A review by literaryland_livin
Phantasma by Kaylie Smith

4.0

Ophelia always promised her mother she would never make deals with devils but never did she think she’d be making one with a phantom. Especially one with such strikingly enticing green eyes and alluring mouth. However Ophelia is out of options and out of time as she races to find her younger sister Genevieve who has entered into the horror filled trials of Phantasma. Once you enter you are lucky if you make it out with your life as devils, ghouls, and other ghastly creatures haunt the halls of the so appropriately named Devil’s Manor where all of Phantasma is held. The only hope Ophelia has of surviving and locating her sister is with the help of Blackwell, a charmingly arrogant phantom. As each night passes it brings Blackwell and Ophelia closer to victory as well as to one another. Making Ophelia realize her life may not be the only thing she risks losing but also her heart.

Reading Phantasma was like hanging out with Caraval’s darker, edgier, and way spicer sister. Very earlier on your met with these similarities as we follow sisters that enter into the treacherous game of Phantasma where only one can be victorious. Now this is where it gets darker and more adult then Caraval, because the trials that our FMC Ophelia has to overcome are centered around the nine gates of hell, with each night featuring a new horror filled experience. The trials are most certainly not for the weak and bring a plethora of blood and death with them. The pacing of this is fast and easily bingeable as each trial progresses rather quickly. The romance between our two MCs served all the paranormal spice and banter that I expected and was hoping for. My only complaints as far as characters go is that I wish we could have gotten a dual POV with Blackwell’s view, rather than just third person from Ophelia only. I also wish we could have seen just a tad bit more world building but as this seems to be a series I anticipate more of that in the future. Overall this was a fun fast read that is perfect if you are looking for a gothic romantasy that absolutely delivers all the ghostly spicy goodness along with being filled demons, witches, necromancers, devils, phantoms, and even a ghost kitty then you have to give this book a read this spooky season!