Phantasma
Ratings18
Average rating3.8
15
Ratings18
Average rating3.8
Welcome to Phantasma. There are only two rules to the game. Stay alive. And don’t fall in love.
When Ophelia’s sister disappears, there is only one way to save her. Ophelia must enter Phantasma, a deadly contest inside a haunted mansion, and claim its prize—a single wish. Phantasma is a maze of twisting corridors and lavish ballrooms, of demons and temptations. Ophelia will face nine challenges, each more dangerous than the last. There can only be one winner, and the other contestants will stop at nothing to eliminate their rivals.
Every day the house creates new monsters. But just as Ophelia’s fears threaten to overwhelm her, a mysterious stranger offers her a bargain. Charming, arrogant and infuriatingly attractive, Blackwell claims he can guide her through the lethal trials ahead. All he asks in return is ten years of her life.
Ophelia knows she shouldn’t trust him. Blackwell doesn’t seem dangerous, but appearances can be deceptive. Worse still, she feels a dark and irresistible attraction drawing them closer and closer. Her life is on the line.
But in Phantasma, the only thing deadlier than losing the game is losing your heart…
A Court of Thorns and Roses meets Caraval in this seductive fantasy adventure. With steamy romance, a sexy morally gray love interest, OCD rep and jaw-dropping twists, Phantasma is perfect for fans of Rebecca Yarros, Nisha J. Tuli and Carissa Broadbent.
Featured Series
1 primary bookWicked Games is a 1-book series first released in 2024 with contributions by Kaylie Smith. The next book is scheduled for release on 4/8/2025.
Reviews with the most likes.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)
This was a fun read. It gave darker/gothic Caraval vibes and having to summon Blackwell by saying his name three times reminded of Beetlejuice lol. I enjoyed the world and the characters. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
The social media hype over this book got me to stray from my end of year TBR (shocker, I know), and it was time well spent! It seemed appropriately hyped to me and felt plenty adventurous. I found myself really wanting to know what happens next.
The depictions of OCD and anxiety were done decently and added tension to the story. At times I was thinking I could really relate to the anxiety. The world overall is basic for fantasy- basic magic, devils, ghosts, etc. Very simple and easy to wrap my head around. Not a lot of exposition either.
I got Kingdom of the Wicked crossed with Caraval vibes from this book so if you liked one or both of those, this will be a fun read!
Phantasma starts off with promise, drawing you into its intriguing world and setting the stage for what seems like a captivating dark romance. However, as the story unfolds, the plot twists become painfully predictable, and the narrative takes on the vibe of an underdeveloped Wattpad story. While the smut is present, it feels lackluster compared to the vivid and engaging scenes you’d find in more popular BookTok recommendations. The pacing falters toward the end, and the characters lose some of their earlier appeal. Overall, it’s a decent read, but it doesn’t live up to its initial potential or stand out among its competitors.
