I always love a light hearted, YA romance and when you combine it with Chinese mythology, I’m so going to read it! Legend of the White Snake was a solid fantasy romance featuring a sweet, shy snake spirit and a strong, flirty prince. Opposites attract isn’t something I usually seek out in romance, but the author did a great job showcasing Zhen and Xian’s difference and how those differences changed each of them for the better. The relationship between Zhen and Qing was beautiful! I loved the found family trope and wish I could’ve spent more time in this book. The big betrayal reveal actually surprised me and I sped through this wonderful story. I found the ending a bit predictable, but I don’t really mind, as I always love a happy ending. I definitely recommend to any YA, fantasy, and/or romance reader out there!

Thank you so much to Sher Lee, who is such a delightful, kind soul, for sending me an early copy!

Screaming over how good this book was! I devoured this story in just a couple of days and it's not often that a book leaves me feeling as satisfied as this one did.

I love retellings in general, and this was a telling of a story I wasn't familiar with. However, I don't think that was a determent here. Sher Lee knows how to build a world, her rich descriptions of the world that Zhen and Xian live in made me feel as though I was experiencing the story right besides them. Seriously, the author made me hungry every time she described food.

And it's not just the world building, but Sher Lee is excellent at creating characters that jump off the page. Zhen and Xian have such distinctive voices, that even as a Dual P.O.V story, I could set the book down mid-chapter and jump back in and have no trouble recognizing whose voice I was reading in.

I will say, the first 40% of the book is spent really getting to know the characters and their goals and motivations, which can make the story feel a little slow. However, after that the plot really takes off. And at that point you're so invested in the characters and their feelings that you find yourself invested in their success. And because you've had time to build a connection to these characters their hurt becomes your hurr. Several scenes made my heart hurt for these boys.
(I cried real tears over this book. Full on sobbing.)

Honestly, do yourself a favor and pick up this book. You won't regret it! This will probably make it to my favorites of 2024 and become a new comfort read for me. If I would give this book 10 stars I would!

Thank you NetGalley and Publishers for allowing me to ARC read and review this story! All opinions are mine and honest.

I really loved this book. I think that the elements of legends and fairytales are incorporated into the story very well, and the characters feel dynamic. I loved the interactions between Zhen and Xian, and I found it difficult to put down once I'd started. The writing flows well, and the plot is engaging. It fits the YA category well, and I think readers who enjoyed Fake Dates and Mooncakes will enjoy Legend of the White Snake as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC!

Thank you Harper Collins, Sher Lee and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the plot of this one. I was engrossed in the story and where it was headed and while there were small pockets of info-dumping, I felt as a whole it was really beautifully told.

I loooooved learning a new myth/legend from another culture. This will always be something that delights and intrigues me.

I just found the characters fell a bit flat. I wasn’t emotionally invested in them or their relationships to one another. I felt a flash of emotion at Zhen’s sacrifice towards the end but aside from that, I didn’t connect with this story on any emotional level. Which is a shame because it had the potential to be brilliant.

I am pretty disappointed I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. This is one of my favorite Chinese Mythology tales and I've seen several Cdramas based on The Legend of The White Snake.

I was looking forward to the slow burn romance but it turned out to be Insta Love which meant I didn't understand why either of them did what they did. It was hard to root for either character. This was an okay read but I don't think I would read it again.

One day I won’t be left a weeping mess by a Chinese mythology retelling with a gorgeous cover, but today is not that day. This was so beautiful.

I was not familiar with this particular myth, so I’m not sure how much is faithful and how much is new. But I really loved how the story progressed, how Xian and Zhen’s relationship grew, and I loved Feng and Qing as side characters. The twists at the end had me surprised, and the level of danger our characters were in had me on the edge of my seat.

This is a story about love, sacrifice, balance, and forgiveness, and it was all just beautifully done. I devoured this and definitely recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the preview. All opinions are my own.

Sher Lee you did it again.. I adored Fake Dates and Mooncakes and when I saw she was releasing another book I immediately requested the ARC for it. I really enjoyed this one too! I will say I liked it less than Fake Dates but it was still thoroughly enjoyable!

I think going into this right after reading my first Danmei also may have contributed to me enjoying it slightly less than I could have. The characters were fun to read about but I didn’t feel as much connection to them as I would’ve liked. Zhen was my favourite and was a large reason for why I liked it as much as I did. I wish we could’ve seen more of Qing and her relationship with Zhen as their scenes didn’t have as much of an emotional impact to me due to not really getting invested in their sibling-like connection.

The romance was very sweet and there were many moments that had me kicking my feet and giggling. It did feel a little fast but I don’t mind that. Xian was sometimes a bit annoying especially during the conflict but not enough to make me actually dislike him or not root for the romance.

Overall, I had a really good time reading this and while I had some issues with certain aspects, I would still definitely recommend giving it a try.

4.5 stars rounded up.

This book was lovely. I'm not a huge YA reader but I loved the author's debut and jumped at the chance to read her second novel.

I was not familiar with the original story and was concerned that I would miss some of the nuance of the story because of it, but that was not the case at all. The characters were sweet and flawed and though the romance was a bit insta-lovey, it worked well for the story.

Was this book perfect? No. Were there some pacing issues? A bit. Could it have done with being a bit longer to really flesh out some more details? Yes. But vibes-wise? I loved these sweet little idiots. Highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5⭐️

Sher Lee' debut Fake Dates and Mooncakes was one of my favourite reads of 2023, so I was super excited when she reached out to ask if I'd like an early copy of her fantasy debut! Whilst I did have a fun time reading this book, I admit it didn't quite live up to my expectations.

I think the concept of this book is really good and this could've easily been a 5⭐️ read, but I don't think it was executed as well as it could have been. I started very strong, with a hooking premise, interesting plot, and likeable protagonists, but from the moment Xian and Zhen meet, the plot seems to disappear and the focus is solely on their almost insta-love relationship. Whilst I did like their initial meeting, and could get behind their initial connection, I felt their romance rushed too suddenly into a relationship, and was based more on physical attraction than a deeper connection. Insta-love style relationships are an issue I have quite often with romantasy books (they're not a personal preference of mine), so that did hamper my enjoyment. I did like their relationship more towards the end, but I wish it had been developed more. The individual character development was stronger, but still not as developed as I would like. I did still really like Xian and Zhen as characters and became attached to them both (especially Zhen though, he was my favourite).

I think this book as a whole was quite underdeveloped. The plot got lost a bit and sidelined too much for the romance, and relationships with side characters felt less emotional as we didn't get to know said characters and their connections well enough. There were some interesting themes that I was hoping would be explored more - particularly the differing power dynamics between characters, which was touched on a few times but never in quite enough depth - which I think would've worked better if this book was a lot longer. This also impacted the ending reveals (though I do think these were quite well-crafted reveals and twists that made sense and were satisfying in the plotline) which made them feel somewhat sudden. Whilst this book is a standalone, I personally think it would've worked much better either as a much longer book, or as a duology. This would've, in my opinion, given more time to expand upon the world and magic-system (which were both very interesting, but underutilised) and develop and explore characters and their relationships. The second half of this book (after a big reveal) was quite rushed, but it felt much stronger to me in terms of plot and relationships (I enjoyed Xian and Zhen's romance much more in the second half. I admit to being nearly in tears by the ending chapters and the epilogue because I had become so much more invested and attached to the characters!

It sounds like I'm being really harsh on this book, but I did really enjoy my time reading it (it is most certainly hooking and exciting and I did not want to put it down!) and will probably be buying a physical copy when it releases next month, I just think there was a lot of potential that wasn't fully explored. I do still think this book is good, and do recommend checking it out! I think this was a promising start from Sher Lee in the world of fantasy, and I am excited to see what she will do next!

A sweet and fluffy romance where even when the plot is dramatic, there isn’t a big sense of stress or doom. In some ways this felt like reading a folktale—not only is it based on one, but the characters are often being told what the meaning of symbols or the lesson they should take away from something is. Generally a queer normative world with very little criticism of Xian either for his sexuality (gay with the understanding that at some point he’ll take a wife for succession purposes) or his promiscuous nature, as he is a favored prince and therefore in a position of high power. Fast-paced, I think the whole story takes place over around 2-3 weeks, not counting the prologue/epilogue type parts.

I discovered the wonderful world of danmei earlier this year thanks to my friends, and know only a little bit of the legend of the white snake this story was based off of, so I was so excited to read a novel that would give me danmei vibes! I really enjoyed all the story beats and themes with family, duty, equilibrium, and a lot of the characters here too. I also have to say that I really enjoy Sher Lee's writing style here because this book was just so easy to consume and gobble up!!

And Sher also did a great job with taking the original story and making it into a super cute YA queer retelling with a lot of heart. There were some twists and turns I didn't expect in the story overall, which made this even more fun!!

Xian and Zhen were so adorable together and their dynamic & journey was so fun to read. On top of that, their individual character development was well-explored too. The pacing worked out really nicely for a standalone, and while I greedily wish we got some more, I think things would've been too drawn out for the worse if it did.

A really great YA danmei-like standalone experience!

So I will say I know very little about xianxia and have no knowledge at all about the White Snake Legend. I can’t attest to how well this works as a retelling/reimagining. However, in terms of reading it as a myth inspired fantasy I very much enjoyed it.

Feel like this was one that swung me around soooo many different emotions - joy, sorrow, anticipation, anger, hope, despair and relief. Kept me gripped and on edge. I really wasn’t sure how it was going to play out in the end and a couple of twists took me by surprise!

I really loved Xian, Zhen, Quin and Feng. Whilst I’d have maybe liked a bit more depth. I think their characterisation worked well for a YA novel.

I enjoyed the authors first book, but actually liked this way more! Fantasy/myth is definitely more my thing anyway, but I think I found the writing way more engaging and descriptive. Really painted a picture of the setting.

In some ways I think this could have benefitted from being longer. I’d have liked even more of the politics, the relationship developments and world building. But this is a common critique from me so maybe I’m just greedy! 🤣

Really enjoyable read and I absolutely must check out more fantasy inspired by Asian myth and culture.

Thank you to Harper Collins, Sher Lee and Netgalley for an advanced digital copy of this!

it was a good book! i did think the first half of the book was very very very slow, but i enjoyed having multiple povs keeping the suspense alive.

I will never get tired of queer retellings of myths and legends, and I especially enjoyed this spin on White Snake from Sher Lee. It’s more of a fresh story in its own right, just utilizing some of the familiar framework and characters from the legend, but taking its own approach to telling the tale of a snake spirit and a human.

Even if you aren’t familiar with the original story, the base is predictable in a comforting sort of way, from the very quick falling in love to the way Zhen’s secret unfolds to Zhen and Xian’s resolution. Even as a retelling, there’s still a very fairytale vibe to it, from the writing and the way Lee describes the forests and court to how everything plays out.

As mentioned, it’s predictable, but in that sort of way that you know exactly what you’re getting into at the start and it’s exactly what you want from a xianxia-flavored YA romance. In that way it’s very fun and cute.

AHHH this book was so good! I love the romance, the mythology aspect, the QUEER LONGING??? This book was so beautifully written and I enjoyed every moment of it! If you like Sue Lynn Tan's writing style you'll love this.

Thank you Netgalley and Quill Tree Books / HarperCollins for the ARC!

J’ai adoré par le même auteur Fake dates and Mooncakes alors il me fallait absolument que je lise The Legend Of the White Snake. Merci de m’avoir donné l’opportunité de lire ce livre numérique.
J’adore les légendes asiatiques et quand j’ai su que l’auteur allait faire un remake de la Légende du serpent blanc, je me devais de le lire et je n’ai pas été déçu ! Nous sommes ici dans une Fantasy Young Adult où on va suivre un Prince qui pour sauver sa mère, va devoir chasser Le Serpent Blanc afin de récupérer son venin. Mais en cours de route, le prince va inévitablement tomber amoureux de l’esprit du Serpent Blanc.
J’ai adoré le remake MM que l’auteur a fait ici, la romance était bien douce et m’a réchauffé le cœur.
Le début était un peu long mais par la suite, j’ai défilé les pages.
La fin était un peu prévisible mais cela ne m’a pas du tout gêné. J’ai adoré ce livre et j’ai hâte de l’avoir en version physique à sa sortie !

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for this honest review.

I had high hopes for this work, but unfortunately it fell short. I found the romance very fast, and lacking a bit of substance -- very instalove, which can be forgiven due to the format. However, the story itself felt lacking and uninspired. I felt like it was more like checking off boxes for each story beat than actually being an immersive telling.

I liked the characters, but ultimately I was not pulled into the storytelling and had to take multiple breaks to do something else more interesting.

The story itself was clear and to the point, but I felt it was lacking some meat and prose.

Thank you so much HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for providing me this ARC!

Ohh such a lovely book about a gay retelling of the folktale the legend of the white snake!

I really love the romance between Xian and Zhan, their dynamic is so good. I enjoy both Xian and Zhan's POVs. I feel like i can feel the emotion of both of them.

I love the tearful ending it was good i like it

But yeah the first half is kinda slow so it made me dozed off at some point...

But it is a solid retelling romance book

Thank you Net Galley for allowing me the opportunity to give my honest opinion on this arc!

Legend of the White Snake follows Xian, a prince who has set his life goal to save his mother from a terrible illness. The cure is said to come from a special snake which causes Xian to become a snake hunter. He desperately searches for the snake to save his mother who only has little time left. After hearing the news his mother will not last long, he goes to a monk to question what to do. The monk directs him to search in an area which contains the snake he desires. There he finds more than he wants, a gorgeous boy named Zhen who turns out to the white snake in human form (but Xian does not know that). The two have an instant connection and cannot stay away. Will their feelings conquer Xian's quest or the other way around?

Last year, I listened to the audiobook of the author's debut. I thought it was a sweet and quick read but it did not completely stick out to me. I had an enjoyable time and was curious about the author's next publications. I then saw they were working on a romantic fantasy based on Chinese legends and instantly became excited. This book felt like it was a toned down version (with the themes and mature level) of a danmei novel. It was constantly giving danmei vibes and I was eating it up. I loved seeing similar themes such as the romantic dynamics and the way the plot folded out. If you are ever curious about danmeis, I highly suggest picking this up because it has similar themes but it is easier to understand.

For the characters, I both enjoyed Xian and Zhen. I thought they both had strong motivations which made me root for them. Both of their motivations conflicted with the others so it was hard to side with one person. I felt like that made the story more interesting as well as emotional. When the two were together, they had great chemistry but I wish it was not as fast paced. I understand why the romance progressed fast, but I much prefer a slow-burn. The sweet moments made up for that though.

The plot was a little predictable but I did not mind. It was an enjoyable story and sometimes that is all I need. However, the ending felt like it came out of nowhere because of a certain twist. I accepted it but it still felt strange. Though, it did not off put me and change my opinion on the book. Overall, I just thought it was sweet and an emotional read. I flew through this book and wanted to know what happened next immediately. Maybe this is not the greatest book of all time, but it certainly hit the spot. If you ever need a quick romantic fantasy with two boys falling in love, this is the perfect choice!

4 stars

Thank you Harper Collins and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I love a good fantasy and Sher Lee delivered! I don’t know much about the legend but I still really enjoyed this story! I loved both Xian and Zhen, their connection is sweet, charming, and fast paced! Plenty of moments that will give you the warm and fuzzies! Then you get the action and adventure! Plenty of side characters to love with this one too! A quick story that will make you smile from start to finish!