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aelin_morgenstern's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Violence and Kidnapping
shaipanda's review
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Really really enjoyed this but definitely not my favorite in the series so far
I just wasnβt quite as invested in their relationship as the gargoyle book which is the first one I read but I still loved it and really enjoyed the plot and character development in addition to the spice
I just wasnβt quite as invested in their relationship as the gargoyle book which is the first one I read but I still loved it and really enjoyed the plot and character development in addition to the spice
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Grief, Death of parent, and War
inkdrinkers's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"Family is family wherever you go, but you only have one life and that's for happiness and adventure."
Emilia Rivera was just a book restoration artist before she was plunged into the world of magic. When she's kidnapped by witches as a way to blackmail her best friend, she doesn't know how to reconcile her sudden knowledge of the paranormal world. Everything gets so much more difficult when, while restoring a book one day, she's cursed by the snake Goddess and finds herself with snakes for hair and a deadly gaze. Luckily, her boss is a snake-kin and knows a friend who might be able to help.
Lillian Lark the WOMAN YOU ARE. This novel was so good. I want to throw myself back to page one. I thought I loved Stalked by the Kraken and Deceived by the Gargoyles but Ensnared really, really hit all my loves. Emilia is such a strong, relatable character. The growth she has during these pages is absolutely phenomenal and I loved her anxiety rep. I feel like so often anxiety in books isn't generalized anxiety - there are reasons for characters to have panic attacks - but Emilia's general anxiety around everything felt comforting to read about. Also Jasper's tactic of "I'll just hold your throat and command you to calm down" would 100% work on me, I'm sat.
Ari and Jasper are by far my favorites of Lark's love interests. (Sorry Broderick, you got the gentle boot) I loved how they had their own multi-layered backstory with each other and Emilia truly fell into the third side of their triad in a realistic way. I will only be fantasizing about laying on a bunch of pillows while being worshipped by two hot men from now on, that's my chosen way to die happily.
Content warnings: Sexual content (it's so good), Bullying/Violence (Jasper's story heavily), Panic attacks/disorders (wonderful rep), Gaslighting (it's light, we're ignoring it), Classism, Death of parent/ Abandonment/Grief (rolling these warnings into one because it's mostly past, but grief is handled extremely well)
Emilia Rivera was just a book restoration artist before she was plunged into the world of magic. When she's kidnapped by witches as a way to blackmail her best friend, she doesn't know how to reconcile her sudden knowledge of the paranormal world. Everything gets so much more difficult when, while restoring a book one day, she's cursed by the snake Goddess and finds herself with snakes for hair and a deadly gaze. Luckily, her boss is a snake-kin and knows a friend who might be able to help.
Lillian Lark the WOMAN YOU ARE. This novel was so good. I want to throw myself back to page one. I thought I loved Stalked by the Kraken and Deceived by the Gargoyles but Ensnared really, really hit all my loves. Emilia is such a strong, relatable character. The growth she has during these pages is absolutely phenomenal and I loved her anxiety rep. I feel like so often anxiety in books isn't generalized anxiety - there are reasons for characters to have panic attacks - but Emilia's general anxiety around everything felt comforting to read about. Also Jasper's tactic of "I'll just hold your throat and command you to calm down" would 100% work on me, I'm sat.
Ari and Jasper are by far my favorites of Lark's love interests. (Sorry Broderick, you got the gentle boot) I loved how they had their own multi-layered backstory with each other and Emilia truly fell into the third side of their triad in a realistic way. I will only be fantasizing about laying on a bunch of pillows while being worshipped by two hot men from now on, that's my chosen way to die happily.
Content warnings: Sexual content (it's so good), Bullying/Violence (Jasper's story heavily), Panic attacks/disorders (wonderful rep), Gaslighting (it's light, we're ignoring it), Classism, Death of parent/ Abandonment/Grief (rolling these warnings into one because it's mostly past, but grief is handled extremely well)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, and Classism
Minor: Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
rickireadss's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
THIS WAS SO GOOD!!! this honestly might be my new fave of the series. i was head-over-heels IN LOVE with ari&jasper&emilia from the JUMP. literally so yummy, SO HOT, and made me cry ππ«Άπ½ the plot was really good & the forced proximity was just *chefβs kiss* also they were literally everything i love about a triad/throuple. i loved them all so much. lillian absolutely DELIVERED
β οΈ: bullying, violence, classism, gaslighting, panic attacks/disorder, pain play, deceptions & manipulations (perpetrated by a love interest), death of parent, grief, parental abandonment, blood, war, alcohol
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Violence
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and War
lizacorn's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying and Classism
Minor: Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
alyssathebookdragon's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Lillian Lark did it again!
