#WWWednesday No. XVIII | Jorie dives back into reading via #WyrdAndWonder!

I ♥ the premise of this meme {WWW Wednesdays} due to the dexterity it gives the reader! Smiles. Clearly subject to change on a weekly rotation, which may or may not lead to your ‘next’ read providing a bit of a paradoxical mystery to your readers!! Smiles. ♥ the brilliance of it’s concept!

This weekly meme was originally hosted by Should Be Reading who became A Daily Rhythm. Lovingly restored and continued by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. Each week you participate, your keen to answer the following questions:

• What are you currently reading!?
• What did you recently finish reading!?
• What do you think you’ll read next!?

After which, your meant to click over to THIS WEEK’s WWWWednesday to share your post’s link so that the rest of the bloggers who are participating can check out your lovely answers! Score! Perhaps even, find other bloggers who dig the same books as you do! I thought it would serve as a great self-check to know where I am and the progress I am hoping to have over the next week!

Join the Convo via: #WWWWednesday

the event of fantastical JOY has returned,
join me as I dive back into reading via #WyrdAndWonder!

About: *Wyrd & Wonder*

Wyrd and Wonder is an annual celebration of the fantasy genre. Sign up to join the party as we explore worlds of myth and magic, re-imagine traditional tales, cheer on heroes (prefer villains? Sure, we won’t judge you) and discover the secret doors that lead from familiar streets to adjacent realms where a discourtesy or a misstep may land you in hot water.

This year we’re focusing on all things magical, whether that’s magic users, magical creatures, magic systems, or things that raise the hairs on the back of your neck (in a good way). As always, you’re free to read and post outside the theme – we love low fantasy too! – but magic will be the theme for our banners and prompts this year.

We’ll be reading books, watching movies, playing games and sharing our thoughts online through blog posts and social media with as many like-minded adventurers as care to join us – there’s always room by the fire for a newcomer with a tale to share.

_{(Paraphrasing official 2022/23 blurb) : visit Imyril’s Announcement for Y6}

You might be curious where the heck, heck Jorie has been these past several months as past a certain point, I was unable to continue to UPDATE my blog and the only time I was able to re-surface was via tweets celebrating my JOY over S3 of Star Trek: Picard. Something I will go into further details about when I formulate the words to anchour a life update into a forthcoming Sunday Post as it is all connected. For now, I’d like to take a breath and re-focus on my top favourite bookish event of the year — as I happily co-host our Year 6 of Wyrd And Wonder!

For those of you who are used to me being more visually present during the opening week of Wyrd And Wonder and for a chase-up to the event itself in the months ahead of May — this year clearly went a bit differently for me as a reader and as a book blogger. My best foot forward is actually visible on our #bookstagram feeds on Insta wherein I’ve been quite active this Year 6 by finding 12x different prompts to respond to visually with book photos and commentary. I’ve been enjoying that pursuit and learning more about Insta and layouts for text additions by Annemieke who has kindly been tutoring me on the ins/outs of how much to say and the ways in which to say what you want to share. FYI: For those of us who are longer winded (ie. bookish chatterboxes), adding graphics is an easier solution than lengthier posts which dip too much into the comment sections!

Smashing, eh?

I couldn’t be happier as working on those photos in a new environment (ie. flat) and having a blank canvas (ie. bookshelves) has had a bit of a cleansing effect on me. Whilst at the same time, as I have only a few boxes unboxed at the moment, my photos are a bit different than in the past as I don’t have any props to use except the books and the shelves themselves. Ergo, I am focusing on the themes of the prompts and using my words on the graphics or in the post itself to celebrate the theme of the day so to speak.

Also: note to self, where EXACTLY did I pack ALL my bookmarks!?

I do personally feel Wyrd And Wonder snuck up on me this year because I had a bit of an insurrection of personal time and space to prepare for it. When you have to undergo a major relocation which was both unplanned and unwanted in your life, it is hard to shift back into something that gives you a lot of JOY. I’ve found myself unmotivated to blog, read or participate in a lot of things socially online since February and it is all connected to the relocation. I do admit, I like living here better as it is a quieter space – there isn’t a lot of jarring outside noises (ie. sirens, heavy traffic or whatnot which came with living off a major highway) but at the same time, it doesn’t quite feel like ‘home’ either. The other flat was happily lived in for eight years and everything had its proper place and it was ‘cosy’. This one still feels like we’ve ‘just arrived’ and we’re just making do. Oy. Towards that end, I think it has affected my desire to read or listen to audiobooks – although, that does seem a bit silly in one respect because I have better set-up for reading now than I did previously and my books are easier at hand than they were as well. *le sigh* To say I just feel overwhelmed going into May would be an understatement. Plus, of course, last year and all years prior Dad was living with us at home, and I admit, that is still an adjustment for Mum and I.

I guess to be frank, this #WyrdAndWonder just feels a bit more muddling to me and I’m just trying to make the best of it as I go along with what I am attempting to read, blog and share socially. Likewise, I’m trying like mad to sort out a way to be more present on our feeds via Twitter for @WyrdAndWonder as well. I’d be thrilled if I could sort that out before week’s end.

I am sure others might feel this way too, this year, as I know some of my fellow co-hosts have had their fair share of strife as well this early half of the year. Whilst I am sure our participants might feel similar angst as us, too. Sometimes the timing just feels ‘off’ for whichever reason but I refuse to let it take all the JOY out of May for me and that is why each day/week I am striving towards participating in some small way even if I can’t fully achieve what I had hoped to do when I first set plans in mind last year.

What Jorie is currently reading:

 → Wyrd and Wonder’s RAL: Howl’s Moving Castle
by Diana Wynne Jones, narrated by: Jenny Sterlin *audiobook

• Week 1: Chapters 1 through 7 – hosted by Dear Geek Place
• Week 2: Chapters 8 through 14 – hosted by The Fantasy Hive
• Week 3: Chapters 15 through End – hosted by The Fantasy Hive
• Discussions will be via Discord on our Other Worlds channel

Hosted by: @deargeekplace and @TheFantasyHive
Read the Announcement of the RAL via deargeekplace.com

So far, I can attest to the fact I am grateful for this choice as one of our RALs this year! I decided to borrow the book (in print) for my book photos during #WyrdAndWonder, but in truth I am actually listening to the audiobook which is narrated by Ms. Sterlin. Of whom is doing such a smashing job of getting my attention to listen to the story which on one side of the ledger is a bit scary (in respect to the Wizard Howl by the way in which he’s described!) and engaging on the other in respect to the girls’ themselves. I am quite charmed by Sophie who speaks to hats as I’ve long been fascinated by hatters and those who work in the shops where they are sold. 

Millinery has been explored in Fantasy novels quite often and I enjoy each way in which the concept of millinery work is used as a trade of sorts for the characters. Specifically with the remake of Alice in Wonderland, this novel and of course, Dead as a Dodo which I happily devoured last #SpooktasticReads and it became my top favourite listen for the event. (which was featured on Insta via @WyrdAndWonder). I’m slowly inching my way into this novel as I’ve had to re-listen to several passages just to feel better anchoured into it, but I am enjoying my time within the storyline, as well. I am just grateful Scribd had the audio version which is allowing me to peer into this world which I was curious about even before the RAL was announced.

I first learnt about “Howl’s Moving Castle” when the film was adapted but I didn’t quite attach an active interest in seeing it or in pursuing what inspired its adaptation either. It was one of those things I pushed off for a future time and apparently this May is that moment for me! Laughs. I wasn’t keen on reading the print version of the story, as I’ve become a bit turnt off reading too much in print of late. It started late last year around the time I was listening to Dead as a Dodo – wherein, I just noticed a drastic shift in interest for me as a reader. I was leaning harder on audio and I was less inclined to read print. Partially I believe that might have been due to a lot of emotional upheavel for me (ie. losing my cat, Dad being hospitalised a heap, etc) which made reading just difficult overall to return back too. Not that I’ve abandoned reading print but if there is an audiobook in lieu of print lately, I am much keener on that version over the other. I’ve sort of thought that might become the case eventually as I’ve been dipping my toes into audio since 2016. And, each time I find a narrator or an author I love in audio, I have the tendency to want to continue in that format of entrance vs returning back into print.

This isn’t to say I won’t be reading print – don’t misunderstand me, as I have shelves full of books! It just means for a long while now, I’ve noticed I’d rather up the ante on how much audio I consume and lesson how much print I read; if that makes better sense!?

I will say, I am happily enjoying the journey right now and eventually as I catch-up to the RAL itself will be adding my thoughts and commentary to Discord where the discussions are happening for it! I am hopeful I can also blog about my experience in the story and my reactions to the characters and moments therein but if not, I’d be grateful just to listen to the story and discuss it all in Discord this year. I expect this to take most of the month for me to listen to in full and thereby, my responses will be a bit later than others who are joining the RAL itself.

What Jorie read last #WyrdAndWonder:

Harlequin’s Riddle (book one: Tales of Tarya) by Rachel Nightingale (see also Review)

Druid’s Moon by Deniz Bevan (retelling of Beauty & the Beast) (see also Review)

The Shadow of the Skytree by K.J. Taylor (see also Review)

TransWitch by E. Chris Garrison, narrated by Danielle Muething
(see also Review) *audiobook

SIRENS (Part 4: of the Magical Menagaries anthologies)
edited by Rhonda Parrish (see also Review)

The Ghosts of Wonky Inn (book two: Wonky Inn series)
by Jeannie Wycherley, narrated by Kim Bretton (see also Review) *audiobook

EQUUS (Part 5: of the Magical Menagaries anthologies)
edited by Rhonda Parrish (see also Review)

The Namer of Spirits by Todd Mitchell (see also Review)

Speechless in Achten Tan (book one: The Sands of Achten Tan)
by Debbie Iancu-Haddad (see also Review)

The Living Waters (book one: WeirdWater Confluence series)
by Dan Fitzgerald (see also Review)

Heart of Sherwood (gender-bent Robin Hood) by Edale Lane (see also Review)

I was originally going to discuss ALL the stories I read last year for #WyrdAndWonder, but I decided whilst I was editing this post to become my first featured post for our sixth year – I would reflect upon my favourite reads instead! Afterall, each of the stories I read in of themselves were an exploration of a ‘new’ kind of discovery for me as a Fantasy reader. Each of these lovelies took me to new places within the genre itself and gave me a wicked good journey of how Fantasy is an individual portal of influence for every writer who writes in this genre. That is partially why I am so wicked fascinated with Fantasy and why I LOVE Speculative Fiction overall when you reflect on all the different styles of narrative within that fuller realm of choice.

For Wonky Inn, I was just grateful my words finally arrived on my blog to celebrate the JOY Wycherley gives me whenever I am tucked inside one of her stories! I had fully planned to have the fifth audiobook and one of the novellas to read this year, but all my plans to gather books ahead of the event went to the wayside for obvious reasons you can intuit out of this post. However, last year – wow – what a celebration for me! I wanted to articulate what I had loved about “The Ghosts of Wonky Inn” for so many months and then, finally, I could! It was very liberating! I cannot wait to dive back into this series and continue with the audio versions of it whilst reading the stories in sequence of the overall series, too.

SPEECHLESS was a completely NEW variant of Fantasy for me – I had never read a Desert Fantasy novel nor any novel which would be considered Weird Fantasy either! It was quite the experience – I featured this novel already via Insta for the prompt challenge and that is where you’ll find there is new cover art for this novel. I’m still on the fence about how I feel about the cover art change as I tend to prefer original cover art over newer art on books. Not always, mind, as there are a few exceptions out there but generally, I defer to the original art. Aside from that – what I loved most about that world she was able to create for us to explore is how wickedly different it felt – both in texture of the world itself and how she was able to fuse bone magic into a story I could handle as a reader! I was truly amazed at the depths and layers woven into the magic of SPEECHLESS and how cleverly every character you met had a personal journey to undergo as well. Echoing what I said on Insta, I fully intend to carry forward reading this series after I’m able to grab a copy of “The Bone Master” which is the sequel and second installment!

NAMER of SPIRITS was a wholly original Fantasy story as well as it pushed you past what you might consider a Fantasy novel into a new vortex of world-blending and building. There is a LOT going on in the background of this novel and as you can read in my review, it isn’t a novel that is easily defined per se by genre or by themes/elements as it is very all-inclusive of different styles of story. I would say the same for SPEECHLESS as well. My heart though was caught in this one and emotionally this became a very intensive read!! I will say, you have to go into knowing there are heartstrings to be pulled but such a wonderful ending to meet you, that the emotional angst is definitely worth it in the end!! I won’t say too much about this except to say, like SPEECHLESS – NAMER gives you a LOT of lovely new fantastical beings to journey alongside and that’s the best bit really.

