What do you think?
Rate this book
Lethal Kiss
Not yet published
Expected 20 Oct 26Jennifer's Body meets Ninth House: Taylor Grothe's adult debut novel is a sapphic horror/romance that's as grotesque and blood-soaked as it is beautiful.
When Marcella is hired at Preston University, she has her game plan already mapped out―lay low for a few semesters, enjoy the extensive library, and maybe feast on a couple of her coworkers. That is, until a professor is found murdered and it’s not her doing. She may be the newest monster on campus, but she definitely isn’t the most dangerous.
Assistant professor Lacie is aware how ruthless the track to tenure is. But seeing the corpse of one of her colleagues is enough to make her suspect the other professors that came before her didn’t just quit academia. Unfortunately, there’s only one person she can trust enough to ask for help―the beautiful, aloof, and tantalizingly secretive Marcella.
Lacie and Marcella team up to make a chilling discovery: there’s something festering under the marble floors of Preston University, and it’s hungry. Marcella might be a monster, but the deeper into the mystery they dig, the more she’s attracted to Lacie’s immovable bravery and quiet intelligence. And the closer they grow, the more Lacie is drawn to Marcella’s vicious nature.
The weight of spilled blood and stolen opportunity is too heavy to carry alone, but they’re both determined to get what they deserve―even if they have to kill for it.
When Marcella is hired at Preston University, she has her game plan already mapped out―lay low for a few semesters, enjoy the extensive library, and maybe feast on a couple of her coworkers. That is, until a professor is found murdered and it’s not her doing. She may be the newest monster on campus, but she definitely isn’t the most dangerous.
Assistant professor Lacie is aware how ruthless the track to tenure is. But seeing the corpse of one of her colleagues is enough to make her suspect the other professors that came before her didn’t just quit academia. Unfortunately, there’s only one person she can trust enough to ask for help―the beautiful, aloof, and tantalizingly secretive Marcella.
Lacie and Marcella team up to make a chilling discovery: there’s something festering under the marble floors of Preston University, and it’s hungry. Marcella might be a monster, but the deeper into the mystery they dig, the more she’s attracted to Lacie’s immovable bravery and quiet intelligence. And the closer they grow, the more Lacie is drawn to Marcella’s vicious nature.
The weight of spilled blood and stolen opportunity is too heavy to carry alone, but they’re both determined to get what they deserve―even if they have to kill for it.
384 pages, Paperback
Expected publication October 20, 2026
1 person is currently reading
565 people want to read
About the author
Taylor Grothe
5 books188 followersTaylor is a writer of adult and young adult horror, horror romance, and dark fantasy. They hold a nonfiction MFA from Fairfield University, acted as the graduate Assistant Managing Editor of Brevity, and their short works can be found in esteemed publications such as Brevity’s craft blog, Haven Speculative, and Shortwave Magazine. They are a scholar of medieval literature and Nordic Saga. Taylor lives with three cats, two kids, and their spouse, in SW Connecticut.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 9, 2025
What can I say about Lethal Kiss? Too many things! It was my top read of the year and I inhaled it in one sitting. I could go on for days, so I’ll keep it brief rather than writing a dissertation about it.
I had the honor of reading an early draft of Lethal Kiss, and my god is it something special. I spent weeks recovering from it and drowning my sorrows that it was over with snickers bars.
It’s not often that a book is so good it sends me into a reading slump, but that’s exactly what happened. Nothing I picked up gripped me in the same way Lethal Kiss did.
In less than 400 pages, Taylor Grothe managed to create a rich story on its own, but the Nordic lore that was used in telling it only enhanced the narrative. It was easy to get lost in this version of our world and forget that ours does not, in fact, have draugrs running around (to our knowledge).
In true Grothe fashion, they’ve created two incredibly well rounded and complex leads in Marcella and Lacie. And while they are wildly different, I found myself relating to both of them for myriad reasons, furthering my attachment to this story.
There is no shortage of badassery, self discovery, acceptance, unconditional love, “ew, boys,” and not to mention the varied representation like queerness and autism in both Lacie and Marcella. It should also go without saying that the sapphic love story you’ll find in Lethal Kiss is beautifully crafted and the way the relationship builds feels organic and believable.
This story of murder, secret societies, love, and monsters is a must read.
It’s not often that a book is so good it sends me into a reading slump, but that’s exactly what happened. Nothing I picked up gripped me in the same way Lethal Kiss did.
