Romantasy is not really my genre of choice but I was grabbed by the wonderful cover art.
The beginning was slow and I had a hard time really getting into it, but once I was in I was IN. That being said the book as a whole was.... fine? I found myself wanting more from the characters and the world and I feel there is plenty of room for the author to continue building this world in future books.

The spice was alright but the romance was rather shallow. We do not get much beyond the instant lust (thanks to our FMC's gift as well as fate), so I would love to see more depth created with the FMC and MMC. Lady M was written perfectly to hate her from the beginning and I did not mind that she was more one dimensional.

Overall, 3 stars for a mid level novel with room to grow!

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Definitely something different. I haven't read a romance like this before. Definitely a little darker than I was anticipating but it was really good. Great writing style.

I am a fan of Ballard’s romance projects and the comps of Moulin Rouge meets Shakespeare’s Macbeth had me so excited but I struggled to get into the flow of the story from the early pages. I felt the world building was heavy up front that it was challenging to connect with the characters and get into a flow.

This may resonate with readers who love more fantasy in their romantasy with complex magic systems and lush world building.

For myself, I DNF’d at 15%

I've really enjoyed Fallon Ballard's other works, but unfortunately this book was a DNF for me around the 20% mark. I had a lot of trouble connecting with the characters, there was way too much spice way too soon, and the world-building was extremely confusing and overcomplicated (coming from an avid Brandon Sanderson and GRRM reader). I really wanted to like this but this was not the book for me.

Thank you to Netgalley, Fallon Ballard, and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam / G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

DNF at around the 20% mark for me.
There are definitely some bold and intriguing creative choices here—but maybe a few too many and not necessarily well woven together. The story felt like it was trying to do too much all at once. It was messy in a way that made me wish for a firmer editorial hand to help shape and streamline the narrative.
Catherine’s storyline, which had strong Moulin Rouge vibes, felt the most grounded in …not reality exactly, but … believability? Callum’s arc—loosely inspired by Macbeth (and I mean very loosely)—just didn’t land. His “I have to kill my dad to become president” realization, and the fact that everyone around him (including his dad and sister) was just casually on board with it? That’s where I had to tap out.
To be fair, I don’t think this story was really “for me,” and that’s okay. Like many others, I was completely drawn in by the absolutely stunning cover—but in the end, the content inside didn’t match the promise of that cover.
Something Wicked will be published December 2, 2025 so maybe it will get some more tightening up before then.

Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons, and Falon Ballard for this free, advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

In terms of readability, this book was difficult to put down. It was very fast-paced and the initial hook really invited you into the world. For me, it was just a bit difficult to get connected into the world following that. I would love to read a second book if this were to become a series because I think the footing for the world building is there, but just slightly missed the mark. It was sexy, fast-paced, and the moulin rouge braiding themes with political interest was a beyond fascinating concept for an author to tackle.

This is an ARC review. I want to thank Falon Ballard and Penguin Group Putnam for allowing me the chance to read this book ahead of release day! This is for sure one of those books you should fully read the excerpt before reading it.

Cate and Callum come from completely different worlds. Cate works within a brothel being able to shift people’s moods while having sex with them while Callum is the heir to the throne of the kingdom. You could tell with each lesson Cate provided Callum they were getting closer and closer. It was not fully known as to why after only 2 days the feelings were so intense but it does reveal itself in time.

By the way it ended and the thought of having three sisters out in the world where we’ve only met 2, it was forecasting she and the mother will likely be working together in the future. Overall the book was okay. I might read the second book in the series but I wouldn’t be jumping to it personally. It was well written and had gripping moments that kept me the reader entertained.

I was super intrigued to read this book but it fell kinda flat for me. Parts of it were a little hard to follow and it just couldn’t keep my interest as much as her other books.

This was such a fun foray into fantasy for Ballard—all the usual steam and banter but with a new layer of worldbuilding. I'm excited to see what she does next!

Promising Premise, But Lacked a Bit of Magic
Falon Ballard dipping her toes into romantasy was something I was genuinely excited about, especially as someone who loves her witty rom-coms. The idea of her signature charm in a world of magic and rebellion sounded amazing. And let's be real, the cover is stunning – it really set high expectations!

The opening pages definitely delivered on intrigue, hinting at political assassinations and steamy encounters. The "Moulin Rouge-meets-Macbeth" vibe is super ambitious, and I appreciate the creative swing. There are moments of genuine originality, especially in the setting and the intense connection between Callum and Caterine. Plus, if you're here for the spice, it's absolutely turned up to eleven.

My main hang-up, though, was feeling truly grounded in the world. The political landscape and the rebellion's nuances just didn't quite click for me, making it hard to feel the full weight of the stakes. I also hoped for a bit more depth in the characters' emotional journeys and a stronger, more organic build to their relationship.

That said, I truly respect Ballard for stepping out of her comfort zone and trying something new. It's fantastic to see authors evolve and explore different themes. While "Something Wicked" wasn't a total win for me, I'm confident many will enjoy its seductive vibe and dramatic flair. And you can bet I'll be back for her next rom-com – that's where her magic truly shines for me!

