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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
I liked it well enough, but it felt a little too rushed — like we had to hurry up and get to the next plot point. Also the main romance was a too much insta-love/lust for me so I never really got invested. I loved Zhen and Xian’s relationships with Qing and Feng, though.
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Cute little story. A little lacking in the world building (I’m still not sure what cultivation means in this context) and the romance was nice but a bit surface level. I will say I didn’t see the twist coming at the end.
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Chronic illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Classism
Who knew a beating of a heart would be so sexy. In this book, sex is largely left to the imagination, but the heartbeat felt between two lovers is more profound, then anything that you could imagine.
Zhen is a white snake, that has swallowed a magical pearl, and been able to transform into a human. Prince Xian needed that pearl to save his mother from a snake bite that is killing her. He asks the oracle for answers that lead him to Zhen, and they fall in love. Each hiding a secret.
I loved this book. It sounds so straightforward, but there are twists and turns, and loyalties, and betrayals. And who should you trust, and why? The research of this historical fantasy is fantastic, and makes you feel in the middle of the story.
Love the writing. Love the story. I stayed up late to finish this, and of course, all good stories, I was crying towards the end.
All the stars. This book comes out October 15, 2024. Preorder it, you will not regret it.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
Zhen is a white snake, that has swallowed a magical pearl, and been able to transform into a human. Prince Xian needed that pearl to save his mother from a snake bite that is killing her. He asks the oracle for answers that lead him to Zhen, and they fall in love. Each hiding a secret.
I loved this book. It sounds so straightforward, but there are twists and turns, and loyalties, and betrayals. And who should you trust, and why? The research of this historical fantasy is fantastic, and makes you feel in the middle of the story.
Love the writing. Love the story. I stayed up late to finish this, and of course, all good stories, I was crying towards the end.
All the stars. This book comes out October 15, 2024. Preorder it, you will not regret it.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was so sweet and sad and filled with magic and hope. It has the right balance of political intrigue with love and magic. I do not know the original folklore the story is based on, but it doesn't matter. This queer retelling was perfectly sweet with heartbreak and hope mixed throughout. It seemed at one point like there were a few too many elements, but they all tied together and became the right amount in the end.
Sher Lee, please keep making more books! I was introduced to you via your last book, FD&M, and I rushed to the bookstore to buy your new release! This book was the impetus for me to come back and finally start writing reviews for books that I have read in the past. The relationship between Zhen and Xian was so efervescente to me in so many ways that I can't begin to describe. It was so raw and I love the way that you created almost a slowburn instead of throwing the relationship full force at us. I was in a bit of a funk at the end when Zhen sadly passed, and I am usually not partial to last minute revivals, but for some reason you made it work. I think it might have to do with the cultural setting of the book and how you introduced the concept of cultivation into it, but I was so relieved to see Zhen at the end of the book. I loved the romance in this book, and Xians character development had me on my toes throughout the book. His stern yet aloof demeanor really drew me in towards his characters (though I hated when he was aggressive to Zhen on the way back to Wuyue: though I know in reality he didn't want any harm to come to him). Heixing was a great addition to the book, geneuinly didn't see him x Fahai happening AT ALL, I was blindsided. I liked Qing as a side character to the overall story, and she offered some light comedic relief, though she ended up being a source of peril in the end with having Zhen choose between her and his love for Xian. Thanks for making such a loveable book, and I will be back for more. :)
fast-paced
This was very sweet, and I enjoyed the story enough, but I felt that the main couple - and even the side couple (for what little there is of it) - weren't given the time to really flesh out their relationship. It was a very fast paced story, and I liked the writing style. It worked for my ADHD. I just feel like it could have been longer and given more time to develop the characters and their relationships.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty
Moderate: Violence