Phantasma

I WILL NEVER RECOVER

I ALREADY KNOWWW THAT THIS IS MY FAVORITE BOOK OF 2025!!!!

yall, i need more?? like the yearning, the spice, the plot, the TWIST!??? i literally screamed and threw my book across my bed when the twist happened. my husband had to run from the other room to make sure i was okay because i was screaming so loudly. i haven’t felt this way since finishing ACOTAR.

my heart fully belongs to Blackwell and i can’t ever imagine a day where it won’t.

on a deeper note, fangirling aside. this book was truly a masterpiece, i related so deeply to Ophelia in a way i never have another main character. she is an older daughter feeling the pressure of the world on her shoulders to keep her family’s legacy going, along with show more trying to keep her younger sister in place. all while struggling with OCD??? when did kaylie smith climb through my window and start taking notes on my life???

the quotes from this book are like no other,

“if there were ever a divine entity i’d worship, it’d be you”

“In a different life, in a fair one, I would've kept you until my eternal soul withered away to dust”

“My soul will go to its grave with your name echoing in my mind.”

“In all the darkness, in all the loneliness, you have been my one source of light”

i could go on FOREVER with quotes from this gem of a creation!!

and the addition of Poe 😭 my cat lover heart was so excited to know there was a little kitty vibing alongside them.

just 5/5 ⭐️ and it’s going to take me a minute to feel normal after this one because the ache that’s in my heart at the fact i may never get to read another 500 pages about Ophelia and Blackwell makes me want to toss myself off a cliff 🥲 show less

When Ophelia’s sister disappears, her only chance to get her back is to enter Phantasma and survive long enough to win the prize—a single wish. Family dynamics aside, I'm not sure I'd be rushing into a deadly haunted house for anyone. 🤣

Phantasma is equal parts tempting and terrifying. Ophelia has to survive nine challenges that only become more insane as the story goes on. Hunger Games style, the competitors start eliminating each other to improve their own chances, so she's battling both the house, and everyone trapped inside it.

Then, of course, enters the broody, ridiculously attractive mysterious man with a bargain. Yes, let's make a deal with the hot guy we don't know. Blackwell offers to help her in exchange for only ten show more years of her life. It's only ten years. 🤷‍♀️

Ophelia knows he's hiding something, and we all know how our dark fantasy FMCs love a walking red flag. She's fighting to stay alive and save her sister, but what she never planned for was putting her heart on the line too. This was creepy, addictive, and so much fun. I flew through it and immediately understood why everyone keeps recommending it! show less

I had seen this book posted online, so I grabbed it (even though I wasn't really sure what I was signing up for), and I'm glad I did. This book gave me darker, more mature Caraval vibes, with demons and devils and ghosts: the main character goes after her sister to a traveling contest with nightly trials (based on the circles of hell), high stakes, and a Devil's Grant up for grabs for the winner. Along the way, she enters into an ill advised blood bargain with a Phantom, uncovers a secrets about her family's past, heals parts of herself and her relationship with her sister, and falls in love, all while fighting the Shadow Voice in her head, staying true to herself, and learning to control her recently inherited magic.

This book does get show more spicy, but not so much that it takes away from the main plot. Learning more about the origins of Phantasma and the reason for the prohibition against falling in love during the contestants' time within the contest also adds to the depth of the story.

I ended up liking this so much more than I expected to, and now I can't wait to read book number 2! show less

I wasn't sure what I was expecting from Phantasma, but I surely wasn't disappointed!! I ate this book up and loved the way Ophelia was portrayed. Something I deeply connected with was the fact of having intrusive thoughts and how they can get pretty dark. I felt that it was important representation on how those intrusive thoughts can take over your life in a drastic way, yet it is equally important to find a method to deal with those thoughts so that they don't define your persona.
I will admit that it took me a while to really get into the book (like 60 pages in) but once I got hooked, I flew through the pages! I loved how descripted each level was; I felt that I was really part of the plot. The descriptive imagery helped with me show more visualizing every important detail in the story, which I think is the most important and interesting. Also, I completely adored Ophelia and Blackwell's relationship. A slow burn between a necromancer and a phantom... YES PLEASE! He was always there to help Ophelia when she needed it and was such a tease throughout the entire novel. I will definitely continue this series with Enchantra! show less

“In a different life, in a fair one, I would’ve kept you until my eternal soul withered away to dust.”

This book... I have to say that normally I find myself disappointed in the current trending books, but this one delivered. I mean it's got all the morally grey you could love, forced proximity, a game which can literally end in death or a demon bargin, magic, and oh yeah a forbidden romance. It is a slow burn but the banter and tension leading up are more than worth it. Blackwell is everything. He was perhaps one of my favorite characters in a long time. I truly loved this story and the gothic vibes it had. I mean not to mention a necromancer/phantom romance was everything I didn't know I needed in life. The tension and banter is show more so well done. I think this book had so many great things about it and it easily sweeps you into the story and you don't want to put it down. I admit it was the first time in a while that I was fully prepared for a whole series, knowing I'd have a cliffhanger... however, this book doesn't. I wanted more of Ophelia and Blackwell's story. I will admit that I also wished we had a little bit more explanation for some of the demon/magic stuff but overall this was probably one of my favorite reads this year. show less

“Phantasma” is a dark-romantic fantasy (or romantasy) that melds gothic haunted-house vibes with a deadly competition, plenty of heat, and haunting emotional undercurrents. For readers who enjoy a sexy, atmospheric ride with high stakes and a morally grey love interest, this will deliver — though if you’re looking for tight, traditional fantasy structure or heavy world-building, you may find some gaps.

I read this for a monthly book club. This is not the type of book I would have picked myself, but I enjoyed parts of it.

Phantasma is some magical haunted house where you can enter trials to win a prize. I liked how the trials were based on the nine circles of hell from Inferno. The bloodied bathrooms with ghosts that repeat the same tricks on every visitor, elegant dinners that get overrun with creepy crawlies and more were creative and fitting.
However, the trials and dangers kind if happened as the plot demanded. They were fun, but I was following along instead of anticipating. Blackwell is also weirdly powerful in the haunted house and him endlessly saving Ophelia got tiresome.

I loved the way OCD was written. It felt like a show more constricting, demanding ghost that filled Ophelia’s life with intrusive thoughts. None of the “ooo everything has to be neat or I’ll panic” quirky surface level characterization.
No notes, that was great.

I also loved the set up in the first chapters about how each sister was influenced/damaged by how the mother engaged with them. Ophelia has OCD, doesn’t leave the house and feels like she has to do everything right. Genevieve feels ignored, but is outgoing and sociable. Ophelia’s OCD tells her that Genevieve has a social life and doesn’t need her. Genevieve thinks Ophelia doesn’t see her as an adult.
Yet the sisterly character development was a side plot to the romance, surviving the trials, whatever mystery is going on with Blackwell and their mother’s secrets. I like what I got, especially near the end, I just wish there was more of it. And why is Ophelia so concerned with getting Genevieve back? If Genevieve is as impulsive as she thinks, she can just forfeit? The fact that she is so concerned gives credibility to the fact that Genevieve feels the way she does.

My main problem is the romance. Ophelia and Blackwell form a tentative alliance, and they had potential, but in the end they annoyed me.
Ophelia immediately into him. There are detailed physical descriptions, his eyes, hair, mouth and smell. And dear lord, the “Something about him disarmed her in a way that was concerning”
You saw each other once in a dimly lit haunted house. She must have that 20/20 vision, because it’s far too early to start thinking about his mouth.
I am rolling my eyes, -100 points immediately
And in the second half there is annoying drama about jealousy, defining the relationship and more.

I didn’t hate Blackwell like some other love interests I’ve read, he’s not obsessive, controlling or creepy, but I didn’t care for them as a couple.
Maybe if there was some more build-up and trust? Right now it felt like Ophelia was just stressed and wanted a sexy distraction. I don’t blame her for that, but where did the deep undying love come from?
He tells her “You don’t need to fix yourself. You’re not broken. But it’s okay to get outside help if it gets too loud.” And that’s a great sentiment! But his help is mostly distracting her with sex, and I want to see something better. show less