Enormous thank yous to Sher Lee and Harper Collins for sending me a digital arc!

This book had pretty much everything I could ask for! It made me laugh, it made me SOB, it made me kick my feet at adorable-ness, it made me consider what “soulmates” actually means, and it made me so incredibly joyous that these two men from entirely different worlds were so tightly bound together by fate and that nothing could stop them!

The writing is amazing, the characters are so well-developed, the explanations of cultural elements that otherwise may be misunderstood is clear whilst also not detracting from the narrative, and the plot is SO GOOD!

There were a few moments that I felt that the pacing was a little off, like I really wish that the last quarter had been expanded to explore the characters’ emotions more completely (that might just be me enjoying characters’ suffering though), but overall the pacing worked and was very effective.

But just. These babies have my heart. They’re so good and their relationship is so good and eeeeeeeeee!

ok someone take my chinese card away cuz i don’t really know the story of the white snake but you also don’t need to know it in order to read and enjoy this book. Sher Lee does a wonderful job with the dual POV of Xu Xian, the prince, and Zhen, the white snake spirit. THEIR TENSION, THE SOFT TOUCH, THE FLIRTING, (and even the angst that follows). I really enjoyed all the side characters as well. They bring out a lot of their characteristics and personalities. My only small tiny thing is wishing it was longer (like a 50 episode cdrama rather than just a movie) to really see these characters develop, of course that not always possible but the book is great as it is.

also the biggest plus to sher lee. the chinese idioms that sprinkled in written in chinese, followed by pinyin, followed by the english translation. from a girlie that struggled through chinese school but still tryna keep in touch with her mother language thanks you so much for that.

Ohh this was so much fun! I love fantasy standalones, it's amazing to get a well-rounded story in one installment. This was such a fast-paced read, building up to an absolutely amazing ending. But for such a fast-paced read, it did feel fleshed out enough to make me feel really invested in the characters and what was going to happen to them. This definitely has rereading potential for me.

3.5 stars rounded up.
This isn't something I would typically pick up but it was put on my radar by a friend and I ended up having a good time. Legend of the White Snake was fun, fast-paced, and very sweet. I'm not at all familiar with the legend this is based on but I've been in the mood for Asian fantasy and really enjoyed the integration of Chinese mythology/culture into the book. I liked the characters, Xian, Zhen, and Qing in particular, but think they would have benefited from more time to sit with events. Because the plot is so fast-paced, we don't always get a sense of what they're feeling, and they end up coming across as shallow at times because of this. On a similar note, I would have enjoyed more exploration of the world/setting, though I understand it's not the main focus of the book.

Thank you NetGalley/Quill Tree Books

I was completely hooked through the first half of this book. It was fun and sweet and playful, with an easily read writing style. I also really adored the characters and enjoyed getting to know them and seeing the dynamics between them.

When the plot picked up on the second half, I thought I was in for a real treat as the exciting and emotional stuff would start in a book I was already enjoying, and I was looking forward to the dynamics between characters to grow even deeper as intensity and emotions grew. Unfortunately, this didn't seem to be the case. Something about the writing as the plot thickened didn't flow quite right. The major plot points and twists felt flat. Not enough to make the story not enjoyable! But to where I didn't fully care what was happening and got frustrated at times when I just wanted to see these characters grow together. Part of it could have been the that "villains" and the handling of them felt underwhelming.

Well, this was a rollercoaster of emotions. In the best way possible. I am obsessed with this book. Up until the very last chapter I was swinging between happiness and heartache in a way only a few books managed to do for me. This simply shows how Sher Lee was able to breathe life into a world that sucked me in from the first line.

I really had a blast with Legend of the White Snake. The world was vivid, the cast so likable, and the plot so engaging to the point where it all just felt so real. I also loved how the pacing was fast in the sense that there was always something important happening but at the same time nothing felt rushed at all. This became very apparent to me as I was reading because whenever Lee wanted an emotional beat to hit it left me flooded with emotions. This applies to both the romance and the action of the story.

I also want to take a moment to talk about how incredible the cover looks. Kuri Huang’s art is exquisite and I encourage you all to look at her other work because it’s simply fantastic.


