Phantasma: A dark fantasy romance

I have just finished reading this book and all I can say is, “Wow!” I finished this book the first time a few days ago. I just knew that I wasn’t done with the characters yet, so I began to reread the book as soon as I finished it. I have now read it twice and it was even better the second time through. I don’t normally write reviews, but this book definitely deserves it. The story follows the Grimm Sisters, Ophelia and Genevieve after the untimely death of their mother, Tessie. Tessie was a Necromancer and had trained Ophelia to take over the family business of helping the citizens of New Orleans with speaking to the dead. Ophelia, being the one to carry on the family business and magic feels extremely pressured to maintain her family’s legacy, despite Genevieve telling her otherwise. After a heated argument between them, Genevieve runs off only leaving a note that says she will be back in two weeks time. Ophelia, feeling wrought with worry reads her sister’s diary. In doing so she uncovers Genevieve’s obsession with a place called Phantasma and a mysterious man named Gabriel. Phantasma is a deadly competition that takes place in a Gothic mansion. There are nine levels, each modeled after one of the nine circles of Hell. Their mother had warned them to stay away from places such as this, so Ophelia decides to enter the competition in order to find her sister before it’s too late. Upon entering the competition, she is warned that if she falls in love within Phantasma that she will fall victim to a centuries old curse. She balked at this advice because she was there only to find her sister. However, Ophelia soon discovers that it may be harder than she thought to stay away from love. She soon comes across a handsome phantom who awakens her in ways she had never known before. Soon, they begin a journey of merciless violence, nightmarish sights, and a race against time to find Genevieve. Can Ophelia find Genevieve and avoid the curse with how Blackwell (the phantom) makes her insides turn to mush with a single touch? The romance between Ophelia and Blackwell is truly one of a kind. Their relationship is complicated from the beginning thanks to a blood bargain. I loved how their story progressed. Some people think their story is all insta-love, but I Musi disagree. There is a clear progression of feels over time for both characters. It’s especially apparent upon a second reading. Is it fast? Yes. I really liked Ophelia’s character. She was a strong female lead. Yes, she is somewhat immature at 23, but given how her mother treated her and how much trauma she endures within Phantasma’s walls, I can give her a pass there. If you want a thrilling, bone chilling tale of horror, fantasy, and a swoon worthy love story then look no further.

📚 Book Review: "Phantasma" by Kaylie Smith 🕯️ Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ What I loved: 1. The gothic and scary vibes 👻 2. Ophelia's growth and inner strength 💪 3. Ophelia + Blackwell 🖤 📖 About the Book: To save her sister, Ophelia must enter Phantasma, a deadly contest inside a haunted mansion, and face nine dangerous challenges. Along the way, she forms an uneasy alliance with Blackwell, a mysterious and attractive stranger who offers to guide her through the trials in exchange for ten years of her life. 🤔 Review: When I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it. The concept of Phantasma, with trials each mirrored after a circle/level in hell, gave all the gothic and scary vibes. The setting was perfect for this story, and the scare factors were great and in vivid detail that helped put you in the moment. Ophelia was a great character, and I enjoyed seeing her grow and find her inner strength while facing her OCD. The depictions of OCD were haunting and dark, which really conveyed the struggle Ophelia was going through. I thought each of those scenes was done very well. Now to Blackwell. The dynamic between her and Blackwell was fantastic—the humor and sass were on point, making their interactions some of my favorite moments. Plus, Blackwell's memory loss of his past intrigued me to find out what happened to him. I had a suspicion, and let's just say, I called it! (see image for my reaction to the moment. HA!) The one downside I had with this story was the ending. I felt it was rushed and that things were not fully explained. I can't say much without spoilers, but I would like to know the why behind a certain character's actions. Maybe we will get more answers in the next book. I hope so. Overall, this was a captivating read with a unique premise and strong character development. If you love gothic, spooky stories with romance, this book is for you.

I LOVED Kaylie's Smith writing. It was so immersive and the FMC felt real, flawed and painfully relatable. Her struggle to understand herself and this entity constantly living in her head were beatifully written. I absolutely devoured this book and I enjoyed how the author explained the games the FMC needed to win in order to find her sister. Last but not least the MMCC!!! I don't have words to describe how I LOVED Blackwell! Overall, Phantasma is a dark, emotional and thoughtfully written fantasy that lingers even after the last page!

Purely heavenly The plot is twisted and sexy enough for smut readers but also romantic and action packed. I totally recommend

Loved the book from the beginning to the end! Absolutely my top-favorite so far! :)

Loved it, almost like enemies to lovers and mostly about creatures, yes the challenge has humans in them but the necromancers, phantoms, ghosts are whole vibe 10/10

A gothic romance set in NEW ORLEANS? Say no more—take my money! From the first page to the last, I was hooked. Dark, mysterious, and dripping with gothic vibes—absolute perfection! This dark gothic romantic fantasy follows Ophelia and Blackwell, and wow—their chemistry had me giggling and kicking my feet every time they shared the page! The setting and vibe were so immersive and intoxicating, I couldn’t get enough Ophelia—I adore this girl! She’s such a breath of fresh air as a main character—resilient, strong, and incredibly dynamic. The close sibling bond between her and Genevieve was everything, adding so much depth to the story. The journey through the different "circles of hell" was gripping, and her facetious personality kept me hooked. Plus, the OCD representation was so beautifully done and so important. Blackwell. Let me tell you something—one thing’s certain, two things are for damn sure—I will always be weak for a sneaky, sarcastic man. He was an absolute vibe—refreshing, hilarious, and his tension-filled banter with Ophelia? It had me screaming. The comedic timing? Impeccable. And when that who did this to you moment hit, I was DONE. Sat down, shut up, and emotionally ruined. The games were the perfect mix of tension and just the right amount of gruesome—Kaylie nailed it! And that ending? SCREAMING. I’m usually pretty good at guessing twists, but this one actually caught me off guard, and I loved every second of it! That said, I need more answers about the voice in Ophelia’s head—I was fully convinced there was more to it, and now I’m dying for closure. Can’t wait to dive headfirst into the second book!