Gisela is a water nymph, cursed to haunt the river where she drowned. She dreams of returning to the real world and the family she left behind. In order to regain her humanity, she must be kissed by a mortal, which poses a challenge as everyone sees her as a monster.

Kazik is the grandson of a local witch, whose sole job is to hunt spirits and banish them beyond the mortal plane. After he messes up Gisela’s exorcism, she strikes a deal. She won’t tell the other spirits that he is losing his magic if he helps her get a kiss.

Gisela’s plan goes astray when Kazik also falls for the handsome young man that she has set her sights on.

Read if you like:
- slavic folklore
- love triangle
- slow burn

First things first: the cover of this book is beautiful. I’d hope we can all agree on that.

The dynamic between Kazik and Gisela is well done. Kazik is so broody and cold while Gisela is so funny and full of life. Aleksey adds an air of mystery to the dynamic. I genuinely enjoyed this story. I loved the folklore woven throughout and the setting of the tourist town. I loved seeing the sisterhood among the Rusałki. I liked the love triangle, the gender concepts, and the queer representation. This was an enjoyable read, and with how things ended in this book, I am really hoping for a sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Holiday House / Peachtree for a free digital copy of this book. This is my honest review. Publication date: September 24, 2024.

I will admit I did not give this book a fair chance, but I read the first few chapters and was so confused that I simply gave up reading. Even after practically memorizing the name guide, I was absolutely lost.

The storyline is captivating that I find it difficult to put the book down. The characters are interesting in their own way. I find myself caring about their fate and wish they wouldn't be harmed. Unique I would say, and I'm actually curious of what happens next.

This Fatal Kiss is wonderfully enjoyable, perfectly blending mythology and romance in a plot that sucks you in and characters you will immediately love! The writing was really great and everything flowed so easily, definitely a new favorite!

I like how our main character is a nymph as opposed to a goddess. While also going along with the story and mythos, there are not earth shattering things as stake. The microcosm the characters inhabit is intensely personal and immersive. There are a few points where the story drags a little, but the dialogue is pretty solid.

This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska

Gisela, a water nymph cursed to haunt the river where she drowned, longs to break free by receiving a kiss from a mortal. When Kazik, a spirit hunter, fails to exorcise her, they strike a bargain for him to help her find love—only for both to fall for the same man, who may hold the answers to Gisela’s freedom.

This book was so much fun. So much fun. Strange Beasts was the book that brought me back to reading, but this is the book that brought me back to posting book reviews because I had to tell everyone how incredible this book is.

Each of the characters are so funny in their own, distinct way (I legitimately laughed OUT LOUD) and they all have so much personality and life. I truly wasn’t sure where this book was going for a large chunk of it, and honestly, I’m still not sure because come to find out, IT’S A SERIES. Which means I get a second (and more??) book with all of these characters?!!!?! And more supernatural hijinks in this cute little town??!!!! Sign up for this ride. It’s so good. It’s so, so, so good. It’s so good, I’ve forgotten how to speak other words than “so” and “good”. It’s so good.

Thanks to NetGalley and Holiday House for a copy of this book. This review is honest and my own.

LITERALLY SO GOOD! FANTASY WAS ON POINT! ROMANCE WAS MWAH! PLOT WAS CUTE! I honestly forgot this was a poly romance so when I remembered it was like a fun surprise because it was actually a big reason why I was so interested in it. The relationship between all of them was actually well built especially between Gisela and Kazik, who were literally so cute! I also really loved the whole spiritual, fantasy aspect of the book because the world building was actually so interesting. I'm not sure if there is a sequel to this but if there is I am so excited to read the next one because I need more of Kazik, Gisela, and Aleksey. A common pet peeve with a lot of poly romances is that it can come off as extremely insta-love with a very central focus on the main characters, but I did not get that with 'This Fatal Kiss.' They introduced fleshed out characters with their own stories and backgrounds that added to the charm of the whole book while also not sacrificing the relationship building of the main characters. Honestly, it is such a great fantasy and romance novel that definitely raised my expectations for poly romances.
PLUS the cover is divine!

This Fatal Kiss is a whimsy, paranormal YA romance with Spirited Away but make it European vibes and I really enjoyed it! I had a soft spot for Kazik from the beginning and Gisela’s character development caused her to grow on me. This was such a unique read and I had a blast with it! I worked through reading This Fatal Kiss due to some awful things happening in the real world but once I finished, I was glad I decided to stick with it. I thought about picking up something else in the desperate hope to escape, what feels like, the crumbling pillars of moral society, but finally working my way through the story led to some great serotonin boosts and a way out of my slump. I would love to live in the beautiful town this story takes place and can I have a handsome, sullen (yet is actually a soft boi) exorcist all for myself??? Unfortunately, I found the epilogue a little confusing. Is this a stand alone or will the story continue? If there will be no continuation, I’m super bummed! As it ends in a cliffhanger and things aren’t super wrapped up with one part of the plot. Overall, I think this is great if you enjoy YA paranormal fiction with romantic subplots, LGBTQ+ rep, and/or various supernatural creatures in a cozy town.

Thank you to Peachtree Teen and NetGalley for the early copy!

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review, thank you to netgalley and the publisher!

Cute Polyamorous Slavic folklore love story with the water nymph annoying the exorcist. Gisela and Kazik had great banter that I really enjoyed. I really loved watching their relationship develop and grow. Aleksey and Rosa were great additions and added another layer to the story, even though not as prominent of characters.
Overall, fantastic YA fantasy book with a splash of romance. Highly Recommend!

Ah, I've waited so long to give this review.
Idk how to feel about this book.
I feel like i liked it, I guess.

It was a funny read, Kazik and Gisela interaction were always on point, but I almost feel like this book had also a lot of conversation cut down during editing, not necessary to the plot.
I loved polish mythology and folklore, background was very whimsical as expected and even if it was a Y/A novel and age appropriate I found it original and interesting which is why I gave it 3 stars.
The characters felt too much as 2020 teenagers to me , I guess I'm too old, lol.

Really cute read!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc!

This book follows a water nymph, Gisela, who wants to return to her human life and her family. She believes that if she kisses a human, she will achieve her wish. However, the grandson of a witch, Kazik, has been interfering with her journey. I really enjoyed this book and I NEED a physical copy. BUUUT the end had me SCREAMINGGGGGG because I did not even realize I was at the end. It captured my attention; whenever I put the book down, I wanted to return.

I really hoped I would love this one and I did!
I am really into slavic folklore and had so much fun reading this book, even though I am not a big fan of polyamorous relationships in books, but this was really good!
It was dark. cozy. And god how much I loved Kazik and Gisela's dynamic! They were fun at times and so well written.

This was a fun YA read I felt that it stayed along the lines of appropriate themes, this was a cute whimsical read. Folklore is my jam! My first polish one but I loved it and I’m looking forward to read it again!

A whimsical fantasy book that is filled with dark magic and romance (always a good combo right?!)
Gisela is a water nymph who dreams of returning to the living world and her family that she left behind and all it will take for her to fulfil this wish is to receive a kiss from a mortal….
But who will kiss her when she is seen as a monster? ENTER KAZIK!
A truly enchanting read

Thanks to Holiday House / Peachtree / Pixel+Ink | Peachtree Teen and Alicia Jasinska for the chance to read ‘This Fatal Kiss’! I was worried that I was reading this book at the wrong time (I just didn’t feel like I was in the mood for fantasy/YA) but after the first couple of chapters I fell into it. It really worked for me personally, I love fantasy that’s more whimsy and humor. Add in some found family and you’ve got me. Hopefully there’s a sequel in the works, because the ending was incredibly open ended. Maybe too open ended even if there is a sequel, to be honest.

Von Anfang bis Ende war ich komplett dabei. Die Charaktere haben mich sofort abgeholt und das Worldbuilding ebenso. Die Entwicklung die jeder Einzelne durchmacht ich begründet uns nachvollziehbar. Das Ende hat mich aber etwas enttäuscht.

I really loved the Slavic folklore woven into this story, with various types of being included, which was really interesting! I loved the dynamics between the characters, particularly between Kazik and Gisela. There's some cosy witch vibes going on in here, with summer festivals and gorgeous food, but there's also a lot of heavy topics being dealt with, and I felt this book balanced the two really well. I was shocked at one specific plot twist in here, and there were a lot of funny moments. I just hope this is going to have a sequel, because that ending is very much open for one!

This Fatal Kiss is a wonderful blend of romance, mystery, and mythology. The plot is interesting and tempts readers to turn to the next page. to find out what is happening in a little town full of spirits, demons, and a very tired priest. The use of spirits is done really well, and feels like both a lesson into the world of them, while also being an entertaining story. The relationships between the characters are fun and feel natural, and the romances and the familial make the characters feel fully realized and add to the drama of the story. The world is fully developed and sounds like a nice place to live. I enjoyed the tension between the characters and the way the mystery of Gisela's death is slowly unraveled. There were also very interesting conversations about helping spirits and demons, along with helping people that added depth to the story, and made me think about the ethics of being helpful and who/what it applies too.

I loved the mythology and folklore in this story. And I really liked the characters. But my biggest complaint is that the ending was unsatisfying. It felt like there was more to the story (especially with one character in particular) but to my knowledge, this is a standalone novel so the ending is too open-ended for my liking.

This fatal Kiss
With thanks to Net Galley, Holiday House / Peachtree / Pixel+Ink and Peachtree Teen, the author, Alicia Jasinska for the opportunity to read and review this eARC.
This book was a visual delight, people and places danced in front of the eyes like sunshine on the water. A queer romance at its core that explored gender and identity in many ways – how we express ourselves and who we love. These topics along with trauma, mental health and more, were tackled with great care.
Gisela, a girl who has found herself in a liminal space but wanting to return to the human world desperately. She is now a water nymph, cursed to haunt the waterways where she died. What takes place is a fun, chaotic, at times maddening, sad and spell binding read of her path, attempting to become human again. She must find her a boy to kiss her, helping her on her way back to being a real girl again. She employs Kazik much against his will to help her in her quest – and in turn – they fall in with the same boy.
Why is she so desperate to return to the human world? How did she end up in this liminal space to begin with? She spends so much time worrying about all of those around her, those who might miss her, all that she was for others – does she even know who she is anymore? What does she have to offer? When will she put herself first?

A really intriguing YA novel (despite not being the target market) – I will keep my eyes out for further reading from this author! This is a definite read for those love Slavic mythology and folklore, a whimsical read that tackles serious subjects and provides a voices for queerness on many levels.