Enchantra by Kaylie Smith is what happens when you take a gothic fairy tale, add a deadly game, and sprinkle in some enemies-to-lovers tension that could set the whole cursed palace on fire.

This book is dripping in A Court of Thorns and Roses meets The Hunger Games energy, with high-stakes romance, beautifully eerie worldbuilding, and just the right amount of morally gray antiheroes to make you question your taste in men. If you love dark fantasy with tension so thick you could cut it with a cursed dagger, Enchantra is your next obsession.

As a huge fan of Phantasma, I was THRILLED to receive this arc of Enchantra. They are so magical, intriguing, spicy, and wonderful. Highly recommend to fans of Caraval, spice, and romantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley for this gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 Stars

Genevieve Grimm has always felt she’s been on the outskirts of love…from her mother, her acquaintances, and her partners. So, when she receives an invitation to visit the Enchantra estate in Italy, she accepts, hoping to find someone else like her. When she encounters Rowin Silver, their first meeting doesn’t go well and he adamantly tries sending her away. Genevieve is not deterred and determined to find answers, but once she enters Enchantra against Rowin’s wishes she finds herself caught up in a centuries long Hunt, that the family has been cursed to participate in by the estate’s devilish owner, Knox. Now she has to find a way to survive Rowin’s family during the Hunt and navigate her feelings for the exasperating Rowin, who she finds herself in a fake relationship with, in order to stay alive and free his family.

I loved Smith’s first book in the Wicked Games series, Phantasma, and Enchantra did not disappoint!! I was hooked at the very beginning of the story, and ready to find out more about Genevieve, after having Ophelia’s story in the first book. Genevieve makes for a fun FMC in Enchantra. She is funny, stubborn, witty, and a little forlorn. She’s had a hard time feeling loved, especially since her mother invested so much in Ophelia, knowing she would be the one to inherit their mother’s magic once she passed away.

The setting of Enchantra’s storyline is similar to Phantasma, in that both books, the characters must participate in games/hunts set up by one of the many devils in hell. In Enchantra, the Silver siblings (7 of them), have been caught up in the Hunt for centuries due to a curse. I really liked getting to know the various siblings and seeing their family dynamics throughout the story. Sevin was definitely my favorite among the side characters, and he totally gave me Damon vibes (from The Vampire Diaries).

Enchantra employs one of my favorite book tropes…marriage of convenience and Genevieve and Rowin go through a banter-filled loath to love relationship in the story. I loved how Smith used the games, during the Hunt, to progress Genevieve and Rowin’s relationship. The Hunt also allowed Genevieve the growth her character needed, as she discovered her worth in finally learning to believe in herself.

I devoured Enchantra in a day, and if you loved Phantasma, I think you will find you love Enchantra just as much! Smith weaves together a beautifully dark fantasy with an unhinged family, scheming devils, breaking a centuries old curse, and a lonely girl looking for the love she’s longed for her entire life. I cannot wait to see what Smith has in store for the next book in the Wicked Games series!!

This book had me hooked from the start! After loving Phantasma, I couldn’t wait to read this one, and it absolutely lived up to my expectations.

The story follows Genevieve, who, after her mother’s death, is desperate for answers. Those answers lead her to Enchantra, a cursed palace where nothing is as it seems. Rowin Silver, refuses to let her in, but Genevieve finds her own way inside. That’s when she realizes her mistake.

The dynamic between Genevieve and Rowin was EVERYTHING. Their banter was amazing

The eerie, high-stakes game at the heart of Enchantra felt like a twisted version of hide and seek, making every moment so fun and spooky!

Beyond the main characters, I loved how each player in the game had their own personality and role.

The writing was completely immersive. I’ll read anything she writes!!

If you love dark, magical settings, crackling tension, and a story that keeps you on edge, this one is a must-read.

Thank you NetGalley, Forever Publishing and Second Sky for this eARC.

If you were saying to yourself, "I'd love to read another book like Phantasma," you're in luck. This is a Phantasma dupe, which is not a bad thing if you enjoyed the original.

Enchantra sticks pretty close to Phantasma's formula: Plucky heroine gets trapped in an elaborate, multi-round game on a large mystical property. Plucky heroine and hot, mysterious, magical guy get thrown together and fall in the lust and love in the process. Secrets may tear them apart. Keep an eye out for the big twist.

Rowin Silver was a great hero--sexy, shadowy (literally), and caring. Genevieve Grimm was somewhere between a brat and a firecracker, and her sense of self-preservation left something to be desired at times. The games were all some version of Hide and Seek, which did make the story a bit repetitive at times. However, Rowin's large, complex family brought enough danger and drama to keep the plot moving along.

Overall, a pretty good sequel. Maybe not the most original, but it brought some in some new elements that were missing from the first book in the series. With a whole cast of Silver siblings, there are plenty of places the series could go from here. Just...maybe not set in another cursed property with an elaborate, multi-round game. Oh, who am I kidding? Even if Book 3 does precisely that, I'll read it.

3.5/5 stars

This was one of my most Anticipated reads for 2025 , and it didn't let me down at all, it was everything I was hoping it would be and so much more , I loved the banter between our two main characters, loved the story line and how much more creepy and twisted it was, and let's not forget how hot and steamy as well as spicy and let's not for how gruesome it was as well , what Can I say it was the perfect blend of everything I love , oh and the atmosphere of it was just as good as the Atmosphere in Book one ,only problem is I can decide which of the 2 Male characters I like the best Rowin or Blackwell,you no what , it doesn't matter their both hot,sexy , and dangerous so their both the perfect book boyfriends . Especially if your into the badboy dangerous types

“𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆.”

Just know I have been CRAWLING the walls for this book since I finished Phantasma and this didn’t disappoint. Thank you endlessly to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy.

This book has EVERYTHING. Set in a sprawling baroque mansion in the Italian countryside, Genevieve finds herself once again trapped and desperate to escape the clutches of Enchantra.

PS. Simon Says and Hide and Seek have never been so terrifying.

shadow daddy (to rival Blackwell himself)
deadly trials
animal familiars
amnesia
marriage of convenience

This was the perfect sequel to Phantasma, but it was so unique in its own right. With an ARMY of new characters to fall in love with, as well as some familiar faces, this was everything I wanted.

Thank you to the publisher & netgalley for gifting me an advanced copy of this book! I am unsurprised that Kaylie Smith came with a stunningly emotional, gruesome and spicy follow up to her hit book Phantasma. Enchantra is bold, sexy and just a bit spooky with all the murder and mayhem of another deadly game.

Genevieve and Rowin have smoking hot chemistry and their banter?? Absolutely incredible. They can't decide if they want to stab each other or kiss and I am here for it. Kaylie took the spice up several notches in this book and I definitely didn't think Blackwell would be overthrown but Rowin is now the king of book boyfriends. I am OBSESSED with him.

The atmosphere in this book is really something special. The Gothic vibes drip from this book and Genevieve is a very relatable character. Throw in some cute familiars (and some rip your throat out familiars), some scary devils and a grudge, you've got the best time in a book form. Absolutely perfect read. Don't miss out on this one. Move it to the top of your tbr right now.

"Shadows can only be seen in the presence of light. I worry when you leave, there will be no one left to see me."

I didn't think I would love this book as much as I loved Phantasma..... but I did! If you are in the mood for a deadly version of Hide and Seek and a pieced Shadow Daddy, this book is for you! I loved Genevieve and Rowin! I did not put this book down. (Seriously read it in a day!).

Love love love them. Genevieve and Rowin are everything. The back and forth banter. EEEeeeee.

I loved all the different ways they played hide and seek. It was so entertaining to read. (I really hope this series is made into a show, because I would love to watch this play out). I enjoyed all the players in the game, all the personalities and how they interact with each other. It was so much fun.

I screamed at the twist at the end and loved it. I can't wait to see what happens next. Also loved seeing Blackwell and Ophelia.

I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down. Kaylie Smith has such a way of bringing this fantasy hunger games like book to life. I was a little worried that this book was going to be too similar to Phantasma, but goodness I was wrong. This spicy enemies-to-loves, marriage of convenience, with games and trials was so hard to put down. I really liked Genevieve and Rowan’s story and how they are paired together for the “games” - in this case the evening Hunts. They must work together and trust one another to make it out alive while the whole demon world is watching through mirrors scattered around the manor. I felt like this book was more heavily focused on the characters instead of the games/trials like Phantasma which I really loved. Plus the endings that Kaylie Smith comes up with are SO good!
5⭐️ must read

Enchantra was one of my most anticipated reads of the year! Did it top Phantasma? No. Was it fun? Yes!

I wanted to love this more than I did - Phantasma was one of my top books last year and I had such high hopes for the second installment. I came into it somewhat skeptical about a repeat of the enchanted house x deadly trials setup and I was right to be; it was repetitive and odd to do this in such a similar way all over again. I really needed something more to differentiate this book. I wish I had reread Phantasma right beforehand too, because Enchantra dives right in so quickly that I felt disoriented by the start of the story.

That said, I felt that the second half of the book was much stronger than the first, and LOVED the last quarter or so. And while the spice continues to be on point, the grand romantic gestures and twists at the end of this story had me squealing and kicking my feet.

I personally also don't relate to Genevieve in the way I did to Ophelia, but I did appreciate her character arc in this book. I wish we would've learned more about her powers, because I didn't feel as if we really ever got much exploration or explanation there. I, of course, loved Rowin, but I wished that he was more unique - his character felt like it was written simply to play to many beloved romantasy tropes and I really wanted something more unique to this world. After all - there should be so much freedom and variety possible in this demon world! That was one of the aspects I loved about Phantasma - it really felt very fresh, while this one felt like it fell back on tired tropes. Umbra was an absolute standout!

All that to say - I wasn't sure where the author might go from here with this series, but she has very clearly left openings to continue the story and some loose ends, and I will absolutely continue the series.

Thank you to the publisher for the e-arc!

Thank you so much to Kaylie Smith and NetGalley for this advanced copy!

I loved the first book in this series, it stuck itself in my mind ever since I finished reaching the ARC copy, so you can imagine how unbelievably excited I was when I got the email inviting me to review Enchantra early.

I felt emotional reading Genevieve's story. A confident, beautiful, curvy FMC who knows her worth and who certainly isn't afraid to stand her ground for what she believes in. I saw myself in her, and I'll forever be in love with the representation. A character like her paired with a MMC with shadow powers? Say less. I'll be sold every single time.

The concept of immortal siblings having to quite literally hunt each other over and over again gave this story Hunger Games energy, mixed with just the right amount of fantasy horror that will leave you absolutely hooked. I won't be able to think about anything else for the next few months.

“I know,” Rowin murmured, as he pried his eyes away from her writhing body to meet her gaze. “I know. You’re taking it so well.” He groaned. “You’re the most stunning person I’ve ever seen.” The only thing she could think to say was, “Obviously.” The smile he gave her now was brilliant.

This world. This book. I’m in love with everything about it. The magic system, the complex characters, and brutality of the competitions. Everything. Genevieve was so fun, she was so unapologetic and a little crazy. Rowin was…hmm…yeah. He was everything. He was obsessed with her from the beginning and was terrible at hiding it. The Silver family was so tragic and broke my heart and I need MORE! I need to know what happens to everyone. I loved the peaks at my loves from Phantasma!! That ending though…I have so many questions! If you loved Phantasma you will love Enchantra!

“I’m sorry if I left marks,” he told her as he pulled back. “Don’t be,” she assured. “Maybe I can leave a mark on you next time.” He stood now, offering a hand to help her up along with him. “As long as it doesn’t involve biting,” he agreed. She pouted now. “But you’re so fun to bite.”

I also like to bite Vivi. 😈

So to start, I loved the first book in this stand al0ng series, Phantasma. But this book. WOW. I adored it even more. Something about their chemistry between the main characters, and the family just hooked me. That and it included some of my favorite tropes - forced/arranged marriage/fake dating. I loved the push and pull of the characters and the very real and relatable inner thoughts that preventing them from diving into the relationship full force. Overall, highly enjoyed it and highly recommend!

I have finished enchantra! My god, it was so good! I laughed, cried, and felt all the things. That ending had my heart! I dare say this one stole phantasma from my favorite spot. I cannot wait for more writing from you. No notes. Just perfect! This author just gets better and better with every book she puts out!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted arc! I had so much fun with this. The vibe/aesthetic was completely different from Phantasma, but we still got deadly trials and a steamy romance. I will say that I did prefer Phantasma, though. I’m definitely excited that the epilogue seemed to set up for another book!
Genevieve was okay—she definitely wasn’t my favorite FMC. She kept making stupid choices that had me wanting to yell at her through the book. Homegirl needed better self preservation instincts 💀 I liked Rowin, and the banter between him and Genevieve was great.
I think where this book really shined was the Silver family. I loved the different personalities of each sibling. I also found the concept of the trials to be interesting, but I wish the trials themselves had been more unique. I loved getting a glimpse of Ophelia and Blackwell.

Darkly enchanting, deadly romantic, and absolutely impossible to put down.

From the very first page, Enchantra pulls you into its tangled web of illusions, curses, and high-stakes seduction. Genevieve Grimm is the kind of heroine I love—clever, determined, and just reckless enough to throw herself into a game where the only options are win or die. And then there’s Rowin Silver. Broody, arrogant, and absolutely the kind of morally gray disaster that makes every scene sizzle. Their fake dating dynamic? Perfection. The forced proximity, the tension, the push and pull of knowing they can’t actually trust each other—delicious.

The setting is just as intoxicating. Enchantra is a palace built on secrets, an eerie, living entity where every turn could mean danger or desire. It’s the kind of lush, gothic world that feels like a dream you can’t wake up from—both beautiful and treacherous in equal measure. The stakes are high, the tension is impeccable, and the twists kept me on edge.

So firstly, I’m not going to compare Phantasma and Enchantra with each other as they are both insanely amazing books in their own right and I strongly recommend you give both a try! Both focus on the same fun theme of deadly trials and have a morally grey love interest but that’s where their similarities end.

Enchantra features the baroque era - picture beautiful sweeping ballgowns, gothic architecture, dinners around a large table - and it’s a majesty of colours and vivid imagery. This is balanced perfectly with the banter - Rowan is swoon worthy (although Sevin has my heart - I’m praying from the ending that he’s next to be featured) and the fast paced plot.

The trials were reminiscent of children’s games but deadly (squid game vibes?) but with the characters pitted against one another. I was on the edge of my seat and did not want to put this book down!

I’ve added this author to my buy immediately list and am only sad that being UK based that I have a long wait. In that sense, I’m eternally grateful to the publisher and author that I was able to read this arc early! Would I make a bargain with a demon for this arc if asked despite knowing how stupid that idea is?… Why yes, yes I would!

5 stars! This was a blast to read, and dare I say...this is my new favorite in the series! A deadly game of hide and seek set against a sumptuous Italian baroque countryside, with sensuous close encounters (in every sense of the word), banter, betrayal, and intrigue around every corner (and the occasional backstabbing or two).

Kaylie Smith’s Wicked Games series has me in a chokehold and I am already DYING to get my hands on the next one...