so that was something.

I am writing this on my phone late at night because my thoughts work. my grammar, no, but thoughts, yes. my sarcasm is off the charts and my humor is dead (just like Lin) 🤭

I went into this book completely blind after clicking the cute little "read now" button in all it's glory. oh how I wish I could go back. sue me but I did think this book was going to cook.

however this book cooked me. honestly who is to say I'm not writing this from the underworld right now? it would explain the lack of punctuation, capitalization and proper spelling. I never said I was perfect 🤚

to start off this book is one pov, first person (which imo is a great way for ya fantasy and I love being immersed with it) it's combined with a past and present day timeline which is--how do I say? fricken confusing.

at first I thought I was confused because I first read it at night so I went back and read it during the day and...nope still confused. okay maybes it's just me.

no, I was STILL confused. not just me, cool. wow we unite in confusion 😃

second of all, our main character started off extremely likeable. I thought she was strong and had a good sense of humor about her. the only downside she kind of had was she was obsessed

I mean obsessed with the fact that her former "love" it was basically a situationshop (sorry not sorry) Lin had left her and guess what, now he's dead and he's just a ghosty little angry (that was supposed to be angsty autocorrect but angry works too) Boi 💛 yeah so we have rhat for however many pages.

we start off the plot. chugging along, with Jia going through hell (....kinda literally) and coming back (also...literally) and now she's in thr princes mansion? house? castle? whatever the heck it is.

yeah, prince essien Lancaster. honestly this man was too wholesome for this book. he tried so hard to he 💀🗡🐈‍⬛️⬛️⚫️ but just ended up being 🎀🌸. I kid you not. he was sweet and at first I was very apprehensive about him but did grow to like him. he took care of Jia (even later we find out he healed her. okay mans lessgo).

so prince dude and Jia? they make a deal. he needs the sword and she needs it. they agreed tho she doesn't tell him her whole story and guess what

baby girl needs to go back to the underworld and die a bunch of times 🤭🤭🤭 wow so fun. while he's up on normal world keeping her body from decaying (true love wow)

she dies, meets Lin who is a bish the whole time (we later find out hid secret and her Wai Po's secret as well)

I do have to say I loved her loyalty to her family and her grandmother, that plot was done incredibly well 🤌

but back to Lin. so this man is obsessed, I literally and I quote because my life isn't mine! it's yours"

oh. um not sure how I feel about that buddy PRETTY SURE YOU ARE DEAD WITH A CAPITAL D

anyways.

she kisses a ghost.

or rhe ghost kisses her? yeah the ghost is Lin obvi but imagine walking by and you just see a girl hard-core making out with

air 💀

no thanks!!!!!

I know in this economy being single is hard but we can do better babes. it's okay, well get through it together.

kissing ensues, heartbreak, nadayada, we get the plot, we get action and then we get the details (which I pegged early on but won't share bc of spoilers, look I'm nice like that) so Jia survives and transports herself back to the normal world where she I'd not decaying thanks to prince Boi and he heals her they have a tender moment and bam, his absolute piece of crap older princey brother shows up.

okay pause. this got me the whole book.( might have been because it was 12am and I was craving ramen and a chicken sandwich with bubble tea but we'll never know) they didn't eat. aside from breakfast BUT THEY GOT FRICKEN INTERUPTED TWICE so
yeah random rant

back to older bro. anyways older bro wants younger bro to kill Jia and ofc essien refuses because we can all tell he loves Jia and Yada Yada even tho Jia was full on making out with....a sorta ghost in the underworld

chaos ensues and Jia starts screaming and she unleashes her full...power. yeah girliepop basically wiped out a bunch of people beacuse her power manifested 💀 yeah, cool! anyways she saves essien and they are having a happy near death reunion when it happens


yeah

it ends on the stupidest fricken cliffhanger known to all of freaking mankind and that's where I am

that was long and ranty and made no sense but that was my review. I'm giving it three stars because it's technically a 2.75 for me but yeah. ghost bois, and death traveling girls with softboi princes, this book has it all.

I wouldn't say I enjoyed it nesscarily, just that I might not be the target audience for it.so if u too are like me, we can relate together and let others enjoy.

I may be hater but I do have an ounce of kindness left in me (tho rude drivers really do take it out I'm so sorry.

anyways, happy reading loves
xx
jo

🗡

full review to come after my thoughts simmer like a nice cooked stew (also does no one eat in this book???)

thank you to the publisher and net galley for the arc in exchange for an honest review

Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the ARC.

This book had potential. It wasn’t my favorite, but some people may end up loving it. It fell flat to me and the plot honestly started to feel like something just thrown in to sort of give our characters something to do. The plot seemed to take a backseat to the false “enemies-to-lovers”. The settings in which the story took place could’ve been expanded and explored more, but it was very shallow and fast paced just to get to characters to the “climax” of the story. I love the YA genre, so this isn’t just a dislike for a teen mc with strong feelings. She annoyed me to no end and not in a way that I wanted to support lol. I’m disappointed that I didn’t enjoy this story as much as I thought I would.

All of the relationships in this book were shallow. I didn’t feel a connection to any of the characters and honestly, I didn’t care about what would happen to them during this book. Unfortunately for me, they didn’t have any real depth; even the main villain was insignificant to me. The whole “we were trying to protect you” theme running rampant in this story was getting repetitive and it didn’t help my feelings towards the characters and the story. The romance felt forced and Jia’s obsession with hating her ex best friend was the worst. Every time she mentioned him being a traitor and the worst human or how she wanted to kill him had me wondering what he did that made her feel that way. For the most part, she was just being dramatic. I literally got the ick anytime Jia mentioned Lin’s “betrayal” and whenever Lin said he was trying to protect Jia. She didn’t have mortal enemies, it was never that serious. The prince was more of an “enemy” compared to Lin due to the history between their countries and even that relationship changed in a blink of an eye like it was never that serious.

This review is my opinion!

This was my first book by Keshe Chow. This was more fantasy than I was used to so it my mind it did lack some romance but it is a YA book. This book was intense but also a little too wordy. I really like how the FMC was smart and not just the typical girl that’s just there and looking for love. I got violet sorrengail vibes from her!

I wasn't intending on requesting this, but when I saw it was on Read Now on NetGalley, I immediately clicked it... and devoured it in two sittings. I loved how Keshe Chow blended fantasy, horror, and atmosphere. I also loved how smart and headstrong our FMC was - her narration was super fun to read. I think where I struggled a bit was the motivation (though honestly I always have trouble with save-a-family-member (ESPECIALLY a grandparent) stories, so that's definitely on me. I also struggled a bit with the romance, but honestly the pacing and the world were both so good that I didn't realize my issues with the romance till I was done. All in all, I'd definitely recommend... and when Keshe Chow writes her next book, I'll be first in line to read it.

This book surprised me in the best way. Very creative and adventurous, just wish it was a bit longer. Will definitely recommend to other fantasy lovers.

Thank you to Netalley and Publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Keshe Chow's sophomore novel is an undeniable triumph, marrying fantasy with horror effortlessly! I loved the writing as well the voice, so rich and layered, and Chow's control over tension is gorgeous.

Wow, I read an early copy on Netgalley and this book was soooo good. I loved that the FMC was smart and a strong headed. The ENDING??? I’m still reeling.

I would have loved if there was more to the different laters of the ghost realm and they were explored/fleshed out more. At some points it felt a bit slow, like I was 50% through and Jia still hadn’t really made much headway to find the “sword”.

I would say if you enjoyed the Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker you will also enjoy this book. Similar atmosphere vibes and level of gore

I would say romance was a subplot. There was a lot of yearning and I LOVED it. There were so many points during the story that had me kicking my feet.

Also, I have to make a point to say the cover is GORGEOUS. So beautiful.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an e-arc of this book for an honest review. This book was so unique, the plot line is unlike anything that I have ever read in a fantasy romance and that part of it was very fresh to see. With that being said, the romance just really fell flat for me. I feel like we didn’t really get to know the prince much at all for most of the book so I just didn’t feel much emotions towards his character by the end of the book. There were also lulls here and there, there were times where I was on the edge of my seat and times where I was growing bored because it felt like not much was progressing. This wasn’t a bad book by any means it just wasn’t for me. I do think that this is releasing at the perfect time around spooky season this year because it definitely has an eerie almost horror aspect to it in a way!

Description:A teen girl with the power of resurrection must venture into the afterlife, but to survive the death realm, she'll need the help of her two mortal enemies--both of whom she is inexplicably drawn to--in this romantic, gothic fantasy inspired by Wuthering Heights.


I read this book in 24 hours. I didn't want to put it down. It was so interesting and I wanted to see what happened next this is my first book by @keshewrites
It was a great read.
I had to remind myself a couple times that the Jia\MC is a teenager because she made decisions I wouldn't have made, though they made sense for her character.
The Prince and Lin played their supporting roles well. I found myself rooting for one and hoping the other would meet his demise.
The layers of death and settings in the book were written well. From scenery to feel. I appreciated the thought and care to describe the world.
There were lots of twists. Some that made my jaw drop!
Thank you @randomhousekids @delacortepress and @NetGalley for this egalley. I was not obligated to leave a review.

A beautiful, romantic fever dream. I savored every single page. Keshe Chow writes gorgeous, tense, wonderful worlds, and it's a privilege to read them.

No Mortal Creature was a captivating read with a unique fantasy concept—I loved the ghostly elements and the tension that simmered between the characters. The atmosphere pulled me in, and the story had real emotional weight. I just wished for a bit more backstory and connection between characters—maybe a touch of levity or companionship to balance the introspection. Overall, a great book, and I am impressed!

Stunning. Exquisite. Unforgettable.
For No Mortal Creature is a haunting, emotionally charged fantasy that will stay with you long after the final page. With lyrical prose, layered worldbuilding, and some of the most nuanced character arcs in recent YA fantasy, this debut firmly announces Keshe Chow as a voice to watch.

The story follows a girl with resurrection magic, but what unfolds is far more than just a supernatural tale—it’s a piercing meditation on grief, betrayal, isolation, and the fragile beginnings of healing. The emotional core of the novel is both tender and tragic, with glimmers of hope woven throughout in the form of fragile truces and slow, earned growth. Characters who seem one-dimensional at first gradually reveal incredible depth, shifting in their motivations and allegiances in ways that keep readers constantly engaged. Some who begin as unlikeable become beloved by the end.

Chow’s prose evolves beautifully over the course of the story—from straightforward and accessible in the early chapters to poetic, intense, and richly complex as the narrative deepens. The tone mirrors the journey of the characters and the maturation of the plot, transforming a seemingly standard YA setup into a deeply textured and unpredictable fantasy with crossover appeal for adult readers.

The death realm is particularly well-realized: eerie, beautiful, and teeming with unexpected detail. The worldbuilding never feels tacked on—every detail has weight, and the tension hums constantly beneath the surface. Chow masterfully juggles humor, heartbreak, tension, and moments of warmth, all without compromising the dark and aching atmosphere that defines the novel.

This is not a story of clear heroes and villains. It is a story of complicated people grappling with pain, love, and impossible choices. There are twists that shock, moments of quiet emotional devastation, and themes that linger like echoes in the soul. To read this book is to be changed a little by it.

This was an emotional, well-paced, and engaging read. This was the first book by Keshe Chow I have read and I was blow away by the prose and mastery of writing. All of the characters felt real and genuine in how they interacted with each other and the individual struggles they faced.

Everyone in the Fengzhi Yuan province has a single magical gift. Everyone that is but Jia Yi. Her grandmother and priestess of Fengzhi Yuan, Wai Po, thinks her gift may be hidden or delayed. So she takes the younger Jia to visit a shaman who reveals a dark future:

"Jia Yi," she said, and her voice sounded distant, like the whisper of wind through the bare branches of dead trees. "Death clings to you like a mantle." ..."I see nothing but death in this girl's future. ..."No life. Just emptiness, and death."



Her grandmother whisks Jia away before the shaman can finish her prophecy, convincing her that the shaman was a charlatan. But one thing remains, Jia is one ”untouched” by magic. A simple truth that leads to her being bullied by the other children and older siblings.

When her beloved Grandmother, Wai Poi, is at Death's door, Jia is desperate to save her. Her attempts to retrieve medicinal herbs from the woods bordering Yskian territory, lead to an encounter with the Yskian guards and a piercing sword wound through her chest. Mortally wounded, Jia learns that she has the power to resurrect.

When I used to picture dying, I thought it would be like one of two things. Either everything would go suddenly black, empty, void-like, eternal. Or else there would be a rush of memories--ones buried deep--that would float to the surface of my mind like detritus from the sea.

My actual death was like neither of those things.



Captured by the armed guards of the enemy kingdom, she is dragged before Prince Essien Lancaster to be tested for illegal magic. The Prince seems impassive to her plight, but after she is passed over by the Spyrre (think dementors) he aids in her recovery. In return, he asks if she would use her power to retrieve his family’s sword from the afterlife, a weapon that can bestow its wielder any victory.

Delivering an unconquerable sword to her sworn enemy isn't on the top of Jia's list. But when she returns to her village and finds her grandmother has died, she decides to see the shaman to hear the prophecy in its entirety. Jia learns more than she bargained for when she finds others, more dangerous, are also searching for the sword in the afterlife --including her grandmother and ex, Lin.

For No Mortal Creature is culturally rich gothic fantasy with a compelling narrative. The realm of death immerses the reader in a dark and oppressive world of lingering shadow and imagery. As Jia progresses through each of its layers, the afterlife becomes more aethereal and cloistering. Jia, herself, feels less substantial with each descent. To survive this perilous journey, she must rely on two people she least trusts: Lin, the friend who abandoned her and the enigmatic Prince Essien, who may only be using her to obtain the sword.

