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A review by ps_stillreading
This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I don’t typically reach for YA but the cover reeled me in. And when I read the blurb, I knew had to read this.
I read This Fatal Kiss in one sitting because I literally could not put it down. It was so good! Gisela was such a sassy and fun character. She is determined to get what she wants, and she will stop at nothing to see her goal through. Kazik is adorable! My little soft boy! I absolutely loved the banter between these two characters, and banter in a romance is very important to me. And then we have Aleksey. I like him too, and I like what he adds to the mix with Gisela and Kazik. I love it when love triangles are actual love triangles because it involves bisexuals!
The sisterhood between Gisela and the other rusałka was so precious. These girls love each other fiercely, even when they fight and tease each other. Also shout out to Wojciech. I didn’t expect him to be one of my favorite characters, but here we are. He acts like a doting father to his rusałki and I found that so touching.
Alicia Jasinska was able to weave all these characters’ threads together in such a brilliant way. There were hints early on, but the reveal still so satisfying. And the queer representation in this book was so well done as well. I like how the characters are proud of their identities, that it’s not a big deal, that it feels so normal to them, and how their loved ones don’t bat an eye about their queerness. The exploration of Slavic folklore and how religion and the Church have a huge sway in changing the views on traditional beliefs added some layers and tension in the story. Although it wasn’t much of a focus in the story, it did give Kazik motivation for his actions and added depth to his character.
My only gripe was that I couldn’t understand when the story is set. I thought this was set in the past, or in a world that doesn’t have technology as we know it. So reading about trains, buses, radios, and cameras took me out of the story a little. As with some slang that felt to modern/real world instead of unique in-world slang.
Also. That ending??? Please I need the sequel ASAP
I loved reading This Fatal Kiss, and I highly recommend it.
Thank you to Peachtree Teen and NetGalley for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I read This Fatal Kiss in one sitting because I literally could not put it down. It was so good! Gisela was such a sassy and fun character. She is determined to get what she wants, and she will stop at nothing to see her goal through. Kazik is adorable! My little soft boy! I absolutely loved the banter between these two characters, and banter in a romance is very important to me. And then we have Aleksey. I like him too, and I like what he adds to the mix with Gisela and Kazik. I love it when love triangles are actual love triangles because it involves bisexuals!
The sisterhood between Gisela and the other rusałka was so precious. These girls love each other fiercely, even when they fight and tease each other. Also shout out to Wojciech. I didn’t expect him to be one of my favorite characters, but here we are. He acts like a doting father to his rusałki and I found that so touching.
Alicia Jasinska was able to weave all these characters’ threads together in such a brilliant way. There were hints early on, but the reveal still so satisfying. And the queer representation in this book was so well done as well. I like how the characters are proud of their identities, that it’s not a big deal, that it feels so normal to them, and how their loved ones don’t bat an eye about their queerness. The exploration of Slavic folklore and how religion and the Church have a huge sway in changing the views on traditional beliefs added some layers and tension in the story. Although it wasn’t much of a focus in the story, it did give Kazik motivation for his actions and added depth to his character.
My only gripe was that I couldn’t understand when the story is set. I thought this was set in the past, or in a world that doesn’t have technology as we know it. So reading about trains, buses, radios, and cameras took me out of the story a little. As with some slang that felt to modern/real world instead of unique in-world slang.
Also. That ending??? Please I need the sequel ASAP
I loved reading This Fatal Kiss, and I highly recommend it.
Thank you to Peachtree Teen and NetGalley for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.