I binged Phantasma and loved every moment! It’s the perfect spooky, gothic, dark fantasy to dive into this fall. And it’s spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️. Did I mention the ghost cat? The FMC has OCD and the terrorizing reality of living with it every day is portrayed so well. I loved Ophelia and Blackwell’s sizzling and at times heartbreaking story so much. I’m hoping we get more stories in this world!

I knew from the first page that this book was going to be special. If I could give more than 5 stars I would. The plot was so detailed and perfectly written out. I didn’t even see the plot twist coming!

The hunger games meets rose red meets supernatural and make it spicy.

It’s spicy and gory, but so fast paced it will keep you on the edge of your seat. The mental health rep (OCD) in this story is one of the best I have ever read. Ophelia overcomes many obstacles, physical, mental, and emotional, to reach her HEA. The premise of Phantasma is that the contestant has to overcome their biggest fears, and we learn that Ophelia has many to choose from on her journey.

The banter between the MCs is 🔥🔥🔥. I literally LOLed multiple times, causing strange looks from my family. But that didn’t stop me from squealing and kicking my feet like a little girl when these two finally gave in to the chemistry.

The MMC has ruined me for all fictional men. Morally grey, light hair, with a wicked mouth who hates everyone but her.

If you love spicy paranormal romance, with a splash of trials, overcoming, and haunted house, you’ll love this one!

“In the darkness, in all the loneliness, you have been my one source of light. My soul will go to its grave with your name echoing in my mind.”

Dark, bloody, and sexy, this book had me in a chokehold! That first scene gripped me hard and never let go, not that I wanted it to.

What I loved:
Characters – Phantasma follows Ophelia, our witty and strong-willed necromancer FMC, as she enters a deadly contest to try and save her sister. I loved the anxiety and OCD representation and how it wasn’t something just thrown in there, it was a very important part of Ophelia’s character. The author handled the topic realistically and with care. Ophelia was an easy character to connect with and I found her to be incredibly relatable. The mysterious MMC Blackwell was everything I could have asked for. How could anyone not want to make a blood bargain with that sexy ghost man? He’s charming and his witty banter with Ophelia was so good. Not to mention the Danny Phantom vibes? He’s definitely going on my list of lovable shadowy book boyfriends. The relationship wasn’t slow burn, but it did have a delicious tension at the beginning that made their coming together so satisfying. I loved every single one of their interactions. Especially the spicy ones and boy were there plenty of those! I didn’t care much about the other contestants, except one and I was not sad to see them get what they deserved. The other devilish characters were fun and added a lot of entertaining banter.

Setting – Kaylie Smith nailed the creepy haunted mansion atmosphere. There were some gruesome and terrifying haunts. I loved how the house preys on the competitors fears and makes them confront their worst nightmares. The descriptions make you feel immersed in the world. There's always some sort of constant danger which adds to the underlying eeriness.

What didn’t work for me:
Plot – While I enjoyed how fast paced the story was, I felt like the plot got a bit lost in the sauce. By the halfway point I’d basically forgotten why Ophelia was in Phantasma to begin with. She was supposed to be searching for her sister and other things, but it felt like she would get sidetracked every five seconds. Much of the plot was also predictable. I didn’t mind this as much because the magic, worldbuilding and paranormal aspect were so interesting. As far as the competition goes, I wish there had been more to the challenges. They were over with rather quickly and left much to be desired. What we did see of the nine challenges was fun and bloody, I loved how each one revolved around one of the nine circles of Hell.

Overall, I had a blast with this dark romantasy and I can’t wait to see what Kaylie Smith has in store for us next!

Thank you so much to Forever for providing an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm a huge fan of the Romantasy genre, so when I saw this on Netgalley and read the description I just had to request! It checks all my favorite boxes, and I’m thrilled to say it didn't disappoint! it’s an absolute must-read for fall and Halloween and is easily my top pick of the year so far. Usually, the details of a book slip my mind right after I finish it, but I know this is one I'll remember for a long time! I will definitely reread this one too!

The plot centers on Ophelia, who must navigate Phantasma, a contest, to gain a wish to find her missing sister. During the trials, she meets Blackwell, a resident of the mansion who offers a deal to help her through. The chemistry between the characters, especially between Ophelia and Blackwell, is fantastic and adds so much depth to the story.

The world-building, banter and spice made this an addicting read! I just love it and will be recommending it to others and sharing on my instagram for release week!

Thank you Netgalley and Second Sky and Forever publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC!

What do you mean it's over?? This book was amazing. The ambiance, the banter, the perils, the romance! The SPICE?! Are you kidding me. I am unwell. Everything about this book is superb. It's got all the spooky vibes of crimson peak plus spice that makes you want to kick your feet and squeal in delight. Blackwell is a swoon worth main male character and Ophelia is an amazing counter part. I loved how they spoke to one another, barbs laced with affection. I loved the magic system, the lore and the trials based on sins. The plot twist at the end had me completely blindsided. My only complaint is that there wasn't more to read.

