I don't think that this book was right for me. I did not enjoy the writing style but the plot was ok, and at times it seemed to drag out, as if the book didn't need to be this long. The relationship between Gisela and Kazik started out as an enemies to lovers, with him being an exorcist trying to get rid of her. The evolution of the relationship and of Kazik is what saved this book for me.

Also, one complaint that I have is that, towards the end there is a beast that speaks to them by projecting words into their minds. However, there is not really a way to differentiate what the beast is saying and what is just normal commentary, which was a bit confusing. No italics, no bolded words, no quotation marks. It just kind of blended in which was a bit off-putting.

Do I recommend this book? Yeah, I guess it wasn't so bad, but I probably would not read it again.

Thank you NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for this ARC Copy!

I do not even know where to start but I absolutely loved every minute of this book. Start to finish I was invested in all of the characters and loved their relationships and interactions. I was so sweet and innocent while also showing some heavy situations. The heavy aspects of folklore that are stepped into this story just make me so happy the entire time I was reading. I don't really want to say too much because I do not want to spoil it for anyone but if you like a haunting and creepy story, folklore, and creepy cozy then you will love this story.

I absolutely loved this book!

This Fatal Kiss is a magnificent tale of a Water Nymph, the spirit of a dead girl, who wants to reclaim her humanity. For this she needs a kiss.
I love how this story incorporates Slavic folklore and how the author managed to paint a great image of all the different spirits mentioned in the book.

The characters are lovable and the queer representation of the characters is just right!

I couldn’t put down this book and it was such a quirky, funny, lovely story! Can’t wait to read more of Alicia’s books!

This story was pure joy to read! The author, Alicia Jasinska, balanced lovable characters with a mysterious storyline and included indulgent banter, cultural lore, and inclusivity to create a book that I think everyone will love.

I especially loved that she chose to write from multiple perspectives for this story. It was a dynamic way to keep the plot moving forward at a quick and fascinating pace. The bisexual characters and their exploration of polyamorous interests was also beautifully written. It all felt natural and never forced or out of place in the setting and story, And although This Fatal Kiss is a YA novel, the only aspect of it that felt truly “young” was its lack of spice. I believe many older readers will greatly enjoy this story regardless of its tame romantic scenes,

Overall, I completely fell in love with this story’s main characters and their witty, playful, mischievous banter make This Fatal Kiss something really special within the YA fantasy genre. Readers will relate to the inner turmoil the main characters are struggling with and quickly become obsessed with the rich, unique Slavic folklore. I’ll definitely be reaching out to my local library to make sure they have a copy on hand for their Ya patrons!

As always, a big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Peachtree Teen, for allowing me the privilege to enjoy the ARC of this story. I hope my own daughter will one day enjoy this book as much as I have when she is reading at this level.

This Fatal Kiss, by Alicia Jasinska, was published on September 24, 2024. Enjoy!

Polyamorous, queer, young adult, fantasy romance. The Fatal Kiss is a fantastically whimsical book. Wonderful characters and relationship development. The worldbuilding was top notch and I can't wait to read the next book.
(Also, the cover art is GORGEOUS, and I hope it's available to purchase as a print.) ❤️

Give me a book with mythology and I cave immediately. I loved the world created in this book and Jasinska crafted a beautiful story to go along with it.

I was so excited when I read the description of this book on NetGalley that I requested it immediately. I might have actually screamed when I got it. This book had it all. Polyam romance, love triangle, and absolutely the right amount of tension. I couldn’t read this one fast enough.

If you like love triangles, fantasy romances, especially ones based on folklore (Slavic in this case), do yourself a favor and pick this one up! You won’t be disappointed!

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

now this is how you do a love triangle! i didn't think i would end up liking this novel as much as i did but i can confidently say it was a very good read!

this book is heavily inspired by slavic folklore and definitely reads like a fairytale! it reminded me a lot of the grimm's fairytales i used to read and love as a kid.

the characters were very diverse in many ways and each had a very distinct voice. no matter which character the chapter was from the perspective of or focused on, it was very engaging. i loved the background of gisela and how wojciech sort of became the father she needed.

it was also very refreshing to have a group of girls who actually cared about each other. many novels (especially ya novels) tend to pit girls against each other with there always being a 'bitch' character. i'm glad to say that this book does not have that!! i adored the sisterly nature between all the water nymphs, it was so sweet to see gisela find a family with them and wojciech.

i enjoyed the relationships between aleksey, gisela, and kazik and i feel like the love triangle / polyamorous relationship was done very well!

this was a very fun read so i highly recommended <3

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC in return for an honest review!~

“Though it would be terribly inconvenient, if he were gobbled up by some other spirit before he could finish playing matchmaker for her.”

A fantastical and whimsically atmospheric novel, filled with queer poly romance, mystery and mythical beings from Slavic folklore.

The food descriptions alone has me drooling for this book, there’s so many that I would love to try to make. They all sound delicious.

The relationship between the trio was so cute, I was giggling & kicking my feet the whole time. It was such a fun YA read, I would love some stunning special editions of this! <3

4-4.5 stars!

— 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.