This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska is a spellbinding tale that weaves together folklore, mythology, and Slavic culture into a rich, immersive world. The story follows Gisela, a water nymph cursed to haunt the river where she drowned, longing to return to the living world. Her only hope is a kiss from a mortal, but everyone fears her as a monster—except for Kazik, the brooding grandson of a local witch determined to rid the world of spirits like her.

The dynamic between Gisela and Kazik is a highlight of the novel. Their banter is delightful, with Gisela’s mischievous antics constantly getting under Kazik’s skin, yet it's clear they both enjoy each other’s company more than they let on. The unexpected love triangle adds a layer of complexity, especially as Kazik starts to fall for the same young man Gisela sets her sights on—a twist that’s both heart-wrenching and intriguing.

Jasinska’s ability to blend elements of Slavic culture with a magical setting makes this book a true escape for readers. The attention to detail and the seamless integration of myth and folklore create a world that feels both ancient and alive, pulling you deeper into Gisela’s quest. Fans of fairy tales and YA queer romantasy will find This Fatal Kiss a delectable and enchanting read.

While the plot occasionally feels predictable, the charming characters and lush setting make up for it, leaving you eager for more of this beautifully crafted spirit world.

I really enjoyed this book. I appreciated the characters and elements that are part of the Slavic folklore. This book is a nice way to approach Slavic legends and fairytales. Also, I really appreciated the references to religious festivals and traditions, but, in my opinion, these themes may have been more explored. Regarding the romance, I really liked the relationship development between the main characters, which are intriguing and it's easy to connect with them. Gisela is charasmatic, funny and adorable, I really liked her as the female protagonist.

I haven't enjoyed a YA book as much as this one in a long time. I was giggling and kicking my feet.

I really liked the setting and atmosphere of this book. The descriptions were beautiful, I felt like I was there with the characters, walking by the riverside or wondering into the village.

I flew through this book, it's easy to read and interesting, so I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to know what was going to happen next and how the character's relationships were going to develop.

I loved the dynamic between Gisela and Kazik, it was so fun reading how Gisela was always annoying him, but also how despite it all the both of them enjoyed being in the company of the other.

Then when you add Aleksey to that equation, things only improve. The drama, the tension... the character's inner dialogue, especially Kazik's and all the journey he has to get through, the things he questions... I think, between the three making characters, I liked his character arc the most.

Also, this book is super queer and I'm a fan of that. We have gender discussions, bi, pan and lesbian characters, and a poly relationship. Maybe I'm forgetting something, but the point is there's a lot of representation yaaaay.

There were some twists that I saw coming, but one of the took me completely by surprise and it was excellent. Also I have to say that, even though I saw some things coming, that didn't impact negatively in my reading experience.

If I don't give it five stars is only because the ending felt a bit rushed and I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS. I hope there's a sequel because I need answers.

4.5 stars!!! Something that will always make me fall in love with a book is well thought out characters which this book has in abundance! I was absolutely fascinated by each and every one of them especially as they sought to build connections with others! I loved watching Gisela wander throughout the world and flirt with everyone while also just genuinely being adorable. I loved watching socially awkward and brooding Kazik being forced into all these situations and made flustered. And charming Aleks’s really ties the group together with his easy going adventurous spirit! Despite the very light hearted dynamic between the main characters and even some of the side characters this book does have a more dark theme to it that I think was handled so well. It was a great balance of letting them have fun and romancing with the darker elements of the plot. I had such a wonderful time being in this world and I cannot wait to have a copy of this book on my bookshelf!!!

Obsessed!! I had so much fun with this one. It had me giggling and kicking my feet <3 Please tell me there is a sequel on the way?

A very enjoys read, the story felt original, the world building really brought me into the story and the characters were very entertaining to read about. I loved the romances and the way sexuality and relationships were explored. It felt realistic to the internal battles that may happen to a person in real life. The mythological and magical aspect was also very fun, so overall I would definitely recommend giving it a read.

I enjoyed every second of this book! It felt like an escape into a Studio Ghibli movie every time I picked it up. the b est YA book I've read this year by far

While i liked world building and author’s writing i find myself being unable to connect to characters. i felt no feelings toward any of them.

i enjoyed how all aspects of folklore, mythology and slavic culture were fitting together, making me as a reader actually dive into a world. i enjoyed gisela and her dynamic with both characters

I was intrigued by the cover and the title. I have to say it went into it hoping to enjoy a nice fantasy folklore and I tried, but I just couldn’t follow through the texts. It took everything in me to continue reading this but somehow I ended up DNFing it again. Hence I decided to put it aside for the time being. Maybe I’ll be able to finish this when I try reading it again in the future <3

This should be on every bookworm's list of cottage core, spring, ghibli vibes, and light green academia books. While it is set in Poland (if I'm not mistaken?) & based on Slavic folklores of rusalki (water nymphs), somehow reading it I imagined Japan creepy forests. Maybe because I haven't been to Poland. But the setting is richly explored & described, and it paints a vivid background. I can picture all the beautiful, flowery bathhouses, the scenic gifting rituals. It was all such a trip of delicacy, the experience of reading this book.

Not to forget the beautiful and intriguing dynamic of the three main characters; their chemistry felt natural & just flowing. The banters & each of their traits? Chef's kiss, it complements each other. This was supposed to be a standalone but I heard the new update would have a sequel for this book? And the ending hints to it as well. I was at first bummed hearing a standalone turning into series, but now after finishing the entire book, I can say I'll wait for the second book if it's true. Hoping the sequel would keep up but without a follow up, this alone is perfect!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This Fatal Kiss was such a fun and exciting read! It is the perfect mix of fantasy and folklore! I loved the storyline and really enjoyed the characters.

Thanks you to Netgalley and Peachtree for providing this ARC

I absolutely loved this book! I loved the use of folklore and the way the book handled the more heavier topics of gender identity and sexuality, trauma and mental health. The characters were loveable and the poly rep was amazing to see! Please tell me there will be a sequel!

I will definitely be seeking out a physical copy for the shelf!

Thank you to NetGalley and PeachTree for an early release copy of This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska.

This Fatal Kiss story is interesting, I like our characters, the water nyms gave off a found family/sisterhood vibe that I really enjoyed, The other spirits are also really interesting to read about (i forget the exact names of them) the house, fire, and air spirits are cute additions to the story. The love interests here are cute, All three of these characters would be really cute in a relationship, it wasn’t hard at all to root for them however I feel a little disappointed romance wise. This story is a M/M/F poly romance but we don’t really get any romance between all three of them in one scene, we would be following Gisela and she would be flirting with Aleskey, then follow from Aleskey perspective as he flirts with Kazik. I wanted some more cute poly romance scenes.

We do get quite a few heart warming and funny scenes in here, the plot/story definitely held my attention throughout. Some of the reveals in here I didn’t quite expect and it added a lot to the story in my opinion. I also really appreciated that on pg five before even starting the book the author had written out a list of trigger warnings which are: Fantasy Violence, Death, Drowning, Near Drowning, Abusive Relationships, A History of SA, Physical Assault, Struggles with Sexual Identity, and Suicide Ideation.

A few more things I didn’t particularly like were is that the water goblin who is said to have lived for decades mentions on more occasion about making Gisela his bride, even though she only sixteen here. The ending of the story is rather abrupt and a bit rushed, the epilogue feels more like a chapter that just wasn’t finish’s rather then a final note to the story. I would have loved to see a ending where Gisella reunited with her brother and talked with her father but perhaps we’ll get it in the second book.

A Quote I Liked: I think everyone has a side of themselves they keep from other people for fear of being rejected. It’s not just you, Everyone is putting on an act of some kind. The right person will accept every part of you.

4.5 stars

Thank you Peachtree Teen and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a beautiful blend of Slavic folklore, whimsical fantasy, and poly romance.

