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What I loved in March

 

There’s a lot of work that goes into writing any blog. Everything from research to promotion and beyond, there’s always something going on in my little neck of the woods. There’s a lot of business that goes on behind the scenes of this blog. 

But in all that business I come across some pretty cool finds every month. From brands I love, websites I’m smitten with, other awesome bloggers I admire, and even little moments in time that helped me live a life of intention. Each month there is always something to lament back on each month. So today, I’m bringing you a new category of posts – monthly favorites! All the nook and cranny cool things that I stumble on each month that I think you’ll love, want to make (or buy) and possibly even be entertained by. In other words, tons of good stuff!

So today, I’m bringing you my monthly March favorites! All the things that I stumbled upon this past month that I hope you’ll love, want to make, bake, buy, or possibly just be entertained by. In other words, the good stuff!

So without further ado, my March favorites:

 

 

My favorite new March recipe: 

For the past few months, I have been obsessed with all things Harissa carrots. Those tiny, adorable, ever so yummy little sticks of vegetable magic have graced our plates of the past few months more times than I’d like to share and I just love them! I’ve also been obsessed with a new recipe I’ve found on Epicurious, Maple Glazed Roasted Harissa Carrots. They are super simple to make and even my husband always asks for seconds! This past weekend I popped into my local organic grocery to snag a few bunches and boy am I glad I did! Do your taste buds a favor and try them!

 

 

My favorite March zero-waste tip:

Need a way to visually measure how much water you are drinking throughout the day? Try using 1/2 gallon mason jars to put your daily water out on the counter, then use it to refill pint mason jar glasses until it’s gone. You’ll know for sure whether you hit your water target or not. I’ve been doing this all of March and not only has it helped me lose an additional two pounds, it’s also helped me to keep an additional 120 plastic bottles out of the landfill. It’s a small pre-Earth Day victory for me!

 

 

My favorite new book:

This month I loved reading Roadfood, 10th Edition: An Eater’s Guide to More Than 1,000 of the Best Local Hot Spots and Hidden Gems Across America,  by Jane Stern and Michael Stern. 

First published in 1977, the original Roadfood became an instant classic. James Beard said, “This is a book that you should carry with you, no matter where you are going in these United States. It’s a treasure house of information.”

Roadfood provides descriptions of and directions to (complete with regional maps) the best lobster shacks on the East Coast; the ultimate barbecue joints down South; the most indulgent steakhouses in the Midwest; and dozens of top-notch diners, hotdog stands, ice-cream parlors, and uniquely regional finds in between. It’s a must read!

 

 

My favorite new podcast:

We live life in the fast lane. We race to keep up with The Joneses. We are over-worked, over-connected and over-stressed. But there is also an ever-growing group of people who are saying no to a life lived in the rat race of life. People opting to slow down and savor life. This is what the Slow Your Home podcast is all about. I’ve been loving this podcast over the last month and I encourage you all to check this out as well on Stitcher and iTunes! 

 

 

My favorite YouTuber this month:

My new favorite Youtuber and Blogger, Linda from Linda’s Pantry is absolutely amazing! She demonstrates video tutorials on everything from simple canning to gardening and solar preservation. Her techniques feature locally grown produce and simple to follow instructions. Forget Netflix in April, her YouTube channel is one you will want to binge, let alone subscribe to! 

 

 

My favorite self-care find this month:

Over the years, I have taken numerous types of NSAIDs. Over time each product has given me some sort of adverse effects on my body. I had to find something safer to take. Something more natural. Something that can help me take on my day. Curamin® is safe, effective, homeopathic, and non-addictive. It works with the power of turmeric and that gives me peace of mind and helps me thrive in my day. I wrote a post this past week on Curamin® for those who may have missed all of my gushings over my favorite self-care find this March! 

 

 

My favorite new find online:

As you may know, I am the adoptive pet parent to three wild, wonderful, loyal, caring pups. They are a source of pride and joy in my world and I couldn’t rightly say whether I truly adopted them or the reverse! And as a minimalist who is slowly adding art and more decorative pieces back into my home, when I found the Dog Rescue Pink Silhouette Watercolor Art, from the wonderfully talented Amy of Charlie’s Merchantile on ETSY I knew I needed this print in my home! 

