Crow Made a Friend and giveaway!

Have I mentioned lately how much I am loving being able to read and review children's books? My kids love to read and before I became a mother I knew reading to and with my kids was going to be one of my favorite parts about being a parent, and it turned out to be true! I also discovered that I like to read to groups of children because anytime I can see a spark in a little set of eyes, that's the best feeling.

Scheduling didn't work out so that I could read this to my first grade friends in time for the review, but I'm hoping to do it with them soon AND do a fun little craft with them. But in the meantime, here's a cute little book you might want to add to the Christmas list for a little person in your life.

Crow Made a Friend - Margaret Peot

Try, try again is the lesson Crow teaches beginning readers in this vibrant early reader about a lonely crow who works hard to make a friend.

Crow is all alone. But like all crows, he is very clever. Using autumn leaves for wings, sticks for the body and a crab apple for the head, Crow makes a friend! But winter winds blow in, destroying his creation. Undaunted, Crow fashions another bird friend out of snow but cannot prevent it from melting in the warm spring sun. Alone again, Crow hears the caw, caw, caw of a real, live bird and finally forms a friendship that will last in this warm, satisfying story that celebrates perseverance and ingenuity.

 I actually had Olivia (10) read this to Jackson (7) and Penelope (6 months) because she enjoys reading for others. The book is really short, perfect for the pre-school and Kindergarten age child. Also, it's a really good early reader book as part of the "I Like To Read" series. Nice, short sentences that feature sight words that pair perfectly with beautiful illustrations. Truly, the illustrations in this book are so great. The story is a simple one, crow feels lonely so he tries to make a friend. His first two attempts at building a friend prove to be unsuccessful, but then he meets a girl bird and together they make a little family, thus crow isn't alone anymore. It's almost reminiscent of the The Little Pigs, the first friend falls apart in the wind. The second friend melts in the sun but the third friend is just right. If your child is familiar with that classic story, you can ask them if they see some similarities, which will help with comprehension and critical thinking of the story. 

Overall? My kids enjoyed it. They especially loved the little bird craft, which you can find on her website HERE.  For those that homeschool, on her website under "Activities" there are several other activities you can do, including a crow fact dial so your child can learn some basic facts about crows and maybe you can go out on a little nature hike looking for some. You can connect with Margaret Peot on Twitter, her website, also on The Inkblot Book website. Crow Made a Friend is currently available on Amazon, as well! 

Lucky for you, I can give away one copy of Crow Made a Friend (US only)! All you have to do is: 

• Leave a comment telling me what your favorite children's book is.
• Make sure to leave your email address so I can contact you! 
• Follow me on Bloglovin'!

Winner will be drawn on Friday, November 13! 

Crafty Saturday- the shop is BACK!

So it's been a really long time since I have put any kind of effort into my Etsy shop. I know, you're like, "Wow Sara, I had no idea you had an Etsy shop!". I know, I'm sorry about that. But truthfully, I got a little burnt out, I lost my creative juices and then, got kind of lazy.

But it's back!

Mostly because I have so many supplies here that I could (and should) be using up, and also, if I can generate even a little bit of side income, it would be a good thing. And traditionally, I've always sold more in the fall as people gear up for the holidays, so what better time to start up, right?

You can find my shop at: Scrapin Sara's Gifts

I make handmade cards, pre-made scrapbooks, glitter ornaments, photo frames, and a few other things up my sleeve that will be coming soon. I am a big fan of greeting cards in general, I feel like you should send many and send often. One of my absolute favorite times of year is Christmas, because it's the one time of year I am guaranteed to get a bunch of cards in the mail.

Fun fact: I absolutely HATE photo cards. To me, they are impersonal and they are a waste of time. I really miss the days of a handwritten greeting and even a Christmas letter. I make over 100 cards every year, sign each one, and always include a letter in every one. To me, that's the point. Connect with those you don't get to as often as you'd like over the year, talk about what you've done, and maybe include a photo. Yes, it's time consuming. But to me, it's worth it.

I may or may not have our Christmas card planned out for this year, we'll just have to see. But I currently have these three listed in my shop now!

Seasons's Greeting- Bright

I used Stampin' Up's Berry Merry stamp set from their 2015 Holiday Mini Catalog, some scrap paper I had on hand, and tried a tri-color stamp technique. These are SUPER cute. 

