Not gonna lie, but this was just boring and predictable to me.

Don't get me wrong, though. Predictability in itself does not mean it's bad. When utilized well, well-expected twists or plot beats can be entertaining or tug on the readers heartstrings.

Legend of the White Snake is not one of those books.

Xian and Zhen are so bland they'd make cardboard look defined and fleshed out. Zhen's backstory was kind of interesting enough to make some potential out of it, but it was very much squandered. It only takes one look from both boys to realize they were in love with the other. Granted, there was some hesitancy due to acknowledged, and enormous, power imbalance between the two. But they still get together so quick I hardly had the time to process it, especially when Xian asked Zhen to move in with him after, like, they slept together. Nothing about this relationship felt natural or organic; the boys are too one-dimensional for me to get fully invested in them.

I don't know the original story, but what I do know it that it's not standard to title your book on the very thing your basing your story on. I don't know if the blame lies with the author or the publisher for doing something this dumb. Either way, that's still a slight from me.

The story was so lacking and beat by beat in the worse way. Of course, there was the inevitable liar/betrayer revealed moment, the forgiveness arc, the big bad guy twist followed by the monologue explaining their evil back story, sacrificing of the self to bring a beloved back to life only to miraculously come back from the dead, too, in the epilogue, I was basically scrolling through the pages just to get through the book quickly to be done with it. I did not care enough for the characters or this world to be wholly invested into it.

The only thing I did like was the tidbits of snake biology sprinkled throughout the story. Sure, they were jarring and took me out of the story, but I liked learning about snakes. It made me want to pick up a snake biology book rather than continue to read this.

All in all, this just wasn't for me. I always hope I'll enjoy whatever book I pick up, but, more often than not, there'll be the ones like this where I won't.

For the readers who loved A Bright Heart and Jade Fire Gold comes this YA, mlm fantasy standalone that is a retelling of the ancient short-story Huang Jiulang or “Cut Sleeve”, originally published in the Qing Dynasty (mid-1600s). A BIPOC author has once again given us a story worth reading!

Legend of The White Snake is Sher Lee’s fantasy debut that follows the timeless beauty of Ancient China. The elegant storytelling narrates a fond tale of unconditional love and devotion between a prince and a snake spirit mixed with court politics, treachery, and unexpected twists leading to a very hopeful finale. Out in shelves on October 15, 2024!

This was a fun book that I would recommend to teen readers, though I’m a little unsure of how to place it age-wise. The adventure and story aspects felt most inviting for a 12-4 audience, while the intimate relationship between the main characters felt more appropriate for older readers.

The ancient Chinese fantasy setting is a delight and I enjoyed the dynamic of the main characters with each other and with the side characters. For me, it felt a bit heavy on the descriptions of visual details, especially during the first half of the book. However, I’ve read and watched plenty of other media that takes place in a similar setting, so this might be very helpful for readers who are new to the genre. Midway through the book I felt like the plot really took off and things started happening, and it was a quick read for me from that point on.

There were some elements of the story that seemed a bit too easy, like they happened because they had to for the next part of the plot, but they came quickly and felt unearned. But this basically a fairy tale retelling, and that’s kind of how these types of stories go sometimes.

Overall, it was a fun read and I zoomed through the book pretty quickly, which is a sign that I enjoyed it. I liked the dynamic the two main POV characters had with each other and with the side characters and I found both of them likable, and appreciated the happy ending as well as the sadness that happened along the way.

Sometimes when you finish a book you love, you turn to the last page and have to take a minute to marvel in everything you just read, and you find yourself wishing you could read it again for the first time. Sometimes when you finish a book you hate you reach the last page, stifle the urge to throw the book, smash the one star button, and prepare to write a long rant about why it sucked. But sometimes when you finish a book the only thing that comes to mind is…ok.

That is how I felt about this book. I wasn’t moved by how amazing it was or annoyed by how terrible it was, it was simply ok. Nothing more, nothing less.

There was never a moment in the story where I was particularly invested in the characters, plot, or the romance. Individually they never went past one dimensional. Their romance never took the time to develop and bordered on insta-love. Because of this, I never felt fully connected to or immersed in any aspect of the story. Ultimately I feel like this just scratched the surface of what it could have been.

