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" Crystal Kingdom "  is the final installment of a "Kanin Chronicles" by Amanda Hocking .  Prior to reading this novel, I did not know it was part of a series and this is the final book.  However, I at times enjoy reading books from a series but not specifically in order. This way, I can tell if I enjoyed a book by itself, and if it's good enough for me to try the rest of the series.  Well, with  "Crystal Kingdom" , you'll  need  to read the prior books in the series to figure out what's going on - because it seems like it starts right where the second book of the series,  "Ice Kissed"  ended.  With that said, proceed if you would like. As to the story, maybe it has to do with not reading the first two books, but throughout, I find it confusing and hard to follow the plot.  As to characters, Bryn is your typical heroine, but she seems to be near perfect with both physical and mental toughness.  It's a different kind of tou...

Yes. I am in awe with " Days of Awe "  by Lauren Fox .  Isabel Moore, in her early 40s is in a state of reverential wonder (not in a good way) as we open with the funeral of her best friend, Josie, who died in a single car accident.  As she grapple with her grief of such a lost, her marriage has fallen apart, and trying to understand a moody daughter heading towards her teen years.  Can we relate? Do we relate? Ms. Fox gave us an honest portrayal of what goes through a woman's mind as her world, as she know it is falling apart. "Days of Awe" is smart, funny, satirical in some aspects, sad, pathetic at times and Isabel's self-deprecating narration just makes you want to give her your two-cents.  As you read this, you won't be able to be nonchalant about it. You'll feel a need to jump in there and enjoy the past, the present and hopefully towards a promising future with her.  In all, enjoy the humor as you follow a woman's mind through her ...

Magnolia trees are very common in the southern states of the United States, and with a title as " Among the Fair Magnolias " , one would easily tie the setting to somewhere in the south.   "Among the Fair Magnolias" is a collection of four separate historical novellas, all set in the south within a decade before or after the war between the states, better known as the Civil War.  Each novella are written by a best-selling Christian novelist, ( Tamera Alexander , Shelley Gray , Dorothy Love and Elizabeth Musser ) with themes of freedom from love, from honor, from the past or freedom of self.  Each story is a beautiful journey we share with a Southern woman, as we read through their story.  To Mend a Dream  by Tamera Alexander Savannah Darby would do almost anything to revisit her family home. So when the new owner Aidan Bedford seeks to redecorate the house for his fiancée, Savannah jumps at the opportunity. But can she find the box her father suppos...

Charles Dickens' classic " Great Expectations" , has always been a favorite amongst readers with its own following.  Combine it with a cult following of Japanese anime, known as manga, you have a winner for both sets of readers. This manga classics version of " Great Expectations " is created by Nokman Poon (artist), Crystal Chan (story adaptation) and Stacy King (English dialogue adaptation), and published by Udon Entertainment. To be honest, I never was a great fan of Dickens' "Great Expectations" , because of the uncertain ending or rather the dual ending.  As a classic, I think we should really keep it with a final ending, and not for the readers to choose an ending to their liking.  So for me to pick this up, it really was because of the beautiful manga illustrations.  I've been a manga fan growing up, and I guess I still am.  Seeing how beautiful Estelle and how handsome Pip was drawn, just drew me in.  I'm glad I did.  If you...

An orphan being bullied, sent from one foster home to another, and suffers from an incurable disease. A teenage boy being haunted by his dreams.  As their world seem to slip away from them, they are tied to another unimaginable reality.  They are Conjurors - people with magic in them that are bound on Earth, and will die if they can't release their magic.  So they are brought to their rightful world, the Globe. And between the Earth and the Globe, they fight for their happiness, their love and the right to live.  This is simple description of " The Conjurors " series by Kristen Pham . "The Conjurors" consist of 4 books: The Society of Imaginary Friends, Knights of Light, Guardians of the Boundary, and Edge of Pathos.  Each book will not be a standalone book, and therefore needs to be read as a series, preferably one after the other.   I was able to read all 4 books together and I must say, I've enjoyed it.  It was refreshing because i...

" The Piano Man Project " by Kat French is a funny and light-hearted urban read for one of those days that you just want to kick back and enjoy a good laugh. Ms. French gave us a Bridget Jones-like story with a quirky character that's smart, caring and full of love for others and an anti-social mess of a broodingly handsome man.  How two very opposite types learn to be neighborly and keep the electrical chemistry at bay brings about the humor of the story.  We're not only talking about the plot, but the names are a hoot. Honeysuckle? Who names their child that? What is "The Piano Man Project", you ask? It is the perfect man search for Honey, devised by her two best friends, Tash & Nellie.  And based on their deduction, the perfect man for Honey should play the piano.  As to why he must play the piano, I'll let you read it to find out.  Interesting enough? Definitely a "roll your eyes" type of interest, which means a "yep"...

As mentioned in the previous post about "The 12 Brides of Summer: Novella Collection #1" , these 4 book collections are digitally printed by Shiloh Run Studios, a digital press division of Barbour Publishing, and was off to a great start as Book #1. Now, with Book #2, I was indeed looking forward to the short stories by Mary Connealy, Amanda Cabot and Maureen Lang. Boy , was I in for a treat. A Bride Rides Herd by Mary Connealy was a great start. Similar to her other novels, Ms. Connealy gave us a little bit of action, a little bit of fun, a little bit of "uh-oohh", and a little bit of romance. It was a nice, simple read, which I kind of wish it was a full novel since I felt many areas, it was just glided over with a time reference. I was reminded by Ms. Connealy's new book, "Now & Forever" with the opening scene. Amanda Cabot's The Fourth of July Bride may be my favorite so far of all the short stories from both collections 1...

Shiloh Run Studios, a digital press division of Barbour Publishing recently started publishing a series of historical novella collections titled "The 12 Brides of Summer" .   Each collection will consist of 3 short stories, with a total of 12, hence "The 12 Brides of Summer".  I've just finished collection #1, which includes the following stories: The Blue Moon Bride  by Susan Page Davis The Sunbonnet Bride  by Michelle Ule The Wildflower Bride  by Amy Lillard I enjoyed  The Blue Moon Bride  and felt it could've been a full novel, or there's more to the basic story that can be written on. It was a comforting read, with romance and action in the form of a train robbery.  A wonderful start that keeps you reading.  However, I did find the ending of how the two main characters got together a little rushed, but that could be because I liked them, and therefore want to enjoy their journey a little longer.  With a promising start...

A riveting story of love, hate, deception, forgiveness and mystery in a multi-generational arc.   " Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor "  by Melanie Dobson accomplished what many novels cannot.  It gave us a story that so seamlessly tied together the stories of different generations all in one book. A heavy, yet easy read.   Heavy because the amount of depth of characters and plot it was able to achieve.  Easy, because you're excited to read it, to continue and finish it.  Because you want to know the answer, just like the women in this story. Heather comes home to her birth place, a cottage next to a beautiful old English manor with a magnificent garden after the death of her father.  As she goes through the many many boxes of contents left there by her parents, she discovered a story and a mystery left unanswered.   As she comb through and investigate her family history and its connections to Ladenbrooke Manor, and the family of her old love,...

“At least there is hope for a tree:  If it is cut down, it will sprout again,  and its new shoots  will not fail.  Its roots may grow old in the ground  and its stump  die in the soil,  yet at the scent of water  it will bud  and put forth shoots like a plant." - Job 14: 7-9 A Bible verse on hope.  Not a typical one you'd read in Psalms or Proverbs or Matthew.  This one is in Job - where struggles are constant.  Well, isn't that the point of hope?  It's among adversity when a person needs hope or want to hope.  In Irene Hannon's "Hope Harbor" , we follow the story of several characters that needs hope and coincidentally comes to or stay in Hope Harbor, hoping to find that meaning.  Both Tracy and Michael lives with guilt in their love ones' death, while Ann Williams, the town's self-imposed hermit struggles with regret for the twenty plus years.  Will these three be able to overcome their own is...

Yes. You've read the title correctly.  This cookbook, "The Broad Fork"  by Hugh Acheson is a guide to the farmer's market.  Why do I say that? I say it with such authority because it is.  This cookbook not only gives you recipes, it tells you what seasonal vegetables are worth your time at the farmer's market. Well, not literally, but Hugh highlighted each ingredient (vegetable) with a variety of preparations. Now, that is what I call a good guide book. Let Hugh guide us through what's in season at the moment (from Athens, GA's vantage point), from Fall through Summer. With each vegetable (in some cases fruit), he provides us with a nice little personal description, and then 3-4 recipes, 2-3 quick straightforward ones (sides or entrees), and one a little more fancy (in depth full entree).  We will see traditional ones such as apples and celery in the Fall; collard greens, kale and winter squash in the Winter; asparagus, carrots, radishes in the Spri...

A magical weatherbox! Wow! Wouldn't that be nifty to have.  As a child, I've always been infatuated with the changes of weather and especially the changes of cloud patterns. From cumulus to stratus to cirrus, I was always intrigue by how that happens.  Wouldn't I love to read a story about a mystical figure or box that handles it all. That is what "The Maloney's Magical Weatherbox"  by Nigel Quinlan is all about.  It is about a family who inherits the job of taking care of the changes in season and an evil power that wants to take over.  A child's fantasy come true or is it? The premise is great and any child, boy or girl will be fascinated by this story, and how a couple of kids, themselves will be there to save the day, or try to.  However, it was a very slow start. It would take about a few more chapters to get the momentum going to truly appreciate and feel when the adventure of this story begins.   I understand there needs a certain a...

