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A Fairy Retelling #2
Ai of the Mountain
Love and Honor...
...Require Sacrifice
Lord Nakaguchi, the ruthless ruler of the region, decides he must have Ai as his own...whether she likes it or not. But her heart belongs to another man.
LOVE, HONOR, SACRIFICE - these are the way of her Samurai warrior.
But will they be enough to save her?
Eighteen-year-old Ai has lived a quiet life in the mountains of Japan. Until now...
Lord Nakaguchi, the ruthless ruler of her region, decides to build an opulent castle on the top of her mountain. Once Lord Nakaguchi meets Ai, he knows he must have her and will stop at nothing to possess her.
Ai has no intention of succumbing to Lord Nakaguchi’s advances. She is already deeply in love with Kaito, a samurai warrior she has known all her life, and who loves her in return. But their love is an ill-fated impossibility, made even more difficult by Lord Nakaguchi’s persistent demands.
If you like classic tales re-imagined in a fresh new way, you’ll love Ai of the Mountain. This clean fantasy fairy tale will keep you turning the pages.
...Require Sacrifice
Lord Nakaguchi, the ruthless ruler of the region, decides he must have Ai as his own...whether she likes it or not. But her heart belongs to another man.
LOVE, HONOR, SACRIFICE - these are the way of her Samurai warrior.
But will they be enough to save her?
Eighteen-year-old Ai has lived a quiet life in the mountains of Japan. Until now...
Lord Nakaguchi, the ruthless ruler of her region, decides to build an opulent castle on the top of her mountain. Once Lord Nakaguchi meets Ai, he knows he must have her and will stop at nothing to possess her.
Ai has no intention of succumbing to Lord Nakaguchi’s advances. She is already deeply in love with Kaito, a samurai warrior she has known all her life, and who loves her in return. But their love is an ill-fated impossibility, made even more difficult by Lord Nakaguchi’s persistent demands.
If you like classic tales re-imagined in a fresh new way, you’ll love Ai of the Mountain. This clean fantasy fairy tale will keep you turning the pages.
Kindle Edition
First published December 31, 2014
12 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
About the author
Dorian Tsukioka
18 books36 followersDorian Tsukioka was born in Iowa, but lived most of her childhood in the heart of America, in Kansas City, Missouri. After college, she lived in Japan, in Nagasaki Prefecture. There, she met her her husband and got her crazy last name.
She and her husband lived in Las Vegas, Nevada, Durango, Colorado, and Colorado Springs, Colorado until her first born child came along. Then, the lure of free babysitting brought her family back to Kansas City, where you can go to the opera, see a major-league ball game, and go cow tipping all in one night. Dorian does not suggest anyone go cow tipping.
Dorian is a full-time elementary school teacher and late-night writer. She loves writing young adult fantasy, paranormal, and science fiction stories. She thinks they rock.
You can purchase her books on Amazon.com!
She and her husband lived in Las Vegas, Nevada, Durango, Colorado, and Colorado Springs, Colorado until her first born child came along. Then, the lure of free babysitting brought her family back to Kansas City, where you can go to the opera, see a major-league ball game, and go cow tipping all in one night. Dorian does not suggest anyone go cow tipping.
Dorian is a full-time elementary school teacher and late-night writer. She loves writing young adult fantasy, paranormal, and science fiction stories. She thinks they rock.
You can purchase her books on Amazon.com!
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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February 10, 2015This was a quick read, a retelling of Beauty and the Beast IN JAPAN! I received a free copy of this novella in exchange for an honest review, my interest being piqued by the author's having won inclusion in the Five Enchanted Roses contest. Briefly, if you like simple and romantic stories, you will like this. I thought the writing style could have been better, the plot tighter, and the supporting characters better fleshed out, and as always I longed for a plot with more substance (this was a bit cookie-cutter-romance-novel for me). I did enjoy the setting, which was familiar to the author, and the heroine, who was a nice blend of reserved and spirited.
Since I am trying to deflate my review ratings and be particularly honest, I'd give it two stars, but out of respect for an author who's writing in a similar genre to me, I'm leaving the official Goodreads rating blank :). Thanks Dorian and all the best for the future.
Since I am trying to deflate my review ratings and be particularly honest, I'd give it two stars, but out of respect for an author who's writing in a similar genre to me, I'm leaving the official Goodreads rating blank :). Thanks Dorian and all the best for the future.
January 7, 2015
I was initially intrigued by the idea of a fairytale retold in a foreign setting; how clever is it to take an originally French tale, set it in feudal Japan, and share it with a (primarily) American audience? As interesting as the change of scenery was, the story turned out to be so much more!
Ai of the Mountain is truly an original and refreshing retelling of the tale--NOT a restatement of what’s been done before. There are enough clues hinting at the fairytale’s original plotline for the reader to see the connection between the versions, but also several delightful twists that will keep you guessing throughout the story, making for an interesting read.
I really like the way the story incorporates some Japanese vocabulary, traditional customs, and other cultural elements. I also appreciated the helpful glossary at the end of the story which provides further explanation of these elements.The author creatively alludes to Japanese folklore throughout the story, intertwining it very well with the folklore of the original fairytale. I somewhat wish the book could have been a bit longer so that some of the characters, relationships, and conflicts could have been developed in even greater depth, but these are still communicated effectively in this novella-length text.
Ai of the Mountain is a quick and enjoyable read that will pique your interest, keep you on your toes, and give you a new take on a familiar tale. As far as retellings go, this one’s a beauty!
[I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.]
Ai of the Mountain is truly an original and refreshing retelling of the tale--NOT a restatement of what’s been done before. There are enough clues hinting at the fairytale’s original plotline for the reader to see the connection between the versions, but also several delightful twists that will keep you guessing throughout the story, making for an interesting read.
I really like the way the story incorporates some Japanese vocabulary, traditional customs, and other cultural elements. I also appreciated the helpful glossary at the end of the story which provides further explanation of these elements.The author creatively alludes to Japanese folklore throughout the story, intertwining it very well with the folklore of the original fairytale. I somewhat wish the book could have been a bit longer so that some of the characters, relationships, and conflicts could have been developed in even greater depth, but these are still communicated effectively in this novella-length text.
Ai of the Mountain is a quick and enjoyable read that will pique your interest, keep you on your toes, and give you a new take on a familiar tale. As far as retellings go, this one’s a beauty!
[I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.]
April 9, 2015
I really enjoyed this sweet, short, and vivid retelling of Beauty and the Beast set in a village in feudal Japan. At the very start of the story, I was worried that the numerous Japanese names might become confusing, but there was no trouble with this at all, and I quickly found myself speeding through the story to find out what would happen to Ai and who (or what) exactly Kaito really was. The relationships in the story were very well-developed, especially between Ai and her parents. I really enjoyed this story.
April 15, 2016
I enjoyed reading this story. There were some writing elements that I think could have been edited a little smoother, but I really enjoyed this retelling of a childhood favorite (beauty and the beast) set in Japan! I also loved the author's explanation at the end of the whys and hows of this story coming into existence. I would recommend this for anyone who loves fairy tales and is looking for a fun, quick read.
July 23, 2016
I enjoyed this creative retelling of Beauty and the Beast set in Tokugawa Japan. It's a fresh look at the story with some of the expected elements. My only issue was that it was sort of creepy that Beauty had known her Beast as long as she could remember and fell in love with him when she became an adult. It smacks a little too much of child grooming, even though I know the author was aware of and tried to avoid the creep factor. It still made me a little uncomfortable.
April 17, 2016
The story was cute and had me crying within 70 pages. I have to give credit to a writer when I find myself so engaged in the story that it elicits an emotional response so quickly with so very few pages.
May 9, 2016
I LOVE this book!!! It is unique and wonderfully written. I have never read a plot that intrigued me so much in a long time. The characters are endearing and mystical. It is a MUST read!! :)
June 27, 2017
This was pretty good. Not what I expected. I've heard the story of a magical fish before. This kind of combines Beaty and the beast and that story. Pretty good!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews