And this is how you do a love triangle. An actual triangle, not a "V" being called a love triangle. Instaed of two people vying for the attention of a third person, we have 3 people (a monster, an undead and an exorcist), all vying for the attention of the other two. The romance was cute and funny and made you go "they are in love, your honour, not guilty. Because they are teenagers, with the weight of the entire world on their shoulders, you see a lot of that intelligent teenager-decision making, pining and banter. All the fun stuff.
And now, to talk about the fantasy. This book is based on a slavic folk tale. I am unaware of the original, so I can't make a comment on that. But the fantasy seems to be a gender-bent version of the story of "the princess and the frog", here we have "the exorcist and the frog". The world building is interesting and keeps you hooked. It's amazing to see the "monsters" finding their "found families". The familial bonds between them are what familial bonds are made of - teasing, irritating, fighting, but also a lot of love and having your family's back, no matter what.
The book ends, while setting up the next in the series, even if this story has a HNF, it's clear that more is coming.

P.S. I follow the Montessori method, so my reviews are based on completion without ratings. If I didn’t like a book, I probably wouldn’t finish it and hence won’t review it.

This book is filled with Slavic folklore and I absolutely loved it. I wasn't familiar with any of the folklore stories going in, but they were explained throughout the book so I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything. There's acknowledgement of the way these stories have been treated in the past, and how they are treated now, with younger generations following traditions for fun rather than worship.

The main polycule each get their time to shine in this book, with alternating POVs, but a focus specifically on Gisela and Kazik. I at first thought that there was going supposed to be a big lead-up to the secret Aleksey's hiding, and was worried that we had been given too much information too early, however as his POV came up more and more as the book progressed, I realised that the reader wasn't meant to be surprised by what he was.

I did unfortunately fall into a bit of a slump about a third of the way through the book, but it picked up again not too long after as other subplots were introduced and the characters relationships developed. It didn't feel like there were any major themes outside of an acceptance of who you are, so the book was a nice light-hearted read, which I quite enjoyed.

if you have an interest in folklore, this is definitely the book for you. The romance is slow and doesn't come to fruition until the end of the book, but there is a lot of character development in between to make up for it. These are definitely characters you will fall in love with.

Firstly, can we all take a moment for this cover. There will be a trophy copy of this on my shelf, it's so stunning I can not get over it. This was definitely on the list to be a cover purchase before I read the synopsis and then that got me.

I saw another review (sorry I don't know who it was on Goodreads) that said this is Slavic folklore meets Spirited Away and I have to say that that summed it up perfectly and I have not been able to get that thought out of my brain since. (If it was you who said that and you happen to see this, please tell me so I can tell you how correct you are!).

Setting: beautiful spa town with wonderful magical realism.

MC's: Kazik, brooding grandson of a holy witch who views it as his job to rid the town of pesky and dangerous spirits. Gisela, a water nymph or rusalka, cursed to haunt the river she drowned in but all she wants is to be human again. Aleksey, the hot boy with different coloured eyes that they both have a crush on.

Romance:.....they both have a crush on him and we know I don't like love triangles so that can only mean one thing!.....for those wondering, I think it's YA so don't ask about spice.

Story: beautiful. Just stunning. The story was woven so fantastically around the folklore of different creatures from water nymphs to forest demons. There are trans masc side characters, lesbian, bi and pan characters however not quite a queer normative world as there is faith based magic and therefore questioning. There is lots of character growth and I feel like a book 2 could happen?!? I would classify this as cosy fantasy, there are big moments but most of the time it felt like a hug.

I was immediately interested in this story after reading the premise, and the story did not disappoint. Each of the three view point characters were lovely to read, had a distinct voice to them, and complemented their motives. The dynamics and development of each relationship to bring them all together was believable. There is also some mystery that ties into certain characters, as Gisela was a human before becoming a water nymph after her death. I did not realize that this would be part of a series, so now I need to wait for the next part. In a way I find myself rooting for all of the view point characters and I hope they all get their happy endings.

Thank you for the complimentary ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Our main character Gisela is a water nymph who wants to regain her humanity. In order to do, she has to be consensually kissed by a human. She makes a deal with the town's resident spirit hunter, Kazik: play matchmaker for her and she won't tell all the spirits he can't use his magic anymore. Gisela sets her sights on the cutest boy in town, Aleksey, but he may not be what he seems.....

I found this book to be a great deal of fun but mostly style with minimal substance. However, that may be my own fault as I was expecting writing along the lines of Katherine Arden and that is definitely not what we got. I would describe the prose as Katherine Arden through a Gen Z lens if that makes any sense. While the banter was quite good, the book lacked a certain otherworldliness or mystique that I feel stories about the spirit world should have. Plus, the world building overall was weak and left me confused. Does the story take place in our world or a fantasy world? What is the deal with Gisela's home island and where is it in relation to the village?

Although I liked Gisela as a character, she veered too often into manic pixie dream girl territory for my taste. That being said, her romance subplot was very sweet and I loved seeing her learn to appreciate her found family. Of the two leads, Kazik came off as the more compelling character. He goes on a believable journey of reckoning with his grandmother's legacy while also questioning said legacy.

Mad props to making pretty much everyone queer in some fashion with bonus genderfluid characters. A+ representation.

I would say give this a try if you're looking for a fun, lighthearted YA romantasy story that doesn't make you think too hard.

Reviews going live on Goodreads, Storygraph, Fable on 9/23 and on Tik tok on 9/24.

FIVE STARS!!!! I am obsessed. I need this book to release asap so I can talk to everybody about how much I absolutely adore it. Aleksey, Gisela, and Kazik were so cute together and I loved them. Such a sweet little throuple and they were absolutely adoring and obsessed with each other. I just love love love them. Wojciech, the water nymphs and Gisela’s found family was adorable. I need more about Gisela’s past and I need a second book as soon as humanly possible.

“It would be pure madness to admit he was smiling because of an unholy terror like Gisela.”
“I’d go to worse places for you.”

“You’re not looking!” “I don’t need to, you look good in everything.”

I had a difficult time starting this book, but once I got through the first part, I found it to be a fun read. The concept of this book, mixed with the folklore elements, was interesting and kept me captivated throughout the story. Also, I thought the characters were very likable.

This was enjoyable, though I expected more of it. The premise really sounded like it was going to wow me, but instead everything was so so to me. The plot was decent, the characters likable, but nothing really stood out. That is not to say I didn't like it, because I absolutely did!

You had me at poly-romance, whimsical fantasy, and dark magic.

The characters were indeed something special. I felt connected to them, and the author does an amazing job of creating tension and banter. Gisela is fun and sassy and sometimes so unserious that when you look over at Kazik, you can clearly see the differences between them and it's done so well.

I also love the dark folklore elements we get throughout the book. It was a nice mix between the whimsical fantasy, which was a necessary reprieve.

Overall, 4/5 stars. It was a lovely YA book with dark elements and lovely characters.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the e-arc!

This has been described as slavic folklore meets spirited away and I could not agree more!!!


This was fantastical, whimsical and atmospheric in the most magical of ways. The characters were lush and fun and the polyamorous relationship was such a delight because normally it isn't done so well. This book really highlights the intimacy and relationship which I appreciate so much..

"There’s a special, powerful kind of magic in the connections we make with other people."

The queer rep, visceral setting, banter, heart and folklore in this story made it easy and fun to read.

This Fatal Kiss follows Gisela, a rusałka, who desperately wants a mortal to kiss her because of a story that says it will turn her human again. Aided by a local grumpy exorcist, Kazik, who’s just happy to help get her out of her hair. The only problem is she turns her eyes on the handsome boy that he’s had a crush on for years. This was very fun. I’m not going to lie, some of the chemistry of this love triangle is much better than others, but that’s just the fun of these kind of stories. I’m not sure if this was marketed correctly as a polyamorous romance because of spoiler reasons, but it was compelling. It ended in an open way that makes me wonder if there will be a sequel or companion. Honestly, the ending was a little hollow with how well things go and how quick. I also think it lags a little after the first third.

Great romantic YA with fairy tale vibes! That cover had me hooked and no regrets! Very interesting concept, great characterisation and had me keen to keep reading.

4.5 stars rounded up

This Fatal Kiss is a YA fantasy poly romance inspired by Polish folklore. It follows Gisela, a water nymph who wants to become human again by getting a mortal to kiss her; Kazik, the local exorcist who’s trying to stop her from causing trouble; and Aleksey, the boy she eventually sets her sights on to kiss her, who also happens to be Kazik’s former classmate and crush. All three are bi and have such cute chemistry together. Gisela and Kazik are very much sassy sunshine x grumpy vibes and I loved their banter.

I was hooked immediately by the contrast of the cozy, lush Leśna Woda and the serene, damp Crystal Palace, as well as the lively bathhouses filled with mortals and spirits alike. All the water nymphs have unique personalities and love to cause mischief. Gisela is very much a teenager who yearns for the human life she could have had, while being unable to appreciate the undead life she has now with the water goblin and her fellow water nymphs. Kazik has transformed his grief into energy, chasing spirits around the town with ferocity, to his detriment; he's a lonely boy who's lost without his grandmother to guide him. Aleksey is caught between his desire for vengeance and his new feelings of love. Together, the three of them grow over a summer of sweet romance, each one finding solace in the other.

This book focused more on Gisela and Kazik's relationship, but I'm hoping we'll see more of Aleksey in the sequel. I loved every page and am excited to see what Gisela does next! (also obsessed with Kazik's piercings 😫)

This was a wildly fascinating read. It’s steeped in old folklore, reminding me greatly of Katherine Arden’s Winternight trilogy. Gisela and Kazik are such great characters with a fabulous dynamic, and their journey to a changed relationship is just so well done. The other spirits add color and insight to a complicated story that feels like something from another world.
My main quibble is that on occasion “modern” mentions are made that jarred me out of the “old world” nature/feel into a more modern context (e.g. taking a bus), and it felt so incongruous with the rest of the story.