I truly loved this book. The world is rich and vibrant, a wonderful mix of small town and spirit world. There was such an array of spirit characters and I do kind of wish we’d got more of them simply because they were so much fun, but what we did get was great. I especially loved the Domovoy.

Gisela, Kazik and Aleksey are all fantastic main characters! I loved all three of them so much. The slow burn romance between all of them just absolutely made my heart sing. I’m really loving the amount of polyamory in fantasy I’m coming across this year.

Gisela’s whole plot tugged at my heart. Her life was upended so young and she had so much guilt about who she should be to everyone in her life. I was so glad she finally decided to take something for herself.

I loved the slow softening of both Kazik and Aleksey. I love the way these three just…loved each other, even though it went against their nature, against everything they stood for.

Alicia Jasinska is an author I’ll definitely be reading more from.

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for providing this ARC!

I can't wait to buy this book and put it on my shelf. I had high expectations after reading the description and seeing the cover, so I was really happy that this book did not disappoint.

The plot was very original, and the characters were all well-developed. Kazik was my favorite character!

It dragged a bit in the middle but then picked up again. I assumed this was a standalone, but the ending hinted at a sequel?

One of my many favorite quotes:
"What are you doing here?" "Always so hostile. Would you believe me if I said I missed you?" "You're not my type." "Shame."

gisela is a water nymph who has been cursed to haunt the river running through the town in which she drowned. she wants nothing more than to return to her normal life…which she finds out may be possible with one kiss from a mortal. getting this kiss may be harder than she thought, since everyone sees her as a monster, including kazik, the spirit-hunter she’s recruited to help her. but when kazik falls for the same person gisela has her sights set on, things get a little messy.

i’ve read and loved one other book by alicia jasinska, so i was expecting to at least really enjoy this one, too. this was a lot different, but i still really loved it! the slavic folklore aspect immediately drew me in. this is something that really interests me, but i haven’t found many books that incorporate this element. i loved how many different beings (biesy, rusałki, etc.) were discussed.

in addition to the slavic folklore, i also loved the characters themselves. each one was so complex, even aleksey, who wasn’t as prominent of a character as gisela and kazik (though still important). i loved seeing their character growth and how their relationship developed.

overall, this was a fantastic book, and i highly recommend it to readers who enjoy ya fantasy.

From the cover, I knew I had to read the book, and after discovering it was a queer polyamorous story based on Slavic folklore, I was even more excited to dive in. I'm glad I had the chance to read it.

*This Fatal Kiss* is a captivating read that blends romance and mythology in a fascinating way. I was so intrigued by the plot that I spent a lot of time researching the myths and spirits mentioned, which made me take longer to finish the book, but it remains a very quick read overall.

The story follows Gisela, a nymph who seeks the help of the town’s exorcist, from the place where she died, to help her obtain a kiss that will turn her into a human so she can return to her family. The premise is fascinating and unfolds smoothly, keeping the reader engaged throughout. Although the ending leaves several questions unanswered and suggests that the story will continue, the richness of the characters and the plot have left me eager to see how everything will develop.

The characters are one of the novel’s greatest strengths. Gisela, in particular, is well-developed; her doubts about her place among the nymphs and her human family were very interesting to read. Her humor and her relationship with the exorcist are charming. Besides the romance, there's also the mystery of her own death, and oh, the revelations that come! I’m looking forward to reading what comes next.

The exorcist, Kazik, pleasantly surprised me. His family history and his relationship with spirits were fascinating to read. It’s clear he has a long journey ahead, and I particularly enjoyed his process of discovering that things might not be as he was taught.

Aleksey—oh, his flirting and appearances with the other two were very well done. I love the three of them together and their viewpoints. His role in the story is intriguing, and I’m eager to learn more about him. I truly hope the relationship among the three works out, though I’m also wary of his character; I can’t decide whether it’s safe to fully trust him or not.

The water goblin is also a character who left a lasting impression. His relationship with the nymphs is endearing, almost like the grandfather of them all. I hope the story explores more about him and his connection with the exorcist’s family in the next books.

In summary, I recommend this book to any romance lover with a taste for folklore and magic.
My final rating was 4.25

Thanks Netgalley for the arc, this was an honest review.

Thank you so much Peachtree Teen and NetGalley for an eARC of this book!

This book was absolutely wonderful. With the vibes of Spirited Away (add Slavic folklore), a story reminiscent of The Little Mermaid, a grumpy/sunshine love story AND polyamory, you’re looking at the perfect storm.

In this book we follow Gisela, a rusałka with no memory of how she died, but she wishes to return to her mortal life and the only way she can do that is if she gets a mortal to kiss her. Only one tiny problem, Kazik, the town exorcist whose only goal in life seems to be upsetting Gisela’s plans. So when Gisela approaches him with the simple request that he set her up with a boy in the village, she’s surprised that he says yes.

This book was so charming the whole way through with interesting creatures and character dynamics that keep you on your toes. It was so engaging the whole time whether we’re focused on the plot or the friendships/romances that are unfurling.

There’s a few things that I think could’ve been done differently, but most of those things include spoilers so the only thing I’ll say is that I wish that we didn’t learn as much so early on as the reader. I think certain things would’ve been made better as a plot twist. It also feels like the stakes greatly diminish as the story progresses.

I also love polyamory in all forms and this book did a really good job at capturing the awkward “oh no I like two people” that most books don’t usually include due to the book being set in a queer-normative world. And while this book definitely is as well, it’s done a little differently in a way I enjoyed

Overall, a really charming book and an overall really fun read.

DNF at 17%

I was struggling to get immersed in the first 50 pages but wanted to push through so hard for the vibes. I wasn’t connecting to any of the characters, and I finally decided to put it down during the peeping Tom scene with Gisela in the men’s changing roo. At the sauna. Because when it comes down to it, that’s what it was: a peeping tom scene. I know this humor coming from women is pretty normalized in modern culture, but I am not a fan of that. I am usually not a fan of an argument that starts with “if a man did it..” but I have to use it here. If a male character had the internal monologue that Gisela had in this scene, I think it would’ve been cut from the book entirely.

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for providing this eARC for an honest review.

In This Fatal Kiss, we follow Gisela, a water nymph who is desperate to return to the human world to get back to her family. In pursuit of this goal, she resorts to attempting to receive a kiss from a mortal after hearing that this is one of the ways to regain her own mortality.
Gisela's biggest challenge is Kazik, a witch, who is constantly foiling her attempts, and who has made it his goal to get rid of her before she causes any more trouble.
Gisela manages to convince him to join her in her plan, promising to never cause any more trouble if he helps her with her one wish. Gisela sets her sights on a local boy, and quickly realizes that in his attempts to play matchmaker, Kazik has taken an interest in the boy as well. The story incorporates slavic folklore and polyamory, making for a very entertaining, queer, and magical atmosphere!

I thought this book was soooooo much fun, the relationship dynamics between each of the main characters was so endearing and made this one hard to put down. This is especially true of the queer representation! I really wish I could've read something like this when I was in the target audience, I think I would've gained a lot comfort from it. Kazik and Gisela especially touched on their feelings on love, gender, and sexuality from time to time, and other characters also hinted at having queer identities.

I loved being in the mind of the third love interest and learning more about the world through his lens. I also loved seeing his inner conflict when it came to his relationships and the thing he's wanted for so long. I think his last POV could've offered just a little bit more to the story, especially if there will be a sequel, but overall really great!

What I wasn't a huge fan of was the ending. I felt that there wasn't a huge problem with the pacing through majority of the book, until you reach the last 20%, where suddenly everything starts moving very quickly. I think some things could've been taken out of from the middle to make more room for tension in the end. I still thought the way it ended was alright, but it definitely bumped my rating down.

Overall, I really enjoyed myself, I think this book will be among my favorites of 2024 and I'll probably reread in the future (especially if there ends up being a sequel!) I look forward to reading more from Alicia Jasinska.