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A review by the_cover_contessa
Phantasma by Kaylie Smith
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
I'm so hesitant these days to read hyped books or books that end up on TikTok. More often than not I'm disappointed with the writing, the characters, or even just the story in general. This book, though. This book was worth every bit of hype I have heard about it. This was so much more entertaining than I could have imagined it would be.
Imagine a world where paranormal beings such as necromancer's and devils exist. This is that world. Set in the lush and magical landscape of New Orleans, the story follows Ophelia, a necromancer who has inherited her gifts from her recently departed mother and who must save her sister from certain ruin.
There so much I could say about this book but I don't want to give the story away. I will say that Smith builds a rich, immersive world where people compete for a chance to earn the devil's favor. The games they play are deadly and the price of staying alive steals them of their humanity as the contestants move through a house full of supernatural beings who want nothing but to see them suffer. It pits the contestants against each other for the pleasure of the devils. Think Hunger Games with magic and surreal landscapes.
Ophelia is not a character I thought I'd grow to love. At first glance, she is all "oh wo is me" because she has been groomed to carry on her family legacy while her sister was able to lead a more normal life with friends and parties and fun. She hides herself from everyone and is completely closed off. But you do see the love she has for her family, her sister and mother, from the start. So there was always hope for me she would open up and bloom. And she did. She went from a bit of a timid flower to this powerful person who was willing to fight to keep what makes her happy. The inclusion of her Obsessive Compulsive Disorder makes her that much more interesting and Smith handled this part of Ophelia's personality with care and understanding. The mental health of this character becomes paramount to how she progresses through the competition.
Blackwell, well, he's a being on a totally different plane. And I mean that since he's a Phantom. I was enchanted by him from the very start and knew I would only grow to love him more as the story progressed. I loved how he never lost sight of exactly what he wanted and how he chose to immediately protect Ophelia. Of course there were times I wasn't sure he was trustworthy. But I love me some morally gray characters and he fit that bill well.
The slow burn forbidden romance hit all the right spots for me. I loved the chemistry between Ophelia and Blackwell. It was magnetic and explosive and it wasn't insta-love, which I appreciate. But you definitely feel their pull to each other from the very beginning of the story. Smith also does the spice in this book very well. It wasn't over the top and the complete center of the story.
The pacing of the book is fast. Set inside a fantastical mansion where things are never quite what they seem. Smith creates a world where paranormal beings are the norm and no one is surprised to meet something otherworldy. New Orleans, with it's rich history of spirits and mystery, was a great backdrop for this story. It added a wealth of gothic ambience. Add in the seven deadly sins as the themes of the trials and you've got yourself a story that is captivating. There are many twists and turns throughout the story that are unexpected and keep it moving forward and keep the reader wanting more. The ending as not what I expected at all, though I had my suspicions things were not quite as they seemed.
This is my first dark fantasy romance that I can remember reading and it hit all the good spots with how the world was built, how the romance progressed, and just that right amount of horror and suspense that kept me wondering what would happen and how things could possible end up right at the end. Smith has created a unique concept that drew me in and made me want more. I'm excited to read Genevieve's story and see where Smith could possibly take it!
Imagine a world where paranormal beings such as necromancer's and devils exist. This is that world. Set in the lush and magical landscape of New Orleans, the story follows Ophelia, a necromancer who has inherited her gifts from her recently departed mother and who must save her sister from certain ruin.
There so much I could say about this book but I don't want to give the story away. I will say that Smith builds a rich, immersive world where people compete for a chance to earn the devil's favor. The games they play are deadly and the price of staying alive steals them of their humanity as the contestants move through a house full of supernatural beings who want nothing but to see them suffer. It pits the contestants against each other for the pleasure of the devils. Think Hunger Games with magic and surreal landscapes.
Ophelia is not a character I thought I'd grow to love. At first glance, she is all "oh wo is me" because she has been groomed to carry on her family legacy while her sister was able to lead a more normal life with friends and parties and fun. She hides herself from everyone and is completely closed off. But you do see the love she has for her family, her sister and mother, from the start. So there was always hope for me she would open up and bloom. And she did. She went from a bit of a timid flower to this powerful person who was willing to fight to keep what makes her happy. The inclusion of her Obsessive Compulsive Disorder makes her that much more interesting and Smith handled this part of Ophelia's personality with care and understanding. The mental health of this character becomes paramount to how she progresses through the competition.
Blackwell, well, he's a being on a totally different plane. And I mean that since he's a Phantom. I was enchanted by him from the very start and knew I would only grow to love him more as the story progressed. I loved how he never lost sight of exactly what he wanted and how he chose to immediately protect Ophelia. Of course there were times I wasn't sure he was trustworthy. But I love me some morally gray characters and he fit that bill well.
The slow burn forbidden romance hit all the right spots for me. I loved the chemistry between Ophelia and Blackwell. It was magnetic and explosive and it wasn't insta-love, which I appreciate. But you definitely feel their pull to each other from the very beginning of the story. Smith also does the spice in this book very well. It wasn't over the top and the complete center of the story.
The pacing of the book is fast. Set inside a fantastical mansion where things are never quite what they seem. Smith creates a world where paranormal beings are the norm and no one is surprised to meet something otherworldy. New Orleans, with it's rich history of spirits and mystery, was a great backdrop for this story. It added a wealth of gothic ambience. Add in the seven deadly sins as the themes of the trials and you've got yourself a story that is captivating. There are many twists and turns throughout the story that are unexpected and keep it moving forward and keep the reader wanting more. The ending as not what I expected at all, though I had my suspicions things were not quite as they seemed.
This is my first dark fantasy romance that I can remember reading and it hit all the good spots with how the world was built, how the romance progressed, and just that right amount of horror and suspense that kept me wondering what would happen and how things could possible end up right at the end. Smith has created a unique concept that drew me in and made me want more. I'm excited to read Genevieve's story and see where Smith could possibly take it!