Mia Tsai’s debut novel BITTER MEDICINE keeps electrifying reviewers and fans as seen by Tia Trammel for RT Book Reviews inclusion of Tsai on The 20 Best Paranormal Romance Authors – Ultimate Guide and reviews from Laura Hubbard at BookPage, Tales of a Bookbug, Victoria Janssen, and Between Printed Pages. For Grimdark Magazine, Elizabeth Tabler interviews Tsai.

Mia Tsai’s enchanting paranormal debut, BITTER MEDICINE, was released on March 14, 2023. If you’re looking for a book with three-dimensional characters, a plethora of charm, and an intricate magic system, this is the one for you!

RT Book Reviews

Full of heart and hope, BITTER MEDICINE is both a heartwarming look into the relationships that shape our lives and an all-consuming narrative about a hidden world of magic and intrigue, combining dreamy prose with sharp wit and a propulsive story. It’s perfect for those who are looking for a cozier read but still want enough action to keep things interesting.

BookPage

The action and plot go hand in hand with the romance – and it was nice to meet different characters and see what shaped their decisions. I feel like the part about her younger brother gets sidelined in the second half as it’s left up to her family but honestly that’s the best because I wouldn’t want Elle to be put in a position to lose one of her siblings either. The ending was really satisfying as it’s the best outcome for both Luc and Elle! I’d love it if there was another book set in this world, so that we could see what happens in the future and how everything plays out!

But, honestly this was a fantastic debut and a must-read if you’re a fantasy romance or xianxia fan like me!❣️✨

Tales of a Bookbug

Of course, Elle and Luc fall in love, but their conflicting responsibilities and the true selves they hide from each other add a lot of excellent tension, resulting in difficult but ultimately satisfying decisions. There’s a lot of fun banter and some side characters I’d love to see again.

Victoria Janssen

The more I think about this book, the more I love it! There’s so many little details baked into these pages that really bring the story to life. I felt like I was watching an entire romantic saga unfold before me with xianxia magic from the East, faery lore from the West, family drama, action-packed fights and chases, and reflective moments of growth.

Between Printed Pages

[GdM] How did you decide on the title Bitter Medicine?

The original title when I first started querying was A Brush with Love, but it was rightly pointed out to me that it sounded like a dentistry rom-com. So I went back to the drawing board and did a word cloud and after some light agonizing, decided Bitter Medicine was a much better encapsulation of the themes in the novel and was better able to hint at Elle’s roots, being a descendant of the Chinese god of medicine and all.

Grimdark Magazine