Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book, sadly it just wasn’t for me. I am definitely not the target audience here, I was immediately enthralled by the cover (I know don’t judge a book by its cover and all but I mean look at this cover!) and although I appreciate the conversation around queer relationships and polyamory and the whimsical fantasy was there I just couldn’t get past the very YA cheesy romance and the writing felt very flat, I didn’t care for any of the characters sadly and the ending was disappointing to say the least. However I do think it’s a pretty good YA book, 16yr old me would have loved it, so although I struggled to get through it I would still recommend it as a fun YA read!

✨Tropes✨
🌊 Slavic Folklore Inspired
🌊 LGBTQIA+ Inclusive
🌊 Polyamorous
🌊 Found Family
🌊 Enemies to Lovers
🌊 Mental Health Rep
🌊 Excellent Banter
🌊 Hidden Identity
🌊 Grumpy x Sunshine

✨Summary✨
Gisela is a water nymph whose main focus is on becoming human and alive once more. Water nymphs are mainly young girls and women who drowned to death in a body of water. Gisela lives in her river along with several other water nymphs. She goes to the nearby village often to seduce anyone who is willing to kiss her. Unfortunately, there is a young man, Kazik, who has magical and exorcism abilities and who will gladly send her to her true death before she is able to succeed in her goal.
Even more unfortunate; Kazik captures Gisela, in a frog form, in his house and leaves her to dry out. Just when Gisela thinks all is lost, a handsome young man enters the cottage and frees her. Since she is in her frog form and close to true death, Gisela doesn’t have to chance to work her charms on him, let alone make an introduction.
Gisela finds Kazik again and makes a deal with him to not only make an introduction, but to help her seduce the young man into kissing her. In return, she promises to leave him and the entire village alone. Kazik hesitantly agrees to this deal. Until he realizes who the handsome young man Gisela is talking about: Aleksey. Kazik and Aleksey have a slightly complicated romantic history together.
In this world full of various spirits, all is not as it seems. Will Gisela accomplish her goal, or will there be others forces to stop her?

✨Critiques✨
If I had to make one complaint, it would be about some of the more modern words used at times. While this novel never gives away what time period this story is set in, I did feel like some of the phrases were a bit too modern for the overall feel of the book.

✨Elements I Loved✨
I loved that this book was based on Slavic folklore. I love learning about other countries’ folklore and mythology.
I LOVED the banter in this book! Gisela especially has the best lines. I laughed out loud a few times through out the story.
The polyamorous romance in this book is very sweet and well done.

👩🏻My Recommendation👩🏻
If you are looking for a unique story filled with true enemies to lovers, found family, and some of the best banter, this book is for you. It’s also a really nice introduction to polyamory stories. The polyamorous part of the romance, in my opinion, was done very well. If this is your first time coming across a romance between three people or even if you’ve come across it before and it was too much, give this book a chance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing the ARC and the opportunity to review this book.

When I saw that this book has a touch of spirited away, me being a fan of Studio Ghibli this book was exciting for me. Fantastical, mysterious and queer polyamorous atmospheres we get to have in this book. The romance is written so well and the tension is palpable with all the grumpiness surrounding it that it made my cheeks hurt so badly.
The Food descriptions are done so well that it felt like cosy winters and witchy vibes all over here.
I love all the folklore vibes with some dark elements

She's a water nymph who dreams about becoming mortal again, he's the local exorcist constantly getting in her way, but together they'll have to help her seduce a mortal boy to turn her back into a human... yet they are all falling for one another while hiding dark secrets. Gisela was turned into a water nymph after she mysteriously died, with no memory of how she died, all she yearns for is to become a mortal again and go home to her younger brother... but in order for a water nymph to turn back into a human she'll need the willing kiss of a mortal. Cue local brooding spirit hunting exorcist, Kazik, who is as meddling as he is cute. Kazik has thwarted all of Gisela's attempts to seduce a mortal but when she makes a bargain with him he can't resist: if he helps matchmake her with a mortal and turn her back into a human she'll stop meddling with his affairs and leave him alone. Yet the guy that Gisela has her eyes on is none other than the town's most handsome and charming man... who is hiding much darker secrets than Gisela or Kazik could ever imagine. Oddly enough, all three individuals find themselves fall for each other, but can Gisela get her wish and when the secrets begin to reveal themselves will these three be able to be together? This is definitely the first book in a series and what a delightful start it was! I loved the lore and magic in this world, and Gisela was such a cute water nymph. Kazik and Aleksey were also very complimentary to the poly relationship. Kazik was the right amounts of serious but grumpy introvert while Aleksey was flirty and mysterious. I can't wait for the next book to see what happens, especially with how this one ends!! This is a wonderful queer fantasy read and the relationship between the three characters is just beginning and I can't wait to see how the drama unfolds in the next book!!