Traditional Joy

Again, same Berry Merry stamp set, but this time the "joy" is heat embossed and I used up the very last of my green glitter ribbon. I'm not typically a fan of this kind of paper, but I only had one piece left and I just happened to have other things out that matched so I put these together quickly. 

Classic Season's Greetings

Oh... this might be my favorite card! It was also the most time consuming card that I made. Same Berry Merry stamp set, but I also used the Boughs & Berries embossing folder. I actually don't own a Sizzix Big Shot, but I do have the original Sizzix die cut machine (but no die cuts for it, odd) and with the system converter I was able to use the embossing folder easily. (Which means I'll be buying more because I love embossing) The "season's greetings" is heat embossed, which means the stamped image looks shiny like on Hallmark cards, basically. The poinsettias are also heat embossed but with some glitter powder I forgot that I had. As time consuming as these were, I really love the look of them. Dare I say.. best card I've ever done? I love it that much. 

I also have a couple of finished photo frames I had on hand and one set of glitter ornaments in my listing. Oh, and a super cute set of reindeer gift tags! I'll be posting more cards every few days so keep your eyes peeled. Shop till you drop and share my shop! 

LitCube... Supernatural Box

Oh lambs. I know I've been a bit MIA as of late, but I promise it's not without reason. Mostly we've been sick. And I've been balls to the wall busy with real life things and sometimes my little ol' blog has to sacrifice.

BUT!

I have a few book subscription box reveals coming for you, some book reviews (some GREAT, some... not so great) coming up and more. Oh yes, more. Shenanigans kind of more.

First up though, let's talk about my October Lit Cube, it was a Supernatural theme. Now, I'm going to be honest. The theme was teased In August, I believe? Or September? I hadn't ever watched the show. I know. Don't worry, I have quickly rectified that and am now a full blown junkie, and I'm signed up for the newsletter and on a wait list for convention information.

Don't judge.

So I was super excited about the box because as it got closer to release time, I had already become a Supernatural addict.

So what did I get? Well. I got a copy of The Spawn by Ken Nolan. I have started it, I'm on maybe chapter 4 or 5 and it's... well it's kind of shitty. It just is. It actually might get tossed into my not-going-to-finish pile. It's that bad. I mean, it'll be a slow finish. You know I'll reluctantly finish it and then complain to you all about it.

Next up we got three nail polishes from Spellbound Nails.  I did try these on mine and my daughter's nails and meh... not impressed. Anytime I have to apply multiple coats for it to not look streaky, I toss it. I have zero time for that shiz. This is said to have a $13.99 value, and they are "free of toluene, formaldehyde, and dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde resin and camphor", but there is zero chance I would pay $13.99 for this.

We also got a "Books: My Drug of Choice" ereader sleeve, and $11.99 value. Super cute if you don't already have an ereader sleeve, which I do. So this is useless. I might use it for something else but alas, so far nothing else fits in it. We got a button, that I don't know where I'll use it, and some bookmarks.

Perhaps the only thing I liked was the keychain. Which apparently some people were pissed off because their didn't come with vials, or their cork popped out, blah blah blah. My cork came out of one vial, but I put it back in. One vial is supposed to have holy water and the other salt, two things popular in the Supernatural show. I do plan to use this. 

The other thing I liked was this mini charm. I'm probably going to use it for something else all together, but it was cute.

Overall? Dud. I feel like this was a dud of a box. November's box is vampire theme so I've got high hopes. December is "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch", but in the teaser image the Grinch looks like Scrooge so... I'm worried. That could go south real quick. I meant to cancel before November 1 but I forgot, so I'm all in for the next two, lambs. Stay tuned.

Trigger Warning

It's been quiet around here, I promise to return tomorrow. But for today, I have a book review for you. It's been on my list of much anticipated books since I even heard it was coming out, and I'm happy to be a part of this book tour!

Trigger Warning, short fictions and disturbances - Neil Gaiman

Multiple award winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman returns to dazzle, captivate, haunt, and entertain with this third collection of short fiction following Smoke and Mirrors and Fragile Things--which includes a never-before published American Gods story, "Black Dog," written exclusively for this volume.

In this new anthology, Neil Gaiman pierces the veil of reality to reveal the enigmatic, shadowy world that lies beneath. Trigger Warning includes previously published pieces of short fiction--stories, verse, and a very special Doctor Who story that was written for the fiftieth anniversary of the beloved series in 2013--as well "Black Dog," a new tale that revisits the world of American Gods, exclusive to this collection.

Trigger Warning explores the masks we all wear and the people we are beneath them to reveal our vulnerabilities and our truest selves. Here is a rich cornucopia of horror and ghosts stories, science fiction and fairy tales, fabulism and poetry that explore the realm of experience and emotion. In "Adventure Story"--a thematic companion to The Ocean at the End of the Lane--Gaiman ponders death and the way people take their stories with them when they die. His social media experience "A Calendar of Tales" are short takes inspired by replies to fan tweets about the months of the year--stories of pirates and the March winds, an igloo made of books, and a Mother's Day card that portends disturbances in the universe. Gaiman offers his own ingenious spin on Sherlock Holmes in his award-nominated mystery tale "The Case of Death and Honey". And "Click-Clack the Rattlebag" explains the creaks and clatter we hear when we're all alone in the darkness.

A sophisticated writer whose creative genius is unparalleled, Gaiman entrances with his literary alchemy, transporting us deep into the realm of imagination, where the fantastical becomes real and the everyday incandescent. Full of wonder and terror, surprises and amusements,Trigger Warning is a treasury of delights that engage the mind, stir the heart, and shake the soul from one of the most unique and popular literary artists of our day.

We are never going to see another writer like Neil Gaiman in our life time so you may as well get on the boat with the rest of us and enjoy the ride. Each and every short story in this collection is bizarre in the best way possible. Some I had to read more than once to really get it, others I got right away. Some are longer and some are rather short, and that's exactly the kind of book everyone of you "I don't have time to read" people need in your life. Literally every chapter is a story and if you've got five minutes, you can read a story. It's a total win win. 

Easily the best part about this book for me was the introduction, actually. Each story is great in it's own right but Neil Gaiman has given us a little gem of an introduction that not only talks about his writing style and basically how the book came to be. Each short story has it's own little explanation and it's nice to read the story and refer back to the introduction and see if your thoughts coincide with Neil's notes. He talks about how trigger warnings may be featured in the beginnings of books to warn a reader that the writing ahead might make you feel something, maybe something unpleasant, maybe something wonderful, but nonetheless- a feeling. Which, alert the presses, isn't that what a good book should do? If it doesn't make you feel something, I feel like you've wasted time. But there is this line, that I just loved and I highlighted it in my book: 

"What we read as adults should be read, I think, with no warnings or alerts beyond: enter at your own risk. We need to find out what fiction is, what it means, to us, an experience that is going to be unlike anyone else's experience of the story." 

 Is that not the most perfect thing? It's certainly the perfect way to start this book which is full of potential feelings. Lots of death, sadness and uncomfortable feelings. Lots of violence, sometimes crossing over into abuse. My two favorite short stories in this collection were The Man Who Forgot Ray Bradbury and Black Dog. Black Dog feels like it could have been it's own stand alone book if it had been expanded. Ray Bradbury has written some of my favorite books so maybe that's why I was drawn to that one. The Chair reminded me of the time I attempted at putting an IKEA bookshelf together and decided it wasn't worth my children seeing the worst part of their mother so I gave up. 

Is this the best collection of short stories I have ever read? No, it certainly isn't. I think short stories can go bad real quickly, but if you are a true Neil Gaiman fan, you will adore this collection because it's really everything he really is as a writer. It's all weird, it's all a little creepy, and you aren't totally sure how you feel at the end. I did enjoy this because this is exactly what I needed to be reading right before Halloween when you're craving weirdness anyways. Certainly not a light beach read or a cozy holiday read but if you want to have some imaginative dreams at night, keep this by your bed. 

Food Whore

Oh lambs, how many of you thought I'd be writing something about myself with that title? You'd think that but alas, it's a book review!

Food Whore - Jessica Tom

Food whore (n.) A person who will do anything for food.

Fresh out of college, Tia Monroe has every intention of taking the New York City restaurant scene by storm. But after a coveted internship goes up in smoke, Tia’s suddenly just another food lover in the big city.

Yet everything changes when Michael Saltz, a legendary New York Times restaurant critic, lets Tia in on a career-ending secret: he’s lost his sense of taste. Now he wants Tia to serve as his palate, ghostwriting his reviews. In return he promises her lavish meals, a boundless cache of designer clothing, and the opportunity of a lifetime. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, Tia agrees.

Within weeks, Tia’s world transforms into one of glamour and luxury: four-star dinners, sexy celebrity chefs, and an unlimited expense account at Bergdorf Goodman. Tia loves every minute of it…until she sees her words in print and Michael Saltz taking all the credit. As the veneer of extravagance wears thin and her secret identity begins to crumble, Tia is faced with what it means to truly succeed. In a city where “making it” is the ultimate goal, Tia will have to decide: how far is she willing to go for the life she craves? 

Honestly, this book should have been called "Foodie". I consider myself a food whore, but I certianly wouldn't eat at swanky restaurants mentioned in the book because I'm far too picky to even try. I would likely get thrown out. Right out the gate, if you are a fan of the Food Network, consider yourself a rookie foodie, or enjoy going to restaurants with wait lists and highly coveted tables, you are going to love this book. I'm more a fan of a good greasy spoon restaurant so admittedly, I don't get the entire concept around this book. I can't imagine my life being so focused on food, to be honest. But, I've got enough friends to tell me that good food is kind of amazing and that there are people who will play dirty just to get a chance to go to certain restaurants. 

Crazy balls, if you as me. 

But the book is about Tia, who is in love with food and her dream would be a restaurant critic and be wined and dined by the best of the best all for her opinion. A seemingly too good to be true deal lands her in her lap (only after having her internship basically squashed) where she can shop, eat, drink, and be merry and give her opinion on all of it. The only problem is that it isn't her getting the credit for these reviews, it's Michael. While initially she didn't think this would be an issue, as time goes on it does get to be a problem for her and she has to figure out what the next step is going to be for her career. 

Overall? Entertaining book. I will say that by the end of the book I didn't like any of the characters anymore. Like, not at all. Maybe it was meant to be like that, an example of what New York City can do to people or something? I'm not sure. I do highly recommend this if you enjoy reading restaurant reviews or you consider yourself a bit of a foodie, you might know more about the things talked about in the book than I did or what it's such a big deal. Since getting rid of cable and not having Food Network anymore, I've gotten food terminology dumb! 

You can find Food Whore on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Also, stay in touch with author Jessica Tom on her website, Facebook and Twitter! 

The Fourteenth Goldfish

So remember how last week I told you I was participating in the Battle of the Books at my kids' elementary school and kind of helping them with the program? Well I finished one book so far, and as I finish them, I'll post a mini review of sorts and maybe a few other things in case you want to read along with me with your 4th or 5th grader.

The Fourteenth Goldfish- Jennifer L. Holm

Galileo. Newton. Salk. Oppenheimer.
Science can change the world . . . but can it go too far?

Eleven-year-old Ellie has never liked change. She misses fifth grade. She misses her old best friend. She even misses her dearly departed goldfish. Then one day a strange boy shows up. He’s bossy. He’s cranky. And weirdly enough . . . he looks a lot like Ellie’s grandfather, a scientist who’s always been slightly obsessed with immortality. Could this pimply boy really be Grandpa Melvin? Has he finally found the secret to eternal youth?

Obviously, this is a book I would have read as a kid simply because the cover is pretty rad. The book itself isn't long at all, 193 pages, which some kids have already said, "Mrs. Strand.... it's almost 200 pages!!". I usually reply with an eye roll and follow it up with the pages are short. Chapters are VERY short and I managed to read this in just under two hours. Once you get into the story, it's hard to stop. 

We start with Ellie talking about a goldfish experiment she once had and how she thought she must have a really special goldfish because hers never died. Obviously, her mother was just replacing the dead one for a live one all of the time, and that kind of stuck with Ellie. One day her mother comes home after an "incident" with her grandfather and arrives with an oddly dressed boy her age. Turns out, that's her grandfather- he discovered a serum that is essentially the fountain of youth and of course, nobody in his lab believes him. So from then on, Ellie is in charge of Grandpa Melvin, who attends school with her and creates a little havoc but also sparks an interest in science in Ellie who quickly discovers science is all around her. Everything in her life and environment is science, and she embarks on a mission to steal a jellyfish- crucial to Melvin's experiment. 

