Quite honestly, this is one of the most captivating books I have ever read. I could not put it down until I fell asleep with it in my hand at 2am, and then stayed up until 2am again to ensure I finished it.

This book continuously felt like a refreshing new experience for me. Chow’s setting is instantaneously captivating—locating readers in a Chinese province constantly endangered by the white Lancaster colonizers who have invaded and desecrated the land and cultural traditions, seeking to eliminate magic and conquer everything within their sight. The backdrop of a castle and moat—protected by armed men in chain link—also situates a rough timeline for the novel, without explicit time and place ever being stated.

Starting somewhat in medias res, Jia is in danger from the first scene, and the high-stakes danger—literally, death, death, and more death—never stops until the last page. Then, enemies to lovers is added to the tale—times two! Jia’s relationship to both Lin and Essien are so startlingly different, providing an excellent commentary and insight for how the love we need and give shifts as we grow and learn more about ourselves and our needs.

One of the blurbs I read for this book was inspiration from Inception, and Jia’s travels between the various realms of the afterlife—meeting with Chinese ghosts, demons, and loved ones—continuously tests her resolve, fortitude, understanding of interpersonal relationships, and knowledge of her culture. Some of the most memorable moments of this book come from when Jia’s sense of self and reality are challenged—but not by the afterlife. Instead, she must encounter how her actions and perceptions of past interactions have been interpreted differently by her loved ones, demonstrating that there truly are more than one side to each story. Jia then must reflect on how little she truly knows—despite her traditional YA confidence of “I am an adult!”

Overall, this was truly a fantastic read, filled with deception and surprising twists and turns. Despite often feeling like I can predict the ending and what loyalties of secret relationships characters share, I continuously found myself blown away by this book and will happily recommend it to anyone.

***thanks to NetGallery for providing me with an ARC copy of this novel***

Gothic, romantic, and utterly consuming. For No Mortal Creature breathes fresh life into the afterlife.

From the first page, I was drawn into Jia Yi’s haunting world. This girl who, after being killed, discovers she has the rare ability to cross the veil between life and death. What follows is an unforgettable descent into a realm teeming with ghosts, unresolved emotions, political power plays, and the haunting pull of love and betrayal. Wuthering Heights meets Inception with a twist.

This story is beautifully layered, inspired themes stitched into a richly imaginative world. Jia’s emotional journey is tangled and poignant, and her connections with Lin and Prince Essien are intense, dynamic, and riddled with secrets. I was especially captivated by the atmosphere. Lush, eerie, and laced with longing. Just the right amount of tortured and tangled to hook you completely.

The pacing is tight, the stakes are high, and the twists? Deliciously executed. It’s one of those books that’s nearly impossible to put down, and even harder to stop thinking about.

Thank you to the Author and Net Galley for the ARC, I am leaving this review with my honest opinion.

The cover is stunning, the prose lyrical without being overwrought, and the emotional depth of the characters is something I’ll be thinking about for a long time. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy, this one earns a spot on the shelf so I can read it again and again.

For No Mortal Creature is a beautifully atmospheric gothic fantasy that sinks its claws in early and doesn’t let go. Jia Yi is a fierce, layered heroine with just the right balance of bitterness and vulnerability, and her journey through the death realm is as emotionally fraught as it is imaginative. Think shadowy landscapes, haunting spirits, and yearning soaked banter with two boys she has every reason not to trust. This is romantic fantasy that understands tension.

The Wuthering Heights influence comes through in the book’s emotional intensity—grief, betrayal, obsession, and longing all tangled together. Jia’s relationships with Lin and Prince Essien are full of ambiguity and slowburn conflict, and the afterlife setting feels lush, eerie, and unsettling in the best way.

Some pacing issues and a few flat side characters kept this from being a full five stars, and I wanted a bit more emotional payoff in the final chapters. Still, this is a dark, compelling read that hits the sweet spot between gothic and romantic fantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Ahh okay wow I absolutely loved and devoured this one. I'm going to go back and read Keshe's other book as well because the voice is immaculate.

This book.....having lost my mom a few years ago and just losing my childhood pet recently this really helped me look at death and life in a very different light. It was healing in a way that I can't really put into words and it's going to stick with me for years to come.

The world building was amazing, the plot was plotting and there's just a way Keshe has with words that scratches the itch in my brain