It was the perfect blend of romance and world-building. The pacing felt a little slow at first due to over-explanatory or repetitive descriptions, but my interest increased immensely as I got further in.

3,5 stars! i really enjoyed this book. the characters were fun and unique and the folklore was also a lot of fun. i think the book was slightly too long winded and the will they wont they situation between the three main characters got a little old at one point, so i think cutting a couple parts of the book would make it even more enjoyable.

thank you netgalley and holiday house/ peachtree/ pixel+ink for allowing me to read this in advance!

honestly, this was a delightful read! i did not expect to relate to the Slavish folklore as much as i do after finishing it. being a Filipino, we also have existing folklore that i believe up to now, and we say "tabi po" whenever we go to the forest or wander away to unfamiliar places just to pay respect to the spirits.

anyway, the storyline was really magical. the imagery the author had managed to weave through the story was otherwordly! it felt like i was in the story gazing into kazik & gisela, tagging along with them. i really enjoyed the writing and how the characters were deeply relatable, the pacing was not dragging which was exemplary given that i do get distracted easily, however, i pushed through this book so easily. it did not get boring at all. the plot twists were shocking tbh that's why i am needing the sequel already lol.

i need to mention the queer representation in this book!!! also this was my first polyamorous book and the author delivered! the romance was sooo cute and did not feel as though it was forced and there were enough tension, i couldn't ask for more. this was a magically slowburn done perfectly!

i loved this book so much i wanna hug it and sleep next to it & i would DEFINITELY recommend this to @everyone who want to read a cozy, delightful read full of magic and folklore and humorous banters with characters that have personalities!

This was such a delightful read! Jasinska's "This Fatal Kiss" managed to actually make me want to read it despite its cursed "This Something Something" type title, which I just cannot stand anymore, and yes it's because of that absolutely gorgeous cover. It's giving oldschool fairytale inspired by Slavic folklore and it's perfect.
"This Fatal Kiss" is the story of a rusalka, the boy witch/exorcist she convinces to help her become human again and that other guy who she needs to kiss her in order to become human - the guy her exorcist helper is in love with, too. It's a love story between three people, though it gives us ample space to get the characters and their personal issues on their own, too. These three do not just exist to fall in love with each other, and that's always how I prefer it.
I loved all three of them, although I definitely felt more drawn to Gisela and Kazik. They are wonderful, complex characters and the way their relationship develops from admittedly one-sided enemies to genuine lovers feels organic and believable. It's their romance that really works well in this book. Admittedly, Aleksey was incredibly intriguing as a character but his part in the polyamorous little group wasn't as well drawn, so I didn't really feel the chemistry here. Considering the lack of conclusion to his personal story, I'd wager we'll see more about it in the second book.
Which I didn't know would exist, because I expected a standalone based on the info I had, so I do admit I was a little bummed in the end.
All in all, this is a well-written polyamorous ya fantasy with great, loveable characters. It has minor pacing issues especially in the middle of the book and sometimes the tone was a bit modern, but that barely distracts from the enjoyment this book can give you.

A very pleasant read that got me hooked from start to finish. I fully expected it to be a stand alone, but it seems not? I’ll definitely check out the continuation if so.

The prose is very nice, with a 3rd person POV that gives plenty insight to the characters, that all have very distinct voices. I must say my favourite overall was Kazik’s, but Gisela’s was the most entertaining.
The dialogue flows well, though sometimes it felt it tried a bit too hard to be witty/bantering - but that’s my personal taste.
Some of the language used felt a bit too modern sometimes, breaking the immersion - the time period is ambiguous, but still felt close to alte 1890s/early 1900s.
There was a bit of weird formatting in certain points (soMe worDs liKe thiS, or others having too much or none spacing), but this might be an ARC only problem.

The worlbuilding was well done and detailed, with information about the spirits, magic and facts about the locations given organically without feeling info-dumpy. Overall the world and the usage of polish folklore is very interesting, another point that makes me look forward to a sequel.

On the other hand some concepts were repeated a bit too much between chapters, I would have edited some down. The pacing felt good, though sometimes I had the feel Gisela was meant to have been a rusalka for more than one year.

Relationship wise, Kazik and Gisela had the strongest bond to me, both it and them grew organically through the novel. While the poly romance was a selling point I didn’t feel much for both of their relationship with Aleksey, which is a bit of a shame - currently it feels it relied a bit too much on the tell.
All of their realizations of their feelings were written well, as well as their other reflections on identity/sexuality.

Loved nearly all the side characters as well, and the deep bonds they had with the protagonists.

while i'm the slightest bit disappointed by the ending, i absolutely loved the journey leading up to that point! it's just such an intricately crafted novel that it feels as though i'm experiencing a fairy-tale firsthand. i'm definitely excited to see what comes of the finished publication of this story. xx

I love that the book comes with a guide on how you pronounce words and names! It makes this book easier to read. It was a very interesting read. Cute, cozy, exploring the magical forest and romance vibes with a girl who wants two boyfriends. It was such a sweet and funny story with tension to keep things sexy. (Not necessarily a spicy book) The relationship dynamic between the three of them is what makes it fun. I like the writing, the worldbuilding and that all of them had a found family in a way.

