This was such an enjoyable read for me. I loved the Slavic folklore and LGBTQIA+ representation. I enjoyed seeing the character development in our three MCs.
Thank you NetGalley, Peachtree Teen, and Alicia Jesinka for providing this arc.

"This Fatal Kiss" is a fun and fast-paced story that keeps readers hooked from start to finish. The book is full of witty banter, giving it a romcom feel even though it's set in a fantasy world.

I especially enjoyed the use of Slavic folk tales as the foundation for the story and world-building. This added a unique and rich layer to the narrative. The book also features excellent LGBTQIA+ representation, which is seamlessly integrated into the story.

I found myself more drawn to the characters Gisela and Kazik , preferring their dynamic over Aleksey's. However, I wished the main characters, especially Gisela and Kazik , had more conversations about important issues. This would have added more depth to their relationships and the overall plot.

One thing that threw me off was the difficulty in pinpointing the time period of the setting. The descriptions of clothing and daily life suggested an older era, so I was surprised when modern elements like buses, trains, and radios appeared. This made it hard for me to imagine a full picture of the world.

While the banter and light-hearted scenes were enjoyable, they sometimes undermined the more serious moments, making it hard for those scenes to have the impact they deserved.

Thank you to The Publisher ,The Author & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

3,5/5 (3 - enjoyable)

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!!

To be honest, I was a little reluctant to read this book because polyamorous romances are not my cup of tea. But the cover and the description bought me. I'm so glad they did because this was an amazing read.

I read it in less than a day, so that's that. I really enjoyed the writing, it was easy to read and engaging. Every character had their own distinctive voice in their chapters, so that was perfect.

Speaking of characters, I loved all of them. I love the bisexual representation and all the queer representation in general. The romance between the main characters was so beautiful. It never felt rushed or forced. I was rooting for the three of them all the book!

My only complaint would be that it was a bit frustrating when some things were constantly repeated like the reader wouldn't be able to understand their importance or remember them.

AND THAT ENDING?!?! I need a sequel right now, please 🙏🏻

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I think it's fair to say I liked pretty much everything about this book. The Slavic folklore backdrop is enchanting and lovely, and every spirit, witch, and mortal is interesting and enjoyable to read. Gisela, Aleksey, and Kazik are utterly adorable and this is a polyamorous romance written in a way that will give skeptics heart eyes. I particularly loved the character development we see in each of our three MCs throughout the book - without giving away too much, each of them learns from the others and comes to understand themself and the world more, and that helps them treat the world and those inhabiting it with more kindness and understanding. The romance is, in some ways, the main plot driver of the story, but in many others, it's just a backdrop for this character development. I wouldn't even classify this book as a romance as much as I would say that it's fantasy.

Extra shoutout to my guy Domek - low-key my favorite character (also Yulia I love my butch lesbian who is learning how to not be biphobic)!

Highly recommend this book for readers of fantasy, YA, romance, and LGBTQ+ folks, especially those who are looking for good polyamorous representation.

Loved the title. Loved the description. Loved the cover. I was soooo excited I got approved for this early read and i am actually so obsessed. I loved every little bit of this book. I love a good whimsical book and this was right up my alley. I need a physical copy asap.

2.5 ⭐️
The premise of the book had so much potential but I found it hard to connect with the characters. I really enjoyed the setting and the Slavic folklore. I really liked that at the beginning of the book there is a pronunciation guide! Overall, had a lot of potential just wasn't what I thought it would be but that could be because I'm a mood reader.
Read if you like Slavic folklore, cozy stories with LGBTQ+ characters!

'This Last Kiss' is a great romcom with a fantasy backdrop. Our two main characters are quirky and funny and quarrel non-stop for good entertainment.

Now, I had a big reason to drop the rating to just 3 stars: this book is too afraid of the main characters being wrong in a way that could get them 'cancelled' on today's online landscape, it feels to me.

Instead of letting the characters be wrong on important things (when it comes to sexuality and relationships) and then learn better and grow, they know themselves so perfectly and we are subjected to a page every now and then where they muse about their sexuality being valid, their love being valid, they themselves being valid, etc etc etc...

Just some general advise for any author going for 'representation' for stuff not yet mainstream: something happening on page while not being demonised is far better representation than using all the correct language of the terminally online and then not letting the actual thing happen.

This was a fun read and I definitely recommend it as a romcom, but in hindsight, the promotional posts in Bookstagram (by people other than the author) were almost queerbait to me.

This book was SO GOOD that I actually stopped reading after a few chapters because I really feel like I need to experience it with a physical copy in my hands for the first time. I cannot wait to get a physical copy and immerse myself in this magic!

