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A review by yellowbinge
This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska
adventurous
funny
mysterious
slow-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? Yes
4.0
Publishing date: 24.09.2024
Thank you to Netgalley and Peachtree Teen for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
The book as a meal: Delectable pastries
The book left me: Feeling like taking the plunge into a hot spring
Negatives:
Plot twist didn't feel as grave as it should have
Romance was a little all over the place
Lots of unresolved ends
Positives:
Queer rep left right and center
Vibes are impeccable
The folklore and mythology work was excellent
Features:
Queer representation, polyamorous rep, multiple POV's, found family, a TRUE love triangle, hot spring setting, a tiny illustration to go with each new chapter
Why did I choose this one?
The cover was what got me. It is absolutely stunning. Beautiful artwork. Some youtubers and booktokers I follow also got ARC's of this book so I wanted to try it out. The LGBTQ tag also caught my attention.
Pick-up-able? Put-down-able?
In-between. I spent a month trying to read this book because the first 40% were so slow. I could not for the life of me get properly into it and considered DNF'ing. Thankfully I didn't when I passed this threshold, and then finished the book the same day.
What was the vibe and mood?
It smells of flowers everywhere you go, the air is crisp and a little cold, a festival is just around the corner, everyone is whispering about spirits and demons, you are considering confessing to your crush, maybe there is a folktale about how to make someone fall in love with you in this place
Final ranking and star rating?
4 stars, B tier. This was very good, when I got a little further into it. I feel like the first 40% is almost all setup for the rest of the book. A little too slow for my tastes. The unresolved ends also left me frustrated, I know that this might get a sequel at some point, but it still annoys me. The romance was fine, nothing exceptional or heart pounding.
I think someone new and interested in folktale/fantasy romances might enjoy this.
Thank you to Netgalley and Peachtree Teen for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
The book as a meal: Delectable pastries
The book left me: Feeling like taking the plunge into a hot spring
Negatives:
Plot twist didn't feel as grave as it should have
Romance was a little all over the place
Lots of unresolved ends
Positives:
Queer rep left right and center
Vibes are impeccable
The folklore and mythology work was excellent
Features:
Queer representation, polyamorous rep, multiple POV's, found family, a TRUE love triangle, hot spring setting, a tiny illustration to go with each new chapter
Why did I choose this one?
The cover was what got me. It is absolutely stunning. Beautiful artwork. Some youtubers and booktokers I follow also got ARC's of this book so I wanted to try it out. The LGBTQ tag also caught my attention.
Pick-up-able? Put-down-able?
In-between. I spent a month trying to read this book because the first 40% were so slow. I could not for the life of me get properly into it and considered DNF'ing. Thankfully I didn't when I passed this threshold, and then finished the book the same day.
What was the vibe and mood?
It smells of flowers everywhere you go, the air is crisp and a little cold, a festival is just around the corner, everyone is whispering about spirits and demons, you are considering confessing to your crush, maybe there is a folktale about how to make someone fall in love with you in this place
Final ranking and star rating?
4 stars, B tier. This was very good, when I got a little further into it. I feel like the first 40% is almost all setup for the rest of the book. A little too slow for my tastes. The unresolved ends also left me frustrated, I know that this might get a sequel at some point, but it still annoys me. The romance was fine, nothing exceptional or heart pounding.
I think someone new and interested in folktale/fantasy romances might enjoy this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Biphobia, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide