🖤🔪 Book Review: Something Wicked by Falon Ballard 🔪🖤

A chilling, suspense-filled thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Falon Ballard delivers a twisted tale of secrets, danger, and the darkness lurking beneath the surface.

What it’s about:
When a small town is shaken by a series of sinister events, journalist Harper dives deep to uncover the truth—but some secrets are better left buried. As danger closes in, Harper must confront the wickedness hiding in plain sight before it’s too late.

Tropes You’ll Love:
🔪 Psychological thriller
🖤 Small-town mystery
⚡ Dark secrets & suspense
🔥 Strong, determined protagonist
💥 Twists & turns

If you crave a thriller that blends chilling suspense with emotional depth, Something Wicked is a must-read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#SomethingWicked #FalonBallard #ThrillerReads #PsychologicalThriller #DarkMystery #Bookstagram #SuspenseReads #BookReview

This is an incredibly charged narrative that plunges readers into searing hot passion that Cate and Callum must face in the midst of crumbling political schemes.

Despite the heat and passion foretold in the opening chapters, this book blends high stakes, magic, and betrayal throughout the narrative, while Callum and Cate both try to discover their paths and play their roles in the uprising that declares all former monarchs in Avon must be assassinated so a new candidate can take the reins. And it just so happens that Callum is the son of the recently dethroned king, and Cate is the only one who can help him—troubled past, magical courtesan gifts, and all.

Something Wicked also takes influence from Macbeth, and these influences were phenomenal.

You are immediately sucked into this alluring world, which makes you want to keep turning the page. I was pleasantly surprised by the storylines, especially Cate and Callum’s. You can feel the love between the pair flying off the pages, which moved the story forward in interesting ways.

With all that being said, I wish there was more. I feel like the ending was a little hasty, and we came to a sudden conclusion that contrasts with the buildup and multiple stakes occurring throughout the story. I do wish certain things were more developed—such as the villainess, Harold, and the other gifted—but I see potential for these aspects to continue developing into one narrative as the series progresses. I also wanted to see more of a friendship develop between the love interests beyond just “knowing” the traits of the other after a few days. However, with the bond they share, I can see why the physical took over and how they may understand each other on a chemical level.

Overall, I enjoyed reading it. While this wouldn’t be the first book I’d recommend to everyone, it’s a unique story I’d suggest to a friend who enjoys romantasy that leans more into the romance, with political intrigue and devious schemes.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

I thought the premise of the book would be so neat and unique since it claimed to be a pairing of Macbeth and Moulin Rouge, which happen to be two favorites of mine.

There are definitely qualities of both of those literary allusions, with more leaning towards Macbeth. I teach British Lit, so Macbeth is a play that I read at least 4 times per year. There were a lot of references, even a direct quote from the play, which I was happy to find.

My interest in the plot initially began to wane when Cate's character design took a tumble. In the beginning, Cate is a revered and dominant courtesan, telling Callum to never kiss her or call her by her name. Great. However, a few paragraphs later, it's all broken. I understand they were fated mates or bonded, but it all crumbled so fast.

The spicy scenes were good, but some were not timed well, like when Cate's sister is missing and Callum's father killed - they just go at it instead of worrying about the more pressing issues. This made me lose focus.

The ending was lackluster, which left a bad taste after the read, leading to my low rating. The potential for a good story was there, but I feel like it fell flat.

Unfortunately this book was just not for me. I felt like the plot was only there so that it wasn’t all smut but the plot didn’t feel fleshed out enough to hold its own.

I feel torn on this one! While I loved Cate and felt that she was fleshed out well, Callum’s character felt like he could use some more work. The ideas of the political system and the discrimination within the society are intriguing, but I also felt like they could use more work. I would have liked to see more of Cate and Andra, too. The spice is well-written and matches the vibes of the gorgeous cover. I will definitely read more books in this series as they are published. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Its a fun and a bit of spicy book which has a witchy vibes. Its in different POVs so it kept me entertained but the story was a bit flat for me as I was just not excited about what is going to happen next. I would still recommend it to my friends though.

I would say actually 3.5 stars, but this doesn’t allow me to leave half stars. This was an interesting and compelling book told from multiple POVs. It was a medium spiciness level and I would recommend it for someone looking for a fun romantacy. It is asset in a brothel so I was surprised that there wasn’t more spice actually. This wasn’t good or bad, just my take. I think the only thing lacking for me was a little bit more depth of characters. The male protagonist, Callum, was likable and written as being “conflicted”, but it didn’t ring totally true, imo. Overall, I will recommend for some readers.

This was fun! Starting a book and realizing you’ve read nearly half of it in one sitting and it’s past midnight is a rarity for me, so this was definitely a goodie!
Lady Caterine is a beloved courtesan with a Gift that allows her to ease the emotions of a person after they climax (very specific! lol), making her one of the most sought after ladies at La Puissance. Her twin, Andara, is a Seer whose visions always come to pass. For years, the Gifted have been persecuted for fear they could harm and control the non-Gifted without impunity, so naturally, The Uprising has formed with the goal to remove monarchs from seats of power and restore rights to the Gifted.
Prince Callum learns of the Uprisings demands in order to broker peace, and is outraged that they will require the death of his father, and is coached to seek help with his emotions at La Puissance. His brain explodes as soon as his eyes land on Lady Caterine and he is entranced. As is she. They are drawn together.
Lady M, the proprietor of La Puissance’s new wife, comes into the picture and Lady Caterine’s life gets flipped upside down. Her sister is exhausted and all of her friends are forced into contracts that are nearly impossible to fulfill, and Lady M sits and plans to reap all of the benefits she can from the girls, including what she can get Caterine to squeeze out of Prince Callum during their visits!
Powers, family, betrayal, sex! This book kept me going! Def worth a gander!

