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The Mystery of the Bitten Peach
Meet Mei, a young Chinese American who has discovered she has the mystical ability to transport herself anywhere that is spiritually “China”—including Chinatowns around the world and different eras of Chinese history. As an adoptive child of the diaspora, Mei was raised in America with no knowledge of Chinese folklore or fairy tales, but when an antiques dealer friend needs help retrieving a mythic artifact—a jade carving of a peach that represented same-sex love in ancient China—she’s game to give it a try.
Her quest sends Mei not only into the past, but on a journey of self-discovery.
PRAISE
“Full of queerness, generative solidarity, and gently profound insights into love and choice, Tan’s tale goes down smoothly but its wisdom lingers. Not to be missed.”
—Shelley Parker Chan, author of She Who Became the Sun
"Cecilia Tan has carved a jade peach, and then turned it real for you. Cup your hands around this enchanting tale of romance, art, and magic, and savor its juice. An absolute gem!"
—Claire Light, author of Slightly Behind and to the Left/Jadie Jiang, author of Monkey Around
"Bitten Peach's ingenious time travel narrative structure is as tight as it is playful. Its themes of displacement and yearning are equally exquisitely intertwined through gender, space, and culture. And it all comes together in delicious resonance with the nature of its Chinese history and spiral-time magic! It's the kind of story that burrows into my brain and lives there for years and years.":
—Emma Mieke Candon, author of Ronin, and The Archive Undying
Her quest sends Mei not only into the past, but on a journey of self-discovery.
PRAISE
“Full of queerness, generative solidarity, and gently profound insights into love and choice, Tan’s tale goes down smoothly but its wisdom lingers. Not to be missed.”
—Shelley Parker Chan, author of She Who Became the Sun
"Cecilia Tan has carved a jade peach, and then turned it real for you. Cup your hands around this enchanting tale of romance, art, and magic, and savor its juice. An absolute gem!"
—Claire Light, author of Slightly Behind and to the Left/Jadie Jiang, author of Monkey Around
"Bitten Peach's ingenious time travel narrative structure is as tight as it is playful. Its themes of displacement and yearning are equally exquisitely intertwined through gender, space, and culture. And it all comes together in delicious resonance with the nature of its Chinese history and spiral-time magic! It's the kind of story that burrows into my brain and lives there for years and years.":
—Emma Mieke Candon, author of Ronin, and The Archive Undying
146 pages, Paperback
Published April 28, 2026
3 people are currently reading
188 people want to read
About the author
Cecilia Tan
204 books599 followersSusie Bright says, "Cecilia Tan is simply one of the most important writers, editors, and innovators in contemporary American erotic literature." Since the publication of Telepaths Don't Need Safewords in 1992, she has been on the cutting edge of the erotic form, often combining elements of fantasy and science fiction in her work. She is also founder and editor of Circlet Press.
RT Book Reviews awarded her Career Achievement in Erotic Romance in 2015 and her novel Slow Surrender (Hachette/Forever, 2013) won the RT Reviewers Choice Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence from GRW in 2013. She has been publishing Daron's Guitar Chronicles as a web serial since 2009 and her Secrets of a Rock Star series (Taking the Lead, Wild Licks, Hard Rhythm) is published by Hachette/Forever. In 2018 Tor Books will launch her urban fantasy/paranormal series, The Vanished Chronicles. In her other life, Cecilia is also the editor of the Baseball Research Journal and publications director for SABR, the Society for American Baseball Research.
RT Book Reviews awarded her Career Achievement in Erotic Romance in 2015 and her novel Slow Surrender (Hachette/Forever, 2013) won the RT Reviewers Choice Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence from GRW in 2013. She has been publishing Daron's Guitar Chronicles as a web serial since 2009 and her Secrets of a Rock Star series (Taking the Lead, Wild Licks, Hard Rhythm) is published by Hachette/Forever. In 2018 Tor Books will launch her urban fantasy/paranormal series, The Vanished Chronicles. In her other life, Cecilia is also the editor of the Baseball Research Journal and publications director for SABR, the Society for American Baseball Research.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
April 7, 2026
A novella about an art thief able to time-travel to every place that holds the spirit of China naturally had my attention, but I overall can't say that my initial intrigue was satisfied by the story I got. Mei was a character jumping through time and around the world, but I never got the feeling that this was an equally broad story. At the same time there was just too much going on in these 150 pages. In present day, Mei takes a job to retrieve a jade peach that was stolen from a museum and that's a Chinese symbol for homosexual love. Mei doesn't have to search for it, because she is simply able to jump to the time when it was first carved and so that's what she does. She disguises as a man and apprentices under the original artist of the peach. At the same time she always jumps back to the present and goes on dates with the museum worker she met through the job. And then there are additional chapters taking place in the 1990s where Mei meets a concubine and befriends and tries to free her. It really was a lot for such a short story and there was no time to explain anything in a detailed way. Some reveals were just dropped onto the reader without ever hinting at them beforehand. Suddenly the characters were just aware of certain things and I never knew how they got the information in the first place. There were many themes that I could easily get behind, like the connection between art and (queer) love, and the cultural aspect of the story was strong too, but the book still didn't leave a lasting impression. And now I have painfully little to say in my review. I really have no strong feelings about this novella, when there was all the potential for this to be an exciting short read.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Neon Hemlock Press for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Neon Hemlock Press for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
May 1, 2026
Thank you Neon Hemlock & Net Galley for the ARC.
Mei, a Chinese-American travels to the past, and engages in discussion around the place of Queerness in ancient, past and current civilisations.
The novella doesn't take a second to settle into a fast pace, throwing together different timelines and stakes. It took a few chapters to get the hang of it, but there is so much happening that the characters very quickly push through the confusion to get the conversation where it's aiming.
First is the question of identity, in both queer and origins sense. The biracial identity of several characters will open a discussion around acceptance, around heritage and interest. Mei and Sandra will explore the similarities but also the differences of those with relatable yet unique situations, adoptee or mixed.
The queer identity is the topic of he novella itself, its History, how it morphed and shaped to get to the 21st century. But also what it still is, how the next generation will be able to perceive it.
The second key aspect of The Mystery of the Bitten Peach is History itself, as well as Chinese folklore.
The heist angle allowed us to discover more about time periods and legends through discussion between Qan, Mei and Sandra. Discussion around hats, period clothes, even the difference between mandarin separated by centuries. Tales being told, definitely not in their entirety, but enough to both follow along and make me curious to read more about.
The relationship between Sandra and Mei felt pretty fast, but in a novella context, it wasn't completely out of the blue either.
Mainly, the only thing that could have made The Mystery of the Bitten Peach better to me, would be to make it a full on volume.
There's so much to be told, there's the potential for time-travelling heists on a grand scale, the discovery of historic queer figures, the discussion on today's perception of queerness, how it's endangered but also how it advanced in just a few decades.
I'd be more than willing to know more about Chinese folklore and history in lessons through a relationship growing between Mei and Sandra, with intel from Qan.
An incredible read.
Mei, a Chinese-American travels to the past, and engages in discussion around the place of Queerness in ancient, past and current civilisations.
The novella doesn't take a second to settle into a fast pace, throwing together different timelines and stakes. It took a few chapters to get the hang of it, but there is so much happening that the characters very quickly push through the confusion to get the conversation where it's aiming.
First is the question of identity, in both queer and origins sense. The biracial identity of several characters will open a discussion around acceptance, around heritage and interest. Mei and Sandra will explore the similarities but also the differences of those with relatable yet unique situations, adoptee or mixed.
The queer identity is the topic of he novella itself, its History, how it morphed and shaped to get to the 21st century. But also what it still is, how the next generation will be able to perceive it.
The second key aspect of The Mystery of the Bitten Peach is History itself, as well as Chinese folklore.
The heist angle allowed us to discover more about time periods and legends through discussion between Qan, Mei and Sandra. Discussion around hats, period clothes, even the difference between mandarin separated by centuries. Tales being told, definitely not in their entirety, but enough to both follow along and make me curious to read more about.
The relationship between Sandra and Mei felt pretty fast, but in a novella context, it wasn't completely out of the blue either.
Mainly, the only thing that could have made The Mystery of the Bitten Peach better to me, would be to make it a full on volume.
There's so much to be told, there's the potential for time-travelling heists on a grand scale, the discovery of historic queer figures, the discussion on today's perception of queerness, how it's endangered but also how it advanced in just a few decades.
I'd be more than willing to know more about Chinese folklore and history in lessons through a relationship growing between Mei and Sandra, with intel from Qan.
An incredible read.
May 6, 2026
I got mixed feelings with this book. On one hand, I didn´t dislike it. But on the other... I think this one would have benefited from having twice the pages it currently has. Because, although I don´t think this is badly written, I still felt the pacing went at a dangerous speed. So much so, that I was confused for a good part of the novel, with Mei (the protagonist) jumping through time-space here and there, with little to no explanation.
So, the story is about Mei, a Chinese-American girl who can travel through time and, per request of a Quan, a friend who´s an antiques dealer, she needs to travel back to help retrieving jade carving of a peach that it is said appears in certain folktale about same sex love.
This is interesting. The problem is, when you start reading the book, you realize first thing that happens is that Mei is acting as a thief (recovering antiques from many centuries ago) with her time traveling gift. Then, next chapter, she´s already in contemporary days, talking with her friend. There is, again, little to no transition.
You don´t get to know why can she travel through time, how does she do it exactly or why did she choose to take this gift and use it for this particular profession.
What there is, though, it´s a lot of cultural references through the story about Chinese folklore and culture. Which, just like the plot, I think it would have been benefited from having more space to talk about them. I know this is a novella, and we could arguably say it was supposed to be this way all along; a fast paced narration without much depth of character (simply because there´s barely any space to develop anything). But I don´t know, I´ve read far less confusing novellas than this one.
So, the story is about Mei, a Chinese-American girl who can travel through time and, per request of a Quan, a friend who´s an antiques dealer, she needs to travel back to help retrieving jade carving of a peach that it is said appears in certain folktale about same sex love.
This is interesting. The problem is, when you start reading the book, you realize first thing that happens is that Mei is acting as a thief (recovering antiques from many centuries ago) with her time traveling gift. Then, next chapter, she´s already in contemporary days, talking with her friend. There is, again, little to no transition.
You don´t get to know why can she travel through time, how does she do it exactly or why did she choose to take this gift and use it for this particular profession.
What there is, though, it´s a lot of cultural references through the story about Chinese folklore and culture. Which, just like the plot, I think it would have been benefited from having more space to talk about them. I know this is a novella, and we could arguably say it was supposed to be this way all along; a fast paced narration without much depth of character (simply because there´s barely any space to develop anything). But I don´t know, I´ve read far less confusing novellas than this one.
April 29, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley and Neon Hemlock for the ARC!
The Mystery of the Bitten Peach is a fun and easy-to-read novella about an immortal who can teleport to different times and places.
The novel is divided into past and present, but follows three storylines.
All of the characters in this novella are vivid and have distinguishable personalities achieved in few pages. While I would not read this for romance, I liked the scenes between Mei and Sandra. Additionally, the platonic relationship between Mei and Quan was great as well, and their conversations were fun to read.
I liked the discussions of art, culture, and queerness in this novella, both separately and how they are intertwined.
If the premise of a time-travelling art thief appeals to you or you want to read a short and fun romp, I'd recommend you give it a try!
The Mystery of the Bitten Peach is a fun and easy-to-read novella about an immortal who can teleport to different times and places.
The novel is divided into past and present, but follows three storylines.
All of the characters in this novella are vivid and have distinguishable personalities achieved in few pages. While I would not read this for romance, I liked the scenes between Mei and Sandra. Additionally, the platonic relationship between Mei and Quan was great as well, and their conversations were fun to read.
I liked the discussions of art, culture, and queerness in this novella, both separately and how they are intertwined.
If the premise of a time-travelling art thief appeals to you or you want to read a short and fun romp, I'd recommend you give it a try!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"The Mystery of the Bitten Peach" is a novella about this young Chinese-American with the ability to time travel to any part of the world that has some connection to China, such as Chinatown in London. Ever since discovering and mastering this ability, she has dedicated herself doing odd jobs for a friend, travelling to different time periods to retrive "authentic" artifacts, depending on the demand.
When a valuable artifact is stolen, she's requested to retrieve it, which in her perspective means travelling to the point when it was first made.
But things immediately grow complicated when in the present, Mei's feelings for the museum's curator threaten to expose her feelings, while a different threat in the past can prove to be the biggest obstacle to reaching her goal.
There are a lot of things I want to share that I loved about this book, but I'll start small.
First, the writing style. Amazing, gorgeous, fantastic. It is very much show don't tell, though I think in a way not many would pick up. Mei is very natural with her narration. She's not in the mindset that an audience is reading her thoughts, so the way they develop feels very natural. All the things she's thinking are direct responses to what she's experiencing, not randomly dropping info-dumps when a small element is introduced. For example, the audience can immediately understand that one of the characters is immortal not because Mei explicitly says it, but because when she's waiting for him to finish some phone calls, we keeps switching languages and accents depending the caller and absentmindedly thinks something like "With all the years he has lived, no wonder he picked up the hobby to learn so many languages". The word immortal doesn't appear on text until way after the midway point, if I remember correctly.
That is not to say that Mei doesn't drop lore every once in a while, just that it feels natural. For most of the story, only stopping near the end, every chapter is divided between past and the present. There are two stories happening at the same time for us readers; Mei's past, sharing with us her childhood, teen years and later early adulthood, to the present with the Peach mission. For the two narrations, two different styles are used. In the present, Mei's narration is like I previously mentioned, with Mei only sharing lore as a response to what she's doing or observing. While in the past, the narration takes on a more story telling role, with Mei sharing her past, how she felt about certain moments and experiences. It very much feels like a story she's directing to someone, rather than the natural flow of her thoughts. I quite liked that!
And now to the themes:
With only slight spoilers, there's a point in the story where Mei's adoptive mother, a white woman, often felt like she was raising a fairy child, which made her terrified one day, Mei would slip right through her fingers. I think this comparison perfectly highlights an important aspect of the story.
Mei is quite literally out of time and space. She exists outside the rules of the reality that raised her, but lacks all knowledge to the world of her origin. She's in the body of the supernatural but in the mind of a regular human. Much like a changeling child.
She's also of Chinese origin but raised in the USA, raised by a white woman who did not give her access to her Chinese heritage in an attempt to make her as "normal" as possible. As sincere as her actions might have been trying to make her child fit in and not be cast out of society, she failed to comprehend that by Mei simply being who she was, she would always stand out. Whether or not she wore a chinese dress to prom, it wouldn't have made her less chinese, wouldn't have made her blend better with the crowd. This is the behavior people talk about when saying that being "colorblind" to race is not helpful, and will actually be detrimental for everyone.
No matter what Mei does, she will never fit in with the environment, which makes her perfect for slipping past the cracks. Through alleyways, gates and doors, places that are about connections, barriers or lines, and can only travel during dusk or dawn, that moment when it's both day and night. When it all blends together.
Without spoilers, Mei's power is the result of her supernatural identity, and it's worth noting how the first and only person to know almost immediately who she was, was something similar to her. Not identical, but existing within the same spectrum. Not even the one who SHOULD have known her identity did, not even at the end. Maybe that person realized when she used her powers at the end, but we don't know. Sometimes, the ones who should be able to see us and understand us never will, while the ones that can are out there, waiting for us.
I really enjoyed this story and I hope you guys give it a chance! It has so much to say, about identity and authenticity, how there can't be a future without a past, how we express ourselves is tied with our understanding of who we are and how we can to be. We do not exist in a vacuum. We are made by the history, culture and knowledge that flows through everything around us, even when we do not believe so because we do not notice. We are all connected.
Thanking Netgalley for giving me access to this wonderful tale!
When a valuable artifact is stolen, she's requested to retrieve it, which in her perspective means travelling to the point when it was first made.
But things immediately grow complicated when in the present, Mei's feelings for the museum's curator threaten to expose her feelings, while a different threat in the past can prove to be the biggest obstacle to reaching her goal.
There are a lot of things I want to share that I loved about this book, but I'll start small.
First, the writing style. Amazing, gorgeous, fantastic. It is very much show don't tell, though I think in a way not many would pick up. Mei is very natural with her narration. She's not in the mindset that an audience is reading her thoughts, so the way they develop feels very natural. All the things she's thinking are direct responses to what she's experiencing, not randomly dropping info-dumps when a small element is introduced. For example, the audience can immediately understand that one of the characters is immortal not because Mei explicitly says it, but because when she's waiting for him to finish some phone calls, we keeps switching languages and accents depending the caller and absentmindedly thinks something like "With all the years he has lived, no wonder he picked up the hobby to learn so many languages". The word immortal doesn't appear on text until way after the midway point, if I remember correctly.
That is not to say that Mei doesn't drop lore every once in a while, just that it feels natural. For most of the story, only stopping near the end, every chapter is divided between past and the present. There are two stories happening at the same time for us readers; Mei's past, sharing with us her childhood, teen years and later early adulthood, to the present with the Peach mission. For the two narrations, two different styles are used. In the present, Mei's narration is like I previously mentioned, with Mei only sharing lore as a response to what she's doing or observing. While in the past, the narration takes on a more story telling role, with Mei sharing her past, how she felt about certain moments and experiences. It very much feels like a story she's directing to someone, rather than the natural flow of her thoughts. I quite liked that!
And now to the themes:
With only slight spoilers, there's a point in the story where Mei's adoptive mother, a white woman, often felt like she was raising a fairy child, which made her terrified one day, Mei would slip right through her fingers. I think this comparison perfectly highlights an important aspect of the story.
Mei is quite literally out of time and space. She exists outside the rules of the reality that raised her, but lacks all knowledge to the world of her origin. She's in the body of the supernatural but in the mind of a regular human. Much like a changeling child.
She's also of Chinese origin but raised in the USA, raised by a white woman who did not give her access to her Chinese heritage in an attempt to make her as "normal" as possible. As sincere as her actions might have been trying to make her child fit in and not be cast out of society, she failed to comprehend that by Mei simply being who she was, she would always stand out. Whether or not she wore a chinese dress to prom, it wouldn't have made her less chinese, wouldn't have made her blend better with the crowd. This is the behavior people talk about when saying that being "colorblind" to race is not helpful, and will actually be detrimental for everyone.
No matter what Mei does, she will never fit in with the environment, which makes her perfect for slipping past the cracks. Through alleyways, gates and doors, places that are about connections, barriers or lines, and can only travel during dusk or dawn, that moment when it's both day and night. When it all blends together.
Without spoilers, Mei's power is the result of her supernatural identity, and it's worth noting how the first and only person to know almost immediately who she was, was something similar to her. Not identical, but existing within the same spectrum. Not even the one who SHOULD have known her identity did, not even at the end. Maybe that person realized when she used her powers at the end, but we don't know. Sometimes, the ones who should be able to see us and understand us never will, while the ones that can are out there, waiting for us.
I really enjoyed this story and I hope you guys give it a chance! It has so much to say, about identity and authenticity, how there can't be a future without a past, how we express ourselves is tied with our understanding of who we are and how we can to be. We do not exist in a vacuum. We are made by the history, culture and knowledge that flows through everything around us, even when we do not believe so because we do not notice. We are all connected.
Thanking Netgalley for giving me access to this wonderful tale!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 out of 5 stars!
"I wasn't always a time-traveling thief."
Mei can open gateways into the past, being pulled to different eras for purposes unknown. Why not nab a few things while trying to figure out what she's meant to do?
When an old friend approaches her with an opportunity to help out a museum, Mei can't pass it up. Especially when the item was a symbol for gay love back in Ancient China! As she struggles to obtain the jade peach, she discovers things about herself including more about her Chinese heritage. Being Chinese American has been a struggle, but the time jumps into Ancient China has helped her connection grow.
First off, the cover art is stunning! I was drawn in by the artwork and spent a good deal studying it before I actually dived into the read! Jenn So is the artist. I am also a big fan of any and all mythology, so this read seemed up my ally!
"I'm made of sunset and dawnlight, but he doesn't know that."
I have to be honest; I was about to DNF this read. Simply because in the beginning there was a lot going on and I was a bit confused. This is a novella, so I understand the need for adding things in quickly because of the length of the book. But I was a little lost until it started to level out a bit. I was also more invested in the actual time-traveling story and Ancient China than the modern/present timeline.
Loved watching Mei navigate the ancient timeline and trying to get where she needed to be. Disguising herself and actually working on the item she needed to steal! Learning the process of sculpting jade! I enjoyed how Chinese Mythology was woven into the story and into Mei's very character! Mei having an American mother who tried her best but didn't fulfill that cultural knowledge. Causing Mei to discover her heritage on her own through time-traveling and other Chinese Americans' in the modern world.
This is a quick read, and I only caught some mild language. Mei's mom wasn't a bad mother and I'm appreciative for a scene that took place between them. But there are some reasons as to why Mei didn't stay in touch. There's mention of courtesans and one working above an establishment in a more modern setting.
There's some romance in the read but the FMC wasn't really my cup of tea. I was also confused about the intentions with another woman and how quickly Mei got over her. I get that this was a novella, but Mei seemed really invested in one woman and then another comes in. Mei then shyly pursues this new woman while still being connected to the other. Like girl, what?! The most that happens on page is a kiss.
I really did love Quan! Also, the artist and the magician were favorites as well! I did love the writing style and would be interested in potentially reading a full-length book. We do get an HEA.
Do enjoy the read and don't forget to give the author some stars!
Thank you, NetGalley and Neon Hemlock!
shutupandbookup.com
"I wasn't always a time-traveling thief."
Mei can open gateways into the past, being pulled to different eras for purposes unknown. Why not nab a few things while trying to figure out what she's meant to do?
When an old friend approaches her with an opportunity to help out a museum, Mei can't pass it up. Especially when the item was a symbol for gay love back in Ancient China! As she struggles to obtain the jade peach, she discovers things about herself including more about her Chinese heritage. Being Chinese American has been a struggle, but the time jumps into Ancient China has helped her connection grow.
First off, the cover art is stunning! I was drawn in by the artwork and spent a good deal studying it before I actually dived into the read! Jenn So is the artist. I am also a big fan of any and all mythology, so this read seemed up my ally!
"I'm made of sunset and dawnlight, but he doesn't know that."
I have to be honest; I was about to DNF this read. Simply because in the beginning there was a lot going on and I was a bit confused. This is a novella, so I understand the need for adding things in quickly because of the length of the book. But I was a little lost until it started to level out a bit. I was also more invested in the actual time-traveling story and Ancient China than the modern/present timeline.
Loved watching Mei navigate the ancient timeline and trying to get where she needed to be. Disguising herself and actually working on the item she needed to steal! Learning the process of sculpting jade! I enjoyed how Chinese Mythology was woven into the story and into Mei's very character! Mei having an American mother who tried her best but didn't fulfill that cultural knowledge. Causing Mei to discover her heritage on her own through time-traveling and other Chinese Americans' in the modern world.
This is a quick read, and I only caught some mild language. Mei's mom wasn't a bad mother and I'm appreciative for a scene that took place between them. But there are some reasons as to why Mei didn't stay in touch. There's mention of courtesans and one working above an establishment in a more modern setting.
There's some romance in the read but the FMC wasn't really my cup of tea. I was also confused about the intentions with another woman and how quickly Mei got over her. I get that this was a novella, but Mei seemed really invested in one woman and then another comes in. Mei then shyly pursues this new woman while still being connected to the other. Like girl, what?! The most that happens on page is a kiss.
I really did love Quan! Also, the artist and the magician were favorites as well! I did love the writing style and would be interested in potentially reading a full-length book. We do get an HEA.
Do enjoy the read and don't forget to give the author some stars!
Thank you, NetGalley and Neon Hemlock!
shutupandbookup.com
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As a queer transracial adoptee growing up in the Midwest in the '80s, Mei has never felt very secure in her own identity. When she discovers the power to travel through space and time by passing through various kinds of entryways at sunrise and sunset, she seems happy for the excuse to avoid contemplating who she is and what she wants, and instead to put her chameleon-like tendencies to use as a time-hopping art thief. Her latest job is a little unusual, though: a sculpture of a bitten peach, a historical symbol of queer love in China, has disappeared from a museum and the curator wants it back. But, believing it likely that the peach has already been destroyed by some homophobic individual or group, Mei's plan is not to recover the current peach but to steal the original from the artist right after it's completed and bring it forward in time. Meanwhile, the attractive curator's apparent interest in her is forcing her to confront some of those questions she's been avoiding.
I requested this book with very little time to go before publication and was a bit worried, even given that it's a novella, that it would be hard to make time for it, but once I started, it kept me turning pages and I finished it in no time. It was a fun whirlwind ride through China and the Chinese diaspora in a variety of eras, with a somber touch of contemplation of queer history and the forces currently trying to erase it, both in China and in the US. But primarily the focus is on the positive side of queer love and community and the "we have always been here" of it all.
I enjoyed Mei as a protagonist; she feels very human in her flaws and confusions and all the things about herself that she just doesn't want to look too closely at. I also love when characters are competent at their jobs but somewhat of a disaster interpersonally (Mei can handle high-tension situations during a heist, but when her love interest asks her a personal question she gets so flustered she flees the restaurant). The love interest, Sandra, is somewhat less fleshed out, but she's likeable and it's cute when Mei is encouraging her to nerd out about her historical areas of interest (for heist reasons) and Sandra is excited to have the opportunity to talk about what kinds of hats Chinese officials wore in 1480.
The novella had a lot going on and could easily be expanded into a full novel; some readers might find what's there a bit unsatisfying, especially if they prefer a more fleshed-out and less vibes-based magic system (though that worked for me in this case) or if they're hoping to see more of the budding romance than the very beginning. I will admit to being a little sad that I didn't get more of this! But I found it fun nonetheless, and if you're looking for a fast-paced, colorful queer read it's a strong pick.
I requested this book with very little time to go before publication and was a bit worried, even given that it's a novella, that it would be hard to make time for it, but once I started, it kept me turning pages and I finished it in no time. It was a fun whirlwind ride through China and the Chinese diaspora in a variety of eras, with a somber touch of contemplation of queer history and the forces currently trying to erase it, both in China and in the US. But primarily the focus is on the positive side of queer love and community and the "we have always been here" of it all.
I enjoyed Mei as a protagonist; she feels very human in her flaws and confusions and all the things about herself that she just doesn't want to look too closely at. I also love when characters are competent at their jobs but somewhat of a disaster interpersonally (Mei can handle high-tension situations during a heist, but when her love interest asks her a personal question she gets so flustered she flees the restaurant). The love interest, Sandra, is somewhat less fleshed out, but she's likeable and it's cute when Mei is encouraging her to nerd out about her historical areas of interest (for heist reasons) and Sandra is excited to have the opportunity to talk about what kinds of hats Chinese officials wore in 1480.
