What the Wenches Are Reading

Most of the Wenches have checked in this week! Summer in the Northern Hemisphere must be winding down, giving us time for reading and sharing our choices. Many of us are catching up on the great new releases that have hit our e-readers in the past month; new Kate Daniels, Chicagoland Vampires, and Downside Ghosts appear on our list several times. In addition to established favorites, we're also reading about FBI agents, fantastical worlds, English queens, and grim reapers.

Click through to see what we're reading. Don't forget to share your choices in the comments!



Amanda: I finished Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews. Stay tuned for a review. Now I'm at that crossroads of what to read next. Should I go back to A Clash of Kings, which is great, intense, but not much romance, or go for a lighter, sexier read? Decisions, decisions.

Anne: This week I finished up my Cut & Run reread and have reluctantly moved on to a reread of the Night Huntress series after hearing the devastating news that the upcoming book will be the last. :-(

Angela: I'm too busy this week to read, having done GISHWHES and recovering from the associated lack of sleep and the adrenaline rush of doing some really crazy things. Cartwheeling, anyone??? I've managed to start Brent Weeks book The Black Prism. I've read only a chapter, but looks like it will be very, very good.

Barbara: I finished Wrong Ways Down by Stacia Kane, and reviewed it yesterday here. I honestly haven't been able to focus on anything else since. I've done some writing, played way too much Candy Crush, and dabbled in rereading Biting Bad. Really, I just have too much going on to be able to focus on a new book. Although I have more awesome visits coming up, I'm looking forward to September when I can get back to my TBR list!

Beta: My reading plan while on vacation didn't quite go as planned. As it turned out, I didn't read a thing. But finally I've started reading Biting Bad! It's been a torture not having any time for Methan, but now I can give them the attention they deserve.

Care: This week, I'm reading Biting Bad by Chloe Neill, starting Sacrificial Magic by Stacia Kane, and rereading Cut & Run by Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux. Yes, all three at once. I love Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampires, and Biting Bad thus far does not disappoint. But being out of town makes it hard to find time to sit and read. So, I've been sticking mostly to a reread of Cut & Run, where I know the plot, enjoy the characters, and don't have to worry about missing major plot points while stopping and starting. Sacrificial Magic was my go-to read before I got Biting Bad, and I've been putting both aside a little for a time I can concentrate on them.

Donna:  This week I read Biting Bad and Magic Rises and enjoyed both very much. In Magic Rises, many of the characters went on a road trip, er ship trip, to try to obtain a very important medicine. Kate had some nice kick- ass chick fight scenes. In Biting Bad, Merit was in the wrong place at the wrong time—shocker! The GP was still causing trouble for Ethan, and the anti-vamp crowd was getting even more nasty. And...drumroll, please...this week I was thrilled to be chosen by Nicole Peeler to read a draft of Ocean's Edge, by Denise Townsend. I've had a major fangirl moment this week, being in love with Nicole's Jane True series. There are several other books in Denise's Oceans series available for Kindle. I'll report back once I've had a chance to catch up with this series.

Kathi: Reading The Lady of the Rivers, book 3 in Phillipa Gregory’s Cousins’ War series set during the War of the Roses in England. This book focuses on the mother of the White Queen, who is a much more likable character than the Red Queen I read about in the last book, and hers is a genuine love story. I also managed to watch the first episode of The White Queen TV series on Starz network and look forward to the rest. It’s really fun to see it all “come to life” while I’m still immersed in the series. (Am I allowed to consider this research for the Outlander series, being created for the same network? I’m just scouting the quality of Starz series in general, so I can set my expectations accordingly. *wink wink*)
   
Merit: I had a lot of hours to read on my way home from a long trip. Being tired, I looked for something light, so I started with City of Bones (YA), the first in Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series. My daughter told me it was made into a movie, that’s why I read it. The story was okay, with a few new takes on supernatural beings, while the plot was full of action and entertaining enough. My biggest issue was the inconsistent writing. Sometimes I felt as if the sentences were forced on the page. I wish the characters were more developed, and I felt as if the story could have been much better. After a few hours of drowsing, I started reading Biting Bad!!! *happy dancing* So good and delicious—Merit, Ethan, and their crew are stellar! Ms Neill is one of the best! Just one warning, don’t read it when you’re hungry; I almost ate my napkin reading about that deep dish.

Natalie: I did manage to get further in my reading of Fifth Grave Past the Light, but not too much further. Sadly, I’ve been rather busy with the end of summer, even with family having gone back to their respective homes. But I swear I’m working on finishing that and starting my Chicagoland Vampires reread. I know so many are waiting to talk to me about Biting Bad! I’ll get there soon, I promise!

Veronica: Reading? I've been GISHWHESing. No time for reading. Although I did get in a few pages of Point Pleasant, Jen Archer Wood's debut horror novel. I hope to be telling you more about it in September, when it releases.