Phantasma (Wicked Games, 1)

Rating: 4.75 stars Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ Tropes: 🕯️Forced proximity 🕯️Forbidden romance 🕯️Ghost/Necromancer 🕯️Mutual pining 🕯️Cinnamon roll MMC for his FMC 🕯️“Who did this to you?” 🕯️“Touch him/her and die” 🕯️Trials/Battle Royale 🕯️Haunted Mansion 🕯️Gothic New Orleans 🕯️Disability (OCD) representation “To those who’ve had to claw their way out of the dark and still choose to be a light in this world—I’m proud of you.” Y’all. This BOOK. This is everything I wanted Quicksilver to be—not that there’s anything wrong with that book, but the hype was just insane and it left me so disappointed. This book just hits. It’s like a cross between The Temptation of Magic (also a great book), Hunger Games, and A Court of Thorns and Roses, and yet it manages to be entirely its own thing. This is gonna stay with me for a minute. We find Ophelia Grimm the night she finds her mother mysteriously dead on their living room floor in their gothic mansion in New Orleans. She’s always known she would one day have to inherit the necromancer magic that flows through the Grimm family line when her mother passed, but she hadn’t planned on it being so soon. Still, she does her duty and accepts the magic, turning her “cerulean-blue” eyes so ice-blue they are almost colorless. She also inherits, to her shock, a heap of debts her mother hadn’t told her about. To try and save their family home, Ophelia’s younger sister, Genevieve, decides to enlist herself in a trial competition called Phantasma, because the winner is granted any boon by the Prince of Devils. Ophelia chases after her sister and enlists in the same competition, planning to try and convince Genevieve to leave with her, but they’re put into separate groups and cannot meet until after they survive the seventh trial. Whilst there, Ophelia repeatedly finds herself bumping into a phantom called Blackwell, a mysterious person not enslaved by the mansion and yet not free to leave it either. They strike a deal: Blackwell will help her survive and win the trials, if Ophelia will help free him from Phantasma. If she fails, Blackwell will instead steal ten years from her lifespan. On the surface, this book already had a lot going for it in my opinion. Gothic horror vibes, Old New Orleans, battle royale, disability representation? It sounded awesome. And it completely lives up to that expectation. The thing was, she didn’t need Blackwell to always be her savior, but it was beginning to dawn on her that he had become her safe haven—someone who made the Shadow Voice go silent whenever he was around. And despite her injuries, and the fact that she was about to be incinerated, she didn’t want him to come save her in this moment. She wanted him to come make sure the Shadow Voice didn’t get away. Ophelia is the kind of heroine I love reading about. I’m so sick of the badass-with-a-bad-attitude stabby FMCs that have flooded this genre lately. But even if Ophelia isn’t that, she’s also not weak or passive, or different because she’s ~not like other girls~. She’s already used to fighting her own battles every damn day against the horror of true OCD, so when she enters the mansion of Phantasma, she’s almost not sure what are figments of her own imagination and what are real terrors dragged up by the game. She’s lonely, isolated by her mother’s upbringing and her own inherent desire to hide her differences, but she’s not desperate for companionship. She’s funny and smart, and grows to be so damn strong that you can’t help rooting for her. “In all the darkness, in all the loneliness, you have been my one source of light. My soul will go its grave with your name echoing in my mind.” Blackwell is just about the best of every book boyfriend rolled into one. He’s funny, he’s full of himself, he’s completely enamored with Ophelia. He’s got his own tragic backstory to work through, but as the book progresses, he becomes more focused on making sure Ophelia and her sister survive even if it costs him his freedom. “He and Blackwell are sworn enemies.” “And you kissed them both? I would’ve never pegged you for such a drama queen, Ophie. Though, I sort of get it, the jealousy thing is even hotter than the men. Honestly, I’ve never been prouder.” Genevieve is a riot. I loved every scene with her in it. She’s the perfect supportive-but-won’t-take-your-shit younger sister, and she’s so real for that. Her relationship with Ophelia is beautiful. The banter between Blackwell and Ophelia is always spot on, it never crosses that line into annoying or repetitive or juvenile that some romantasy books these days fail to toe. The spicy scenes, while not very numerous or particularly spicy, also thankfully never fall into cringe territory. The trials, even though there are nine of them, each modeled after the Nine Circles of Hell, don’t really ever get repetitive or drawn-out. Each are quite short, and yet the stakes just keep ratcheting up with each one. The downtime between each one was well-appreciated and felt well-earned for the characters, though sometimes dragged the pace a touch. Issues with the story, after all these glowing commendations? Really, none. How often do I say that?? Sure, I still have no idea when/what world this story is really supposed to be taking place in. We know it’s sort of gothic New Orleans, there’s mentions of the women wearing long dresses and corsets, and carriages; but then there’s also talk of cars, V-necks plunging past belly buttons, and women with explicit sexual freedom. So it falls very much into a sort of ACOTAR-type world, where it’s loosely based on old New Orleans, but also just not. We’re left to fill in that blank on our own, but it’s such a minor thing when the rest of the world feels fairly well fleshed out. And yeah, one of the villains Cade was a bit juvenile in that he seemed to loathe Ophelia from the get-go with almost no reason, but again, could be forgiven given the genres. Same goes for the speed at which our MCs fall in love. It’s not insta-love by any means, but one week? Meh. I’ll allow it. The great writing made it believable. The “twist” at the end was very easily predictable, but was executed in such a wonderful way that I don’t even care. So yeah. Excellent, excellent book. I had a great time devouring this one in about three hours. I’m just left wanting so much more, I’m not ready to be done with these characters!!! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Second Sky/Forever for providing me this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I wasn’t totally sure what I was getting into with this one. This was my first time reading a paranormal book, but Phantasm kept me intrigued and on my toes. Set in New Orleans, the spooky gothic atmosphere immediately pulled me in. I love the darkness and mystery behind the city. It’s written in third person, which was new for me, but I ended up really enjoying it. The story follows Ophelia, who gains her powers after the death of her mother. When things begin to unravel, she enters Phantasma in search of her missing sister. Finding her sister is the main goal going in until Blackwell shows up. From there, secrets start surfacing about her family, her powers, and her life, and a forbidden romance begins to bloom. This book gives dark gothic vibes with a circus-like atmosphere, strong sisterly love, forbidden romance, and plenty of secrets and twists. The trials were unique and interesting, especially with the final winner being granted a wish from the devil. I did not expect the plot twist at the end. My only critiques are that I wish there had been a bit more romance between Blackwell and Ophelia because everything happened very fast. I also struggled to understand the timeline, whether this was past, present, or future New Orleans. I would have loved to learn more about Ophelia’s powers, as that part felt skimmed over. Overall, if you love dark gothic vibes with a paranormal twist, this one is definitely worth picking up. 🖤📚

