At eighteen years old, a small-town southwest Michigan girl stepped foot onto Zambian soil and her life changed forever. As she looked into the eyes of an orphan for the very first time, she began to question why Jesus had brought her to encounter a need so pervasive. Why did Jesus open her eyes to a crisis so vast? What this young woman didnt understand then was the beauty that Jesus was also going to open her eyes to through the lives of so many hurting and broken children. After hearing the Lord speak clearly that He wanted her to move to Zambia, she courageously defied all that her family and friends hoped for her, and began her life in Zambia. All because of love for Jesus. Sophie Hartmans journey is one of finding hope in the midst of brokenness, beauty in the midst of confusion and pain, and Jesus in the eyes of Zambian orphans. Her journey of learning the honor of carrying the stories of so many hurting and broken children is truly inspiring, and the poise and depth of her maturity is remarkable. Crowns of Beauty is an incredible and beautiful story that draws readers into such an intimate place with Jesus where His heart to bring forth beauty from ashes is evident to all. No matter who you are, Sophies stories and heart will inspire you and leave you with faith to believe that Jesus loves to crown His children in beauty, including you.

An abomination came in the middle of the night.Death and destruction followed in his wake.The sun fell from the sky and has yet to return.I am now trapped in a world where the savage and corrupt rule, my life has been compromised.He stole my crown with bloodstained hands and claimed me as his queen.Reyes Straykova is seductively cruel.Volatile and ruthless, a vicious beast.His sinister game has just begun.Bow to the king and watch chaos reign.Beauty & Rage is a prequel for the Broken Crowns series. This is a twisted PNR series not meant for the faint of heart. Contains explicit steam and various dark themes.

Named one of the best books of 2017 by NPR, the Huffington Post, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, the Horn Book Magazine, the News & Observer, BookPage, Chicago Public Library, and more The barbershop is where the magic happens. Boys go in as lumps of clay and, with princely robes draped around their shoulders, a dab of cool shaving cream on their foreheads, and a slow, steady cut, they become royalty. That crisp yet subtle line makes boys sharper, more visible, more aware of every great thing that could happen to them when they look good: lesser grades turn into As; girls take notice; even a mother’s hug gets a little tighter. Everyone notices. A fresh cut makes boys fly. This rhythmic, read-aloud title is an unbridled celebration of the self-esteem, confidence, and swagger boys feel when they leave the barber’s chair—a tradition that places on their heads a figurative crown, beaming with jewels, that confirms their brilliance and worth and helps them not only love and accept themselves but also take a giant step toward caring how they present themselves to the world. The fresh cuts. That’s where it all begins. Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is a high-spirited, engaging salute to the beautiful, raw, assured humanity of black boys and how they see themselves when they approve of their reflections in the mirror.

A photographic panorama of the creativity and variety of Black women's hairstyles In Crowns: My Hair, My Soul, My FreedomAmerican photographer Sandro Miller (born 1958) celebrates the social endurance, cultural heritage and self-expression of Black women through their hairstyles. In this series of portraits, each subject is posed in front of either a strikingly black or vibrant geometric background that serves to highlight the models' skin tones and accentuates their ultra-stylized hair, whether a halo of bright gold curls or crimson locks swept into an elegant bun. Each image is based on the relevant model's "hair story" and pays homage to her personal fashion sense, documenting the many unspoken ways in which Black women assert their autonomy through their physical appearance. In this project, Miller seeks to recognize and honor Black women's creativity and beauty while celebrating their social endurance and cultural memory at the same time.

Crowns, Dresses, Smiles...oh my! The life of a beauty queen can appear quite illustrious. What many don't know is that many queens in pageantry have not come from a fairy tale beginning. They are women with pain and scars that have ripped their hearts at the seams...only to leave it oozing with the passion to bring forth purpose. Yes, Queens too wear crowns of thorns. Those thorns are the life experiences gathered along the way as they journeyed through the corridors of life, sometimes crying and begging for the gloom to be taken away. What these queens have done, is turned those pains into a platform to change the world. Here, we have compiled the 'why' from today's leading plus sized beauty queens. Why they kept going. Why they have a story and Why they care enough to share. Take the journey, and find out why these crowns..are crowns of thorn

The gorgeous and darkly compelling sequel to The Crown’s Game—perfect for fans of Red Queen and Shadow and Bone.A New York Times bestseller! Magic is growing, shadows are rising, and the throne is at stake… Russia is on the brink of great change. Pasha’s coronation approaches, and Vika is now the Imperial Enchanter, but the role she once coveted may be more difficult—and dangerous—than she ever expected. Pasha is grappling with his own problems—his legitimacy is in doubt, the girl he loves loathes him, and he believes his best friend is dead. When a challenger to the throne emerges—and with the magic in Russia growing rapidly—Pasha must do whatever it takes to keep his position and protect his kingdom. For Nikolai, the ending of the Crown’s Game stung deeply. Although he just managed to escape death, Nikolai remains alone, a shadow hidden in a not-quite-real world of his own creation. But when he’s given a second chance at life—tied to a dark price—Nikolai must decide just how far he’s willing to go to return to the world. With revolution on the rise, dangerous new magic rearing up, and a tsardom up for the taking, Vika, Nikolai, and Pasha must fight—or face the destruction of not only their world but also themselves.