*spoiler: Aleksey is actually a demon possessing a body and he was sent with his younger demon sister Roza to watch Kazik, but he falls for both Kazik and Gisela. Kazik's family is the reason Aleksey is stuck and he harmed Aleksey's family, leading to Aleksey wanting revenge. Roza also attacked Gisela and Aleksey was there the night Gisela died as a human and became a nymph. Gisela's sisters trapped Roza and the book ends with Aleksey searching for Roza and contemplating what he will do with Kazik as he is in love with both Kazik and Gisela. Kazik admits his feelings for Gisela and gives her a kiss, turning her human, but Gisela also remembers how she died and she wants to confront Aleksey (despite also wanting to be in the poly relationship with both of them). Kazik is the only one who does not know that Aleksey is a demon or how he is involved with Gisela's death. *

Release Date: September 24,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Holiday House / Peachtree / Pixel+Ink | Peachtree Teen for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

ty netgalley & peachtree for the arc ♡

this has good bones to it and overall i really did enjoy reading this but i think it could have benefited from another edit. i personally didn’t really connect with any of the characters, especially with aleksey. i do think gisela was funny and her unusual friendship with kazik made for a unique take on the grumpy / sunshine trope. tbh i think could have done away without needing to know about aleksey but since he’s already written in, i wish there was a little bit more substance with his POV. the ending makes it seem as if there will be a sequel so hopefully everything i had trouble with in the first book will be fine tuned in the next.

This Fatal Kiss is triple POV starring Gisela, a water nymph; Kazik, an exorcist; and Aleksey, Kazik’s childhood peer. Gisela has the most POV chapters and Aleksey has the least. All three of these characters are bisexual and it is a sunshine x grumpy x sunshine friendship/relationship. It was interesting seeing the stark differences in their perspectives. The town where all three live is filled with spirits, nymphs, and other creatures. There is a bit of found family between the water nymphs (female water spirits), drowners (male water spirits), and the water goblin, who acts like a father she never had. These water nymphs haunt the waterways where they drowned, emerging mainly at night, since they will die if their hair dries out. It features a unique religion with slavic folklore. The town families also own magical bath houses which bless bathers with unique enhancements. There’s also some yummy sounding food.

Gisela is on a mission to get a kiss by either a boy or a girl so she can become human again. She chooses Aleksey as her target and makes a deal with Kazik to help her achieve this goal. Throughout the story, Gisela uncovers what happened to cause her death and what links all three characters. Kazik exorcizes demons and thinks Gisela is evil. This adds interesting commentary when the POV switches, especially with how he calls them demons and she calls them spirits. I also picked up on the hints that Aleksey was a demon/spirit. This was most likely intention because he reveals it in his POV chapters. I thought it was a bit ridiculous how Gisela and Kazik didn’t suspect a thing though despite the author’s assertions.

I love how queer the book is. Two water nymphs are in a relationship, and another is a lesbian. Spirits don’t care about gender like humans do which is refreshing. The non-binary water nymph can join the drowners if she ever wanted. In fact, she was assumed to be male at first due to her flat chest. Meanwhile, Gisela doesn’t feel strongly about her own gender. It’s relatable how she finds it easier to let them think she’s a girl than to explain she doesn’t always feel like one. Maybe in another life she could be born as a tall buff guy. She’s also not entirely comfortable showing off her chest, though she finds it attractive on others. Kazik is the same height as Gisela which I always like. He thinks girl clothes are cuter and wonders why she would want to wear his. If only he knew. This Fatal Kiss includes a bit of discovering gender, sexuality, and polyamory with descriptions for each which felt a bit out of place in this world. The book is advertised as being polyamorous and it barely is. Maybe in the next book if there’s a sequel. I wish there was more polyamory since they just admit that they like each other and Aleksey leads them towards polyamory.

I loved all three POVs. Gisela is pretty funny and a flirt. She also has anxiety, dark thoughts, and is prone to melancholy, such as by having self-harm and busy thoughts. Meanwhile, Kazik is grumpy and dedicated to his job as the town exorcist. Aleksey’s chapters are few and far between, but when they happen, they provide a unique perspective. The book is very bisexual and it gets into the struggle of bi-erasure. Gisela has to defend being bi because she’s chasing 2 dudes and Kazik’s cousin thinks he’s not actually into women. They also mention attractive guys and to a lesser extent girls throughout the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, but there were a few things that could have been done better including pacing. While reading I couldn’t put this book down and kept thinking “just another chapter.” However, I think the whole story could have been resolved in one book if there was less repetition. Explanations are repeated a little too often, like describing what her hair comb does. I hope this becomes a duology because I was not expecting an open-ended/cliffhanger conclusion until I saw how few pages were left. The conflict with Aleksey is left very much unresolved.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

Cute, beautiful, stunning and enthralling. Not what I expected and lived it the more for that.. will keep an eye on thsi author in the future

This book was such a fun and unexpected read! Gisela is a hilarious and strong main character, and I loved the blend of Slavic folklore and fantasy that gave the story a unique charm. The found family aspect really stood out, and while Kazik’s grumpy personality added tension, Gisela’s determination to break through his walls made their dynamic so engaging. I just wish we’d seen more of the relationships develop on page instead of off.

The ending left me wanting more, and I’m hoping there’s a sequel in the works because I can’t wait to see where the story goes next! It had a cozy, witchy vibe perfect for this season, and I'm excited to read what comes next.

I enjoyed this one quite a lot. Loved Gisela. She's a great main character. The plot was also very gripping. And I also loved the found family element.
However, I wish we would have gotten more of the development of the relationship between Gisela, Kazik and Aleksey. I feel like everything happened off page.
I hope this is the starte of a series because I wanna see what happens next!

Amazing!! It's witty and smart, the main character is likeable but also not that much and I like that kind of duality in a main character. Next to that I love the love interests and the drive behind the MC! It's just amazing!

"You’re the most infuriating spirit I’ve ever met, and I never want you to stop haunting me."
This was so good the concept was so interesting and it just loved the vibes.
The writing was sooo good and whimsical and the cover is absolutely gorgeous I am in love,I just thought the ending was a bit rushed and idk with the epilogue is their a sequel(hopefully) I just needed more time with them but other than that brilliant!!!

I wanted to love this, I truly did. But I couldn’t even finish this. I got maybe 75% of the way through before I just had to give up. This took me so long to get through, I’d stop reading for long stretches because I had forgotten about it. Everything just felt very draggy and the characters fell flat. I felt that this could have been such an interesting concept too, but the story just wasn’t very well executed.

Thank you to Peachtree Teen and NetGalley for the eArc! This book is the quintessential summer book, it is so atmospheric, dreamy, romantic, and such a wonderful story. I won't lie, the first third had some pacing options, and I found it hard to get through, but after that first 30% it really picked up. I soared through the rest of this, and I was absolutely enthralled by the beautiful world that Alicia Jasinska created in this novel. As a fan of her previous works, I loved that it was connected to "The Dark Tide," that was such a fun surprise that I was not expecting, and it was nice to slightly revisit that world. The Slavic mythology in this is really interesting, and the build up of the central romances was top-tier. I truly enjoyed myself, but the ending felt a little rushed and I have so many questions! Hopefully, it is setting up a possible sequel!! All in all, a solid fantasy book! 3.5/5

This was probably my favorite of Alicia Jasinska's books. It kind of reminded me of a Studio Ghibli movie, and it blended Russian mythology with an adorable romance so well. I liked Gisele and really sympathized with her feelings about how her life had completely changed.

This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska is a mixed bag of light and shadow. The premise is engaging: Gisela, a rusalki (water nymph), is cursed to haunt the river where she drowned, and her only way back to the living world is through a mortal’s kiss. Her path crosses with Kazik, a brooding spirit hunter, creating a classic "grumpy-sunshine" dynamic that’s fun to follow

jasinska’s writing style is atmospheric, and the Slavic folklore-inspired setting adds a unique charm. However, the novel doesn't fully dive into its deeper themes, such as identity, acceptance, and inner conflict. While the queer and polyamorous representation is refreshing, it often feels underdeveloped, leaving more to be desired in terms of emotional depth. One of the novel’s main issues lies in its pacing. Although there are touching and tense moments, the story tends to drag with excessive pining between characters, slowing the narrative. The ending, too, feels unresolved, leaving several plot points hanging and giving the impression that the story isn’t complete without a sequel. Overall, This Fatal Kiss is an enjoyable, light read, perfect for those looking for a magical romance with a touch of folklore. However, it might not fully satisfy readers seeking more profound or complex explorations of its themes

4/5!

This was such a cute read! and super unexpected! I dont believe I have read anything based on slavic folklore before so this was quite a treat! It definitely had a cottagecore, witchy vibe to it that is perfect for this season! I am just left wanting MORE after that ending!!!!! I definitely think this left on a cliffhanger and maybe see a second book coming hmmmmmm ...


Thank you to NetGalley and PeachTree Teen Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC!

Thank you to Peachtree Teen and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book!! It was honestly just so fun and I loved all of the Slavic folklore and fantasy swirled into one beautiful story. Gisela is actually hilarious. I loved how much humor was woven into the very fabric of this tale. Kazik is so grumpy and hard to get close to, but that doesn’t stop Gisela from pushing her way past his defenses.

