GOOD MORNNG IT IS DAY 2 OF READER ROUNDUP

  Good morning peeps yes it is day two of reader round up and today I have another new to me author. Beth A. Freely and her book THE WATERS OF RYUJIN.

                            BOOK BLURB 

Beauty. Betrayal. A love that defies centuries.

Cursed by the Shogun and transformed into a water dragon by the sea god Ryujin, Hanzo Ikeda has guarded the hidden lake for over a century, forgotten, feared, and alone. Bound by magic and grief, his humanity fades with each passing year… until she arrives.

Asuka, the Shogun’s youngest daughter, is destined for a marriage of politics and power. But when she strays too close to the forbidden waters, she awakens the creature whispered about in palace legends. Instead of a monster, she finds a man with a sorrowful gaze and a soul as deep as the lake.

Drawn to one another through dreams, secrets, and stolen moments, Asuka and Hanzo must defy the forces that seek to keep them apart. But love alone may not be enough to break the ancient curse, or survive the storm it will unleash.

                           MY REVIEW 

  After accidently shooting a priced animal, Hanzo is cursed by the Shogun and turned into a water dragon by Ryujin. He has guarded a secret lake each year loosing a little bit of his humanity each year. Until Asuka comes to visit the lake, the youngest daughter of the Shogun. She strays too close to the waters and awakens the creature at its depths. But instead of the monster that was whispered about through out the palace she finds a man with a beautiful but haunted soul and eyes that look so sad. They are drawn to each other through stolen moments, dreams and secrets . They have to fight the forces that are trying to keep them apart but will love be able to keep them together or would the the curse never be broken. 

    This is a very interesting retelling of beauty and the beast, wrapped up in Japanese folk lore. Hanzo was a well liked bowman in the Shoguns army. But there is a loneliness to him also that we really get to see once he is cursed. He is haunted and until Asuka comes into his life he was ready to just exist. Asuka brought him back . Asuka is the sweetest all she wants is a true love . She is tired of being a pawn and promised in marriage for politics and power. She may seem soft and sweet but there is a will in her that will put most people to shame. They belong together and Hanzo will risk it all to fight for her. These characters are such sweet characters and well written. 

    Yes this is a retelling of beauty and the beast but I am going to say it is actually one of the better retellings .It is set in 1700 Japan. Which is a fun twist . Reading Hanzo's story had me in tears a few times the author really brings the emotion when we see Hanzo really struggling and ready to become the monster he was turned into. This is a book that you can sit down and read and get lost in the story of redemption, love and the ends to what a man would do for the woman he loves