Phantasma is one of those books that hooked me with the promise of a dark, witchy atmosphere and a high-stakes games-and-trials plot. The vibes? Immaculate. That gothic, eerie tone mixed with the paranormal was exactly the kind of setting I love getting lost in. Think Squid Game meets The Hunger Games with a heavy dose of the supernatural. Unfortunately, while the concept was strong, the execution didn’t quite live up to it.
The trials Ophelia faces throughout the book were definitely the most compelling part. They were intense, creatively structured and had me flipping pages. But despite the tension, the repetition wore thin. Most chapters followed a formula: survive a trial, argue with Blackwell, then fall into each other’s arms. Their romance developed at lightning speed and didn’t feel convincing to me. I found it hard to connect with either of them, even though Blackwell had his moments. He was very charming, supportive and the kind of morally grey love interest many readers adore.
What really let the story down was the lack of depth in the world-building. There’s this intriguing magical system and a whole supernatural cast, but it all felt surface-level. I kept waiting for more background on the Grimm family or the lore behind the trials, but it never came. The side characters also felt underused, which made the stakes feel lower than they should’ve.
That said, I did appreciate how OCD was portrayed through Ophelia’s character, it felt authentic and layered, even if some of her decisions made me want to scream. The ending also had a few surprises I didn’t see coming, which gave the final chapters a welcome jolt of energy.
Overall, this had potential and a killer atmosphere, but I wanted more depth, more connection and more clarity.
⭐️2/5 stars The vibes are strong, but the story leaves you hungry for more!
