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adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Possible Spoilers
I loved Phantasma! The story centers on Ophelia, a necromancer from a matrilineal line of powerful women, and her sister Genevieve as they grapple with their mother’s recent death. Set in an old, atmospheric mansion in New Orleans, the sisters are struggling to keep their home out of foreclosure while managing the remnants of their mother’s spirit-helping business.
When a haunted mansion mysteriously appears in town, hosting a supernatural contest called Phantasma, Ophelia sees a glimmer of hope. The competition, run by devils and crawling with ghosts, a spectral cat, and a dashing phantom named Blackwell, offers the chance to erase her debts and reclaim her family’s legacy. The catch? Falling in love during the trials comes with a deadly curse.
The book’s characters feel so vivid and authentic. Ophelia is a standout as a strong, empathetic protagonist navigating the complexities of OCD and possible hallucinations. Her vulnerabilities make her relatable, while her intelligence and determination make her admirable. Blackwell, the swoon-worthy phantom, is captivating with his charm and hauntingly beautiful presence.
I adored the spooky-yet-enchanting tone of the story. It’s like Alice in Wonderland with a darker, ghostly twist, filled with moments that are both spine-chilling and steamy. The balance of eerie ambiance, well-rounded characters, and mental health representation made this an unforgettable read.
Highly recommend if you’re looking for something spooky, spicy, and utterly enthralling!
I loved Phantasma! The story centers on Ophelia, a necromancer from a matrilineal line of powerful women, and her sister Genevieve as they grapple with their mother’s recent death. Set in an old, atmospheric mansion in New Orleans, the sisters are struggling to keep their home out of foreclosure while managing the remnants of their mother’s spirit-helping business.
When a haunted mansion mysteriously appears in town, hosting a supernatural contest called Phantasma, Ophelia sees a glimmer of hope. The competition, run by devils and crawling with ghosts, a spectral cat, and a dashing phantom named Blackwell, offers the chance to erase her debts and reclaim her family’s legacy. The catch? Falling in love during the trials comes with a deadly curse.
The book’s characters feel so vivid and authentic. Ophelia is a standout as a strong, empathetic protagonist navigating the complexities of OCD and possible hallucinations. Her vulnerabilities make her relatable, while her intelligence and determination make her admirable. Blackwell, the swoon-worthy phantom, is captivating with his charm and hauntingly beautiful presence.
I adored the spooky-yet-enchanting tone of the story. It’s like Alice in Wonderland with a darker, ghostly twist, filled with moments that are both spine-chilling and steamy. The balance of eerie ambiance, well-rounded characters, and mental health representation made this an unforgettable read.
Highly recommend if you’re looking for something spooky, spicy, and utterly enthralling!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Stalking, Alcohol
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Was this book written well? Not necessarily. Was the foundation clearly established? Not really. Did the plot points happen naturally without feeling rushed or forced? Absolutely not.
BUT. This book was SO. MUCH. FUN. I haven’t been so encapsulated by a story in a long time. The vision of what the author was trying to accomplish was definitely there. This was such a unique and interesting magic system, story line, combination of tropes I just couldn’t help but keep reading despite the flaws.
Paranormal creatures, a haunted moving mansion, angels and devils, magic and blood oaths, a competition with deadly consequences, mental health representation, and fated lovers? This checked almost all of my boxes. I wish the author would’ve spent more time focusing on the minor details and really ironed out the world building/magic system a little more. A lot of time was wasted on the romance and not enough time explaining WHY things are able to happen the way they did. It felt like so much crammed into one book that by the end, you’re just forced to the conclusion. I actually thought I had skipped ahead several chapters when the final acts started happening.
Overall, very fun, very sexy and even though it had its problems, I cannot wait to read book 2!
BUT. This book was SO. MUCH. FUN. I haven’t been so encapsulated by a story in a long time. The vision of what the author was trying to accomplish was definitely there. This was such a unique and interesting magic system, story line, combination of tropes I just couldn’t help but keep reading despite the flaws.
Paranormal creatures, a haunted moving mansion, angels and devils, magic and blood oaths, a competition with deadly consequences, mental health representation, and fated lovers? This checked almost all of my boxes. I wish the author would’ve spent more time focusing on the minor details and really ironed out the world building/magic system a little more. A lot of time was wasted on the romance and not enough time explaining WHY things are able to happen the way they did. It felt like so much crammed into one book that by the end, you’re just forced to the conclusion. I actually thought I had skipped ahead several chapters when the final acts started happening.
