The story of Mingshin is a tale of love, revenge, and second chances.

Mingshin's love for Ren knew no bounds. She put in every effort to make sure that he would ascend to the throne. But her dreams were shattered when Ren finally became king. He betrayed her trust and killed her. Mingshin was just a mere pawn in Ren's game of power. How could she have known that the ultimate price of love was her own life? As she lay bleeding out, Mingshin made a desperate plea to the gods to turn back time and make things right. To her surprise, her plea was answered, and she woke up two years earlier. Now, Mingshin sought to avenge herself and rewrite the course of her destiny.

I found the storyline to be fast-paced and engaging. However, I wish there was a bit more depth and development when it came to the magic and secondary characters. Despite this, I thought it was a great read and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

*** Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Chenli, and Dreamscape Media for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***

A Bright Heart is a wonderfully creative debut novel by Kate Chenli. It revolves around a young woman, Mingshin, who at the beginning of the novel finds out she has been betrayed by the prince she loves and is supposed to marry. As she lays taking her last breathes after being attacked by this prince, she makes a wish to go back in time and relive her life. To her surprise, the next day she wakes up 2 years in the past. Mingshin guards her heart as she carefully plots her revenge against all the wrongs done to her in her past life.

I loved this novel! It was really interesting, and well written. Mingshin is a strong female character, and she does everything she can to fight for the people she loves and cares about, while using her wit to outsmarts those who did her wrong in her past life. I felt it really believable how Mingshin kept her heart closely guarded and didn't want to trust anyone due to betrayals in her past life, and I loved how her character slowly developed into opening up to those around her.

Something about this book I thought was a little tough was the character names. I had a hard time keeping track because there were many, and the book takes place in a foreign land so the names were a bit more difficult to keep track of. I also was unsure if there is going to be a continuation of this book; the story wraps up, but with some loose ends. I was hoping it was a standalone, but I have a feeling to author intends to write more if it is picked up by the publisher. I would definitely read the second book!!!

I listened to this on audiobook, and thought the narrator did an amazing job! She pronounced the characters foreign names with precision, in a way that shows she clearly is familiar with the language. I'm glad I got to listen to it because I have a feeling I would not have known how to pronounce some of the names myself. The narrator was engaging to listen to, and had a calm voice and clear pronunciation.

This story would be great for the teen/YA audience. It is a very sweet, fantasy romance involving magic, and there is nothing that would be considered adult level content. I highly recommend this book and hope to read more by this author!

Thank you to netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5 stars

The setup for this book had me immediately hooked. Mingshin is to be married to the prince - until he betrays her and murders her so he can marry her cousin. Mingshin asks the universe for a second chance as she is dying and is somehow transported to two years prior, with the knowledge of her future.

I love Chinese court intrigue, and this book is very introductory level. This book is very YA, and I would say it's not necessarily the kind of YA that many adults will love. The characters and writing are pretty straight forward, and I was really hoping for more nuance. It wasn't the most intriguing book, and I did struggle to pick it back up. Overall, fine, but nothing great.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyable and well-paced, A Bright Heart follows a lot of the conventions of the "villainess time travel" genre that has been quite popular in East Asian media over the last few years (think Shu Nü You Du/Princess Weiyoung or the more recent Story of Kunning Palace), so I was excited to see a YA fantasy take on one of my favorite genres.

The romance didn't quite land for me, since Jieh didn't stand out much to me as a love interest. I was also hoping to see some proper scheming from Aylin and her family, and with how they were easily brushed aside by Mingshin's counterattacks made me yearn for a real opponent for her. Still, I enjoyed seeing this book weave together those Chinese fiction tropes that I know and love with a YA fantasy flavor in the magic system. Following along with Mingshin's scheming was easily my favorite part.

Definitely intrigued to see where the sequel goes.

Natalie Naudus does a stellar job with her narration, as always.

I really liked this! I think this might be my first Chinese court drama (unless the Celestial Kingdom books count), so take my review with a grain of salt if you're very familiar with them. Also, it's actually not set in China, although very much influenced by the culture. This is a fantasy set in a secondary world.

The book opens with a bang. Our main character, Mingshin, is murdered by her fiancé, who turns out to have been manipulating and using her to gain the throne. But she is granted a second chance by a mysterious force when her life is rewound and it's as if the last two years didn't happen, but she still remembers everything that happened. This time she's determined to get things right, and to make sure her murderous fiancé and treacherous family don't harm her or her family, and if a little revenge happens along the way, all the better.

I don't think I would have liked this nearly as much without the speculative do-over element of Mingshin getting another chance to get things right. That really added a fun element to the story that helped with character growth, intrigue, and the revenge plot. Without it, the story would have felt a lot more commonplace to me. It also got kind of bonkers towards the end with the fantastical elements. This also appears to be the first book in a series, if that ending is anything to go by. Lots of things left up in the air.

Natalie Naudus, as always, does a great job with her narration. You're always safe in her hands.

Rating: 2/5
Format: ALC (Audiobook)
Narrator: Natalie Naudus

I was very excited to read this book because of the Chinese folklore, revenge trope, and time travel! Unfortunately, I would have enjoyed this more in a different format. I thought the narrator sounded too mature for the character. I kept listening to see what would happen and found that it was just ok.

Thank you NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Dreamscape Lore for the ALC.

The audiobook, narrated by Natalie Naudus, was an absolute joy to listen to. The cover is a beauty but this novel would have deserved a better title.

The story is fast-paced and entertaining, and if you like Asian inspired fantasy books, you won't be disappointed with all the intrigues, scheming and fights. The ending was a bit cheesy to my taste but I look forward to reading the sequel.

Thanks NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an Advance Review Copy.

4.25 - (Audiobook)

LIKES:
- quick, fast-pasted read
- easily digestible court politics/intrigue
- smooth plot progression

DISLIKES:
- more “tell” than “show”
- narration fell a little flat on occasion

This was a really fun read for me! The audiobook was on the shorter side at around 10 hours or so, and my time listening to it passed easily. The premise had me hooked from the beginning and the quick pace kept me engaged the throughout. I loved the cast of characters, the development of Mingshin’s interpersonal relationships, and her determination and dedication to making full use of her second chance.

Although I enjoyed this immensely, the narration didn’t feel emotive enough at certain points, leading to an overall flat tone. However, this may also be tied into the author’s writing style, which leaned towards more “telling” the reader what was happening, rather than showing it.

4.5 Stars!

This was so great! I had so much fun reading this and I will for sure read the next installment

We start off with a bang. Mingshin gets murdered by her romantic interest in the first chapter after having been instrumental in making him king. As she's dying she prays to the gods to turn back time and wakes up two years in the past with a second chance at life.

This story is filled with court politics, intrigue, betrayals, and smart, angry vengeful women. It has very common themes, plot structure, and execution of romance to most manhua graphic novels that are geared towards younger audiences.

This feels like a very middle YA book, mixing darker themes with simple, easy to understand writing. Honestly, it was an extremely bingeable and enjoyable read. Nothing was subtle about this fast paced revenge novel and I thought it was perfect just the way that executed and for the target audience it's trying to reach. I was cheering and rooting for Mingshin the whole way through. I loved how strong and smart she was yet there still was much growth in her character throughout the novel. The romance was pretty darn cute too!

Highly recommend!

Thank you to Dreamscape Media, Dreamscape Lore, and Netgalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. A Bright Heart by Kate Chenli released on November 14th, 2023.

This book was not bad. I want to preface this review by saying that. The story was entertaining enough and the narrator did an awesome job for the audiobook - however, it wasn't for me. While I think the lore was insanely cool, and I loved the trope of going back to change the past, the book read too young for me. Now that isn't a bad thing -it was written for a younger audience, but I loved the plot summary and I wanted to give it a shot.

