Hello, friends. ✨ Today I’m excited to kick off the blog tour for A Bright Heart by Kate Chenli! Special thanks to the TBR & Beyond Tours team for organising the tour and including me in it.

Thanks to Union Square & Co. for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Click here or on the banner above to check out the rest of the fantastic bloggers on tour!

TL;DR: A Bright Heart was an enjoyable YA fantasy debut with a lot of potential! Mingshin was a fierce, determined and easy to root for character and I loved her story of vengeance and justice. Even though I’m not very familiar with Wuxia stories, I appreciated how the author brought the popular second-chance revenge story trope to a wider audience and I think she delivered an intriguing story full of court intrigue, mystery, a bit of magic and mythology, as well as a sweet slow burn romance. This is a great introduction to Chinese fantasy and mythology and I’m already looking forward to the sequel!

“Mingshin, my name, means a bright heart.”

When I started this book, I have to admit I was a bit worried because the writing got off to a pretty rough start but I’m happy to say it steadily improved as the story progressed. It’s very straightforward and simple, which is great for readers who don’t want a lot of world-building, but for those who love lush prose and grand world-building, the writing may come across as flat. There is more telling than showing, which is generally a peeve of mine but I think the great thing about the simplicity of the writing here is that it makes for a very quick read. The world-building wasn’t strong and we learned about the history, myth and magic, in random and patchy chunks. I wanted so much more from the mythology and magic aspect which felt conveniently dropped in when Mingshin needed it most, but also very late in the story, too. There were also moments where the logic went a bit fuzzy and you had to suspend your disbelief a little more than usual. I’m just hoping the sequel will bring more light to the magic/mythology and that the writing will be stronger, as I do see the potential!

“I turn to see Mother walk in.
“You look beautiful,” she says. I open my mouth to protest but she continues, “You are beautiful. Don’t let other people demean you or tell you otherwise. For true value lies in here.” She points at my heart.”

The pacing was very fast. In fact, at times I would say that it was too fast and didn’t give readers enough time to digest what was happening before moving on. I’m not normally a fan of flashbacks but it was interesting to see how Mingshin’s previous life was brought up through the moments she encounters in the present. I liked that we learned about things that happen along the way. Ultimately, I do think that the author delivered her intent with the story. We have a revenge plot, we have a heroine seeking justice and getting it (to a point), we have the court intrigue, slow-burn romance, and adventure, and we also have a main character who undergoes a lot of growth by the end.

“My daughter, who has the fiery spirit of the sun and the bright heart of the moon.”

I liked Mingshin and the cast of characters who accompanied her along the way! The friendships that form and the romance that blooms were enjoyable to read about and it made me root for everyone. From the moment we meet Mingshin, she’s fuelled by anger and a drive for vengeance. She is strong-willed and determined and this backbone only gets stronger as she experiences (once again) all the wrongs done to her, only this time with her eyes wide open. She not only grows wiser and more sure of herself but she also learns to open herself up to others, including when it comes to love, and it was so great to see her shine and be recognised for her cunning intelligence. Jieh was a surprisingly swoony love interest who I think will have many fans. He does come across as arrogant initially but he proves that high opinion is earned through skill, bravery and honor. The romance gets off to an awkward start as Mingshin already has formed opinions of him from the past and she’s determined not to fall in love again, but he’s determined to prove his worth to her. I liked that he appreciated her boldness and intelligence and that he didn’t treat her like a fragile flower. Plus, he says many swoony things! 😍

“A kind heart makes you soft, weak, and vulnerable to your enemies.” Didn’t I learn that lesson with the price of my life?
“When a kind heart is directed at the right people, it’s strength, not weakness.”

Aside from Mingshin and Jieh, I think the other characters were a bit one-dimensional but that didn’t make me like them less. I couldn’t get enough of Yunle, Fei, and Yao. This unlikely group of friends made this read so much more enjoyable for me and I hope they all get bigger roles in the sequel!

“One should always choose to listen to her head over hear heart.”

In the end, I really enjoyed this one! I didn’t think I would because of the rough beginning but I did want to come back to this when I had to put it down. I was intrigued by how the author would pull off such an intense plot and for the most part, she delivered. The intrigue was solid throughout and as more of the scheming plots were revealed, the more eager I was to keep reading. I‘m already looking forward to getting my hands on the sequel!

Do you plan to read A Bright Heart or is it already on your TBR?

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