Scan barcode
A review by nose_in_a_book
Entranced by the Basilisks by Lillian Lark
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Lilian Lark is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. I have so many annotations in both of the books I’ve read by her where I’ve simply written “Lilian!” in either delighted shock or because she bullseye’d her way to a truth that hit emotionally.
Her Monstrous Matches series is quintessential cozy romantasy in plot. The stakes are low and vibes are immaculate, even during conflict, but somehow she still manages to sneak in these moments of earth shattering emotional depth that feel approachable instead of daunting.
This book starts with a break up and I was shocked by how much it hurt considering how little I knew the characters. In very few words, she managed to convey years of interactions filled with things unsaid to the point where I, as the reader, felt like I was at the same conclusion as both characters which is no easy feat. Additionally, throughout the book every character is given room for insecurity and flaw. The conflict is never that someone else has bad habits but instead about how those habits impact their partners which feels almost healing to read. No one is expected to change who they are, simply given the space to grow to be better.
The spice in this book was excellent. It was tension-filled and filthy in a way that only monster romances can achieve even when trying to be sweet. I liked how re-affirming it was without being saccharine or precious. No one is handled gently but they are handled with responsibility.
The only criticism I have is that there were a lot of similarities in plot between her Gargoyle book and this one. There were enough distinctions for me personally that I still loved it but I’ll be curious if this is a pattern she continues in all of her books.
Lilian Lark is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. I have so many annotations in both of the books I’ve read by her where I’ve simply written “Lilian!” in either delighted shock or because she bullseye’d her way to a truth that hit emotionally.
Her Monstrous Matches series is quintessential cozy romantasy in plot. The stakes are low and vibes are immaculate, even during conflict, but somehow she still manages to sneak in these moments of earth shattering emotional depth that feel approachable instead of daunting.
This book starts with a break up and I was shocked by how much it hurt considering how little I knew the characters. In very few words, she managed to convey years of interactions filled with things unsaid to the point where I, as the reader, felt like I was at the same conclusion as both characters which is no easy feat. Additionally, throughout the book every character is given room for insecurity and flaw. The conflict is never that someone else has bad habits but instead about how those habits impact their partners which feels almost healing to read. No one is expected to change who they are, simply given the space to grow to be better.
The spice in this book was excellent. It was tension-filled and filthy in a way that only monster romances can achieve even when trying to be sweet. I liked how re-affirming it was without being saccharine or precious. No one is handled gently but they are handled with responsibility.
The only criticism I have is that there were a lot of similarities in plot between her Gargoyle book and this one. There were enough distinctions for me personally that I still loved it but I’ll be curious if this is a pattern she continues in all of her books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Bullying, Violence, Death of parent, and Abandonment