The Queen's Lover TLC Book Tour

The Queen's Lover by Francine Du Plessix Gray

The Queen’s Lover begins at a masquerade ball in Paris in 1774, when the dashing Swedish nobleman Count Axel Von Fersen first meets the mesmerizing nineteen-year old Dauphine Marie Antoinette, wife of the shy, reclusive prince who will soon become Louis XVI. This electric encounter launches a life-long romance that will span the course of the French Revolution.

            The affair begins in friendship, however, and Fersen quickly becomes a devoted companion to the entire royal family. As he roams through the halls of Versailles and visits the private haven of Petit Trianon, Fersen discovers the deepest secrets of the court, even learning about the startling erotic details of Marie-Antoinette’s marriage to Louis XVI. But the events of the American Revolution tear Fersen away. Moved by the colonists’ fight for freedom, he is one of the very first to enlist in the French contingent of troops that will fight for America’s independence.

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I'm a huge Historical Fiction fan.  Oh my, anything I can get my hands on in this genre, has been read or is currently on my TBR Pile.

When given the opportunity to review this one, I obviously said yes immediately.

Just reading through the summary was enough to convince me that this would be a great read and immensely entertaining.

Marie Antoinette!

The name itself conjures up visions of a young beautiful Queen.  Of crazy stories based on truth and of some based on rumors and gossip.  I admit to having a preconceived notion of what I thought of Marie Antoinette, but the author gives me so much more than what I had already read and seen in the movies.

The story is told from the perspective of Count Axel von Fersten, through letters and recorded facts.  He takes us into the court life, their secrets and goings on and we also get a much better understanding of the Queen herself and what she went through, I found myself feeling sorry for her at times and kind of getting why she did the things she did.

For this being my first book by Francine Du Plessix Gray, I have to say that I really enjoyed it.  It was right up my alley.

Thumbs up for sure :)

 

 Here are the next tour stops:

Wednesday, April 18th: Life in Review
Monday, April 23rd: Kritters Ramblings
Wednesday, April 25th: Peeking Between the Pages
Thursday, April 26th: Broken Teepee
Friday, April 27th: Unabridged Chick
Tuesday, May 1st: Amused By Books
Wednesday, May 2nd: Life is Short. Read Fast.
Thursday, May 3rd: Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile
Wednesday, May 9th: Historical Tapestry
Thursday, May 10th: A Bookish Affair
Monday, May 14th: Scandalous Women
Wednesday, May 16th: Enchanted by Josephine

Happy Homemaker Monday #14

Another weekend just seemed to creep up on us and just as quick disappear.  Seriously, slow down there Father Time.

Quick Note:  I have asked numerous times for people to ONLY link up to Happy Homemaker Monday posts.  Please, don't add links to other posts on the list, it makes it very confusing to the HHM participants.  Thank you!!!

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The weather:::

We had some really high winds this weekend and cloudy, gloomy weather though no rain.  Looks like we're back to higher temps and sunshine today :) 

On my reading pile:::  
Sisters of the Heart Trilogy by Shelley Shepard Gray (almost finished with this one)
Bible
A Woman who trusts God by Debbie Alsdorf (this is such an amazing book, oh I love it so much)

On my TV:::

Next episode of the Titanic special.  
Doomsday Preppers (just found this one and looks interesting, going to start watching)
Amish - Out of Order (new series starting tomorrow on the National Geographic Channel)

On the menu for this week:::

 Monday -   Rice with Bacon, Ham and Oregano
Tuesday - Mexican Lasagna
Wednesday - Portuguese Steak with Mushroom sauce and fries
Thursday -  Grilled Tilapia with Salad
Friday -  Roast pork with potatoes and carrots
Saturday - Chicken Spaghetti 
Sunday -   Shepherds Pie

On my to do list:::

Two loads of laundry to iron and put away
AIMS testing Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for the kids
Homeschooling

What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::

Grabbed my ripply cushion this weekend and made some progress on it.  I haven't had much time for crocheting and I have missed immensely :)

In Homeschooling:::

Our Monday's are usually catch up days since we take Friday's off :)  We also have AIMS testing coming up on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  Aside from that, we have some POST tests to do and we're cranking down on the work to finish off this year early, just like we did last year :) 

Looking around the house:::

Children are still fast asleep.  I have hubby up with me, he has this week off so there's no early getting up or rushing around, we're just enjoying some coffee.  Dishwasher is running as usual and other than that, the only other sound is that of birds chirping out in the back yard.

