Tag Archives: Katie O’Neill

The Tea Dragon Festival by Kay O’Neill

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
The Tea Dragon Festival | Book by Katie O'Neill | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster

Title: The Tea Dragon Festival
Author: Kay O’Neill
Series: Tea Dragon #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Dragons, Graphic novels, LGBTQI, Tea
Dates read: 20th September 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Graphic novel
Publisher: Oni Press
Year: 2019
5th sentence, 74th page: In my true form, of course.

Synopsis

Rinn has grown up wit the Tea Dragons that inhabit their village, but stumbling across a real dragon turns out to be a different matter entirely! Aedhan is a young dragon who was appointed to protect the village, but fell asleep in the forest eighty years ago. With the aid of Rinn’s adventuring uncle Erik and his partner Hesekiel, they investigate the mystery of his enchanted sleep… but Rinn’s real challenge is to help Aedhan come to terms with feeling that he cannot get back the time he has lost.

Critically acclaimed graphic novelist Katie O’Neill delivers another charming, gentle fantasy story about finding your purpose, and the community that helps you along the way.

Thoughts

Like The Tea Dragon Society, this was just a beautiful, sweet and incredibly cute graphic novel. It made you feel completely at peace and happy from the very first page. Whilst also helping to expand your heart with more and more love. Just, completely and utterly adorable.

I love that not only does O’Neill feature minorities in the form of sexual and gender orientation in her graphic novels. But in this one, there is also sign language. Yet another minority group that just doesn’t get enough attention. It reminded me that I would love to learn sign language…

No matter how many times I look at this graphic novel, I’m going to want a Tea Dragon. I’m just not sure which one. Although, I love that in this one, not only are Eric and his partner (I can’t remember how to spell the name) younger, but instead of each having an individual Tea Dragon, they just roam free through the village.

One of my favourite messages in this graphic novel is the idea that no matter what your contribution… it’s still important. Whether that’s cooking, or gathering the ingredients, or being a bounty hunter. Every contribution in our world is important. And as long as you are happy, then it is a worthwhile contribution.

<- The Tea Dragon SocietyThe Tea Dragon Tapestry ->

Image source: Simon & Schuster

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Aquicorn Cove by Katie O’Neill

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for book cover aquicorn cove katie o'neill

Title: Aquicorn Cove
Author: Kay O’Neill
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Fantasy, Graphic novels, Oceans
Dates read: 7th April 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Graphic novel
Publisher: Oni Press
Year: 2018
5th sentence, 74th page: I’ve heard all about you and your mother.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide
Synopsis

From Eisner Award-nominated author of The Tea Dragon Society and Princess Princess Ever After comes Aquicorn Cove, a heartfelt story about learning to be a guardian to yourself and those you love.

When Lana and her father return to their seaside hometown to help clear the debris of a big storm, Lana remembers how much she’s missed the ocean – and the strong, reassuring presence of her aunt. As Lana explores the familiar beach, she discovers something incredible: a colony of Aquicorns, small magical seahore-like creatures that live in the coral reef. Lana rescues an injured aquicorn and cares for it with the help of her aunt, who may know more about these strange creatures than she’s willing to admit. When a second storm threatens to reach the town, choices made many years ago about how to coexist with the sea start to rise to the surface. Lana realizes she will need to find the strength to stand on her own, even when it means standing up to the people who she has always relied on to protect her.

Thoughts

This is the last of the Katie O’Neill graphic novels on my shelf. And I put off reading it a little… just because I have completely fallen in love with this woman and I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into it. And now that I have… I feel both intensely happy and a little disappointed at the same time.

I’m Australia, so anything to do with the beach and the coast seems to be integral to our culture. Even though I don’t really like swimming in the ocean, I have that same fascination and need to protect this beautiful ecosystem. So it’s really nice to know that O’Neill feels the same way. Especially about coral reefs which feature so strongly in this great little tale.

Not only does Aquicorn Cove deal with the importance of conserving and protecting our aquatic environment, it’s also about moving on and dealing with grief. Lana has lost her mother and moved away from the home that she has always known and loved. This combination of storylines had the same impact as Princess Princess Ever After and The Tea Dragon Society. There is such a beautiful hope and love throughout the storyline.

This is a must have for any bookshelf. Regardless of what your preference is, it is such a cute, sweet easy and inspiring story. Accompanied by some of the most beautiful pictures I’ve seen for a while.

 <- The Tea Dragon Society ReviewPrincess Princess Ever After Review ->
Image source: Simon & Schuster

Princess Princess Ever After by Kay O’Neill

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Image result for princess princess ever after book cover

Title: Princess Princess Ever After
Author: Kay O’Neill
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Fairy tales, Feminism, Graphic novels, LGBTQI, Strong women
Dates read: 27th March 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Graphic novel
Publisher: Oni Press
Year: 2014
5th sentence, 74th page: ‘We must disillusion her.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide
Synopsis

“I am no prince!”

When the heroic princess Amira resuces the kind-hearted princess Sadie from her tower prison, neither expects to find a true friend in the bargain. Yet as they adventure across the kingdom, they discover that they bring out the very best in the other person. They’ll need to join forces and use all the know-how, kindness, and bravery they have in order to defeat their greatest foe yet: a jealous sorceress with a dire grudge against Sadie.

Join Sadie and Amira, two very different princesses with very different strengths, on their journey to figure out what “happily ever after” really means – and how they can find it with each other.

Thoughts

This is such a great fairy tale! It’s filled with beautiful pictures, different outlooks (like an ogre dancing) and a great couple at the very centre. The fact that this great couple happens to be a lesbian one just makes this story all the sweeter and greater. It becomes this beautiful, encompassing storyline that makes you swoon again and again and again.

This is my second graphic novel by Katie O’Neill and I have definitely developed an obsession. There are strong messages of equality and independence throughout. And there is this idea that women can be whatever they want to be. Sadie is the perfect example of this – she is a curvy cry-baby, and she completely owns this quality as the story unfolds. Finally finding her own happiness in exactly who she is. There isn’t a need to change who Amira and Sadie are in this story, but an ability to finally accept and embrace who and what they want to be.

 <- Aquicorn Cove ReviewThe Tea Dragon Society Review ->
Image source: Oni Press

The Tea Dragon Society by Kay O’Neill

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
The Tea Dragon Society : Katie O'Neill : 9781620107379

Title: The Tea Dragon Society
Author: Kay O’Neill
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Dragons, Fantasy, Graphic novels, LGBTQI
Dates read: 4th March 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Graphic novel
Publisher: Oni Publishing
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: The horn is similar in texture and density to a root, and a tiny shaving will give the tea its ginger taste.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

From the author of the award-winning Princess Princess Ever After comes The Tea Dragon Society, a charming fairy tale about Greta, an adventurous blacksmith apprentice, and the people she meets as she becomes entwined in the enchanting world of Tea Dragons.

After discovering a lost Tea Dragon in the marketplace, Greta learns about the dying art form of Tea Dragon caretaking from the kind tea shop owners, Hesekiel and Erik. As she befriends them and their shy ward, Minette, Greta sees how the craft enriches their lives – and eventually her own.

Thoughts

I got this cute little graphic novel in a book subscription box. I had no idea what it was about and no idea what to expect. But, I fell COMPLETELY in love with this story from the very beginning. Actually, I now just really, really want my own little Tea Dragon. And a Tea Society with all of my friends and loved ones. Actually, I just want this world to be a reality…

I would have loved this graphic novel regardless. It is beautifully illustrated, stunningly written and has a great message that helps to keep you light and loving. But, there is also a very subtle LGBTQI theme running through the story, and I just found that these couples were all the sweeter for it.

After closing the final page of this book, I ranted and raved about how beautiful this graphic novel was. How glorious and how much I just wanted to sink into the pages. But, when it comes to writing the review for something that touched me so much… it’s hard to find coherent words to describe it.

<- More Katie O’NeillThe Tea Dragon Festival ->

Image source: Observer