Enchantra – Spoiler Free Review

Hello book friends! I’m back with a review, this time of Enchantra; the sequel to Phantasma. You know, the book I was super obsessed with last year (and still am). I’m happy to report that I loved Enchantra too! Check the content warnings below and read on for my thoughts!

Enchantra

By Kaylie Smith

Ready or not, the game has begun.

Genevieve Grimm has felt adrift ever since her sister became the head of the family. So when a mysterious friend of their mother’s invites her to Italy, she accepts. She arrives at his grand palace, expecting passion and magic, decadence and luxury… perhaps even a midnight ball.

She doesn’t expect the owner’s ruthlessly handsome son to slam the door in her face. Rowin Silver is tall, dark, and exceptionally rude, and invitation or not, he demands Genevieve leave and never come back. But Genevieve follows nobody’s orders, especially those of arrogant rich boys. She slips inside—and immediately discovers her mistake.

Rowin and his family are caught in an insidious game of hide and seek, where only one can win. The rest will be trapped in Hell… until the competition begins again.

Genevieve must either join the hunt or forfeit any hope of escaping. But to her dismay, her best chance of survival lies with Rowin. Since lovers may play as a pair, Rowin and Genevieve agree to form an alliance under the guise of a fake courtship. However, as they race through the game’s elaborate labyrinth, trapped among gleaming gold and shining marble, their loathing gives way to irresistible attraction. Only Rowin is keeping secrets, especially when it comes to his ruthless family, and Genevieve can’t help but wonder if she’s trapped in two treacherous games: Enchantra and the one Rowin is playing with her heart.

“Love. Loathing. Same passion, different names,”

So, as I started reading this book I was honestly a little afraid that the story would be a little too similar to Phantasma’s. I mean, there’s yet again a big haunted/magical mansion, a game, bargains with demons and a male lead one should definitely not trust. Except that it ended up being completely different. I really enjoyed Genevieve as the lead; she’s a lot more impulsive than Ophelia and I related to her quite a bit. Rowin was an interesting male lead. I greatly enjoyed the banter and chemistry between him and Genevieve. Seriously, this book has some hilarious moments that are due to Genevieve being her iconic self and Rowin being unable to deal. I did expect a bit more rollercoaster drama from these two, but I’m not unhappy where they ended up.

“Shadows can only be seen in the presence of light,” he told her, the words agonized. “I worry when you leave, there will be no one left to see me.”

The setting was highly enjoyable, too. While this mansion wasn’t as gory as Phantasma’s, it had its own charm. Probably because people actually live in this house from time to time… Anyway, y’all know I love a good mansion with secret passages and rooms to sneak away to. The Hunt itself was a great mechanism to force Genevieve and Rowin together without sacrificing plot. I still had the sense that there was something going on outside wherever they were hiding, but at the same time I perfectly got to see their arcs develop.

However, by far my favorite aspect of this book was the Silver siblings. Their relationship with each other is so complicated and dysfunctional, but it was somehow made funny. I would 100% read a book that literally just details their daily interactions. I hope we get to see more of them in the future.

Speaking of the future; will there be another book? I feel there were clues in this book that point to yes, someone please confirm. Because if so, sign me up! I’m ready for another adventure and I hope to God it’s about one particular Silver sibling who may or may not have something up his sleeve (iykyk).

Have you read Enchantra yet? What did you think of it? Do let me know! If you’re interested in reading my thoughts on Phantasma, you can find that review here!