With that said, I would definitely recommend this book for the intended audience and for those who prefer to read the younger range of YA.

This is easily one of the best books I’ve read (or listened to) this year
I realize the rise of Asians fantasy books – one rooted in the Asian culture and mythology – is on the rise yet I’ve never found myself reaching for one, that’s why A Bright Heart is a pleasant surprise
The pacing is amazing, the plot is well thought-out and flows beautifully, the characters are realistic, likable and I find myself rooting for them from the get-go

The plot
Mingshin was condemned to death by her fiancé Ren, one of the king’s son that she helped ascend the throne and was also betrayed by her own cousin who she’d considered a sister
As she laid taking her last dying breath, she asked the gods for a chance of a do-over
Much to her surprise, she found herself awaken two years ago as the race to be the next king take place by the four princes
In this new lifetime, Mingshin swore to herself she won’t let Ren ascend the throne and to uncover his retched ways
As it turns out, Mingshin found herself drawn to the other prince Jieh and a friendship with the princess
Will they be able to save the country from murder plots, dark magic and Ren?

I love Mingshin and how her character reminds me so much to Mulan
These characteristic and the way women seem to be outspoken and brave might not be historically accurate but I root for her from the get go
Jieh is also the perfect prince who seems a bit arrogant and full of himself at first but he redeemed himself
I can’t wait for the next book and to see more of Mingshin and Jieh

Thank you to Netgalley for providing this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

4.5/5 stars

This was wholly and truly wonderful - I really really enjoyed it! The storytelling is beautiful and the concept grips you from the very beginning. My only complaint - I didn’t know this would be a series and I want more!

Mingshin is a fantastic main character - you understand her motivations clearly from the start and she never deviates from her goals. She is intelligent, clever, and adaptable but she is also struggling internally with what happened to her and getting to see her work through that turmoil is really satisfying because it feels earned.

The story and concept itself is so cool - a woman is scorned and murdered, until her final pleas to live awaken a latent magic, making her worthy of another chance? It’s so interesting how it all weaves together and it’s done in such a wonderful way that it didn’t feel cheap or hokey, it felt really satisfying.

Chenli is a fantastic storyteller and her writing was just beautifully done. I really loved this story and I was hooked from the very beginning, complete immersed and dedicated to knowing what happened next. I can’t wait for more in this series and anything else Chenli puts out!

I have an intense love for Asian historical dramas, and the fact that this book read like one was the best thing ever. This book is definitely for those who are interested in such and have never indulged in one. For me, it was pretty easy to know where the story would go and what to look out for, but none of that takes away from the shine of the book. The narrator did a great job of keeping me interested in the story and I can't wait to see what the author writes next.

When a plea is uttered from the lips of a dying heart, the Gods have to answer. With that starts the twist of time that creates a new glitch. Set in the Chinese world of Kings and Queens, the power-hungry hungry humans have always laid traps within traps, using all means at their disposal to climb the ladder.

The book's pacing was adequately streamlined with the turn of events in the story. I particularly enjoyed the protagonist's character. She wasn't like an average person, she learnt from her mistakes and did everything in her capacity to make sure the power did not fall into the wrong hands. There were also enough twists to keep the reader engaged with the story. The mages in the story have always been fascinating to read and I wanted to have some more info about them.

Thank you @netgalley @dreamscape_media @katechenli.author @unionsqandco for the ARC

Genre: #fantasy #romantasy
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️

I enjoyed this Asian inspired fantasy full of political intrigue, sweet romance, a dash
of magic and surprising twists! I thought the story was fast paced and kept my attention from start to finish. I liked the main character Mingshin, she had a lot of character growth throughout the story. I thought the story had a good ending, but it was definitely left open and I would love to read a sequel if there is one! The narrator did a great job, she was very easy to listen to and understand.

An interesting twist on a second chance story.

