What the Wenches Are Reading

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“I was born on the night of Samhain, when the barrier between the worlds is whisper-thin and when magic, old magic, sings its heady and sweet song to anyone who cares to hear it.” 
― Carolyn MacCullough, Once a Witch


Amanda: I'm still on Outlander. I have hardly read at all this week. Pee wee football has taken over my life!! We're about to go into playoffs! 

 Angela: Very little reading done yet again. I've managed to read another couple of chapters of Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. Life is just being hectic at present and thus leaving very little down time.

 Anne: I didn't do much reading this week. We spent Saturday and Sunday at Illinois State University, my and my husband's alma mater, so I spent the week cleaning and packing for us and toddler Wolverine. We had a couple retirement parties and the anniversary of a performance organization we were involved in to attend. We saw a bunch of old friends and professors, we closed down the bar for the first time since college, it was a great weekend. I did finish Mockingjay last week. I'll be starting Outlander #4, Drums of Autumn, tomorrow on my way to work.

 Barb: A friend had recommended a few books, so with nothing else pressing on my TBR I picked one up. And I'm pretty sure I'm DNFing it. Don't tell her, okay? It's just not working for me, too many problematic themes, too many things that are squicking me out. That's as far as I got with reading last week, but I did binge-watch the entire first season of Jane The Virgin! And I'm looking to read something really scary for Halloween this week, as I have nothing else on my plate. Any suggestions, Saucy Readers?

 Care: Sick. Very sick. In fact, sick enough that deep cleaning the *entire house* sounded like a great idea.  All the same, since last report, I've finished Touch & Geaux, Ball & Chain, Crash & Burn, Shock & Awe and Cross & Crown. I love the C&R universe. It's always so nice to come back to, especially when I'm under the weather and really just want some old friends.  

 Donna: Where is the time going? We're already into the last week of October, and I have hardly read anything all month! This is a sad state of affairs. I was understandably distracted by my beloved Blue Jays making the post season for the first time since my college-age daughter was a baby. Yeah, I guess that's it. Since the baseball season is sadly over for me, I think I'll begin Career of Evil, Cormoran Strike #3 by J.K. Rowling (masquerading as Robert Galbraith). According to the book description, it begins with a severed leg - just the thing for Halloween week, hey? Happy Haunting everyone.

 Kathi: I made some progress with reading and listening to Dune. What a fascinating book! No wonder I loved it so much back in the day. The world building is stellar. The way that it blends politics, religion and mythology, interstellar corporate intrigue, ecological issues, and cool technology is no longer singular, but it made a lasting impression on me at the time because it was the first book I’d read to do this. I was a little concerned about reading this book so soon after finishing A Song of Ice and Fire, since they’re both set in richly complex worlds populated by hordes of characters, but my enjoyment of Dune isn’t suffering. This riveting story has completely absorbed me.

 Merit: Alice Clayton does it again. I just finished her new book Nuts, the first book in her new series, Hudson Valley. It was smart, funny, sassy and tasty, OH so tasty. If you read Wallbanger, you know what I’m talking about. I laughed out loud so many times. The witty banter between Roxie, the chef and Leo, the farmer, is hilarious and deliciously sexy. The supporting characters are great, even the location of that small town is a beautiful supporting character. Don’t read this story without at least one piece of cake in your hand, preferably three pieces.

 Zee: After a couple of months of not being able to really get into reading anything. I found Sherry Thomas. And you guys, I'm in love. I thought I'd pretty much read it all when it came to Regency romances, but my God! She's amazing!!! I first read Not Quite A Husband. Which was.. so different. It reminded me so much of The Far Pavilions I watched as a kid with my mom, minus all the unnecessary brownface. I had a couple of issues with some things in the book, but overall, was intrigued. I then picked up His At Night, and wow. Fell a little bit more in love. The Luckiest Lady in London blew me away. By far my favorite. And I just finished Private Arrangements. These books are so much more than just romances. They're interesting. And show women VERY differently than most of the genre. I am enjoying these a lot.

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