This book was a fun read. I really enjoyed the characters in it and the folklore elements of it. I like how the characters relationship/relationships played out too.

"I was afraid I would lose you. I'm more afraid of losing you than I am of whatever might befall me here."

One of the things I loved most was the world building, all the descriptions make you feel like you've teleported to this magical place, where there are all kinds of creatures like bies (forest demon) and rusalki (water nymph), it feels like you are in a fairytale, a little bit dark, but still a fairytale. And I recommend you listen to a playlist with these vibes, it makes better your experience while reading.

I enjoy reading slow burn romances, so the way the relationship between Kazik, Gisela and Aleksey grows was almost perfect for me, there were certain moments that i felt a little bit boring, but just because they weren´t together and i NEEDED to read more of them.
I LOVED how Aleksey and Gisela knew exactly how to make Kazik all flustered, those were some of my fave scenes.

I liked how the author manages the way Gisela and Kazik feel about their sexuality, how both of them are bisexual and know how difficult it can be that some people question them for who they love and if maybe they are confused, or even one of them has to keep it a secret because of what other might say.

This book was amazing. I loved every minute of it. I wasn’t super sure in the beginning as I was slightly overwhelmed, but after that it was smooth sailing!

The found family in this book was so warming, but also the sense of missing home even if it wasn’t so great.

Everything was described very well, as I felt fully immersed inside the book!

The relationship between characters, and banter made you feel like you were right there with them in the conversation.

I’m looking forward to hopefully book 2!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book was such a fun twist on the typical YA fantasy romance! The setting & folklore of this world was really my favorite part! If you’re looking for a Slavic twist on the little mermaid (and definitely a bit darker) - check this book out! It comes out in just a few days.

This book was received as an ARC from NetGalley. It was an immense joy to read, I loved the main characters and hope dearly that there is a sequel in the works. I immediately ordered a special edition of this book and think it will become well loved among readers and probably end up on some banned book lists lol.

I found the main characters to be so loveable and I feel like it perfectly sums up what it is like to have your first love as a teenager. The world is so beautiful in this book and I learned that there is another book already written by the author that takes place in a city that is mentioned in this book as the hometown of one of the main characters. There is a quote somewhere that I saw that described this book as a mix of eastern European folklore and studio ghibli, which I think nailed it on the head. It absolutely felt like Spirited Away's bathhouse if it was a small town in Poland and I highly recommend this book if that is something that sounds interesting to you!!

This might be one of my favorite books of the year :)

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review! It was an honor!

This book initially caught my attention thanks to its absolutely stunning cover, what a treat! Which this book was: a very sweet treat, something we all deserve. (On the topic: I loved each and every description of food in this story).

There's a lot of charm to be found in This Fatal Kiss--a combination of whimsy and some subtly unnerving scenes, thanks to its expansive cast of folklore characters. It was great fun to explore so many different areas of this supernatural world; many I only vaguely knew about, while at the same time feeling a certain nostalgia for the setting.
There's a lot of love put into crafting the atmosphere. I couldn't help but imagine a studio Ghibli production, in part thanks to the illustrated nature of the cover and the lush descriptions, I was able to conjure some wonderful visuals.

I'll be honest that it took me a while to warm up to the story, and even then I found the pacing a bit slow to my liking. I feel this won't be a problem for many, as it suits the quiet slow burn romance of this story well–something that was exceptionally well done–I am simply used to reading YA with more world ending stakes and quicker pacing. It was nice reading something with a softer tone for once, and I feel this will be a wonderful fall addition to many TBRs.

With a multi POV I found Kazik to be my favorite, and the one who drew me into the overall plot. I'm weak to a grumpy, emotionally repressed exorcist, what can I say?
At the same time, I initially found it hard to root for Gisela, often feeling that she didn't have much authority over the world and was pulled along with the plot, leaving me with quite a few questions in regards to her world(s), and her limitations within each.
Such as her morals on consent, and the requited or unrequited nature of a kiss, as well as the barriers of her physical existence out of water–fresh water vs salt, as an example–or how the world functioned as a whole. There’s buses, so is there a mail system?
That said, as the story progressed my empathy grew and I was glad to see Yulia rejoin the plot towards the end. A character I also had a fondness for very early on.
On that note: I loved the queer rep, but I feel that it didn't follow through in many ways. There were some very thoughtful lines about bi representation I really appreciated, but I wish we got to dig into it more–especially the brief inclusion of gender exploration from Gisela.

I was really rooting for the subversion of the love triangle by further including Yulia as an option, leaving the reader to guess throughout who Gisela would choose by the end. There was also a tease at poly rep, but this doesn’t seem to be a stand alone, so I expect we’ll get to explore the polyamorous themes further in the next book. Still, the ending rewarded the reader with that promised kiss, and I was happy for it. Kazik and Gisela are exceptionally cute.

Overall, a lovely little romp that left me with some feel good fuzzies and an appreciation for the little moments of wonder in a fantastical town with some fantastic characters!
I think this will be a huge hit with a lot of readers and I can definitely see the potential for some incredible fanart!

3.5/5 Rounded up