I love this book so much! Genevieve is the perfect FMC. I was cracking up at her banter throughout the book. She is funny, strong, stubborn, curvy and she owns every bit of herself and I appreciated that. The MMC, Rowin is a true shadow daddy but him coupled with the “touch-her-and-die” trope is perfection. You can only love Genevieve and Rowin together. I thoroughly enjoyed how Genevieve and Rowan’s romance slowly built and how they were able to learn about each other in a really cute way while also pinning for one another.

As for the plot, I instantly thought of the film “Ready-or-Not” between the twisted games and dysfunctional family and I ate it up. I loved the uniqueness that the games brought to the plot and the curse upon the family.

Lastly, the setting! What is not to love about a picturesque mansion in Tuscany with some rooms that are like a dream. It was such a dichotomy to Phantasma but in the best way possible.

Unfortunately, I loved this book so much I was really disappointed when it did finally end. Great read!

I have finished, and I am so in love with this world that Kaylie Smith has created. The way that the stories are so interwoven that I don’t have to leave my favorite characters behind and see them continue to flourish through the series is easily one of my favorite aspects.

Smith has a way of weaving pieces of the reader into her characters. Ophelia felt like she was ripped from part of my soul, to the point that leaving her behind felt like a betrayal, and yet Genevieve also felt like pieces of myself were finally seen.

Just like Ophelia before her, I found myself in love with another man in such a short time that I began gaslighting myself that maybe he wasn’t that fantastic (spoiler: he IS fantastic), but Sevin (easily a favorite AND MAYBE BOOK 3?!), despite his humor, was the one that said something so profound that I couldn’t help but fall more in love with him.

<i> Genevieve bit her lip. “Do you think it’s possible to love someone after only a few days?”
“We’re certainly capable of hating someone in a short period of time—on sight, even. I don’t see why love should be any different,” Sevin told her. “But I’m afraid I don’t feel that way about you, sweetheart. You’re not my type.” </i>

And, of course, I can’t not swoon over Rowin. We love a man that supports and uplifts his partner, that makes bargains with others to keep her safe and alive, that is feral and unhinged if someone touches his wife…. And is also a tortured soul.

I want to see them find a cure. I want closure for the family. I also want Salem to get revenge.

I loved reading Phantasma last year, so I was understandably afraid the second book wouldn't live up to how much I adored Ophelia and Blackwell. Well, my friends, Vivi and Rowin blew them OUT OF THE WATER. These two get to know one another better than any characters I've read in a while. Having them play 2 truths and a lie was honestly a perfect narrative choice. It allowed them to share deeper things that may not have come up naturally, but it was also suspenseful because the reader didn't know if they would be honest or lie about things that I wanted them to tell each other. It was soooo good.

I also loved the Beauty and the Beast/The Hunger Games qualities to this story. They're in a creepy manor. People use mirrors to watch them. Rowin and his 6 siblings are forced by a Devil to play a death game every year where they kill one another for the Devil's viewers. It was a very engaging story and the games were fast paced.

The spice was also great. I love it when people are "faking" it but also.... we all know they aren't faking it. Oh oh also the marriage of convenience trope?! Absolutely wild how quickly that happened, but I loved it.

I loved the romance so so much because it was ROMANTIC. Let. men. talk. about. their. feelings!!!! So good.

I also really enjoyed how many windows were left open for this author to go different directions with future books. There were hints about current characters' stories needing to be continued somehow, but also this book gave us so many FANTASTIC and NEW characters that I would love to see full-length novels for (Sevin and Ellin are my top two). I'm excited to see where the author takes the series!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Kaylie Smith for the opportunity to read this eARC.

I honestly really enjoyed Enchantra. It was a book I felt myself looking forward to reading.

I can’t wait to read more of Kaylie’s work.

Omg. Omg. Omg. Omg.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an arc copy of Enchantra for my honest review.

I didn’t think I would love the sequel as much as I loved Phantasma. I loved it even more.

