A review by peedsreads
Split or Swallow by Lindsay Straube

adventurous dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

A horny teenager's fever dream. (I loved it!)


I'm obsessed.  Like this book took me a month to read but it now lives rent free in my head.  I guess I am now a monster romance stan? It is soooo strange and weird and out of pocket, I cannot say enough about it.  I also don't know who I'd recommend it to because it is all about sex.  (Don't believe me? read the first chapter on her website. You won't even have to scroll before you get to it. https://www.oxfordlemon.com/basilisk).  While being all about sex and 100% erotica, it also has a fully developed plot, elaborate political systems, and intense emotional relationships.

Now the problem is who do I recommend it to? I need to discuss it with someone, but like WHO?!  I saw on the author's story that there's a friend group all reading the same copy. Like one read it and annotated and then mailed it to the next one who did the same and so on.  THIS IS THE PERFECT BOOK FOR THAT BECAUSE IT'S SO FUNNY AND NEEDS TO BE REACTED TO!!!

Going to make Belinda get into my snake corn.


This book is LONG and the middle does kinda drag, but it was originally posted to her website chapter by chapter and then self-published so it makes sense.

It's being traditionally published this month as Kiss of the Basilisk with a GORGEOUS cover and sprayed edges (and a bonus chapter) so of course I pre-ordered it in the B&N pre-order sale.  I will now own 3 versions of this book and I do not regret it.

This author's meme/bookstagram account was already one of my favorites before I realized she wrote this book. (Literally bought the kindle version because I had credits about to expire and then saw her post that the OG cover was going away and was like what?!)

Check her out: @oxfordlemon
https://www.instagram.com/oxfordlemon?igsh=MXNkM3M4MDJ3Ymk3Zw==

My favorite content around this book:

(TBH if you're never going to read it but want to know what it's all about, read this whole series of texts)
https://www.instagram.com/p/DDXDXgeRwiY/?igsh=MTZneDY1bmZtY3F1NA==

I am so excited that I'll have another copy of this in my hands next week, but also like I just want the next book! I'll just have to stalk her IG stories and hope she keeps getting tipsy and teasing excerpts on there in the meantime.