In the description, the author states she drew inspiration from Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. While this novel delivers ghosts, dreams and eerie, supernatural settings to provide a Gothic atmosphere, this isn't a story about the destructive power of obsessive love. If anything, it's the opposite, with characters selflessly ignoring their own best interests to aid and protect those they love. Jia's relationships with Lin and Essien are complex and fraught with tension, mistrust and betrayal. But there is also longing and intimate moments, respectful of a YA audience.

The story is deeply emotional, exploring the themes of grief, betrayal and isolation with a core that is both tender and tragic. There is a glimmer of hope as the characters broker tentative truces which allow them to grow past misunderstandings and begin to heal.

The writing style evolves as the reader gets deeper into the story, becoming more complex and hauntingly poetic. While this definitely starts off sounding like a young adult fantasy, by midway there is an intensity and unpredictability that will captivate the more seasoned fantasy maven.

After not enjoying the author’s first book, I went into this hesitant. But I really liked it! Very strong premise with a unique take on “the descent into hell” trope. I also thought the ending was BOLD in a way I’d love to see more of in YA. Sometimes I did feel the plot was stretched too thin (it’s essentially a key item fetch quest), and the male LI is overly described as having “alabaster skin,” “blue eyes,” and a “marble brow.” These repeated descriptors only served to remind me the male LI could have had more of a personality, as the other two lead characters are more richly fleshed out.
Would recommend this for lovers of Inception and Wuthering Heights.

A gorgeous, dark, haunting YA fantasy about a girl with resurrection magic. The characters are nuanced and complex, and the plot kept me guessing and at the edge of my seat until the very end. I knew I'd be hooked by its stunning cover and its comp to Wuthering Heights, and For No Mortal Creature absolutely met and exceeded my expectations!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What an exquisite exposition of life and death. This book had everything; humor, love, devotion, animosity, betrayal, beauty, darkness, radiancy. I am so stunned by the story, the characters, the depth, the underlying meanings that can be gleaned, that I'm struggling to find enough words to actually review the book. The characters seem so one note at first, but there is so much depth to them as the story progresses, and so much character growth. Characters that I really didn't like at first became characters that I adore. The top later motivations changed frequently, but the underlying motivation was always there in everything Jia did, and could always be seen from the outside perspective. I loved that there were moments of levity, but there was an underlying tenseness to everything that every character did. There were an exceptional amount of layers and plot shifts and shifts in characters personalities and motivations that it always kept me on my toes. Everytime I thought I had something figured out, that I knew what was going to happen, that I knew what a character was going to do or say, my ideas would be thrown out of the window by a plot twist or a characters actions. The death realm was more fleshed out than I expected. There was so much to it, so many nuances and tiny details that you don't think about missing until they're given to you. This book was exceptional, it had everything I could ever want or wish for or hope for in a book, and I wish I could erase my memory of this book so I could experience it for the first time again. The Girl With No Reflection instantly went to the top of my loved books list, but I think this may have topped it.

I really enjoyed reading this book! The author did a fabulous job with keeping the story interesting and flowing. I never really liked books that drag on but this book never did! The characters were very unique and I really enjoyed there journey. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know!

This was an absolutely beautiful read! This is the story of a young girl, Jia Yi, who realizes she has resurrection powers and goes on a journey to the death realm in search of her grandmother, amongst other things. All the while, she’s faced with the ghost of her first love, Lin, and dealing with his betrayal and how they left things, and her blooming friendship with the mysterious yet alluring Prince Essien. Jia Yi juggles trying to figure out her newfound powers, how to traverse (and “survive”) the death realm, and where her feelings truly lie as she’s faced with the (literal) ghosts of her past.

The descriptions and visuals in this story are absolutely amazing. The imagery of the death realm are both beautiful and horrifying at the same time. The way the author portrays death and the afterlife is mesmerizing, and we get to explore it right along side Jia Yi.

And the romance! It’s angst all around, and I’m here for it! The complicated feelings that arise from Jia Yi seeing her first love in the death realm and having him accompany her on this journey make the tension top tier! And the chemistry with Prince Essian is just as juicy.

I loved how I never could guess what would’ve happened next in this book. Sometimes with the romantasy genre, it can get predictable, but this one blew me away. I never knew where the plot was going to take me, and I miss being surprised by that. I read this book in less than 24 hours, that’s how quickly it got its hooks in me. I continuously wanted to know what would happen next and where Jia Yi’s story would go.

I can’t wait for this book to come out so more people can read it and hopefully enjoy it as much as I did!

What I loved most about this story was the way the author balanced all the different elements so well (grief, action, romance, humor, fear), stretching the characters' emotions (and therefore, my own). Grief was handled so thoughtfully—the lengths Jia, the main character, would go to chase after the person she loved most in all the world. The depth of the afterlife—layered in a manner like the movie Inception—was enormously creative. And the ending—chef's kiss!