a word about ‘waiting on Wednesday’:
I have decided to start participating in this book blogsphere meme with a few small changes of how it’s regularly blogged about by my fellow book bloggers. I will either be introducing my current reads of upcoming releases as I am in the process of reading them and/or I might be releasing a book review about a forthcoming title by which I had been blessed to read ahead of publication. The main purpose behind the meme is to encourage readers and your fellow book bloggers to become aware of new books being released which caught your eye and which held your interest to read. Sometimes if your still in the process of reading the books, its the titles which encouraged your bookish heart. I look forward to spending the next seasons of the year, talking about the books I have on hand to read, the books I’ve been reading and the books I might not even have a copy to read but which are of wicked sweet interest to become a #nextread of mine.
Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!
I intended to return to my bookish adventures on Jorie Loves A Story ever since late Autumn, 2023 – and, as my absences have attested, you will happily rejoice in finding my voice on my blog returning this Winter & Spring, 2024! I am knee deep into the lovely sequel of Anna J. Stewart’s Hawaiian Reunions series – whilst, I am re-writing my latest #TheSundayPost to reflect the last, er, wells, four or five months?! It’s been a bit, hasn’t it? Aside from that I have some wicked happy news to share with you all – as you know, for the past six years we’ve been bringing you a lot of bookish and celebratory joy in engaging in conversations and adventures of the fantastical through our community of #WyrdAndWonder!
Which of course means, (2024) marks our SEVENTH year of Wyrd and Wonder!!
This has parlayed itself into a lot of different interpretations and explorations – from books to film to television to music to gaming and even, board games! I, in particular, will be discussing a board game myself this year! (ooh, wait – was that meant to be a secret?!) Laughs. Here’s what I love about Wyrd And Wonder: the community continues to expand each and every year and whilst we have a lot of returning bloggers and voices on socials joining us – we happily welcome NEW PEOPLE to join us each May, as well as through the community we can continue to shine lights on new avenues of Fantasy to explore for ourselves each and every year thereafter.
And, that’s the beauty of it, isn’t it? To continue to seek out new voices of Fantasy – whilst encouraging each other with our own reads and fantastical adventures across medias of interest and exploration!? It is a wicked good way to celebrate the genre every year and it is a wonderful outlet of joy to find like-minded souls to share your passion for Fantasy, too.
As one of the co-hosts and co-founders, you will be happy to know I’m going to be quite active this May, as last year, eh, I wasn’t as active as I had hoped but that was a major turning point for me in my work life as I was embarking on a new job and that particular job has become my main job as the months have progressed forward. I still work nights and I still moonlight at another job every odd moon but for the most part, that leap of faith I took last May turned out to be the best choice for me in regards to work and a career. It is also the reason why I am not as actively ‘seen’ online as the work hours can go above 40 or as the last week proved 50 hours — but thankfully that isn’t every week! I am not sure how I’d manage it if it were!
It took me a hard moment to realise what I did to participate last year – it was the Wyrd And Wonder I was mostly on Insta and attempting to read our RAL: Howl’s Moving Castle! Oyy. What a long year its been when a girl can’t even remember how she participated in an event that means so much to her like this one means to me! :( Oyy.
This is the first moment I’ve had to re-group and come back to my blog and to my readerly life and I am wicked happy it was a moment of celebrating the return of #WyrdAndWonder! As all work and nothing else is not exactly the best balance for me as a creative soul nor as one who loves the exploration and discovery of STORY.
This year’s theme – because we’re loving picking a theme – is comfort zone. There’s enough hard things in the world in 2024, so we’re focusing on the fantasy that sparks the most joy this year. With your high intelligence and wisdom scores, you’ll notice this theme that is entirely subjective, and we look forward to finding out what you find comforting be it low stakes or full grimdark.
(Paraphrasing official 2022/23 blurb) : visit Imyril’s Announcement for Y7
A few selections of Comfort Zone Fantasy Reads of Jorie’s:
(NOTE) Over the years I reviewed her stories, we developed a friendship and remained in touch. However, I treat every story as a new experience and even if I have a connection to an author, it doesn’t alter my honest reactions or opinions of what I read by them.
What makes this a Comfort Fantasy Read:
Ever since I first started reading Ms Chris’s Tipsy Fairy Tale trilogy, I was brilliantly hooked on her writing style and especially her sense of humour within the series, too! I fell head over feet for her quirky universe she created within this series and the incredible heart, depth and spirit she etched into it as well – as this is a series of layers and storytelling. It is an Urban Fantasy series but it has so much within its heart of centre that you feel comforted by how she takes you through the story as it evolves start to finish. It is a Cosy Comfort Read of mine because of how it made me feel as I read inasmuch as how it was written to be read!
*this was originally a highlighted post via #WyrdAndWonder on Insta
and re-visited on my blog during a #FlashbackFriday post!
What makes this a Comfort Fantasy Read:
I first became introduced to Ms Wycherley’s style through another of her series: The Wonky Inn in which I am completely attached to Alf! In this new series, however, it is a completely different kind of series and yet, it has that same Cosy Comfort vibe for me as a reader and listener – as I predominately listen to her books vs reading them in print! Her novellas I’ll be reading vs listening as the novellas aren’t released into audio (for Wonky Inn) but in respect to what keeps me coming back to her stories is the whole aesthetic of her world-building and the bridge she built within the Wonderland story arc as well – as for those of you who are familiar with “Alice” will find a comfort in “Dead As A Dodo” as there a lot of overlying elements of joy from the original story which are re-shaped for this world of the Wonderland Detective Agency.
*this was originally a highlighted post via #WyrdAndWonder on Insta
I will definitely be exploring what evokes a ‘Cosy Comforting Fantasy Read’ this year throughout the month of MAY, as we have prompts that will encourage this kind of a discussion! Whilst at the same time, there will be select authors and series I will be focusing on this year which I believe will fall under the umbrella of our theme this year — I am keeping ‘mum’ about those selections however until we get closer to May. I didn’t get the chance to do as much last year and this year, I want to pull back the curtains a bit and really hone in on the stories I’ve missed reading or reviewing on my blog the last few years. And, this includes Wycherley’s novels as athough I throroughly devoured “Dead As A Dodo” the review never alighted on my blog!
This was the best theme of choice for me this years – as whenever I approach selecting stories of Fantasy to read – I have the tendency of choosing stories and writers who can give me a wicked good fantastical read that is a comfort of joy to discover. Unlike some of my fellow co-hosts, I cannot read overtly Dark Fantasy nor do I ever step anywhere close to Grimdark or its variants. I am definitely the ‘lighter’ reader amongst us as hosts and at the same time, I tend to seek out more Light than Dark in all genres of interest.
I tend to move through Fantasy differently than most and I know a lot of the stories I tend to feature during our lovely event are stories and authors which are not as widely read as others – however, for me, their the best stories I’ve come to find as a Fantasy nerd and the ones I love to champion during #WyrdAndWonder in case someone else is seeking out the same as I am. Or, if their a ‘step outside your comfort zone’ or a completely different direction of interest than your norm – maybe one of them will inspire you to seek one of them out and try something new. That is my goal every year – to talk about the stories I love and hopefully inspire someone else to read them and find what uplifted my own bookish heart as I read or listened to them on audiobook.
Here’s to a wicked good May and a bit of a ‘redux’ of sorts for me!
And, I’m itching to know – what do you consider a Comfort Fantasy read?
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.
Add your links to our Master Schedule – for those who do advance writings on their blogs!
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
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 seventh 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 Insta: @deargeekplace + @inlinewithannemieke
+ @booknookreview + @joriestory3
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: Wyrd And Wonder banner and badge created by Imyril. IMAGE CREDITS: black dragon image by Ehtisham Sajid 123RF.com. Banner is used with permission.Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Blog graphics created by Jorie via Canva: #WaitingOnWednesday badge using Unsplash.com (Creative Commons Zero) Photography by Pacto Visual; Tipsy Fairy Tale collage Instagram post (book photography © jorielovesastory.com); Dead As A Dodo collage Instagram post (using the book cover with permisison of the author Jeannie Wycherley) and the Comment Box Banner.}
Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2024.
Leave a Reply