Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for the ARC of This Fatal Kiss!

This book was such a fun, whimsical take on Slavic folklore, and I absolutely loved the dynamic between Gisela, Kazik, and Aleksey. It had everything I love—grumpy/sunshine tension, flirty banter, found family, and a bit of magical chaos. Gisela was such a menace (in the best way), Kazik was broody but endearing, and Aleksey? A dramatic little disaster.

The worldbuilding was lush and immersive, though I did get tripped up by some of the modern elements mixed in. But once the plot picked up, I was completely hooked. The poly romance was done so well, and I need a sequel immediately because that ending??

If you love folklore-inspired fantasy with queer romance, tension-filled banter, and a touch of dark whimsy, This Fatal Kiss is for you.

4/5 stars!

If you’re looking for a fantasy novel steeped in Slavic folklore, brimming with magic, and featuring a romance that defies convention, This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska is a book worth picking up. With an immersive setting, intriguing characters, and a beautifully queer, polyamorous love story, it delivers an enchanting yet bittersweet tale of longing, identity, and second chances.
While the pacing is mostly engaging, there are moments where it drags, especially in the middle. A few sections felt like they could have been tightened to keep the momentum going.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska! Loovee it soo much.

Thank you Peachtree and NetGalley for my e-arc of This Fatal Kiss.

Until I stumbled across this, I didn't even know I needed a whimsical, poly amorous Slavic-folk fantasy tale.

We follow a water nymph Gisela, as she attempts to trick a human to kiss her with the hopes of being transformed back into a human girl.
There are some interesting parallels between this story and The Little Mermaid, but this story feels cozy and whimsical in a completely new way.

The only time I found myself being drawn out of the story where some jarring modern references (e.g. Sky Daddy).

Plot: ★★★★★
Characters: ★★★★
Atmosphere: ✨✨✨✨✨
Lore: 🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️

Immersive, atmospheric, whimsical with deep undertones - "This Fatal Kiss" by Alicia Jasinska itched a scratch that I didn't know I had for a Slavic folklore romance novel.

The Good: Nearly everything. The setting, the characters, the slow burn romance. The character stood out to me, especially. Gisela, Kazik, and Aleksey felt like typical trope characters but pulled off in a way that was so satisfying - like when you read fifteen books with shadow daddies and then read that one book that just pulls a shadow daddy off perfectly. Gisela was the best at the flirty banter/annoy you until you love me personality; Kazik was the perfect grumpy character that somehow did not get annoying for their constant grumbling; and Aleksey was an amazing sunshine boy with a darker side. Perfect blend of characters that are hard to get right, and somehow Jasinska did it.

The setting was immaculate. Everything was described perfectly and was very immersive. It felt like someplace that I would want to live in (monsters and all). Speaking of the monsters, every new spirit that was mentioned was so interesting that I couldn't get enough.

Enough gushing. The Bad. There was not much (if any). There's just something that is holding me off from giving five stars - maybe I'm hoping that the following book will be even better.

"This Fatal Kiss" ended on a cliffhanger, which I'm assuming means we will get another book. I hope so! I recommend this book for those who like folklore, whimsical reads, grumpy/sunshine tropes, slow burn romances, and found families. 4/5 stars!

Thank you, Alicia Jasinska, Peachtree Teen, and Netgalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Death had left fingerprints on Gisela when it refashioned her into a spirit.”

A poly (holy love triangle) romantasy based on a Slavic folktale is a new one for me and I loved every minute of it! Gisela, a water nypmh, haunts the river where she drowned. Kazik, the son of a local witch, wants to exorcise Gisela. Gisela does not leave Kazik alone and strikes up a deal with him. The two end up sharing a lot. I love the whole premise and the set up, and Gisela's character. The pacing was good, keeping me interested the whole way through, The setting is somewhat confusing, having both modern and antiquated elements but seemingly in our world. I only wish this was longer, or had a sequel, as it felt somewhat incomplete. I would love to read more about Gisela.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance of an ARC:

This story was BEAUTIFUL. The story is based on if a water nymph kisses a human boy, then they will go back to being human. That is what we see Gisela trying to accomplish, but she keeps getting interrupted by Kazik, the towns exorcist.

Even from the beginning, you can see Kazik doesn't really hate Gisela. They argue like a lovers quarrel even from the beginning. I am always a sucker for the opposites attract. Since Gisela is a water nymph, Kazik shouldn't want her as the exorcist of the town, but it's obvious he's fighting the attraction. They banter like a lover quarrel throughout the whole book it's so cute.

Then comes Aleksey, someone who Kazik grew up with, that is, the other man. He is the one Gisela is aiming for her kiss. Kazik and her make a deal. He'll help her get a kiss from Aleksey, and in return, she'll be gone out of his hair. It doesn't go the way they want it to as the 3 of them bond closer together.

I cannot WAIT to see what happens next

Solid 3/5
I loved Midnight Girls, so I was so excited for Jasinska’s next book. While This Fatal Kiss didn’t live up to my hopes in its beginning, it managed a strong conclusion that made me excited for the sequel. I say this at the top because I’m going to drill into what didn’t work for me before what did and I want to make it clear that this book turned itself around into a solid three stars after being a nearly DNF. It does all come together well eventually and if you’re not bothered by what bothered me, you may like it all the way through.
World building was the number one thing that held me back from feeling invested at first. I could picture aspects of the town very well, especially the details around festivals and food, but the time period was very fuzzy. As a fantasy story, of course I don’t expect (or even want) a setting to be 1:1 with a real-world time period but setting boundaries on the world is so important to making a reader feel grounded in it. I kept wondering if this story was better suited to a visual medium where this sort of temporally fuzzy whimsical setting is easier to pull off.
There’s been Ghibli comparisons to this book, so I’ll use Howl’s Moving Castle as an example of how this is easier in film- the steam powered tech existing alongside magic is communicated visually. We can see a car on screen and visually know that it’s different from cars in our world. In This Fatal Kiss, when Kazik’s cousin mentions taking the bus, there’s nothing in the story to contradict the image of a city bus that pulls into my head, which took me completely out of the cozy fantasy setting. I felt like a television could be lurking around a corner- I don’t mind modern tech in a fantasy story, it can be super fun in something like Spell Bound, but I don’t want to be surprised by it.
I stopped focusing on this as much once the plot kicked into action, but this leads me into my second issue- the plot took a bit too long to get going. Gisela wants a kiss to turn human, but there’s no guarantee this will work and (until later events) no clear timeline this must happen on, so the stakes, like the time period, felt a bit fuzzy. Gisela from the start was someone I’d love to hang out with, but it took her some time to be a character I enjoyed following as a protagonist. It takes time for her internal drives to come forward, which added to the feeling that the plot was sort of stuck for a while with her flirting at Kazik while he brooded about God hating him now and they tried to get someone to kiss Gisela without much urgency. I loved their dynamic, it just wasn’t enough to hold up the story until the plot kicked in. I connected more strongly with Kazik from the start as we see his layers of struggling with his faith, his duty to the town, and his desire for closeness while also fearing letting people in. Aleksey also was a slam dunk; there is nothing I love more than someone who is so sure they’re a Big Evil Guy trying to convince everyone around them of this while they recognize them as a Wet Cat who should be hugged probably.
It takes time, but once the plot kicks in- we get a ticking clock for Gisela’s transformation and some clearer urgency re: discovering the circumstances of her death- the book held my attention. Aleksey taking more prominence knocked Kazik and Gisela’s dynamic out of the sameness it had been falling into and I was invested in the resolution of the plot. I liked the discussion around Gisela realizing how she’d missed out on herself by being forced into a parental role at a young age, as well as the resolution of her grappling with how she hadn’t been there for her rusalki sisters as much as she should have been (something that had bothered me earlier on!). Also- just most things with Aleksey. Adding him to the dynamic just improved most things, menace to society that he is. Jasinska writes monsters who are also just disastrous little guys so well- the whole “I’ll destroy everything! But wait- this sad boy exorcist and flirty water spirit might not kiss me if I destroy everything…oh no…” thing never failed to make me giggle. I need a sequel so Aleksey can find peace (and kisses) while being very grumpy about the whole thing.
In summary, I wish the first 2/3 had been condensed a bit- there’s clearly more story, so I wonder if this duology might have been stronger as a single, better paced book. Or simply two shorter books. However, despite my complaints, I ended up loving Kazik, Gisela, Aleksey, and Gisela’s rusalka family enough that I will be reading the sequel/be upset if it doesn’t get one.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This whimsical, folkloric fantasy with dark magic and a polyamorous relationship was amazing in every aspect !

