Fateless is the kind of story that grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go. It’s intense, fast-paced, and full of tension, with twists that keep you second-guessing every character and every choice. Sparrow’s journey is one of survival, trust, and defiance, and I couldn’t help but root for her every step of the way. She’s resourceful and sharp, but what stood out to me was her emotional depth—her struggles feel raw and relatable in a world that’s harsh and unforgiving.

The world-building is vivid and immersive. The heat of the twin suns, the mysterious ruins of the Deathless King, and the ever-present grip of Fate create a backdrop that feels alive and dangerous. The lore surrounding Fate and the Fateless is intriguing without being overexplained, leaving just enough mystery to keep me wanting more.

The character dynamics truly shine. Sparrow’s reluctant alliances and tension-filled relationships are layered and compelling without ever feeling forced. Each character brings something unique to the story, balancing action, humor, and emotional stakes.

What I loved most about this book is how it explores choice and destiny without losing its sense of adventure. It’s a thrilling, tightly written story with a lot of heart. While it’s packed with action, it also leaves you with plenty to think about. If you’re a fan of high-stakes fantasy with rich world-building and complex characters, this one’s worth picking up.

I was a freshman in high school when I started reading Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey and then followed up with her Immortal Rules series and LOVED them both. While adult me is struggling where to rate this, I think freshman me would love it.

Kagawa has created a scorched sand desert land full of ancient lore that is being brought literally to the surface by our main thief Sparrow. As a Tom Raider and Assassin's Creed girly, I loved the ancient cities and tomb diving that we get in the first part of the book. Hidden places and ancient artifacts are always my jam and so I loved that. There are also so many cool and strange creatures that exist, mainly insect style, many are creepy and like to eat humans.

After the first section where we meet a few characters that stay with us, the pacing(though action is regularly happening) starts to feel off. I would catch myself skimming to get to the next piece that would catch my interest. It also felt like an exposition dump in some places, which felt unnecessary especially when it came to the characters.
Speaking of the characters, I could not unsee the resemblance between her Iron Fey characters and this new series. Raithe reminded me of Ash and Halek reminded me of Puck. While it doesn't seem to be love triangle-y which is great, it still did feel a bit like insta-like/love.

Overall, 3.5 stars to satisfy my teenage and adult self.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins for this new release in exchange for an honest review!

This is one of the best fantasies I've read in years, with all the cinematic worldbuilding and thrilling twists of a video game and the voicey prose of one of my favorite authors!

Thank you Harper Collins and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC.

Fateless I give this book 4 stars! There's a little enemies to hopefully lovers plot, crazy creatures, and magic...

I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for the series to continue. The beginning was a little slow which is why I gave the book 4 starts , but once you get to the middle it starts to get really good. The MFC grows on you as shes starts to find herself in this book, but the friends she makes along the way make the book so much better. Team Halek all the way. I love that the book has great supporting characters that add so much to the story. I think this will be a really great series and fellow fantasy readers like myself will really enjoy this book!

I am never disappointed when I pick up a book from Julie Kagawa and this is no exception. We get action, we get romance, we get heartbreak its everything I enjoy when reading.

The world was intriguing but the characters were the best part.

Julie is amazing when it comes to world-building, prose and storytelling. I loved this book and really got TOG vibes but with more mystical creatures and destruction. Easy 5 stars!

A hint of TOG with more destruction, deathless, and mystical creatures.

I’ve read some of this author’s other series before and while I immensely enjoyed them, I feel like this one is going to be even better. I’ll be sitting on pins and needles waiting to read the next book in the series!

As a fan of Assassins Creed style video games, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would absolutely read a sequel.

I always enjoy Julie Kagawa's stories and this is no different. I'm hoping we get to learn Raithe's real name. I love Halek and his naivety. I can't wait to see where Sparrow and her crew go next.

It’s been a while since I’ve read anything by Julie Kagawa, so it was nice to revisit her writing style! I last read The Iron Fey series when it first came out, and recall really liking that series.

I find with fantasy books, especially, there is a lot of world building needed along with building the character’s personality within this fantasy world. Julie is someone who does well with this in all of her books. The world is well developed and vivid, and I could easily picture it as I read.

Our MC, Sparrow, is part of a guild of thieves and survives doing just that, getting the goods without detection. Even with this, Sparrow feels she needs to prove herself and takes on a challenging and risky job with Vahn. Ultimately, Sparrow is betrayed and ends up working in conjunction with Raithe, in an unexpected twist of events. Given betrayal and how difficult it is for Sparrow to trust people, given her upbringing, should she trust Raithe and help prevent the end of the world?

While it was predictable at times, I still thoroughly enjoyed the book and am hopeful for a second book.

*Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the review copy in exchange for my honest review. My review contains my honest thoughts.

The story follows Sparrow, an accomplished thief sent on a mission that only she can complete and one that will change her life and the lives of everyone in the kingdom forever.

I have to say, the world building in this book is fantastic. It’s fast paced right from the beginning and doesn’t slow down at all. It was an overall enjoyable experience and I liked that it payed homage to assassin’s creed.

My only gripe is that it got somewhat repetitive at times, but that’s it!

One of my 2025 reading goals should be to read more books by this author. Her fantasy series are exciting and adventurous. She does an excellent job of incorporating cultural elements into her stories. This one did not have a Japanese feel to it, which I found unusual, but I bet if I looked into it further, she likely chose a different culture to focus on, one I am less familiar with. If she fabricated all of the elements in this story, she's getting extra points for being an imaginative genius. She does use the fairly well-known concept of the fates and weavers that exists across multiple cultures, so it didn't all come out of thin air (or her brain). This isn't a spoiler, but the way this ended had me on the edge of my seat and ready to continue onto the next book (which hasn't been published yet, obviously, since this one hasn't been published yet either).

I would recommend this for anyone that enjoys fantasy, world building, adventure and a side of romance.

I've dreaded this moment but I'm afraid it has finally come- I've outgrown Julie Kagawa's books.

Don't get me wrong I did enjoy reading Fateless. The world was interesting. I loved exploring it and discovering the hidden gems. And I love that Arkyenneh was inspired by Assassin's Creed. I felt the scorching heat and the sand dunes on my feet. I could just imagine how I would hate it in Kovass. I'd rather be cold than sweating.

Not gonna lie my favorite part of Fateless has got to be the beetles. The things they would say if only they could speak. I could just imagine it. I don't know how the author does it. But she comes up with these really cool ideas. And concept. And it's hard not to get lost in her stories.

This was very much YA. If you've been a fan of the author's works for years like me I think you'd know pretty much what to expect. One central aspect to Julie's stories is the found family trope. Which I like. But I can't help comparing Raithe with Ash and Halek with Puck. I don't know. They just give off the same vibes. Unfortunately I don't love Raithe and Halek like I do Ash and Puck. And don't even get me started on the romance. No love triangle, I'm happy to report. But it came out of nowhere. It was so insta-like. On a positive note there were no declarations of love. (But it came close to it.)

I still have a lot of questions about what it really means to be Fateless. So far all we've got is people saying the Fateless hold the fate of the whole world in their hands. Yes, but how? I'm also really curious about Raithe's home. And I still have doubts about him? I'm not fully on Team Raithe just yet. Come to think of it I'm not even on anyone's team. I don't dislike Sparrow, Halek or Raithe. Or even Kysa. But what does it say when the beetles made more of an impression to me than the characters?

I'm happy I finished this one before the year ends. But I'm ninety percent sure I won't be reading the sequel. (Ten percent is my stubborn self refusing to not finish a series I started.)

This was a great book. The story was very well thought out and the world building was amazing. This was a great first book in the series!

This book had a few good interesting moments but then if fell a bit flat. The ending does not make me curious to pick up a sequel. I am not sure if the author did that not knowing if a sequel would be written. This book felt slow and dragged on. I tried to finish chapters of it and would skip some of the details of the fighting with the scrabs for I lost interest completely. Reviewed on good reads

The world building for this new series is a 10/10! Sparrow is a great main character and grows a lot in her identity and connection to other people This was surprising given this is only the first book. I loved the imagery of the desert lands and how the world functions in that kind of environment. The other characters are really well written and offer glimpses into other people groups of the world. I can't wait for the sequel!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for this free advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved getting swept into this story! Sparrow’s world, filled with thieves, assassins, and a fascinating magic system tied to Fate, was everything I needed for a good escape. The forgotten city of the Deathless King is so vividly described that I could almost feel the danger lurking around every corner. The tension was constant, and I was hooked as Sparrow and her team faced challenges that tested not only their skills but also their loyalty and courage.

Sparrow herself is such a great character—brave, resourceful, and easy to root for. I really enjoyed the dynamics between her and Raithe, the mysterious assassin she’s forced to work with. Their partnership is intriguing, and I can’t wait to see how it develops in future books. The supporting cast was just as memorable: Kysa is fierce and fearless, and Halek’s humor had me laughing at just the right moments.

The story is action-packed and so easy to get lost in, but what really stood out to me was the world-building. Julie Kagawa has a way of creating places that feel alive, and the way she weaves in the concept of Fate and the Fateless is fascinating. It feels like there’s so much more to uncover, and I’m already looking forward to what’s next in the series.

While the book ends with some questions unanswered, it’s a strong start to what I know will be an amazing adventure. If you love heists, action, and a dash of magic, Fateless is definitely worth reading. It gave me everything I love about Julie Kagawa’s writing—a rich world, compelling characters, and a story that’s hard to put down.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Absolutely loved this book! What a fun and intriguing plot compared to others in the genre. Only issue is some areas were action packed while others lacked furthering the plot and dragged a bit. All in all I really enjoyed this book!

Most books, as of late, haven't picked up for me until about 50% through. I was only about 6 or 7 chapters in before I could barely put it down. I fell in love with the heartwrenching story of loss, betrayal, and finally friendship. I look forward to the continuation.

This was my first Kagawa book, and I was so impressed with how beautifully each word flowed from one to the next. I felt deeply pulled into the world and really enjoyed that I had no idea where the plot was going.