Kiss of the Basilisk by Lindsay Straube Summary
Overview of Kiss of the Basilisk
In "Kiss of the Basilisk," basilisk shifters meet forbidden romance in a story BookTok can't stop talking about. Lindsay Straube's debut fantasy is so provocative it comes with a warning: "THIS BOOK IS NOT SAFE TO READ AT WORK." Prepare for something feral, spicy, and boldly unforgettable.
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Key takeaways
The Dance of Predator and Prey
Imagine walking barefoot through dew-kissed grass before dawn, your thighs anointed with ylang-ylang and sandalwood oils, heading toward a cave where a monster awaits. This is Tem's reality as she joins thirteen other girls in an ancient ritual, following generations of women before her. While one girl flees in terror, Tem feels an inexplicable pull toward the farthest cave, remembering her strange dream where fire danced across her skin like summer rain rather than burning her. Inside waits Caspen, a basilisk in human form with golden-flecked eyes. These serpentine creatures can take human shape at will, and the annual tradition of sending young women to them serves as both coming-of-age ceremony and peace offering. The village maintains its safety through this blood covenant, but Tem's journey will challenge everything her people believe. What makes this ritual fascinating is how it subverts expectations. Rather than being a simple sacrifice of virgins to monsters, it becomes Tem's pathway to power. Her instinctive choice of the farthest cave, following the same pull she felt in her dream, suggests a destiny beyond what her village imagines. The cave itself, marked with symbols that seem to glow only for her eyes, holds secrets that have waited centuries for the right person to unlock them. When faced with creatures who could destroy us, do we submit to tradition and fear, or find ways to claim our own power?
Lessons in Desire and Control
Beauty as Currency, Defiance as Power
The Monster Within
Blood Gold and Power Politics
Between Two Worlds
Claiming Your Own Fire
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"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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