol ⠀
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I found it difficult to connect with the characters, and despite my best efforts, I was unable to finish the book. I was already annoyed with the plot and main characters. Why was Ophelia so convinced that her sister would take part in the tournament from the start? Why doesn't she look for her friends' places first? Blackwell then asked Ophelia what she desired if she won. Rather than asking for her sister's return, she asked that their family bills be handled 😅🤣⠀
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However, I'd want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing the ARC. This book was not for me, but I will keep reading dark fantasy in the hopes of finding one for me.