Austen In August | This Janeite steps out from behind her blog whilst reading select works of Austen!

Posted Tuesday, 8 August, 2017 by jorielov Anna Karenina, Jane Austen, Jorie Loves A Story, Jorie Story, Leo Tolstoy, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice 6 Comments

2017 Participants | Northanger Abbey RAL

Call-Out for Participants *wherein I started to make plans!

Converse via Twitter: #AustenInAugustRBR + #CBAM2017 + #theclassicsclub

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

If you’ve been digging round my Story Vault or stopping by #JLASblog for the past four years – you’ve have gained the strong impression I have a particular curiosity about Classical Literature! You might have even noticed a strong passion for Jane Austen – wherein, I’ve been happily participating in this lovely book blogosphere, twitterverse (and this year: Instagram) event! Being I’m a Joyful Tweeter and bookishly bubbly book blogger – you’ll happily find my participation in the blogosphere and Twitter!

This August marks my 4th Year attempting to curl into the wicked lovely world Ms Austen left for us to explore and discover new characters to love whilst we step back into her corner of English society! I decided to do things a bit differently this year – although, I suppose looking back at my past #AustenINAugust* posts I might have appeared to be quite ambitious in how I wanted to absorb so many dear lovelies by Ms Austen and her Contemporary After Canon writers – however, each previous August I felt I would have HOURS to devout to the reading and blogging event – therein, I made my cardinal mistake! If you factor in the life of an active book blogger (ie. a regularly booked blog calendar), life’s unexpected diversions and the high frequency of Summery (lightning) storms – you could say, attempting to accomplish anything during this volcanic Season would seem rather futile! However, I’m a bourne optimist which is why each Summer I try to do the impossible even if I falter to achieve all of my goals – I make an effort to do as much as I can and not let set-backs derail my intentions.

You might be curious to know – what is Jorie doing differently this year?!

I’ve decided to sort out a shorter list of #mustreads for #AustenINAugust – the stories I wasn’t able to read (for whichever reason which affected my readerly life per each August I attempted to read the lovelies) until my second favourite annual bookish event came back round! (you might have heard of #RRSciFiMonth?) I thought this would be a good year to attempt to be a Guest Blogger for the event, too! I cannot even express my wicked sweet JOY in finding out I was picked to write a guest topic for Adam – as I have held such a deep appreciation for not only how he hosts this annual event but for the selections of guest bloggers who have entertained me, educated me and generally given me such a hearty knowledge of Jane Austen and the continuing legacy of how she touches readerly and writerly lives all these centuries lateron since her stories were first published and known. It’s quite the special event – bloggers get to engage with fellow Austenites and Janeites (personally I relate to being called the latter) whilst fellow readers who love Classical Literature get to drop by our blogs and/or join in on the reading challenge of R E A D M O R E A U S T E N for one month every year! Truly remarkable how Adam has brought of all us together – especially considering we’re global bloggers and readers!

Therefore, let me give you a sampling of what you will be seeing from me this year – as I’m holding a few surprises back whilst revealling my main plans of what I will be focusing on as August renews my passion for Austen!

*NOTE: Throughout my blog I reference this annual event as #AustenINAugust, however, I am participating in Roof Beam Reader’s event which is happily conversed about on social media tagged as #AustenINAugustRBR. There are different events happening each August which use the general tag. I’m being mindful to remember how to tag my tweets whilst keeping my personal reference on my blog as the original tag. If I’ve confused you, I apologise.

Read my Guest Post via Roofbeam Reader! Read More

Posted Tuesday, 8 August, 2017 by jorielov in After the Canon, Austen in August, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Birthdays & Blogoversaries, Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Classical Literature, Jane Austen Sequel, Jorie Loves A Story, Jorie the Writer, Reading Challenges, Twitterland & Twitterverse Event

#BlogBirthday Book Review | “The Gravity of Birds” by Tracy Guzeman A very special reading as it’s representative of a debut author launching her story to the world on the same day a reader became a book blogger!

Posted Sunday, 6 August, 2017 by jorielov Harper Books, HarperCollinsUK, The Gravity of Birds, Tracy Guzeman 0 Comments

Acquired Book By: I have been attending the #HistoricalFix chats since they originated as the #IShall chat celebrating the release of Erin Lindsay McCabe’s “I Shall Be Near to You”. Throughout the past two years since the quarterly chats began, I have found a tribe of like-minded bookish souls who celebrate the devourment of compelling historical fiction in all it’s variant creations (from traditional to romance to suspense to biographical #HistFic & everything in-between!). During the chats, there are a flood of questions and happy chatter surrounding the ‘honoured guests’ of the hour wherein you have the opportunity to win a novel by one of the authors. I happily won “The Gravity of Birds” during the March 2015 #HistoricalFix chat on Twitter.

I received a complimentary copy of “The Gravity of Birds” UK edition direct from the author Tracy Guzeman without obligation to post a review. I had the option to receive the UK edition of the novel, which I happily received. My edition comes with a lovely author Q&A after the story which I look forward to reading in full! I wanted to post my ruminative thoughts on behalf of this novel for my own edification and to share my impressions with the readers of my blog. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

How a book’s birthday healed my heart about the day
I launched #JLASblog!

Quite curiously, despite the fact I *launched!* Jorie Loves A Story on the 6th of August, 2013 after exhausting myself the previous month of July to make sure it was ‘audience ready’ – I had a bit of grievance with myself over the selection of the ‘date’. Silly, I realise it might sound aloud to reveall that tidbit, but there it is! I was caught up in the numerical identity of my blog’s history as even though it was missing a few digits, I have oft felt a “7” is stronger than a “6”. It’s a matter of faith & a personal quirk of mine, apparently! I still compose interview questions in increments of 5 or 7 rather than 6; even though recovering a better perspective on my blog’s birthday has been a lift of joy.

It wasn’t until I attended the #HistoricalFix chat in March of 2015 where I crossed paths with Ms Guzeman where I realised something quite extraordinary! I had only been looking at this from a linear prospective of where my perception of the 6th of August was a bit slated against my own misgivings rather than seeking to find *something!* which anchoured the day to a happier memory than whether or not I should have waited 24 hours to launch the site live! OY vie. The things we humans subject ourselves too!

In case your wondering – I created Jorie Loves A Story on the 31st of March, 2013 (my blogoversary) whilst I consider the day it launched live to the world on the 6th of August, 2013 to be my blog’s birthday – two special days per annum where I remember & celebrate the origins of my blog whilst embracing the memories of the stories, writers, conversations & adventures of being the bookish soul behind the bookish blog. Mind you, I need to remember my Twitterversary is on the 13th of November, 2013! These days are as special to me as my own birthday!

Here are my responses to her question pertaining to the thematic of her story:

Art, Song & Dance evoke such a harmonic cognition inside me,

it’s felt by heart, mind & soul; beauty (lies) in art (see tweet)

Love fantasy art such as SteelGoddess (etsy)

who bridge the natural world w/ the fantastic; joy (resides) in nature (see tweet)

I fell in love with the artistry of SteelGoddess whilst finding her shoppe on Etsy for artistic stationery which I knew would give me such a lot of inspiration whilst composing thoughts to articulate to my friends through postal correspondence!

I haven’t been on Etsy in quite a few years, as I’ve been focusing on building my reading audience on jorielovesastory.com whilst defining my blogosphere presence as a whole. I’ve also been taking the past four years to address how I want to re-define and develop this space of mine into more than just a repository of book showcases & guest author features, as I’m a writer whose in the transitional period of re-focusing on her own stories.

Whilst at the same time, I want to share other interests of mine (i.e. knitting) which are creatively enriching to me as they divert my attention a bit from the bookish world & help me re-balance myself in other pursuits! Therefore, I had *no idea!* the happy news, of the SteelGoddess’s shoppe going through a re-genesis of it’s own: check out the newly launched Cheryl Baker Art!

As a good primer to understand what draws me to her artwork & stationery goods, kindly take a look-see at this beautiful new stationery set of papers! Her main website is one of enchantment & inspiring joy, as well! Honestly, I think I’ll order directly from her website in the future & help celebrate the natural world she brings to the world of art!

As you well see, the artist I found on Etsy had a profound affect on me – as I felt as soon as I saw her woodland creatures, I had encapsulated a piece of my walks in nature in such an expression of enchanted art as to fuse my experience through her artistic imagery. This is why I knew the answer to Ms Guzeman’s question was partially inspired by my own adventures and the ones I feel I’ve lived through Ms Baker’s artwork!