The world building was great with a dark and mysterious vibe with creatures like water nymp, drowners, goblins, spirits, demons….
The queer polyamorous relationship was so well executed and refreshing, I really loved this part and the characters dynamics. There’s tension, sass, banter, humour, a grumpy ass, that made me giggling and kicking my feet.

It was cosy but in the same time there was so serious theme in this book like the duality between humanity and spirit.

But also so maybe description of delicious food ?

i loved every single moment in this book! it was such a good time throughout even with everything that had happened throughout the book. i absolutely loveeee aleksey, kazik & gisela so much. i loved their banter, the tension and the relationships that they had all throughout. i loved all of fhe folklore throughout as well since i was consistently learning about new things that i had never heard of or had learned about. i am desperately hoping for a sequel because i need to read more about my trio and their adventures.

DNF: The pace felt uneven and Gisela was irritating, not to mention that Kazik was too somber and "darkly mysterious guy with a tragic past" kind of character. I liked the idea but I couldn't resonate with anything.

Thank you NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for the e-arc!
Whisimcal poly romance? Sign me up! This is the kinda of dark mythical story I have been looking for. Full of magical characters, and queer romance, I knew this was going to be right up my alley and I was right! I ended up loving it. The main trio was amazing and I couldn't get enough of their relationship. This book was pretty fast-paced and I ended up flying through it. Gisela ended up being my favorite character and I just loved her whole vibe.

Slavic folklore with a whimsical fantasy element and queer polyamory. This book very well meets the expectation from that summary, I really enjoyed the casual queer energy and magical chaos. The main trio are so funny and truly lovely, i enjoyed their dynamic immensely. Each of them well characterized and uniquely themselves. The magical system and creatures are established very well and definitely has plenty to discover still in the rumored sequel. Which I will definitely be reading. Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC copy!

I feel a little misled that this isn't a standalone. After doing a little deep diving the author is writing a sequel but it has not yet been green lighted. I'm going to need that to happen like ASAP. The ending of this absolutely left me in my feels and my rating really depends on whether or not we get a sequel. I'm going with four stars right now but I have a feeling it could be a five star if the sequel exists and is at the same caliber as this one.

Someone else describe this as water nymph annoys the local exorcist so much they fall in love and that is the funniest summary I've ever heard and I love it. This is a poly book with an all queer cast but I can't tell you who the third is cuz it's a little spoilery. You're just going to have to figure it out for yourself. I will say that the little twisty turnies are not that twisty turny and is fairly predictable but also like good and not in a bad way.

I think my favorite part of this book besides the intertwined humor of it all, is all of the different found family elements. You have found family within the water nymphs, you have found family within the poly group, you have found family within the community itself. I think that there's a lot of magical joy throughout this and queer and trans joy that was really lovely to read.

Three bi MCs, one explicitly gender questioning MC, one maybe gender questioning MC, one technically genderless but maybe inherently genderqueer MC? Idk maybe the sequel will tell us more.

This book reminded me of why I even started to like reading in the first place - I cannot recommend it enough. It was fun and playful and entertaining. I LOVED Kazik and was rooting for Gisela the entire time. I am also obsessed with how normalized being gay was in this book - this is exactly how books should be in the year of our lord 2025. In essence, this book has my whole heart.

The premise of this seemed really charming, and while the setting and folklore was really fun, I found the execution to be a bit clunky and lackluster. There’s a lot of telling rather than showing, with the characters even going so far as to use words like ‘cool’ and ‘awesome’ as descriptors despite the decidedly fantastical setting. Why not show us how cool a side character is, rather than just telling us she’s cool in a one-off line that jerks the reader out of the narrative flow? These writing choices ended up overshadowing some of the things I liked about this, such as the setting, or the very Shakespearean setup for a love triangle, the queer and poly rep, or the lore surrounding the water-nymphs. Altogether, this one wasn’t for me, but I could see it being someone’s cup of tea if they like the premise, setting, and are ready for a quick, breezy and fairly playful read, as there's a lot to love here, I just wasn't the right fit for the prose! Maybe I'll give this another try in a different format, as I could see myself really enjoying this as an audiobook read during a long drive.