Overall, I wasn’t wowed by this and I didn’t hate it, so I’m walking away with no passionate feelings toward it. It’s the kind of book I’ll likely forget I read in about a week or so, but it was a good enough way to pass a couple of hours. I will say though I did appreciate how even terms that I was unfamiliar with were explained simply and effectively. I do think because of that and the great concept that this story will be able to be enjoyed by a wide audience, I’m just not sure how often I would recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

~🄾🅅🄴🅁🄰🄻🄻 🅁🄰🅃🄸🄽🄶: ★ ★ ★ ✰ ✰~

thank you Sher Lee for giving me the chance to read this book in advance <3


when I saw the chance to ask the eARC of this book I was so happy bc I loved FDAMC and I was so curious to see what Sher Lee would do with a fantasy (romantasy?) book and I wasn't disappointed!!

I didn't know the white snake legend so I really enjoyed every aspect of the story and I was so caught up in seeing what would happen next and in hoping for a happy ending for Xian and Zhen that have the most amazing chemistry they made me blush.

This story have everything I wished for: slow burn romance with a bit of angst, amazing chemistry, lovely and interesting main characters, the cutest but strong lady viper, amazing friendships, a plot twists I didn't expected.

The only things that made me gave 4 stars instead of 5 is that I found the story a bit rushed and it's such a shame bc the story imo had the potential to cover a duology or even a trilogy

I was really looking forward to this book. The cover and initial blurb drew me in, and the story had a fantastic premise and a strong start. However, I felt that the execution didn't fully live up to its potential.

The characters felt kind of flat and one-dimensional, especially Xian. I wanted to see more character development, especially with the cool backstory of Zhen and Qing, which I thought wasn't used to its full potential.

The romance felt a bit rushed to me, leaning too heavily on instant love. The quick timeline didn't give the characters enough time to grow together, and their relationship relied a lot on fate and destiny.

Some stuff just happened way too conveniently, and some phrases were like, repeated way too much. Also, the ending felt rushed.

Overall, it was an okay read, but I was hoping for a lot more.

I read this in an entire night and stayed up until at least 1 or 2 in the morning, if that gives any indication of my level of investment. The story was fast paced and endlessly exciting. Furthermore, the author was able to keep up the energy and rapid pacing throughout the book, except for a few moments where a slower softer pace was meant as a break in the drama. It is really hard sometimes to stay on the edge of your seat for the last 160 pages of a book, so I really appreciated that the author did this. This book was really good at playing with stakes and establishing contrast from scene to scene. The characters were all really interesting, and while I didn't like Xian at first, his character arc was beautifully executed and I found myself liking him towards the end. The internal conflict of loyalty to the person he loves versus societal expectations and a prophecy was really cool and the moment when Xian realized what he cared about more was incredibly rewarding. Zhen was consistently super cool and I loved him and the way he was written. I wish we had seen slightly more from the supporting characters, but that is my only note, and it is an extremely minor one; the supporting characters were all awesome. Overall, will definitely be keeping my eye out for more Sher Lee in the future, and will also be getting. physical copy when this book comes out in October. 4.5 stars.

This book was exactly what i wanted after a long day at work. The author's writing style is very interesting and captivating. I limes everything about the worldbuilding and the development of the characters. Asian culture is one of my favourite, and in this book The descriptions were so full of colors and detailes. About the main characters i can't choose any of them because i liked both.

I really enjoyed Sher Lee's writing, but that's something that comes from her first book as well. No surprise on how fluid, fast-paced and straightforward she is without making us feel the plot is shallow.

«Legend of the White Snake» retells the Chinese legend with a queer couple and TO SEE IT FEEL AND SIT SO RIGHT with the story. Damn.

The way the author presents the cultural and political context is well done for its purpose: a romance with fantasy. I would love to know more about that cultural setting and the fantasy in spirit animals and their relationship with humans.

I guess I just wish we had more time on the book, to get more stories from the characters and understand further the political instability that is mentioned, as well as get to know more of the fantasy side.

This is just me wanting more and more because I did enjoy it very much. Saw some reviews mentioning it as predictable, but I felt like its beauty rested on how the reader could feel the tension and the events leading to what would happen. And, let me tell you, it definitely hurt as much as if I didn't expect.

After reading and enjoying Sher Lee's debut Fake Dates and Mooncakes, I was looking forward to her follow up, especially as it would be a fantasy and am grateful to have had the chance to read an early copy of this anticipated release. I was pleased to see that it played into and expanded on all the strengths of her debut work, and while I also saw some traces of the weaker aspects, the fantasy element definitely helped even those out a bit.

First and foremost, I love how customs, idioms and lore are built into the story - even if they aren't strictly relevant to the main plot line, they help to create the setting and atmosphere. I also loved how this took place around the time of the Duanwu festival which, once again, doesn't play into the main story but still adds a sense of atmosphere and I feel it's one that is less commonly used compared to say the Lunar New Year. This also falls in line with her debut centring around the Mid Autumn festival and I think it would be pretty need to continue seeing this pattern in upcoming works.

As for the actual plot and characters, both were well written and I love dual point of view - it switched at good intervals between Zhen and Xian, giving us a nice insight to both of their perspectives. Moving from her contemporary debut work to a fantasy, I was very pleasantly surprised with the opening scenes - the action and tension of the prologue were really well done and made for a great opening. The plot generally had a good flow between calmer and more urgent scenes which I think was partially thanks to the insertion of the aforementioned lore that doesn't necessarily play into the main plot alongside the higher stakes of the fantasy setting.

This is also very much a character driven story and I do think that a longer novel would have given us more time to get to know these characters on a deeper level, especially the side characters, but I did enjoy the cast. One downside is that I think things develop a little too fast between Xian and Zhen, it's a similar to how I felt about Fake Dates and Mooncakes. However, despite their somewhat fast beginning, there were several obstacles that entirely changed the dynamics between these two for a good portion of the book. There were unexpected darker turns which evened out what started out as an almost too sweet romance for the general setting and mood of the story and definitely helped create more tension and made you want to root for them.

The side characters, albeit I would have liked to have gotten to know them better, were also largely well done. I liked Xian's friendship with his childhood friend and bodyguard Feng and also his changing dynamics with Zhen, as well as Zhen's sister Qing who probably added the most humour to the plot. There were a couple of unexpected twists towards the end - some I saw coming and just as I thought I had guessed all that was about to unfold, a few more things came around that I did not see coming.

Over all, I really enjoyed this book and I am keen to read more books by Sher Lee - I'd love to see her stick to them taking place during certain festive times and I think the fantasy genre suits her well, although I would also pick up new contemporary works should she write any.

This was such a gorgeously written book and the characters felt so real and alive. This is my favorite fantasy book for this month and I think it will be for the second half of this year.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!

This was a cute, romantic myth retelling. It read as YA (which it is), and fits well with queer YA romantasies out there.
I'm not familiar with the original myth, but in this book Prince Xian's mother has been bitten by a white snake, and the only cure is a spirit pearl. His father managed to locate a spirit pearl when Xian was young, but someone kidnapped Xian to ransom him for the pearl. In the end, Xian fell into the water and another white snake saved him, but swallowed the spirit pearl.

Now, Xian's mother is getting sicker and the oracle tells him where he can find a white snake, with which they can make a cure for her affliction, and Xian insists on going himself. He meets Zhen, who is working in the foreign palace's stables, and the two boys are immediately drawn too eacher. Little does Xian know that Zhen is the white snake who saved him many years ago, and the spirit pearl he swallowed turned him into a snake spirit, capable of taking a human shape.

Xian asks Zhen for help locating a white snake as he knows the surrounding forests better than anyone else, and Zhen struggles with his growing feelings for Xian while he hides who he is and wants to protect innocent snakes too.

The setup created plenty of drama within the relationship, and that was the driving force behind this book. They meet, they fall in love not knowing each other's secrets, and then the fall out when ultimately Xian does find out. For the most part, this was predictable, but in the plot there were some twists I did not see coming.

Both characters were charming and properly developed and I liked the chemistry between them. It is a little insta-lovey, they are immediately drawn to each other and flirt their first time meeting, but feelings do continue to develop after that, and I do think the early attraction fits with the soulmates theme the author was going for.

The world building was simple, but effective, inspired by ancient China where the myth comes from, and the world felt fully realized even if the worldbuilding was nothing unique. It served its purpose in the story.

I would recommend it to fans of YA queer romantasy

Thank you so much to Sher Lee and Quill Tree Books for inviting me to review this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is, definitely gonna be my favourite book of 2024!!!!

As someone who loves cdramas, a good xianxia story, and is queer, this was absolute perfection!!!

Xian and Zhen stole my heart (literally, if anyone knows their contact details can you ask them to return it, I kind of need it lol)

Please, do yourself a favour and read this book once it is released, I promise you, you will not regret it!!!

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC for early review.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

I've been so excited for this book for so many months, it feels wonderful to be able to review it a bit early and drum up some hype for it. Sher Lee's first dive into YA fantasy hits the sweet spot of heartfelt, tense, and magical and delivers a myth retelling for the ages.

I really enjoyed the quick pace and fast nature of this story, and I think the plot and dialogue did a lot to help carry me along, divulging world building and exposition where needed without slowing down or breaking the flow. Prince Xian and Zhen have one of the cutest and (to my surprise) most overtly sexual relationships I've seen in a YA novel. This could probably even be classified as New Adult due to some of the scenes within. It's really nice to see historical fantasy with queernormative themes and this is one of the best I've come across so far.

When I tell you I was screaming and crying by the end of this book, I'm not joking--- ask my book club. I couldn't even believe that I was at the end and that it was going to be over, and with THAT ending? Sher Lee masterfully ripped my heart out and stomped on it multiple times, but that ending is a certified KO. Through the ups and downs of White Snake, Zhen and Xian grow so close and discover so much love for each other that I can't even put into words how much it touched my heart. So, just one final question.

Fellas, is it gay to cut your sleeve off to prevent your boyfriend from waking up from his nap?

So, this one wasn't really for me. Well beyond the fact that I'm not the age of the target audience, I'm done with characters that are good. You know, characters that make completely understandable choices that have the unintended side effect of hurting another person, and then when they find out about this they spend the rest of the time agonizing over it. Then they give their lives to make up for it, or they keep throwing themselves into danger over it. Some readers may find this noble and admirable - and they're sure to enjoy this book because this quality is the main substance of both lead characters - but I find it dull and trying. My favorite character here was Deng: conniving and brutal - but brought to attempt to save someone by a feeling of debt towards them. Everything about his part of the story was interesting, in large part because it brought Zhen and Xiao into real, substantial conflict, and yeah. I could've done with a lot more of that.

I could've done with more plot and tension throughout really, because the action-y sections of this book were pretty entertaining and the little identity twist at the end was fun. (Again, liked this guy too.) But tension, in particular, was thin on the ground and none of the antagonists' plans hold up for more than two chapters you know, because the characters are so noble they figure them out more or less right away. And every good deed, naturally, is rewarded.

Is this what YA readers want? I'm really not sure. I vaguely remember wanting to be provoked into feeling something, but there's not really much capable of that here. The romance is insta-everything, and to make that worse Zhen and Xiao talk about it with their besties (and I do feel we were only an inch away from having that word dropped on us) in the exact same tones of modern teens: OMG did you kiss?; OMG another boy already?; OMG but what about your mom and hunting for a white snake and shh shh shh, forget that, let's raise yet another suggestive eyebrow at the bottle of oil by the bed instead. I don't want to be puritanical - young adults should have access to the relevant info, and there's no sense in fiction of pretending they're not having sex at this age - but man was there a disproportionate amount of space dedicated to this oil jar! You have a literal snake spirit right there, and this is what we're directing the eye to? Again?

It was frustrating, much in the way of this whole book. I wish I'd gotten more out of this than a better understanding of weiqi and teas (which, it must be said: the descriptions of the cultural stuff here was pretty good), but unfortunately that wasn't to be.

3.5
The EARC of this book was provided by author via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A cute and comforting fairytale.
I loved Xian and Zhen but plot was rushed in different points.

Dates Read: 07/10/2024 - 07/15/2024

Prince Xian is desperate for a cure to heal his mother, who had been bitten by a white snake and is in daily pain. His chances of curing her with the snake pearl was snatch by a white snake that rescued him from drowning when he was 10 years old. Zhen, the white snake, stole the pearl and swallowed it, becoming a snake spirit and gaining a human body. 7 years later, the two cross paths after Prince Xian travels to Changle as a result of an oracle’s predictions that he would find the cure in the city.

I really really wanted to enjoy this as it had an interesting premise and LGBTQ representation, but I just wasn’t attached to any of the characters. Everything felt forced or convenient, and nothing really surprised me. I didn’t like that I was told a lot of the character’s feelings or motives; I feel like the yearning or tension could’ve been subtly shown through action instead of blatantly spelled out for me. The dialogue was cringey a lot of the time, and I sometimes had to stop reading due to how bad it was. It’s an okay story, but not very memorable in my opinion.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC.

Just finished this amazing YA story by the equally amazing @sherleeauthor. A m/m retelling of a traditional Chinese legend, Legend of the White Snake follows 17-year-old Prince Xian as he searches for a cure for his ailing mother. In his journey he meets Zhen, who appears to be a lowly serving boy but who quickly captures Xian’s heart (and vice versa!). Little does he know that Zhen is not only a snake spirit, but the one who unknowingly stole the cure for Xian’s mother years ago. When the truth is revealed, will their relationship survive? A wonderful way to immerse readers in Chinese legend, whether they are familiar with the original tale or encountering it for the first time. Sher Lee smoothly incorporates Mandarin words and characters, providing an even richer experience. The story is sweetly romantic, with several unexpected twists along the way. Recommend for any YA collection! #asianauthors #singaporeanauthor #chineselegend #legendofthewhitesnake #aapi #yabooks #yafantasy #yaromance #lgbtqya #queercharacters

This is such a sweet romantic fantasy that retells the Legend of the White Snake. It is fast-paced with a plot that leaves you breathless and loads of yearning!!

''Nothing like fresh air, sunshine, and deadly venom to start our day'.

Sher Lee’s 'Legend of the White Snake' is a lush reimagining of a classic Chinese folktale that weaves together elements of fantasy, palace intrigue, high stakes, and romance. This atmospheric YA historical tale will transport and captivate readers, I'm sure of it!🐍🤍🐉

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Seven years ago, an ordinary but curious white snake named Zhen consumed a coveted spirit pearl, fulfilling his deepest desire—to transform and experience life as a human, leaving his footprints on the paths of the world. However, Zhen's involvement with the pearl inadvertently crushed another boy's hopes, or so it seemed.

Now, seven years later, following an oracle's prediction, Prince Xu Xian journeys to the city of Changle in search of the white snake, the vital ingredient for an antidote to save his mother, who was bitten by a white snake and is slowly succumbing to the venom.

As fate would have it, the determined Prince Xian meets Zhen. They are immediately drawn to each other, but Zhen quickly realizes he is the white snake Xian seeks. As their emotions deepen, so does Zhen's guilt. Will the truth about Zhen’s identity tear them apart? Read on to find out.
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I thoroughly enjoyed Xian and Zhen's journey of love, loss, discovery, and hope. Despite the grim and dangerous moments, you'll also experience amusing banter between friends and lovers. When I think of Xian, the word 'zesty' comes to mind haha—he's easy on the eyes, caring, and determined, though not very religious (I wonder why). As for the lovely Zhen, he is protective, loyal, delicate, and kind. The tension, flirting and gentle moments were everything! For story being under 400 pages long, it packed enough of punch. But I wish we had it little bit longer though.

This is a perfect read for you if you enjoy historical fantasy/fiction and mythology, with a dose of romance between two male characters (who are cute and whipped for each other hehe).

Thank you Sher Lee and Allison, from HarperCollins, for this eARC. All thoughts are my own and left voluntarily.

Actual rating: 4.5 stars