Phantasma (Wicked Games, 1)

The past reviews express all the things I felt when I started this book. My awe at your talent MS. Kylie is beyond words. I loved this story from beginning to end. It had the right pace and excitement that made me want to read all the more faster. But I enjoyed it at the pace you set. Your characters were enchanting. The plot of the story intriguing. And the sexy times just the right amount of spice. I loved Ophelia curiosity and her fire to do the right thing. Blackwell is a very charming devil. I loved their banter and interaction. And the happily ever after was the sweetest reward. I recommend this book to those who want a chance at making the unknown a challenge worth fighting for. OCD is a disorder that comes with many trials and tribulations but finding a source to keep you steady is a bigger challenge that I pray those afflicted will find. 10*****

📚 Book Review: "Phantasma" by Kaylie Smith 🕯️Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️What I loved:1. The gothic and scary vibes 👻2. Ophelia's growth and inner strength 💪3. Ophelia + Blackwell 🖤📖 About the Book:To save her sister, Ophelia must enter Phantasma, a deadly contest inside a haunted mansion, and face nine dangerous challenges. Along the way, she forms an uneasy alliance with Blackwell, a mysterious and attractive stranger who offers to guide her through the trials in exchange for ten years of her life.🤔 Review:When I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it. The concept of Phantasma, with trials each mirrored after a circle/level in hell, gave all the gothic and scary vibes. The setting was perfect for this story, and the scare factors were great and in vivid detail that helped put you in the moment.Ophelia was a great character, and I enjoyed seeing her grow and find her inner strength while facing her OCD. The depictions of OCD were haunting and dark, which really conveyed the struggle Ophelia was going through. I thought each of those scenes was done very well.Now to Blackwell. The dynamic between her and Blackwell was fantastic—the humor and sass were on point, making their interactions some of my favorite moments. Plus, Blackwell's memory loss of his past intrigued me to find out what happened to him. I had a suspicion, and let's just say, I called it! (see image for my reaction to the moment. HA!)The one downside I had with this story was the ending. I felt it was rushed and that things were not fully explained. I can't say much without spoilers, but I would like to know the why behind a certain character's actions. Maybe we will get more answers in the next book. I hope so.Overall, this was a captivating read with a unique premise and strong character development. If you love gothic, spooky stories with romance, this book is for you.

Hooked from the very first page. It’s dark, moody, and addictive, the kind of story that makes you forget the real world exists. The characters are deliciously messy and morally grey (aka my weakness), and the romance? Obsessive, consuming, and borderline toxic in the best way. I live for that “I’d burn the world for you” energy, and this book delivers.I only knocked off half a star because a couple scenes felt a little too quick compared to the rest of the beautifully drawn-out tension, but honestly… that didn’t stop me from devouring every page. If you want something that’ll wreck you and make you feral at the same time, this is it.

This was such a great story. Such wondrous creativity was poured into it. You can tell the author poured her heart and soul into every page with enthusiasm. Great details, not overly drastic (except for certain parts, but it fit together well enough), and plot twist was imaginative. But the ending was a derailed train that crashed and burned. Why did it get so generic and dull? It ended quickly, but it wasn't exactly a bad thing. Lots of build-up and plot. There wasn't a tremendous amount of world building because it didn't need it. This was all about the adventures and puzzle solving. Then, to reach the end, I was just left saying out loud, "Uh. Um. Okayyy." It was unimaginative and bland. I'm really let down. I'm not even sure how to process it. I'm glad I read this. But this was my introduction to this author... I'm not sure I want to read book 2 now. I'm not sure going in if this is a common practice in their other stories. I can't even start another book. I need a break bubble to process the rapid decline of what I read.Side note: I don't like reading reviews because 90% of people think they're booktokers and need to just rewrite the description of the book, into a full book. I read the description already, we all know what it's about. There's sites I can look up tropes on. Stop with these over indulging goo. Just tell us what you thought of it. Give me your opinions and tell me if there's spice. I don't need to fall asleep on your college thesis. It makes me not trust anyones opinion if I should continue the series. This isn't the authors fault. It just reflects poorly on if anyone wants to trust reading them.