Contains Chapters 05 - 08: This volume starts with Shirayuki starting her position as a court herbalist apprentice and meeting the master herbalist she is going to train with, a 12 year old herbalist prodigy named Ryu. Shirayuki and Zen also end up staying at one of the kingdom's forts were everyone had gotten sick and so Shirayuki is needed to help cure them all. Then after everyone returns Zen's brother returns to the palace so we get to meet him as well and see a bit of the relationship between the two brothers.

This volume also contains a bonus story called "Connect Us" about a teenage boy who had died in a car accident coming back to check on his two best friends and see how they were doing. It was a good story and very well written.

There is also a cute little two bonus pages at the end about Ryu's sleeping habits and them rubbing off onto Shirayuki. ( )

The classic fairy tale of Snow White is reimagined in, sans dwarves or jealous queens, in this manga series about an aspiring young herbalist whose beautiful red hair brings attention from all who she meets. Unfortunately for Shirayuki, at the beginning of the first volume, she has gathered the interest of the prince of her kingdom, whose fascination with her red hair has led his demands that she become his concubine. Unwilling to surrender her independence, Shirayuki escapes into a neighboring kingdom, where she stumbles into an alliance and budding friendship with a group of three young people she meets in the woods. To her amazement, one of those new friends turns out to be a prince as well, and Prince Zen is determined that Shirayuki be able to determine her own destiny.
Throughout these first two volumes, Shirayuki continues her education in herbalism and healing, navigating royal politics and threats from both inside and outside the palace as she works to ascend the ranks toward becoming a court herbalist. Meanwhile, her friendship with the prince grows and deepens, both Shirayuki and Zen resolutely focused on easing each other’s burdens and tendencies toward self-sacrifice. A widening cast of characters, including a child prodigy herbalist, a mysterious man lurking in the trees, and the prince’s older brother, creates a rich background for the story to develop.
The illustrations in both volumes are adorable, as are the sidebar notes provided by the author that address the reader directly in a friendly manner. Shirayuki is a strong heroine, resolved to need no rescue from anyone else, and her confidence is tempered with a kindness that makes her a sympathetic character for readers. The action and fighting scenes will attract both male and female readers. Though not graphic in violence, the story feels mature in a way that will appeal to teens. ( )