April 28, 2025
The Girl of Many Crowns
The Girl of Many Crowns is the true story of a powerful Knight and a runaway Queen who unite to defy an empire.
The Girl of Many Crowns
The true story of a powerful Knight and a runaway Queen who unite to defy an empire.
The Kingdom of Francia – 856
Thrust into the political intrigue surrounding the throne of Francia, young Princess Judith loyally supports her father, King Charles. She strengthens his kingdom by marrying twice for political alliance.
But, when Judith refuses to marry a third time at her father’s command, King Charles imprisons her in one of his palaces.
Baldwin “Iron Arm” is a trusted knight and companion to Princess Judith’s brother, Prince Louis. Baldwin helps protect Francia and the king’s family from Vikings, rebel Lords, wars, and assassinations plots.
When Judith and Baldwin fall in love without the blessing of the king, will they be able to hold on to their faith and each other after unleashing the fury of an empire?
My Thoughts
I loved every moment of this novel. The time period is one of my personal favourites (I love historical fiction). I love learning about the individuals that lived during this time, the historical events that occurred and how these events are influenced by even the smallest of choices that change the future. This novel delivers so much – war, family conflicts, royal honour and duty and above all love and mercy.
Judith was a powerful character in this novel, despite being a female in a time period where females held so little power. She was strong willed and devoted to those that she loved. She knew from a young age (and she was young throughout the whole book!) that her role was to support the royal family and honour her Father’s wishes, even when doing so came at great harm to her own wellbeing. She has this gentle leadership shown through her kindness, compassion and understanding of those around her. She protected those charged to her care despite the repercussions to herself. You could not help but fall in love with her and her role as Queen and a leader. It was her last act of defiance (but done so out of love and faith) that made me fall in love with her character. She knew that her final marriage would be that for love and that any child born, would be born of love and happiness. After all she went through, this was something she deserved.
While Judith’s story unfolds, we are also witness to her siblings, and her Father’s struggles in such a turbulent time where trusting others can come at a great cost to life. While it could be tricky to follow along with the other characters, the author did a great job of explaining who each character was and how they connected to the story. She packed a great amount of history in this novel, without sacrificing the plot or interest in Judith’s story. The Girl of Many Crowns is a definite must read for historical fiction fans!
You can purchase a copy of this book on BookBaby, Amazon and B&N.
You can enter to win a signed copy here (US/CAN).
Rating: 5/5
About the Author
A native of San Diego, California, D. H. Morris has lived on four continents and traveled through many countries. She has four children and eleven grandchildren and currently lives in Kansas City, Missouri. She graduated from Utah State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and Choral Music education and pursued graduate work in English at USU and law at the University of Utah. She is also a published playwright.
As a descendant of Judith and Baldwin, the author discovered their intriguing story while doing a genealogical project. This journey inspired her to research everything about the 9th Century – including food, politics, travel, war, education, clothing, jewelry, religion, holidays, marriage customs, and medicine. She loves talking about this remarkable time in history when the European countries we know today were being formed and fighting for their very existence.
You can connect with her on her website, Pinterest and Goodreads.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review, all opinions expressed are my own.
April 25, 2025
Baby Memory Box
This gender-neutral gift, the Baby Memory Box is a special place to record and store life’s little moments for your little bundle of joy.
About the Baby Memory Box
Treasure your baby’s early years with this keepsake memory box.
The ideal gender-neutral gift, the Baby Memory Box is a special place to record and store life’s little moments. Cherish every one of baby’s firsts with boxes for first tooth and first curl, and a cloth bag for that tiny first pair of shoes. You can write a letter to baby, record their first words and memories in the miniature memories book, and add a picture to the photo frame.
Over time, it will become a treasure of memories that you and your child will cherish for a lifetime.
- Keepsake box for baby memories: Record and preserve precious memories of your little one
- Lasting, attractive gift box contains: Read to Your Baby Every Day mini book, The Story of Us memory journal, cloth bag to store baby’s first shoes, 4 boxes for first teeth, first curl and other tiny treasures, envelope and writing paper for a letter to your baby, a place to frame a photo, plus space to store little toys, sonogram, hospital band, and more
- Beautifully decorated with embroidered artwork from Chloe Giordano
Our Thoughts
The first year of a child’s life flies by, I know everyone says it but it is incredible how quickly the time goes. Those little hands and feet quickly turn into chubby toddler hands and feet. We slowly forget little pieces of the delivery and the funny things that happened that first week at home. We try to capture as much as we can in photo, video and keepsakes but this can be a daunting task while you are carrying for a young child, yourself and anyone else in the home. New parents need something easy, organized, and well designed to capture these special moments.
For my first two kids, I made a scrapbook for one and purchased a keepsake book for the other child. What I found out was that there was not enough space to keep some keepsakes in the scrapbook (shoes, bands, etc…) so they are now in a box with other items (but no dates or stories to go along with it) and I was forgetful in recording memories for each month (in the keepsake book) as it was always so busy and hard to find time to write down stories that the book was designed for (not to mention that I could not add any keepsakes at all in this book).
The Baby Memory Box was a gorgeous and thoughtfully designed way to keep track of your little one’s milestones. There were boxes for the first mitts, first hair cut, first tooth (I have to admit I have a collection of their teeth in a plastic container in one of my drawers – I would have no idea which one was their first tooth, not to mention I have actually no idea what I would do with all these teeth, I know my boys would not want them!), and an extra box for any of those special keepsakes (hospital bands, clean newborn diaper, etc..). The box also contains a beautifully designed book to record their birth, and the journey from pregnancy to birth. There is even a booklet to write a letter to your little one! There are two small booklets to capture those first handprints and footprints as well as a small drawstring pouch for those first shoes.
The Baby Memory Box contains all items (and space!) that you need to beautifully capture your little one’s first year. The neutral colours make it a great gift for new parents to be. The box can be kept in your little one’s room and will go well with any nursery décor due to the design of the box (it will also serve as a reminder to add those memories in as the year goes by and your child outgrows those first shoes, first mitts). I love that the box will eventually double as a gift to your child when they are old enough, and what a special way to present the gift to them. The Baby Memory Box is a definite must have item on your registry or for those looking for a thoughtful gift that parents will cherish for many years to come.
You can purchase the Baby Memory Box on Chapters and learn more on Quarto.
About the Illustrator
Chloe Giordano began to sew in the last year of her illustration degree at the University of the West of England. Since graduating, she has continued to experiment with freehand embroidery, using sewing thread and hand-dyed fabrics to make her work – and the books in her bestselling Stitched Storytime series are illustrated with her hand-embroidered artwork. Her clients include Penguin, Vintage Books, Bloomsbury, Liberty, and the BFI. She lives in England.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the Baby Memory Box in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
April 22, 2025
I’ll Be Seeing You
From Joanne Kukanza Easley, the multi-award-winning author of Sweet Jane and Just One Look, comes I’ll Be Seeing You—a raw, gripping saga of one woman’s wild ride through five decades, fueled by ambition, derailed by booze, and haunted by the past.
About I’ll Be Seeing You
From Joanne Kukanza Easley, the multi-award-winning author of Sweet Jane and Just One Look, comes I’ll Be Seeing You—a raw, gripping saga of one woman’s wild ride through five decades, fueled by ambition, derailed by booze, and haunted by the past.
Lauren’s done with ranch life. Spotted by a modeling scout at the 1940 Fort Worth Stock Show Parade, she ditches Palo Pinto County for Manhattan’s glitz. But when her dream crashes, she drowns her sorrows in liquor and lovers. By twenty-four, she’s a widowed, divorced mess, hopping cities until Austin becomes her last stand. After a decade of chaos, she claws her way to sobriety and builds a thriving business, yet peace is still out of reach.
Then, in 1985, the past storms back: Brett, her third husband, wants to reconcile after thirty-three years apart. Reeling from old wounds, Lauren turns to Jane, her AA lifeline. The clock’s ticking—will she rewrite her story or let it burn?
You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.
You can enter to win a signed copy of this book here.
About the Author
Joanne Kukanza Easley, a retired registered nurse who worked in the cold, stark environment of operating rooms and the highly charged setting of psychiatric facilities, now resides in the Texas Hill Country. There, she crafts fiction centered on complex women of the twentieth century. Her debut novel, Sweet Jane, garnered multiple accolades, including the adult fiction prize at the Texas Author Project, and was a finalist for prestigious honors like the Sarton Award and the Eric Hoffer Award, among others. Her second book, Just One Look, was selected as a May 2022 Pulpwood Queen Book Club Pick. Her third novel, I’ll Be Seeing You, revisits characters from Sweet Jane. Her fourth novel, Higher Love, a continuation of her third, is slated for release in Spring 2025. Easley’s award-winning short stories and poetry have been featured in various anthologies.
You can connect with Joanne on her website, X, Facebook, Instagram and Goodreads.
Disclosure: I did not receive compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.
April 15, 2025
My Mom Book Review
The perfect gift for Moms, My Mom celebrates the unique bond between mother and child, no matter how this relationship starts.
About My Mom
My Mom is a stereotype-busting celebration of all the everyday things that one child’s mom does to make her so awesome!
