I live for debut novels and authors, and this did not fall short. I cannot wait to see what else this author does and it if this book becomes a series, the characters had depth and the plot was enticing.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tesia Tsai, and St. Martin's Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

This was such a great debut. I had no idea while reading it that it was a debut. The magic system was interesting. The fact that she can raise the dead and help them pass over. I thought it was explained well. The characters were flushed out. I enjoyed some of the side characters as well as the main characters. Siying was a great FMC, with her compassion and protectiveness. I could read more books with her as the main character. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I would highly recommend it!

This uses necromancy perfectly and thought was a beautifully done Chinese folk practice respectfully. The overall feel was everything that I wanted and enjoyed getting into this world. The overall feel worked well and enjoyed how realistic the characters were during this. The characters had that charm that I was wanting and enjoyed the overall feel of this. Tesia Tsai has a strong writing style and was glad I was able to get to read this, the characters and world were everything that I wanted.

I'm delighted to have found a new Chinese fantasy that I enjoyed reading. I loved the worldbuilding around ganshi priests/priestesses and the talismans they use (it felt very adjacent to Chinese cultivation, if not exactly a cultivation-based magic system), and Siying and Renshu's encounters with evil spirits reminded me in the best way of the creepiest Chinese ghost stories. The pacing moved at a brisk clip, and I flew through the pages. Siying and Renshu's relationship was also fun; I always enjoy a grumpy girl x sunshine boy dynamic. The only part that fell short for me was that while Siying and Renshu's personalities complemented each other, there was something missing for me to completely buy their romantic chemistry, though I can't quite put my finger on what it was.

Overall, though, I loved this and definitely recommend!

Deathly Fates is the kind of debut that slips past your defenses—you forget you’re reading an author’s first published work because it feels so assured, so steeped in its own world. Tesia Tsai draws on necromancy not as a shock factor, but as an act of compassion, rooted in Chinese folk traditions that feel both reverent and alive. The result is a magic system that’s not just clever, but deeply moving: the raising of the dead is not a tool for horror here, but a means to help lost souls find peace.

At the heart of it all is Siying, a heroine who balances quiet compassion with fierce protectiveness. She isn’t the kind of protagonist who demands the spotlight—she earns it, one thoughtful choice at a time. I could happily spend several more books walking beside her. Around her, the supporting cast feels no less alive than the spirits she guides—each with their own texture, quirks, and histories that make them linger in the mind long after the final chapter.

Tsai’s writing carries a steady confidence, blending the intimacy of character work with the sweep of a richly imagined world. There’s an immediacy to the way she renders grief, duty, and loyalty—real emotions grounded in realistic reactions, even when magic is at play. The pacing never rushes, yet it never stalls, allowing the story’s quiet beauty to unfurl at its own rhythm.

The world itself is a layered, atmospheric place, where every ritual feels purposeful and every act of magic carries weight. You can almost feel the smoke of incense curling through the air, the heavy stillness before a spirit’s release. Tsai’s respect for the cultural roots of her story shines through in every detail, making the necromancy not just believable, but unforgettable.

For readers who like:
-Immersive, atmospheric worlds
-Rich cultural heritage
-Magic rooted in empathy and tradition

Final Verdict
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. I can’t wait to see where she goes next.

Grateful to NetGalley, Wednesday Books and Tesia Tsai for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐋𝐘 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒 𝐛𝐲 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐚 𝐓𝐬𝐚𝐢
⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒔

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.

This was such an amazing debut! I found out about this book through book discussions and recommendations and I am so glad that I read it! I knew that it was a debut novel but nowhere while reading this book did it feel like one.

Tsai's craft is beautiful and easy to follow. Poetic at times required and descriptive for lush landscapes and nature. The writing flow was very well managed — along with the pacing which made it very easy to read and imagine along the narrative.

The magic system is based on the Chinese folk practice of necromancy. The book gave out immense xianxia vibes and I was here for it! The world-building is rich and layered, with an atmospheric presence. The magic system blended and fit right into the story — with any need of plot armour or justification which made no sense. Every detail of the story was believable because of the cultural roots to setting, which made the story feel more unforgettable.

The FMC, Kang Siying, is a priestess with the ability to reanimate corpses and purify souls. She's compassionate and fierce, willing to protect her family for anything.

Renshu is the Second Prince who — unlike the rest of his family — was playful, sweet and cheeky. He's too sweet-tempered and trusts easily. He comes of as coward and lived a life of privilege but seeing his character development pay off at the end was wonderful.

Deathly Fates is a beautiful crafted and running novel for fans of Chinese folklore, xianxia, necromancy and soft romance, with a headstrong FMC who carries rage and grief like an armour and compassion like a gift to all.

