arden's asides

february 2025 reading journey

In February, I read six books that were on my active TBR, the remainder of Tsubasa and first half of Rayearth, and seven additional choices I was not anticipating! I have rolled a few titles over to my March reading list, because I still want to get to them eventually. As the shortest month of the year, and since I took a vacation in which I surprisingly read nothing, Iā€™m not surprised that my reading count is not as high compared to January. I have a lot of nonfiction currently checked out and on hold via Libby so I hope that I can motivate myself to finish at least a couple!

  1. Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE Omnibus (vol. 4-10) by CLAMP

While I knew that I was going to read more of Tsubasa this month, I didnā€™t realize I was going to finish the series until it was happening. I think I readā€¦ maybe seven or eight omnibuses in one sitting because it got to a point where I just had to know how the series was going to end. Learning the backstories of the characters, witnessing their pain, rooting for them to continue to have hope and keep goingā€¦ I was deeply emotionally invested even if the plot became a little more cumbersome to follow and certainly more convoluted. Early in February, I met my goal of reading through the entire series and I can see myself reading it again in the future, going more slowly, taking notes. Iā€™m not a big multiverse person, but when itā€™s CLAMP? I can get behind that.

  1. The Deep Dark by Molly Knox Ostertag

I am a big fan of Molly Knox Ostertag (graphic novels, writing, and animation) and this might be one of my favorite standalone books that sheā€™s penned. This is a Queer YA fantasy novel about the haunting secret of the Herrera household, which becomes all the more difficult for Magdalena to keep between her grandmotherā€™s waning health and the return of her childhood friend, Nessa, who was witness to some unusual circumstances. Ostertagā€™s landscape of the southwest United States is so gorgeous and dear to my heart; this was already one of my favorite components of how beautifully he conveyed the northeast coastal towns from his childhood in The Girl from the Sea, but the color palettes in The Deep Dark stir up a lot of feelings in me. The story itself is also wonderfully told, covering heavy topics such as abuse, identity, family, and self-worth (or lack thereof.) The thin line between familial responsibility and obligation, what is okay for your parents or culture to demand of you, is heartbreaking to watch unfold. Thank goodness for a complicated, but deeply satisfying ending.

  1. Magic Knight Rayearth I (vol. 1-3) by CLAMP)

Since I got bitten by the CLAMP bug, I reread the first half of Rayearth and loved every second of it. This time around, I was really struck by how the series is as funny as it is dark. In the 2010s, Puella Magi Madoka Magica got a lot of acclaim online for having an ā€œunconventionalā€ or subversive spin on the magical girl genre. As someone deeply frustrated by spoilers, even for series that are getting up there in age, I wonā€™t spoil the early series twist; however, I wanted to bring it up, because the big ending of Vol. 3 reminded me that manga in this genre has always been dark. Ask any fan of Sailor Moon, a series where you can throw a dart at a board to pick which way Usagi will be devastatingly heartbroken. This isnā€™t a critique of Madoka either. I think the original series was very well done and has a lot of good ideas in it that I found deeply interesting and moving. But I do get a bit miffed when people praise it for being dark and edgy while snubbing shows that are fluffier, girlier, and cutesy--as though (1) thereā€™s anything wrong with that and (2) that all magical girl series lack the depth they praise Madoka for having.

When I get around to finishing the second half of Rayearth, I might write a more detailed post about my thoughts that will contain spoilers, but for now just know that I love my three girls and Princess Emeraude and her story had such a profound affect on me as a kid.

