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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.25 if we’re being precise)
Look, I’m Polish. So when I saw a YA romantasy draped in Slavic folklore and water spirits, I clicked faster than you can say Warszawa. And for the most part, This Fatal Kiss delivers on its promise: it’s whimsical, queer, a little eerie, and totally soaked in mossy, cottagecore melancholy. Gisela, our love-struck water nymph with an attitude, and Kazik, the grumpy exorcist who just wants to do his job (poor guy), are the kind of bickering duo that would kill it in a TikTok fancam.
The found family vibes? Sweet. The polyamorous love triangle? Refreshingly non-dramatic. The undead flirting with the living? Always here for that.
But.
We need to talk about the audiobook.
I’m currently listening, and honestly—it baffles me. Why do publishers keep hiring narrators who clearly can’t pronounce Polish names, places, or words... for books steeped in Polish folklore? It’s not just distracting—it’s disrespectful. These stories are rich with cultural nuance, and hearing the language mangled over and over feels like someone chanting a curse with the wrong syllables. If the book honours the culture, the narration should too. Dziękuję very much.
Now, back to the book itself. Jasinska does a lovely job crafting a magical spa town full of spirits, curses, and just enough danger to keep things interesting. It’s a cosy fantasy through and through—so don’t go in expecting epic high-stakes battles. Think Howl’s Moving Castle meets Slavic cemetery chic.
The pacing does drag in places (yes, some scenes repeat info like we’ve got memory issues), and the non-binary side character felt like they were dropped in to tick a rep box more than contribute meaningfully to the plot. That said, the queerness overall is handled with warmth and ease, which I appreciated.
As a mystery, Gisela’s backstory unspools nicely, even if the plot points are more soft-serve than sharp twist. And while the romance leaned more Kazik–Gisela than full throuple, there’s potential for development in any follow-up (yes, it ends open-ended).
Final verdict?
This Fatal Kiss is a charming, ghostly romp through love, grief, and Slavic lore. It’s a bit overlong, occasionally overwritten, but still full of heart—and spirits. Recommended for fans of queer romantasy, Polish mythology, and anyone who likes their kisses a little cursed.
Just... maybe read the physical copy.
Trust me on this.
Look, I’m Polish. So when I saw a YA romantasy draped in Slavic folklore and water spirits, I clicked faster than you can say Warszawa. And for the most part, This Fatal Kiss delivers on its promise: it’s whimsical, queer, a little eerie, and totally soaked in mossy, cottagecore melancholy. Gisela, our love-struck water nymph with an attitude, and Kazik, the grumpy exorcist who just wants to do his job (poor guy), are the kind of bickering duo that would kill it in a TikTok fancam.
The found family vibes? Sweet. The polyamorous love triangle? Refreshingly non-dramatic. The undead flirting with the living? Always here for that.
But.
We need to talk about the audiobook.
I’m currently listening, and honestly—it baffles me. Why do publishers keep hiring narrators who clearly can’t pronounce Polish names, places, or words... for books steeped in Polish folklore? It’s not just distracting—it’s disrespectful. These stories are rich with cultural nuance, and hearing the language mangled over and over feels like someone chanting a curse with the wrong syllables. If the book honours the culture, the narration should too. Dziękuję very much.
Now, back to the book itself. Jasinska does a lovely job crafting a magical spa town full of spirits, curses, and just enough danger to keep things interesting. It’s a cosy fantasy through and through—so don’t go in expecting epic high-stakes battles. Think Howl’s Moving Castle meets Slavic cemetery chic.
The pacing does drag in places (yes, some scenes repeat info like we’ve got memory issues), and the non-binary side character felt like they were dropped in to tick a rep box more than contribute meaningfully to the plot. That said, the queerness overall is handled with warmth and ease, which I appreciated.
As a mystery, Gisela’s backstory unspools nicely, even if the plot points are more soft-serve than sharp twist. And while the romance leaned more Kazik–Gisela than full throuple, there’s potential for development in any follow-up (yes, it ends open-ended).
Final verdict?
This Fatal Kiss is a charming, ghostly romp through love, grief, and Slavic lore. It’s a bit overlong, occasionally overwritten, but still full of heart—and spirits. Recommended for fans of queer romantasy, Polish mythology, and anyone who likes their kisses a little cursed.
Just... maybe read the physical copy.
Trust me on this.
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i spend through this and it was entertaining enough, though a few bits kept this from being more than a four star read.
its compared to ghibli movies often in recommendations, but i feel this comparison is solely on aesthetic and "vibes" it was missing deeper political commentary and anti-industry that is present in overtones throughout ghibli.
i also wasnt very satisfied with the ending. unless theres to be a sequel (which hasnt been mentioned as far as i know), the ends of alekseys story were not even addressed let alone tied up neatly.
overall though, despite lacking depth and a neat ending, i did have fun reading this book. the beginning and middle were very strong and i found myself very interested in the characters and the folklore
its compared to ghibli movies often in recommendations, but i feel this comparison is solely on aesthetic and "vibes" it was missing deeper political commentary and anti-industry that is present in overtones throughout ghibli.
i also wasnt very satisfied with the ending. unless theres to be a sequel (which hasnt been mentioned as far as i know), the ends of alekseys story were not even addressed let alone tied up neatly.
overall though, despite lacking depth and a neat ending, i did have fun reading this book. the beginning and middle were very strong and i found myself very interested in the characters and the folklore
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Enjoyable, cute YA fantasy romance. Characters were all hopeless queer disasters which I LOVE. A cool take on Slavic folklore. And also the first ya poly fantasy I’ve read!
My tiny gripe: I kept getting whiplash from trying to figure out the time period… some instances and dialogue felt extremely modern. but I’m guessing this was supposed to take place in very early 1900s??? It took me out of the book at times unfortunately.
Also, what do you mean??????? With this ending?? I just wanted all of them to kiss and be happy lol. Idk if I’ll read the next book.
My tiny gripe: I kept getting whiplash from trying to figure out the time period… some instances and dialogue felt extremely modern. but I’m guessing this was supposed to take place in very early 1900s??? It took me out of the book at times unfortunately.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I hated the way that the narrator verbalized Rosa so much. Otherwise I enjoyed everything in the book
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this was fun, but it doesn’t have an ending?
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An ending so open ended and unsatisfying, I may turn into a spirit with unfinished business.
Nevertheless, I loved how this book teaches about different forms of love without needing to get down and dirty.
Nevertheless, I loved how this book teaches about different forms of love without needing to get down and dirty.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes