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pamalama_k 's review for:

Phantasma by Kaylie Smith
3.75
dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I’m rating this 3.75 stars now but I may go back and change once I’ve had some time.  Overall, the book was not what I expected. I had heard it was very spicy, but although there is a fair amount of spice, it’s pretty vanilla with a lot of euphemisms.  

Sometimes I felt it could use more world building - mainly to place it in time.  I understand it’s fantasy but some of the dress and behavior puts it in the 1800s and then there will be a comment about playing “rock paper scissors” or some other more modern reference. (Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe rock, paper, scissors was common then?). It almost seemed like Ophelia and Genevieve were living in different centuries. The seeming lack of chronological tether kept me from fully immersing in the world. 

I did love Ophelia’s character arc and development. She learns a lot about herself and handles that well. And the description of OCD symptoms and catastrophizing is spot on. 

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