Holy shit! I absolutely could not put this down. What an incredible ride this was, and I still haven't stopped thinking about it. Definitely had a lot of hand-wringing, nail-biting moments.

When Ophelia and her sister Genevieve find the mother dead in their living room, Ophelia, being the eldest, inherits the family magic and, along with it, the responsibility of carrying their family legacy. But when they learn of the debt their mother was in, her sister enters Phantasma—a game that is held in a cursed manor all over the world and has been scheduled to come to New Orleans next in order to win it and clear the debt. Ophelia has no choice but to take part in it herself to save her sister.

The game contains nine levels, inspired by the nine circles of hell. The person to clear all levels and win the contest gets to have their one wish granted. Here she meets Blackwell, who makes a bargain with her to help her with the levels of the game to find her sister, in return asking her to help him look for something he needs to find within the manor.


The plot was really well paced and will keep you at the edge of your seat right till the very end. The gothic setting of Phantasma was so captivating and enthralling that you can't help but get lost in it. The curiosity to learn more about these characters, the mystery they're trying to solve, the different levels of the game, and the manor and its many secrets. I loved the concept of the nine levels of the game being inspired by the nine circles of hell. Things kept getting more intense and dangerous as they cleared more levels, and the idea and hints of every challenge were so spectacularly done. The group of people partaking in the contest were diverse, which heightened the whole experience. There were devils too, each one wicked in their own way, trying to get them to make deals.

Ophelia Grimm was an absolute delight. Firstly, I loved the fact that she was tall because I'm tall and so tired of reading about FMCs who are tiny. She was a force to be reckoned with. I loved how badass she was, not having a care in the world about what others thought of her, calling people out when needed. She was so brave, never backing away from anything the game, manor, devils, or contestants threw at her, facing every challenge head-on even as things kept getting more gruesome with each level. Though she didn't spend her time trying to form friendships or bonds in Phantasma, she definitely had to question her morals, what she was willing to do, and how far she was willing to go with each level. These conflicts were well portrayed. Being sheltered the way she had, taking part in Phantasma really made her find herself in the most unexpected place and situation. Her struggles with OCD were very well woven into her character, and it was definitely well explored when it came to the game itself and how that was something the manor used as a pushback in her challenges. With this, Ophelia not only had to fight other contestants but also her own mind that was working against her.

As Ophelia tries to find clues about her sister, she unearths some secrets and shocking revelations about her family that make her question if she truly ever knew them as well as she thought she had, leaving her feeling confused and betrayed. She starts wondering if all that she had been taught to follow was really the truth.

Blackwell had me smitten right from their first encounter. He was mysterious, charming, sexy, mischievous, flirty, sarcastic, and just loved to mess with Ophelia. There was so much that was unknown about him due to his situation, and it only made the story more compelling as the plot unfolded. I loved how he was always there to help Ophelia, even before she made the bargain. He was so protective of her and took care of her after every level in whatever way she needed him to. Watching him slowly fall for Ophelia was so beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time, given the curse and their limited time with each other. My heart definitely ached for how lonely and hopeless he had felt for so long, and Ophelia was the first one to truly want to know him.

When it comes to the relationship between Ophelia and Blackwell, it felt natural and effortless for them to get comfortable with each other from the first moment. Though Ophelia had her reservations about trusting a Phantom given all the teachings from her mother, she couldn't help finding her way to him each time. Their constant bickering and banter was amazing, giving way to flirting, which made me smile a lot. They made a pretty great team, helping each other out in their quests. However, they also feel a sense of rightness, a pull towards each other that neither could explain. This leads to their relationship going from just their bargain to gradually developing much deeper feelings. Knowing the rule about not falling in love in Phantasma, they fought really hard against these feelings. They were both willing to do whatever it took for the sake of the other, which was just so beautiful and heartwarming.

The growing tension between Ophelia and Blackwell and all the close proximity led to some amazing smut, and damnnn the skills of that phantom, dirty talking being just one of them. The way he teased and worshiped her body was something.

The game, mystery, romance, and everything about this book were all well placed, timed, and executed.

Thank you, Kaylie Smith, Second Sky, and Netgalley, for providing me with the arc in exchange for an honest review.