There was something so delicious and mysterious about Rowin that had me giggling and kicking my feet the entire time. He was everything I could’ve hoped for.

Vivi was incredibly sassy, witty, and determined to cause trouble anywhere she went.

Rowin’s family? Incredible. The games? Spectacular!

I cannot get enough of Kaylie’s writing. I cannot wait for book 3!!!!!

6 stars! 6 FREAKING STARS. ⭐️

Enchantra is a captivating read that had me hooked from the start. If you enjoyed Phantasma, this sequel takes everything you loved and adds fresh surprises. The intricate game introduced in this book keeps the tension high, and the characters—vivid, complex, and relatable—bring the story to life in a way that’s hard to forget.

The world-building is seamless, drawing you in without overwhelming you with details. The settings feel alive, and the plot is full of unexpected twists, keeping you on the edge of your seat. The romance is perfectly balanced, adding just the right amount of heat without overshadowing the main story.

Genevieve, the main character, finds herself trapped at an estate with an immortal competition where the stakes are deadly for her as a mortal. Forced into marriage with Rowin, one of the demon’s sons, they must work together to win the Hunt and earn their freedom. But Rowin has hidden motives, making their partnership even more dangerous.

I enjoyed this book as much as the first. There were some questions that remained unanswered, like the strained relationship between Rowin and his twin, Remi, which I hope is explored in future books. Overall, Enchantra is a thrilling, immersive read that sets up an exciting continuation for the series. Can’t wait for the next installment!

Last year I stepped outside my comfort zone and entered the world of dark romantasy with PHANTASMA. And, guess what? I loved it there, so it’s no surprise I eagerly anticipated the release of ENCHANTRA, the second book in the series. The big question was whether Kaylie Smith could deliver a worthy sequel. The answer is a resounding HELL YES!!!

ENCHANTRA is Genevieve’s story. Raised as the non-magical Grimm sister, Genevieve is trying to find her place in the world when she receives a mysterious invitation to an Italian estate. Once there she finds herself unable to escape; locked into a dangerous family game where there can only be one winner. The penalty for losing? Trapped in hell until the next game. Genevieve quickly learns that her chances for victory (and survival) increase if she marries pompous, yet incredibly handsome, Rowin Silver, and they compete as a team.

During this kill or be killed version of hide-and-seek, we discover that Genevieve is no shrinking violet waiting to be saved. No, she is a badass, crafty, worthy competitor and that makes her irresistible to Rowin. What starts as a marriage of survival quickly turns into a steamy, lust filled partnership and it is INTENSE.

I alternated between the print and audio versions of this book and literally hung on every word. The production value of the audiobook was exceptional and Laura Horowitz‘s narration perfectly captured the growing lustful tension and budding romance between Genevieve and Rowin. My pulse quickened as the lovers made their way through the dangerous labyrinth.

Kaylie Smith has written a second heart pounding dark fantasy with an interesting premise and plenty of spice. This is a perfect read (or listen) for those who like their romance hot, their heroines feisty, and their heroes morally grey.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture Audio, and Second Sky/Forever for the gifted advance copies. All opinions are my own.

This book is so fun and spicy but with a hauntingly romantic vibe. I was hooked from the first page. Rowin is so broody and brass while Genevive is stronger than dhe knows and brilliant!

If you know me, you know I’ve got low to no tolerance for supposedly strong FMCs who keep constantly and consistently being saved by men or some random convenient plot twist.

So let me just say that Genevieve Grimm as Enchantra’s FMC is the anti-damsel I needed. She isn’t some overpowered “chosen one,” nor does she spend the book waiting for a man to save her, although if a hot shadow man offers to detangle her hair, well, I'm sure she'd let them. She’s got female friendships, personality, curves, confidence, a stubborn streak, a messed up backstory, likes a party and feels like someone I’d grab a coffee/beverage with. Kaylie Smith understood the assignment.

Firstly, the setting is Tuscany, on a sprawling estate with secret passages and giant hedge mazes and Vivi (Genevieve) has somehow found herself trapped in a deadly game of hide and seek with a cursed family who star in some type of reality TV show for a demonic audience. Not exactly a relaxing vacation.

Vivi’s only shot at survival is a marriage of convenience to an Azriel-coded, enigmatic shadow wraith immortal named Rowin Silver. There are corvids (obligatory bird lady appreciation), masquerades, ball gowns, piranhas, secret rooms, animal companion-familiars, the whole touch her and die and fake dating thing, a splash of grumpy-shadow vs. sunshine, plus zippy banter.

Furthermore, the Silver family is peak dysfunction. It’s that special kind of found family dynamic where your in-laws might actually kill you and each other (bonding through murder, love that for them). The sibling relationships were nuanced. Ellin and Sevin were particularly well-developed. That said, I wanted more on Barrington Silver and Tessie Grimm’s backstories, and more insight into the rift between identical shadow-wraith twins, Remi and Rowin.

Nonetheless, I perceived Enchantra to be a lot more romantic than its predecessor. Genevieve and Rowin communicate. Secrets unravel, vulnerabilities crack open. It simmers before it boils, and when it does, the romance feels earned.

Now, the rating dilemma. My heart wants to throw 5 stars at this, because I thought the ending was twisty, heart melting, loved it. But my critic wants to hold it back at 4, due to a few minor nitpicks (an overused nickname and overuse of italics for emphasis, just a personal preference). So, let’s call it 4.5. I loved this more than Phantasma so if you liked that, there is a good chance you’ll like Enchantra too.

A huge thanks to Second Sky/Forever and NetGalley for the invitation to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. So much fun!

TL;DR:

☠️ Found family but make it murderous
☠️ Marriage of convenience-fake dating but with actual stakes
☠️ Masquerades, ball gowns, and piranhas
☠️ Touch her and die
☠️ Shadows vs sunshine
☠️ Cute animal companions
☠️ Shadow appendage 🍆 (I won't elaborate)
☠️ More romantic than Phantasma
☠️ Curvy FMC representation

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book since I was pretty meh about Phantasma, but Enchantra was pretty good! The plot is very fun and easy to get into, it also has a lot of good and interesting action happening, and the romance is definetly giving! Would highly recommend!

The hate to love was a fast burn, and damn it was executed SO well -- like how do you even write a deep romance in such a short timeline that well?

It's a marriage of convenience btw, between the MC Genevieve and her love Rowin -- they have to team up and win a paranormal, will-possibly-kill-you game together. The game's rounds were written with a wonderful balance of the game itself (the thrill, the strategy) and of Genevieve and Rowin getting closer coz they're having so many honest and playful conversations during the lulls. Also, there's the cutest fox familiar, I almost melted when it because besties with [REDACTED] 🥲

I guess this is going to be a full fledged series with a different main couple each time? Sign me up!!

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

Enjoyable dark romantic fantasy. Fans of the first book in the series will likely enjoy this installment as well, but I found the plot to be somewhat lacking in this installment. There were a couple of plot holes, and despite the high stakes setting, I felt the plot lacked excitement because nothing really happened beyond the same repetitive events. That said, the setting makes for a fun ambiance, and some of the side characters were fun.

Aaaahhhh! Enchantra was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it delivered! I love a shadow daddy, and Rowin was to die for. His and Genevieve’s banter kept me invested the whole time and the Hunt was such an interesting concept. I love the idea of essential a game show for Hell. Kaylie Smith became an instant buy author for me after this one.

I wasn’t a fan of Phantasma but I wanted to give Genevieve’s story a chance. Unfortunately I didn't like this one either and think this series isn’t for me. The storyline is very similar to the first book and lacks creativity. The trials were boring and lackluster. Romance was missing tension and chemistry. I think people who loved Phantasma will also like this one, just wasn’t my cup of tea.