Overall, very fun, very sexy and even though it had its problems, I cannot wait to read book 2!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder
Graphic and persistent depictions of OCD
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Theme and vibes were impeccable. It's dark and twisty. The insta-love is the only reason it's 4 and not 5 stars. But that's my preference. The mmc really drew me in the last quarter of the book.
As someone with OCD it was wonderful to see it represented in such a dark and gritty way. The intrusive thoughts and the compulsions can be life hindering. What a joy to read a strong fmc who pushes past her OCD to reach her goals....fantastical death battle or not haha.
Excited for the second one.
As someone with OCD it was wonderful to see it represented in such a dark and gritty way. The intrusive thoughts and the compulsions can be life hindering. What a joy to read a strong fmc who pushes past her OCD to reach her goals....fantastical death battle or not haha.
Excited for the second one.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Where to start about this book, I wanted something fantastical, dark, romantic and spicy. Let me tell you this book knocked it out of the park. I love a book that has ancient lore based challenges (this one is the 9 circles of hell) and having our fmc have to find her way through them is so compelling to me. On top of that there is further exploration and puzzles in between each level as well as incredible sexual and romantic tension. The mystery in this book is great and whilst it’s not the main focus it plays a big role.
If you like a bit of gore and horror mixed with fantasy, magic, romance and spice. You will devour this book
If you like a bit of gore and horror mixed with fantasy, magic, romance and spice. You will devour this book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Blood, Death of parent
Moderate: Body shaming
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Blood, Excrement, Death of parent, Murder
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
For starters, this book has the good spice. 👌
I really loved the premise, setting, and gothic vibe of this book. The ghost MMC had me internally squealing and kicking my feet. The competition was fun and had some unique elements that kept it fresh.
But the ending? Rushed.
I wanted a bigger moment for the reveal of the answer to the central mystery. It felt like the story had built so much momentum and tension and the author said, so anyway, and cut several planned scenes out. Maybe they wanted to keep the book under 500 pages for some reason? 20 more pages and it would have felt much more resolved.
I still really, really enjoyed myself and believe journey before destination when it comes to reading. Still, it would have been nice to get a banger ending after so much fun, intrigue, and good spice. Looks like there may be more books in the series based on the "1" on the cover. I would definitely pick up the next when released.
I really loved the premise, setting, and gothic vibe of this book. The ghost MMC had me internally squealing and kicking my feet. The competition was fun and had some unique elements that kept it fresh.
But the ending? Rushed.
I wanted a bigger moment for the reveal of the answer to the central mystery. It felt like the story had built so much momentum and tension and the author said, so anyway, and cut several planned scenes out. Maybe they wanted to keep the book under 500 pages for some reason? 20 more pages and it would have felt much more resolved.
I still really, really enjoyed myself and believe journey before destination when it comes to reading. Still, it would have been nice to get a banger ending after so much fun, intrigue, and good spice. Looks like there may be more books in the series based on the "1" on the cover. I would definitely pick up the next when released.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
spooky spicy paranormal fantasy
I really enjoyed the bones of the plot of this book. I am a huge fan of games and trials so this was right up my alley. It did seem to drag on and get repetitive at some points, but it was still very entertaining. I don’t typically say this, but I believe there were too many intimate scenes. The spice was good and written well, but it was so often that a lot of it didn’t add anything to the plot. I wish there was more romance and less spice. I still liked it and finished it in a day. The perfect Halloween romantasy read if you are into a lot of spice and insta love (not my favorite TBH).
3 🌶️
I really enjoyed the bones of the plot of this book. I am a huge fan of games and trials so this was right up my alley. It did seem to drag on and get repetitive at some points, but it was still very entertaining. I don’t typically say this, but I believe there were too many intimate scenes. The spice was good and written well, but it was so often that a lot of it didn’t add anything to the plot. I wish there was more romance and less spice. I still liked it and finished it in a day. The perfect Halloween romantasy read if you are into a lot of spice and insta love (not my favorite TBH).
3 🌶️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, Death of parent, Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Strong OCD representation
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Confinement, Vomit, Car accident, Alcohol