Legend of the White Snake is a fantastic debut by Sher Lee and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an epic that hits on both the action and romance fronts. This is 100% a book you should judge by its gorgeous cover and I can’t wait to add it to my bookshelf.

I am so enjoying the amount of both fairy tale retellings and Asian fantasy we’re seeing at the moment. This is a worthy addition. It has thrilling action, good pacing, a convincing romance and a plot with just enough twists and turns. It also feels quite cosy, with both the main characters so open and good hearted. The only thing I would have asked was that it be longer! A bit more at the ending would have been just the thing. It was still very enjoyable.

There some things I really liked about this book, and some things that were a draw. Overall, it’s a fun and thoughtful retelling of a myth we don’t see over and over again, which I appreciated.

The world and setting are lush. I enjoyed following the cast to different places, each one immersive and beautiful. The themes of friendship, teamwork, and resilience are strong and consistent, which I feel like many modern YA releases have lost sight of such coming of age themes, and for that, Legend of the White Snake will definitely be one that I recommend to my students. Queer norm is not something I look for or expect in a book, but when I find one, I’m always happy to add it to the mental list where I keep track of such titles for readers who are looking for queer norm.

My biggest draw is that the dual POV made this book drag in some parts, rush in others, and overall I just didn’t think Zhen’s POV was necessary or even good for the narrative. It felt like his POV repeated and confirmed everything from Xian’s POV, and I think the tension would have been much better if we just had Zhen’s POV.

Thank you to author Sher Lee for thinking my dog is cute and then asking if I wanted NetGalley access to her next book. I loved her first book, Fake Dates and Mooncakes, and was super excited to dive into another queer Asian romantasy book after The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang. Although this book is a completely different feel and storytelling style compared to her first book, I was immediately hooked by this story and its characters and world. I would be super interested in reading other retellings of Chinese legends, especially if reframed from a queer viewpoint.

If you have an intense fear of snakes, this may not be the book for you. There are a LOT of snakes. However, after reading this book I will never look at a snake the same way again and will be much more friendly towards this animal which has been given a bad representation in media.

This is a retelling of the Chinese legend told from alternating points of view of the two main characters. Xian and Zhen were so wholesome, and there were many classic romance tropes reframed in this romantasy setting. A beautiful tale of star crossed lovers with an act three twist I did not see coming. I found the story very narratively satisfying in how it unraveled, and the ending brought me to tears. This is definitely a recommendation for fans of romantasy, folklore retellings, queer romance, and books with absolutely gorgeous cover art. I can't wait to read more from Sher Lee!

I liked the concept of this book a lot! I think the writing style wasn't entirely for me but I'm glad I gave it a shot. Thank you for the early read!

Okay, this book is officially my new literary obsession! I can't wait for it to be published in October in english, and I hope it'll arrive in Italy too, one day. If you like historical fantasy and mythology retelling, you'll love this queer version of the famous chinese legend of the white snake! 🇨🇳

First of all, the cover is freaking beautiful and it perfectly shows the delicate and magical vibes of this book. Asian folklore always comes with this aethereal aura, and I find chinese myths particularly elegant and full of grace. 🐍

My favourite character is Zhen, the White Snake that swallows a legendary pearl and turns into a boy. His personality's extremely charming: he's kind, curious and generous, and he always puts the others first. He has so much love to give. But I ended up loving also Prince Xian, the other main lead of the story, and I didn't expect to like him so much, honestly. He's the kind of person (like Zhen) that would sacrifice himself for the people he loves, but his personality's different from Zhen's: Xian is bold, flirty, ready to fight. The chemistry between these two is like a bomb ready to explode. I also loved the other characters, both the good ones and the evil ones. 🦪

The plot is full of twists, especially in the finale. I GAGGED. It was soooo good to be surprised like that! I had a lot of theories (I also talked about them with the author in her instagram dms and she was so kind and friendly with me and listened to all my comments on the story) but none of them were right. 🤣

I don't know if this book is a standalone or the first of a future series, since some little problems remained unsolved, but I know for sure that if this book will turn into a series of books, I'll read them all!🏮

Thank you, NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books | Quill Tree Books, for the chance to read this book in exchange of an honest review.