Did it really!? I never knew the ‘day’ Gravity of Birds published, but if it were the 6th, it feels kismet! I had no idea my blog’s birthday (as I separate the two days: blogoversary for the day I created it; birthday for the day it went live; a bit like a book birthday = publication day?) had such a special ‘attachment’ to an author! I love finding this out because there are always interesting stories behind things in life; and clearly I was meant to read this novel! :)

-my initial reaction to the publication date of The Gravity of Birds

and I had this to say in relation to when Ms Guzeman picked up on the fact I write in my own personally stylised AmeriBritish vernacular:

You’re quite apt at seeing the differences in how I spelt my words, but actually, it’s a choice I made to limit my dyslexic slips whilst writing and communicating by written dialogue! I expound a bit on this under “My Bookish Life” where I talk a bit openly about my path as a writer and as a book blogger, but suffice to say, my UK heritage allowed me a grace in understanding how words appear in context to what I want to articulate as previously I stumbled in how to formulate the expressions.

Moreso as an adult rather than as a child, I have found my dyslexia to become a bit of an issue nowadays vs when I was in school. Coincidentally, through a bit of online research, I uncovered a quirky revelation: I was led to believe I had mild dyslexia as a child but according to my research I am severely dyslexic!

I had a bit of a bubble of a laugh at first because I’ve grown so accustomed to compensating for my learning difficulties, it did not feel revolutionary to me. It did help me understand a few things which make me a bit unique or how I perceive things might be considered unique, but in the end, I am who I am, someone I was always proud of being. I found dyslexia a gift but understanding my limitations as a writer and compensating by exchanging my American English for my Ancestral British turnt out to be the biggest blessing I could receive!

I’m named after my maternal grandmother who was of British and Irish descent. I’m British doubly over as my father’s side of the family has UK roots as well, spilt between England & Scotland. I have a heap ‘more’ in me as well, but these are quite dominant.

The language of the Brits feels right to me, and each new word or phrase I have learnt, becomes fuell to my own imagination as far as where I can take my own writings in the future.

As you can imagine – winning a copy of “The Gravity of Birds” took on a whole new level of joy & creative curiosity! I am naturally drawn to reading stories from the UK – not only because I am wickedly addicted to reading authors who reside in the UK, but because, I personally *love!* the tangible fluid nature of how British English evolves through the descriptive narrative! I watch a high volume of British (& Canadian) television serials & films as well, which parlays concurrently with my literary wanderings!

When Ms Guzeman offered me the chance to read the UK edition of this novel, my heart swooned in joy! I did not even think this was a possibility but a welcomed unexpected bookish slice of happiness! One day I’m looking forward to when there is an online bookshoppe in the UK who will ship UK editions to American readers who crave their fix of UK authors! (technically, I know of one in the stages of doing this!)

Til then, I am blessed to have a copy of The Gravity of Birds and be a reviewer for UK-based publishers! Conversely, even if a novel is written by an American author such as this one, my first preference is to seek out the UK edition as it’s one of the editions outside of it’s original printing I am most desiring to read! Even if the language isn’t full-on Brit, it’s having an edition published outside my own country which makes it a special treat – as book covers are unique to their country of origin..

Through this experience, I realised the date I selected to launch my blog was ‘meant to be’ – not only because it shares a very special book birthday with an author I would one day cross paths with to discover, but because sometimes the ‘timing’ which is best in our lives to experience something is not of our choosing.

Life has a way of blissfully keeping us in suspended joy arriving in unexpected moments which provide us an incredible level of happiness. Here’s to remaining open to where our hours lead us to traverse & keeping the door open to the unexpected!

The Gravity of Birds

Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9780007488391

on 6th August, 2013 (USA) | 15th August, 2016 (UK)

Pages: 382

Published By: Harper (@harperbooks),
an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers UK (@HarperCollinsUK)
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook

The UK edition released 9 days after the 6th of August, 2013!

The American debut was published by Simon & Schuster!

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Author Links: Site | Twitter | GoodReads | wicked good Interview!

more insight behind ‘the book’ | Book Discussion on Book Browse w/ Author Q&A

Converse via: #GravityOfBirds + #TimeShift

Posted Sunday, 6 August, 2017 by jorielov in #HistoricalFix, 20th Century, Art, Art History, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Birthdays & Blogoversaries, Blog Tour Host, Book Browse, Book Review (non-blog tour), Bookish Films, Coming-Of Age, Debilitating Diagnosis & Illness, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Fly in the Ointment, Good vs. Evil, Inspiring Video Related to Content, Literary Fiction, Poetry, Suspense, Teenage Relationships & Friendships, The Seventies, The Sixties, Time Shift, Twitterland & Twitterverse Event, Vulgarity in Literature, Wildlife Artwork, Women's Health

Audiobook Blog Tour | “Anne of Green Gables” by L.M. Montgomery (narrated by Colleen Winton) published by Post Hypnotic Press!