This was so very much fun to read!
I adored that the setting and world building was based on folk lore and traditions. I’d love to see more of it in future books.
The casual queerness of the characters brought me a lot of joy and each felt unique and well rounded.
I flew through reading it and enjoyed the tone and pace.
It was a very fun and light fantasy read that has definitely made me excited to see what Alicia Jasinska does next!

A narrow-scope story that tightly weaves its Slavic folklore in and out of itself, it never gets too ahead of itself or inflates itself to such large stakes that it buckles under its own underwhelming weight but wisely stays focused. This Fatal Kiss gets us to fall in love with its small cast and the world below the river surface and the strange quaint town. There's Gisela and her yearning for the life she had lost while coming to love the unique life she has as a water nymph. Then there's Kazik and his mission to uphold his grandmother's legacy and duty as an exorcist, being conflicted with the possibility that not all monsters are monstrous. And finally, the mysterious, charming, handsome Aleksey, a man that allures both Gisela and Kazik but hides a treacherous secret. Their banter and chemistry with each other is palpable and flirty. The supporting cast are all likeable, with some being sure to garner some favouritism.

There is a sense of grandness here and there because of indirect characterisation and lore, which complements the story's supernatural elements. Overall, it is a simple story that orbits around its characters and never strays into dense pastures of expositionary worldbuilding or disjointed plot points. While it works as a standalone, I (and likely others) wouldn't mind if a follow-up was made. I devoured this enjoyable romp. If you like whimsical, breezy fairytales, this one is for you!

Thanks to Netgalley and Holiday House / Peachtree / Pixel+Ink for providing me with the e-ARC/DRC in exchange for an honest review.

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 really bogged down the characterizations for me, and ended up really 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.

This was just so much fun to read, it really gave me the same feelings as reading fanfiction at 3am in the morning did. Was this perfect? Not at all, but it was everything I needed it to be. The dynamics between the characters? The monstrous found family? The ACTUAL love triangle? Peak. There is definitely going to be a sequel and I need it in my hands right now.

First of all thank you Netgalley, Peachtree teen and Alicia Jasinka for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC!

I was so excited when i get to read this ARC!

This book gives of whimsical folklore type of fantasy which i like!

The characters are also interesting! Gisela mysterious backstory and Kazik tho at the beginning was kinda mean but i get why he's like that and i'm glad he has his development! And Aleksey is also a compelling character.

This book got me intrigued and made me don't want to put it down!

I like the polyamorous relationship dynamic but woahhh that epilogue??? Yeah this book still has it loose ends and i still have questions. It's look like there's gonna be a sequel after reading that epilogue

This was a fun, original YA story that does feel age appropriate yet does not shy away from themes that are often reserved for New Adult/Adult novels. The ambiguety when it comes to defining when this story takes place was actually a really nice touch, since it makes the story feel timeless enough to not have decade specific events or technology interfering with the plot, yet allowing the young characters to have personalities very close to what we would see in current 2020s teenagers, like how casual the Bisexual representation is.
I really enjoy Polish folklore being at the center of this story. Even though the creatures we’re following are not new, they feel almost as if they are, after the over-saturation of the other magical beings we tend to read about all the time.

Something about the tone of the writing didn’t quite click for me; it had all the elements that would make a gothic story yet sometimes it felt like it was written as a Disney Channel Original Movie. The mix was close to whimsical, as I was expecting from the synopsis, but not quite.

<I>“Wait, Kazik!” He pulled the door shut. “I didn’t even get to eat my soup!”</I>

The story could’ve been edited down. It felt like it went on for a bit too long, some conversations feeling a little pointless and information being repeated to us a few times, as if the author didn’t trust us to remember what had been said previously.
Though I appreciate the introduction of a polyamorous relationship, I feel like only the romance between two of the characters was developed to a point where I could see genuine feeling between them.

[ “I’m really not.” Kazik struggled to force the smile back into the dark depths of his soul, where it belonged. He stood, dusting off his backside, avoiding eye contact. It would be pure madness to admit he was smiling because of an unholy terror like Gisela ]



<b>You couldn’t let yourself forget those pretty faces hid wicked hearts</b>

She’s hilarious. She should have a podcast.

<I>“Did—did your exorcism just”—Gisela’s voice dropped—“fail?” Mortification warred with shock for control of Kazik’s face. “Do you want to try again?” Gisela offered kindly.</I>

She really would tweet that the hottest thing a man can do if be a little pathetic.

