Something Wicked by Falon Ballard
on December 2, 2025
Published by Penguin Group Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / General, Fiction / Fantasy / Romance, Fiction / Romance / Paranormal / General
Format: ARC
Pages: 384 
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Source: NetGalley and the Publisher
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- Spice Rating: 4 out of 5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Explicit scenes, high heat, open door—no fade to black here!)
Let’s Talk About the Magic and the Mayhem…
Alright y’all, Something Wicked is Falon Ballard’s first sashay into the romantasy genre, and listen, I was intrigued. I liked it. I wanted to love it. It’s got some banger elements, but it didn’t quite stick the landing for me.
Let’s start with the glam. LA Puissance? That setting was lush. (Picture crimson velvet, whispered secrets behind lace masks, absinthe in a glass rimmed with danger kinda vibes.) The Moulin Rouge inspiration is clear, and Ballard nailed that seductive, sultry aesthetic. She set the mood, and baby, I was there for it.
️The Spice Was Spicing
Let’s not dance around it: the romance is sizzling. We’re talkin’ toe curling, page-fanning, blush-worthy heat. If you came for spice and steamy payoff, Fallon delivers. She doesn’t play coy, and honestly? Respect
But Here’s Where It Slips a Bit…
The magic system? Not fully explained. Like, I could see there were rules somewhere but we never got a handbook. And for me? That made it harder to really invest in the stakes. Same deal with the politics, there’s clearly some power plays happening, but it all felt a little murky, the origins, the why’s, like watching a chess game without knowing what the pieces do.
Then there’s a central relationship that’s…well, let’s say it’s significant. But we don’t get the depth or backstory we need for it to make sense the way it’s meant to. And no, I’m not gonna spoil it, but if you’ve read it, you know what I mean. I wanted more time, more emotion, more explanation, more why behind the, what the hell?
It Needed Room to Breathe
Here’s the thing I kept coming back to: I feel like this story could’ve been a duology. There’s so much richness, so many threads, so much potential, but trying to jam it all into one book kind of squeezed the magic out of it. Especially if you’re going to nod to Macbeth, you gotta give the story space to stretch its legs and haunt us properly.
The Bottom Line
For a first romantasy? It’s got fire. Falon Ballard shows real promise in this genre. She’s got the heat, the voice, and the drama. I just hope next time she slows it down, dives deeper, and lets the world grow roots before rushing to the finish line.
3 stars ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ from this spice loving, dragon daydreaming midlife mama. I’m rooting for her, and I’ll definitely check out what she does next!
Big thanks to Falon Ballard, NetGalley, and GP Putnam’s Sons for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.
🫶🏻 – Ali
