*I received a digital ARC from the author and Quill Tree Books (imprint of HarperCollins Children's Books) via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

4.5 stars

Legend of the White Snake is a YA fantasy romance and a queer retelling of a Chinese folktale of the same name.

We follow Xian, son of the king and his consort, whose mother fell ill when she was bitten by a white snake. It was rumoured that she could be cured by the essence of a spirit pearl, or an antidote from a white snake itself. But the only time a pearl was in his grasp, Xian nearly drowned. His life was saved by a white snake, but the snake also took the pearl.

Seven years later, Xian’s mother is dying. He’s still carrying the burden of his failure, and has been hunting snakes in hopes of finding a cure. When his father’s advisor tells of news from the oracle that a white snake will be found in Changle, he makes a point to go there himself to make things right. But it needs to be in secret, so he visits Changle under the guise of a diplomatic visit.

Zhen, a snake spirit, was gifted human form the day he swallowed the spirit pearl. He is now living in Changle with his sister Qing, working in the palace stables. He does not know what happened to the boy he saved seven years ago. But he still remembers.

This story is essentially about two people whose lives and fates are entwined. But it’s not a sweeping epic, although we do get glimpses of the bigger world and the influences of spirit powers and the gods.

It’s a romance, one that is mostly able to happen because of Xian’s privilege as a prince. But the first time he meets Zhen in the stables, he pretends to be a horse keeper and flirts with him without either knowing who the other really is. It’s actually really sweet, and the only time when we get to see Xian without the heaviness of his status and purpose.

But that heaviness does catch up to him, and as he and Zhen develop feelings for each other, the reality of their situation gets revealed, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

I really appreciated how the story was woven together, and how the fantasy elements were incorporated in a way that it seemed possible. I found the writing to be clear and direct – less sweeping scenic descriptions than other fantasy novels I’ve read, but was enough to paint the picture of the scenes without distracting me.

I loved Qing and Feng as side characters, and felt that they helped to ground Zhen and Xian as still being young and figuring out what love is, and who they want to be. There is a lot in this story about choosing to be the person who does the right thing. I feel that there are likely a lot of values from Chinese culture embedded within the story that would explain each of their decisions throughout the novel, but as a reader who is less aware of these influences, I still felt like I understood where each character was coming from. I also liked that some parts of the story surprised me, and made me question who the real villain was.

I really enjoyed this story and will definitely read it again!

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Legend of the White Snake by Sher Lee is a third person dual-POV MM historical fantasy romance retelling of the Legend of the White Snake set in Imperial China. Prince Xian has been looking for years for the white snake that stole the pearl meant to save his mother. During his search, he meets Zhen, a young man working in the stables and picks him to be his courtesan for the duration of Xian’s stay. Only Zhen isn’t just a stable boy—he’s the same white snake that ate the pearl to become human.

This retelling does a couple of things different as most versions of the Legend of the White Snake don’t involve royalty or court politics and the white snake often tries to find ways to enhance her husband’s wealth. The green snake, known here as Qing, is sometimes an antagonist, particularly in later versions, but is more of a positive character in Zhen’s life in this version. A reader wouldn’t get a strict retelling and some might even say that this veers closer to reimagining territory because of what has been changed, but I felt many of the beats, while occasionally shifted, were mostly met.

I really liked the relationship between Xian and Zhen, particularly how understanding and forgiving Zhen is and how politically-minded but also kind Xian is. The pair learn from each other and grow as people through witnessing each other’s choices, especially Xian picking up mercy when it comes to punishment from Zhen. I always want romantic couples to actively choose each other and to change for and because of their partner and I definitely got that here.

One thing that I thought was really cool was the worldbuilding. It is pretty grounded in the Imperial China setting (it takes place after the Jin dynasty, but I’m not sure exactly when) and delves into different kinds of tea, snakes, and different kingdoms of what we now call East Asia. It helps make the world feel real and lived in instead of window dressing while also highlighting what Zhen and Xian would have learned due to their very different upbringings. Xian teaching Zhen about pu’er tea and even demonstrating how to prepare it was a small moment that added a lot to their relationship arc and the setting.

I would recommend this to fans of Queer Romantasy how prefer more historical or grounded settings, readers of Chinese-inspired fantasy who want something more romantic, and those looking for a Queer retelling that includes court politics

I think romantic retelling of folktales but make them gay is my new favorite genre. It worked perfectly for this Chinese folktale retelling. We’ve got a snake spirit turned human and a prince searching for a white snake which he thinks will lead to a cure for his mother’s terminal illness. Only the white snake he’s searching for is actually the guy who the prince chose as his personal assistant. Their feelings develop and it leaves me on the edge of my seat the whole way to see what will happen. Thank you HarperCollins Children's Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publishers, for approving me for this ARC in exchange for my honest and genuine review.