  1. The In-Between Bookstore by Edward Underhill

Now that I have had some space since I finished reading this book, Iā€™m left a bit disappointed by how things wrapped up. Iā€™m not sure entirely what I wanted or expected, and I do think that the two main characters made the right decision, but Underhillā€™s novel fell into a problem that I have had with a few different series I have seen recently that involve time travel to some degree, which is hard to talk about without spoilering the finale! I will say that I am still charmed by the idea of a mysterious bookstore that acts as a portal to the past, prompting the main character to reflect on what they might have wanted to play out differently for them, what that might have meant for them, and also what they might have missed back then now that they can witness their past self from an outside perspective. However, I did get frustrated quite a few times by the main characters persistent lying. I understand that he was struggling to not talk about this weird, inexplicable sci-fi experience they were having, butā€¦ it became increasingly frustrating how the degree of miscommunications kept happening because of his refusal to open up even about the ā€œnormalā€ things going on in his life. There are still many charming elements to this book and sections that I imagine a lot of people will find deeply relatable, but in the end I donā€™t think it did enough for me to leave a positive lasting impression.

  1. Hedgehogs in the Hall by Ben M. Baglio/Jenner Oldfield

Cute, fluffy elementary chapter book. I have a much more detailed explanation of my reaction in my Animal Ark Read-A-Thon post.

  1. The Snowcat Prince by Dina Norlund

After Dina Norlundā€™s parents announced that they were launching a Kickstarter to raise funds for a memorial documentary for the late artist (which has since reached its goal!), I went straight to Libby to check out her graphic novel. I found Norlundā€™s YouTube channel through DrawingWiffWaffles, who has not been active likely due to her own health reasons, when they did collab videos that had me doubled over with laughter. The way Dina draws animals and fantasy creatures was always captivating, and the cats and foxes in The Snowcat Prince are no exception. This is a sweet fantasy story about found friendship, family secrets, embarking on adventure, and learning information that re-contextualizes your understanding of the world. It makes my heart wrench that this was she was so young when she completed this series and how many more stories and characters might have been in her heart.

  1. Tsubasa: World Chronicle (vol. 1-2) by CLAMP

Of course I put in a hold on World Chronicle the second I finished reading Tsubasa. If anything, I only havenā€™t caught up with the third volume because Iā€™m sad to be almost caught up. So far, Iā€™m enjoying this new adventure even though I miss having Sakura along for the journey.

  1. Sweet Valley Twins: Sneaking Out by Nicole Andelfinger, Francine Pascal

So, Jessica has pissed me off plenty in previous installments to the Sweet Valley Twins graphic novel adaptations, but my goodnessā€¦ this one became difficult to read. Sheā€™s deeply irresponsible in ways that can, and do, affect the people around her, including a sweet old woman who entrusts her to take care of her dog while sheā€™s away on vacation only to have to her foist responsibilities consistently on the rest of her family. The lesson she learns at the end of the story would be a lot easier to believe if we didnā€™t know that she was going to revert to status quo and make similar mistakes for the remainder of the series. But I knowingly signed up for that and am here for the cute artwork and vibes, so the joke is on me!

  1. Girlmode by Magdalene Visaggio

This book graphic novel follows Phoebe as she moves to a new high school in Los Angeles after recently transitioning. During her first few days, she is torn between two very different cliques on campus: (1) Ben, a fellow nerd who loves sci-fi movies and deck-building strategy games; and (2) MacKenzie, a popular and wealthy girl who becomes determined to take Phoebe under her wing. After the big makeover given by MacKenzie, Phoebe falls under social pressure to leave behind her nerdier inclinations to assimilate into popularity and, thus, girlhood. I read a few critiques on StoryGraph about how people were disappointed that so few of the characters in the book are likeable, but I know that many trans people have, unfortunately, had similar experiences where even people who seem to have your interests in mind at the beginning might reveal true colors about the limitations for which they view you truly as you are. Phoebe has a great journey to find her own strength separate from relationships with other people and I also really loved MacKenzieā€™s foray into musical theatre via Little Shop of Horrors, which resonates so strongly with queer/trans experiences for me.

  1. Little Witch Hazel: A Year in the Forest by Phoebe Wahl

What a delightful picture book! The illustrations are gorgeous. Itā€™s a cozy, seasonal set of stories centered on Witch Hazel who often struggles with work life balance. My favorite season in the book was Summer when she learns the value of taking a relaxing day to reset, spend time with others, and connect with nature. This is one I would want to have on my bookshelf.

