Phantasma by Kaylie Smith Summary

Phantasma by Kaylie Smith is a dark fantasy romance following Ophelia Grimm, a necromancer who enters a deadly supernatural competition to save her sister. Set in New Orleans, the novel features nine lethal trials inspired by the Nine Circles of Hell inside a haunted mansion run by Devils and Demons. Ophelia strikes a dangerous bargain with Blackwell, a mysterious Phantom, who offers protection in exchange for her help finding a key to break his curse. The story blends paranormal elements, forbidden romance, and life-or-death stakes with two main rules: stay alive and don't fall in love.

Kaylie Smith is a #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author specializing in dark fantasy romance and romantasy novels. Growing up in Louisiana, Smith developed a passion for gothic and whimsical aesthetics, frequently haunting bookstores and libraries. After earning her BFA in graphic design, she fully committed to writing, debuting with the YA fantasy series A Ruinous Fate published by Disney Hyperion before releasing Phantasma in September 2024. Smith writes with themes of magic, romance, and mental health representation, often incorporating her Louisiana roots into atmospheric settings.

Phantasma by Kaylie Smith is perfect for readers who love dark fantasy romance with forced-proximity tension and paranormal elements. Fans of BookTok sensation romantasy books featuring deadly competitions, morally gray love interests, and gothic atmosphere will find this compelling. The novel particularly appeals to those interested in mental health representation, as it authentically portrays OCD through Ophelia's Shadow Voice. Readers seeking spicy romance with high-stakes survival scenarios, necromancy magic systems, and sibling bonds will appreciate Kaylie Smith's debut adult romance.

Phantasma by Kaylie Smith became a USA Today bestseller and BookTok sensation, earning praise for its deadly competition premise and forbidden romance. The novel delivers on paranormal romance expectations with a charming, arrogant love interest, forced-proximity dynamics, and nine dangerous trials that keep tension high. Kaylie Smith's authentic representation of OCD through the Shadow Voice adds emotional depth beyond typical romantasy fare. With lavish ballroom settings, demon encounters, and irresistible chemistry between Ophelia and Blackwell, the book offers exactly what dark fantasy romance readers crave.

The nine trials in Phantasma by Kaylie Smith are inspired by the Nine Circles of Hell from Dante's Inferno, creating increasingly dangerous challenges for contestants. The first trial mentioned is Limbo, where Ophelia nearly gets killed by a contestant named Cade before accepting Blackwell's protective bargain. Each trial takes place within the haunted mansion's maze of twisting corridors and lavish ballrooms, with the house creating new monsters daily. Only one winner can survive all nine challenges to claim the Devil's Wish prize, forcing contestants to eliminate rivals through deadly competition.

Blackwell is a mysterious Phantom trapped in Phantasma who becomes Ophelia's guide and love interest throughout Kaylie Smith's novel. Charming, arrogant, and infuriatingly attractive, Blackwell offers Ophelia a blood bargain: his protection through the nine lethal trials in exchange for finding "a heart and a key" to break his ancient tether. His memories are erased at the end of each competition, creating tragic stakes for their developing romance. Blackwell initially appears at the cathedral gates before revealing himself inside Phantasma, where their forced-proximity arrangement spirals into forbidden attraction despite the curse on love within the competition.

The Shadow Voice in Phantasma represents Ophelia's obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) manifested as a dark, sinister entity in her mind. Throughout Kaylie Smith's novel, the Shadow Voice hisses threats, urges Ophelia toward violence, and demands she follow compulsions like returning home immediately. This representation of mental illness adds emotional complexity to Ophelia's character as she battles both external supernatural threats and internal psychological struggles. The Shadow Voice plagues Ophelia constantly, making her journey through the deadly trials even more challenging as she resists its dangerous commands while surviving Phantasma's horrors.

Phantasma by Kaylie Smith features spicy, adult-level romance with significant steam between Ophelia and Blackwell. The forbidden romance develops through forced-proximity dynamics as Blackwell guides Ophelia through deadly trials, creating intense chemistry and irresistible attraction. The central tension stems from Phantasma's curse: anyone who falls in love within the competition will have their love be cursed, adding high stakes to their developing relationship. Readers seeking dark fantasy romance with paranormal elements and explicit romantic scenes will find Phantasma delivers on heat alongside its deadly competition plot.

Phantasma by Kaylie Smith explores survival, family bonds, and the lengths one will go to protect loved ones as Ophelia risks everything to save her sister Genevieve. Trust becomes central as Ophelia navigates dangerous bargains with Blackwell while questioning appearances and deception throughout the competition. Mental illness representation through the Shadow Voice authentically portrays OCD's impact on decision-making and daily functioning. Forbidden love drives emotional stakes as Ophelia and Blackwell battle against Phantasma's curse while developing undeniable chemistry, and themes of grief and legacy emerge through Ophelia's inheritance of necromantic powers.

Phantasma by Kaylie Smith stands out in the romantasy genre with its unique blend of New Orleans necromancy, deadly competition inspired by Dante's Nine Circles of Hell, and authentic OCD representation. Unlike typical fae courts or dragon riders, Kaylie Smith incorporates Devils, Demons, and gothic Southern atmosphere with Louisiana roots. The novel shares DNA with Caraval's competition structure and The Hunger Games' survival stakes but adds adult spicy romance and paranormal elements. Readers who enjoyed The Hurricane Wars or Powerless will appreciate Phantasma's morally gray love interest and forced-proximity tension in a haunted mansion setting.

Ophelia Grimm is a decisive, strong-willed necromancer in her twenties who inherits her mother Tessie's supernatural abilities after her sudden death. As the eldest Grimm sister, Ophelia carries immense responsibility for protecting Genevieve and maintaining their ancestral Grimm Manor in New Orleans. She battles OCD manifested as the Shadow Voice while navigating grief, betrayal over hidden family debt, and the deadly trials of Phantasma. Ophelia's determination to save her sister drives her into the supernatural competition despite knowing the dangers, showcasing fierce loyalty and courage alongside vulnerability from mental illness and loss.

Phantasma is the first book in Kaylie Smith's Wicked Games series, with the sequel Enchantra published in 2025. Enchantra returns readers to the world of Phantasma in what's described as a spicy, stand-alone romantasy, meaning new readers can start with either book. A third Wicked Games book is also planned according to Kaylie Smith's bibliography. The series allows Smith to explore different characters and storylines within the Phantasma universe while maintaining the dark fantasy romance elements that made the first book a USA Today bestseller.