Deathly fates / Tesia Tsai.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

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. However, 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. 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.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

Evocative prose layered with Chinese folklore guides readers along a fantastical adventure filled with necromancy, political intrigue, and blossoming romance. Teen Kang Siying is a ganshi, a priestess who tracks down missing corpses and reanimates them into obedient puppets whom she guides home. Struggling to provide for her family after an epidemic kills her mother and leaves her father gravely ill, Siying accepts a job from an official of the kingdom of Sian, who offers her an exorbitant sum to retrieve the body of a dead soldier from a hostile territory. Siying capably locates her charge, but when she reanimates him, she's shocked to learn that he still possesses traces of his own life force, or qi--and that her magic has temporarily resurrected him. Revealing that he is no ordinary soldier but Meng Renshu, the second prince of Sian, he offers to double Siying's fee to help restore him to life permanently, for if he doesn't regain enough qi to anchor his soul to his body, he will die for good. Debut author Tsai leverages grumpy-sunshine relationship dynamics to imbue sweet vibrancy into the protagonists' adventure, which reads like a series of episodic murder mystery quests as the two encounter evil spirits on their life-and-death journey across the kingdom. Ages 13--up. Agent: Laura Crockett, Triada US. (Apr.)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 9 Up--Siying has followed in her father's footsteps, becoming a ganshi priestess. It is her job to shepherd the dead home and perform burial rites. But since her mother died and her father became sick, she has depended on smuggling goods for extra money to send home to her father and sister. Her most recent job has her traveling to Wen to retrieve a fallen soldier for a palace official. But she gets a surprise when she places the reanimation talisman on the corpse's forehead and the man comes back to life. Not only that, the common soldier is actually Prince Meng Renshu of Sian. While Ren is now alive, he is missing most of his qi. To make sure Ren can make it home, Siying will have to collect qi from evil spirits and give it to Ren. This story is a standalone fantasy inspired by Chinese folktales and practices. There is also some compelling court intrigue and mystery. While the world and kingdoms are made up, it is easy to see parallels between China and Taiwan. In this same way, it is easy to sympathize with the many characters and their experiences, from both sides of the conflict, as victims of war. The romance is a slow burn and quite chaste. Readers will appreciate the neat wrap-up at the end with a happily ever after. There is some violence as well as depictions of violent deaths. VERDICT Nonstop action will keep readers, especially those who enjoy episodic monster-of-the-week adventures, turning the pages.--Hannah Pohl

Kirkus Book Review

A ganshi priestess becomes caught up in politics when the body she recovers isn't entirely deceased--and turns out to be that of a missing prince. Kang Siying, a "shepherd of the dead," is desperate to secure funds for her father's medical treatment. She accepts a lucrative job from Official Yi to recover a soldier's body from across the enemy border in Wen. After she uses a talisman to reanimate the corpse, she's shocked that he exhibits consciousness. Seeking advice from the elder wisewoman Mistress Ming, Siying learns she's escorting no ordinary commoner but Sian's Prince Ren, who died under suspicious circumstances. Mistress Ming gives Ren a mala bead necklace, explaining that he must collect enough qi, or life force, to warm all 54 beads if he's to live without help from the reanimation talisman. Siying and Ren agree that she'll exorcise evil spirits and purify their qi to give him; in return, they'll meet Official Yi in the capital city of Hulin to ensure she's paid. Mysteriously, Ren asks to stop in Baimu, Siying's hometown, where he needs to recover "something precious." The tightly written narrative builds suspense as the duo learn the spirits' stories, which in turn deftly reveal the impact of the actions of Ren's father and older brother, the king and first prince. Romantic feelings grow naturally as Siying and Ren navigate political and personal entanglements that unravel, revealing a compelling larger conspiracy. Adventure, intrigue, and romance; a Chinese-inspired fantasy debut that has it all.(Fantasy. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.