This story is a twisted, sizzling hot fantasy with a gothic vibe, ghosts, and phantoms set sound a game of life and death. The book is filled with mature concepts and smutty scenes. All of this story's twisted fantasy and dark, macabre stuff has kept me on the edge of my seat. I love the ending of this story; you get a little touch of romance. The hierarchy explained in the book is great. Ophelia is now the eldest Grimm sister, having successfully transferred her family's magic after her mother met an untimely end. She is ocd and filled with apprehension. This book is dark and gritty, with dark practices of magic and ghosts already, and I'm only in the first chapter. Apparently, her family is proflic in the witch community as necromancers. It starts with a countdown to Phantasma. The shadow voice in Ophelia's head, as well as her compulsive habits, are exciting. This book almost has a historical vibe to it, but its top is perfect as an October read. Her talent and gifts get her in trouble as she meets something she can't identify. Ah, that's how she gets involved with this aptly-named book. Like a haunted horror movie, this movie starts out well but is spine-tingling. This book's weird encounters with ghosts, ghouls, and phantoms are spooky, like in "The Haunted Mansion. "Blackwell " is particularly intriguing but seems to speak in riddles. Oh, a bargain. I know she is smart to never take one, but after the first set of trials, why not have help? Blackwell strikes quite the deal. Things get steamy between this Phantom and necromancer as they seem to have chemistry. This story's trials, action, and adventure will keep you at the edge of your seat. Will Ophelia survive? I love the ghost cat in this story. The trials based on the nine circles of hell are exciting occurrences. Oh, this gets more twisted as she finds new information and gets closer to this Phantom. Steamy is still surprising in this story as I wasn't expecting it, and with a ghost no less, the author doesn't stop there, going as far as to stretch your mind a little more. Is he corporeal for the intimacy? Despite the life-of-death situations, the book gets sizzling hot in the intimacy area of the story. Every chance the Blackwell and Ophelia get, they get very new adult intimacy. We have gone from precarious situations to actual violence in the book. This story is definitely for a mature audience. Also, it is very smutty. The sisterly reunion is fantastic, but I'm still waiting for the shoe to drop on this story. I know the key and heart, but I'm not positive yet. I like that this has some suspense to go with the trails and smutty scenes. Oh, twisted omg, I didn't see that coming at all. This book is the perfect October read with the twisted storyline, gothic vibes, and paranormal elements. I absolutely love Ophelia's growth and sass in the story. And the ending of this book is a total mind-boggling experience. The ending of this is really romantic despite the conditions and circumstances the characters face. This book was so good; it's definitely one to read again. Omg, I love the note from the author at the end and her struggle with the disorder that is represented in this book.

A solid read. It held my attention and did its job.I liked it and might recommend it. I liked that it was a one and done story. The second book apparently covers her sister's story. I will probably read the next book about her sister. I would not classify this book as dark romance. It was spicy, there was blood, but honestly it felt more like a cozy romance to me. I found Ophelia a very relatable. My experiences with anxiety and compulsions is very mild but it was nice to read about somebody else and it feel like validation. All scales out of 5: Overall:⭐️⭐️⭐️ Plot:📚📚📚 Character: 🧝‍♀️🧝‍♀️🧝‍♀️🧝‍♀️ World building: 🌎🌏🌍 Ending: 💜💜💜💜 Spice:🔥 Mood: satisfied and happy

Oh my goodness, I loved this book! It was the perfect dark gothic fantasy romance to get lost in. From the chilling haunted house competition to the intense romance, this story had me glued to every page. 4.5 ⭐️ 3 🌶️ Quick Synopsis: In this spooky fall read, our main character, Ophelia, is a fierce Necromancer forced to enter a haunted house competition where she must survive nine levels inspired by Dante’s circles of hell to save her sister. To make it through, she has to rely on our mischievous, utterly swoon-worthy male lead, Blackwell, a Phantom who had me giggling and blushing the entire time. What you’ll get: • Plenty of “hot ghost” (yes, the exist! LOL) • A charming ghost cat (because every haunted house needs one) • Forbidden romance that burns (Phantom/Necromancer dynamic) • A relatable FMC with OCD • Haunted house competition with hellish trials • A tangle of family dynamics and betrayals • All set in a fantasy version of New Orleans Representation Done Right: What truly sets Phantasma apart is its representation of OCD and anxiety. It’s not just a background detail—it’s central to the story and explored with haunting vulnerability. Through the intense world of dark fantasy, the author delves into these themes with care and authenticity, creating a powerful layer of emotional depth. The Characters: Beyond her OCD, I adored Ophelia as a character. She’s strong, unfiltered, and courageous, and her growth in such a short time was inspiring. And Blackwell... that man! His flirtatious banter and humor were top-tier, and I think I’m crushing on a ghost—no regrets! Their chemistry was off the charts, and the romance was an absolute chef’s kiss with enough tension, sarcasm, and banter to keep me grinning the whole way. Why Not Quite 5 Stars: I would rate this book 4.5 Stars, but Amazon hasn’t caught up with the times. The only reason this wasn’t a full 5-star read was the ending. It felt a little rushed and predictable, with everything resolving a bit too easily for my taste. But honestly, that didn’t stop me from absolutely falling in love with this book. Although it’s part of an interconnected series, you get a complete story with no cliffhangers making it the best Standalone read. If you’re craving a standalone romance that’s spooky, emotional, and fun, you’re in for a treat. I absolutely cannot wait for Ophelia’s sister’s story next year!