<I>“Who was that girl with Kazik?” “No idea.” Aleksey sank down across from Roza on the picnic blanket; she’d spread it over the grass beneath a chestnut tree planted to guard the gravestones.
“She said she was his friend.”
“He has friends now?”</I>

3.5 stars!
Polish folklore with a polyamorous love triangle. Gisela is a mischievous water nymph constantly dodging the town’s exorcist, Kazik. The two have a fun, but opposing, relationship from the start, until… Aleksey enters the chat.

Overall I enjoyed the premise and pacing—I could not put this book down! However, there were a couple moments where the writing lulled for me: when Gisela went to retrieve the potion and when Kazik and Aleksey dove in the water after Gisela towards the end. Both instances could have been ramped up in the action to create more tension and higher stakes for the reader. The book overall felt low stakes although the subject matter was rather deep.

It was also difficult to pinpoint the time period, which if done well, can create even more atmosphere and world building. The description of some clothing and everyday life seemed at odds when mention of a bus or something quite modern was added in.

The character motivations also seemed underdeveloped/lacked strength, which weakened the character growth and storylines in turn.

I felt like the story needed more working on and I did not relate nor feel anything special for the characters. The ideas and folklore are original but should be more developed. 2.5 stars.

Thank you so much, Netgalley, for this arc!

As soon as I saw this book I said: I want it! Fantasy inspired by Slavic folklore, a cozy little town, bisexual characters, a girl transformed into a rusalka (water nymph) who recruits the local exorcist to help her get a kiss from a human so she can regain her humanity, but it turns out that everyone involved gets feelings for each other thus creating a polyamorous triangle... Yes to everything.

This cozy little town, very reminiscent of Spirited Away, is always full of tourists who come to feel the magic of the different bath houses. But it is also full of spirits: water and air nymphs, forest spirits, drowners, even the water goblin who rules the local river and gives home to the rusalka. The town feels full of life and magic on every page of this book, so much so that it makes you want to take a bath in all the Villas.

The characters are charming and complex (and bisexual!). Each one has their clear motivation and at first they are willing to achieve their goals no matter what, but as the plot progresses and feelings grow we see how each character changes a little, not abandoning their goals, but molding them with a more mature view of life (and death). My favorite is Gisela, but Kazik is not far behind, and the more Aleksei's pov’s there were, the more his character is fleshed out.

Although the narration style is simple, I think it suits the story well, because there’s a lot of information about the different spirits (which I loved) and perhaps a more elaborate narration would feel a bit dense. Another thing to notice is the ending; as a stand-alone book, the open ending works, but there are still unanswered questions and I hope more books come out because I would love to return to this world, that's how much I enjoyed it.

I just finished it, not my cup of tea.
The premises were excellent but they were basket developed, especially the relationship between the 3 protagonists. It's a shame because it really had all the potential to become one of my favorite books but that wasn't the case. The world building the author created is beautiful but everything else is very lacking.
What a shame :(

this fatal kiss -

- poly triangle
- found family
- grumpy x sunshine
- magical kisses

This fatal kiss combines slavic folklore with fantasy and horror elements to create a truly wonderful and unique story. there aren’t many stories that have captured my attention like this, i’m not usually a fan of retellings but i ate this up. i am also extremely grateful for the pronunciation guide at the beginning of the book.

i loved getting to know the characters, their stories and watching them grow together. my favourite part of this book was definitely learning about slavic folklore. Gisela, our FMC, is a water nymph who can’t remember her dark demise who learn her to be such. she is funny, flirty and charming as well as morally ambiguous and still a teenage girl at heart. the more i read about her, the more i wanted to know her.

the world building in this book was excellently written. i could really see exactly what was being described. there was a great mix of original story and folklore. there was a lot of foreshadowing in this book that i loved! this book hinted at a sequel which i am really hoping for!!

i loved the romance and the enemies to lovers arc, had me on the edge of my seat. i mean, exorcist x demon?? this could be a new favourite trope. i think the way the characters were written in terms of their genders and sexual orientation was perfect. i’m not usually one for poly books but this may have changed my mind!

i absolutely loved this one of a kind story and can’t wait to have a physical copy and have my fingers crossed for more books! thank you Netgalley and Alicia Jasinska for the ARC 🖤

A gorgeous cozy urban fantasy filled with Slavic folklore, loveable characters and an exquisite polyamorous slow-burn romance.

Warning to those that despite starting an unfinished series, this is clearly meant to be a duology (even if there is no mention of it anywhere). While the ending resolves some plotlines, a lot remains unfinished after this volume.