What an intriguing novel. I loved the way the story unfolded and truths were revealed. Tesia Tsai has done a masterful bit of storytelling in Deathly Fates. Blending folklore, mystery and romance, this is a compelling book. Well.done.

This was a very interesting book! I loved Ren and how he interacted with Siying. This was a sweet and oft times chilling story, and while the ending wasn't unexpected, it was the journey that made it so enjoyable. It was a story with a rich background and setting, and I would love to see more in this world. Excellent book!

This was such an amazing debut! Beautifully crafted, emotionally resonant, and brimming with heart, Deathly Fates marks Tesia Tsai as a storyteller who already feels like a master of her craft. This uses necromancy perfectly and thought was a beautifully done Chinese folk practice respectfully. The characters were flushed out. I enjoyed some of the side characters as well as the main characters.

Amazing debut, thank you for the arc!!

Deathly Fates is a mix of folklore and fantasy. I am unfamiliar with this folklore, but it did make for a good story. This was a debut and it did feel that way a bit. It was well-written overall, but some aspects were repetitive. This is me being picky, it wasn’t terribly repetitive. I loved the characters, they had such great depth and back story. I also liked the magic and the political intrigue. I feel like romantasy genre is oversaturated, but this feels like a refreshing addition to the genre. It has a couple of the more common romantasy tropes, but mostly it’s unique. I really enjoyed this and I highly recommend this book. I look forward to seeing what Tsai writes in the future.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this book. The opinion in this review is my own.

Siying is a ganshi priestess, tasked with reanimating and guiding the bodies of the dead back to their families for proper burials. Renshu is the soldier she's been tasked with returning. Except, this corpse isn't fully dead!

This is a wonderfully unique and refreshing world, where the art of necromancy isn't necessarily evil, and those who practice it are revered (if held at arm's length by their communities). Seeing another, very different take on reanimating the dead was the initial hook, and a great one at that, but more hooks propelled this novel along very nicely--the not quite dead body, his identity, and problems of inner vs outer conflicts all complicated things even more. And that's before we had to wonder whom to trust.

"Deathly Fates" is a fantasy romance, but the HEA isn't pat or saccharine, but complex and nuanced, as it should be, IMO. Yet it's highly satisfying nonetheless. However, this does read like a first novel, with some of the passages feeling a bit too repetitive or moving a bit too bumpily fast. Even so, the plot and story kept me fully engaged, and I'm eager to read what this wonderful writer will come up with next! I'd give the book 4.5 stars if I could, but since I can't, 4 stars it is.

huge thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

this was really good first off - easy to stay along, hooks you.. so on.

i will say though... it took me a moment to get into it. the fmc (which is on first person POV) is very headstrong, controlling, and very family first but also, does not show emotion. once i realized, THIS was HER - and she chooses to hide emotions and so on, is when i realized how much she truly does feel. working with death regularly, you have so much empathy and so on, but if you get so wrapped in it, then it becomes hard to form the line between your own life and those around you...


the plot was great... i expected the twist that it took, but it was still amazing.

Deathly Fates by Tesia Tsai is a beautifully atmospheric debut that blends folklore, necromancy, and a touch of romance into a sweeping and emotional fantasy. I was immediately intrigued by Siying’s role as a corpse-driving priestess, a concept that felt both unique and rooted in cultural tradition. Her devotion to her father gave the story a strong emotional center, making her choices and sacrifices feel deeply personal and heartfelt.
The journey with the resurrected prince was where the story really shone for me. Their uneasy alliance, paired with the looming danger of his fragile life, created constant tension. I loved the haunting atmosphere of vengeful spirits and shadowy threats, and the worldbuilding felt rich without being overwhelming. The chemistry between Siying and the prince was subtle yet undeniable, which added warmth amid the darker themes of death and survival.
While a few parts moved a little slowly, the overall story was captivating and layered with emotion. This book offers a thoughtful exploration of life, death, and duty, wrapped in an entrancing fantasy setting. It left me eager to see what Tesia Tsai will create next.

Necromancy! Political intrigue! Running from the law! Love for family as the driving force for the protagonist!

The emotional textures of the story itself are light and the plot is simple but there's a deep enough emotional grip in the atmospheric storytelling to carry me right through. Siying's tale is beautiful, poignant, and told in a great voice. The prince is charmingly realistic for his circumstances. The side characters are well-done. The necromancy itself the most developed aspect of the story.

Did I want more depth and just...more of this world? Yep. Is this a YA novel that skews to the younger end? Yep. Do I feel boatload of admiration for it as a great debut? For sure.

If you're an adult, go into it knowing it will be light on all the wonderful elements that in an adult novel would have likely built up into a rich tapestry over the course of a series but also that it's a fantastic addition to the YA genre that I would gift to any fantasy-loving teen.

Imagine a job where you are tasked with guiding a body to a location so it can be buried where it belongs. What if the corpse, instead of just reanimating, so it doesn't have to be carried, actually came back to life? This story intertwines mythology, political intrigue, war, a bit of romance, and of course culture clashes between different communities. I enjoyed this fast read.

Reanimating the dead is no big deal. It’s when necromancy goes wrong that it gets complicated. At least that’s what I was convinced of by about 5% into this book. That’s how quickly Deathly Fates locks you into its world.
Siying is a priestess of the dead. For her, necromancy is a ritual, her livelihood, and the most consistent thing there could be. But when one of her bodies comes fully back to life, it challenges everything she knows and sets her off on a dangerous journey.
Deathly Fates is compelling and fun to read, though the pacing seems episodic at times. Four stars.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the arc! I really enjoyed Deathly Fates. The premise itself was unlike anything I’ve ever read before and it’s rare to find a book that feels completely fresh, new, and doesn’t remind you of another book. The setting was beautiful, the characters felt real, and I had a good time from start to finish. I’ll definitely be buying it to put on my shelf and will recommend whenever anyone asks for a recommendation.

I really enjoyed this book - and such a great debut by this author! I met her at a writing event and was instantly intrigued by her pitch of this book so I had to check it out for myself! I loved Siying, our FMC - the necromancy magic was super cool and the attitude of guiding the dead to their resting place was so interesting. I loved Ren and his whole personality - especially how he and Siying interacted while on their journey, their dynamic was so fun to read! The plot was fun, with enough twists to keep me turning pages as fast as I could to see how our characters would react to everything thrown their way. The romance was super cute and not the main focus of the book - which is what I like in a fantasy. All in all I thoroughly enjoyed and would definitely recommend!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a wonderful debut fantasy novel. The magic system was intriguing and the concept of necromancy and how it was administered was brilliant.
At times, I forgot where I was due to how absorbed each word and sentence sucked me in, which made me devour quickly. I also enjoyed quite thoroughly how the novel handled the Chinese Folk Magic as well, it wasn't overly done and made massive respect to it.

A review for the wrong book was posted here. It has been deleted for now and will be replaced by a review for this book.

This book was such a fun and surprisingly sweet read! The characters absolutely shine, their bond and the way they grow together is heartfelt and genuine, making me root for them every step of the way. The journey is packed with action, keeping the pace lively and exciting, and I loved the unique twist on the concept of loving a “zombie” (or something like it). It’s such a cool idea that felt fresh even in a genre that’s been done a lot.

Yes, some parts of the plot are a little predictable, but honestly the strength of the characters more than makes up for it. Their sweetness, loyalty, and chemistry made me smile so many times, and I finished the book feeling warm.

If you enjoy stories that mix action, heart, and a touch of the unexpected, this is definitely worth picking up!

I love how they are fated together 1000/1000 recommend this book I absolutely love it it’s my favorite read this year so far

This was a beautifully written, if a tad predictable story about a priestess going after what she believes in, and the prince who has everything to lose but refuses to give up. I loved the prose and the lyrical quality to the writing, which was definitely the best part of the story. I believe this is the author's debut, so I will be waiting with excitement for whatever she writes next :)

A very interesting fantasy romance with enough adventure to make the story actually interesting. The plot twist is obvious as is the resolution to the prince's condition, but the story moves quickly enough and the world is interesting and unique enough that the obvious nature of these two plot points doesn't diminish the enjoyment of the book overall. This is Tsai's first novel and I, for one, will absolutely be looking for her next book (hopefully next several books?) with interest.

Tesia Tsai has woven a story so beautifully that I read it in two days. A story about duty, honor, love, letting go, and holding on. Fighting for what you love and knowing when to let go is best. Siying is a priestess who is tasked with guiding the deceased to their resting places. She lives in a kingdom that is in the midst of war. She takes on a job to bring a soldier to his home across the border. The soldier turns out to be the missing crown prince. When she reanimates him, he comes to life. Though not completely, she soon finds out that he needs qi to actually stay alive. They set off on a journey to bring him home, gathering purified qi along the way.

I do hope @illumicrate it @fairyloot will do a special edition of this one I can't wait to have a copy on my bookshelves.

Description

A sweeping debut inspired by the Chinese folk practice of necromancy, Deathly Fates is perfect for fans of Descendant of the Crane, The Bone Shard Daughter, and A Magic Steeped in Poison.

As a priestess paid to guide the deceased home, Kang Siying has never feared death. But when her beloved father collapses, Siying realizes that even she is not free from the cruel grasp of mortality. Desperate to provide her father with the medical aid he needs, Siying accepts a dangerous job that promises a generous commission, and travels to a hostile state to retrieve the corpse of a missing prince.

But the moment Siying places her reanimation talisman on the dead prince's head, rather than make the corpse obedient to Siying's commands, the talisman brings the prince back to life. Worse, he won't stay alive for long—not unless he absorbs enough qi, or life force, to keep his soul anchored to his body.

In return for a reward worth twice her original commission, Siying agrees to aid the frustratingly handsome prince in finding and purifying evil spirits for their qi. But as they journey across the countryside, encountering vengeful ghosts and enemy spies alike, they gradually uncover dark secrets about the prince's death—secrets that could endanger both Siying's father and their entire kingdom.


I received this egalley from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books I was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-arc!

Necromancer has to set out and bring back a dead soldier, except it's the younger prince. Say less. The themes of grief and duty to the throne were well done. The adventures of getting qi to bring back Ren were exciting and hard to put the book down. I enjoyed the mystery of finding out who murdered Ren and his mother. The romance and slow burn between Ren and Siyang was so sweet. I wish there were a little more to the ending, I wanted just a few more pages for their ending.