This one's a real page-turner. Something Wicked is a good blend of scheming, fantasy and steamy hot scenes (although I still would have read this if the MMC was not so dreamy). My only critique is that some plotlines feel forced/ accelerated- like the way the candidacy for the new president worked, and how the MMC changed his mind about the main "social issue" plaguing the characters (it only took that little convincing? really??) I feel like this is a recurrent theme in a lot of books I've read recently, but I wish the story was just slightly longer to flesh out certain plot lines better and make the pacing less awkward.

This book is rich with plot-twists (and I mean genuine turns to the story that I would not have anticipated, not cliche stuff) and nuanced characters. I really enjoyed the way we're getting the POV of both the MMC and the FMC, in addition to small excerpts from letters sent by secondary characters revealing things that our heroine/ hero discover wayy later on. The note the book ended on has me excited to read the next book in this series!

I really wanted to like this book, but, unfortunately, I just could not connect with the characters or story. I was intrigued by the premise; however, everything just felt forced to me. I ended up skimming most of the book in order to see if anything changed for me, but it never did. For me, it read more like a historical non-fiction book than an actual narrative.

DNF
The cover is absolutely stunning and captivated my attention immediately and blend of Macbeth & Moulin Rouge description had me signing up for this ARC so fast!
But after reading about 15% of the book, it just wasn’t for me.
The world building was too complex and confusing. And while I understood it was a Moulin Rouge setting, I underestimated the amount of spice…or the explicitly of it. I’m not prudent by any means but this was too much for me.

Thank you, Putnam Books & NetGalley for my ARC 💕

I will not be sharing my review on other forums since I DNF’d this book due to my personally preferences.

I really struggled with this one. The magic system didn’t do it for me, I did enjoy the plot but some of the characters didn’t feel realistic.

Set in a world where there are kings, an Uprising, and Gifted- Something Wicked has it all. If you are looking for more romance than fantasy, this is the book just for you.

You get the Pov from the main characters, Caterine and Callum.
Caterine is Gifted and Callum despises Gifted, but when he's pushed into meeting this Gifted woman named Cate, things change.
Caterine's gift is basically a therapist who works her magic through orgasms.
(As someone who requested this book from Netgalley SOLEY on the beautiful cover art- I can say that I wasn't expecting that.) 👀😆

I think I rate this one 3 stars.
It's a quick read, but I did have trouble getting into it. Normally fantasy/ romantasy books have more world building, but I felt it lacked somewhat in this one.
The romance, on the other hand, wasn't lacking- it was the plot. Given the main character's gift, it's obvious it would be smutty, but dang. 😆

The author did build up the storyline throughout the book, and the ending has a cliff hanger that makes me look forward to the book that comes next in the series.

This review will be posted to Goodreads.

Something Wicked had a lot of potential, with strong themes of perseverance, love, and self-acceptance, and a unique magical premise. I was intrigued by the world and the characters, especially Cate and Callum’s connection. However, the pacing felt off. It started slow, then everything happened all at once. The romance moved too quickly for my taste, and the world-building didn’t quite land. While the book seems meant to start a series, I’m not sure if I’ll continue. It just didn’t fully click for me.

This had such a strong start! I read this book strictly for the cover, it’s so stunning and eye catching. And when K realized Falon was dipping her toe into the romantasy world I knew I need to be apart of this!

I love how we’re immediately thrust into a world of Moulin Rouge meets Macbeth. The macabre story with a fantastical world. I do wish it was more descriptive. I would have loved to experiences the sounds and the smells along with them but I felt this grandeur world was very service level and having to make up a lot of aspect in my head to continue to follow along. Both characters had a wonderfully fascinating story, but I felt unable to connect with them in a deeper level as well.

Not realizing this was book one of a trilogy I’m hoping that the next two books offer a deeper look into the world building and explore the characters despite the spice. All over I love the representative of a bi character full of sass and intrigue. I do think this book was a bit rushed and predictable but it was enjoyable and I do really want to dive into book two and three and see where Falon Ballard takes these characters. From jumping from contemporary romances to romantasy j think it’s a job well done!!

I really wanted to love this one. I’ve enjoyed Falon’s other books and this was one of my most anticipated upcoming reads. The world building had a lot of potential, and the premise was intriguing, but the story felt disjointed. The romance between Cate and Callum didn’t fully connect with the larger conflict of the Uprising, and their relationship felt underdeveloped. Callum’s distrust of the Gifted was rooted in his past, but it came across as superficial and was resolved a bit too easily. Several characters felt one dimensional and inconsistent in their motivations.

That said, the pacing was solid and it was a quick read. It kept me curious about what’s next. The ending left plenty unresolved (clearly setting up a sequel). I’ll probably read it!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I really loved the concept and the cover, but Something Wicked lacked good execution. I DNF about 20% in.

DNF @ 10% Life is too short to keep reading books you’re not enjoying. I loved the cover and the hook (Macbeth meets Moulin Rouge? Yes please) but the storytelling fell flat for me. Wayyyyyyyyy too much info-dumping right off the bat, and I feel as if the writing would have benefited from another round of line editing.

Overall, not for me, but I can see someone else greatly enjoying this—maybe someone who is new to the fantasy genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.