Thank you to the author and netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Net Galley and Second Sky for the ARC. I really liked the concept but I was too annoyed by the sister and the love interest and also I really did not like the romance.

Hot ghosts
dark adult fantasy
trails and competition

This is a great spooky read and would be fun to read in October!

Overall I mostly enjoyed this paranormal romance novel. The concept and plot were great, but I think the execution could have been improved. I really enjoyed the characters, particularly the banter between them and their character development. I also loved the huge plot twist and absolutely did not see it coming (but in hindsight I probably should have). However, I thought the different trials in Phantasma were brushed over compared to the rest of the plot, leading to poor pacing of the book.

I loved the banter and conversation between characters, but one minor issue I had was the major overuse of the word “quipped”.

I also thought Ophelia’s motivation to enter Phantasma because of her sister Genevieve was implausible since she knew they wouldn’t cross paths until round eight (allowing plenty of time for Genevieve to either die or forfeit before then) and since she was not even completely sure that Genevieve entered Phantasma in the first place.

Additionally, I thought the romance between Ophelia and Blackwell was confusing and I was never sure if they were actually in love.

Ultimately, an entertaining paranormal romance, with less-than-perfect pacing and writing, but an intriguing plot.

If you are looking for a dark fantasy, hot ghosts, gothic ballgowns, haunting romance, bloody trials, Phantasma is for you!

This is a romantasy, but with paranormal beings (ghosts, spectres, gouls, devils), set in the magic city of New Orleans.
We follow Ophelia, a badass necromancer FMC, forced to engage herself in a kind of paranormal "hunger games", happening in an haunting mansion, to save her sister. The house is full of twisted games, dark secrets, hauntings, other competitors and 9 challenges Ophelia will need to go through,

The hot and sexy MMC, Blackwell, is a special resident of the mansion, and Ophelia and him will have to team together, for various reasons. Obvisouly, a hopeless romance will settle between them, slow burn mode, but I enjoyed it because it brought sweetness to the story....and smut! The banter was great, Ophelia has quite a mouth!

The writing of Kaylie Smith is fluid, not redondant. She suceeded in bringing the topics of obsessive compulsive disorders in a delicate way, and it was interesting to see how Ophelia dealt with it. This is a subject I do not read often.

And finally, special mention to Poe, the ghost cat!

Adult fantasy. Magic, necromancer, a competition for your greatest desire or instead mught kill you, ghosts and devils, romance and quite a bit more, are found in a fast paced story. If you liked Caraval, and you also like some horror (not too explicit), then I’m sure like me you will enjoy Phantasma too. Thank you to Second Sky/Forever and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

DNF at 10%


I was SO excited to read this book. Everything about the premise sounded right up my alley. But once I started reading, I unfortunately just couldn’t get into the story. I never really felt connected to the characters, which is a big thing for me. Also, I don’t love the dialogue—at times, the way the characters spoke just didn’t feel natural to me.

It’s important to note that I attempted to read an ARC, so the things I didn’t like may improve in the final version. Regardless, I’m sure this dark romantasy will find its audience once it’s published. (And I seem to be in the minority in terms of not enjoying this book, which is a good sign for those who are interested in reading this novel.)


Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This book is my top book of the year so far! I am someone who normally does not remember what I read as soon as I close the book but with this book, I can tell someone the whole plot still...and it's been a couple weeks since I read it. Ophelia must enter Phantasma, a contest with 9 trials, to try to get a wish to rescue her sister who has gone missing. While at the trials she meets Blackwell, a resident of the mansion, who wants to make a bargain with her to help her survive. The world building is amazing and as someone who struggles with visualizing books in their head, I felt like I was in the mansion and the trials. Kaylie does fantastic at being detailed during world build and not being monotonous. There is also amazing OCD representation, and it is done so well. I can't wait until this book is released and all my friends can read it.

**ARC REVIEW**

Phantasma was a wonderfully executed paranormal, mysterious romance. I found the imagery to be haunting and alluring, always making me want more.
Our main characters Ophelia and Blackwell meet before Phantasma begins and you feel their chemistry right away. It was interesting to see that something was different about Ophelia, separating her from the other contestants that entered Phantasma. I loved her strong and determined personality, especially when it comes to the people she loves. Blackwell was different than I was expecting. I loved him, how sweet he was to Ophelia. (not to mention the mouth on that man). I was intrigued by him, his story and his past, the reason he found himself in such a bad situation. I loved the chemistry and connection between him and Ophelia, and how you could tell it was something so different for the both of them. The romance in Phantasma was amazing and such an added bonus. The plot of this story really moved on its own and I found myself always wondering what was going to happen next.

THE PLOT TWIST AT THE END??? I was genuinely shocked and was not expecting it at all. Although, once explained, it made so much sense. The last couple chapters had me crying a little if I’m being honest. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves spooky romances. I kinda feel like it’s a paranormal Hunger Games almost.

Thank you so much to Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

Happy reading!!

This book was amazing!! I loved the female and male main character. It was like a perfect spooky mix between acotar and caraval but with its own twist. if you like gothic romantasy, this it the way to go!

