PhantasmaPhantasma
What it's about
Ophelia Grimm comes from a family of necromancers in New Orleans. When her sister disappears, there's only one way to save her: enter Phantasma, a deadly game held inside a haunted manor, with nine levels of horrors and a fortune for the winner. The rules are simple: stay alive, and don't fall in love. A charming, dangerous demon offers to help her.
Why it's worth reading
It hit #1 on the New York Times list and was a Goodreads Choice finalist for romantasy. It's a dark, gothic romantic fantasy.
You'll love it if you liked
Rose in Chains
Fourth Wing
A Court of Thorns and RosesGood to know
It's a romance first, with explicit content, horror and violence. It deals with OCD and anxiety.
By the numbers
- Readers44 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller29 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
On our reserve shelf: it's well reviewed, but isn't currently a prize winner, a lifetime bestseller or a book everyone's talking about, so we don't rank it. We check again every month, and it can still turn up in your 50 once you've read most of our ranked books.
Why it made the list
Reads as
Dark, Uplifting, Gripping
More by Kaylie Smith
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Quick answers
Is Phantasma worth reading?
It hit #1 on the New York Times list and was a Goodreads Choice finalist for romantasy. Its Must-Read Score is 61.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Phantasma about?
Ophelia Grimm comes from a family of necromancers in New Orleans. When her sister disappears, there's only one way to save her: enter Phantasma, a deadly game held inside a haunted manor, with nine levels of horrors and a fortune for the winner. The rules are simple: stay alive, and don't fall in love. A charming, dangerous demon offers to help her.
How long does it take to read Phantasma?
About 12 hours (497 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Phantasma?
If you liked it, try Rose in Chains by Julie Soto, Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros or A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas.