— Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! —

I was drawn in by the gorgeous cover, but I stayed for the characters.

The setting is delightfully whimsical, reminding me of Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke by Studio Ghibli, with its enchanting spa town where spirits, magical creatures, and humans coexist, all tied together by a deep connection to nature. It truly felt like stepping into a world that’s both familiar and full of magic.

The chaotic trio of bisexual disasters stole my heart! I absolutely loved how, despite the old-school, folkloric setting, the story tackles gender and sexuality with a refreshingly modern, unproblematic lens. This beautiful contrast added so much depth to the characters and made the entire experience even more immersive and compelling.

There’s a lot going on in this book, and I devoured every breadcrumb (clue) the author sprinkled throughout. Watching the story unravel before my eyes was pure joy. My only 'complaint'? I’d happily stay in this world forever. I went into this book thinking it was a standalone, but realizing it’s the start of a series just made me more excited for what’s next!

The premise of this story was phenomenal - I love reading queer fantasy. But for some reason, things never felt like they totally clicked together. I just felt kind of lost and disconnected throughout the story. I will definitely try Alicia Jasinska's other work int he future!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book!*

I enjoyed the premise of "This Fatal Kiss": Slavic folklore & mythology mixed with fantasy, tons of queer characters, an enchantment that can only be broken by a kiss like the fairy tale.

Problem is that the world building did not convince me entirely: was it early Modernity or Medievalism? What about the other fantastical creatures? How does this natural realm work? What about the family background of the exorcist?

Plot-wise I also had questions. In general, I did not really like Gisela as the protagonist and I found her story under explored. It also annoyed me that everybody was soooo pretty. And what about Aleksy and his involvement?

While parts of the story felt very immersive and deeply rooted in Slavic mythology, other parts felt like any other random fantasy novel. The world in general felt blunt and failed to convince me in it's geography, people and mythologies.

Maybe I was not in the right mood for this book but I skim-read large parts...

3 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review

4 ⭐️

Gisela is a water nymph, cursed to haunt the river she drowned in, and desperately trying to regain her humanity. All it will take is a kiss from a mortal. She strikes up a bargain with Kazik, the local spirit-hunter and exorcist. He will help her find a mortal to kiss her, and in turn she will stop wreaking havoc on the townspeople, and keep quiet about Kazik losing his magic. If they can get through this bargain, these bitter enemies will never have to see each other again. Neither one of them is expecting that they will both fall for the same boy though, one who might know more than he’s letting on about how Gisela drowned in the first place.

I really enjoyed this story! The Slavic folklore and different mythical beings made for a really rich and whimsical world. The settings were so prettily described that it felt like I was there. All of the characters were developed well and had their own faults and growth, and I was excited to read the changing POV’s and see what happened next. I was drawn in by the cover and this book did not disappoint. I’m so excited to read the sequel that I’m sure is coming. This book did seem to struggle with pacing a little bit, lulling between 60-75% before the ending. I loved the characters and the storyline enough to not be overly concerned, but I definitely think some of the middle section could have been condensed.

Overall this book was 4 ⭐️ and I’m excited to see what comes next in this world.

This book includes
- MMF polyamory
- Slavic folklore
- Enemies to lovers
- Sass / banter
- Mild dark themes (check T/W!!)

alicia jasinska’s whimsical this fatal kiss melds slavic folklore, dark magic, water nymphs or rusałks, dark magic, and queerness into one magical work.

the characters in this story were all complex and messy. kazik was the standout character in my opinion, however all three of our leading characters as well as our supporting cast were loveable.

i went into this expecting the prose to be more intimidating than it was, and was pleasantly surprised to find such approachable, almost modern language patterns.

the descriptions of the setting, be it leśna woda, the palace in the deep, or even one of the many bathhouses, were dreamlike and evoked beautiful imagery

i don’t think i’ve ever read a book with a. polyamorous relationship at its center before, and this book deserved its flowers for its poly, queer, omni/bi/pansexuality, nonbinary, and disability representation. the poly relationship dynamics were all so interesting and unique, and it was beautiful to watch their relationship develop as delicately as it did, even with the stakes involved.

i did, however not fully buy the height of the stakes, even though i knew the stakes were in fact high. also, i am the biggest fan of ambiguous and open endings, and i believe there is now going to be a sequel, but i still believe that this ending could’ve been stronger. this isn’t to say that every thread needed to be tied off, but i did feel as if the only concluded plot line felt slightly rushed while the handful of incomplete plot lines and threads are left unresolved.

overall a very fun, very banter-y, rivals to lovers-y, magical polyamorous romance fantasy!!!!

Love the focus on Slavic folklore. There is honestly not enough books about these stories. Love it! I wasn’t feeling enough of a pull to keep reading though. Ended up skipping to the end just to see the outcome. May pick up the sequel for curiosity sake.

Guilt and grief can sometimes make you miss what’s right in front of you.

All Gisela can think about is finding a way to become human again so she can go back to her island home, find her little brother, and make sure he’s taken care of. All Kazik can think of is his belief that his grandmother wouldn’t have died when she did if it were not for some forest spirits that attacked her.

At the same time, Gisela’s not recognizing how much she loves the village she’s dwelling in or how much she’s come to love her water nymph sisters. Kasik can’t see the reason things are getting so much worse for him on a magical and personal level is because he’s taking his pain out on people (and spirits) who don’t deserve it.

One capricious water nymph and one brooding exorcist. They’re natural enemies and they know it. They act like it. Then they strike a bargain involving a boy they coincidentally both have a crush on. There’s no way this could go sideways, surely?

Peachtree Teen continues to amaze me with the diversity of novels they publish, especially since it’s a YA imprint. This is a YA historical, polyamorous, LGBTQ romantasy. The time in which this takes place is (I think) deliberately nebulous, but it’s a time with electricity but not modern (I should mention this is not set on Earth, but a fantastical realm). The feel of the world that’s built gives off Slavic vibes (as does the folklore used).

Author Alicia Jasinska deserves all the snaps for writing a beautiful and genre-appropriate polyamorous LGBTQ romance. By that I mean “YA-appropriate”. I’m not someone who ascribes to the notion of restricting reading based on the age of the reader, but I know there are parents, teachers, librarians, and readers out there who will want to know if this book gets spicy or if the polyamorous relationship in these pages is unrealistically portrayed for the age of the characters (which is around 18). I can tell the topic is handled with sensitivity with the characters who need it and without shame all around. There is no spice and no clothing is mussed. The romance leans more toward words and affection than it does action.

I did have an issue with the ending, but not because it’s a bad ending. It was because I got confused. The ending seems to imply there might be a sequel, but I can’t see a sequel listed anywhere and I don’t think I’ve seen one announced. Mark my words, though: If there’s a sequel, I need it in my hands.

I was provided a copy of this title by the publisher and author via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: Folklore/Fantasy/Romantasy/Found Family/Historical Fantasy/LGBTQ Fantasy/LGBTQ Romance/Polyamorous Romance/YA Fantasy/YA Romantasy/YA Fiction/YA LGBTQ Romance

This Fatal Kiss
by @aliciamja
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

happy This Fatal Kiss release day!! today was such a busy one BUT I couldn’t let the evening slip by before posting about this book!

first off, what an absolutely mesmerizing read. when I read The Midnight Girls which is also by Alicia Jasinska, I loved how effortless it was to get into the story and how truly original it was. I was so happy to see that this was also the case with This Fatal Kiss!!

this story is full of rich slavic folklore, queer main characters, and enchanting magic—what more could I ask for?! I could vividly imagine the delicious foods, magical bathhouses, and the crystal palace. I love how this story was cozy and lighthearted while also dealing with darker subject matters.

I loved the dynamic between Gisela, Kazik, and Aleksey. there was so many hilarious moments between them as well as LOTS of tension. they were all such complex characters and felt so real and fleshed-out to me. also the sass from Wojciech (water goblin) had me laughing out loud.

I need a sequel asap. what happens next?!?

thank you @netgalley and @peachtreeteen for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is hands down one of my favorite reads this year. Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska was so good! I’ve heard rumors of a sequel, and there better be one because the ending felt ambiguous and left some things open—I need more!!!

The story is told from three points of view: Gisela, Kazik, and Aleksey. Gisela, our FMC, is a water nymph cursed to haunt the magical spa town where she tragically drowned as a human. For the past year, she's been desperately trying to turn back into a human so she can return to her family. All she needs is a mortal’s kiss, but unfortunately, everyone sees her as a monster.

Then there’s Kazik, one of our MMCs. He’s a brooding exorcist determined to rid the world of monsters like Gisela. Kazik tries to exorcise Gisela, but when his magic fails, they strike an unlikely deal: Gisela won’t tell the other spirits that Kazik has lost his magic, and in exchange, he’ll help her find the kiss she needs.

Enter Aleksey, our final MMC. He’s the handsome guy Gisela has set her sights on, but things get complicated when Kazik also starts to fall for him. To add even more tension, there’s a strong possibility that Aleksey had something to do with Gisela’s tragic death.

I absolutely loved the magical world Jasinska created. The blend of magical creatures, underwater river palaces, demons, and exorcists kept me hooked the whole time. Plus, the queer love triangle was excellent. I hope we get a lot more of this in the sequel!

Five stars all the way. I can’t recommend this enough. Thank you, NetGalley, Holiday House, Peachtree, and Pizel+Ink, for this ARC ebook.

Gisela is a water nymph cursed to haunt the river where she drowned. She longs to return to her normal life, something she discovers might be possible with a single kiss from a mortal. However, getting that kiss is no easy task, as everyone sees her as a monster—including Kazik, the spirit-hunter she’s enlisted to help her. But when Kazik develops feelings for the same person Gisela is targeting, things get complicated.

I’ve read and loved another book by Alicia Jasinska before, so I had high hopes for this one. It was quite different, but I still really enjoyed it! The Slavic folklore elements, which fascinate me, immediately pulled me in. I haven’t come across many books that explore this aspect, and I loved how many creatures (biesy, rusałki, etc.) were mentioned.

Beyond the folklore, the characters themselves were fantastic. Each one was richly developed, even Aleksey, who, while not as central as Gisela and Kazik, still played an important role. I especially enjoyed seeing their growth and the evolution of their relationships.

3.75/5

Pretty good. Could have been better.

What I liked: the characters, the bisexual and poly rep, the banter, the found family;

What I didn't like: the writing, the pacing of the plot;

First, let's start with the good: I had immense fun while reading this! I was already engrossed from Gisela and Kazik's first scene together, and Aleksey's story was an interesting twist. Gisela's entire found family was my favorite part of the novel, it managed to feel realistic without sacrificing the realtionships between characters, and Gisela's feelings towards them were, to me, the moving force of the plot. Gisela, Kazik and Aleksey's growth as characters was promising, but lacking in the sense that we do not see enough on-page development.

Which brings me to: The writing felt underdeveloped for what the author really wanted to portray, and it was just not enough. I wouldn't belive this is an author's third book, it feels more like a debut that it's still trying to find its footing. Nowhere is it stated if the book is or part of a series, so while reading it, I just assumed it's a standalone, like the author's other books. This, however, made the pacing feel extremely unbalanced, as I was still waiting for a satisfying conclusion as the page number kept dwindling down. The ending is pretty open, so I will expect a sequel to tie up all the loose end and bring a satisfying conclusion.

Overall: The vibes were amazing, the writing not so much. I'd recommend it for a fun read if you enjoy found family, great banter and romance that feels like comforting cup of warm tea;

This was such a beautiful story, a YA book with stunning atmospheric vibes and incredible characters, I knew I was going to love this book by the cover and description alone. If you’re looking for a fun YA fantasy with Slavic folklore and unforgivable vibes, definitely read!!!

This book is about Gisela, a water nymph who died a tragic death and yearns to become human again. After an encounter with her nemesis and the town's exorcist, Kazik, she finds out that he is losing his magic. Gisela attempts to blackmail him into helping her get a kiss from one of the neighborhood boys so that she can regain her humanity. Enter Aleksy, the human boy target who has secrets of his own. Together the three develop an interesting relationship filled with angst, humor, and crazy ghostly adventures.

Overall, it was a fun read. I would say the writing reads more young so think young adult but it does explore polyamory and queer romances. I would give it a shot if you are interested in those themes.

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

thank you netgalley and peachtree teen for the e-arc!
"Did you know, Kazik, that if a mortal kisses a water nymph, she can regain her humanity?"

YEP SOLD I’LL TAKE ALL THE COPIES YOU HAVE THANK U

This Fatal Kiss is a Slavic-inspired story that follows three main characters:

- Gisela, a water nymph who can’t remember how she died, but is desperately trying to find a way to regain her mortal life so she can take care of her younger brother. she also terrorizes Kazik.
- Kazik, the town exorcist. he lives an extremely isolated lifestyle, especially following the death of his grandma. he doesn’t really have any friends or family, besides his cousin who visits from time-to-time.
- Aleksey, a handsome and mysterious boy that grew up with Kazik. he’s very charming, but seems to be keeping something hidden from everyone around him.

all three are extremely fluid in terms of what gender they are attracted to and how they feel/approach relationships. which is so fun to read, but one thing that made me pause is how young our characters are. Gisela is 16 and Kazik is 15. Gisela is extremely flirty and both Gisela and Kazik make reference to having sexual relationships with people in the town and it took me a little by surprise. that, combined with the maturity that they all show in terms of their feelings and their attractions, made me feel like they should have been aged up a little bit.

also, to me this book was presented as a stand-alone story, but after that ending... it can’t be????? this is a bit of a personal pet peeve, but I prefer to KNOW ahead of starting a book if it’s going to be a series or not, so to be finished with the book and feel like there should be another book but still not knowing is... frustrating.

plot: ★★★★★
the plot was like a mix of The Little Mermaid x Spirited Away x Princess Mononoke. I love stories that weave in folklore. this took a spirit realm mixing in with the mortal realm, the idea that humans are mistreating spirits/nature, and a mythical being wishing to become human. and everyone is in love with each other, so A++.

writing/prose: ★★★★★ (4.5 rounded up)
the writing style was really fun. it does a great job of pulling you in right away and then having you learn the characters and lore as you go, but without “info dumping”. however, the time period was really difficult for me to narrow down. I was picturing a super rural village until someone mentioned having a radio and taking a train and I was like ???

pacing: ★★★★★
this book got me good with the “I’ll just read one more chapter” sh*t. I felt like the pace of this story was lightning speed. I had a really hard time putting it down because I kept wanting to know more and know what was happening next. I’m pretty sure I read like 75% of this book in a single sitting.

romance: ★★★★★
the romance in this book was mostly the build-up, so lots of flirting and pining. I’m still giving it 5 stars even though we didn’t really get to go very deep into like actual romantic relationship type stuff because the flirting and banter was just that good.

characters: ★★★★★
right off the bat Gisela and Kazik were giving me Vanja and Emeric vibes (Little Thieves) and I was LIVING for it. I was a little nervous to see if it would start to feel like a copy or not, but I’m happy to share that while they have a similar style of banter and the way they meet each other is similar, Gisela and Kazik grow in their own direction.

I wish we got more scenes with Gisela, Kazik, and Aleksey together, especially after they came to the realization that they all had crushes on each other. I’m praying for another book in hopes that we can have that in the future.

Kazik and Gisela’s banter was TOP TIER. I could have read 400 pages exclusively of them going back and forth with each other.

the side characters in Gisela’s life were interesting too and I would have loved to get more from them, but especially Wojciech (and his story with Kasia).

over-all: ★★★★★
I already mentioned being frustrated by not knowing if the series will continue or not, but even if it doesn’t I can still say with full confidence that I loved this book and I would reread it again in a heartbeat.

This book was SO CUTE! I was really excited to see a polyamorous romantasy book because it was something I'd never encountered before, and I loved the representation. I also really enjoyed that I felt like I was never 100% sure where things were going. Typically with romance books have a pretty good idea you're going to get a HEA, but the fantasy elements really brought more uncertainty to the outcome, so I liked that it didn't feel predictable. I genuinely really liked the characters as well, and the grumpy/sunshine dynamic Gisela and Kazik had. I also loved the incorporation of folklore to bring in the fantasy side of the story.

Thank you for the ARC of this book! I will be posting a review on my bookstagram in the next couple weeks.

This Fatal Kiss is a YA fantasy novel recounting and reimagining folklore of the Slavic rusałka (water nymph). It seems to blend pre- and post-19th century depictions of rusałki— but, thankfully, while actively challenging the perception of them as “unclean spirits”.

The focus of this novel is primarily on the perspective characters and their interpersonal relationships, but This Fatal Kiss could have benefitted from a greater focus on worldbuilding. There is very little sense of setting— both in its intended time period and its detailing of the characters’ surroundings. The characters are charming, and their banter is enjoyable (“What do you water nymphs usually do when you’re not trying to trick unsuspecting humans into falling in love with you?” “Sometimes we entertain ourselves by capsizing the little rowboats the tourists take out on the river to scare them.” “Don’t do that,” Kazik said immediately.)— a bit of flowery, whimsical prose in the worldbuilding could have rounded out the modern folkloric atmosphere quite nicely, I think.

Several plot threads were left unresolved, although the conclusion to the novel seems open-ended enough to allow for a sequel. I did expect this to be a standalone novel, so the lack of momentum and resolution did feel frustrating, at times. That being said, if a sequel novel is ever published, I will absolutely seek it out for exactly that reason!

What drew me towards this books was its beautiful cover and promise of Slavic folklore, dark fantasy and poly relationship and it did not disappoint. Furthermore, it went above and beyond in thwarting my expectations. It asks the question who is the true monster, is it truly all so black and white and straightforward or are there sides and different perspectives, it has the juxtaposition of old and new, the new being Kazik's faith and people taking over the land and the old being the traditions and spirits dwelling in those lands. But what stood out the most to me is that it is a story written to the eldest daughters. It is written to all the parentified and responsible daughters who have a hard time shaking off the role and living for themselves.

All in all, absolutely a five star read and I cannot wait for the continuation.


Thank you so much NetGalley for this ARC

- spirited away ghibli vibe
- enemies to lovers
- very cute YA read
- GRUMPY X MISCHIEVOUS SUNSHINE asdfhjk I swear this combo is very cutesy!

This Fatal Kiss follows Gisela, a water nymph who is trying to become human again by luring a boy to kiss her. Her attempt thus far, has been failure after failure because of Kazik, a powerful exorcist who believes undead creatures like Gisela are evil. When Gisela discovered Kazik's secret, Kazik had no choice but to agree to play matchmaking between Gisela and a boy named Aleksey. But nothing was as it seems!

This story was SUPER CUTE! It was fun and light from the first page with whimsical setting in a small magical town. I adore all of the characters and their character development. Each individual was written consistently with humane flaws that made each so relatable but not cringey as many YA characters are usually written; even the ancient spirits felt relatable. I love the complex romantic chemistry between Gisela, Kazik, and Aleksey, i think it was well written, cute, and showed how complex love can be. Despite the heavy theme about family, love, self discovery, the author managed to wrote in an easy to read way, making readers able to tag along on each character’s journey of selves easily with no confusion.

What I felt was a bit lacking was the ending… I wish we could get closure on Aleksey and how Gisela also Kazik would deal with Aleksey. Aleksey has had a great journey on self discovery and i hope Gisela and Kazik would continue to lead him to happiness.

This entire book is a cozy and cutesy whimsical nuance. I adore it so much!

Disclaimer : fluid sexuality, bi and multiple love interest 📚