A FIERY SPIRIT

Internal and external forces vie for power even as Lu Mingshin attempts to protect the powerful Divine Stone from evil sorcerer Xiangyu in this Chinese mythology–inspired sequel.

Thanks to the time-traveling powers of the Divine Stone, Mingshin was able to prevent her own murder by her uncle, yet she’s still not in the clear. Uncle Yi escaped and is still plotting to gain influence over the throne, while Xiangyu, the Night Dragon, lies in wait, reinforcing his powers. The action-packed plot quickly reveals that Mingshin, her family, and her allies are focused on helping her love, Prince Jieh, succeed in his bid against his brother, Kai, to become ruler of the kingdom. But things are complicated—magic is illegal in Dazhou, and Mingshin finds that her own powers, as the guardian of the powerful Divine Stone, have quickly been expanding to encompass other types of magic. She fears Jieh’s love will not survive the revelation of this secret. Xiangyu has grown in power within the spiritual realm as well, and he’s plotting to use the Divine Stone to take over the world. Familiarity with the events of A Bright Heart (2023) is essential to fully appreciating the complexities of this installment. The characterizations are strong, and the twists are abundant, but the large supporting cast and number of subplots can make the story hard to track. The ending strongly hints at a sequel to come.

An entertaining if sometimes overly convoluted venture that will please series fans.