This was such an enjoyable read. Characters wise, gender queerness/non conformity/questioning is very normalised. We have at least two pan/bi characters, a butch lesbian, a trans girl, two characters in a sapphic relationship and polyam feelings/connections. I really loved the lore of the spirits/demons. This book was triple narrative, with slight miscommunication/secrets. I really loved the setting of Leśna Woda, but the time setting was a bit ambiguous so maybe a little bit of clarity at the beginning would’ve been helpful. I really hope it was setting up for a sequel but it could just be the kind of ending that leaves you thinking of the characters/neu. At times I worried there would be too many characters and it would leave them feeling two dimensional but as side characters go they had enough back story/feeling behind them and I cried a little when one of them left.
#ad I received this book for free as an arc, but the opinions in the review are entirely my own.

The last time I read an Alicia Jasinska novel, I wasn't a big fan of her writing style or the authenticity of the book's romance. I wanted a copy of this to see how much she's grown as an author. Sadly, I felt the same way about this story as I did with her debut novel. I never fell in love with the romance or her writing style, so I think it's safe to say that I am not her target audience. LOVE the plot, though.

I'm conflicted on this one—on one hand, I absolutely adored the storyline and the romance, but on the other hand, I found the writing style a bit difficult to get into, but I do think that's a fault on my part, as I went into it with an idea of what I hoped for it to be. I did however love the atmosphere and imagery, and the focus on queer polyamory was something really fresh. 4 stars!

I used to be obsessed with Alicia Jasinska's <i>Midnight Girls</i> when i was young, so this was one my most highly anticipated arcs of the year, and it didn't disappoint at all. I did expect it to somewhat grittier due to what <i>Midnight Girls</i> was like, but this was more of a soft, whimsical Disney version of a fairytale, rather than a Grimm Brothers' edition. Despite this, and my usual dislike of cozy type books, this was very enjoyable.

The worldbuilding is usually what makes or breaks a fantasy book for me, and the worldbuilding in this was beautiful. I loved the quaint, picturesque atmosphere. The writing was exactly what I wanted from this (fairylike, enchanting, otherwordly), which is almost something I never get from ya fantasy (except for Allison Saft, and I absolutely recommend this for fans of Allison Saft). The characters are witty, well developed, and easy to connect to. The romance is quite delightful as well. I loved the banter between Gisela and Kazik and how their relationship progressed, and Kazik's finally admitting how much he cared for Gisela was one of the main highlights of the book. The relationship between Kazik and Aleksey was equally satisfying, but the Aleksey-Gisela end of the relationship felt underdeveloped. Of course, <spoiler>they don't even end up together</spoiler>, so I suppose it doesn't really matter.

I did assume this was a standalone, and I would have preferred it to be, but if it is, the poly part in the blurb is highly misleading. I do hope we get a sequel for the actual poly relationship.

I enjoyed most parts of this book, but I don't reloy like how queerphobia was portrayed. The main queerphobic incident of this book, and it's like a major "thing" for some reason, is a lesbian being biphobic about Gisela choosing to date men rather than women. And it's just?? Why is this the queerphobia being highlighted, when no other types are given the same attention?? When actual wlwphobia or homophobia is far more rampant and quite literally deadly?? Lesbians are not killing bi girls who date men. In fact, men are killing bi girls who date men, and bi girls who date women, and also all other categories of queer people, and it's just icky to me to have the one queerphobic character be a lesbian.

Other than that, I really liked this book. Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy.

As someone who is drawn to stories featuring queer and polyamorous themes, this book immediately caught my attention. Gisela's sense of humor is infectious, especially in her interactions with Kazik. She's a vivid and unforgettable character, and the story's unique approach to folklore kept me hooked from start to finish. Unlike other folklore-centered tales I've read, this one felt particularly cozy and character-focused.

I particularly enjoyed the way relationships developed throughout the narrative, adding depth and warmth to the story. It was a joy to witness the growth and connections between the characters. This book was a delightful and engrossing read that I found difficult to put down. And that ending left me craving more—I eagerly await the next installment.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this enchanting book!

This book was so much fun! It combined cosy romantasy with classic fairytale fantasy elements in beautiful ways. While the first half was mostly romance-focused, things got more intricate and fantastical in the second half. It made me not able to put the book down.

The dynamics between the characters were so good. In the beginning Gisela and Kazik’s dynamic kept reminding me of Nina and Matthias from Six of Crows. There was A-tier bickering, Gisela being beautifully flirty and teasing. But it then grew into its very own dynamic, especially with Aleksey added to the mix, who adds some wonderful himbo vibes. I desperately need a novella of them living happily ever after as a trio and it’s just filled with bickering and cuteness.

