I need someone to get this girl some salve and hydration packets immediately (IYKYK). Now, I am typically someone who does not mind smut or what have you but will skim it or skip sections if it happens too much, drags on longer than I like, or I just am not feeling it. But despite it having a lot going on.... the way Straube was able to weave in longing and tension so beautifully had me reading every page.
Maybe it is because I have been reading fantasy for 20 years and have been in deep the fanfic world for the same amount of time, but everyone kept saying how unhinged it was and aside from the AMOUNT of "experience" the FMC goes through and one scene where a certain appendage is ripped off... I didn't bat an eye, so take that as you will as well.
Freaking loved it.

This was a wild ride and I enjoyed it. The spice within this book was well written and allowed the plot to still shine though. It was an addicting read.

Could not have enjoyed this book any more. It is literally a MASTERPIECE. For the sheer amount of smut it has, it has a shockingly AMAZING PLOT. Seriously, I’ve never read something so intriguing on every level (politics, romance, conflict) while simultaneously being the filthiest literature I’ve ever had my eyes on.

The LOVE TRIANGLE?!? Done so well where you don’t even know who to route for.

I will be rereading this book for years to come because it is brilliant & beautifully written. An ode to the woman afraid to ask for what she wants— NO MORE OF THAT GIRLFRIEND.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Okay okay listen.. was this a wild ass ride? Absolutely BUT did I have a blast while reading this shit? Yes... yes I did 🙂‍↕️

I have never wanted nor needed a book to become a MFM scenario more than these three because I'm down so bad for Leo yall it's not even funny like Caspen is cool and all but something about Leo just does it for me 🫣

Thank you again bloom books & NetGalley for the e-arc I'm foaming out the mouth now impatiently waiting for book two 🫶🏼

WTF Lindsay. WHAT 👏 THE 👏 F 👏

This was the wildest, craziest, weirdest, grossest, hottest fever dream we've ever experienced.

THIS is how you write a fantasy. Make it FANTASTICAL and semi unbelievable. Make it where the readers have to put the book down and say "did I really read what I think I just read?". Make it unpredictable. And most importantly, make up supremely UNFORGETTABLE.

Again, WTF Lindsay 😅

Thank you SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books and Netgalley for the early copy!

I went into this completely blind and ready for the wild ride.
This indeed was a wild ride, it was messy and full of smut.
The smut was 90% of the plot.
I'm not complaining because it was hot but if that's not your jam then this book is not for you.

It's well-written and the actual storyline was entertaining but completely unhinged. There's a love triangle. Tem has to choose between the human royal prince and the basilisk prince. Expect lots of chemistry and banter with both male leads.
I only wish this was slightly shorter. It felt like it was dragging around 60%.

I'll be itching for the next book in the series since he was my favorite.
Thank you Netgalley and Bloom Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

The smut IS the plot in this book. There are some interesting plot twist but not enough to keep me captivated or wanting to read the next in the series.

Temperance, Caspan + Leo

-basilisk shifters
-love triangle..? vibes? (i hope not)
-royal prince + basilisk prince
-student x teacher
-virgin fmc

okay...for real i started out with this book really questioning things...cause its in 3rd person...which i typically hate..but its written in a great way & then i got SO INVESTEDDD that i barely noticed!! the story is so intriguing...the relationships started getting SOOO MESSSYYYY...the spice be spicingggg...& i seriously just needed to know what the fuck all this meant!!!

& for reallll if the challengers bonus chapter doesn't become reality...i will straight up yeet myself off a bridge!!! WHAT THE HELLLL!!

Whoo boy. This was a fun read but it was also a mess. Did I enjoy it? Yes. Did I wish many times that I didn't have to keep reading it because the plot/writing wasn't great, also yes.

If you're looking for wall to wall smut, this is your book. If you're looking for a coherent fantasy novel with a romance plot, turn back now. The love triangle was awful. The characters made absolutely no sense and the ending was not great. But it was fun.

This was way more emotional than I thought it would be and I am here for it!! I expected it to be fun but the plot is plotting too. There is so much unhinged content that will have you giggling and cringing in the best ways.

I absolutely DEVOURED this book! It was a spicy good time!!!! Snake shifters and a sexual magic system?! This book is an erotica/fantasy lovers dream!

3.5 stars

Temperance has lived her life as an outcast, never been kissed, never had a guy interested her, and mocked by her peers. But now she is part of the 13 girls who are competing to marry the prince. They are assigned to a Basilisk, creatures of seduction and sensuality who are to train each girl in preparation to become a potential wife.

