“Lucy looks into a wardrobe”

I was feeling rather nostalgic this holiday season for some reason, and I thought what better way to pay homage to my childhood than by rereading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe for the first time in a very long time! And, friends, I fell so in love. I actually think I’m going to make it a holiday tradition to read this book every single December for the rest of my life.

And it was so funny, because I was very apprehensive going in, because when I was little, I think the religious themes went over my head, but I didn’t know how overbearing they would be reading this story for the first time as an adult. But it honestly wasn’t too much. I mean, some of the characters in Narnia refer to the kids as “Son of Adam” and “Daughter of Eve” and like I get the parallels with Aslan and Jesus now! But I still think it was very thoughtfully done and didn’t pull me out of the story or anything like that.

But if you are unfamiliar with this beloved children’s tale, this is a story about four children who have been recently adopted by an old professor who lives in a massive house. And one rainy day, while the kids are bored, they decide to explore the house that is now their new home. And the youngest of the children find a portal to a magical land, ruled by the White Witch, who is causing an endless winter.

➽ Lucy – The Best Character.
➽ Edmund – What A Little Shit.
➽ Peter – Good Guy.
➽ Susan – Group Mom.
➽ Aslan – Simba Who?
➽ Tumnus – Second Fave, Even Though He Almost Kidnapped My First Fave.

But there was so much that I forgot about this story: Mr. Beaver poppin’ open a cold one at dinner, Tumnus almost kidnapping Lucy, Everything the professor says to the kids and how he helps them, Edmund being the such a little shit that even my patience was getting tested, Turkish Delights, Father Christmas, and him giving the kids weapons as gifts!

Overall, this was just the perfect winter wonderland to me. From closet, to lamppost, to dam, to forest, to castle, I never wanted to leave this adventure. I am not sure if it is a lot of nostalgia talking, but this was maybe the best thing I read all holiday season. It was exactly what I wanted, and I was truly enthralled from the first to last page. I never wanted to leave this endless Winter.

Buddy read with Julie from Pages and Pens! ❤

Aquicorn Cove by Katie O’Neill

October 3, 2018October 2, 2018 meltotheanyAside8 Comments

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ARC provided by Oni Press in exchange for an honest review.

“But there’s no home without a future…”

I just want to say that Katie O’Neill has the most breathtaking, most gorgeous, and most adorable illustrations out there right now. Each page is literally a brand-new work of art. Never have I ever loved the illustrations in anything as much as I do in this and in The Tea Dragon Society!

Aquicorn Cove stars a young girl named Lana, and she and her father come to visit her Auntie Mae on her little island. Lana is grieving the loss of her mother, but feels happier in her hometown, before Lana was forced to move to the city with her father. And the village is rebuilding after a disaster has struck. But Lana is more than happy to help. But when she goes to the water, she finds a little seahorse-like friend, who is in need of her help!

We also get to see Auntie Mae’s journey below the water, where the Aquicorns live! And Aunt Mae and their leader, Aure, strike up the most heart-warming f/f relationship. But we also get to see firsthand how important it is to keep our waters clean and that we need to respect coral reefs and underwater ecosystems.

Every book I’ve read by Katie has also has such an important and powerful message. Aquicorn Cove is about conservation and how the actions we take on land are impacting our waters. How overfishing, climate change, and polluting is hurting these water sources, and if we don’t change our actions then the results are going to be more and more severe. This is a book that really focuses on the delicate balance we have with all living things, and how we have to respect and protect each other to keep the cycle going. We all have to be responsible for our carbon footprint, or nothing will be safe; land or sea.

“Children don’t deserve to lose their home with the sea.”

Overall, I loved this more than words. Some of these panels were able to evoke such an emotional response from me. I shed so many tears, but also grinned so many smiles. I truly think Katie O’Neill is doing so much good in the world, and I wish I could put her work in everyone’s hands. Beautiful and breathtaking illustrations, empowering and important messages, and characters that I wish I had growing up. I hope you all pick this up and fall in love, too!

The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill

September 4, 2018September 4, 2018 meltotheanyAside29 Comments

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“Memories don’t just live inside you, Minette. They live in all the people and objects you share your life with.”

Friends, this was the literally cutest and most heartwarming book I’ve read all year. Also, the art in this book is probably my favorite art style of all time. I recommend this with my entire heart and soul.

This story is broken down into five parts; one for each season and then an epilogue. And during Spring, an apprentice blacksmith, Greta (who is getting trained by her mother), rescues a little dragon outside! Greta’s father recognizes the little dragon and knows who his owner is. And once Greta goes to return the little dragon, she gets an invite from the owner, Hesekiel, to come and learn all about the Tea Dragons!

Tea Dragons are basically just mini dragons that grow different herbs alongside their horns! And all the names of the dragons are because of their different herbs. The dragon that Greta saves is named Jasmine, but we also meet Rooibos, Chamomile, and a few others during the duration of this book.

Greta learns all about Tea Dragons, but also learns about a society that Hesekiel and his husband, Erik, are the last remaining members of. Greta also meets Minette, who is a young girl who was training to be a prophetess and is now having trouble remembering things. She left home, and is now working with Hesekiel and Erik, while also making a beautiful friendship with Greta.

But this story is truly about friendship, and how important it is to find a place in the world that will surround you with unconditional love. This is also a story about honoring the past, and traditions, and cultures, and not forgetting where you come from. And ultimately, this is a story about balancing those two aspects and living a life that you’re proud of and that makes you happy.

Overall, I loved this more than any word combination I could come up with. Friends, if you are looking for a beautiful book, with even more beautiful messages, that star people of color, and people with disabilities (someone in a wheelchair and someone living with memory loss), and LBGTQIAP+ characters, then look no further. This was nothing short of a treat to read, and I hope you all pick it up. Also, I desperately want my own Tea Dragon companion now.