Phantasma (Wicked Games, 1)

Dark, intense, and addictive. That’s what Phantasma feels like. From the very first pages, Keylie Smith pulls you into a world wrapped in mystery and raw emotion. The story blends the supernatural with something deeply human, making every chapter feel like you’re peeling back layers of something fragile and powerful. But what truly lingers is Blackwell. His presence is magnetic—haunted, contradictory, and utterly unforgettable. He’s not just a character; he’s a storm in slow motion, a wound you want to heal even though you know it might break you. His silence, his struggle, and the shadows he carries make him the soul of this story. Keylie Smith’s writing is both delicate and evocative. There are passages that beg to be reread, full of quiet pain and beauty. I loved how she weaves grief, longing, and redemption into a narrative that never lets go. Why not five stars? At times, the pacing felt a bit predictable or drawn out—but that doesn’t take away from the emotional impact. Phantasma succeeds in what matters most: making you feel. If you’re drawn to stories that explore deep wounds, intense characters, and beautifully haunting prose, Phantasma will speak straight to your heart. ✨ Xana

If you enjoy dark romantasy with deadly trials, gothic haunted-house vibes, morally gray love interests, and some solid spice, Phantasma is a fun ride. The story takes place inside a cursed magical manor where competitors must survive a series of dangerous trials. It gave strong Hunger Games-style survival tension but with a darker, supernatural twist. The escalating challenges kept the story engaging, and the haunted setting created a dramatic atmosphere. The romance between Ophelia and Blackwell becomes a major driver of the story. Blackwell is powerful, mysterious, and definitely brings the spice. The tension between them carries much of the middle of the book. The twist genuinely surprised me. I had a few theories about the locket and Ophelia’s role in the mystery, but the full reveal still caught me off guard. The ending moves quickly and introduces a lot of lore in a short space, so I went back to reread a few chapters to catch everything. Emotionally satisfying, though slightly rushed. If you start thinking too deeply about every detail of the lore, you might notice a few small gaps. But if you’re reading for atmosphere, tension, devotion, and spice, this delivers. There’s also an epilogue, and the book ends with a HEA. Overall: dark romantasy vibes, deadly magical trials, a surprising twist, and an entertaining read.

This story is a twisted, sizzling hot fantasy with a gothic vibe, ghosts, and phantoms set sound a game of life and death. The book is filled with mature concepts and smutty scenes. All of this story's twisted fantasy and dark, macabre stuff has kept me on the edge of my seat. I love the ending of this story; you get a little touch of romance. The hierarchy explained in the book is great. Ophelia is now the eldest Grimm sister, having successfully transferred her family's magic after her mother met an untimely end. She is ocd and filled with apprehension. This book is dark and gritty, with dark practices of magic and ghosts already, and I'm only in the first chapter. Apparently, her family is proflic in the witch community as necromancers. It starts with a countdown to Phantasma. The shadow voice in Ophelia's head, as well as her compulsive habits, are exciting. This book almost has a historical vibe to it, but its top is perfect as an October read. Her talent and gifts get her in trouble as she meets something she can't identify. Ah, that's how she gets involved with this aptly-named book. Like a haunted horror movie, this movie starts out well but is spine-tingling. This book's weird encounters with ghosts, ghouls, and phantoms are spooky, like in "The Haunted Mansion. "Blackwell " is particularly intriguing but seems to speak in riddles. Oh, a bargain. I know she is smart to never take one, but after the first set of trials, why not have help? Blackwell strikes quite the deal. Things get steamy between this Phantom and necromancer as they seem to have chemistry. This story's trials, action, and adventure will keep you at the edge of your seat. Will Ophelia survive? I love the ghost cat in this story. The trials based on the nine circles of hell are exciting occurrences. Oh, this gets more twisted as she finds new information and gets closer to this Phantom. Steamy is still surprising in this story as I wasn't expecting it, and with a ghost no less, the author doesn't stop there, going as far as to stretch your mind a little more. Is he corporeal for the intimacy? Despite the life-of-death situations, the book gets sizzling hot in the intimacy area of the story. Every chance the Blackwell and Ophelia get, they get very new adult intimacy. We have gone from precarious situations to actual violence in the book. This story is definitely for a mature audience. Also, it is very smutty. The sisterly reunion is fantastic, but I'm still waiting for the shoe to drop on this story. I know the key and heart, but I'm not positive yet. I like that this has some suspense to go with the trails and smutty scenes. Oh, twisted omg, I didn't see that coming at all. This book is the perfect October read with the twisted storyline, gothic vibes, and paranormal elements. I absolutely love Ophelia's growth and sass in the story. And the ending of this book is a total mind-boggling experience. The ending of this is really romantic despite the conditions and circumstances the characters face. This book was so good; it's definitely one to read again. Omg, I love the note from the author at the end and her struggle with the disorder that is represented in this book.

I LOVED Kaylie's Smith writing. It was so immersive and the FMC felt real, flawed and painfully relatable. Her struggle to understand herself and this entity constantly living in her head were beatifully written. I absolutely devoured this book and I enjoyed how the author explained the games the FMC needed to win in order to find her sister. Last but not least the MMCC!!! I don't have words to describe how I LOVED Blackwell! Overall, Phantasma is a dark, emotional and thoughtfully written fantasy that lingers even after the last page!

Loved the book from the beginning to the end! Absolutely my top-favorite so far! :)

Loved it, almost like enemies to lovers and mostly about creatures, yes the challenge has humans in them but the necromancers, phantoms, ghosts are whole vibe 10/10

A gothic romance set in NEW ORLEANS? Say no more—take my money! From the first page to the last, I was hooked. Dark, mysterious, and dripping with gothic vibes—absolute perfection! This dark gothic romantic fantasy follows Ophelia and Blackwell, and wow—their chemistry had me giggling and kicking my feet every time they shared the page! The setting and vibe were so immersive and intoxicating, I couldn’t get enough Ophelia—I adore this girl! She’s such a breath of fresh air as a main character—resilient, strong, and incredibly dynamic. The close sibling bond between her and Genevieve was everything, adding so much depth to the story. The journey through the different "circles of hell" was gripping, and her facetious personality kept me hooked. Plus, the OCD representation was so beautifully done and so important. Blackwell. Let me tell you something—one thing’s certain, two things are for damn sure—I will always be weak for a sneaky, sarcastic man. He was an absolute vibe—refreshing, hilarious, and his tension-filled banter with Ophelia? It had me screaming. The comedic timing? Impeccable. And when that who did this to you moment hit, I was DONE. Sat down, shut up, and emotionally ruined. The games were the perfect mix of tension and just the right amount of gruesome—Kaylie nailed it! And that ending? SCREAMING. I’m usually pretty good at guessing twists, but this one actually caught me off guard, and I loved every second of it! That said, I need more answers about the voice in Ophelia’s head—I was fully convinced there was more to it, and now I’m dying for closure. Can’t wait to dive headfirst into the second book!

The book is absolutely stunning, has a little nick on the backside but its all good.