3.75⭐ Let me start by saying this was FUN. I mean, it had a lot of things similar to Phantasma and while they didn't bother me in Phantasma, I don't know why in this one: they did. I was constantly rolling my eyes. I mean, WHY do you have a game called THE HUNT but it ends up being hiding in a room waiting for hours because apparently the "hunters" are really bad at this game (even though they've been doing it for decades...) I was expecting more action, fights, running, HUNTING. It did not deliver in that front. It mainly consisted in hiding out in different rooms as an excuse for getting the two main characters in a forced proximity situation to validate the fact that they end up falling in love after 7 days. This being said: I liked the ending. LOVED the side charcaters. I had a good time and while I can reccomend it, I was expecting more.

I had loved the first one and I love the second one as much. It is really original for me. It's intriguing, it's steamy and it's captivating.
I can't say much without spoiling it, except for : read this saga!

Enchantra 🔮🏰🗡️🕯️💍
4⭐️
4🌶️

After reading Phantasma last year and it being one of my top books of 2024, I was highly anticipating the 2025 release of Enchantra.

This book was a little slow for me; I didn’t fully get into the story until about 40%. I really loved the family element of the Silvers and how they welcomed Genevieve in. I also loved the dynamics between Rowin and Vivi!

The boundaries of The Hunt didn’t make a lot of sense to me and it felt like the “subgames” were made up as the story went on. Things would have flowed just a little bit more easily with a little preface of what the subgames were and what they entailed, but I also appreciate the lack of spoon feeding and the element of showing instead of telling.

The plot twist at the end of this book threw me for a complete loop and had me on the edge of my seat! I was audibly gasping at certain points throughout this book. I’m smelling a Luci sequel and I CAN’T WAIT!

Also as a side note, when Genevieve needs a taxi and the taxi man says something to her in Italian I understood it without translating on my Kindle… thanks @duolingo LOL

Thank you to Kaylie Smith, Forever Pub, and Second Sky for the chance to read and enjoy this advanced copy.

A great sequel to “Phantasma”! I thoroughly enjoyed Genevieve’s story. Some parts were a bit repetitive/similar to Book 1 (trials), but it’s still a great standalone book. There were a lot of formatting errors for the ARC, which did make it difficult to read, but this likely will be fixed for the final version!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Second Sky/Forever for allowing me to read an eARC of this book.

I have been a fan of Kaylie Smith ever since reading Phantasma, and I was so excited to find out this book was coming out and to get my hands on a copy to read! Enchantra is Book 2 of the Wicked Games duology, and is full of morally gray love interests, spunky heroines, some fake dating, enemies-to-lovers, deadly games and lots of secrets. If you love books by Kerri Maniscalco and/or the movie Ready or Not, this book is for you!

The story follows Geneveive, who receives an invitation to go to Italy. But when she arrives at the palace, she is told by the handsome Rowin, the owner's son, to leave and not return. Does Geneveive listen? Of course not. And then Geneveive realizes her mistake, as she is pulled into a deadly family game of Hide and Seek. She and Rowin must work together if she has any hope of escape. It's win or die, and you can trust no one, not even your own heart.

This book (series) will be your next romantasy obsession! I highly recommend it to anyone who likes sark romances and a little bit of spice in their reads. Add this one to your TBR! You won't be disappointed!

"Ready or Not" meets ONCE UPON A BROKEN HEART and THRONE OF THE FALLEN in this deliciously dark sequel to PHANTASMA. The stakes were even higher, the vibes even more impeccable, and the romance even steamier. I loved the setting, the whimsical prose, and the twisty high-stakes competition, and I can't wait to see where the series goes next!

Smith is the only writer to match the magic of Stephanie Garber for me but combines that charm with spicy romance and gory dark fantasy plots. The only small gripes I had were that the start was a bit slow and there were a lot of characters to keep track of; while some readers enjoy large casts, it's not my absolutely favorite. 4 stars for this delightful read that I binged in 24 hours!

Thank you to Second Sky Books for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review.