Each handmade piece from this awesome shop is a work of art and I love them all! I truly love this piece and will treasure it for some time to come. Amy’s art is not only an ETSY seller she also features pieces on her website and Instagram account as well. What’s even more awesome about Amy’s work and the shop is that she has graciously given her time and talent into offering a free copy of the above-mentioned print to one lucky reader, too! 

To enter, use the provided rafflecopter giveaway box below. Please note, this giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents, aged 18 and over, through 4/6/17 at 11:59 CST. Winners will receive a media-mailed, unframed copy of this print to before the following Saturday. Good luck, everyone! 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So that’s it everyone, my favorite things from this past month. So now, I’ve got to ask, what have you been loving this month as well! I’d love to hear about your favorite finds, and if you want to enter my giveaway, that would be just plain groovy too! 

Here’s to things to come,

 

How I’ll be Savoring Life in the Month of July

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It’s hard to believe that we are already in July. So, with half of the year already behind us and we are still eight weeks away from the start of the busy back-to-school push and slide to the holiday season, I thought it would be nice to take this month to slow down and focus on several projects in my life that desperately need attention. 

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First, I want to re-focus my commitment to my family, and in particular my homemaking capabilities. 

For as long as I can remember, I have viewed housework as an unending thankless job. Since transitioning from working in a corporate setting to the domestic sphere, I have frankly had a negative view on many aspects of  domestic life. The same chores to do, the same tasks to accomplish, the same issues with family. The same outlook at my home. Mind you, since becoming a minimalist, the lack of clutter in my home (and using the daily Motivated Moms Planner) has helped to brighten my perspective on my home. But I also want to view my role as a homemaker not as a job, but as a calling.

This month I will be focusing on utilizing products already on-hand in my home to create a series of DIY, nature-centered posts each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in July. My goal with this series is to learn to create basic home goods, so that moving forward I have not only learned a valuable new skill-set but will no longer have to purchase these good locally as well. 

The schedule will be as follows (per week): 

  1. First Aid Products
  2. Hygiene Products
  3. Cooking Products
  4. Beauty Products

I know there will always be dishes to wash, laundry to fold and put away, and clutter to stay on top of every day. But this month I am seeking to find the joy in this daily routine. I am seeking to learn to find joy in the  simple blessings of every day life at home, and I hope that I will feel even more blessing and honored to be a homemaker in the coming weeks ahead. 

For those who may want to follow along, I will be demonstrating live to Periscope each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday this month as well. I’d love for you all to join me live for several awesome, budget-friendly, natural demos! 

My second focus for the month will be slightly more simple in nature. I will be participating in a month-long challenge to refuse single-use plastic in July. 

Plastic Free July, a growing international movement, aims to raise awareness of the problems that the volumes of single-use disposable plastic create in our lives, in our environments, and for wildlife the world over. Keep in mind the statistic that convicted me to sign up for this challenge: By 2050 its estimated there will be more plastic than fish in the world’s oceans. 

As a result, we as a family as signed up! Also, another neat part of this project is that you can sign up for a day, a week or the whole month. The point is just to refuse all single-use plastic. As a family we are seeking to refuse and rid our home of all plastic bags, water bottles, single-use coffee cups, and straws. We hope this will be pretty basic as we are a mason jar loving people, as is! 

I will be posting about my experiences with this campaign in July on my Instagram account. For those who may also wish to join, click here for more information. 

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My third focus this month will be on my gardening. This year, my husband and I have fully utilized our home’s backyard tiered garden layout and have planted a wide range of vegetables and fruits, including tomatoes, various legumes, potato and sweet potato towers, corn, and Autumn ornamental selections such as corn, pumpkins, mini pumpkins, and jack-o-lanterns. We’ve expanded our vegetable selection this year as we reside in Mississippi and are blessed with three full planting seasons each year. 

Keep in mind, our garden consists entirely of upcycled, free, natural, holistic, and organic gardening methods. We plan to use this year as a learning venture for our tiered system, and hopefully use this years harvest to learn to pressure can legumes, beans, and low acid foods to put back for the winter.

As well, I will be posting all of my daily gardening challenges, victories, and bounties on my Instagram page for those who would like to follow us on our gardening journey this year. 

 

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My fourth goal this month relates to finance. For the month of July, I will be participating in a personal No-Spend Challenge. 

The rules are pretty simple:  

  • No spending on anything  beyond absolute necessities.
  • Eat from your pantry & freezer as often as you are able.
  • And make changes to the way you purchase and consume goods, services, and commodities in your home. 
  • The idea of the challenge is to keep up with your daily activities,, but the main goal is simply to stop spending.  
  • This challenge can be a life changing experience, as you may just be amazed at how your mindset and perspective will change after just a month of seeing how you can enrich your life, without spending more!

There are a few exceptions to the rule as follows:

  1. Unavoidable expenses related to employment, such as gas, are okay.
  2. Unavoidable school related expenses.
  3. Doctors appointments, veterinarian appointments, co-payments, family/pet prescriptions, and therapy sessions are okay.
  4. Do keep existing service and repair appointments that can’t be rescheduled to “Spending” months, such as hair appointments, lawn care services, trash removal, in-home repair services, etc.
  5. Do keep existing tithing and charitable giving.
  6. I will continue to use my envelope saving system to fund app rebates for fresh produce and milk as needed.
  7. And it goes without saying, we will continue paying for monthly insurance, utility payments, banking fees, etc.

This No- Spend month is not just about a decrease in spending, but a  challenge to find ways to live well, live better, find new sources of joy, will spending less. This month proved to be a time of being able to a life rich with family, friends, and creative planning, secured by fiscally responsible measures. This month was made all the better by the amount of encouragement and accountability shared by all of my readers, too!

I’m not gonna lie, there will be tough moments, but the rewards far outweigh the issues. During my last no-spend month in December of last year as a family we saved a total of $1,021.34, and this month all funds saved will be allocated to pay for out end-of-year minimalist family holiday needs and expenses. 

Some ways I plan to do this is by:

  • Pantry Organization
  • Learning Home to “Dine Out At Home”
  • Rain-Check Shopping for next month’s needed staples and groceries
  • Learning ways to better clean my home
  • Selling unneeded items on Facebook Local Groups, Craigslist, and eBay.
  • Should a need come up, I’ll be referencing my past materials from Ruth Soukup’s No-Spend October 2015 Challenge. 

All-in-all, I am super excited for this month’s No-Spend Month Challenge! I’ll be posting about my victories and challenges this month on my Youtube channel each Wednesday, for those who would like to follow along! 

Well folks, those are my plans for this month! So, do you have any awesome plans this month? Perhaps a vacation, reunion, or the like? I’d love to hear about it below,

Here’s to summer,

Niki-designstyle-friday-m

 

 

What I’ve Been Lovin’ in April

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Hello again, everyone! It’s hard to believe another month is almost at an end. But before we say adieu to April I wanted to share with you all some of what I’ve been lovin’ this April.

 

Food:

 

DIYs:

 

Podcasts:

 

Periscopers:

  • Stacy Meyers from Humorous Homemaking. Stacy is an OG of scoping and not to be missed!
  • Larisha Campbell from Wereparents. Larisha makes simple, budgeted, organic cooking easy! 
  • Amiyrah Martin from 4hatsandfrugal. She’s currently scoping on positive budget affirmations!
  • Zaggat guide on periscope. Watch awesome food, eateries, and culinary experts each morning!
  • Alex Pettit gives the latest tech tutorials, advice, and demos live on periscope!

 

Music:

 

Books:

Country Cooking from a Redneck Kitchen

Do you love down-home, stick-to-your-ribs, country cooking?  Then you are in luck as the new cookbook from Francine Bryson, Country Cooking from a Redneck Kitchen Cookbook has plenty of recipes to satisfy your childhood comfort cravings.Francine speaks my language when it comes to food.  Her book focuses on the best of southern cooking, from Chicken and Dumplings Like Mama Made to Coconut Party Dip, Deviled Ham Dip, Aunt Fanny’s Buttermilk Salad, Old-Fashioned Squash Relish, Grits and Bacon Fritters. This author knows what she’s selling and she knows her way around a kitchen. To find out more about this book, click here.

 

In the new relationship book by Pastor Dave Willis, “The Seven Laws of Love: Essential Principles for Building Stronger Relationships,” explains in detail the seven laws of love found throughout Scripture offers age-tested advice on how to live out those words in order to have better relationships with your spouse, family, friends, neighbors, and even enemies. Willis contends, “If Christ is not the center of your marriage, you will never learn how to love your spouse completely.” To find out more about this book, click here.

 

Do you love adult coloring books? Then be sure to check out Wonderland by Amile Shen. Why this book? Well, there is nothing like relaxing while creating fast, beautiful art. And this coloring book is fantastic. Wonderland follows the story of Alice’s age old tale of adventures quite closely which allows readers to color along with Alice and her companions from page to pages. Moreover, Amily Shen’s illustrations are beautiful. To find out more about this book, click here.

 

One of my favorite new cookbooks is the  I Quit Sugar Kids Cookbook, by Sarah Wilson. What I liked about this book: Wilson’s cookbook and guide to sugar-free living are a refreshingly, friendly, helpful voice in a sea of holier-than-thou handbooks for health and diabetic living. After following the authors advise for several weeks and laying off the sweet stuff, I generally felt, well better. This book is helpful, easy-to-follow, and is helpful resource guide and go-to recipe guide.  To find out more about this book, click here.

 

As someone who strives to live a minimalist lifestyle, in both my home and business, I’ve following Joshua Becker, on his site Becoming Minimalist, for the past several years. What I liked most about Becker’s site, his idea that minimalism can be a sound, obtainable goal through the presentation of reasonable minimalism. In Becker’s latest book, The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own, he extrapolates on his blogs central minimalist theme, as well as the benefits of owning even fewer personal effects. For those who would like to know more this book click here.

 

Finds:

 

So folk, this is what I’ve been loving this past month. Since April is not currently on the books, you still have time to go out and find something that truly sparks joy in your world. And for those of you who have lived April to the max, how was your month? Have you scored any awesome freebies, chanced upon an awesome new music station, or curled up with a new, thought-provoking book? I’d love to hear about it below!

Here’s to May,

niki

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What I’ve been loving in March

GOALS

Ah, March…

The month of March end this Thursday. From warmer spring weather to a myriad of holidays, March is always such a great month for myself and my family. As we leave behind cold winter weather for warmer Spring days ahead, I just wanted to take pause and reflect back on why March was a month of blessings for my family and myself. So, here’s a list of the top 12 things that I’ve been loving this month. 

what weve been up to...
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March is the month when Mother Nature bursts forth into full technicolor bloom. Here at home our crocuses, hyacinths, wisterias, and daffodils are already blooming. Soon they will be joined by tulips, hyacinths, jasmine, lilacs, and crepe myrtles. The streets of my small hometown will soon be lined with blooming pear trees and azaleas. Mississippi is coming alive with bees, blooms, and the best of what this season has to offer! 

We Dr. Seuss’ birthday was celebrated on March 2nd. We attended our local country library to hear a live reading  of “The Cat in the Hat” and many other beloved Seussical children’s books as part of the Read Across America birthday celebration. This rally was amazing, and truly brought to life Dr. Seuss’ mission to making literacy fundamental and fun for children across this nation. 

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It’s said that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Yet again, Mother Nature didn’t disappoint this year as March saw a lot of weather extremes, from highs in the 70’s, lows in the 20’s, three tornado warnings, and even an afternoon where Daniel’s school dismissed early due to flash flood warnings. Oy!

Here in Dixie, Daylight Saving Time began on March 13th. And while we will have more sunlight,  more time this Summer to enjoy the great outdoors, loosing an hour of sleep was a bummer. One point of consolation, early morning sunrises that rival any beachscape I’ve ever seen. Waking up early to soak in the beauty of simple moments of solitude is something I’ve been really loving this month. 

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This month my family celebrated Saint Patrick’s Day simply at home with a feast of corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, and soda bread. There’s something to be said for the comfort that one pot dishes can bring to the soul. And not to be outdone by any corned beef and cabbage platter, my husband Daniel celebrated the day in his own way. He printed, colored, and rocked his very own Shamrock. This month I’ve really been loving my husband’s playful nature. 

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The first day of spring was celebrated with the Vernal Equinox on March 20th. On this day, day and night are equal everywhere, and I took this time to finish a few last minute ETSY shop orders, including this Easter Egg Wreath. Taking ordinary materials and turning them into something funky and fabulous is something I have been loving this month. Around this same time like many other Christians the world over, we celebrated Holy Week, Palm Sunday, Passover, and finally Easter Sunday, in a very quiet manner on March 27. We smoked hams, broke bread as a family, and spending time in fellowship with friends and neighbors. 

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Also this month my family and I were given the awesome opportunity to try out Airhead’s new birthday cake flavor taffy as part of their #airheadsepicbday 30th anniversary celebration, from February 29th thru June 29th of this year. Shockingly, the birthday cake flavor tastes just like fresh, homemade buttercream icing. Though I’m not a huge candy fan our crew loved them. This candy is surely not part of our journey into semi-crunchy nation, but you need a few fun departures every now and then! Be sure to checkout Airhead’s birthday bash inline, and enter for a chance to win $10,000 in cash and prizes as well.  

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And of course it wouldn’t be a proper change of season without switching out threads in my capsule wardrobe. This month marked a year from my first Spring capsule, and it was nice to see the progression of this current seasons capsule compared to my capsule a year ago. While I love everything about capsule wardrobes, my absolutely favorite part? The small teal polka dot boxes from Thredup that arrive when I need to replace a staple piece here and there. Yeah, I’m a fan of shopping from home, and with free return shipping it’s a no-brainer in my book! 

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And as a side note, I’m a brand ambassador for Bulu Box. And this past month I was given the opportunity to review the new Double Scoops products from Bulu Box. Let me just say, wow ladies. These. Are. Amazing.

As a skeptic when it comes to anything involving unmentionable innovations, this product surprised even me. These two scoops help keep your cones right where they belong, pun intended. They are an affordable, modest means to transform the way you can look and feel this season in thinner fabrics, dresses, and blouses. The best part? They are comfortable.

I tried the peach color, but they come in different shapes and colors, and are even waterproof. Yes—you can use them in a swimsuit. These scoops help ward off the effects of both motherhood and gravity in a simple, simple way. Each box even comes with tape so you can essentially use these with lower cut necklines as well.  To find out more about these scoops, click here. 

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And I didn’t want this month to end without again sharing that this past week, March 20th, was the tenth anniversary of National Puppy Day. Though I’m a pet-parent to several amazing fuzzies, my Sassy, our six-year-old Shih-Tzu, will always hold an extra special place in my heart. She was an adopted baby, and there is not a day that goes my when she has not been a blessing to my life. Even as a puppy, the day she chewed a foot long hole into my brand new jute dining room rug. I still loved her even then.

National Puppy Day is a reminder for our family to #adoptnotshop when it comes to pets. Every life is important, and my husband and I take the stewardship of our fuzzies very seriously. We believe in being good parents to children and pets, too! We have to look out for everyone in the kingdom, you know? 

 

what ive been reading...

unstuffed

This past month I’ve been able to spend a good amount of time of my favorite hobby, reading. I was very honored to be asked to be a member of Ruth Sokup’s book launch team for her upcoming release, Unstuffed.

Do you feel your life, home, and office are stuffed to the brims with things, papers, and piles? Then you are in luck my friend! This book speaks to the need from all walks of life to slow down and evaluate ways to clear both our homes and lives of the unnecessary abundance of  cluttered that causes chaos, over-spending, time management conflicts, and feelings of being rundown in our minds, lives, and homes. 

Ruth offers readers practical tips and time-tested advice for finding joy in living lives less stuffed with joy-busting clutter. This book is divided into lessons. Each lesson walks you room-by-room, obstacle-by-obstacle through your home, allowing the reader to create a strategy and mindset for last cleaning, organizing, and living success. 

This quote, especially spoke to me:

“But here’s the truth: A busy life is not the same as a meaningful one.   Athletic, successful or talented children do not make us more important.  Activities, obligations, and commitments do not make us count.  If we’re looking for the answer to our frustrations, despair, and hopelessness in a full calendar, we will never find it there.  In fact, quite often, the fuller our calendars become, the emptier our hearts feel.”

The book also contains a fun, interactive quiz to help you determine how much is too much, when it comes to personal and business commitments, the daily drudge of “life clutter.”  A particular point of interest for me in this book was it’s chapter on friendships and interpersonal relationships. Though Ruth does not engage readers in the art of making friends (though I feel this would have added greatly to this book), she does speak of the necessity to seek friendships that will remain vital to your well-being. And in the reverse, knowing the best ways to ditch unhealthy, one-sided friendships in order to devote time to cultivating nurturing, lasting friendships instead.  

This book is a true, transparent look at how one can unclutter all aspects of your life. I highly recommend this book. If you’d like to read Unstuffed, it’s currently on pre-order at Amazon for $9.89, and will be released on April 5, 2016.

 
This month I was also given the opportunity to review I Want It All: Exchanging Your Average Life for Deeper Faith, Greater Power, and More Impact, by Gwen Smith. 

The book intrigued in it’s simple but profound central question, “Do you struggle with sleepy faith syndrome?” If you are anything like me, the answer to this question may be an astounding yes. 

The author discusses with readers her views on how easy it can be easy to dismiss God’s plans with diminutive thoughts that ordinary women, women like ourselves, cannot make a huge difference in the body of Christ, manifesting in an  I can’t attitude to life.

The author gives readers a different, refreshing perspective. Stating that despite our personal shortcomings, God created each woman in the brethren of Christ to be equipped with the disposition, spirit, and ability to lead our families and communities towards lives of  abundant joy, courage, and influence. We can each create new, lasting seasons of gratitude and change in our own lives. We can each be mirrors of proactive social change too!

The author leaves readers with a central note, that one can have it all when you abandon your self-loathing for a live of grace-filled purpose and significance. 

I Want It All will ignite a fire in your heart to experience more faith and impact as you move forward in this next season of life, and was the perfect start to the Spring season of renewal in my own life as well. 
 
This has been one of my favorite Women’s Christian non-fiction books I’ve read thus far this year. If you’d like to check this book out, it’s currently available on Amazon for $9.99 shipped with Amazon Prime or $9.49 on Amazon Kindle.

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Lastly, I was also honored to be apart of the book tour for Sisi: An Empress on Her Own, by Allison Pataki.

This is a beautiful story. This book is woven full of drama, suspense, unrequited romances, and guilt. This book is also surprisingly based on the life story of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, or Sisi as she was known to those dear to her. Elizabeth the woman, lived a fascinatingly dangerous life fatally intermingled with the ill-fated Hasburg dynasty during its final decade of decline. Pataki beautifully illustrates the better half of Sisi’s life, giving readers a tender glimpse into the mentally uncertain life of the empress.

With each chapter the reader will hope for lasting solace and fortune for the often spoiled Sisi. As I read this book I found a great deal of empathy for Sisi, as I longingly wanted her to abandon family, title, duty for a life less forced exploitation. This book is no less than a saga of words, emotions, and song.

Pataki shows the corrupt, gritty details of royal life in a way that still leaves the sophistication and romanticized spledor this dynasty is known for with each forthcoming page. The fantasy of being a Hasburg, both the grandiose and the grotesque, remains unaltered all it’s splendor. Pataki is a stickler to historical detail, which makes reading this and any of her novels a highly enjoyable experience.

So, if your looking for a refreshing take on history, this is the book for you. Currently, this book is available on Amazon for $18.48 shipped with Amazon Prime, and $13.49 with Amazon Kindle for those who wish to pick it up this Spring. 

So, folks that’s what I’ve been loving this month in March. How has your month been for you? I’d love to hear about your moments, suggestions, and tidbits as well. 

Here’s to April,

niki