Phantasma by Kaylie Smith – Were You Looking For Spicy Danny Phantom?

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To say this book got me out of a reading slump is a strong but true statement. While I admit this book has its problems, the vibes and spice were immaculate. So let’s dive right in because I have a few too many thoughts floating around in my head. 

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Summary

Ophelia and her sister, Genevieve, discover their mother murdered. But they quickly discover there is no time to grieve. Ophelia has inherited not just the family’s powerful death-driven magic, but also an enormous debt placed on their family home. 

Things only become worse when Genevieve decides to enter Phantasma, a deadly competition. The only Ophelia can try to save her sister is to enter Phantasma too. 

But Phantasma is a cursed manor, filled with winding corridors and lavish rooms, all filled with demons and fatal temptations. But when a charming and arrogant stranger claims he can help Ophelia for a price, she knows she shouldn’t trust him. 

However, with her sister’s life and hers on the line, Ophelia decides to trust the stranger. She just needs to ensure to protect herself, because in Phantasma, the only thing deadlier than losing the game is losing your heart. 

Thoughts on the Plot

If I’m being honest, the plot somehow felt both straightforward but also all over the place. 

The competition and atmosphere were beyond creepy and interesting. Although, I could not figure out what time frame this story might have been set in. It gave regency vibes but still felt semi-unclear.

And while the competition was interesting and definitely sounded deadly, the trials ended up falling kinda flat. 

This book is also incredibly spicy. I’m glad that I took my time reading it because I would’ve been feral until the end of the book. 

I think the romance and dark fantasy elements were done fairly well. When Ophelia’s deepest fear comes to life, I felt like I was reading a horror novel. 

The fantasy aspects felt kind of lacking and the demons felt kinda tame. It reminded me of the Kingdom of the Wicked series, where we are in literal hell with the Princes of Hell and yet they come off watered down. 

The need for consent in this book was a bit much, too. Consent is important, but it would have been nice for it to be a physical confirmation, rather than interrupting an intense moment to ask for it. 

Which leads me to the characters.

Thoughts on the Characters

I am a bit conflicted with Ophelia. My little anxious OCD necromancer. On the one hand, I related a lot to Ophelia. To her anxiety and little ticks and protectiveness over her sister. 

But on the other hand, she wasn’t really a girl’s girl. Everything came a bit too easy for her and I really needed her to get with the program faster than she did. 

Then there is Blackwell. At first, I found him really intriguing. He reminded me a lot of Cassian, oddly enough. But that’s where the ACOTAR related similarities end. 

He is a giant flirt and eventually it became tiresome. I knew there was some sort of pull between Ophelia and Blackwell, so I did not expect a slow burn, nor did it come off as insta-love, but I wanted Blackwell to be a bit more original.

He was always either flirting, being protective, or angry/jealous. His backstory was incredibly interesting, however. 

I think the genuine tragedy of this story was the backstory of Ophelia and Genevieve’s parents. When Ophelia finally puts all the pieces together about what happened to her mother, I audibly gasped. 

The demons were interesting, but again, pretty tame. 

The other contestants were realistic. I liked that their personalities fit the type of people who would enter a deadly competition. 

(Those who need their debts paid, or want fame, for example.)

And last but not least, Genevieve is far more carefree than Ophelia. I’m actually really excited about her book to come out April 2025 and learn more about her character. (Enchantra)

I did love the relationship Ophelia and Genevieve have. It’s unfortunately only these moments, where Ophelia is a girl’s girl. 

Overall Thoughts

Honestly, this book was a pretty fun ride. It definitely had its creepy/horror-esque moments. 

The vibes were vibing and reminded me a bit of the Kingdom of the wicked series by Kerri Maniscalco. 

There was a ton of spice and a decent amount of substance to boot. The atmosphere was fitting, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. 

It does have its drawbacks like any store, but I found that I enjoyed the story more than I disliked it. 

If you’re looking for a super spicy, fantasy/paranormal filled story full of imperfect characters and dark secrets, then Phantasma might just be for you. 

So for that reason, 4.5 stars out of 5 stars. 

You Might Also Like: Kingdom of the Wicked // Throne of the Fallen