Phantasma by Kaylie Smith on February 27, 2025
Genres: Fiction / Erotica / General, Fiction / Fantasy / Dark Fantasy, Fiction / Fantasy / Paranormal, Fiction / Fantasy / Romance, Fiction / Gothic
Pages: 304
Format: Hardcover
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“In a different life, in a fair one, I would’ve kept you until my eternal soul withered away to dust.”
When Ophelia and her sister discovers their mother brutally murdered, there is no time to grieve: Ophelia has inherited both her powerful death-driven magic and enormous debt on their home. Circumstances go from dire to deadly, however, when Ophelia’s sister decides to pay off the loan by entering Phantasma, a competition where most contestants don’t make it out alive and the winner is granted a single wish. The only way to save her sister is to compete. But Phantasma is a cursed manor, with twisting corridors and lavish ballrooms, and filled with enticing demons and fatal temptations. Ophelia will need to face nine floors of challenges to win… if her fears don’t overtake her first. When a charming, arrogant stranger claims he can protect and guide Ophelia, she knows she shouldn’t trust him. While Blackwell may not seem dangerous, appearances can be deceptive. But with her sister’s life on the line, Ophelia can’t afford to turn him away. She just needs to ignore the overwhelming, dark attraction drawing them closer and closer together. Because in Phantasma, the only thing deadlier than losing the game is losing your heart.
While I overall enjoyed this book, I just wasn’t in love IN LOVE with it. The beginning started a bit slow and some of the earlier trials got a bit repetitive. Though around 60%, the pacing really picked up, especially as secrets were unveiled and the stakes got much higher. I loved the gothic, darkish fantasy vibes and the emphasis on ghosts and necromancy. If you’ve read a lot of this genre, the plot twist is pretty predictable. I guessed the big reveal right from the get-go, but there were smaller reveals that I didn’t see coming. And I wish there was more chemistry and emotional development between Ophelia and Blackwell. It felt a bit insta-lovey. Also I didn’t love how Ophelia relied so much on Blackwell during the trials. It felt too damsel-in-distress for my taste, and I like when FMCs solve these trials on their own.
I rated this novel four stars. It was my first Kaylie Smith novel. It seemed like there was going to be a cliffhanger ending + setting up the plot for a sequel. So the ending felt a bit rushed and tied up too nicely. But definitely will read the next one…so excited for Genevieve’s book!