Following the complicated love story of Xian and Zhen was an emotional roller coaster for me. I tend to enjoy retellings in historical settings, and this story did not disappoint. I loved the characters even though the dialog seemed modern, which did not fit the setting. That did not deter me from finishing this book; I'm glad I did. I typically don't gravitate toward YA stories, but this one pulled me in and did not let go.

I look forward to reading more from this author.

A charming and well-paced story! I liked seeing how Zhen and Xian grew in their relationship. I can't comment on the faithfulness of the retelling as I'm not familiar with the original story. The writing style was pretty straightforward, but I think it worked since this is a folktale.

The Legend of the White Snake (15+) is the second book l've read by Sher Lee.

It's a wonderful tale about a prince, who goes snake-hunting to find an antidote to cure his mother's sickness caused by a snake, falling in love with a snake spirit who can transform into a human.

Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I'd sympathise with a snake but that's what happened with this book.

Zhen (snake) was a cinnamon roll who didn't want humans to hurt animals and was too kind. He and his sister transformed into humans in search of work so they could pay their journey to Mount Emei, to replenish and cultivate their powers.

Zhen tried hard to fit in as a human, and since he never read or had any education like humans, he was very observant and learned things while he served Xian (prince).

Xian was a loyal son. His mother's sickness bothered him for seven long years. He also felt guilty about losing a spirit pearl, 7 years ago, to a snake that could have cured his mother. But his father's adviser telling him there was a cure for his mother was all he wanted to hear and he was set on finding it at any cost.

Between him falling in love, trying to hunt the white snake and trying to ward off ambushes and betrayals, Xian's journey was filled with risky adventure.

If you like Chinese dramas with twists, l'd recommend this book, which will be out on 15th Oct.

Thanks to TBR & Beyond Tours and HarperCollins for the early copy of the book!

What a beautiful, heartfelt, captivating book this was! I've spent the past year or so really getting into the weeds with a few fairly popular translated danmei, and have been quite curious to see how western traditional publishing - specifically YA - would react to it. And if LEGEND OF THE WHITE SNAKE is any indication of what's out there and what's to come, I feel like I'm in for quite the treat!

I really loved how <i>tight</i> this book was. Everything was paced perfectly; nothing felt like it overstayed its welcome structurally, and every loose end was tied up nicely by the end of the book. There was even a moment towards the end where I realized something about a character and thought to myself, "No, that can't be right, they just did something else", and then quite literally on the very next page it was explained in a way that made me realize I'd caught a plot reveal right when I was supposed to. It's always so exciting and fun to read something that was meticulously written like that. I was really impressed.

This was just a fun, lovely, easy read that left me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside - exactly what the doctor ordered. I think my biggest takeaway from this book is that I need to read Sher Lee's debut! I can't believe I missed it.

(Many, many thanks to folks over at Harper Collins for the ARC!)

The changes implemented in the novel do not disturb the fundamental storyline of the source. Instead, they elevate what's already there and transpose the story to execute the quite intricate themes about divine beliefs and cultural traditions. It also enriches the topic of family and duty, which are something intrinsically latched onto Chinese myths that become the characteristics in their world-building as well, through the role modification of Xu Xian in this novel.

As many Asian novels go, or other novels by authors of color, there will be unfamiliar terms penned in the narrative that use the native tongue of the authors. It's no different for Lee, who aims to display the cultural element of the story. She provides a contextualized definition of the phrases and customs in a dynamic exposition, using dialogues and interactions as a medium to give new perspectives and knowledge to the readers.

Moving to the characters, Xian is highlighted to exude profound empathy in his words and actions thoughtful despite the naivety he emanates due to his age. And yet to my surprise, Xian is unexpectedly a humorous and sassy character. Meanwhile, as a snake spirit, Zhen exhibits quite a different personality from Xian, such as being forgiving, kindhearted, and naturally inclined to protect all forms of life, and similar attributes to Xian, like intelligence and inherent curiosity to learn. Their not-so-different personalities make the romantic alliance between Xian and Zhen intriguing and gut-wrenching, partly because we dread the upcoming truth and potential star-crossed ending.

Fantasy novels will definitely feature characters that position themselves as enemies, of course, as Sher Lee has also done the same thing, so I wish Lee would've written clues, hints, or any kind of foreshadowing regarding the deception because the reveal of his true nature springs out of nowhere.

