Reviewing Something Wicked is really hard for me. The cover? Absolutely stunning but I don't feel like it quite matches the story here. Cate was a fairly strong character and I really liked her BUT something was very mismatched between her and Callum. His prejudice towards the gifted was so deep but he softened his views very fast. Then Cate flip flopped on how poorly the gifted were treated but really bent over backwards to share how much worse Scota could have been and how she's lucky to be from Scota. But it was also bad. Then Lady M really had little back story. Why is she this way? Did I miss something?

Anyways, I liked the writing and Cate but I think I'd skip any follow ups on this one.

2.75 rounded up. The cover is stunning for this book. I found it to be a quick and easy read but there were some parts I wished we had more of. I did enjoy the writing and the premise. The world building is minimal and we don’t learn much about the gifts other than that I’m assuming only women have them. I don’t really get why Cates works the way hers does but it seems like anyone else can use theirs whenever they want. The romance felt really rushed. They were in love after a week of knowing each other. If a few things were a little more fleshed out this would have been a hit for me.

I love the cover of this and Falon stepping in to fantasy. Unfortunately this didn’t quite hit for me. Thank you NetGalley for this arc!

This book was a fun read and a little bit out of my comfort zone which I loved, I found the world buiding overall just a little confusing but with fantasy not being my main read genre, that is definitely just a me issue. I did find that the book seemed to move fairly fast and kept me hooked until the end as the characters nwere enjoyable and the fantasy aspect was interesting to learn about. Caterine was such a fun character and I really enjoyed getting to learn about her and who she was. Callum on the other hand was not my favorite but I kind of think the point was to not love him at first. He grew on me a little bit but definitely made me mad at some points. This book overall was a good read and I do wish there a bit more. The best thing about this book is the cover omg. It is the most beautiful book I have ever seen. I will be buying a physical copy of this book just to have it on my shelf because of how beautiful it is.

This had a lot of really great concepts, but the world building didn’t feel complete. And I feel that was partly because we were thrown into the story at the end of an Uprising/rebellion with little information about how it was successful.

And while I adored Cate and Callum, their relationship development felt rushed and it was told more than shown, which is hard to connect with.

I really wanted to love this book and it fell just a little flat for me.

While I tend to prefer my romances contemporary and my fantasies unromantic (or with a romance B-plot), the description of this book as a romantasy blend of Macbeth and Moulin Rouge called to me. You gotta hand it to Ballard, they just throw you right in and keep the story moving at a solid clip throughout. We cover a decent amount of ground and weave a fairly complicated web in sub 400 pages, which is to be commended. I felt the entire story was well-paced and efficient. I did have a hard time following the interjections (journal entries, etc) but that may have been due to formatting kerfuffles in my e-ARC, so I won't dwell.

While I had fun (how can you not with an FMC who has orgasm-based powers?), I never found myself fully buying in to the world, its woes, or the characters themselves. I think part of the issue was how obvious the bad guy was, even if you don't know Macbeth and thus don't catch the red flag of a character being named 'Lady M,' you know from the jump that she's up to some BS and so the build-up of her misdeeds and Caterine's misfortunes never really resonated beneath surface level. With so many moving pieces and such a swift pace, I'd expect to get swept up in the action and intrigue, but instead I kind of felt bored? Like, the baddies were so obviously bad and the sabotage/twists/turns so surface level, I kind of felt myself thinking "okay, let's just get on with it." It's as if Ballard set the stage *too* clearly, and needed to weave in a little more suspense and misdirection to keep me invested and guessing.

That said, well done on managing to slow down the burn when one your FMC is a courtesan with a sex-focused power and your MMC is literally sent to the sex club that she works at to...well...have sex with her?

ALSO, if you had told me going into this book that the MOST direct Macbeth parallel was going to be an Act 5 Scene 6 reference, I would not have believed you...and I was delighted when it occurred.

In short, I had fun, but I wish I had more suspense and intrigue.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam’s Sons for sharing this digital review copy of Something Wicked with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Something Wicked was my first book by Falon Ballard. I thoroughly enjoyed Cate and Callum's story. It was an interesting and unique premise. I will be recommending Something Wicked to my book club.

⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆
Something Wicked — A Stylish Romantasy with Sizzle 🔥 but Not Quite Enough Spark ⚡

Something Wicked serves up a heady cocktail of political ambition, forbidden romance, and magical seduction — think Macbeth meets Moulin Rouge with a fantasy twist 🖤💃🔮. Set in the opulent, cutthroat world of Avon, the story follows Callum, the exiled son of a dethroned king, who’s tasked with killing his own father to prove his worth as a presidential candidate. Enter Lady Caterine (aka Cate) — a powerful courtesan who can manipulate emotions through touch and intimacy 💋✨.

Right from the start, the vibes are immaculate. La Puissance (Cate’s elite sex club) oozes drama, decadence, and danger. Ballard paints the world in rich, sensory detail — every velvet curtain and lingering glance practically glows off the page 🌙🖤. Cate is a force — clever, elegant, and emotionally complex. Her magical ability to shift people's feelings adds a delicious layer to the romance, which is intense, intimate, and deliciously slow-burn 🔥.

But while the setting slaps and the tension simmers... the substance doesn’t always keep up. Callum, for one, feels a little undercooked. His motivations are there, but his personality never quite breaks through the moody fog 🌫️. Some of the political worldbuilding also leans thin — like there’s a richer lore waiting just beneath the surface, but we never fully dive in.

The pacing swings between steamy, high-stakes moments and lulls that could’ve used more emotional punch. It’s a book that wants to hit hard, but often opts for aesthetic over depth. That said, the central romance is swoonworthy, with enough emotional heat and vulnerability to carry you through the slower parts 💞⚔️.

Final Verdict: 3/5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐☆☆

A decadent, sensual debut that delivers major romantasy energy — perfect if you're in the mood for slow-burn chemistry, magical tension, and a story dripping with drama and desire 🌹🗡️✨. But if you're after complex worldbuilding or deeply layered character arcs, this one might leave you wanting just a bit more magic.

Great vibes, great heat, slightly messy execution. Still a wickedly fun time. 😈📚

Something Wicked is a spicy Romantasy that immediately grabbed my attention. It is very fast paced and bingeable, which I appreciated because there isn't a ton of confusing world building.
With political unrest, magical beings, and a prince torn between loyalty and desire, this story delivers a unique twist on classic fantasy tropes while keeping it great for an entry level/beginner fantasy reader. I usually prefer slow burn but these two had undeniable chemistry, and while the romance moves quickly, it fits the high stakes & high energy theme.

The book centers around Lady Caterine, whose power is the rare Gift to manipulate emotions through intimacy. Then there is Callum, the son of Avon’s recently overthrown king. He is determined to earn his place in this new world, but doing that means facing the unthinkable... He has to murder his father. With help from his sister, he meets Caterine to help himself prepare.
They both deeply mistrust and carry resentment for the other’s world, but their spark is immediately electric.

As Caterine & Callum's physical connection deepens into something more, political unrest becomes the least of their worries. A darker force has come to play inside La Puissance, threatening not just their new relationship but the future of Avon itself. They must decide whether their bond can survive and if it's worth the cost to save the kingdom.

I will definitely check out the next book in the series when it releases! I am not ready for the character's stories to be over!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Putnam Books for this ARC.

Falon Ballard does it again, but in a new genre. Ballard is an automatic read for me. I see her name on a book, I pick it up. And she has never let me down. A little more risqué in theme maybe than her usual, but it works. The character development is great, the chemistry between the leads just as warm and genuine as usual. I loved it!

This book was a fine read, but relatively surface level. While the overall plot was interesting, it lacked the depth I needed to feel fully immersed in the world/situation.

While I appreciated the uniqueness of a book that starts after a rebellion and focusing on the “rebuilding” era for society, it didn’t feel like the backstory was fully built out, with limited reasoning behind why those with magic had been persecuted in the past. In terms of the magic system also did not feem to be fully fleshed out, beyond simply some people having it and some not. Halfway through the book, the existence of mating bonds is introduced, and it felt fairly out of the blue with the rest of the world.

Probably the biggest challenge for me was the romance between our two main characters, who go from mistrust to love in a matter of days, with no development of how or why they grow to trust/care about each other.

Overall, while I think there are elements of this book that are strong, further world building and character development were needed for me to feel a strong connection to the story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the digital copy. And a special thank you to Michele @just_talking_to_my_shelf and Ashlee @bookswithnopictures for coordinating the Talking to my Books Traveling ARC and to @FalonBallard for sending an advanced copy so we could do so. 

From a genre I don’t normally partake in, by an author whose romances I greatly enjoy, Something Wicked was a solid win for me!

If fantasy isn’t normally your thing, you will still really enjoy the story. The world building isn’t intense so it’s easy to get immersed into the story without a lot of extra mental strain … at least that’s how fantasies can sometimes feel for me.

If your open-door/closed-door tolerance leans more ghost pepper than green pepper, you’re definitely going to have a good time! This romantasy is clutch-your-pearls sexy!! These poor unsuspecting partners of ours. Ha!

There is a sweet found-family piece to the story as well. The friendships between characters is special and really shines by the end.

