A Bright Heart - by Kate Chenli (Paperback)

About the Book

Murdered by the man she loved, the man she made king, Mingshin prays for a second chance as she dies--a prayer that is granted.
Awaking two years earlier, she swears to prevent Ren from becoming king and to never fall in love.
But it's not easy to stop a man willing to lie, kill, and give his soul to evil magic. It's not too easy to keep from falling in love, either--even if it's with Ren's brother, also competing for the throne.
Debut author Kate Chenli brings this tale to life through a vivid magical world and an unforgettable heroine.

Book Synopsis

What if you could avenge your own murder? A brilliant young woman gets a second chance at life in this debut YA tale of vengeance, court intrigue, and romance, inspired by classic Chinese tropes.

"An incredible addition to the classic Chinese court intrigue genre. A Bright Heart is smart, subversive, and certainly swoony."
--Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

Mingshin outsmarted three princes to help the man she loved become king. But she doesn't see Ren's betrayal coming, not until she's lying in a pool of her own blood on the palace steps.

As she's dying, Mingshin makes a desperate plea to the gods to turn back time and give her a chance to make things right.

Mingshin wakes up two years earlier, her prayer granted, and swears two things: Ren will never become king, and she will never fall in love again.

But the timeline in this life has changed: a dignitary gifted with dark magic is threatening her kingdom's peace, and Ren's thirst for power runs deeper than Mingshin could have imagined.

She finds herself allying with Jieh, another contender for the throne. Mingshin knows better than anyone not to give her heart to a prince. But in the viper's nest of the royal court, she and Jieh prove a phenomenal team. Can Mingshin avert the catastrophe of her past by once again learning to trust . . . and maybe even love?

Master storyteller Kate Chenli introduces a singular YA heroine in this vividly rendered and utterly original new young adult fantasy books series.

A spellbinding, tension-filled page-turner with a bold heroine, A Bright Heart will appeal to fans of romance books for teens like The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller, or other YA books that feature rich world-building, captivating romance, and a quest for revenge.

Review Quotes

"The clever premise and intriguing and suspenseful plot will keep readers engaged. A fresh and compelling voice."--Kirkus Reviews

"An incredible addition to the classic Chinese court intrigue genre. A Bright Heart is smart, subversive, and certainly swoony." --Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

About the Author

As a Chinese immigrant, Kate Chenli is a proud US citizen who also cherishes her Chinese heritage. She has an MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering, but has always enjoyed designing complex worlds and characters more than designing complex software. Other than reading and writing, her passion is world travel (five continents down and counting).