Firstly – this wasn’t a standalone? And no one told me? Insanely unresolved ending took me by surprise, but honestly I’m not mad, because I would absolutely read another book about this chaotic, highly amusing, beyond adorable trio.

“So, between delicious mouthfuls of dumplings, she told him… About the row houses painted in pastel colors and the witches who caught falling stars and brewed cocktails in teapots. About the gruesome sacrifices the queen made to keep the city from sinking and the great stone pillar engraves with the words “our love keeps us from drowning”.

This book was gorgeous!! I adore Slavic folklore and this absolutely hit the spot – it was filled with mischievous water nymphs, drowners, goblins, house spirits, DEMONS – it had it all, and I loved every bit of the worldbuilding and subsequent magical creatures. It was definitely a character-driven novel, but I didn’t mind at all, because I adored the characters!

“He knew, deep down, that there was nothing wrong or shameful about having many or multiple partners so long as everyone involved was happy. There wasn’t a right or a wrong way to love.”

Our rusalki protagonist, Gisela, was pure humour and trickery, and I was obsessed with her from page 1. Her banter-filled relationship with the local exorcist was actually beyond entertaining, they always had the best interactions and the messiest conversations – it was brilliant!! I love a flirty protagonist, and Gisela did NOT let me down.

“There was a particular twist to Kazik’s mouth. A scrunch to his nose. It was like learning the words of a secret language. She liked that she was getting to know a side of Kazik that very few people knew.”

Speaking of our resident exorcist – Kazik was the light of my life. Overly stubborn, slightly secluded, minimal social skills – oh he just made my year. Watching him be torn from his comfort zone (aggressively. By Gisela and her flirtations. Against his will) always made me laugh – and also made me swoon, because these two were such adorable rivals. Kazik was honestly a soft little sweetheart on the inside, and deserves the whole world and more!!

“He was trapped between them, with Gisela’s hands on his shoulders and Aleksey’s hands gripping his waist. The way they moved together made him ache for more. It kindled a hundred thousand wants he wasn’t supposed to have.”

And the third member of our messy, glorious little polyamorous trio – Aleksey. He had secrets upon secrets, but he truly rounded out the other two so well. A flirtatious, persistent, tricksy little menace – I thought he fit in so well with the other two, and I really adored the formation of their polyamorous relationship.

I honestly wish we’d gotten a little more of the other rusalki, and definitely of the big boss water goblin, because the relationship between Gisela and the water goblin king was so so precious. Truly a father-daughter bond that made me feel all warm and squishy inside. Plus Gisela’s sisterhood and friendship with her fellow water nymphs – I needed more of them all, and definitely of their (slightly terrifying) fascinating powers. Please show me a little more of those carved hair combs and what they can do! Each of the rusalki were so interesting, and while the stories of how they became water nymphs were absolutely devastating, I thought they were each really well written.

Overall, this was such a gorgeous read, with stunning folklore, fascinating (and loveable) characters, and a flirtation-filled, perfectly-chaotic poly trio. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC copy provided!

First the cover of this book is absolutely stunning it drew me in right away and the book did not disappoint. The folklore and stories were so magical. I loved how old and mysterious the story felt like a story that would be passed down for generations. The characters were so well written and seemed so realistic. I absolutely need more of this story!

i once started a review for this that later disappeared into the void because chrome hates me and updated itself with no way to get my review back. so i'm being petty and writing a very short review </3

really liked this one !! it was unique, but it made me feel like i did back in the good old days when i used to read ya fantasy like this. the characters were interesting and i liked seeing their relationships develop. the setting was memorable and the writing style was good! the cover is gorgeous and i am so so jealous of everyone i have seen with that hardcover copy that has a naked cover full of beautiful heart, i *will* be getting it for myself should the opportunity arise.

overall, i quite enjoyed it! would highly recommend if you're looking for a quick and fun little young adult fantasy read. the audiobook is also great.

I enjoyed what I could read of this book, enough that I ended up buying myself a copy of it once it was released. The reason I didn't finish the ARC was because of the format. The format was so bad. I couldn't change the font size making it next to illegible. It was like they gave me a PDF and left me to zoom in and out of every page. I would have loved to finish this book and give it a good review before it came out but that wasn't possible with the ARC I was given. Please make better ARCs so I can actually read the review of the book I have been given access to.