The novella had a lot going on and could easily be expanded into a full novel; some readers might find what's there a bit unsatisfying, especially if they prefer a more fleshed-out and less vibes-based magic system (though that worked for me in this case) or if they're hoping to see more of the budding romance than the very beginning. I will admit to being a little sad that I didn't get more of this! But I found it fun nonetheless, and if you're looking for a fast-paced, colorful queer read it's a strong pick.
Read
April 10, 2026⬦ Queer Chinese Diaspora MC
⬦ Time Travelling Heists
⬦ Insta-love Sapphic Romance
⬦ Chinese Folklore & History
⬦ Immortals & Magic
I was super hyped to read a time travelling plot with a queer Chinese diaspora main character 😊 The story is told through alternating between chapters depicting the past (where we learn more about MC's backstory) and the present (where MC's tasked with a time travelling heist to steal a jade peach). The plot is fast paced and manages to tie it all neatly together in the end (apart from the time paradox of how MC could steal the peach from the past to replace the one that was stolen from the museum... wouldn't that mean the one from the museum was never passed down through history and thus never stolen and MC wouldn't time travel to steal it from the past?). The romance would appeal to those who like the insta-love trope as the relationship development is very fast (with MC revealing important things to her love interest after pretty much 2 dates and 1 kiss).
Something that bothered me a bit was how there was a mention of 'some Beijing governmental tourist propaganda' in the form of a pamphlet (?) about the architecture of the Forbidden City. But from what we read of the pamphlet, it just seems to be explaining the history and cultural significance of the 9 dragon sons that act as roof guardians in the Forbidden City. So I don't know why MC would immediately describe it as government propaganda when it just seems to be giving information about Chinese culture and mythology, and MC doesn't actually provide us with any information from the pamphlet that sounds like propaganda. Unless the MC's attitude is that Chinese cultural heritage is propaganda just by existing? Anyway, I was confused what the overall messaging was meant to be when the intention behind this story seemed to be celebrating Chinese culture.
Overall, this was jam-packed with a surprising amount of plot for a novella and a lot of important themes such as connection/disconnection to Chinese culture as diaspora, gender identity, queer relationships in contemporary times and in history, folklore and immortals. Sometimes I felt like it didn't have the length to do much with these themes (in particular, the gender identity topic was brought up and then dropped without a resolution of some kind). I really wished we got a whole novel out of this premise because it's so promising 🤗
⬦ Time Travelling Heists
⬦ Insta-love Sapphic Romance
⬦ Chinese Folklore & History
⬦ Immortals & Magic
I was super hyped to read a time travelling plot with a queer Chinese diaspora main character 😊 The story is told through alternating between chapters depicting the past (where we learn more about MC's backstory) and the present (where MC's tasked with a time travelling heist to steal a jade peach). The plot is fast paced and manages to tie it all neatly together in the end (apart from the time paradox of how MC could steal the peach from the past to replace the one that was stolen from the museum... wouldn't that mean the one from the museum was never passed down through history and thus never stolen and MC wouldn't time travel to steal it from the past?). The romance would appeal to those who like the insta-love trope as the relationship development is very fast (with MC revealing important things to her love interest after pretty much 2 dates and 1 kiss).
Something that bothered me a bit was how there was a mention of 'some Beijing governmental tourist propaganda' in the form of a pamphlet (?) about the architecture of the Forbidden City. But from what we read of the pamphlet, it just seems to be explaining the history and cultural significance of the 9 dragon sons that act as roof guardians in the Forbidden City. So I don't know why MC would immediately describe it as government propaganda when it just seems to be giving information about Chinese culture and mythology, and MC doesn't actually provide us with any information from the pamphlet that sounds like propaganda. Unless the MC's attitude is that Chinese cultural heritage is propaganda just by existing? Anyway, I was confused what the overall messaging was meant to be when the intention behind this story seemed to be celebrating Chinese culture.
Overall, this was jam-packed with a surprising amount of plot for a novella and a lot of important themes such as connection/disconnection to Chinese culture as diaspora, gender identity, queer relationships in contemporary times and in history, folklore and immortals. Sometimes I felt like it didn't have the length to do much with these themes (in particular, the gender identity topic was brought up and then dropped without a resolution of some kind). I really wished we got a whole novel out of this premise because it's so promising 🤗
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
Great concept, but poorly chosen length for the execution.
If you ever wondered if true love is a myth then you might enjoy this short read more than me. Especially if you don't mind an undeveloped story and characters and just want a quick read or get out of a reading slump.
I only wanted to read this book 'cause of the Chinese mythology, folk tales and the mentioning of an art thief. I often adore thieves, so I thought I might find another charming and cunning one. This story lacked the high-stakes and tension I typically know of a heist and the thief was too one-dimensional to like.
What makes it even less enjoyable was how the reader was immediatelt placed into the heist with little to no explanations. The world-building, which was poor, didn't help to understand the story better either. The themes were also too many for the short length of this book. It was about chinese culture and folktales, art, history, gender roles, fate, alienation and time travelling. I wasn't confused all the time, but the story was crammed with too many themes and the fast pacing sacrificed depth.
The jumps between different periods in time were confusing at first, but I understood after a while. There were three timelines in total. I think the different time periods could have been better distinguished by naming the chapter titles in English instead of Chinese.
I enjoyed how this story evolved around a romantic fairy tale from the early Qing dynasty. I never heard of any Chinese tale of homosexual history before, so I was fascinated by it rather quickly. Homosexuality might truly be the ‘pleasure of the bitten peach’.
Ultimately, the pacing was too fast and the length too short to compliment the concept of this story. In addition, most story elements were poorly explained, which made the whole story feel incomplete. What this story needs is better world-building, more foreshadowing, better developed characters and plot to capture the reader's full attention and appreciation.
Thank you NetGalley and Neon Hemlock for the advanced reader copy of The Mystery of the Bitten Peach by Cecilia Tan.
StoryGraph review
Started the book: 23. April 2026
Finished the book: 23. April 2026
Wrote the review: 23. April 2026
Great concept, but poorly chosen length for the execution.
If you ever wondered if true love is a myth then you might enjoy this short read more than me. Especially if you don't mind an undeveloped story and characters and just want a quick read or get out of a reading slump.
I only wanted to read this book 'cause of the Chinese mythology, folk tales and the mentioning of an art thief. I often adore thieves, so I thought I might find another charming and cunning one. This story lacked the high-stakes and tension I typically know of a heist and the thief was too one-dimensional to like.
What makes it even less enjoyable was how the reader was immediatelt placed into the heist with little to no explanations. The world-building, which was poor, didn't help to understand the story better either. The themes were also too many for the short length of this book. It was about chinese culture and folktales, art, history, gender roles, fate, alienation and time travelling. I wasn't confused all the time, but the story was crammed with too many themes and the fast pacing sacrificed depth.
The jumps between different periods in time were confusing at first, but I understood after a while. There were three timelines in total. I think the different time periods could have been better distinguished by naming the chapter titles in English instead of Chinese.
I enjoyed how this story evolved around a romantic fairy tale from the early Qing dynasty. I never heard of any Chinese tale of homosexual history before, so I was fascinated by it rather quickly. Homosexuality might truly be the ‘pleasure of the bitten peach’.
Ultimately, the pacing was too fast and the length too short to compliment the concept of this story. In addition, most story elements were poorly explained, which made the whole story feel incomplete. What this story needs is better world-building, more foreshadowing, better developed characters and plot to capture the reader's full attention and appreciation.
Thank you NetGalley and Neon Hemlock for the advanced reader copy of The Mystery of the Bitten Peach by Cecilia Tan.
StoryGraph review
Started the book: 23. April 2026
Finished the book: 23. April 2026
Wrote the review: 23. April 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Unfortunately, this was a whole lot of nothing. That’s my opinion, at least. I’m not saying this was bad, it was just so underdeveloped. Maybe it would’ve benefited from being a full length novel instead of a novella, the characters would’ve had more time to grow and the plot and folklore could’ve been explained a bit better.
We’re following Mei, a young Chinese-American who travels through time and space. The catch is, she can only travel to places that are interlinked with China. So, yes China itself, in all its different time periods, and also all these Chinatowns around the world. The plot itself is a bit wishy-washy, we’re, as I said, introduced to different myths and legends of Chinese folklore, but nothing really is a hundred percent explained, also because of the length of this book I think. You can only do so much in less than 150 pages. Mei also befriends the then-emperor’s concubine, Jin Jin, but that friendship also isn’t really very developed, and nor is the overall situation of said concubine.
I was expecting more of a fantasy element alongside the sci-fi teleporting one. But that might’ve just been me. I will say the cover of this book is just gorgeous and it’s one of those that makes sense after you read the book, which is always fun. And also coming back to the plot, the dragon shown in the cover and all the myth surrounding it in this novella should’ve really been explained better. I’m also not sure if I liked Mei all that much. She was okay, but not one of those characters you think about after the book is over. She can read a bit one dimensional.
There’s a bright side to it, though. How queer this book was. I was promised queer and luckily, queer I got. The whole business with the peach representing same-sex love (which brings me to mention that I liked all the art talk surrounding queer culture as well) and the queerness Mei herself brings to the book on top of that, of course.
But ultimately, the writing also failed me. Cramming all of those topics in a short novella like this one without the writing being exceptional? It’s chaos. A disaster waiting to happen.
This really had so much potential and I could’ve even loved it had it been just a bit longer, to really dive more deeply into it all. For what it is, I have to give it a three star, pretty much bang on.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
We’re following Mei, a young Chinese-American who travels through time and space. The catch is, she can only travel to places that are interlinked with China. So, yes China itself, in all its different time periods, and also all these Chinatowns around the world. The plot itself is a bit wishy-washy, we’re, as I said, introduced to different myths and legends of Chinese folklore, but nothing really is a hundred percent explained, also because of the length of this book I think. You can only do so much in less than 150 pages. Mei also befriends the then-emperor’s concubine, Jin Jin, but that friendship also isn’t really very developed, and nor is the overall situation of said concubine.
I was expecting more of a fantasy element alongside the sci-fi teleporting one. But that might’ve just been me. I will say the cover of this book is just gorgeous and it’s one of those that makes sense after you read the book, which is always fun. And also coming back to the plot, the dragon shown in the cover and all the myth surrounding it in this novella should’ve really been explained better. I’m also not sure if I liked Mei all that much. She was okay, but not one of those characters you think about after the book is over. She can read a bit one dimensional.
There’s a bright side to it, though. How queer this book was. I was promised queer and luckily, queer I got. The whole business with the peach representing same-sex love (which brings me to mention that I liked all the art talk surrounding queer culture as well) and the queerness Mei herself brings to the book on top of that, of course.
But ultimately, the writing also failed me. Cramming all of those topics in a short novella like this one without the writing being exceptional? It’s chaos. A disaster waiting to happen.
This really had so much potential and I could’ve even loved it had it been just a bit longer, to really dive more deeply into it all. For what it is, I have to give it a three star, pretty much bang on.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Mystery of the Bitten Peach is making me believe time travelers should just always be queer, and usually queer at the intersection of the conversation about sexism and racism and what it means to interact at that intersection across time. That’s what this book does. Kind of. It’s queer history, art history, Chinese history, a study of myth, and a love letter to the evolving architecture of New York at the same time. It’s a solid, if rushed, dissection of love and relationships and the fear of losing both.
I wish this book had been longer, I really do. I think things might start to fall apart a bit more if this book was longer, though? A novella is easy to sit down and chug through in one sitting, so it is easier to suspend disbelief on things if you’re not meant to linger. Lingering might result in me starting to think too much about multiverse shenanigans, about what it means to take something from time when it existed throughout time before she stole it. Still, there are a lot of things that I wanted to linger on, like the 90s timeline and the relationship between Quan and his love interest, who is entirely off-page despite it being a core part of the novel’s story. We have enough character and concept to spend plenty more time on, and is it really a bad thing if I wish I had more time with the characters? I don’t think so.
The diaspora element really rang true to me. Mei has no attachment to any given time or place, which works synergistically with her ability to hop time and place. There is a person she’s looking for, though, and the story weaves in that mystery chaotically, not that I’d have it any other way. You kinda just have to accept that you don’t understand the timeline, at least to start, but I found it didn’t really matter to me when Mei was doing certain things. It does mean Mei is like, highkey pining for one woman while simultaneously falling in love with our put together queen love interest, which didn’t bother me any, but might bother others.
I wish this book had been longer, I really do. I think things might start to fall apart a bit more if this book was longer, though? A novella is easy to sit down and chug through in one sitting, so it is easier to suspend disbelief on things if you’re not meant to linger. Lingering might result in me starting to think too much about multiverse shenanigans, about what it means to take something from time when it existed throughout time before she stole it. Still, there are a lot of things that I wanted to linger on, like the 90s timeline and the relationship between Quan and his love interest, who is entirely off-page despite it being a core part of the novel’s story. We have enough character and concept to spend plenty more time on, and is it really a bad thing if I wish I had more time with the characters? I don’t think so.
The diaspora element really rang true to me. Mei has no attachment to any given time or place, which works synergistically with her ability to hop time and place. There is a person she’s looking for, though, and the story weaves in that mystery chaotically, not that I’d have it any other way. You kinda just have to accept that you don’t understand the timeline, at least to start, but I found it didn’t really matter to me when Mei was doing certain things. It does mean Mei is like, highkey pining for one woman while simultaneously falling in love with our put together queen love interest, which didn’t bother me any, but might bother others.
May 5, 2026
2.5 Stars rounded up.
The concept of this novella was so cool but unfortunately the execution was a miss for me. I loved the idea of a time traveler who can transport themselves to various spirituality Chinese places. I think 150 pages just wasn’t enough to fully explore the authors great ideas. You are sort of just dropped into the middle of things without context or explanation. This reads like a diary entry since there are no attempts to inform the reader. I felt confused for the first 30% of the story.
There were 3 story lines here, and no indications in the chapters where or when exactly things were taking place. As a reader the novella came across very scattered. The author didn’t dive into things deeply or have strong word building. We don’t understand how or why time travel happens, which is what the story revolves around! You’re just expected to accept what happens off page and be content with little information.
For me the highlights were the scenes between Mei and Sandra. The tension and unsureness felt very real, and I looked forward to the chapters where they interacted. I wish we had gotten more time with them, their story happened very quickly. I was glad that the story did deliver on the queerness that it promised, it was absolutely the best part of the novella. There was some commentary on identity, racism, and homophobia but with the length of the novel it was really just commentary, not an exploration or anything impactful. I think this book could provide a good jumping point for discussion but it doesn't clearly say much on its own.
Maybe if you love short stories you’ll enjoy this more than I did. Again I thought the concepts were so cool but they were really limited by the length of the novella. This would have benefited from either cutting a storyline or expanding into a full length novel. Ultimately I found this story unsatisfying and I somehow wanted both less and more out of it.
Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC!
The concept of this novella was so cool but unfortunately the execution was a miss for me. I loved the idea of a time traveler who can transport themselves to various spirituality Chinese places. I think 150 pages just wasn’t enough to fully explore the authors great ideas. You are sort of just dropped into the middle of things without context or explanation. This reads like a diary entry since there are no attempts to inform the reader. I felt confused for the first 30% of the story.
There were 3 story lines here, and no indications in the chapters where or when exactly things were taking place. As a reader the novella came across very scattered. The author didn’t dive into things deeply or have strong word building. We don’t understand how or why time travel happens, which is what the story revolves around! You’re just expected to accept what happens off page and be content with little information.
For me the highlights were the scenes between Mei and Sandra. The tension and unsureness felt very real, and I looked forward to the chapters where they interacted. I wish we had gotten more time with them, their story happened very quickly. I was glad that the story did deliver on the queerness that it promised, it was absolutely the best part of the novella. There was some commentary on identity, racism, and homophobia but with the length of the novel it was really just commentary, not an exploration or anything impactful. I think this book could provide a good jumping point for discussion but it doesn't clearly say much on its own.
Maybe if you love short stories you’ll enjoy this more than I did. Again I thought the concepts were so cool but they were really limited by the length of the novella. This would have benefited from either cutting a storyline or expanding into a full length novel. Ultimately I found this story unsatisfying and I somehow wanted both less and more out of it.
Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley and Neon Hemlock for this ARC.
3.5 Stars
The cover for The Mystery of the Bitten Peach is so captivating and it mirrors the blurb for the story beautifully. Having just finished the story I can see the intricate detail used by the cover artist to capture the essence of the story, with the "bitten peach" front and center. Unfortunately, I feel that the short length of the novel does not do the concept justice.
I will say, for those who are fans of both LGBTQ+ history as well as art history, this is essentially a love letter for those who came before us. With a central focus on the "bitten peach" being a theorized history of a prominent gay romance, Cecilia Tan added layers upon layers to reflect this romance between several lifetimes. This is an idea that I want a full blown novel to explore the intricacies of the time travelling aspect. We need more time to immerse ourselves in Chinese myths and folktales so we could fully appreciate the depth Tan added to the characters. Following that, the reader needs a slow sink into the love stories encased within, ensuring a much more satisfying payoff than what we received.
Short novels are hard to balance these details well, and I do forgive them a little. However, for The Mystery of the Bitten Peach, a longer run time would have allowed us to further explore the disconnect Mei had from their most recent timeline. The main focus lands more on Mei's theft to be through time and space rather than the true fate of the peach itself. In fact, when the truth was revealed I felt let down as there was no hint nor foreshadowing placed within the novel to follow the clues and for the reader to guess the true mystery. There is a disconnect between the novel's title and what the main plotline in the novel is.
All in all, I still found this story charming despite its flaws. I just wanted more from the execution.
3.5 Stars
The cover for The Mystery of the Bitten Peach is so captivating and it mirrors the blurb for the story beautifully. Having just finished the story I can see the intricate detail used by the cover artist to capture the essence of the story, with the "bitten peach" front and center. Unfortunately, I feel that the short length of the novel does not do the concept justice.
I will say, for those who are fans of both LGBTQ+ history as well as art history, this is essentially a love letter for those who came before us. With a central focus on the "bitten peach" being a theorized history of a prominent gay romance, Cecilia Tan added layers upon layers to reflect this romance between several lifetimes. This is an idea that I want a full blown novel to explore the intricacies of the time travelling aspect. We need more time to immerse ourselves in Chinese myths and folktales so we could fully appreciate the depth Tan added to the characters. Following that, the reader needs a slow sink into the love stories encased within, ensuring a much more satisfying payoff than what we received.
Short novels are hard to balance these details well, and I do forgive them a little. However, for The Mystery of the Bitten Peach, a longer run time would have allowed us to further explore the disconnect Mei had from their most recent timeline. The main focus lands more on Mei's theft to be through time and space rather than the true fate of the peach itself. In fact, when the truth was revealed I felt let down as there was no hint nor foreshadowing placed within the novel to follow the clues and for the reader to guess the true mystery. There is a disconnect between the novel's title and what the main plotline in the novel is.
All in all, I still found this story charming despite its flaws. I just wanted more from the execution.
May 3, 2026
there was an attempt to do something fresh and exciting! unfortunately, it was a poor attempt. from page 1 you dive headfirst into the plot with little explanation for what was happening. no worries, it should be fine, because everything is going to be elaborated later on, right? eh, kind of. the reader is provided information throughout the novella, but it isn't enough to fully develop anything. everything—the world, the characters, the relationships—was so underbaked.
despite being the protagonist, & the most developed character, mei is serviceable at best. the rest were forgettable. and forgettable characters make forgettable relationships. there were several i should have cared about, with mei & sandra being the one i should've been invested in. instead, i felt nothing. the pacing was too fast. i understand this is a novella, but i've read short stories that still manage to pack an emotional punch. i felt nary a twinge of anything.
the multiple timelines could've been executed better. i found the back and forth a bit too confusing. it also disrupted the pacing too much. i can see why it might be interesting, but it really isn't.
the themes... considering how i didn't care for any of the relationships, i just couldn't buy into the whole 'love' thing. there were also some attempts at commentary on queer love, homophobia, and racism, but they were all so shallow it didn't really matter.
one good thing though were the chinese myths & folktales i learned about while reading this. i do appreciate that.
thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing this e-arc in exchange for an honest review
despite being the protagonist, & the most developed character, mei is serviceable at best. the rest were forgettable. and forgettable characters make forgettable relationships. there were several i should have cared about, with mei & sandra being the one i should've been invested in. instead, i felt nothing. the pacing was too fast. i understand this is a novella, but i've read short stories that still manage to pack an emotional punch. i felt nary a twinge of anything.
the multiple timelines could've been executed better. i found the back and forth a bit too confusing. it also disrupted the pacing too much. i can see why it might be interesting, but it really isn't.
the themes... considering how i didn't care for any of the relationships, i just couldn't buy into the whole 'love' thing. there were also some attempts at commentary on queer love, homophobia, and racism, but they were all so shallow it didn't really matter.
one good thing though were the chinese myths & folktales i learned about while reading this. i do appreciate that.
thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing this e-arc in exchange for an honest review
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a short but delightful read with time travel, a lot of Chinese culture and mysticism and queerness.
The title of this books was the first thing that got me. I've been studying Mandarin for a while now and have consumed quite a bit of Chinese media, especially queer historical media, so I was familiar with The Bitten Peach (余桃, yútáo) idiom, an euphemism for male homosexuality from around 500 BCE. This fact alone was attention grabbing for those who know about it.
I want to spotlight one of the most important thing about this too me after the huge amount of culture present here. I really loved the comfort of reading a little bit about how we as queer people have always been here, no matter the point in time.
I think the writing is simple by enjoyable, first person pov us not my favorite but this as just a small detail in comparison to the rest of the story and I think that's what I have an issue with: although delightful, I think the book is too short for what it attempts to accomplish.
We have so much happening, in a good way, that coming short of 200 pages was simply not enough. I wish it was longer so the author and the story had more time to spread its branches.
But even with that caveat, I think the attempt to bring to life the grapples you can have about your identity and your sense of self was really enjoyable and I can see people from various diasporas seeing a bit of themselves in this and finding comfort.
Thank you to NetGalley and Neon Hemlock Press for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The title of this books was the first thing that got me. I've been studying Mandarin for a while now and have consumed quite a bit of Chinese media, especially queer historical media, so I was familiar with The Bitten Peach (余桃, yútáo) idiom, an euphemism for male homosexuality from around 500 BCE. This fact alone was attention grabbing for those who know about it.
I want to spotlight one of the most important thing about this too me after the huge amount of culture present here. I really loved the comfort of reading a little bit about how we as queer people have always been here, no matter the point in time.
I think the writing is simple by enjoyable, first person pov us not my favorite but this as just a small detail in comparison to the rest of the story and I think that's what I have an issue with: although delightful, I think the book is too short for what it attempts to accomplish.
We have so much happening, in a good way, that coming short of 200 pages was simply not enough. I wish it was longer so the author and the story had more time to spread its branches.
But even with that caveat, I think the attempt to bring to life the grapples you can have about your identity and your sense of self was really enjoyable and I can see people from various diasporas seeing a bit of themselves in this and finding comfort.
Thank you to NetGalley and Neon Hemlock Press for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*Possible Spoilers*
The Mystery of the Bitten Peach has so much potential. Mei is an immortal who can time travel to anywhere and any time. Unfortunately, while the urban fantasy aspect is cool, Mei is a bore. She reads more like a proclamation of injustice than a living person. Her White mom tries to Americanize her Chineseness. Her mom also gives her grief for wanting to dress masculine. She’s scared of commitment. I know about her trauma, but not about the positives in her life. Her new girlfriend doesn’t count. They don’t have meaningful conversations.
The novella tries to combine the human world with Chinese mythology. My problem is that the folktales aren’t fully explained. Mei’s the daughter of a dragon (hence her immortality). Mei’s friend/immortal confidant is a fisherman who ate an immortality pill. Her other friend, Jin Jin, is a concubine who’s trapped in the living quarters of a restaurant owner. (My favorite part of the novel was when Mei remembers traversing time to get Jin Jin home.) Their legendary backgrounds are only used as momentary exposition. In specific moments, hints are dropped, but never the full story. I get that this is a mystery, but context is key.
I liked how the novella was structured. The reader bounces between Mei’s three different timelines. There’s the present timeline with her girlfriend, the timeline where she helps Jin Jin (1800s-1990s), and the timeline where she recovers a jade peach sculpture (1400s). Past, present, and future are fairly subjective to Mei, and the different plots show how time repeats.
The author’s writing style wasn’t for me. There was no figurative language, which is an unfortunate contrast to the larger than life imagery of mythology and empirical China. I never fully grasped how or why Mei timetravels. I get that she goes where people need her. I don’t understand why time travel happens. The limitations and loopholes of the magic aren’t explained, so people getting lost in time is more confusing than concerning. This novella could have been so cool if the world building had been organized and apparent. If you’re interested in an urban fantasy with Chinese mythology sort of interspersed throughout, this might work for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and SFWA for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. I will be posting this on Goodreads and/or Tiktok and Instagram in early April.
The Mystery of the Bitten Peach has so much potential. Mei is an immortal who can time travel to anywhere and any time. Unfortunately, while the urban fantasy aspect is cool, Mei is a bore. She reads more like a proclamation of injustice than a living person. Her White mom tries to Americanize her Chineseness. Her mom also gives her grief for wanting to dress masculine. She’s scared of commitment. I know about her trauma, but not about the positives in her life. Her new girlfriend doesn’t count. They don’t have meaningful conversations.
The novella tries to combine the human world with Chinese mythology. My problem is that the folktales aren’t fully explained. Mei’s the daughter of a dragon (hence her immortality). Mei’s friend/immortal confidant is a fisherman who ate an immortality pill. Her other friend, Jin Jin, is a concubine who’s trapped in the living quarters of a restaurant owner. (My favorite part of the novel was when Mei remembers traversing time to get Jin Jin home.) Their legendary backgrounds are only used as momentary exposition. In specific moments, hints are dropped, but never the full story. I get that this is a mystery, but context is key.
I liked how the novella was structured. The reader bounces between Mei’s three different timelines. There’s the present timeline with her girlfriend, the timeline where she helps Jin Jin (1800s-1990s), and the timeline where she recovers a jade peach sculpture (1400s). Past, present, and future are fairly subjective to Mei, and the different plots show how time repeats.
The author’s writing style wasn’t for me. There was no figurative language, which is an unfortunate contrast to the larger than life imagery of mythology and empirical China. I never fully grasped how or why Mei timetravels. I get that she goes where people need her. I don’t understand why time travel happens. The limitations and loopholes of the magic aren’t explained, so people getting lost in time is more confusing than concerning. This novella could have been so cool if the world building had been organized and apparent. If you’re interested in an urban fantasy with Chinese mythology sort of interspersed throughout, this might work for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and SFWA for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. I will be posting this on Goodreads and/or Tiktok and Instagram in early April.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I do feel a bit guilty, but I need to be honest with my review. This book had so much potential given the setting and storyline, but the execution was extremely flawed. To begin, the structure on my Kindle was a mess. I genuinely thought that my Kindle was glitching because I could not scroll past an image at the beginning of the novella. There were also random words misplaced in sentences, as well as random phrases bolded and in a larger font size. TO BE CLEAR: this will likely not be an issue for those with a physical copy, but it did impact my ability to read the story effectively.
I do believe this story had potential, but I found myself very lost off the bat. We’re planted in the middle of a heist with no context of who/where we are, including no world development. As someone who likes to visualize the scenes in a book, the limited information made it nearly possible. I love that the topic of queer love was going to be explored, especially dating back past the 1800s and in a way that is not typically discussed. But, the flow of the story, i.e. the switching of tenses and scenes, made it very difficult to follow. I think it is so hard to write a novella for anything fantasy related because so much needs to be shared and fleshed out, so I do commend Cecilia Tan for making this attempt. While others may love this book, I ended up DNFing at 20%.
I do believe this story had potential, but I found myself very lost off the bat. We’re planted in the middle of a heist with no context of who/where we are, including no world development. As someone who likes to visualize the scenes in a book, the limited information made it nearly possible. I love that the topic of queer love was going to be explored, especially dating back past the 1800s and in a way that is not typically discussed. But, the flow of the story, i.e. the switching of tenses and scenes, made it very difficult to follow. I think it is so hard to write a novella for anything fantasy related because so much needs to be shared and fleshed out, so I do commend Cecilia Tan for making this attempt. While others may love this book, I ended up DNFing at 20%.
Read
April 22, 2026A novella with a lightly sketched magic system, The Mystery of the Bitten Peach follows an immortal who can step between different Chinatowns across cities and time periods. Tan keeps the pace moving, packing in plenty of action despite the short length. I would have liked more exploration of the backstory, but the whimsical magical realism, especially as seen in the interactions with Quan and the Dragon, is particularly enjoyable. Jin Jin, unfortunately, doesn't add much. Reducing her role might have allowed for more detail about my favorite aspect: the exploration of different Chinatowns. While Tan's central metaphor effectively highlights the strength and shared threads of the Chinese diaspora, I would have loved a deeper dive into the differences between Chinatowns: their layouts, variations in restaurant names, distinctive knickknacks, and local fusion dishes.
And if you were intrigued by the premise but were ultimately disappointed by Portrait of a Thief, this may be a more satisfying read, particularly in its exploration of the motivations behind creating and appreciating art. However, it stops short of engaging with more complex questions about museums, who should own art and who has access to it.
Thanks to Neon Hemlock and NetGalley for the advance reading copy.
And if you were intrigued by the premise but were ultimately disappointed by Portrait of a Thief, this may be a more satisfying read, particularly in its exploration of the motivations behind creating and appreciating art. However, it stops short of engaging with more complex questions about museums, who should own art and who has access to it.
Thanks to Neon Hemlock and NetGalley for the advance reading copy.
April 13, 2026
A fun short story packed with mythology and history, a missing artefact, a thief in plain sight, a time travelling immortal on a quest to obtain the original, and an old love story preventing the blossoming of new love. The narrative is somewhat jumpy, the date/era and timeline not identified in the chapter headings nor immediately in the narrative. However, once you get into the flow it is easier to establish where the MC is and which story is being told. The MC is recruited by her friend and a Museum curator, offering an award for the return of a jade peach, carved and charmed with the intention of proving love and connection, but becoming a symbol of unrequited feelings and heartbreak. The investigation quickly swerves into locating the peach at the point of its creation, rather than seeking its thief, so the MC bounces between the present day and working with the artist behind the model. Meanwhile, a connection is building between the MC and the curator, but her history of running, of a love that was never requited, is slowly unfolding alongside everything.
It's an engaging tale packed with lore and interesting character dynamics. The solution to everything neat and sweet and satisfying.
It's an engaging tale packed with lore and interesting character dynamics. The solution to everything neat and sweet and satisfying.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Cecilia Tan and NetGalley for an Advanced Reader's Copy of "The Mystery of the Bitten Peach!"
I will say, this story started out so great. I really enjoyed the premise, the story, and just overall dip into art mythology as well as the conversation surrounding queer love, and its impact on art. However...it fell so flat. I think with this being a novella is what killed it for me.
I wanted this to be longer, to get more exposure to the characters and story lines more, to want to care about the characters and all their strife, rather than the quick snippets and loose ended stories we get. I really really wanted to get into this, but around 68% I felt like so much had happened but also that nothing happened, if that makes sense? I felt like watching something from the outside in, or like hearing someone tell a story in a cafe from a few tables over. I was dragging my feet to finish this and overall, feel like the ending was too abrupt. All the reveals came from out of left field, with no prior hints, and never to be brought up again afterwards.
I think this story had so much potential, but really fell flat on the delivery and overall execution. If a longer version and more in-depth version of this came out, I would absolutely give it another try.
I will say, this story started out so great. I really enjoyed the premise, the story, and just overall dip into art mythology as well as the conversation surrounding queer love, and its impact on art. However...it fell so flat. I think with this being a novella is what killed it for me.
I wanted this to be longer, to get more exposure to the characters and story lines more, to want to care about the characters and all their strife, rather than the quick snippets and loose ended stories we get. I really really wanted to get into this, but around 68% I felt like so much had happened but also that nothing happened, if that makes sense? I felt like watching something from the outside in, or like hearing someone tell a story in a cafe from a few tables over. I was dragging my feet to finish this and overall, feel like the ending was too abrupt. All the reveals came from out of left field, with no prior hints, and never to be brought up again afterwards.
I think this story had so much potential, but really fell flat on the delivery and overall execution. If a longer version and more in-depth version of this came out, I would absolutely give it another try.
April 21, 2026
A very charming Chinese folklore-inspired time-travel heist novella (yes, there are a lot of things going on here for such a short story).
I did not expect to love this as much as I did. I loved the Chinese folk stories woven into the main plot. I loved that most people are effortlessly queer here. I loved that the plot flowed seamlessly for me, moving easily between various pasts and the present - something that does not always happen when it comes to time travel novels.
I really loved Mei as a protagonist (I am all for sapphic gender-questioning protagonists with a big heart). Yes, the insta-love is not something that I am a huge fan of, but it really had to be that in such a short novella. I also found myself really invested in the two side couples (I would love to read more about Quan and learn more the Wang Gui's situation).
There are some very interesting ideas about the role of art and the meaning of love here too. And the little line about pencil skirts made me laugh.
Overall, a surprising hit that worked really well for me. Stunning cover too! (Yes, I will be getting the paperback just for the cover)
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I did not expect to love this as much as I did. I loved the Chinese folk stories woven into the main plot. I loved that most people are effortlessly queer here. I loved that the plot flowed seamlessly for me, moving easily between various pasts and the present - something that does not always happen when it comes to time travel novels.
I really loved Mei as a protagonist (I am all for sapphic gender-questioning protagonists with a big heart). Yes, the insta-love is not something that I am a huge fan of, but it really had to be that in such a short novella. I also found myself really invested in the two side couples (I would love to read more about Quan and learn more the Wang Gui's situation).
There are some very interesting ideas about the role of art and the meaning of love here too. And the little line about pencil skirts made me laugh.
Overall, a surprising hit that worked really well for me. Stunning cover too! (Yes, I will be getting the paperback just for the cover)
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Wow. I've clearly been sleeping on Cecilia Tan, because this was a thrilling ride. If I must use publishing equivalencies, I would say this has the DNA of CMQ's One Last Stop and Justinian Huang's The Emperor and the Endless Palace. I picked this up because it was a novella, had a gorgeous cover and promised time travelling gay crimes, and boy did it deliver on all of that and more. The author is clearly a veteran who knows how to use narrative real estate masterfully for effective worldbuilding and character development. I didn't care too much about the mechanics of the time travelling because it's tied up with characters that are incarnations of myths, so if that bothers you, skip it. There's very effective parallel storytelling about Mei coming into her powers and an overarching coming of age story that is stunningly intersectional with multiple characters being not just queer but also Asian in America in different time periods. It deals with heavy topics but the narrative voice is light and snarky yet introspective and not cynical. I absolutely adored this and I need more people to scream about this when it releases in a few days. Thanks for the ebook ARC, Netgalley!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
2.25 stars rounded down. I love the title, I love the gorgeous cover...I did not love everything else. The plot felt very rushed and underdeveloped, and the alternating timelines, while I understand the intention, did not help. Chapters often felt like they would end mid-scene, and revelations were dropped on the reader suddenly with character reactions glossed over or the characters simply under-reacting. Characters themselves are also pretty one-dimensional, though I liked the intent with the protagonist Mei as someone caught between worlds/labels. I deeply appreciate the exploration of queer themes and Chinese history and mythology but I don't feel like they were handled very deftly. At times, the queer/gender/racial topics felt a bit preachy, and the Chinese culture/mythology was not explained very well, which was disappointing because I'm a queer Chinese-Viet-American and I was really hoping for this novella to speak to me. Maybe if this had been longer and polished a bit more, it could've been something more moving but as is...eh.
2.25 stars rounded down. I love the title, I love the gorgeous cover...I did not love everything else. The plot felt very rushed and underdeveloped, and the alternating timelines, while I understand the intention, did not help. Chapters often felt like they would end mid-scene, and revelations were dropped on the reader suddenly with character reactions glossed over or the characters simply under-reacting. Characters themselves are also pretty one-dimensional, though I liked the intent with the protagonist Mei as someone caught between worlds/labels. I deeply appreciate the exploration of queer themes and Chinese history and mythology but I don't feel like they were handled very deftly. At times, the queer/gender/racial topics felt a bit preachy, and the Chinese culture/mythology was not explained very well, which was disappointing because I'm a queer Chinese-Viet-American and I was really hoping for this novella to speak to me. Maybe if this had been longer and polished a bit more, it could've been something more moving but as is...eh.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was drawn in by the beautiful cover and the blurbs by Shelley Parker Chan and Emma Mieke Candon, and was not in the least disappointed! The Mystery of the Bitten Peach is a magical, poignant story of the Chinese diaspora that examines identity, gender and sexuality, and despite being quite short, somehow manages to get into what it means to come from a certain place, a certain time, and certain people. The premise is immediately enchanting, the magic system isn't under- or over-explained, and the romance is sweet and gentle. Despite the heavy emotions tackled throughout, the picture-perfect happy ending feels satisfying and deserved. And all that is done in clear, simple yet beautiful and evocative prose, free of artifice but filled with emotion. This is my first reading of Cecilia Tan's work, and I'll certainly be on the lookout for more!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC provided by publisher:
This short story tries to do a lot in a small space: layered world building, multiple timelines, character work, and a thread of mystery… and it all actually lands. That’s not easy to pull off in a short format, but this really makes it work.
It’s atmospheric and character driven, with just enough intrigue to keep everything moving without feeling rushed or underdeveloped.
I understand this author usually writes adult content but honestly for this book I’d recommend this for enterprising middle grade and young adult readers and up. There’s nothing graphic and the theme is timely.
It is true to historical context and cultural myths, and was excited to have context from recently listening to the Queer as Fact podcast episode “Queer Love in Early Chinese History”. So bonus recommendation for that.
Overall, this is a smart and well executed short that manages to be both ambitious and accessible — definitely worth picking up.
This short story tries to do a lot in a small space: layered world building, multiple timelines, character work, and a thread of mystery… and it all actually lands. That’s not easy to pull off in a short format, but this really makes it work.
It’s atmospheric and character driven, with just enough intrigue to keep everything moving without feeling rushed or underdeveloped.
I understand this author usually writes adult content but honestly for this book I’d recommend this for enterprising middle grade and young adult readers and up. There’s nothing graphic and the theme is timely.
It is true to historical context and cultural myths, and was excited to have context from recently listening to the Queer as Fact podcast episode “Queer Love in Early Chinese History”. So bonus recommendation for that.
Overall, this is a smart and well executed short that manages to be both ambitious and accessible — definitely worth picking up.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A fun time travel romp, The Mystery of the Bitten Peach is a small novella that can easily be read within a day. It follows Mei, a Chinese-American woman who has the ability to travel throughout space and time. This ability lands her the task of seeking out a jade sculpture attached to an old legend on the behalf of a beautiful museum employee.
I personally found this novella to be quite enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed the way myth and legend were woven together with history; it’s very well executed. I also found the pacing to be very readable and digestible, and I don’t feel like it lagged at any point. I do wish we knew more about some of the characters, particularly Jin Jin who captivated me the most, but regardless I found them all unique and compelling. It’s a light but interesting piece, and I enjoyed the experience of reading it.
Overall, I wouldn’t call this my favorite thing I’ve ever read, but it’s good and I felt like it was worth my time. I would recommend this if you’re in the mood for a lighter read and/or need to break out of a reading slump!
Thank you to Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my fair and honest opinion!
I personally found this novella to be quite enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed the way myth and legend were woven together with history; it’s very well executed. I also found the pacing to be very readable and digestible, and I don’t feel like it lagged at any point. I do wish we knew more about some of the characters, particularly Jin Jin who captivated me the most, but regardless I found them all unique and compelling. It’s a light but interesting piece, and I enjoyed the experience of reading it.
Overall, I wouldn’t call this my favorite thing I’ve ever read, but it’s good and I felt like it was worth my time. I would recommend this if you’re in the mood for a lighter read and/or need to break out of a reading slump!
Thank you to Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my fair and honest opinion!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you netgalley for this eARC.
Time travel ✅
Chinese myth ✅
Queer ✅
Diaspora problem ✅
The idea is interesting.
Forbidden love in different eras and place.
But I have to say, the structure of this book is a little bit confusing.
The chapter title is listed using Chinese symbol, so I couldn't directly know which chapters represent the "long ago" and the "now". Until I grabbed my phone to translate the character.
It was only described in "Long ago" and "Now" but it feels like there are three storylines with Quan& Sandra, with Jin-jin, and with the artist & fortune teller.
What annoys me is, the writer likes to introduce characters (like Mei's parents, Jin-jin, etc), but not giving them a clear ending.
I know that this is only a novella, but it seems that the writer wants to include too much, but is reluctant in diving it too deep and at the end they struggle tying the loose end.
Maybe if it is longer, the writer could elaborate it deeper.
Time travel ✅
Chinese myth ✅
Queer ✅
Diaspora problem ✅
The idea is interesting.
Forbidden love in different eras and place.
But I have to say, the structure of this book is a little bit confusing.
The chapter title is listed using Chinese symbol, so I couldn't directly know which chapters represent the "long ago" and the "now". Until I grabbed my phone to translate the character.
It was only described in "Long ago" and "Now" but it feels like there are three storylines with Quan& Sandra, with Jin-jin, and with the artist & fortune teller.
What annoys me is, the writer likes to introduce characters (like Mei's parents, Jin-jin, etc), but not giving them a clear ending.
I know that this is only a novella, but it seems that the writer wants to include too much, but is reluctant in diving it too deep and at the end they struggle tying the loose end.
Maybe if it is longer, the writer could elaborate it deeper.
April 28, 2026
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
I think this novella will be hit or miss for people. It doesn’t go into great detail about the plot, the world building, the characters, or the mythology, giving just a bite of each. There’s time travel, but the times Mei travels to are never discussed, other than someone commenting that Mei dresses like it’s the 90s. The places and locations she visits aren’t important, her thefts are skimmed over, and even Jin Jin’s story is such a brief moment.
That’s because the focus of this book is Mei meeting Sandra and slowly realizing her feelings for her.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
I think this novella will be hit or miss for people. It doesn’t go into great detail about the plot, the world building, the characters, or the mythology, giving just a bite of each. There’s time travel, but the times Mei travels to are never discussed, other than someone commenting that Mei dresses like it’s the 90s. The places and locations she visits aren’t important, her thefts are skimmed over, and even Jin Jin’s story is such a brief moment.
That’s because the focus of this book is Mei meeting Sandra and slowly realizing her feelings for her.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Neon Hemlock and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review.
Mei is a Chinese adoptee raised by a single mother who wanted Mei to assimilate without learning about her birth culture. After moving out on her own, she discovers that she can travel to places with a link to China, including China and Chinatowns across time and location.
There were so many things that resonated with me in this book as a bi Chinese adoptee! I loved Mei and her journey finding the courage to explore her roots, her desires, and gain independence. Chinese myths and folklore are beautifully weaved throughout the novella, and I absolutely plan on looking more into the ones mentioned! It's a wonderful story exploring culture, identity, and love ❤️
Mei is a Chinese adoptee raised by a single mother who wanted Mei to assimilate without learning about her birth culture. After moving out on her own, she discovers that she can travel to places with a link to China, including China and Chinatowns across time and location.
There were so many things that resonated with me in this book as a bi Chinese adoptee! I loved Mei and her journey finding the courage to explore her roots, her desires, and gain independence. Chinese myths and folklore are beautifully weaved throughout the novella, and I absolutely plan on looking more into the ones mentioned! It's a wonderful story exploring culture, identity, and love ❤️
May 8, 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was delightful! I love time travel, and I love myths and folklore, so having both of those was already a win in my book. They were both done well and in a way I've not really read before, too, and while novellas might leave things hanging because of their shorter lengths, this tale felt satisfyingly complete. Add in the Asian diaspora experience, identity crises, complicated relationships, and queer love, and there's much to enjoy.
I also appreciated how the book felt visually Chinese? From the cover art style and colors to the chapter headers and even the font, which to me gave off Chinese vibes.
I highly recommend this, and I would love more stories about the other , actually!
This was delightful! I love time travel, and I love myths and folklore, so having both of those was already a win in my book. They were both done well and in a way I've not really read before, too, and while novellas might leave things hanging because of their shorter lengths, this tale felt satisfyingly complete. Add in the Asian diaspora experience, identity crises, complicated relationships, and queer love, and there's much to enjoy.
I also appreciated how the book felt visually Chinese? From the cover art style and colors to the chapter headers and even the font, which to me gave off Chinese vibes.
I highly recommend this, and I would love more stories about the other , actually!
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