Let me start by saying that this book is not what I usually read. When a book is described as "dark" I typically shy away from it, but something about the synopsis of Phantasma had me intrigued. I'm glad it did.
This book throws you right into the story, much like Ophelia is thrown into Phantasma. You aren't given much time to get your bearings and the story just keeps moving from there. And I loved that about it. I felt the urgency, the darkness, and the tension of Ophelia's situation.
What shone the most, for me, was the mystery that unraveled bit by bit, giving more insight into Ophelia. A close second was the way OCD played into Ophelia's character and struggles. I would say more, but I think it's best just to read it.
My one qualm is that the ending felt a little rushed and easy, but I think that about a lot of books, so maybe it's just me.
The romance wasn't quite my flavor, but I have multiple friends who I know will eat it up. If, as a kid, you had a crush on Casper in the 1995 movie, and then you grew up to read dark fantasy and romance, this is a book for you.
I'm glad I took a chance and read this book, and I'm interested to see what Kaylie Smith does next.

Thank you to Second Sky and Forever publishing ,and Netgalley for the e-ARC.

The story of Phantasma follows Ophelia, a necromancer, who finds herself in a bit of a financial struggle and needs to pay off a debt that her mother had taken or lose her home! Ophelia and her sister Genevieve are not sure what can be done to ensure the Manor stays in the family. Phantasma is a crazy haunted house that appears in different cities as a competition mimicking the nine circles of hell. If you make it through and survive, a devil’s grant is gifted to the winner! Your wish is their command with no strings attached! Ophelia enters the competition last minute after her sister disappears, thinking that this is the only place she could have gone. She experiences a real nightmare of hell in this house and discovers truths that have been hidden for centuries. Will she find her sister and save her family from debt? Or will she succumb to the devils and their bargains?

The book was an interesting read and very different.. I liked the atmosphere and the writing! It had different dynamics and I was always curious on what the next level would be like in the competition!

However, the romance was disappointing. I did not feel any emotional connection to it at all! It was nothing but spice and lust for me! The story was good enough if a bit predictable. Overall, it wasn’t a bad read! 3.5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Second Sky/Forever for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I've been on a gothic romance binge lately, and this book is one of the best!
It was beautiful, sexy as hell, enthralling, and kept me up waaaay too late several nights in a row because I couldn't put it down. I was so invested in these characters, and couldn't get enough!
The world building was *chefs kiss*. Smith has an amazing way with words, and the imagery was perfect. I was addicted to this book from the first page.

Absolutely recommend Phantasma if you love anything dark, gothic and romantic!

Y’all,

This was a 5 ⭐️read.

First of all, romantasy. Sign me up.
But then, 9 circles of hell challenges?
Hell yes.
That means wrath, deceit, lust, etc.
sign me the F up.
Deals with devils?
I’m in!
Freaky house full of magic? Also yes.
The sex was hot. I was so into this book.

This story follows Ophelia, a necromancer as she attempts to find her sister in a house FULL of challenges that mimic the nine circles of hell. And the biggest rule of all? Don’t fall in love in Phantasma house.

Releases September 3rd.
Preorder today.

This is a 3.75 for me. I think the idea was a really cool idea, I think the writing overall was solid, and the trials were very interesting. In a way each trial reminded me of an escape room challenge.

But I wasn't able to fully connect with the book and that could be a me issue. It just felt at times surface level and never really delving into anything deeper. The challenges while interesting never truly felt nitty, gritty or scary. While there were bloody moments with the trials, they just felt like they were completed way too fast for me to become invested in what was happening.

The same could be said for the mission to help Blackwell. At times it just felt like an afterthought like oh yea I am supposed to find a way to help this guy escape and really all it involved was looking around in this creepy manor for no rhyme or reason. Just looking for anything that didn't look like it fit. I thought there would be clues or something that would add to the challenge like blackwell leaving clues behind as he has been at this for centuries with moments of gained clarity. Like when they were talking about Frankenstein in the library, I thought this would be a clue that would lead to another clue and then another. But nope just talk of going into rooms to look around with no luck. Also being done when there are supposedly ghouls and other beings or illusions out to hurt you but never really show up to deter you from your task.

I will say that I enjoyed the spicy chemistry between Blackwell and Ophelia, but I didn't believe the romance. They just felt like really buddies who had good spicy times. There was just no deeper connection that made me think that if they ever made it out of this situation alive that they would even stay in touch.

As individuals I did find Ophelia to be a complex character who I didn't like. Sometimes she just unkind to people for no reason but considering how she has never really been around other people or put into social situations and given the manor where anyone could backstab you, I guess I got the reason why but at times it felt like she was just kicking people when they were down when they were just trying to connect in a horrible situation. Blackwell was interesting at times but because he didn't know much about himself it's not like we could get to know him and become invested in him, but his actions and attitude did make him enjoyable when he was on page.

Overall, the story did entertain me, but it was not a story or set of characters that I became super invested in.

I did receive an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.