SHERWOOD is such a wicked re-telling of Robin Hood – both historically from the fable itself and from the perspective of this becoming a gender-bent tale envisioned through a feminine lens of entrance! I truly loved reading the story and seeing where Lane was going to take us on that adventure as most of us have known about Robin Hood for such a long time now – it is hard to think that there is a new entrance into the story. And, yet, that is exactly what Lane gives us – a new entrance and a wonderfully new way of seeing the fable burst to life! You definitely get more of a vibe about the historical time setting and the politics behind Robin herself. There is much more going on that Robin Hood and her merry men, too. Trust me, its an adventure that you will want to take yourself.

HARLEQUIN was a very personal read for me because I truly felt deeply connected to this intrinsically spiritual Fantasy world the author created for us to explore and discover. There is a wonderful hidden dimension of interest in this novel too and as this serves as an introduction to the series (ie. its a trilogy) you have to let it flow through you as well. Meaning, there are a lot of questions you will have as you read and as you move closer to this conclusion of the first installment but the pacing itself is set to a rhythm that makes better sense when you get into the final chapters and the final scenes. I wanted dearly to start reading COLUMBINE’s TALE as soon as I finished this one, but part of me wasn’t sure if I could read another harder hitting story so soon after HARLEQUIN and thereby, I put it aside. Mind you, if my Autumn hadn’t turnt so tragic last year, I most likely would have read it between October and November — allowing me the grace to finish the trilogy this May with the third installment.

Which brings me to my love and JOY of reading and listening to TRANS WITCH by a good friend of mine, Ms Chris (E. Chris Garrison). As many of you know by now, even though we’ve had a friendship over the years since we first crossed paths as writer and book blogger; my thoughts and opinions are always as honest and true as if we hadn’t become friends. As all my readings (print or audio) are reflective of my reactions and what I feel in the moment of discovering a book. With “Trans Witch” I was caught by the community of magic within the world itself. I am hoping to reflect more on this before the close of May but for now, just know, that its this community of magic and magical people who pull at your heart. I loved how she built the world within our world, too, just past the veil of what can be seen or felt as well. Similar to how I loved the world within her Tipsy Fairy Tale trilogy because you’re not fully removed from our contemporary reality. That is one wicked brilliant bit to her stories and how she’s able to fuse the fantastical into the urban settings she writes within.

This is also a novel about a transgender witch written by a transgender author and for me, that is something to celebrate in of itself. If you love dimensional worlds, magical academic settings and communities of magical persons who just want to find their found families and people who will accept them openly and fully, than this is definitely a STORY you NEED TO READ! I am hopeful we’ll have another story in this realm to explore at some future point, too.

What Jorie is reading next:

Let’s be real for a moment. When you quite literally have less than six weeks to pack & relocate from a flat you’ve lived in for nearly a decade & then, need to unpack your Fantasy books in time to have a chance at reading ANY of them for #WyrdAndWonder, the stress alone in sorting out a system of identifying those book boxes was enough to put me over the edge but in the end – as you can see, my lovelies made it to my shelves!

Hence, this Year Six I am starting off by sharing a #Shelfie of my Fantasy books!

TOP SHELF: features all the books in-progress of being read OR haven’t yet been read

BOTTOM SHELF: the stories & series I’ve read with a few unread choices, too!

Per my response to BEST LAID PLANS these are the three stories I’d love to read:

The Inkwell Chronicles: The Ink of Elspet by J.D. Peabody

Columbine’s Tale by Rachel Nightingale

& Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

I decided to scale back a bit what I wanted to focus on this year and I picked three print novels to focus on reading whilst I decided to focus on some audiobooks as well. The main audiobook I’m delving into this month is HOWLS MOVING CASTLE but I have a few others I want to explore, too, but mum’s the word on those titles for now. The reason I selected these stories is because I wanted to focus on revisiting a beloved series from last year (ie. Rachel Nightingale’s) whilst at the same time, I wanted to read a book I requested to review but simply couldn’t get on with it last year at all (ie. The Inkwell Chronicles) and finally, a story I previewed previously and never had a chance to fully read (ie. Wildwood Dancing).