Nonetheless, the overall verdict of Legend of the White Snake is that this book is recommended for those who love fantasy novels as much as they desire to search for queer representation in the more folktale-inspired mythical subgenre, in which Sher Lee honors all aspects in grace and fascination.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for access to the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars rounded up

Unfortunately, Legend of the White Snake was a bit of a let down for me. As a fan of east asian mythology and legend, I had very high hopes for a retelling of one of my favorite stories, however I was almost bored reading this. The writing was almost too straightforward, which while not necessarily a bad thing, did little to draw the reader's attention or bring to life the rich setting in which the story takes place.

in regard to the characters, they felt extremely one dimensional, with little depth given despite there being room for such depth. As for the relationship, it suffered due to that lack of depth to the characters individually, and their relationship felt too rushed to be properly believed or enjoyed. I would have preferred a bit more buildup to the attraction, and the chemistry between them left to simmer.

I think this is just such a beautiful story. Prince Xian’s and Zhen stories just flow together to weave a beautiful tale of hidden pasts, discovery, and finally love. Both characters are distinct and lovely. Together they are just the perfect pair. I think readers will just be sucked in and soak up this lovely tale. I am so excited to recommend it to patrons soon. This is one of the best LGBTQOAP+ books I have read all year.
Thank you to HarperCollins Children’s Books, Quill Tree Books, and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Wow! Such a beautiful story of found family, love, betrayal, family values and folklore. The story of Xian and Zheng is beautiful. Overcoming hate with love, mercy, forgiveness and sacrifice. I was immediately drawn in from the first paragraph. I loved the nuggets of wisdom. The imagery was clear and I could see it all in my mind as I read. I really enjoyed learning more of the Chinese culture and didn’t feel like it was confusing or overwhelming.

➸ 4 stars

“You…you gave up eternity to come back to me?”
“It wasn’t even a choice.”

𓍢⊹ ࣪ thank you to netgalley for the arc!

i really enjoyed reading this one!! two people from different words who are meant to be together overcoming odds pushing them apart and finding their way back to each other? ate it up!! i absolutely adored zhen, he deserves the world and all the happiness ever!! i thought xian was okay, when the reveal happened i wasn’t liking his character all that much and even though there was a reason for it, it still hurt! i did love zhen and xian together!! they were the absolute cutest; the stolen glances, the tenderness and the yearning was so perfectly written and i love them so much!!

“But out here on their own, Xian and Zhen weren’t a prince and a snake spirit; they were two boys who would risk their lives for each other, again and again, without thinking twice.”

the side characters were amazing too! i loved qing!! she’s an amazing friend and is loyal to her heart! i loved her friendship with zhen so much and how they’d stay by each others sides no matter what! and then there was feng, the moody and hilarious bodyguard who’s also loyal to a fault, he protected xian throughout this entire book and i loved their friendship!! qing and feng… they had something brewing and i would absolutely eat up a book about them!!

the plot twist in this book went absolutely crazy and i never would’ve expected it!! after it happened my mind went to that little throwaway comment at the beginning and the author is a genius because my jaw dropped to the floor!!

overall, i really enjoyed reading this and loved the story!!

A queer romantic reimagining of the Chinese folktale, Legend of the White Snake.

Solid YA fantasy. Fast-paced. Lacked a little character depth but all around a great time.

Also, I learned I’m not really into snakes.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children (Quill Tree Books) for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Legend of the White Snake is a beautiful and queer retelling of a Chinese folk tale. Xian was once saved and doomed by a mysterious white snake. It pulled him from a lake, but swallowed the pearl that could have cured his mother. Zhen is a white snake who has been transformed into a snake spirit after swallowing the pearl. When the two meet, an instant connection forms and Zhen is recruited to help Xian hunt down the cure for his mother. When the truth is revealed, will their relationship crumble?

Legend of the White Snake is a well-paced and captivating retelling. The stunning cover initially drew me in. I love reading LGBTQ+ retellings and also enjoyed learning about the original folktale. Xian and Zhen have a sweet and warm relationship. It was very interesting to see how Sher Lee wrote the magic of the snakes and what it means to be a snake spirit. Legend of the White Snake is an excellent re-imagining of an epic Chinese folktale. Readers who love queer retellings and magical folktales should check out Legend of the White Snake.

Thank you to Sher Lee, Quill Tree Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc.

Legend of the White Snake is Sher Lee's take on the Chinese folktale of the same name. The book begins with our two main characters meeting in the past, Zhen as a snake and Xian as a young prince looking for a cure for his sick mother. Zhen uses that cure to turn himself into a shapeshifting snake spirit. After jumping to the present, Xian is now hunting after this snake and fate brings the two boys back together, neither realizing who the other is. The boys quickly fall for each other before Zhen's past is revealed. The boys must overcome guilt, prejudices, and their past to realize their true feelings.
I had a fun time reading this and learning the folktale and how it differs from the original. I think this would be a good introduction to the Xianxia genre with how much explanation Lee includes for every detail.
Thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the ARC in trade for an honest review.

Actual Rating: 4.5⭐

Another awesome book by Sher Lee!
I recommend this one if you like to read YA Chinese mythology retelling with beautiful chemistry and strong friendship!

Told in dual POV from our main characters – Zhen and Xian, we venture into this epic storyline about true love, forgiveness, friendship and family that comes with great world building.
I was mesmerized by the world building as well as getting to know some of the Chinese culture throughout this story.

I really like seeing Zhen and Xian interaction as the story goes by as well as the other secondary characters especially Qing and Feng!
Qing was a funny and fearless viper, I absolutely adore her!

However, the pacing was slightly rushed near the ending but there’s a couple of unexpected twists thrown there that really surprised me.
The only thing that I wish for this book is the length of this book. I wished it was a little longer or made into a duology to give room for the character’s feelings to develop and explore more about the world building.

Overall, this was a highly enjoyable standalone for me. It’s sweet and warm but heart-breaking at the same time.
I’m really looking forward to read more books by this author in the future!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: Torture, animal cruelty, animal death, death, brief mention of sexual harassment

I loved this one. A snake who wanted to be a boy and experience being human. A prince trying to save his mother's life needs a pearl from a white snake. We already can predict their relationship will take a sad turn some. I love Asian fantasy for the lore and The values of honor, love and sacrifice that follows a doomfall path because it's honorable/right thing to do. I love their relationship of respect and patience, the humor in the "sister" and the betrayal twist makes the ending exciting.

Thank you for the digital copy, pre ordered my physical com B&N.

I'm Asian so I really wanted to love this book, but unfortunately, it didn't meet my expectations.

As a fantasy reader who enjoys rich prose, I had high hopes, especially since the story is set in Imperial China—a setting that lends itself to vivid and intricate storytelling. Unfortunately, I read this ARC right after finishing another book with beautifully descriptive language, and this one felt rather plain in comparison. The writing style, to me, came across as simplistic, almost like a middle-grade book, aside from the frequent mentions of sex.

That being said, a straightforward narration isn’t inherently bad. For readers who prefer a more direct style, this might actually be a plus. It just wasn’t what I was looking for at the time.

I did appreciate some of the cultural elements sprinkled throughout the story. Little details like the significance of the number of palace pillars, the correct foot to use when entering a temple, and facts about snakes made this book quite interesting.

However, I still can't recommend this book. The characters felt flat and lacked development. Prince Xian’s personality was all over the place — sometimes he is benevolent, and sometimes I want to slap him. His main focus alternated between snakes and sex, without much nuance. Zhen, on the other hand, was meek, had the personality of a wet tissue. Neither character felt fully fleshed out, making it hard to connect with them.

In terms of the romance, it fell short. The attraction between the characters felt too instantaneous and fake. I understand hormones at 17, but I don't understand how you suddenly wanted to do anything and everything for a person you literally just met yesterday. I think the story would have benefited from a prolonged secret identity arc. As for the fantasy elements, the world-building was thin. There was very little exploration of the culture, politics, or religion of the world, which left the setting feeling underdeveloped.

Ultimately, I had to stop reading at around 40%, as I couldn’t see the plot becoming more engaging.

Diving into this book was like diving into a pile of warm, fluffy blankets fresh from the dryer on a wintery afternoon. It was an easy, comforting read with fairly low stakes. Yes, the truth of Zhen's identity as the white snake hangs over them both, but that doesn't stop the sweet relationship between Xian and Zhen from blossoming. Sher Lee, in my opinion, did a solid job retelling the traditional Chinese folktale for a young, queer, Western audience. My only issue was that some of the cultural explanations felt a bit clunky at times and would momentarily take me out of the story, but this may be remedied by the time the official version comes out. I otherwise thought this was a great read that I gobbled up most of in one sitting.

Thank you Sher Lee, NetGalley, and HarperCollins for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really really loved this! I received this as an ARC from Sher & The Publisher (Thank you both!!) and ended up (unsurprisingly) having such a good time reading it. I absolutely love Fake Dates & Mooncakes by this author, and she knocked it out of the park again for me! I really enjoy books based on legends, and this was no exception! I am also such a sucker for the one bed trope, so thank yoooou. Highly rec this to anyone who wants an interesting, fun dynamic between the two love interests (very push and pull, opposite type personalities) and anyone who enjoyed FDAMC!