A fun and easy read with a cute witchy vibe and some solid banter. The romance was enjoyable, and it featured some humorous and sweet moments. The main character was also really likable, which made it easy to stay engaged. That said, the pacing felt a bit off, and I wanted more from the magic side of things. Not a bad book at all—just didn’t wow me.

✨ Fated mates/bonds
✨ Magical gifts
✨ Political intrigue
✨ Betrayal
✨ Rebellion

Something Wicked is a spicy, romantasy that I read in a day. It was fun, with the right combination of drama, suspense, and romance.

First, the book cover is beautiful. This is one of the main reasons why I requested this book. The art is flawless.

Second, the characters were interesting. Cate and Callum had that undeniable chemistry from the start. I liked that Cate had that desire to help people in need. She was also deeply protective of her sister. Meanwhile, we have Callum who was deeply prejudiced against the Gifted. Whe he was introduced he hated the Gifted because of what happened to his mother. After meeting Cate and spending time with her, that prejudice just disappeared. I appreciate that Callum was willing to change, but we all know prejudice towards a group of people does not go away that quickly.

The story was fast paced. I actually thought that the book was a stand alone. The world-building could use some improvements. Why were some people Gifted? Who are really behind the Uprising? If the Uprising was against the monarchy, why did they want the heirs to be candidates? I enjoyed the build of the romance between Cate and Callum. However, beyond that, I was left with too many questions.

Will I read the sequel? Yes. I still want to know how the story progresses. If you like spicy romantasy then Something Wicked is for you.

I’m a big fan of Ballard’s rom-coms, so I was excited to see her first foray into romantasy. That being said, while this was good, I wanted it to be great. The premise felt fresh and original, but it needed a bit more refinement to become the amazing start to a series I was hoping for.

The first book in a fantasy series usually focuses on world-building—which can sometimes overwhelm the reader—but in this case, I actually wanted more background. I found myself craving additional context around the political unrest and a deeper understanding of the “why” behind it.

I really enjoyed the Macbeth/Moulin Rouge crossover inspiration—it was a unique and compelling angle for a romantasy novel. I rarely see twists coming in books, but in this case, I found the plot predictable. The journal entries at the beginning of each chapter were a clever touch, but they revealed too much too soon.

The characters had strong chemistry and engaging banter, with plenty of spice and drama to keep things interesting. I’ll definitely continue with the next book and am curious to see where the story goes from here.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the advanced copy.

I have enjoyed Fallons romance books and was excited to read something new from.her. however I felt this book fell flat and the story line just didn't flow like it does in her other's.

hmmm I feel like I just don't connect with this author. shes not bad, shes just not for me. the cover is beautiful and its what initially drew me in. this book is wild and messy and if you're into that... this is definitely for you!

The FMC, Lady Catherine, is a sex worker with extraordinary capabilities. She’s a strong lead who readers are able to connect with on account of her perfectionism and battle with the struggles all older sisters know well. The MMC is bigoted but learns to be more open minded when he *surprise surprise* needs the assistance of someone who is part of a minority. Overall an interesting politics driven plot.

Something Wicked had a fun premise and some witty moments, but overall it didn’t quite land for me. I struggled to connect with the world—it felt a bit underdeveloped and left me wanting more depth or cohesion in the setting. The romance also didn’t fully hook me; I needed a stronger, more believable bond between the main characters to feel invested in their journey. That said, I do appreciate Falon Ballard’s voice and humor, and I think readers who enjoy light paranormal rom-coms might still find this an entertaining read.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for this arc

2.5 - 3 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
This book is just…. Not good. There is no way around it. The world building is awful. The characters are boring… and the villain presented is cringey and uninteresting.

The appeal of a moulin rouge esque book and cover were stunning and instantly pulled me in. I actually found the beginning of the book more interesting when the couple was not together and Cate was using her powers. Cue the illogical letters from this resistance saying that the current monarchs must be killed by the next one to run. Specifically a son killing a dad. (Huh?) craziest part? The son, king, princess, and others are okay with it! They’re talking about Patricide at breakfast! But don’t worry, dear sister has hired the courtesan to help her baby brother cope.

This is when Cate and Callum begin their insta love (bonded pair) connection. Overall, the magic system is not developed. Neither is this kingdom. The book is a tragic mess other than the spice which is halfway decent. I’m so disappointed in this one!! I was looking forward to it.

Thank you NetGalley, Falon Ballard, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and G. P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. 📖

I actually kind of hated this - morals of racist enemies to lovers aside, why’d it take one sexual encounter for him to forget he hated magic people and then the whole “stop this isn’t you” moment being used unironically in a piece of literature is enough to make me hate it alone. Unfortunately, this was a miss.

I was really intrigued with the concept of this, but it wasn’t executed as well as I hoped. Some parts were slow for me and hard to keep up with. The main characters didn’t really stand out to me, and the spice level got to be a lot much.

DNF @20% Im just not enjoying anything about this one. It’s clunky and the world is not fun. It’s falling very flat for me, which is disappointing. The cover is SO good though!!! I’m so disappointed.

I haven't read a Falon Ballard book that I didn't care for. Her latest, Something Wicked, is available at the end of the year and was great.