Posted Saturday, 5 August, 2017 by jorielov (Narrator) Colleen Winton, Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery, Post Hypnotic Press 3 Comments

Acquired Digital Audiobook by: I am a new blog tour hostess with Audiobookworm Promotions wherein I have the opportunity to receive audiobooks for review or adoption (reviews outside of organised blog tours) and host guest features on behalf of authors and narrators alike. When I saw the blog tour for ‘Anne of Green Gables’ I was wicked excited – as I have been wanting to re-read the series for a bit over a year and a half when I first saw a collection of the paperbacks at a thrift store! Mum surprised me with them but for the life of me, I never felt it was the ‘right time’ to read Anne. Seeing the blog tour was featuring the narrations by Post Hypnotic Press – the same publisher of the Betty MacDonald memoirs, I knew I wanted to take part as I love their quality and dedication to how audiobooks are produced!

I received a complimentary audiobook copy of “Anne of Green Gables” via the publisher Post Hypnotic Press (of whom was working directly Audiobookworm Promotions) in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Why I wanted to read Anne in August:

I have many fond memories of Anne of Green Gables – except to say, it was not until after I requested to join this blog tour, had I realised I do not believe I actually read the stories in my youth! I was meant too – as my grandparents gave me a lovely boxed set of the series inasmuch as they gave me the boxed set of the original adaptation for the series starring Megan Follows. I also actively watched Road to Avonlea which was simulcast on the Disney Channel.

I have a fond spot in my heart for August being dedicated to reading Jane Austen (both the canon and the after canon stories) through my participation in #AustenInAugust (via Roof Beam Reader’s event) which has a new tag where we add RBR on to the main one we used to use all the time. I’ve grown so used to using the original tag whenever I am talking about it, I sometimes forget to use it on Twitter. Oy. I digress. What I wanted to say, is despite the fact August is Austen for me, I wanted to take-on another beloved author and a series which has meant so much to me for so very long. I have been wanting to read more of the titles on my Classics Club List as well and this felt like a good month to attempt to put more Classics on my readerly path.

I’ll never remember truly – did I read the first book of Green Gables before I opted to see the film adaptation and tv series? Or, did I read passages of the book and still watched the adaptations? It’s hard to know for sure as too much time has gone past between then and now. I do know I knew Anne so very well – but how I came to know her originally is lost to time. Sometimes I forget which books I read and which stories I knew better in their film adaptations – this is one which hinges between memory and time. Which is why of course, when I first started listening to the adaptation by Post Hypnotic Press, I was a bit confused to know – was this the Anne of my memories or was this the Anne I hadn’t properly been introduced all those years ago?

Anne of Green Gables
by L.M. Montgomery
Source: Direct from Publisher
Narrator: Colleen Winton

Anne, a young orphan from the fictional community of Bolingbroke, Nova Scotia (based upon the real community of New London), is sent to Prince Edward Island after a childhood spent in strangers' homes and orphanages.

Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, siblings in their 50s and 60s, had decided to adopt a boy from the orphanage to help Matthew run their farm. They live at Green Gables, their Avonlea farmhouse on Prince Edward Island.

Through a misunderstanding, the orphanage sends Anne Shirley. Anne is described as bright and quick, eager to please, talkative, and extremely imaginative. She has a pale face with freckles and usually braids her red hair.

When asked her name, Anne tells Marilla to call her Cordelia, which Marilla refuses; Anne then insists that if she is to be called Anne, it must be spelled with an e, as that spelling is "so much more distinguished".

Marilla at first says the girl must return to the orphanage, but after a few days she decides to let her stay. Marilla feels that she could be a good influence on the girl and had also overheard that another disagreeable woman in town might take Anne in instead.

