This book was SUCH a good time! I read it in a day! It was giving squid games meets haunted Mansion but make it a romance? And I was so here for it. I loved the vivid imagery that the author provided, the twist and turns in the Love story were super entertaining. I loved the trials and there was even a little hint of horror in there but not too much. I'm not normally a horror reader, but this was just the perfect amount in my opinion. Definitely recommend!

Phantasma isn't a literary wonder or anything but it sure was a fun read. I totally saw the twist at the end coming but it was satisfying and was what I wanted to happen so it I didn't really care. The OCD rep from the author(who has OCD) was great. I feel like it was a good fit for the story without being too over the top and didn't make Ophelia seem "crazy".

Thank you to NetGalley and Second Sky for the ARC!

I do not think tiktok sounds should be in books. The book was fine. It was kind of unremarkable. I think the author could have done SO MUCH MORE with the world and the magic and the characters but focused so much on the romance. I got pretty bored when it became apparent that there wouldn't be much going on.

Phantasma felt like Caraval on steroids.

When you think steroids, you think stronger, bigger, but this was more in your face. . The romances and physical intimacy that followed was insta-lust/love and it was frustrating because there were moments for depth and emotional development that were missed.. The lady-lead's sister was so very reminiscent of Tella in Caraval, and I couldn't stand her, but I guess that's why she was the little sister.

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.

Amazing. Captivating. I never knew what twist was coming next. Chemistry was fantastic, and the love story wasn’t too rushed. I love a book that just pulls me in so good that I keep wanting to come back to it, and this book did that.
Just read it!!

There were honestly so many things to love about this book, so I'm just going to make a list of all the reasons why you need to read it.

So, without further ado, here are

Moa's Top Ten Reasons to Read Phantasma

10. Poe the ghost cat (aka Fluffy), who may or may not have stolen the show just a little bit.

9. Ghosts and demons and devils. So many devils and I want to read the backstory of every one of them.

8. A magical game inspired by the nine levels of hell.

7. "A heart and a key would set me free. But you should hope we do not meet again, angel."

6. The gothic vibes be vibing.

5. "Nothing would ever stop me from getting to you if you needed me, and that will remain true forevermore. I would tear the universe apart at its seams if I must."

4. Blackwell is a ghost who calls the FMC 'angel' and 'good girl' *swoons*.

3. Ophelia really grows into herself throughout the book and it's amazing to see her become more comfortable with herself.

2. The mother of all gothic haunted houses, and the house which every haunted house will be compared to for the rest of my life.

1. The portrayal of mental health. I just loved the way the author portrayed the Ophelia's OCD, and the message that it's okay to have dark thoughts, because they're not what defines us. The way Ophelia learned to be comfortable in her own head was just beautiful.

I really enjoyed this supernatural/paranormal romance set in an early 20th century era New Orleans. It gave me similar vibes to Throne of the Fallen, and Till Death, if you enjoyed those books I'd definitely give this a try!

This book is full is dark fantasy, debauchery and everything you would expect from a fantasy romance about devils and necromancers. The romance was very spicy and explicit and the tension between the characters was so delicious!

The plot was perfectly balanced with the romance, and the twists kept me guessing right to the end. The story was well paced and although I guessed some of the plot, it wasn't too predictable and was still exciting and gripping right to the ending.

I'll definitely look out for the future books in this series!

A brilliant, thrilling story. I love Kaylie’s writing so much and this was a fantastic adult debut.

For those looking for a perfect spooky read I would definitely pick up phantasma. It delves into a beautiful gothic setting, with truly interesting characters. I really liked reading the main character dealing with OCD and that it was just a part of her not the entire focus.

Phantasma was such a fun read for me. I really enjoyed the game aspect and that it feels like a darker, more adult version of books like the Caraval series.

I loved the relationship between Ophelia and Blackwell as well. It was fun to see them have loathsome banter and then sweet protective moments at the same time. I enjoyed that the games were creepy as it went with the gothic vibes seen throughout the book well.

I am really looking forward to reading Enchantra next. I know a lot of people didn't necessarily connect with this one, but I enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Second Sky/Forever for selecting me for this ARC.

Necromancers in a gothic game sounds like a slam-dunk. And you know what? It absolutely was. Lush and incredible I didn't want to put it down.

The world-building in Phantasma is incredibly atmospheric, giving off a gritty, late 1800s/early 1900s Southern charm that I loved.

Reading Phantasma was reminiscent of Stephanie Garber's Caraval series but with its own unique twist. The deadly game levels, paranormal beings, spiciness, and overall excitement had me completely engrossed.

The character development of Ophelia was truly captivating. Witnessing her transformation from a sheltered, naive girl to someone with a more guarded persona was enthralling. It was evident that her experiences had a profound impact on her, and I found her journey to be incredibly compelling.

I also appreciated the portrayal of OCD in the story, particularly since the author, Kaylie Smith, created Ophelia with OCD in mind, drawing from her own experiences. As someone with OCD myself, I found the representation to be authentic and meaningful.

The dynamic between Blackwell and Ophelia was electric. Their partnership as they navigated through the challenges was so well-written, and I found myself fully invested in their story.

Every page of Phantasma held my attention, and I found it to be an utterly addictive read. While I predicted some of the plot twists, it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book. I'm eagerly anticipating the next book, Enchantra, and I can't wait to dive back into Kaylie Smith's captivating stor

This was a little too similar to Caraval at times but because I love Caraval so much I was willing to keep going. Overall I liked the premise but some of the trials felt a little too simple. The main character was a little annoying at times - too headstrong and not willing to ask for help even when it was the common sense thing to do. I liked the twist at the end but it wasn't surprising. The book was distinct enough Caraval from by the end and I'm intrigued enough to keep reading the series.

Demons, Haunted Mansion, Monsters, Gore, Forbidden love, spice.. what's Not to Love about this book!!

I was incredibly hooked by the premise and the gorgeous book cover, but I wasn't hooked by the plot or the main characters. However, I really liked representation of OCD and intrusive thoughts.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was exactly a 3 star read for me. There were several things I enjoyed and several things I hated but overall, it was fine. This was not the romantasy book for me but that's okay! The spicy-ness was great and the characters were entertaining to follow. My favorite part of the book though was Poe the ghost cat. He was amazing.

This book was a 6 star read for me and i loved every single moment of it. The plot twists got me. The romance, the plot, the characters. It was a wild ride and i wish i could reread it again for the first time.

This was a great adult book that I will share with my adult friends! It gave Caraval but more slashery. The setting in the gothic mansion felt new too and I almost wish we had even more time to explore Louisiana! Overall it was a fun time and I’m excited to read the sequel!

I’m going to dive straight into the review for this one, y’all.

Once Ophelia stepped onto the grounds of Phantasma, I was sucked into the story.

Be prepared for gory moments, some gruesome scenes, and high heat.

Yes, there are demons, apparitions, and ghouls, but we also see the darker side of human nature. Most of the contestants don’t make it out alive, after all, and they aren’t only taken out by Phantasma’s residents.

Our FMC also has OCD and experiences intrusive thoughts. If this may be tough for you, proceed with caution.

There are some twists I didn’t see coming and one major one that I did.

I will say—and this is not something I expected to ever say about a book—there are A LOT of intimate scenes—enough for me to be surprised enough to think, “Oh, we aren’t just initiating intimacy and then going to the next scene. We’re experiencing the whole thing again,” multiple times. (And if you follow me, you know that I don’t really shy away from the spicy spice.)

BUT Blackwell is super swoony, and those scenes are quite 🔥🔥🔥.

And we love to see a strong heroine.

I devoured this one and am looking forward to reading Genevieve’s story next.

I received an advance copy of the ebook from Forever. All review opinions are my own.

I went into this with high expectations thanks to all the hype I was seeing.

I liked it, but I wasn't in love. I felt like I kept skimming just to get back to the story. The way that each level was explained I loved, and the games were perfection.

Thanks to the author and Netgalley for the ARC.
And yes, there's spice!

"A house of Devils is no place for an angel like you"

Whenever I was reading Phatasma, I was enjoying myself.
But when I put it down, I didn't have the urge to pick it back up.
Maybe I was feeling slumpy?

Not sure.

I did like the FMC, Ophelia.
I did like the MMC, Blackwell. (yum)

Ophelia is trying to save her sister, and she now has to play these awful games in Phantasma.

-The dark is for people who are too cowardly to face their actions in the light.-

The haunts were horrifying. Especially that bathtub one! Eek! No thank you!
The story itself is good, but I noticed myself drifting away the closer I got to the ending.

If I remember correctly, the games they go through get worse with each level.
In my opinion, the level where her hands get burned badly, is the worst level.
Was that level two? Can't remember.
Maybe it's because of her certain something that made the higher levels not as scary?
I just feel as the levels went on, my fear went down. I wasn't feeling panicky anymore.

At some point I got frustrated with Ophelia and Blackwell.
Like I wanted to put them in timeout haha!

I was really excited about this one, because all my book besties have been rating this five stars.
Sadly, I just couldn't get there with this one.
But, I still enjoyed the read.