From the camera:::

My beans are growing SO well, I'm thrilled with them, as well as the rest of the veggie garden.  I'll be sharing some pics with you soon.

Something fun to share:::
In the weeks leading up to the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of Titanic, I have literally devoured every single show/movie/documentary that I came across, and I have to say that I have learned so much.  I feel like I've come to know more about the the passengers, the crew, the individuals.  Where they came from and where they were going.  How the ship was built, by whom and how it sank.  So much information that has really opened up my eyes to a lot of things.  Hubby and I spent this weekend watching some wonderful shows on the National Geographic Channel, honestly if there is one channel on the dish that I would never get rid of, it would be this one :)

On my prayer list:::

Still praying for family and friends and for you all out there.
For our troops still overseas, for their safety and for their return home.
I've found myself in constant prayer lately, and just at any moment of the day, no matter what I'm doing.  It's like reconnecting with a good friend that you hadn't seen in years and finding that you still CLICK.  I love it, I love God and I love that I'm on the right track and every day forging a new bond with Him. 

Bible verse, Devotional::: 

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it."
Mark 8:34-35

In everything we do

Lord of all pots and pans and things
Since I’ve no time to be
A saint by doing lovely things
Or watching late with Thee
Or dreaming in the sweet dawn light
Or storming Heaven’s gates,
Make me a saint by getting meals
And washing up the plates.

Although I must have Martha’s hands,
I have a Mary mind,
And when I black the boots and shoes,
Thy sandals, Lord, I find.
I think of how they trod the earth,
What time I scrub the floor:
Accept this meditation, Lord.
I haven’t time for more.

Warm all the kitchen with Thy love
And light it with Thy peace;
Forgive me all my worrying,
And make all grumbling cease.
Thou who didst love to give men food,
In room or by the sea,
Accept this service that I do–
I do it unto Thee

Cooking Thursday

Thursday, already????  Goodness, this week has flown.

Hope you're all having a fantastic week, mine is going pretty well :)

If you want to use the picture, just click here for the original.

So the recipe I'm sharing with you today is for a delicious bread loaf. It was easy to make and REALLY good, it didn't last 30 minutes after it was removed from the oven.

Multigrain Bread

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup steel cut oats
4 tbsp flax seeds
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tsp table salt or 3/4 tbsp kosher salt
1 1/3 cups water
1 tbsp white distilled vinegar
1/4 tsp instant yeast


Method
Whisk flour, steel cut oats, flax seeds, yeast, and salt in large bowl. Add water and vinegar. Using rubber spatula, fold mixture, scraping up dry flour from bottom of bowl until shaggy, sticky ball forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

Lay 12X18-inch sheet of parchment paper inside 10-inch skillet and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and knead 10 to 15 times. Shape dough into ball by pulling edges into middle. Transfer dough, seam-side down, to parchment-lined skillet and spray surface of dough with nonstick cooking spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until dough has doubled in size and does not readily spring back when poked with finger, about 2 hours.

About 30 minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to lowest position, place 6-8 quart heavy-bottomed Dutch oven (with lid) on rack, and heat oven to 475 degrees. Lightly flour top of dough and, using razor blade or sharp knife, make 3 slits along top of dough.

Carefully remove pot from oven and remove lid. Pick up dough by lifting parchment overhang and lower into pot (let any excess parchment hang over pot edge). Cover pot and place in oven. Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue to bake until loaf is deep brown and instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 210 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes longer.

Carefully remove bread from pot; transfer to wire rack and cool to room temperature before slicing.

Quietly living

Some people may thrive in a room full of people.  In crowded places.  In a busy and constantly moving life.

I don't.

I like quiet, I like simplicity, I like being home with my family.  Just us 4, surrounded by these walls, by the things we love and just plain quietly living.