Thank you Netgalley and Peachtree Teen for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

It was a lovely read, especially with the spontaneity of the romance between the characters, and an unexpected cozy fantasy. I appreciated the tidbit in the beginning of the book about Slavic folklore, it helps with the immersion of the mythological world.

I had some difficulty getting through this book, I just couldn't get myself situated with the setting and the environment that we are being transported to (with a good attempt) and my thoughts kept recurring to the main cover. Although it is beautiful, not all of the moments have Gisela and Kazik by the water. The writing was conversationally focused, where it focuses on our characters rather than the big picture. I think the author attempting to make up for that conversational focus is a repetitive explanation of the worldbuilding.

My favorite aspect of this would be the spontaneity and normalization (as it should) of the relationships between the characters (some enemies-to-lovers can be seen) and it didn't feel like it would be a forward romance, there's some development with friendships and how a polyamorous relationship would work. Whimsical and fun!

I hope for the following book (cliffhanger alert!), that she develops the world and the characters better .

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC. I received my copy in exchange of an honest review.

This Fatal Kiss was one of my best reads of 2024.
It was sweet and enjoyable. I really fell in love with it.
Everything in this book is unique. You can't find them in any other fantasy books and I think it's really a good point because nowadays 80 percents of fantasy books have similar elements and cliches. But This Fatal Kiss is an unique read with new fantasy elements, storyline and even a unique love interest.
Another good point of this book is its characters. All of them, Main and Side characters are well written and you can relate to them. Their personalities and Relationships between them are likable.
The ending confirmed a second book, so I'm happy that I can read more about this world, Sweet Gesela, Loveable Kazik and Attractive Aleksey.
Can't wait🔥

The tale was amusing, and the world-building was excellent. I enjoyed how the writing immerses you in the plot and is well-paced such that it never gets monotonous. It handles LGBT relationships well and allows us to explore themes of acceptance and self-discovery. The characters were likeable despite their imperfections; in fact, their shortcomings made them more interesting to read.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC💕

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book!

The cover art and the premise sucked me in.

If you're a lover of fairy tails and folk lore and if you like The Little Mermaid then you will probably love this. I, unfortunately, did not love it.

Pros:
-The world building and descriptions -I felt I was in the world
-Some of the characters
-All the different spirits
-How sexuality is treated/presented
-The poly relationship (but also a con)

Cons:
-The MC annoyed me a lot of the time
-How the characters communicate. It's never explicitly stated exactly what time period it is but it sounded around turn of the century but you wouldn't know it by how the characters talk? I disliked the modern slang and it took me out of the world a lot. I wish the author would have stuck to more appropriate dialogue for the time.
-It took me a while to get into the groove of the book and how the characters spoke and interacted.
-The poly relationship-it could have been explored sooooo much better and more in depth.
-Some of the characters weren't as fleshed out as they could be. I also saw the "twist" coming from a mile away.
-The ending fell completely flat for me.

After the first few chapters, I was completely sucked me in. I was intrigued how the story and romance would play out. I was disappointed by both.

The ending really, really fell flat for me and I think we deserved more.

The romance was severely lacking too and I did not love where things went.

Overall, I liked this but if they would have changed/tweaked a couple of things I could have loved it.

"This Fatal Kiss" is a mesmerizing fantasy that whisks readers away to a mystical world of dark magic, whimsy, and polyamorous romance. Gisela, a water nymph cursed to haunt a magical spa town, longs to return to the living and reunite with her family. Her quest for a mortal's kiss to regain humanity is expertly woven with Kazik's struggles as a spirit hunter, creating a rich tapestry of storylines.

The author's world-building is meticulous, crafting a vivid setting that immerses readers in the spirit world. The characters are multidimensional and relatable, with Gisela's determination and Kazik's vulnerability making them easy to root for. The romance is sweet and tender, exploring themes of love, acceptance, and self-discovery.

This book is a must-read for fans of fantasy, fairy tales, and queer romantasy. The writing is engaging, the plot is well-paced, and the characters will capture your heart. Be prepared to be spellbound by this enchanting tale!

Nothing is more magical, ethereal and whimsical than getting lost between the pages of "This Fatal" Kiss by Alicia Jasinska!

It's been a long time since a book swept me off my feet, because as soon as I dove into the first chapter, I was hopelessly lost and my heart was bound to the glittering underwater realm of the water nymphs. Anyone who likes Eastern European mythology will love this immersive, modern fairy tale. "This Fatal Kiss" serves so many lovely mythological details, that it adds so much fairy tale character to the story.

Without going into details, "This Fatal Kiss" shows us the perspective of three different characters who, in their own way, come from other worlds and have their own perspective on what's morally right and what's morally wrong. Gisela is a fresh whirlwind who speaks her mind freely and I love her for her openness, for her great sense of humor and her cheeky nature. Despite her undead state, she sparkles with life, but as a rusalka, that's exactly what she's denied. On the other hand, there is Kaszik, who, after the loss of a beloved family member, uses his holy power to chase away the magical inhabitants of the town. Then there is Aleksey, who is a mystery in his own right and creates a lot of tension. What makes this book so unique are the fleshed-out characters.

I love the honest dialogs between the characters, which only makes them seem more authentic and how they slowly step out of their comfort-zones. I especially like Zusanna as a side character! She's so fierce yet gentle and is a great advicer. The character development is portrayed very vividly and over time you can only grow fond of them. I rooted very hard for all three of them and hoped that Gisela's wishes would come true. Kaszik has me personally wrapped around his finger - I love broody characters and found it very emotional to hear his thoughts on his sexuality. How I would have loved to give him a big, warm hug! The cute banter between him and Gisela was also so exqusite!

Just like the characters, the book holds so much atmosphere thanks to the very scenic descriptions of the underwater realm, which I found particularly fascinating. The book is like a Ghibli movie in itself and you just get drawn into this immersive and magical world and want to lose yourself deeper in the water and the deep-green forests, hoping to meet a good spirit. I especially liked the interactions with the other spirits, which reminded me of the stories from my childhood. I grew up in Poland and recognized many mythological creatures, for which I am grateful for ! Alicia Jasinska's wonderful tale brought back so many comforting memories from my summers spent in Poland and made me feel like my Babcia was with me.

All in all "This Fatal Kiss" is a fascinating and whimsical read with lots of dark undertones, strong-willed characters and wonderfully served tropes like "found-family" and "slow burn romance"!

Lastly I would like to thank Netgalley and the author for giving me with this eARC in exchange for a review. I also can't wait to share my love for this book with my instagram friends!

This was okay, but unfortunately lacked a lot of the depth that I was hoping for/expecting.

I found the main character to be a bit... cringe-y, which pains me to say, but some of the dialogue had me having to put the book down. I definitely think that this falls on the lower side of YA--a genre that I've been struggling with as of late.

That said, this book has one of the prettiest covers I've ever seen in my life.

Thank you to the puablisher and NetGalley for this eARC.

I was immediately drawn to this book because of how gorgeous the cover is and sold over the premise; "Spirit away with a whimsical fantasy filled with dark magic and flirty, polyamorous romance."

Cursed to haunt the river running through the magical spa town where she drowned, Gisela is a water nymph who dreams of returning to the living world and the family she left behind. All it takes to regain her humanity is a kiss from a mortal...but everyone sees her as a monster.

And then there’s Kazik, the brooding, interfering, spirit-hunting grandson of a local witch. He's determined to rid the world of unholy creatures like Gisela. After Kazik botches Gisela’s exorcism, she strikes up a deal. She won’t tell the other spirits that he’s losing his magic, if he agrees to play matchmaker and helps her get a kiss. But Gisela’s plan goes awry when Kazik also falls for the devilishly handsome young man that she sets her heart on—someone who could be linked to Gisela’s troubled past.

This Fatal Kiss is the perfect dark, queer romantasy. While the cover makes the book look dark and serious, it can actually be quite funny at times. The book was interwoven with Slavic fantasy themes, and is perfect for a cozy read. Would reccomend for any Studio Ghibli fan.

5/5

Thanks to Netgalley I was able to read this amazing story.

The whole plot and storyline is amazing. I adore every single minute I read this book.
I loved every single characters of course Kazik is my favorite character we really see him growing the whole book.

I just need to know if a sequel is coming or not, because I will be reading !!!

I had mixed feelings about this one. It was a good book but I think it just wasn’t for me in the end. I really loved the writing style and the world building was so detailed without being boring or overwhelming. I enjoyed the story line but just didn’t find myself feeling hooked. I feel like the characters weren’t very relatable for me and the plot line was really slow at points. I was leaning towards 3 stars but I really enjoyed the ending so I’ll say a solid 3.5

Thank you NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I found this to be a delightful read full of humour, fun and slavic folklore. The characters were easy to love. I found that the author was thorough in her explanation and world building and the attention to detail from the very start was brilliant. I would recommend this for any YA lovers out there looking for a world to escape into.

3,75⭐️

"This Fatal Kiss" happens to be my second meeting with Alicia Jasinska's writing, and I consider it much more succesful than previous one. Not perfect - about which in a moment - but left me with a pleasant feeling.

Depending on what you expect from this story, you may feel different. If you looked for a nice, folklore-inspired poly romance loosely based on The Little Mermaid, ding ding ding! You just hit a strike. If you wished for a fantasy book rooted in Polish legends – you may be a bit disappointed.

Gisela is a rusałka, and like all of them, she did not become it by her own wish. However what differs her from her sisters and siblings is the fact that she wishes to regain her humanity. What stops her are two obstacles – no memory of the night when she died and a mortal kiss that would grant her mortality. But with a little help of local healer Kazik and handsome, but mysterious Aleksey she may flirt her way towards those goals.

I adore everything this story stands for – the atmosphere, ideas behind world-building, characters and all. There is an improvement in Jasinska's writing, which is worth complementing. Although it can still be polished and mastered, it already is a great lift from previous simplicity of the style.

What took me aback was the world-building. While yes, I love the potential hidden in it, it could have been explored deeper. There was a time and place to develop the idea of "family" of rusałki, the lore behind Leśna Woda and conflict between Wojciech and Leszy. I suspect there might be a book two, so my expectations may be met, yet it could still take place here. Simply the fantasy part could have been more fantastical.
Time is another facture to look deeper into – I couldn't guess when everything took place. Is it modern time, with radios and tourist attractions, or is it more fairytale like, impossible to pin point?
Is it bothering during lecture? Not really. It's not something that will break the immersion. But certainly such details could only be beneficial.

Overall, I really liked it. If there will be a second book, I won't complain, even gladly read it. Plus look at that gorgeous cover – a true gem among covers!

Sleep is precious. I am the type of person who will set the book down and continue reading in the morning. That said, I ate my words with This Fatal Kiss. I stayed up until an ungodly hour to see this book through and it was so worth it. I thought I would love this book when I requested the arc and I WAS RIGHT!

The fantasy world is spell-binding. I am already leaning toward preordering a copy of this to have endless rereads of This Fatal Kiss. The water nymphs are fun and fascinating, but they're also a group of young people who have endured tragedies. To me, this book maintains the perfect duality; it's sappy sweet and haunting all at once.

If you've been following my reviews for some time, this will not come as a surprise...I loved the three-person POV. Nothing makes me happier than getting to see every side of a romance as it's unfolding. I lost track of the number of times I swooned and squealed while reading about these three.

My one issue: why is there so much pining? I can only give this book four stars because I was under the impression that there would be more romance. I love a slow burn, but this is excessive. The author Alicia Jasinska has hinted at a potential sequel. This Fatal Kiss desperately needs to be a series so I can read more of their romance.