My Mom says that when I arrived
I was like a star
drifting
down
from the sky
and into her life.
The story follows mother and child from before the child is born, celebrating the bond between mother and child even when the child is just a dream. With an inclusive feel, all mother and child relationships are celebrated in this story – whether biological or adoptive.
A joyous spirit of adventure is present throughout the story, following mother and child as they take on life’s big and small adventures together. From sailing a ship around the garden and exploring forests, streams and meadows to telling stories in a cozy den and cuddling before bedtime, a child reveals all the simple yet special things she loves to do with her adventurous mom.
Our Thoughts
The journey to parenthood is different and non-linear. This book captures it perfectly in the opening sentence, “My Mom says that when I arrived I was like a star, drifting down from the sky and into her life”. We become mothers in very different ways and stages in our lives. For some of us, this journey may appear easier and for others we may have a longer journey that goes down a variety of different paths. We all have the same fears that becoming parents may never happen, no matter how hard our heart yearns for it. But when this day comes, and that child enters your life, it is like life starts again and your heart is full of love and hope.
This beautiful book brought tears to my eyes as you hear the child share how much they love their Mom and everything that she does with her. She shares how her Mom can fix anything and how her Mom’s strength and bravery in turns gives her strength to face her fears. As parents, we sometimes can try so hard to give our children the perfect moments (sparing no cost!) when all they really want and need is the simple moments – walking in the park, making crafts, playing together, snuggling on the couch. Seeing these little adventures through the eyes of a child, brings a different perspective into being a mom.
My favourite line of this book, “Mom tells me how she loved me when I was just a dream. And when I see my mom so happy – I’m really, really glad she dreamed of me.” My heart just melted reading this line, we love our children so deeply regardless of how they come into our lives. Children need this love and flourish when they feel safe and loved.
The illustrations in this book go along well with the story line – they are soft, whimsical and fun. They highlight the magic of childhood and the love between Mother and child. You can hear the giggles, feel the wind blowing and the touch of a small hand in your own.
This is a wonderful book for new parents, it makes not only a wonderful book to read with your child but to cherish for years to come.
You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon. Learn more about this book and others on Quarto.
About the Author
Susan Quinn was born in Manchester but has traveled the world: by way of South Africa and Sydney. She became a children’s librarian at 23 and then moved back to England. Her first book, Little Bear and the Butterflies, was published by QED in 2014.
About the Illustrator
Sarah Mathew is a freelance illustrator who lives in Cambridge with her husband and three boys. Sarah is naturally curious and loves collecting little seeds of inspiration. Sarah takes a playful and experimental approach to her work, testing out new ways of working and seeing where the happy accidents or beginnings of ideas go. Sarah has many treasured memories of being snuggled up with her children reading a big pile of picture books.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
April 14, 2025
The Reasons I Pray
Prayer is more than words—it is a powerful, transformative force that can lead to a life of obedience, faith, and supernatural encounters with God. In The Reasons I Pray, author Deberann Tinson provides an inspirational and instructional roadmap to developing a meaningful and continuous prayer life.
About The Reasons I Pray
Prayer is more than words—it is a powerful, transformative force that can lead to a life of obedience, faith, and supernatural encounters with God. In The Reasons I Pray, author Deberann Tinson provides an inspirational and instructional roadmap to developing a meaningful and continuous prayer life. This book is designed to help individuals, leaders, and entire ministries unlock the full potential of prayer and witness its divine impact.
Prayer is not just a ritual but a divine calling, and The Reasons I Pray offers practical guidance on how to pray without ceasing and develop a passion for prayer that aligns with God’s will. Readers will learn essential lessons, including:
- Walking in obedience to God’s call to pray
- Developing a deep and consistent passion for prayer
- Maintaining the proper purpose and focus in prayer
- Strengthening faith, perspective, and discernment
- Cultivating a passion for prayer in others
- Understanding how prayer influences shifts at personal, community, and even governmental levels
You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Walmart, B&N, Tinson Enterprises.
You can enter to win a signed copy of The Reasons I Pray here.
About the Author
Deberann Tinson is a devoted teacher, and author committed to guiding believers in their spiritual walk through prayer. With a heart for intercession and a passion for empowering others, her works serve as a beacon of hope and instruction for individuals seeking a closer relationship with God. She has a great love for the Word of God as well as the love for His people. She has a contagious spirit of generosity that flows through every facet of her life.
Ms. Tinson has been in ministry for more than 30 years, and has been a full-time evangelist for over 25 years.
You can connect with her on her website, Instagram and Goodreads.
Disclosure: I did not receive compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.