Temperance is given the Serpent King, Caspen who has a track record of having his girl win the prince's heart, and she believes she stands a chance. But things in the kingdom are tense, the basilisk's and human have been at war for a long time, and secrets are in abundance, and her affections for both men grow and she will be forced to make choices she didn't know she would be forced to make.

This book was a crazy ride, I inhaled this book. It was so readable and I truly didn't want to put it down. There was so much going on, the love triangle, the political intrigue, the sexiness, etc. I truly didn't want it to end cause I was so in the book and I am so ready to see where this series goes in the next book. My major problem was how whiney Temperance was she so entitled, and a typical not like other girls. She punished characters for wanting things but she wanted to have her cake and eat it too

2.5 stars

Kiss of the Basilisk by Lindsay Straube was a book I kept hearing about so I wanted to check it out. I have a feeling this is going to be one that people will either like and be on board with or they will just hate it. I'm going to just say...it was interesting.

Temperance Verus is our fmc and in the world she lives in, when the prince is ready to marry, all the girls born in the same year are put into a bachelor style competition but the difference here is that in order to prepare them for their marriage to the prince, they are trained by a basilisk. See, a long time ago the basilisks lost a war to the humans and now they are in service to them. Being the sexual beings that they are, they are tasked with training the girls in the art of sex. So when Tem is matched up with Caspen (otherwise known as the Serpent King and of course...his girls are always chosen), she is immediately drawn to him. He's beautiful and she's never even been kissed but she knows what she wants.

I have to say, I didn't love the characters in this book...like at all. Tem was pretty obnoxious about everything. Caspen was very manipulative and definitely liked to use secrets and sex to get Tem to do things. And Leo...well he was ok. I just wish he would have told Tem to take a hike. There are a number of secondary characters here to move the story along too. Tem's mother, Leo's father (the king), Caspen's father (the basilisk king) and then you have the mean girl who always gives Tem a hard time (Vera) and the guy who continues to challenge Caspen and Tem (Rowe).

This definitely turns into a love triangle between Tem, Caspen (the basilisk), and Leo (the prince). And of course there are other things at play within the story with these three sitting in the middle of it all. I don't want to say too much in case you do pick it up but there is conflict between the royals and the basilisk's and there's of course the question of who will Leo choose to marry.

In the midst of all of that, this book does put the sex on page literally everywhere. Once it starts, I don't think it stops and for someone who doesn't mind it in my books, even I thought it was pretty over the top. I'll be curious to read some other reviews after to see what other people think.

Ultimately, if any of that sounds interesting or makes you want to pick this book up, definitely do. It is a series and while this one didn't end on a cliffhanger, it does continue on into a piece of Leo's story so it will be interesting to see where Straube ends up taking this one.

Wow. An incredibly hot novel with a very original premise (at least for me!). Lots of spicy scenes mixed in with some pretty likable characters. It’s honestly kind of like the Bachelor on super smutty steroids, combined with some fantastical snake elements. I couldn’t put it down - finished a 500+ page book in one day. Looking forward to the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital ARC of this title.

This book was seriously disturbing, and the plot only makes sense if you don't think about it too hard.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bloom Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Listen, I give this book two stars because I enjoyed the first 200 pages.

I was excited to read another book published by Bloom, I have a thing for their books. I was looking forward to a story about a woman gaining power through sex because honestly, it is one of the most effective ways for a woman to gain power in most worlds and while that is sad it is also empowering to some people.

Then I hit page 250. And I was no longer okay. While I understand where this plot came from, I sincerely wish I had never read it.

Instead of the story of a woman becoming empowered, it is the story of the abused learning to be the abuser. And that is me not even discussing the crazy plot twists that felt like they came from a fanfiction.

This book was a wild ride but completely bingeable. The way Lindsay Straube pushes boundaries is next level. It's sexy and exhilarating - this book isn't for everyone but if you like thing outside the box. Like 100 yards out. You'll love this.

I don't have words for this one except maybe that I may not be a "typical reader" based on my reaction to this book. I can't say anything about the plot or my feelings about it because EVERYTHING I want to say is a spoiler, but what I CAN say is that this is a ridiculous book with high heat and so much intrigue and yet, I wanted MORE. The bonus chapter at the end, in my humble opinion, could have been the whole book and I would have been thrilled.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc

dnf @6% ... i mean, REALLY?

this book will find its audience, but it is not me

This was an ovulation fever dream. No, I will not be elaborating.

I will, however, take 20 more. Immediately. Not a single note needed.

This is a book where the smut IS the plot, and the book is mostly smut. If that is not your vibe, you will not enjoy this!!

If that IS your vibe—go in as blind as possible and enjoy the fever dream. 🫡

Thank you to Bloom and Netgalley for the ARC of this weird and fun book!!