As obsessed as I am with This Fatal Kiss, but I would like to caution any readers with religious trauma. Religion is mentioned repeatedly. There is a connection between the characters' religion (a Christian denomination) and they way they interact with magical world.

Unfortunately, there are also on-page acts of homophobia and biphobia. All of these are addressed and condemned, but this might be triggering for you. As a queer reader who grew up in a not-so-accepting religious community, I was uncomfortable reading certain situations in this book.

While these moments did not affect my rating, they are worth mentioning.

All in all, I will be raving about This Fatal Kiss for the foreseeable future. If you're debating whether to start this, take my review as a sign to RUN to your local library / indie bookstore and pick up a copy.

Bottom line: I need a sequel ASAP!

I was utterly enchanted by this fantasy novel. The way it blends themes of love, identity, and magic adds such richness to the story.

The setting was a real standout for me. Its vivid simplicity was incredibly captivating. I also loved the diversity and complexity of the main characters, which really enriched the storyline. Their journey of self-discovery and young adult growth was compelling to follow. The novel doesn't shy away from tackling social issues like hiding one's sexuality and dealing with societal judgment, adding a layer of realism that really hit home for me.

That said, not everything was perfect. The pacing of the plot could have been better. The story started off slowly, and although it picked up at times, it often seemed to drag, leading to some frustrating moments. This uneven pacing did affect my overall enjoyment a bit.

Still, for those who appreciate immersive world-building and well-developed characters, "TFK" is definitely worth checking out. Even if the romantic elements don't completely hit the mark for everyone, the detailed world and lovable characters make it a compelling read.

This book had a very interesting mythology, but it felt a bit confused in the time it was set, it felt like maybe it was a turn of the century story, but some of the super modern phrases and slang almost took me out of the story completely.
I didn't the characters, didn't feel any real connection with them. But I did enjoy the Slavic folklore and I love a pronunciation guide.

Okay, wow.

This was my first book by the author and I am glad I have Midnight Girls ready because I am enchanted with her writing and mind.

This story follows Gisela, a water nymph, in her quest to regain her humanity...what does she need to do so? A kiss form a mortal, of course. Her only obstacle? The small town's resident exorcists who is hell (ha!) bent on getting rid of her. After a failed exorcism, Kazik is forced to strike up a deal with Gisela: help her get her kiss and she'll be out of his life for good! Except...the Saints seem to have it out for Kazik because Gisela doesn't want a kiss from just anyone, she wants it from Kazik's old childhood crush. A boy who is not only extremely gorgeous and kind but he also seems vaguely familiar to Gisela? Odd...

I did not know what to expect when I requested this ARC but I was blown away by the magic and world building in this story. It is said to be inspired by Spirited Away and, even though I have not watched it, I can definitely feel the Ghibli vibes to this. It was fantastic, so atmospheric and tangible, it definitely transports you into this little tourism spot, filled with little spa villa's in the middle of beautiful nature sights. I was truly enchanted with the creatures the author described, they are inspired by Polish folklore with a marvelous spin. I truly adored it!

The audience for this book targets Young Adult readers and I would consider it age appropriate, as a queer adult I'd have loved to have a book like this growing up that normalized gender and sexuality in such a loving manner. The author does not shy away from representing the queer community and from broaching what we sometimes consider "difficult" topics to bring up with young people, such as grief, polyamory, sexual identity, gender identity, child neglect and violence, I deeply appreciated how these topics were handled and hope they bring awareness to everyone who picks this one up. We need to put more books like this in young readers hands.

The banter between the characters is a riot to read! I loved their dynamic, how they were introduced, the friendships and the romance, of course. Following Kazik's emotional journey was a gem, I enjoyed watching him contemplate his beliefs and question them. I adored Gisela's humor and...cluelessness, even a little naïveté, she definitely felt her age and made me remember how many mistakes I made back then. I appreciated her growth the most. In comes our resident morally-gray love interest, the object of both, Gisela and Kazik's adoration, Aleksey. He was everything I hoped in a villainous vibes character. The book did let me wanting more from his character POV and development but once I reached the end I understood why and I only hope we get more books in the future!