It's a super fun book, the kids who have read it so far have really loved it. In order to get kids excited about the book, we watched the book trailer: 


I also read an article from the New York Times about jellyfish possibly being a cure for aging, and discussed what the implications would be. What if people didn't age, didn't die?  If your kids are interested in this book, have them watch the trailer and summarize the article for them- it's a fun thing to have in your head as you are reading. I'll have to tell you that this would be a fun Christmas gift for kids ages 10-13, anything older than that and it might not be exciting enough for them. 

The next battle book I'm reading is The Witch From Blackbird Pond, which I confess I haven't started yet. Tonight! I'll start it tonight! 

Dumplin'

Fat girls, rejoice- there is a book for us!

Dumplin' - Julie Murphy

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked…until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine—Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.

Remember when I told you about my very first OwlCrate box? Well this is the book that I had received but I'm only now getting to it. I know, it's taken awhile but at least I got it read before my next box arrives, right? Let us all call it a win anyways. 

First up, the book is geared towards a YA audience but I don't even care because I could absolutely identify with Willowdean. All of the teenage awkwardness came rushing back and it was such a reminder of what high school was for so many of us who couldn't fit into a cheerleading costume to save their life so they just did nothing at all and had no boyfriends and worked at a fast food restaurant every weekend because she was guaranteed to be the only one available because you didn't get invited to anything. Willowdean is just like me, and that's why I love her. The other great thing about this book is that not only could my teenage self relate to this, but my grown up self can too because the things Willowdean feels about herself doesn't go away with age, sometimes it actually just gets worse. 

So let's talk about the book. We have Willowdean, also known as Dumplin', and she's the teenage daughter of a former hometown beauty pageant and the niece of a dead aunt who was morbidly obese. Willowdean isn't thin by any means but she's just really realistic about it. She has her best friend Ellen, who is skinny and tall, and they are basically like sisters from another mother. But as is the case with high school, the drift apart a bit and their friendship is tested, as a result of new friends and you've guessed it- the local beauty pageant. Meanwhile, Willowdean has her eyes set on her co-worker Bo, who is athletic and model worthy and when they begin testing the waters, Willowdean doesn't feel confident enough in her own skin to accept that someone of the opposite might actually be attracted to her. She assumes the worst and worries that she'll be that girl with a hot boyfriend and everyone will wonder how did SHE get HIM. 

The best part of the book for me was how much I related to her. It was like the author knew me personally and was like, "Let me write a story about her as a teenager and see what happens" and it was so spot on. One line that I'm strongly considering framing for my bookshelf is on page 207, 

"There are moments in my life when I feel like I know everything and that I've left no rock unturned. But things like this remind me of how small my world is." 

Like, DAMN. Nevermind this was part of a passage where Willowdean and her group of fellow unattractive friends join the local beauty pageant as way to say, "Hey- we're ugly and/or fat but we can totally participate", and they find themselves at a Dolly Parton night at a gay bar. Which is something that would totally be something I would inadvertently attend. 

Even better is when we get to pageant training and the absurdity of it all, and you are reminded this is taking place in the deep south and there are things like ice tea and barbecue ribs you don't mess around with. Page 335, 

"They serve us barbecue for lunch. I think that maybe lunch is some secret component of our final score because there is no higher achievement for a southern woman than the ability to eat barbecue and walk away stain free."

The entire book is about Willowdean trying to get through being a teenager, trying to learn how to love herself for what she is, trying to accept compliments and love from someone else, working on the rocky relationship with her mother, repairing her friendship with Ellen and.. Bo. Oh Bo. I really liked Bo. 

I absolutely adored this book and I really enjoyed every second of it. To be honest, I don't know why this book is getting mixed reviews because I thought it was highly entertaining. The only fault I can really find in it is the ending felt rushed. Like we worked so hard to get there and it didn't leave me fully satisfied. Not everything gets an "ending" but it isn't enough of a flaw to mark the book down or to not recommend it fully. I know some people are slamming this as a skinny shaming book and to that I say, oh stop it already. Seriously. Stop it. It's like these reviewers have forgotten what it was like in high school. The author nailed the inner voices of teenage girls perfectly. Anyways. 

I totally recommend it. I loved it and it's a fun read. You can find it on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Happy reading!