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.
--

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

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.