I loved this installment of the Monstrous Matches - it picked up right after Deceived by the Gargoyles and it focuses on Grace's best friend Emilia. Emilia is still hurt after learning that A) her best friend is a witch and was never told, and B) there is real magic and monsters in the world. This is especially hard on her since she struggles with anxiety. Add on top of this that she gets cursed by a magical serpent kin book at her job (her safe space) - well it just pushes the poor girl into panic mode.
Luckily for her, it turns out her grumpy boss Jasper is able to help her, with his very intriguing expert "friend" Ari who he has also been seeing for years on the down low.
As always in a Lillian Lark book, the angst is perfect - and the spice is hot as hell. I already pre-ordered the next book!
I loved this installment of the Monstrous Matches - it picked up right after Deceived by the Gargoyles and it focuses on Grace's best friend Emilia. Emilia is still hurt after learning that A) her best friend is a witch and was never told, and B) there is real magic and monsters in the world. This is especially hard on her since she struggles with anxiety. Add on top of this that she gets cursed by a magical serpent kin book at her job (her safe space) - well it just pushes the poor girl into panic mode.
Luckily for her, it turns out her grumpy boss Jasper is able to help her, with his very intriguing expert "friend" Ari who he has also been seeing for years on the down low.
As always in a Lillian Lark book, the angst is perfect - and the spice is hot as hell. I already pre-ordered the next book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Gaslighting, and Classism
Minor: Mental illness and Grief
weelasswithabook's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
*** ARC in exchange for an honest review ***
CW: graphic sexual content, violence, manipulation, bullying (not between MCs)
π Monster romance
π Basilisk x Basilisk x Human (MMF)
π Forced proximity
π Iranian MMC
π Queer MMCs
π Puerto Rican FMC
πΆ Group activities
If you're looking for an angsty monster romance, then this might be what you're looking for.
Entranced by the Basilisks follows our three MCs in triple POV, navigating an unwanted "curse," politics of the serpent paranormal world, and forming a triad with people pulling and pushing in multiple directions.
I really appreciated the insight into each of the MCs psyche as their individual issues all shared the same theme of loneliness and unworthiness. All three of their internal conflicts came from such different aspects of theif life, but they all managed to overcome these stumbling blocks with the support of one another.
The politics of the serpent kin court offered an element of suspense, where the outcome wasn't necessarily OBVIOUS as it is in some stories that follow the "forbidden love due to circumstance" trope Like I genuinely was deeply concerned about the characters at one point π€£
The chemistry between the characters was fantastic both between the three individual pairs and also as a trio. And as always, Lark brings the spice to the nth degree.
The only thing I wasn't a huge fan of (and this is simply a me issue in general, not just in this book) was the use of manipulation. HOWEVER, the way it was used in EBTB, it worked with the story, and it especially worked with how the triad interacted and certain characters motives. Like there was no malice behind it, it was with the best of intentions, albeit misguided. It offered a glimpse into the sheer desperation of love that some characters were experiencing.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Lillian Lark is one of the best monster romance authors out there, and I can't wait to see what's coming next!!
CW: graphic sexual content, violence, manipulation, bullying (not between MCs)
π Monster romance
π Basilisk x Basilisk x Human (MMF)
π Forced proximity
π Iranian MMC
π Queer MMCs
π Puerto Rican FMC
πΆ Group activities
If you're looking for an angsty monster romance, then this might be what you're looking for.
Entranced by the Basilisks follows our three MCs in triple POV, navigating an unwanted "curse," politics of the serpent paranormal world, and forming a triad with people pulling and pushing in multiple directions.
I really appreciated the insight into each of the MCs psyche as their individual issues all shared the same theme of loneliness and unworthiness. All three of their internal conflicts came from such different aspects of theif life, but they all managed to overcome these stumbling blocks with the support of one another.
The politics of the serpent kin court offered an element of suspense, where the outcome wasn't necessarily OBVIOUS as it is in some stories that follow the "forbidden love due to circumstance" trope Like I genuinely was deeply concerned about the characters at one point π€£
The chemistry between the characters was fantastic both between the three individual pairs and also as a trio. And as always, Lark brings the spice to the nth degree.
The only thing I wasn't a huge fan of (and this is simply a me issue in general, not just in this book) was the use of manipulation. HOWEVER, the way it was used in EBTB, it worked with the story, and it especially worked with how the triad interacted and certain characters motives. Like there was no malice behind it, it was with the best of intentions, albeit misguided. It offered a glimpse into the sheer desperation of love that some characters were experiencing.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Lillian Lark is one of the best monster romance authors out there, and I can't wait to see what's coming next!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Gaslighting, and Classism
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