  1. Aquicorn Cove by K. Oā€™Neill

The Tea Dragon Society is one of my favorite book series, so I was excited to read this standalone fantasy by Oā€™Neill. This graphic novel focuses on our responsibility to the landā€”in this case, especially to the oceanā€”and the give-and-take relationship we cultivate to help one another thrive. In the novel, Lana visits her late motherā€™s hometown, which has recently been devastated by heavy storms. Lana and her father assist her aunt with rebuilding the community and, along the way, she also nurses a baby seahorse back to health. This process prompts her to reflect more deeply on the kind of relationship she wants with the sea that her mother loved so much and how important it is, to her, that things change for the better. I loved the message at the end about fishing communities, coral reef damage, and that the author shared some resources on how we might carry Lanaā€™s lessons into our own lives.

  1. The Tale of Hill Top Farm by Susan Wittig Albert (Book 1 of The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter)

Over the past couple of years, I have struggled to find a cozy mystery series for me. Thereā€™s been something about each one that doesnā€™t quite fit whether itā€™s a boring investigation process, a heterosexual romance centered on the cop/private investor in town, too affluent for me to connect to the main character claiming to struggle, etc. Either the plot and main character arenā€™t interesting enough or the setting and premise is too disconnected from my own interests.

So why am I so enchanted by Albertā€™s Beatrix Potter fan fiction? On its surface, basing a series around a real person raises a lot of questions for me. I remember wrinkling my nose when I learned there was an Emily Dickinson cozy mystery series and feeling deeply conflicted about the idea of blending historical fiction and mysteries. Plus, Iā€™m a big fan of both Dickinson and Potter. Their writing has had a profound impact on my life.

But thereā€™s something deeply charming about this series, especially with the dual investigations taking place by the people and animals in the English countryside of Sawrey. I eat it up every time there is a scene with the animals and the cats are grooming their little faces or the hedgehog (Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle herself!) smacks her lips at the thought of snuffling around for worms and other grubs. Honestly, if this were just a novel about an imaginary author purchasing a farm and attempting to find some independence from her family in the countryside, I would probably still find it enchanting (but keep the talking animals, please.)

Anyway, I have a lot of thoughts about this genre of mystery novels so I might reflect on them further and make a separate blog post about it.

  1. Dragons and Dating by Kristy Boyce

I tried reading non-fiction this month. Really. But, I was craving the comfort of cozy, fluffy fiction. Kristy Boyceā€™s second entry to this series fit the bill perfectly. The previous entry was about fake dating and this one is more about forbidden dating due to the rules designated by the D&D Campaignā€™s live stream requirements: never miss a session, no distractions, and no dating within the group. The book had many cute moments, including situations beyond the YA romance, such as Quinnā€™s relationship with her mischievous grandmother, new best friend Kashvi (who was the one to initially extend the invitation to join the campaign), and younger brother who tease each other but develop a stronger familial bond as the novel unfolds. I was worried in the last third that the plot would fall into painful miscommunication and love triangle tropes but it pleasantly surprised me.

  1. Grand Old Oak and the Birthday Ball by Rachel Piercey, illustrated by Freya Hartas

In my search for something to scratch the itch of the Pierre, the Great Maze Detective books, I came across Piercey and Hartasā€™s bear series that features a similar seek and find component. I ended up loving this book. Each page is packed with adorable scenes and while it was much easier for me (an adult in their 30s) to find the images than the target audience (children), I had fun doing a bonus round of questions with my partner of ā€œwhat is your favorite thing that was not on the list for us to find?ā€ I think thatā€™s one of the elements I find charming about re-reading things like Whereā€™s Waldo or I Spy. You get an opportunity to make up your own challenges based on where your eyes lead you.

Books I DNF-ed

Webtoons I'm Reading

On my active TBR

Thank you for reading! Ź•įµ”į“„įµ”Ź”

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