Spring is finally here, there’s some pep coming back into my step, and we’ve got some more juicy Wyrd & Wonder tidbits for you! Down the rabbit hole, adventurers…

The Power of (Top) Five

As it’s our fifth birthday, we’ve got some weekly discussion/list prompts for you! We’re going to be working through them in the order below, but that is by no means a rule – you’re free to tackle them in any order you please, or even pick and choose your prompts!

Top Five Fantasies since last Wyrd & Wonder

This one is theme-free, since a year is a long time and there’s been a smorgasbord of great fantasy lately. Share with us your five favourites, any flavour, from the last year.

Top Five Forest Fantasy Recs

But let’s not forget that we do indeed have a theme this year! Wood symbolises a fifth anniversary, so this year we’re riffing on forest fantasy. If you’ve got favourites in this subgenre, we want to read about them! And as always, there’s room for interpretation here – it could be a full forest setting, or it could feature woodland creatures, magic trees, or myths and legends involving any and all of the above. Let your imagination loose!

Top Five Books Featuring Our Wyrd & Wonder Mascots

We love mythical beasties here at Wyrd & Wonder HQ, and for this prompt we want to shine a spotlight on them! The list includes: dragon, phoenix, pegasus, raven and wolf. You can pick and choose a critter, mix it up and include several (or all!), or just focus on your particular favourite.

Top Five Single-Serve Fantasy Reads

Short fiction deserves love too, and for this one we want you to give it some! Whether it’s novellas, novelettes, short stories, magazines or anthologies – what are some of your favourite bite-size tales?

Top Five From a Favourite Fantasy Subgenre

Everyone’s got their favourite flavours, and there are so many to choose from. It’s like ice cream in bookish form. What satisfies your metaphorical sweet tooth? Put together a basket, and let’s have a picnic!

Prompt Challenge

It wouldn’t be Wyrd & Wonder without our month-long prompt challenge, and if you’re new to it, don’t worry – this one can be tackled in whichever form you like! Take pictures, write discussion posts, tweet us your selections, make an Instagram post, whatever works!

 

 

 

• May 1: Best laid plans (your Wyrd & Wonder TBR)
• May 2: Can’t wait to read
• May 3: #TropeTuesday – Enchanted wood
• May 4: Woodland creatures
• May 5: 5-star fantasy reads
• May 6: Mythic fantasy (celebrate a subgenre)
• May 7: Say what? (Fictional languages)
• May 8: Undergods (minor deities, demi-gods and divine helpers)
• May 9: #MapMonday
• May 10: #TropeTuesday – Don’t leave the path
• May 11: Weapon of choice
• May 12: Step into another’s shoes (what character would you be?)
• May 13: Epic fantasy (celebrate a subgenre)
• May 14: A book within a book
• May 15: #ShelfieSunday
• May 16: Current read
• May 17: #TropeTuesday – Spirit of nature
• May 18: Fantasy landscapes
• May 19: More than meets the eye (shapeshifters)
• May 20: Dark fantasy (celebrate a subgenre)
• May 21: #StackSaturday
• May 22: Bite-size delights (novellas or short stories)
• May 23: Book rainbow
• May 24: #TropeTuesday – Forest guardian
• May 25: Love it or loathe it (cover art tropes)
• May 26: #ThrowbackThursday
• May 27: Portal fantasy (celebrate a subgenre)
• May 28: Imaginary verse (poems or songs from books)
• May 29: Spine poetry
• May 30: Wyrd and Wonderful (a book you read because of a Wyrd & Wonder rec)
• May 31: Fave Wyrd & Wonder read

Read-alongs

If you love to get deep in discussion of a good book, why not give one (or both!) of our annual read-alongs a try? Imyril and I have picked a pair of personal favourites for you this year – check out our chosen titles…

 

In the town of Fairfold, humans and fae live side by side. And between the two, deep in the woods, a lost prince lies sleeping.

Hazel and Ben grew up playing at being heroes, and dreaming of rescuing their prince. But then one day he wakes up, and these two siblings learn that not all childhood dreams come true the way they’d always imagined…

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black one is a recent favourite for me, but I can’t wait to dive back in and get into discussion! Let’s go down to the woods…

 

Imyril will be your host for a read-along of Guy Gavriel Kay’s The Summer Tree, an epic portal fantasy flavoured by Celtic and Norse mythology.

Five students find themselves magically transported to Fionavar, First of All Worlds – but this is no magical vacation. A dark god is on the rise, Fionavar’s King is reluctant to make a necessary sacrifice, and all that stands between the realm and the forces of evil is the mage Loren Silvercloak – and his chosen five…

I’ll be joining this read-along, because honestly how tasty does this book sound? Yes, please.

 

Master Schedule

This year’s master schedule is up and open, to help everyone keep track of who’s posting what, and where. All participants are welcome to add their links, either in May as we go along or even in advance if you’re the super organised type. This list keeps your hosts from going entirely insane each May, so please do make use of it!

Join the Party

If you stumbled upon this post and you’re not entirely sure what’s going on, here’s the deal!

If you’d like to join us officially, we have a sign-up form open – but don’t worry, this isn’t mandatory! It’s entirely optional, but as I said, organisation helps everyone stay on top of what’s happening throughout the event.

Oh, and if you do sign up using the form, there’s a chance of winning books or bookish goodies! Orderly queue, please. Look for more info on our giveaways in the April update.

If you don’t want to sign up officially, no worries! You can always follow the goings-on either here or at There’s Always Room For One More, as imyril and I will be in charge of putting together weekly round-ups as always.

You can find us individually on Twitter as @imyril (her) and @deargeekplace (me), and also check in with our fellow co-hosts @joriestory, @signourney and @queenzucchini. The Twitter handle for the event is @wyrdandwonder.

We’re also on Instagram this year! Follow us there, also at @wyrdandwonder, for picturesque updates and highlights!

 

That’s all for the moment, but we’ll have a final pre-event update for you in April with even more to share!

 

IMAGE CREDIT: Wolf by chic2view on 123RF.com

This artwork is not royalty-free, but it has been licensed for use for this event online. You are welcome to use our banners, but we ask that you refrain from making any changes except to resize as needed. Please, always credit the artist!