Siying is a special kind of priestess, one who can control the dead as she helps them along to their final resting place. When she accepts a risky mission to retrieve a corpse across warring state lines to earn the money to save her ill father, the last person she expected the corpse to be was the second Prince, Ren, or that he would still be alive! But for Ren to stay alive they must purify and capture qi all the while dodging soldiers and trying to figure out who set him up to die. Along the way they just might find themselves falling in love.

Siying was a refreshing protagonist in a world of YA heroes who are all rash, daring, and rebellious. She is calm, practical, and duty-bound. Ren, on the other hand, was her complete opposite: charming and teasing, carefree and handsome. They were the perfect compliments to each other and I greatly enjoyed experiencing them growing closer.

Siying’s power was really refreshingly different as well. I have read a lot of Asian fantasy, both written by English authors and Asian authors translated into English (by fans and publishers) but her gift of controlling corpses for benevolent purposes was the first time I had seen it used that way.

I think this book would be a great introduction for anyone trying to get into Asian-inspired fantasy (as the culture is vastly different from Western culture and can be confusing to new readers) but also to fans who are already interested in anime (especially popular animations like K-Pop Demon Hunters) or Asian mythology.

5/5

Thank NetGalley and the St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this ARC prior to its official release. My review was voluntarily provided and all thoughts and opinions found below are solely my own.

I very much enjoyed reading this book. Not only was the premise completely original, it caught my interest right from the start.

Kang Siying is a priestess tasked with the job of retrieving an important, *dead* client--only, when she reanimates him, he might not actually be as dead as they originally thought. Ren is easy-going and lighthearted for a prince, trusting easily and showing compassion and kindness everywhere he goes. It's exactly this personality that draws Siying in and allows her to become more vulnerable and to look at her duties as something more than a job. They perfectly complimented each other's personalities and, in my opinion, helped each other develop and reach their full potential as characters, while also preventing the other from going too far. Both of them learned from each other and we see the changes in their characters from this throughout the story as we follow them along their various adventures in their mission to fully bring Ren back to life.

The ending was great and while I did raise my brows at the climax, it also made sense. The way it was written made me emphatize with the characters and to feel all of their emotions fully--I couldn't help but root for them and their cause.

Captivating and well written, this is a story that will pull on your heartstrings and leave you satisfied with the entire reading experience. I fully recommend reading this book and I plan to pick up a physical copy to add to my collection once it comes out in stores.

Thank you Tesia for sharing with us such a lovely story for your debut novel and I can't wait to see what else you have in store.

Deathly Fates was unlike anything I’ve ever read before. Tesia Tsai masterfully weaves a story that is both haunting and breathtaking. The dynamic between the main character and the male lead is exceptionally well written—I felt as though I were living their journey alongside them. What I especially loved was the fierce love Kang Siying has for her father. From the very first chapter, we understand the depth of her devotion and what drives her. As a priestess who guides the dead home, Siying’s path is as heartbreaking as it is beautiful.

Spoiler ahead
I really enjoyed the fact that the ending of the book felt like a full circle. Since the beginning, we are told that Siying wants to resurrect her father. "Because whatever was going on with the soldier. I needed to complete the job. My fathers life depended on it." as we complete the book Siying prespective shifts dramatcially. In a conversation with Lilan she says "We sat there for a long time, sharing our grief in silence, the unsaid words hovering heavy between us. But I didn't mind the heaviness. I let it press against me, run through me like a wave, sanctifying my pain until it became something like hope." Prince Renshu was an absoulute cutie and I felt so happy that they both got their happy ending.

Wonderful!! An exciting adventure filled with plenty of action, high stakes, quest, ghosts, and so much more!

I was honestly hooked from the start with this one! The concept pulled me in and it didn’t disappoint in the least. It was easy to get swept up in this high stakes quest not to mention the characters were fun to read.

Siying was a stern independent woman who would do anything for her family. I loved her dedication and her seriousness.

Ren was fun. He was the more funny and charming guy but he had a strong moral compass and protectiveness that I loved.

The two of them together were so much fun. I love the banter and tension between them and I really loved the lessons they learned from each other.

There are so many great tropes in here like; Chinese folklore inspired, political strife, warring kingdom, royalty, grumpy/sunshine vibes, cinnamon roll MMC, fierce independent FMC, no spice, banter, ghosts, high stakes quest, action-packed, slow burn, adventure, and so much more that’s not to miss!!

For a debut novel, this story was truly stunning. The plot was new & captivating from the very first page, and I felt embodied in the story the entire time that I was reading it. The slow burn was amazing, and it was so refreshing to read something that relied more on plot and story telling than romance and smut. This was truly a great story from beginning to end, and I look forward to buying a copy when it comes out!