The world-building was very minimal. It definitely was not the focus of the book. My brain, also based on the cover, made it purely an old-times fairytale world but then technology was mentioned and I was a bit thrown off. I still do not quite know what this world looks like. It is all very limited to the town where this story takes place.

Overall I really loved reading this book. I immensely enjoyed learning about Slavic folklore. I loved that the romance was polyamorous. And now I really want more, because this book definitely leaves room for a part 2 and I want to see Gisela, Kazik, and Aleksey being in a relationship.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ thank you netgalley and peachtree teen for this arc!

3.5 ⭐️
this fatal kiss is a sweet, queer, polyamorous, fairytale romance based on slavic folklore. gisela, a water nymph, strikes a bargain with kazik, a grumpy spirit exorcist who’s not gisela’s biggest fan. in exchange for gisela keeping kazik’s secret, he plays matchmaker for her and his friend, aleksy, in hopes of gisela gaining her humanity back through a kiss. but the object of gisela’s affections has some secrets of his own.

i really enjoyed reading this. the imagery was beautiful, the characters were lovable and complex, and i don’t think ive ever read a novel quite like this one. it was definitely a magical experience, the cover art really captures the vibes of this book.

i only really have two gripes with this fatal kiss:
1. a bit too much telling instead of showing. the exposition tended to repeat itself and i found myself skipping over information because i already knew what i was being told.
2. IF this is a standalone, i didn’t love the ending. it was way too open ended for my taste, but that’s a matter of preference. i don’t mind some ambiguity but i felt a bit dissatisfied. i did however see jasinska say she’s hoping this will be the first of a series, so im really hoping that’s the case!!

those two things aside, this was a beautiful book!! i love the representation, i love the the world building, i love the atypical romance, and i love the focus on found family.

i’ll be crossing my fingers that this does in fact turn into a series.

While I did enjoy the story as a whole it did take me a long while to get into it. It is very much YA which just isn’t for me anymore but I believe if I was a bit younger I would have enjoyed it a lot! I love the relationships in this book, I loved the plot, and all the main characters!

okay so maybe i have a thing for men in books inspired by polish folklore, leave me alone.

i loved this. it was so fun and all of the characters are so entertaining to read about. the main trio of characters are such enjoyable characters to follow, seeing them work and grow together, with the cherry on top being the polyamorous hints between them (i am vaguely upset that we didn’t see them more together - i hope that there is a sequel to this as i would LOVE to read more about them!!!!!). the differences between them just added to the ambiance and story, a water nymph who needs to be kissed to come back to life, a very grumpy exorcist (he’s actually a sweetie) and the man who she wants to kiss who has more to him than meets the eye. and let’s be honest they’re all so sexy

the world is so lush, the magic and atmosphere are stunning and seeing kazik grow as a person within his beliefs, i loved it!!!! the different mythological creatures/beings are all so cool, and the way they’re interwoven with the real world makes for such a fun time!

this definitely falls into the tropes i love, grumpy x sunshine, slow burn, flirty banter when they’re supposed to hate each other, so it’s absolutely no surprise that i loved this!

this was honestly just ok. i do think i’m slightly older than the target audience (i outgrew ya a while ago), but i thought the use of slavic folklore was a tad bit too bland at times an that the characters could have been more cleverly fleshed out. but alas, it was entertaining enough, so i can’t complain.

This book surpassed my wildest expectations! It was lyrical, ethereal, full of Slavic folklore, immersive, and the banter between the characters was everything. I literally loved everything about this story!

Jasinska writes with such beautiful prose I was instantly transported to the magical spa town. Gisela is also such an easy character to root for, and I loved the way she tormented and teased Kazik. Gisela, Kazik, and Aleksey are all such well developed main characters and I loved the many side characters, especially the spirits.

This book is perfect for lovers of folklore/fairytales, found family tropes, The Little Mermaid, and poly romances done right. Highly recommend this story, especially because I NEED the sequel!

Thank you to Netgalley and Peachtree Teen for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Dnf at 35 percent.

I’m bummed I didn’t enjoy this but I feel like I’m just too old for this story. I think this book is perfect for its targeted young adult audience. But I think anyone who has read a lot of books like this may get a little annoyed at this one. I think the main character felt very teenage and the way the dialogue was felt weird in the environment.

That being said, just because it didn’t work for me doesn’t mean I would weren’t recommend this. I know that this has an audience out there and that’s mostly upper teens who want something a little more grown up feeling than a lot of traditional YA but with characters that feel like actual teens.

An amazing folklore fantasy romance. I felt this book is unique within its genre and recommend it on that fact alone. I book is YA and appropriate for that age range, but also timeless to be enjoyed by all. There was just something fresh about the story, it’s fun and whimsy but with dark topics. The romance is fun, there’s banter, tension and mischief. The plot itself is different and I just adored the characters/found family. What I most loved was the underlying message of not to judge someone on one aspect. Overall I loved this and highly recommend. Also I cannot wait to see some of the art that people will produce having read this as I know it will be beautiful. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.