In less than 400 pages, Taylor Grothe managed to create a rich story on its own, but the Nordic lore that was used in telling it only enhanced the narrative. It was easy to get lost in this version of our world and forget that ours does not, in fact, have draugrs running around (to our knowledge).
In true Grothe fashion, they’ve created two incredibly well rounded and complex leads in Marcella and Lacie. And while they are wildly different, I found myself relating to both of them for myriad reasons, furthering my attachment to this story.
There is no shortage of badassery, self discovery, acceptance, unconditional love, “ew, boys,” and not to mention the varied representation like queerness and autism in both Lacie and Marcella. It should also go without saying that the sapphic love story you’ll find in Lethal Kiss is beautifully crafted and the way the relationship builds feels organic and believable.
This story of murder, secret societies, love, and monsters is a must read.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Hello!! This is my book and I love it very much. I thought this would be a good place to drop some information about Lethal Kiss ahead of publication.
This book is a sapphic dark academia horror romance! It is not a vampire book, though it has supernatural elements based loosely on Norse mythology and early modern Anglo-Saxon stories (such as Beowulf). All revenant/undead stores share commonality, but many speak about autonomy, power structures, cannibalism, bloodlust, monstrosity, and the like. This story is no different. Like many dark academia stories, Lethal Kiss attempts to pull apart these complicated elements and cast them in new light--especially where the narrative confronts eurocentrism and elitism. I drew from my own academic background in medievalism and Nordic saga, but of course this is a work of fiction and artistic license was taken.
I do so dearly hope you enjoy! Marcella and Lacie will always be close to my heart <3
This book is a sapphic dark academia horror romance! It is not a vampire book, though it has supernatural elements based loosely on Norse mythology and early modern Anglo-Saxon stories (such as Beowulf). All revenant/undead stores share commonality, but many speak about autonomy, power structures, cannibalism, bloodlust, monstrosity, and the like. This story is no different. Like many dark academia stories, Lethal Kiss attempts to pull apart these complicated elements and cast them in new light--especially where the narrative confronts eurocentrism and elitism. I drew from my own academic background in medievalism and Nordic saga, but of course this is a work of fiction and artistic license was taken.
I do so dearly hope you enjoy! Marcella and Lacie will always be close to my heart <3
January 22, 2026
Lethal Kiss is deliciously the kind of book that doesn’t let you go, it dug itself into me and is still buzzing under my skin long after I read it. The eerie undertones left the perfect setting I was craving and I ate this up in one sitting.
The tension, the yearning, the way the relationship burns - I couldn’t get enough.
And let me just say Marcella? I can’t decide if I want to never meet her in a dark alley or follow her to one.
The tension, the yearning, the way the relationship burns - I couldn’t get enough.
And let me just say Marcella? I can’t decide if I want to never meet her in a dark alley or follow her to one.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Academia’s game of tenure track turns deadly in Grothe’s masterful horromance where blood and rot oil the gears of elite universities, and the monstrous hunt with impunity. Seething with rage and deeply, achingly romantic, Lethal Kiss spits out its bones with fervor, seizes its readers by the throat and doesn’t let go. A consummation devoutly to be wished. "This is an always kind of thing."
Want to read
January 23, 2026my name!!! she has my name! a sapphic dark academia horror romance and the main character has my name (almost)!!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Marcella has a prehensile tongue, and for that I rate this book five stars.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I swear I wrote a review about this already and now it's gone BUT HERE WE GO AGAIN.
Full transparency: I know Taylor and they are a wonderful human and I am feral for anything they write but LETHAL KISS is quite possibly my favorite thing they've written thus far. I am IN LOVE with the main characters, the plot, the grotesque, the deliciousness of everything this story brings. It's such a pleasant blend of destruction to those not worthy and swoony sapphic love. I've recommended it to just about anyone who says they want either something sapphic, academic, dark, or horror-related. They'll be satisfied with this story and crave all the more.
Now time needs to pass in a blink because I want this sweet book in my hands so I can reread it again and again.
Full transparency: I know Taylor and they are a wonderful human and I am feral for anything they write but LETHAL KISS is quite possibly my favorite thing they've written thus far. I am IN LOVE with the main characters, the plot, the grotesque, the deliciousness of everything this story brings. It's such a pleasant blend of destruction to those not worthy and swoony sapphic love. I've recommended it to just about anyone who says they want either something sapphic, academic, dark, or horror-related. They'll be satisfied with this story and crave all the more.
Now time needs to pass in a blink because I want this sweet book in my hands so I can reread it again and again.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews