Phantasma

Thoroughly enjoyed this. Loved both of the main characters. Romance with heat and a series of deadly challenges overcome and dark too. A gothic paranormal romance. What more could you ask for?! Have already added Enchantra to my tbr list.

As someone who doesn't go into books looking for smut (and that's what this was, smut, not spice) I can't say I ever thought "what if Caraval had less plot and so so much sex.This book takes place in 9 days. And we see each day as the "not insta love" (it's insta love) progresses. I fucking HATED the sister's nicknames for each other. Ophie and Vivi just sounded like two young children dancing around each other and it infantalised both of them so much. Which wasn't hard to do since they both acted like annoyed teenagers (at least for the ten seconds we saw Genevieve).This book really failed in the aspect of "show don't tell". Because we were told over and over again just how much Ophelia wanted to save her sister and be reunited and then they were separated again 23 pages later. I don't so much care about Ophelia using sex to hide from trauma, if anything to me that was the most interesting part of her character. But I swear it was the same sex scene over and over and it felt like there was more sex than plot.I called the plot twist almost immediately and I did like that it was a one chapter explanation. I didn't feel like it needed more than that. I feel like I would have enjoyed it more though if Ophelia had to actually solve one of the challenges for herself without her powers. It felt like it was implied that Genevieve was the "dumb and flighty younger sister" and only having powers was how she got out of things but-- Ophelia was too.There was little chemistry between our main characters as far as I thought and it was a little weird that like one day he was helping a man get back the love of his life and then a week later he was boning that man's daughter. Like... huh?Will I read book 2? Probably but only because it's a standalone. And if Genevieve annoys me as much as she did in this one, I will DNF.

4.5

4.5 ⭐Did I just fell in love with a phantom ? yes, yes I didthat was so good, I did not expect all of this tbh, and the plot twists!!!!! Kaylie you did us dirty (and so freaking good)

OKAY!!This has been put into my top 10 romantasy booksI'm obsessed!!Now I know what you're thinking.... WHY have you rated it a 4 star if you say your obsessed?I'm not going to lying. It did take me awhile to get into this. At the beginning I wasn't finding myself wanting to pick it up.Now I was in a reading slump so that would be why because the story it's self was amazing, never a dull moment I just wasn't 100% into it.BUTI'm so glad I carried on

3.5 rounded to 4 stars. I couldn't help but imagine Disneyland's Haunted Mansion (but much scarier) while reading this. the atmosphere was great. the horror was great. So was the banter! but I will admit I skimmed over the romance bits because that's not really my thing. I also felt like the end was super rushed, especially compared to the beginning.I'm glad I read it. It's an easy read despite its 500 page count. I just felt like the middle / end was a little slow and then extremely rushed. The challenges also seemed way too easy towards the end as well.