Something Wicked ended with so many loose ends that I need answers to. I’m already desperate for the next chapter, Idle Reputations # 2.

4 ⭐️ 3.5 🌶️

Review:

This took me awhile to get through, mainly for personal reasons, but it also wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. I love a story that has anything to do with “sex lessons” and this one coming from the FMCS POV was great! So much tension that kept you wanting more. 🔥I liked seeing Cate and Callum’s relationship grow and I thought we would progress more in the story than we did. It makes sense to lay it out the way it was, to set up for sequels, but I wanted a touch more action. Very intrigued to see where this leads next.

Summary:

With so much tension and divide, between the realm of Normal people and the gifted, a pact has been drawn up to decide a new fate for all. There will be different killing periods where anyone is allowed to become a nominee by assassinating the current ruler. And no one is more nervous for this than Callum who would have to take out his father. But thankfully his time leading up to the period is being occupied by a gifted courtesan, Lady Caterine. However she’s not just providing “sex lessons” to Callum, who doesn’t need them, but also trying to figure out his plans to assassinate. Things in her home have taken a turn for the worse and doing this will provide her the help she needs to get out of it. But at what cost?

Favorite Quote:

“Living a cautious life won’t protect you.”

Tropes:
•politics intrigue
•”gifted”/powers
•sex lessons
•enemies to lovers

Cover? Absolutely STUNNING! Story? Pretty solid! Not obsessed but definitely a solid fantasy and I am excited to read more from Falon Ballard!

This was quite a unique story and something I'd never read before! Although I quite enjoyed the overall story, I felt like the romance was a bit rushed and could have bit better developed to be believable.

Bold, bewitching, and deliciously dark, this is Falon Ballard like you’ve never seen her before.

Something Wicked is a hypnotic fusion of lush romantasy, political intrigue, and high-stakes seduction. Falon Ballard’s signature wit and emotional depth shine in this utterly original reimagining of Macbeth and Moulin Rouge! A world where sex is power, magic is danger, and love might be the deadliest weapon of all.

Lady Caterine is the kind of heroine who owns every room she walks into, confident, sharp, and brimming with both magical and emotional complexity. Her chemistry with Callum is explosive from the very start, but what begins as a transactional arrangement quickly transforms into something far more intimate and treacherous. Callum, caught between his dark ambition and reluctant heart, is the perfect morally gray counterpart. Their push-and-pull dynamic is electric.

Ballard’s worldbuilding is seductive and dangerous in all the best ways. The setting of La Puissance drips with glamour and menace, while the country of Avon pulses with rebellion, uncertainty, and risk. The magical system, especially Cate’s emotionally charged Gift—adds an intoxicating layer to every encounter. Every glance, every choice, every climax carries weight.

Twisty, sensual, and brimming with tension, Falon Ballard proves she can turn even the darkest desires into unforgettable storytelling. Perfect for anyone craving their fantasy with a little more fire and a whole lot of feeling.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this. I was so excited to read a moulin rouge inspired book, but the execution failed for me. Unfortunately. I did enjoy the idea, but it fell flat for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons, and Falon Ballard for a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I am used to the cutesy romance that is a typical Falon Ballard novel so I was surprised when she decided to switch over to a more dark romance, almost teetering on erotica. Nevertheless, I was eagerly anticipating this book and was ecstatic to receive an ARC.

Caterine and Callum were both great characters. I think we got good backgrounds for both of them and they were well developed. Caterine is very focused on her family and the Gifted people around her and most of her motivations surround protecting them. Callum is a humble prince with motivations to protect his people while also gaining an understanding for the Gifted.

The plot of this book revolves around Caterine needing to teach Callum "love" lessons so she can win his trust and get him to bend to her will and the will of the new club owner.

Unfortunately, this was an insta-lust romance that isn't built on much. Towards the middle of the book, we learn about a Bonded pair but we don't get much backstory or much information on how this mechanic affects Caterine and Callum's relationship. Their relationship goes all in way too fast for me and isn't built on much. They open up to each other too quick and I wasn't a fan of the "hurts to be away" trope. They weren't together long enough to even develop that attachment.

Overall, I expected more. For such a mature themed book, the characters felt juvenile.

such a pretty cover for such a questionable book… it honestly makes me sad 😔 i didn’t like this one at all. couldn’t connect with the characters, didn’t care for the politics either. i need at least one of those things to work for me to enjoy a book even a little and this one gave me nothing.

this book is very much not for me. why tf am i reading a political fantasy with the male main character that is giving fantasy neo-nazi???? baby i can read about neo-nazi’s in the everyday news!!!!