Legend of the White Snake

It’s good! I read this in a day. It’s quick paced and keeps your attention. I liked the characters and the twist and turns in the plot. For a one shot book, it is a great quick read.

A beautiful spin on a beloved Chinese folktale. Entangled in the throws of zhi ji (soulmates) versus family loyalty, what is right and what is wrong is neither black nor white, but a beautiful shade of gray that catches upon the shadow of a white snake. Sher Lee's recent work is an ode to the classical tale of a white serpent that achieves a human form, but the twist of cultivation is not one to be taken lightly, and how deeply tangled the threads of fate are imbedded in every day. The ache of temptation, past regrets, and the sacrifice of true love that threatened to suffocate Zhen, and the scorn of betrayal from unexpected and familiar places as Prince Xian must face traitors within his home, and in his bed. As beautifully depicted by Sher Lee as the taste of Zhen's name on Prince Xian's tongue. Simply, a must have in any library.Spoilers/Warning: if for some reason, you have made it this far without realizing it... this book is a modern spin on the tale of the White Snake that is heavily explored in Chinese mythology with this tale taking place between two males. It is a beautiful representation of the LGBT+ community in a YA fantasy novel. There are mentions of relationship explorations, and hints of obvious content, but nothing more than you can expect from the Sister Hood of the Traveling Pants.

Well I loved this! The world building was detailed and steeped in Chinese mythology with snake spirits and traditional medicine. As someone who enjoys xianxia Chinese dramas, it felt like I was transported into one. The story also explores the power of destiny and things that are meant to be. Of good overcoming evil and love winning against all odds. The only part that I shrugged with was Xian assenting to what needed to be done to Zhen to make the cure for his mother 😬. I needed more groveling for that.Thanks to the publisher for the review copy, thoughts are my own.

I would have liked to have more time with these characters but it was a lovely read

I’m a big time reader of these kinds of books and I’m all for reading new ones of this genre. I’m only 2/3 of the way through the book but the storyline and characters have already met my expectations(which are fairly high since Heaven Officials Blessing is the basis for all of my fantasy books now). I highly, HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who likes Tgcf, mdzs, and or svsss! <3

I enjoyed the story & learned things of that era.

The romance was good, very cute and the banter between characters was fun.

Thank you Netgalley, Harper Collins, and Quill Tree Books for allowing me to read and review Legend of the White Snake! All thoughts and opinions are my own.Legend of the White Snake is about Prince Xian, a boy who is searching for an elusive cure for his dying mother who was bit by a rare white snake years ago. Zhen, who consumed a rare spirit pearl and transformed from being a white snake to a human boy, meets Xian under the disguise of a horse tender. The two boys grow close together but Zhen realizes his secret will need to come out soon or later to continue his friendship with Xian.The story feels like it should have been written as an adult fantasy, not YA. It felt restricted by YA rules, and it hindered the experience. There's a lot of talk about s3x and I think I wouldn't have cringed as much if it were written for an older audience. I'm not sure if I liked this one. I loved the premise, the cover is gorgeous, and the artwork for the chapter header is beautiful... but the execution of this great idea left me kind of bummed.The romance between Zhen and Xian is instant and rushed. There was no chemistry, and to me, it was very forced. I'm not a fan of the insta-love trope. I'm sometimes okay with it if it's done well, but for this book, it falls flat.The pacing is quick, the world-building is simple, and the characters were not fleshed out enough for me to care about their well-being. I sped-read through the story, and I didn't feel like I was missing anything.I wish I could rate this book higher because it was one of my anticipated reads for 2024. Unfortunately, it missed the mark for me.2.5 stars