Between Two Kings by Lindsay Straube is the sequel to the viral hit Kiss of the Basilisk (originally titled Split or Swallow). This super smutty romance is impossible to quantify. It has humans and basilisks, kings and queens, and is truly unlike anything else I’ve ever read.
*this review contains spoilers for Kiss of the Basilisk*
Tem is caught between two kings. Married and blood bonded to the basilisk king Caspen, she made her choice and let the human king Leo go to pursue his first love, Evelyn.
But as much as Tem loves Caspen, her feelings for Leo refuse to fade. With tensions high and only continuing to rise between the humans and the basilisks, Tem, Caspen, and Leo have no choice but to work together for the sake of their kingdoms.
Tem, desperately trying to find a balance between her human side and her basilisk side, is forced to make horrible sacrifices to try to save everyone, at the expense of her heart.
There is a bitter sadness from all these characters throughout the book, which creates a stark contrast with the overt erotica. Tem is all over the place. She’s spiraling, and she has no idea what she wants.
I feel as though I know Tem rather well at this point, but outside of their *ahem* hardware and differing sexual energies, the men come off a little flat.
Caspen and Leo’s perspectives are not present here, and that was a mistake. Their POVs would have added depth and varied the narrative a little.
Between Two Kings has immediate spice on page one, and it doesn’t slow from there. Basilisk customs all surround sex, and it’s a ritualistic thing at times. There is a spice scene in every chapter, at the very least.
By the end of the book, I was skimming through the sex scenes, bored. Which is something I almost never do while reading, but this was just too much of the same, over and over again.
This book unapologetically and intentionally jumps the shark. There are lots of moments that blend magic and sexual elements in outlandish ways. There is one scene involving a courtyard fountain that I was unfortunately reading in a diner, and I nearly choked on my coffee. Points for creativity and sheer cajones with this one, I guess.
In a book this smutty, I was surprised to find myself completely disinterested at points. In the first half, the story dragged. It was far too long, and several scenes could have been cut without sacrificing overall meaning.
On top of a myriad issues, Between Two Kings had an outrageously infuriating ending. It stretches the bounds of the happily ever after, and it was so unnecessary. With a few major tweaks, this ending needn’t have occurred. While I was already not loving this book, the ending sealed my dislike with finality.
I wish I had never read this sequel. The story should have ended where it did at the end of the first book. Now I am left mildly vexed. Unfortunately, dear readers, Between Two Kings is not worth any of our time.
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