I felt like it was so easy to read this and instantly love the characters, want to know more, and be excited about the next book!! I’m excited to see where Jasinska takes this series.

CW: death, blood, suicidal thoughts, death of parent/grandparent, violence, biphobia, homophobia

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♟️Rating:2.5/5⭐
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Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review!

The premise of this book sounded interesting, as such, I picked it up. Overall speaking, this was a pretty fun YA story with a magical touch. I love how detailed the author took to craft the worldbuilding in this novel. The different types of Polish folklore and mythical creatures in this book definitely piqued my interest in Polish folklore. It also showed how much research and care was put in by the author when writing this novel. For that, I definitely did appreciate the effort.

 

However, I ultimately still failed to connect with the characters and world due to the writing style. At times I felt that there were too many writing dumps in the beginning, which made the pacing awkward, and I felt that the author was sort of underestimating the readers to figure things out themselves. Some of the information (relating to worldbuilding) was constantly being repeated throughout the novel and I felt that these could have been edited away. I think this was also the main reason why the ending and the climax felt so rushed for no reason when instead these chunks of paragraphs could have contributed to the ending. Moreover, for some reason the writing style seemed off to me. The conversations and certain descriptions were unnatural at times, especially for Gisela, it almost reminds me of watching a Disney high school show lol. Which brings me to my next point: the story and characters didn't sound ‘mature’ enough for their age. They all seem very naive and flat. (There were also instances of modern day slang which made me so confused. I also couldn't stand the corny/superficial romantic lines.)

Speaking of the ending and climax, it was quite rushed and unexpected. Even though this was marketed as a polyamous relationship, we didn't really get to see much development between some of the characters. (If you're asking me it's looking less like a triangle and more like an inequality sign) It feels forced if you're asking me or rather, the author didn't have enough time to fully flesh out the characters. The overall plot was fairly predictable as well, and the main villain didn't come off as a surprise to me. There were a few instances where I felt that there were minor loopholes in terms of the development between certain characters. To phrase it in a clearer manner, the ‘character development’ for certain characters felt abrupt at times.

Overall speaking, this book just needs a few more rounds of editing and revising. Thank you for the ARC!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book! I did DNF it at 54% because I just could not get into it. I tried and tried and tried, but I think it just wasn't for me.

I think my biggest issue with this book is that I didn't like the characters. They were all too surface level for me, and every attempt at giving them more depth fell flat. Even the one character with a bit of a "plot twist" wasn't all that interesting (possibly because I saw the "twist" coming from a mile away. I've been arguing back and forth with myself about whether that was intentional or not, and ultimately I decided it doesn't matter). I was very excited about the concept of a poly-romance, but the execution was starting to feel a bit too much like little kids chasing each other on the playground.

I did appreciate the folklore, since it isn't the type of lore I usually read or see in books. I could tell that there was a lot of effort into giving the setting some whimsy, even if I didn't feel immersed in it.

Reflecting back on it, I may just not be the right audience for this. I'm definitely not a "young adult" at this point, and while I typically do still enjoy YA novels, maybe this one just wasn't it. Someone younger and more accurately the target audience might really enjoy this. It's nice to see LGBTQIA+ representation in YA books, so I hope it finds its way to someone who will really enjoy it!

This Fatal Kiss is a spectacular combination of folklore, magic, mystery, and the most chaotic bisexuals you can find. Gisela is a rusalka, a water spirit that's created when a young woman dies a watery, tragic, early death. More than anything, she wants to become human again, and so the legend goes, she can do this if she can get a living person to kiss her without being asked. Enter Kazik, the local exorcist and walking rain cloud. Despite blocking her every opportunity to get close to any mortals because he thinks she's dangerous and possibly evil, he eventually agrees to help her, because his magic is taking some sort of terrible vacation, and so the easiest way to deal with her is to bring her back to the side of the living. Her target is a handsome young man from town, Aleksey, who seems to know more than he lets on. As Kazik and Gisela work to set her up with Aleksey, they grow alarmingly close to one another, but also might both be genuinely falling for Aleksey. All the while, Gisela and Kazik are investigating the mystery of how Gisela died, since it may also be connected to the death of Kazik's grandmother.
I loved it. The characters are wonderful, often hilarious. Each of them brings something to the table. Even the side characters seem well-rounded, and I loved Gisela's little drowned family. The dialogue feels natural and lively. I love the blend of folklore with a more modern setting, even though it threw me for a loop when I realized we were in a world with buses as well as water goblins. My one and only complaint is that there's not a sequel yet.