When Prince Xian was young, a white snake bit his mother, condemning her to a slow and painful death. The only cure is a spirit pearl and so Xian has tried to look for it. When the oracle predicts he will find and capture a white snake in Chiangle, the prince travels there.
Seven years ago a young snake swallowed a spirit pearl, making him able to transform into a boy and special powers. When Zheng meets the prince, he doesn't have the courage to reveal his true identity, being the snake the prince is hunting. What will happened to them and their blossoming romance?

Legend of the white snake is a romantic retelling ot a traditional Chinese folktale and I loved reading it. Told by two POVs, Zheng's and Xian's, the story is intriguing and romantic and so well written.
Zheng is a young spirit snake, travelling with his sister Qing, when he meets the prince and become involved in his life and search for his mother's cure. On the other side, Xian is a prince willing to do anything to save his beloved mother and with the help of his advisors and guards he's looking for a white snake, without realizing he's closer than he thinks.
Romantic, lush, funny, Legend of the white snake is a book you will devour in a very short time, because it's intriguing and well written, captivating and filled with twists you can, and can't, expect.
It's a story about loyalty and fierce love, about magic and spirits, falling in love and protect those we care about.
A lovely book.

For newcomers to the genre, especially YA readers, Legend of the White boths introduces and offers a refreshing take on the famed Chinese legend. There're countless of cultural facts and annecdotes in here in regard to Ancient China, and yes, they could become grating after a while (I would trade them for more narrative/character development in a heartbeat), but they're not without their use, some are even interesting besides. Lastly, I adored that cover and I adored the fact that this is a queer retelling (more of this please!) -- I thought that it was very appropriate of the author to choose White Snake as her canvas, something about snakes being able to shed their skin/be fluid and take on a new identity just resonated with me as a queer person.

I don't have much to say about the rest of the book because overall, it was just an okay read for me. I was indiferrent to the characters, their causes and their blight. I couldn't connect to the romance (that developed down to the beat; I could feel no chemistry from them, except that they were "fated"). I must admit that I expected more out of this book than the predictable story that I got, but I was also decisively not the intended audience for this book. Like my opening point, I would recommend this to any teen and or reader who is looking for something new in their reading diet; this book is an excellent introductory to ancient China and there's even a tender queer romance in the center of it. It would be worth your while to give this a try. If you're a tempered veteran, do pick up something else.

Thanks to Netgalley and Quill Tree Books for the E-ARC!

I received a free E-ARC of this book in exchange for a fair review. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins.

I really enjoyed this book. Both Zhen and Xian were sympathetic characters, and I loved reading about how their relationship developed. I was unfamiliar with the traditional legend of the white snake, so while I was in the middle of reading the book I ended up looking it up, which I think made it more impactful reading experience, though readers don't need to come in with an understanding of the tale.

The prose was also really well-written and evocative, with plenty of detailed descriptions. I felt that the setting was very believable, and easy to imagine.

I think people who like gay romances or cultivation stories will enjoy this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

I love various mythological books, even more so when it’s BL. I really enjoyed this from start to finish. I love the ending, but I loved seeing the characters develop. The interactions were sweet at times, intense at others. It’s very much a YA read. I already have my copy preordered.

I've been a big fan of Sher Lee ever since I read "Fake Dates & Mooncakes" so naturally I jumped at the opportunity to read an ARC for "Legend of the White Snake" and I can say confidently that if you thought her debut novel was good, her second novel was even better. I don't often hand out five-star ratings because a book has to meet all of my expectations before I do that, but "Legend of the White Snake" exceeded those expectations.

This novel was full of fantasy & world-building with characters that you either loved from the get-go, or learned to love in time as you journeyed with them. For me, Zhen was everything I could have hoped for in a character -- a snake spirit just yearning to find his place in the mortal realm, which echoed feelings of wanting to belong somewhere as a queer youth.

If that doesn't pull you in, maybe a slow-burn romance will. There's also royalty, fake identities, and even some magic! If you're looking for a read that's similar to "Six Crimson Cranes" by Elizabeth Lim, you won't be disappointed with this one.

Sher lee is an amazing author! After having read fdam, I got very exited to read more works from her. And she didn´t dissapoint! I loved the place and time the book took place and emediatly fell in love with the main charachters zhen and xian. The story didn´t go to slow or to fast wich made it very pleasant to read. I really liked the last chapters of the book and am kind of sad the book has ended. I´m very exited for the official release so I can get my physical copy and read it all over again!

Xian is the prince of Wuyue and the son of the woman the king loves more. His mother had been in bed for seven years because of a snake’s bite. For that reason, Xian has dedicated his life to hunting snakes in search of a cure. Zhen is a white snake who thanks to a white pearl can transform into human form. His only worry is taking care of Qing, a snake he saved from death. Xian and Zhen don’t meet until Xian travels to Changle to hunt snakes. Therefore, the two of them feel attracted to each other without knowing their love was doomed.

The first chapters of this book were slowed because the main leads didn’t know each other. Once they met, the book rhythm changed, and it was difficult to put down. The chemistry between Xian and Zhen was tangible and, even though Zhen was keeping secrets, you could see that both had honest feelings for each other. I like that Xian wasn’t the one who made the first move because it demonstrated that for Xian, Zhen wasn’t like the other boys. Even more, in the book they describe how Xian doesn’t see Zhen as someone who he can toy with. At the end, it was Zhen who initiated they relationship. Also, Xian feeling Zhen’s honesty, even though he knew the lies, demonstrated how genuine it was their love.

One thing that surprises me in this book is the love between the king and his sons. Usually, in Asian historical dramas or books, the royal families don’t have a good relationship. However, in this book, except for Wang, Xian’s brother, everyone is good. In fact, the king is very affective with his sons. He protects them and believes in the best of them. Even more incredible was that he didn’t question Xian’s feelings for Zhen. In any other plot, the king would punish Xian for falling in love with the enemy and with someone of the same sex. However, in The Legend of the White Snake that doesn’t happen. The king clearly trusted Xian’s decisions and you can confirm that with the last chapters. This concept of family that Sher Lee presents us is very important, not only because she left out the unnecessary clichés, but because she demonstrates how families should be. Families should protect and love each other always.

The Legend of the White Snake is a light and entertaining reading which you can read in one day. It tells us the love story of two boys who come from different worlds. Also, it teaches us that everything feels right with the right person. Throughout the reading, you would laugh, fall in love and cry. In addition, Sher Lee would leave you with your mouth open with the villain’s identity. This is the second book that I have read by this author, and, without any doubt, I can’t wait for her to release her third book. Her first book is Fake Dates and Mooncakes, and you can find it on my blog. Moreover, remember that Legend of the White Snake would be released on October 15. This is today’s review! Hope you like it! See you in the next review!

This is a queer fantasy with Chinese mythology retelling! I had not heard of this myth before, but I enjoyed the tale. The two main characters, Xian the prince, and Zhen the snake quickly become friends, with Xian falling in love really quickly. We then go to enemies back to lovers again. This was very fast paced and I do wish it had slowed down a bit on the romance so the reader would feel as betrayed as Xian. The ending also went downhill for me. The epilogue made me feel relieved/satisfied but I didn't fully believe the reasoning behind it. I'd recommend if you enjoy queer fantasy, or mythology retellings!

3.5 stars

What a fun, quick, sweet read! Reading this felt almost like watching a TV show, in terms of the pacing and plot beats. I really enjoyed the two main characters and their developing relationship, and also loved the bits of relationship we get to see between Zhen and Qing. The villain reveal took me completely off guard, which was refreshing (I called one part of the reveal, did not catch on at all to the second part).

I am not personally familiar with the original legend this is based on (although I did study the wikipedia page for it), but this book has encouraged me to go find more adaptations of it. I appreciated the author's incorporation of Chinese culture, and her explanations of things that were potentially unfamiliar to her audience.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the advanced copy!