Genres: Children's Literature, Classical Literature

Places to find the book:

ISBN: 978-1-927817-06-3

Also by this author: Anne of Avonlea, Anne of of the Island

Also in this series: Anne of Avonlea, Anne of of the Island

Published by Post Hypnotic Press

on 2014

Format: Audiobook | Digital

Length: 10 hours, 7 minutes (Unabridged)

Published By: Post Hypnotic Press (@Post_Hypnotic)

The Anne of Green Gables series by Post Hypnotic Press:

The publisher is considering adapting the rest of the series and is looking for feedback on behalf of these adaptations by both the bloggers who are listening to them for the blog tour and the readers who are finding them along the tour route itself – to gauge if the rest of the series would have a readership who would appreciate hearing them. I, for one, am hoping they do produce the rest of the series as these adaptions are great addition for all of us who grew up knowing Anne.

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

2017 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

Posted Saturday, 5 August, 2017 by jorielov in Audiobook, Audiobookworm Promotions, Blog Tour Host, Canada, Canadian Literature, Childhood Friendship, Children's Classics, Children's Literature, Classical Literature, Indie Author, Juvenile Fiction, School Life & Situations, Teacher & Student Relationships

The Sunday Post | No.3 | I am so wholly consumed by “The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds”!

Posted Sunday, 30 July, 2017 by jorielov Anne of Green Gables, Charton Minster, Hazel Gaynor, Heather Webb, Indy Writes Books, Jennifer Zobair, Jorie Loves A Story, Last Christmas in Paris, Painted Hands, Saris and A Single Malt, Shall I Be A Poet Instead, Such Mad Fun, Sweta Srivastava Vikram, The Girl Who Came Home, The Sunday Post, The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds, When The Future Comes Too Soon 6 Comments

My participation in this meme was directly inspired by my new bookish friends: Avalinah + Savanah via this post!

[Official Blurb] The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog. This is your news post, so personalize it! Include as much as you want or as little. Be creative, it can be a vlog or just a showcase of your goodies. Link up once a week or once a month, you decide. Book haul can include library books, yard sale finds, arcs and bought books..share them!

Enter your link on the post- Sundays beginning at 12:01 am (CST) (link will be open all week)
Link back to this post or this blog
Visit others who have linked up

A note about the format I am using to journal #TheSundayPost: I am finding I like being able to give my readers who cannot visit my blog each time a new post, review or guest feature goes live a digest journal of what is happening on #JLASblog each week! If you are familiar with the style in which I journal my readerly adventures via #WWWednesdays (see also Archive) you’ll know why I like this journalled style for #TheSundayPost!

It’s a way of talking about what is bookishly on my mind whilst sharing where my travels in Fiction & Non-Fiction took me through the last seven days! Quite stellar – so very thankful I was encouraged to participate as I love being able to think about which stories settled into my heart and which of the stories I am most eager to see arrive by postal mail and/or via audiobook! It’s a bit of a lovely way to journal your bookish life and have a weekly reminder of the experiences of you’ve gathered and love to remember! In regards to getting back into the groove with #WWWeds – I’m either going to make the meme bi-monthly or monthly which I’ll decide within the next fortnight.

Hallo, Hallo, dear hearts!

I am so wholly consumed by “The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds”!

I can honestly say, the ONLY book I have been reading this week is Ms Siak’s – of which I was even talking about during #ChocLitSaturday – as once you find a story whose narrative has a way of washing over you to such a degree of joy, you find every opportunity you can to talk about it. I was also trying to inspire some readers to pick it up for themselves, as it’s one of the most beautiful cultural exchanges of tradition and identity. I am truly captured by the metaphoric folklore, the dramatic story-line and the way in which Chye Hoon continues to grow, mature and develop as a woman on the verge of different transitions in her life. Not just in girlhood but also to mumhood and finding the strength to realise her own worth in what she can do to help her family. It’s one of those stories you cannot read quickly – the narrative is dense and alive with this woman’s life story to where you want to let her experiences soak through you in order to gain the full effect of the novel.

Whilst I wasn’t reading this story, I was thinking about what I wanted to talk about during my guest post for #AustenInAugust – as this was the first year I decided I might fancy contributing something to the event. I do not often write guest features on blogs, but this year, I felt I might give it a try and I ended up with a piece I am hoping others can relate too.

I caught sight of a way I could start to work on my own writings – a new idea which materialised to mind and heart as soon as I saw a project I wanted to become a part of – if I could – which has a bit of a tight deadline. I am going to start to flesh together my initial idea this week and next, whilst honing in on the research I want to do to make sure I get things accurate. The interesting bit to note though is that this project is the first I’ve taken on in nine years as a writer. If you discount Jorie Loves A Story, as I started blogging five years after I won Nanowrimo. It is high time I start to get back into the groove of where my pen inspires me to embrace my own creative worlds and characters. I’ve felt this coming on for awhile now – but perhaps this is the Summer for sorting it out?

I also found myself on Twitter quite a bit this week at key moments where something quite extraordinary was happening – whether this meant a threaded conversation, a life-affecting historical decision of the Senate or the realistic artistic portrayal of animatronics in Canada – this was the week, where it would appear being socially engaged on Twitter is a happenstance blessing for anyone in the 21st Century!

Celebrating the 1st Year Anniversary of “Sari & A Single Malt”:

I still remember how evocative this collection was to read, how powerfully stirring the poems were to find inside this raw and honest collection of poetry. I’ve been blessed many times over through my participation on Poetic Book Tours showcasing Contemporary Poets, of whom, I would not have otherwise crossed paths. This is what originally inspired me to work with Ms Cox, as I loved her philosophy of finding the story-tellers you might overlook or never discover, if her keen eye hadn’t first introduced you to their collective works. She works yearly with poets and the story-tellers who choose Small Trade & Indie routes of publishing.

Read the Guest Post by Ms Vikram

Saris and a Single Malt is a slimline paperback collection of poetry, speaking to the humble heart of truths where life and death merge into the legacy of a soul. The collection is precipitated by a quotation about ‘life, loss, and recovery’ where you gather the ending result for the author is in accord with it’s truism about how as devastating as loss can bleed your heart and affect your emotional well-being, there is a turning tide where all will become calm, where memories return and love forevermore is a lasting impression upon your heart. Healing takes time, as hours cannot be measured nor grasped how long a period is needed to recover from the shock of a loved one’s absence and their death which permanently shook them out of our everyday reality.

In an unusual method of cathartic release, the poems, connective thoughts and essays are presented in a living sphere of conscious and emotional anguish as the author herself, flew back home to India to say her good-byes to her mother. An emotionally raw moment for anyone to come to terms with the sudden death of their Mum, much less for a writer whose pen can sometimes become unable to compel the words to fit against a blank page – somewhere in that emotional chaos, Vikram found her path towards healing her mind, spirit and heart through the words she’s left behind inside Saris and a Single Malt.

Quoted from my Review of Saris and a Single Malt

Quotes from the Blog Tour:

Chick with Books said of the collection, “Heartfelt, raw, honest and thought-provoking.”

Jorie Loves A Story said, “Vikram bleeds her emotions through words.”

Taken from this portion of my review: A harbinger of solemnity and of the truth of realising that you cannot escape the sorrows of your life, Vikram bleeds her emotions through the words of “I Write” with such heart-wrenching clarity as to be accurately representative of what you feel inside that moment of ‘how does time renew itself from here?’ How does one recover themselves to the point where ‘getting on’ with life doesn’t feel so empty and apathetic?

Diary of an Eccentric said, Saris and a Single Malt is a touching tribute to Vikram’s mother, a love song from a grieving daughter.”

Posted Sunday, 30 July, 2017 by jorielov in Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Birthdays & Blogoversaries, Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Bookish Memes, JLAS Update Post, Jorie Loves A Story, Jorie the Writer, The Sunday Post

The Sunday Post | No.2 | Lightning storms are enough to vex a book blogger’s spirit!

Posted Sunday, 23 July, 2017 by jorielov A Twisted Vengeance, Anne of Green Gables, Ashtyn Newbold, Candace Robb, Catherine Ryan Hyde, Charton Minster, Indy Writes Books, Jorie Loves A Story, Lies and Letters, M.J. Rose, Magic Sometimes Happens, Margaret James, Such Mad Fun, Susan Spann, The Crowns of Croswald, The Daughters of La Lune, The Library of Light and Shadow, The Sunday Post, The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds, When The Future Comes Too Soon 12 Comments

My participation in this meme was directly inspired by my new bookish friends: Avalinah + Savanah via this post!

Enter your link on the post- Sundays beginning at 12:01 am (CST) (link will be open all week)
Link back to this post or this blog
Visit others who have linked up

Hallo, Hallo, dear hearts!

Photo Credit: Unsplash Photographer Brandon Morgan. (Creative Commons Zero)

Lightning became a bone of contention, this week!

I found a photographer who actually captured those ‘thick & dense’ bolts I witnessed this past week! This wasn’t taken locally but lightning is ‘lightning’ and these bolts are super-strong! Look at that power!

If I had to contend with one lightning storm per day, I might not have felt as rattled as I had – but to contend with upwards of four lightning storms (due to circling storm systems) per day, it’s a wonder I have any hair left! I just felt like this was the week the monsoon season’s wrecking lightning storms were pushing me over the edge! I had to keep unplugging my electronics like a mad banshee – listening to the surge protectors shrill their sirens (for which electronic actually likes living without power?) and hoping against hope I’d have enough hours left to find in order to be able to continue with my plans to blog and review the books I had scheduled to appear this week.

Although most of the reviews posted, there were a few I had to hold back and of which will be read and reviewed next week instead (specifically The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds, When The Future Comes Too Soon and Magic Sometimes Happens) as I honestly could only find enough hours to post what I did. The worst bit is the severity of the storms makes me worry inwardly about the potential for tornadoes – as the skies can turn so violent, so quickly – it’s a wonder how I can appreciate rainshowers because the storms I am conditioned to having round me are such monstrous affairs, my nerves should be gone by now!

It is true – the Summer Season is our worst for storms (for most readers this is true I am sure!) but when your a blogger, it feels overly complicated because technically speaking, we rely on technology in order to communicate and to blog. Ergo, a lot about this Summer is reflective of the Summer of 2015 where I had a solid 90 days of lightning storms which of course cancelled a lot of posts and reviews I had planned that year – leading to a lot of books ending up on my backlogue list as a result of the insanity of what happened that fateful Summer where lightning was frequently causing me to be offline and disconnected. Last year, of course, by September we had an epic storm and this is how I lost my computer outright – as the storm killed a lot of my electronics. This year, despite knowing my new computer is fully insured and is replaceable isn’t a balm to my spirit because honestly, I love this computer and who wants to go through the heartache of losing another one?

I also saw a slight return of my chronic migraines – something which bothered me more than the lightning, as I have gone without them for several months now. They seem to re-appear when I least expect them in my life and they disrupt my days more than I wish they wouldn’t. I am thankful they only teetered on the edge of going supernova (those really aching migraines where only rest and no light will be of any help) and the medicine I take at the onset of them truly did help (as I prefer natural medicine over conventional choices as much as I can); but what bothered me a bit is they were trying to ‘resume’ where they left off. This also played into lost hours outside of the lightning issue as I cannot read digital screens when I’m in the throes of one nor can I spend a lot of time digitally engaged on my blog after one occurs. Whilst my migraines irked my ire in the background of my health woes – I was still recovering from the stomach flu this past week as well. *le sigh* Tricky balance this week!

I am amazed I was able to do as much as I did this week – including visiting new book bloggers and taking part in the memes – somehow I was even able to host my chat #ChocLitSaturday before the next storm overtook my region! Honestly, the lightning storms are a bone of contention, but I refuse to give in to defeat! I might not have been able to get to every story this week, but I am proud of the posts I was able to share with you.

Here’s to a new week and hopefully a reduction in storms! I’d like to get into Anne of Green Gables and start to make enroads towards working on #20BooksOfSummer, too! Let’s see what the week will bring and hopefully none of you are dealing with severe storms whilst you’d rather be reading and blogging!

My latest #WaitingOnWednesday!

The following story was sent to me in exchange for an honest review by the author and publicist.

.@JKSlitpublicity | #BookReview
debut #MGLit novelist @authordenight

She's charmed me dear readers w/ #Croswald!🔮✨
📚https://t.co/obNSmFY8Gg pic.twitter.com/KttDtHYXxI

— Jorie Story 📖🎧 (@joriestory) July 21, 2017

As I previously revealled – I was giddy about this #unboxing project since it was first pitched to me!! However, it was especially lovely getting the chance to read the novel! Despite the difficulties I had in finding ‘time’ to blog my thoughts about the story (ie. those naughty lightning storms!) – I was truly swept away by the world in which Ms Night created for us to find. Croswald has a lot of heart inside it and a lot of incredible magic. It is a literary find for those of us who are still captured by the unexpected and the fantastical! I was personally thankful this story was one I could read without feeling it went too over the top – there were moments I felt this was a story fit for an Upper Middle Grade reader, as it felt to me like it was written for readers who were ready to cross into YA whilst noting all MG readers would appreciate it – I think it would depend on each reader who finds it – as I stated on my review, even adults who love Fantasy are going to be charmed by this one! Read More

Posted Sunday, 23 July, 2017 by jorielov in Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Bookish Memes, The Sunday Post