The story begins in the middle of the action - Mingshin has been arrested as part of a plot to kill the King, and discovers that her fiancé has been lying to her and using her the entire time they’ve been engaged. In a desperate plea when faced with execution, she prays for a second chance to do things over… and wakes in her bedroom at the palace two years earlier.

What follows is an enjoyable tale as Mingshin attempts to avoid mistakes she made in her past life, discover how and why she was able to get a second chance, and finds herself teaming up with a prince… but a different one this time.

We’ve seen how far people will go for love, but how far will she go to thwart the man who used her before? And what surprises will she find along the way?

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape for this ALC!

- I had trouble really getting into this story. The action starts immediately, but then the pacing really slows down.
- For someone who was so determined to not trust any royals, it was hard to understand why Mingshin would end up still working with royals.
- A lot of the book was very told and not shown, and I found a fair amount of the dialogue to be very stilted. This made the romance hard to buy into because it felt like the two MCs didn't have much chemistry.
- I think the premise is really good, and I think this could have been a lot better with some more editing!
- I've read some reviews that mentioned that it seemed like it was missing flashbacks, and I agree! There were two years of memories that only Mingshin knew, and I felt like we got so little about her previous life.
- I did think the narrator did a great job, especially with the different voices for different characters!

Hearing this was a story about revenge, I was sold. The stunning cover caught my attention and wanting to see where this revenge story went gripped it. As I dived into the story, it never changed.

This is a true story of revenge. The determination and fire that Mingshin has is amazing. While a lot of her past life, despite her remembering it, was either a brief flashback or simply told to us, it became clear that she learned a lot from her past life and was going to make the most of it. Mingshin had a spark that I couldn’t help but love. There was a fire in her that had me gagging from time to time as she was bold and not afraid to speak her mind and let the fury come through.

The plot really hinges on political intrigue. A fight for the throne while Mingshin is determined to protect herself and her family. I was gripped the whole time, eager to see how it was all going to play out. It is clear that it’s written for YA as the plot was easy to follow, something I greatly appreciated at this moment in time.

With the writing, there was a lot of telling instead of showing. While this made it easier to understand and a quicker read, it is something I would have liked to seen a little less of. But, at the time, having it written that way was nice especially as I listened to this on audio.

Speaking of, the audio was so well done. Natalie Naudus was exceptional. She delivered everything in such a way that it never seemed boring nor easy to find myself tuning it out. I don’t know if this is my first audiobook by her, but I’m going to be sure to be looking out for more from her.

Should also be noted that while this is listed as a standalone, there is definitely room for a sequel which was a double-edged sword for me. I loved the story so I didn’t mind that it was open enough for a sequel, but I also came in expecting a standalone fantasy, so do keep that in mind!

A Bright Heart is a solid debut from Kate Chenli. It’s a story that can win over a number of hearts and capture their attention. It was an enjoyable read that I didn’t want to pull away from. I’m excited to see what else this author is going to come up with and do after a debut like this.

Thank you Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Loved this so much! This was such an addictive and satisfying revenge story.

I have a weakness for stories with court politics and intrigue, so this was perfect.

I look forward to reading more by this author!

I really enjoyed this story! The writing of the book itself was great and I had not realized that this was a debut novel. I love books inspired by cultures different from my own which was one of the reasons why I was drawn to this book taking inspiration from Chinese mythology. The characters were well developed and I really liked all the strong females that were represented throughout. The political intrigue was interesting but not too confusing and kept the plot steadily moving. I think the author did a great job with writing the ending as well because it ended nicely enough that someone could be satisfied by just leaving it at that. However, there are still questions to be answered and there is still at least one antagonist to deal with for those who want to continue on with the series like myself.

Regarding the audiobook itself, I thought the narrator fit the role perfectly. She kept my attention throughout listening, and I personally appreciate how she changed her voice between narration and dialogue between different characters. Also her reading pace was well done.

Thank you Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the audiobook!