Kiss of the Basilisk: A Split or Swallow Novel

Name: Kiss of the Basilisk: A Split or Swallow Novel
Rating: 6.73 (135 reviews)
ISBN: 9781464247576

From internet sensation Lindsay Straube comes the first in a searing romantasy series where survival demands submission, and desire is the most dangerous game of all.

Temperance Verus has never been kissed--not exactly ideal for a girl competing in the palace's most closely watched matchmaking ritual. Every year, a select group is invited to bond with the realm's magical basilisks and train in the art of charm, poise, and influence. The prize? A chance to win the prince's favor--and a life of privilege.

Tem expects rules, gowns, and etiquette.

She doesn't expect her assigned partner to be Caspen--the Serpent King, commanding, mysterious, and anything but safe. As he pushes her to unlock the strength she never knew she had, Tem finds herself drawn into something deeper, stranger, and far more powerful than royal approval.

But not all bonds are built for the court, and some secrets are meant to break them.

Readers call it "feral, spicy, and unforgettably bold." For fans of morally grey monsters, slow-burn fantasy romance, and stories that subvert the fairytale script.

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Published Feb 25, 2025

525 pages

Average rating: 6.73

135 RATINGS

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✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI

Readers say *Kiss of the Basilisk* is an intensely explicit fantasy novel with abundant smut that some find exhilarating and others overwhelming. Most...

Mellific

Jul 09, 2026

2/10 stars

Have you ever wondered if too much smut can completely ruin a book? Because after listening to all 23 hours of this audiobook, I can tell you that the answer is yes. This FMC is probably the most insuffurable FMC I've ever witnessed, and this book had no business being as long as it was.

amberofak

Jun 07, 2025

6/10 stars

Unhinged snake smut. So many bodily fluids and yet still somehow enjoyable.

alliebrandy89

Jun 19, 2026

9/10 stars

This is cliterature at its finest. I have heard some people say there's no story or plot. There's enough to get you from one x rated scene to the next. Listen and how can you not love the fanfic at the end of the book solid gold. Ready for book 2!

ednardz19

Jun 04, 2026

6/10 stars

3.9⭐️

Wild, wild read. Every page got wilder as it went. But maybe too much for my taste. Not a literary masterpiece, but maybe a cliterary one?

LadyAmandaW

May 07, 2026

10/10 stars

I know there are mixed reviews saying that it is nothing but smut and no plot (which there is a ton of smut) but, there is a plot and that was what kept me reading. Yes the smut is amazing and the plot flows perfectly. Just started the second book because what kind of ending was that!