When you see "The Little Paris Bookshop"   and the cover with the beautiful lantern of a bridge over the Seine River and Eiffel Tower in Paris, what goes through your mind?  Without reading the book description, what emotions are playing inside your heart?  For me, the romanticism of Paris alone, and the colors of the cover makes me all warm and fuzzy.  To top it off, my love of books and bookshops allows me to dive deep into this book way before I even start reading it. "The Little Paris Bookshop" by Nina George is a beautiful novel of life, love and unanswered questions.  Unbeknownst to me prior to reading, The Little Paris Bookshop  was first printed in Germany and had since been an international bestseller and printed in several different languages.  In this novel, Monsieur Perdu, a self-proclaimed literary apothecary provides books off his little bookshop on a floating barge on the Seine river not only for the enjoyment of reading books,...

"Refining Fire" by Tracie Peterson is the second book in her Brides of Seattle  series. Like the first book of the series, Steadfast Heart ,  the description of the book features one couple, but I felt the main focus lies with Abrianna Cunningham and her endeavors.  Per the description, Refining Fire is about Militine (cross between Milicent and Christine) and Thane, who both struggles with their frightening and painful  past, and together, learn to trust each other, and especially God. I really enjoyed Refining Fire and how it can be read as a standalone book, as well as be able to connect to Steadfast Heart so seamlessly.   With repeat performance of characters as the 3 ladies of Madison School for Brides, Wade and previous subjected couple, Kolbien & Lenore, we are thrilled to continue our journey in 1885 Seattle.   Ms. Peterson has made me truly be immersed in the character of Abrianna, who I've found out will be t...

Such an inspirational title, don't you think? "Beyond the Ashes"  by Karen Barnett is the second book of The Golden Gate Chronicles.  I have yet to read the first book, and it's not necessary to continue with this book.  However, after this book, you might become a fan of Ms. Barnett's and decide to catch up on her other novels (just three currently). Back to the title. To be beyond the ashes expels a sense of resurgence, renewal and rebirth.  It's rising above the destruction that leads to ashes and overcoming the obstacles that faces you.  It's seeing the new horizon.  It is such a meaningful title, and perfect cover as the leading lady, Ruby Marshall looks beyond and see new life beyond the ashes.  Ms. Barnett's title and cover instill in readers a sense of hope, and with that I was excited to start on Beyond the Ashes.  Hope does not stop with the title and cover. It continues throughout as the city of San Francisco is rebuilding fro...

" Remember " by Shannon Dermott is the first of the Remember trilogy and it IS something to remember.   Different Covers of Remember When sixteen year old Charlize finds herself unmistakably lost in the forest with no memory how she got there, it was easy for her to assume the angel face boy who saves her was there to. But little did she know that couldn’t be further from the truth.    With a brush of death, she finds new reasons to live after the unexplained death of her father. Her only regret in last three years was letting the one boy she could have loved get away.  Plunged into a world not of her making, there are those that will hunt her, a foe that calls her Little Queen, and her torn heart. Most of all, she will have to remember and face her memories if she is to survive. Does it not sound intriguing?  Well, it is. If you're a fan of young adult paranormal fiction, this book is one you should NOT miss.  It's reminiscent of the Twilig...

Happy Independence Day! B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, MD Thank you for reading my posts. For full blog information and links to giveaways, head over to the blog: http://justcommonly.blogspot.com.

" The Trouble with Patience" by Maggie Brendan is a historical inspirational fiction that's set in 1866 Montana.  This was a fun read most of the time. It has a little humor, mix with some flirting, set in the 'Old West' times and surrounding a mystery. It's a light read centered around our titled character, Patience and the town's only sheriff, Jedediah "Jed".  Maggie is trying to restore a dilapidated boardinghouse she inherited from her grandmother, while Jed is haunted by his past of being a "legal" vigilante while following the law to the "T" as appointed sheriff.  Their stories intermix from past to present and it's interesting to see how things unfolds. However, after the main mystery is solved, it tries your patience in terms of reaching the end of the novel.  It's nice we see a little beyond the "big event", but it felt draggy towards the end.  And in some parts, I felt it was rushed. For ex...

As I was taking a stroll, I saw these purple flowers sticking up in the field of grass. I looked around and they were the only flowers. It's amazing to see even amongst what we think is a normal scene, something unexpected and beautiful will thrive. It's the beauty that our gracious Lord created.  Thank you for reading my posts. For full blog information and links to giveaways, head over to the blog: http://justcommonly.blogspot.com.