Each of these stories felt like they curated a portal into a different part of Fantasy and as that is always my goal each #WyrdAndWonder, I felt these might be the best stories for me to focus on this year overall. I also felt more keen on the magical portal graphic this year – which I know is going to surprise everyone I didn’t pick the witchy one (which I do like) but this particular one – with the colour palette and the boat moving towards a magical portal of a door – that just felt like something I could identify with this year. I suppose because I’m trying to re-seek out the joy of reading and moving towards a door that could give that back to me is also quite symbolic on a personal level, too.

If your joining us this year, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below – let me know what your currently reading (or listening too) as much as where your featuring your updates. I’d love to click over to your blog, your Insta feeds or a *thread on Twitter if that is where your laying your Wyrd And Wonder hat this year! If your already on Discord, I’ll be re-joining everyone there at some point this week, even if just to pop in and say ‘Hallo’ as I’m still very much in the opening chapters of HOWLS.

And, personally — if you’ve patiently awaited my return on my blog THANK YOU for supporting me and standing with me until I could come back to you on a more regular basis! Truly, if you’ve had an unexpected hiatus yourself than you know how much that meant to me that you’re still here, visiting with me and following along my bookish journey. As much as supporting me with encouragement when life turns a bit upside down and sideways. Many blessings to all of you in return!

and, now dear hearts,
I shall leave you with an invitation
to Kindly visit my co-hosts:

You’ll have to let me know if you’re participating this year with us
during #WyrdAndWonder in the comments below this post!
For those who want to let us know officially their joining us – fill out this form.
Want to pre-schedule your blog & socials? – Add your content to the Master Schedule!
Join the fantastical convo via Discord channel: Other Worlds!
And, happily visit with us via @WyrdAndWonder on Insta, too.

NOTE: To join us on OtherWorlds, please sign up for Wyrd & Wonder
then comment on this post or DM me (Imyril) on Twitter requesting an invite.

The beauty of #WyrdAndWonder itself- is being able to escape into the realms of Fantasy and seek out the fantastical – however which way that might personally appeal to the reader and the seeker! Let us help you adventure with us whilst seeing what you’ve decided to read, listen or watch throughout May! I hope some of the authors I’ve read and reviewed over the years have sparked a curiosity in you to seek out yourself and likewise, I know I’ve been wicked inspired throughout the years to seek out new authors myself. (Visit Jorie’s #WyrdAndWonder archives)

Whether this is your fifth year or your first, we welcome you to #WyrdAndWonder! Join us as we dip our bookish hearts into this region of Speculative Fiction which gets us wickedly giddy with expectations and imaginative blissitudes!

These link to their individual announcements!

Lisa + Imyril + Annemieke + Ariana

via Twitter: @deergeekplace + @Imyril + @Signourney + @queenzucchini

via Insta: @deargeekplace + @Imyril
+ @inlinewithannemieke + @booknookreview

Be sure to keep a watchful eye on our @WyrdAndWonder feeds for the content we’ll be sharing as we move closer towards May; expect monthly engagements from the Power of Five – across social channels & our blogs. We are happily ready to start visiting blogs & start the Fantastical conversations which we know will be enjoyed by all who LOVE Fantasy! Join us for our 6th Year and let it be fantastically engaging for everyone who joins us on this adventure.

{Sources: Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Blog graphics created by Jorie via Canva: #WWWednesdays, Shelfie for WyrdAndWonder graphic (photo credit: jorielovesastory.com), Howl’s Moving Castle RAL graphic (photo credit: jorielovesastory.com), Wyrd And Wonder Year 5 Best Reads collage created by Jorie in Canva. (photo credit: jorielovesastory.com), Wyrd And Wonder Best Laid Plans collage created by Jorie in Canva. (photo credit: jorielovesastory.com) and the Comment Box banner. Wyrd And Wonder banners created by Imyril. IMAGE CREDITS: Magic portal artwork by Tithi Luadthong via www.123rf.com/profile_grandfailure. Banners are used with permission.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2023.

I’m a social reader | I tweet my reading life:

.@joriestory Jorie Returns!🧙‍♂️

* My #currentlisten🎧📖
* My #bestbooks of Y5!
* And, my best laid plans for Y6

This took me a bit longer to write and overall, I'm entering into #WyrdAndWonder a bit late but I'm hopeful of what May will bring to us all!

✨https://t.co/ub7jkknRm6 pic.twitter.com/VIpRvEtV5Q

— Jorie Story 📖🎧 (@joriestory) May 11, 2023