B-Day Invite

Just in case you wanted to see the adorable invite I made for Jaden & Zsolt's birthday party next week. I was quite happy with how it turned out.

Quote - The Trolls

"...I guess knowing that your own trusted family could give you away, even in jest, well, it changes things. It changes things forever.... He wasn't, in the end, ever with us again."

~Aunt Sally from The Trolls by Polly Horvath

The Trolls

Transported into their lives not with an umbrella like Mary Poppins, but equally as dramatically, Aunt Sally is introduced to the Ohio-dwelling Anderson family when Mom and Dad are off to Paris and in dire need of a last-minute babysitter. Aunt Sally, however, was not Mr. Anderson's first choice. Aunt Sally is his sister, and part of a past he would rather forget. (goodreads)

Certainly not what I would consider a terribly exciting book, but Aunt Sally sure had a way of telling stories! Including the ones about the Fat Little Mean Girl and Maud who shot 80 "cougars" and of course the trolls kept kreeping into the stories about her past.

I love how when all was said and done, things weren't wrapped up in a nice neat little bow. We never did find out if Sally and her brother were reconciled, nor did we find out what really happened to him aside from Sally's story. All we really learn in the end is that Melissa and Amanda did indeed allow Pee Wee to be a ghost for halloween rather than an ugly step sister as they had intended. What does that mean? The auther wonderfully leaves that up to us. I love that. Definately an entertaining book and a good subtle reminder that how we treat our siblings as children could indeed effect our relationships in the future.

Well Witched

When Ryan and his friends are stranded and penniless late one night, they steal some coins from a well for their bus fare home. Soon, they find they are cursed, and commanded to fulfil the wishes attached to each coin they stole. goodreads.com

I thought at first this would be your typical wishes gone bad/ be careful what you wish for kind of book, but I was delightfully surpised at the twist it took. Instead of three kids asking for wishes that get corrupted, they have to grant them using the disturbing powers given to them by the well witch. The story was very creepy and often surprised me. I love reading a chapter and thinking "huh, didn't see THAT coming!" If you like creepy and slightly disturbing stories, you should try this one!

8/25 speed scrap

This'll be my last time hosting a speed scrap till after baby comes so I hope you'll be there!

Tues. Aug. 25 @ Gingerscraps

6pm Pacific
7pm Mountain
8pm Central
9pm Eastern

PP:
If you are one of the few people from cafemom that got this PP last year I will offer you one of my earlier prizes! How does that sound?

The Dreamers Series

I know it's been awhile since I've done a book review, but I assure you I have still been reading! for the past while I've been reading The Dreamers Series by David & Leigh Eddings.

David and Leigh Eddings introduce readers to their newly minted Land of Dhrall with The Elder Gods, the first book in the four-book Dreamers Saga. Dhrall is under the gentle rule of four gods representing the four compass points. These gods are reaching the end of their terms of power when the god of the North brings four children who are destined to take over for them into his siblings' lairs. The children are dreamers and able to see the possible outcome of battles in a coming war with the evil creature that controls the wasteland at the center of Drahll's map. Thus, the gods and their young charges undertake quests to hire mercenary armies and thwart the initial invasion into their lands. (goodreads.com)

David Eddings has TONS of fantasy novels out! Which is one reason why I was a bit surprised and how little I enjoyed this series. After taking a writing class and having every letter scrutinized over by my teacher/editor I have learned a lot, and am surprised at some of the things Eddings editor let him get away with.

1st irritation, WAY too many view points. Usually fantasy is written in 3rd person from the view of 1 to 4 main characters thoroughout the book or series. These books were constantly changing view points to characters I honestly don't care that much about and see no reason to care about them. They are minor characters their background stories just felt like filler.

2nd irritation, not only where there way too many character views, but occasionally Eddings would switch from 3rd person to 1st person nerration with no logical purpose I could see.

3rd and main irritation, Holy redundant! Every time a new character view came into play we backtracked and described what we had just read the chapter before. Let me give you an example. Say there was this cool battle. It's being described by the character actually fighting in it. That's good. Then next character view it has that character tell another character what happened in the battle. Then THAT character goes and tells another what happened. Yup that makes three almost identical descriptions of the same battle. Yawn. I actually ended up skimming paragraphs and even whole chapters. This was the worst in the 2nd and 3rd books.

I can see no reason for this what so ever! It's as if the author is just padding the books to make them longer. It kills what otherwise would have been an interesting plot, though a bit predictable.

I hope all of Eddings books aren't like this, but I gotta say I won't be finding out anytime soon.

Elementry & Title 1

Statements by Jodi has a great new school kit in the Gingerscraps store Make sure to check out Scrappy Cocoa's college edition to this kit as well!

Here's my layout

credits:

Elementary by Statements by Jodi

push pins from Bits 'n Pieces by Harmonystar

Dino Park 1

Here's my first page from our trip to the Dino park. I based the instructions for tonights speed scrap off of this layout.
credits:
Blue Green by Calvina Walsh
Paper Bits by Harmonystar
Make Like a Tree 2 by Harmonystar
Down by the Lily Pond by AWP & Mel H
Dino Buddies by Harmonystar
Bits 'n peices by Harmonystar

Hosted by me of course, and here is your participation prize!

Cowboy Family

While Ryan was picking up my brother's family from the airport and shopping, I got the chance to do another speed scrap! Yay! This one was hosted by Barbara at Gingerscraps. There's something I still don't like about it, any ideas on what that could be?
Credits:
Cowboy Cool add-on by Raspberry Road
Stitched Newspaper Alpha by Gunhild