Book Review: Phantasma by Kaylie Smith ⭐️ 5/5, 🌶️ 5/5 THIS BOOK! Words cannot describe how much I love this book, but I shall try. One of my top reads so far this year! Phantasma is a game in a haunted mansion where ghosts, devils, and more roam to try and kill the players or make deals with them with super steep prices for their payment for their “help” to get through the game (like years off your life, memories… or perhaps even worse). There are only two rules: Stay Alive. And don’t fall in love. Easy, right? When Phantasma shows up in New Orleans, Ophelia Grimm follows her younger sister Genevieve to be a contestant in this very deadly game. Ophelia does have a bit of an advantage, though; she is a necromancer, but she just came into her powers and doesn’t know how to use them. Lucky for her, she meets Blackwell, who seems so familiar. He is charming, super attractive (with the ego to boot) ways make her seal a deal with him for her protection – but she has to help him, too. She shouldn’t trust him, but with how the trials are going, she doesn’t have much of a choice if she wants to survive. Ophelia and Blackwell make excellent partners (in more ways than one), but after seeing what happens to another player who fell in love, she realizes she is in more danger than she ever realized with Blackwell. The world building is gothic romantasy at its best and I ate it up! I’m a sucker for anything haunting with New Orleans, so I fell for this one hard. The MMC and FMC were chef’s kiss perfection! It had the forced proximity, forbidden romance, deadly trials, and “touch her and die”, “who did this to you?”, “good girl”, “look at me”, and plenty more tropes/favorite lines to bring sparks to even us mere mortals simply living through the pages before us. Phantasma also has delicious spice that doesn’t just feel thrown in and awkward. It makes sense and is out of this world electric between Ophelia and Blackwell. I’d say it has just the right amount, as this book is more plot driven than spice, but it still hits in all the right spots. The twist at the end I had predicted long before it appeared, but did I mind? Not in the slightest! This was such a great book, I was lost in it each time I picked it up, and was only devastated that it ended and I could never read it again for the first time. Yup. One of THOSE kinds of books. Highly recommend this book! It was downloaded on my Kindle (available in Kindle Unlimited) last year, and I never read it until now. Don’t be me. Read this now!

Can I just say I loved this book?! In all honesty. I have avoided this book since it blew up on Instagram. I didn’t think it would be a book that I would enjoy, but then it turned out to be the book that got me out of my reading slump. I literally picked it up randomly during a summer vacation I was on because I wasn’t sure what to read after the book. I had barely just finished but didn’t love. This book is the perfect amount of plot, space, character, development, and ambience . All of those components work together beautifully to create a well crafted story. My favorite part of this book overall was the plot twist. If you’re going into this book, thinking there is no block twist you were gonna be caught so off guard. Or if you were like me just in it for the vibes and then it happened. I was shook for a good long time. My second favorite part of this book was Phantasma itself. The overall concept was such a neat one. Each game was unique and uniquely twisted enough to keep you hooked in the chapter. Overall, this world is something I really enjoy reading and being in. I’m already in a book two and loving it.

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.

Dark fantasy with 🌶🌶🌶 spice level. Where to even start! I did not want this to end but also couldn't put it down. Devil's, phantoms, necromancy, a ghost cat, trials & competition. Ophelia Grim, haunted by an inner voice, enters Phantasma in hopes of helping her family. What ensues is a gruesome set of trials that will churn some stomachs. Deals, bargains & curses galore. Ophelia is a very strong, relatable FMC. The instant chemistry with Blackwell only intensifies as their journey continues. It will leave you hot under the collar. Exceptionally well written. An immersive, high paced, addictive & intense novel that you have to read!

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!

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!