I enjoyed Volume 1 of this series, and ordered this volume to see how the story progresses.

It's about a young girl named Asahi, who's somehow fallen into an alternate world from her modern-day-Japan backyard, and finds herself trapped there. She winds up getting offered as a sacrifice to the water dragon god - who isn't in the least interested in having maidens drowned on his behalf, but for some reason finds this little child more intriguing. The story's a mix of Very Scary (small child swept away from everyone she knew and loved, villagers who intentionally throw girls to their deaths in the water-dragon's sacred spot, a jealous village woman who wants Asahi dead) and rather whimsically fun (especially regarding the water-dragon god's various cohorts, who all seem delighted by his bafflement regarding his new "bride").

In this volume, Asahi's ups and downs continue, as the water-dragon keeps switching moods from annoyed to protective and back again. And Asahi's young protector Subaru - who's taken her side against his own mother - casts his lot with Asahi in some very sweet scenes.

By the end of this volume, Asahi has accepted that she can't return to her home world, and - with Subaru's support, plus some magical side-effects of the water-dragon's attentions - she decides to focus on living the life she now has. And time passes - so the next volume will begin with Asahi and Subaru grown up, which should add new complications re the water-dragon's interest in his no-longer-a-child bride...

I left the book in the Little Free Library on the beach on a gray but beautiful evening; hope someone enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in NH here.]

*** Released for the 2018 June Brides release challenge. ***