This is perfect for someone wanting a cute, fun, queer, whimsical YA fantasy with romance sprinkled in, hilarious banter, Little Mermaid vibes and some darker undertones.

All that being said, I would've liked more! More of Gisela's deeper motivations and feelings, more of Kazik's emotional and metal challenges and struggles. I just hope the author continues with the story and gives us a deeper look into their minds, I would for sure pick it up.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

This is a queer romantasy about a water nymph (Gisela) who blackmails the towns exorcist into helping her regain her humanity. In order to do that, she has to receive a kiss from a mortal. Her plan turns upside down when they both fall for the same guy, who may or may not have something to do with her dark past.

My Thoughts: This book was a wild ride and I enjoyed every moment. From the Slavic folklore to the poly love triangle, I was all the way pulled in. The writing is very whimsical and the setting was magical. The characters popped off the freakin’ page! The mystery aspect was my favorite part and I could go on for hours about how much I adored the main character, Gisela.

We get different POV’s, which made me very happy because I loved getting to see inside the three main characters heads.

The actions scenes were very well written! I was genuinely scared and on the edge of my seat every time a fight broke out, or when one of the creatures made an appearance.

If I had to point out one thing I didn’t like, it would have to be some of the scenes that dragged on. I felt like some conversations could’ve been cut short.

But besides that, this was a very original story that made my fairytale loving heart feel whole. I can’t wait until it comes out so I can add it to my book collection.

I've never read a book detailing folklore like this before. It was a really pleasant, funny read. I was able to guess who the antagonists were, but it didn't bother me that it was predictable. I loved the character development, and the showcasing of "is it okay to like more than one person?". I feel like with polyamory representation, you always see the "oh it's okay that's how life is, I accept it, and I'm poly too!" side, and not the "I don't know what I'm doing but I know I like more than one person, is that okay???" side of romances, and I really like the hesitancy, and the uncertainty, but also the willingness of kazik to come to giselas rescue. He blossomed into such a sweet character, and was easily one of my favorites. I'm excited for the sequel, and for the redemption of the "villain" who may not be so villainous after all...

Thank you to NetGalley and PeachtreeTeen for an e-ARC in exchange for my review!

“This Fatal Kiss” weaves folklore, wonderful LGBTQIA+ rep, and delightful banter together into a fun and original story that I would recommend to readers who enjoy their YA fantasy with a bit of whimsy and fairytale.

My List of Standout Pros:
1. I loved the folklore/mythology - world building can get so heavy handed at times but I had no trouble here
2. THE BANTER. Gisela and Kazik are just a couple of knuckleheads and I just love them.

My List of Standout Cons:
1. There were a few plot pacing issues for me where things were either too drawn out and repetitive or too hurried.
2. I would have preferred a little less foreshadowing and would have liked the big reveal to take place at the end rather than halfway through.

Overall, 3.5 stars and a solid, fun read.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced reader copy. I really liked this. The only thing that felt a little weird was the unspecified time period, but even that part was enjoyable. Gisela is one of the rusałki—the spirits of girls who died violent deaths in bodies of water—who desperately wants to regain her humanity. Unfortunately, to do that, she has to win a kiss from a mortal, and every time she gets close, the infuriating and broody local exorcist stops her. The exorcist, Kazik, wants nothing more than to rid the town of the evil spirits that lurk in the shadows. But when Kazik tries to get rid of Gisela for good, his magic fails him. The two strike up a deal: she won’t let his secret slip to the other spirits, and he’ll help her get a kiss. The only problem? They both fall for the same person, a charming and handsome boy with a mysterious past who may just be linked to Gisela’s death. This is a really fun and cozy polyamorous fantasy.