The Saucy Wenches Book Club

“Holly's forgiven you?" "Almost mostly. But she still gives me slack about it when she's sick. I take it as a husbandly badge," he said, puffing out his chest. "Sick? You told me she was fully immortal." "Yeah, but she still throws up some, because, well, the thing of it is... Ah, fuck, Rydstrom, I knocked her up." "You're going to be a father? Gods help the world. I'm going to be an uncle?" "I got Holly, like, on the first shot. Nix is calling me Bull's-eye and the WombRaider.”     — Kresley Cole, Kiss of a Demon King , Immortals After Dark series  * Cadeon art by Anyae (deviantArt)

You have to end the year with a Top Ten list, right? Well, we decided to follow tradition and share with you our Top Ten Books of 2012. These are not a countdown, but just a list of our favorites. It was a great year for book addicts fans of literature! We are confident that 2013 will bring just as much delight to our book-loving hearts, and we cannot wait to continue with old friends, wrap up the series that brought us all together, and discover new addictions treasures.   But first...The Saucy Wenches' Top Ten Books of 2012:

She put her arms around him…. “It will be all right, I promise.” “How do you know?” At the far end of the valley, at the edge of the fields, the door to the house had opened. “Because that’s what heaven is,” said Amy. “It’s opening the door of a house in twilight and everyone you love is there.”  —  Justin Cronin , The Twelve

“I was dead until you found me, though I breathed. I was sightless, though I could see. And then you came...and I was awakened.” ― J.R. Ward , Lover Awakened

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something. So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life. Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it. Make your mistakes, next year and forever.” ― Neil Gaiman

And the winner of the Alpha Showdown 2012 is (drums, please)... Source Curran Lennart! The annual contest organized by the VampireBookClub.net this year, by virtue of the 2,539 votes he received in the final round, awarded the male main character from Ilona Andrews's Kate Daniels series the title of 2012 Alpha Showdown Champion! Some of us were really peeved about it, some danced little happy dances while nobody was watching, and some were intrigued by the mofo who beat their precious Bones. But I doubt if there was a single Wench or PNR/UF bookworm who remained indifferent to the whole thing. For those who haven't read Kate Daniels , and for those who have but still can't understand why he won the Alpha Showdown, I'll try and play Mr. Lennart's lawyer in front of you. Because I love him. And because he pays well. Warning: Mild spoilers ahead. Source

  "The world is indeed full of peril and in it there are many dark places. But there is still much that is fair. And though in all lands, love is now mingled with grief, it still grows, perhaps, the greater." ~ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring , Book II, The Ring Goes South screenshotcomparison.com

Scenes that STILL make us Ugly Cry by: Zee the Terrible and Barbara Bones Some of the Wenches are criers. We're not ashamed. Sometimes the feelings that build throughout a story spill over and we just can't contain them. We become so attached to our characters that when their hearts break, ours do, too. Some of us are not criers, and that's okay, too. (Even if we secretly wonder if they have no heart. ;) ) We have assembled a baker's dozen of scenes or events that ripped our hearts out and left us crying ugly tears. You know, the kind where you can't catch your breath, and there are fluids pouring from your eyes and your nose, and you hope to whatever God you believe in that no one walks in to find you completely losing your shit over fictional characters. These are the parts of books that make us certain that our favorite authors are sadists who enjoy our pain, but at the same time ensure that we aren't able to function properly in real life for a few ...

My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Saucy Sex Scenes Eleven Funny Sayings Ten Kick-Ass Chicas Nine Naughty Excerpts Eight Most Wanted Novels Seven Dreamy Kisses Six Sexy Couples Five Hot Book Boyfriends   Four Supporting Characters   Three Characters Cities   Two Most Painful Endings and One Piece of Gandy Candy David Gandy for Twist Magazine (Source: davidgandyblogspot.com)

http://www.premierlife.ca   Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there. The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads. And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap. When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. Read the rest after the jump!

My True Love Gave to Me: Eleven Funny Sayings Ten Kick-Ass Chicas Nine Naughty Excerpts Eight Most Wanted Novels Seven Dreamy Kisses Six Sexy Couples Five Hot Book Boyfriends   Four Supporting Characters   Three Characters Cities   Two Painful Endings and One Piece of Gandy Candy David Gandy for Lucky Brand

"I’m coming, shithead!" I yelled. Yes, I should have known better. For, of course, it was not Roger or Fran. I threw open the door to find Declan Tyler standing there, looking half-insulted and half-amused. "Got a pet name for me already?" he asked. I could only stare at him blankly. "I thought you were someone else." He looked puzzled. "You were expecting someone besides me?"   ~Tigers and Devils , Sean Kennedy

My true love gave to me: Ten Kick-Ass Chicas   Nine Naughty Excerpts Eight Most Wanted Novels Seven Dreamy Kisses Six Sexy Couples Five Hot Book Boyfriends   Four Supporting Characters   Three Characters Cities   Two Painful Endings and One Piece of Gandy Candy www.dailymail.co.uk 

"I have mismatched eyes," he whispered, lifting his fucked-up stare to the king.  "But I have honor.  I'll do whatever has to be done to make it right... provided ," he said with sudden strength, "that no one makes me apologize.  That...I can't do that.  What Lash did was beyond wrong.  It was intentionally cruel and done to ruin John's life.  I. Am. Not. Sorry." ~J.R. Ward, Lover Enshrined BDB - Qhuinn - Ahstrux Nohtrum by ~teufelchenonline on deviantART

My true love gave to me: Nine Naughty Excerpts Eight Most Wanted Novels Seven Dreamy Kisses Six Sexy Couples Five Hot Book Boyfriends Four Supporting Characters Three Character Cities Two Painful Endings and One Piece of Gandy Candy Spring/Summer 2011 Mode ShortList Magazine  

"You have made a place in my heart where I thought there was no room for   anything else. You have made flowers grow where I cultivated dust and stones.   Remember this, on this journey you insist on making. If you die, I will not   survive you long."  -   al' Lan Mandragoran THE SHADOW RISING. THE WHEEL OF TIME SERIES. ROBERT JORDAN.   *pic from tumblr (I looked everywhere for the artist because I love the art! No luck..)

My true love gave to me: Eight Most Wanted Novels Seven Dreamy Kisses Six Sexy Couples Five Hot Book Boyfriends Four Supporting Characters Three Character Cities Two Painful Endings and One Piece of Gandy Candy Credit

"DEAR EDITOR:  I am 8 years old.  "Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.  "Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'  "Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?  "VIRGINIA O'HANLON.  "115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET. " VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.  Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty an...

My true love gave to me: Seven Dreamy Kisses Six Sexy Couples Five Hot Book Boyfriends Four Supporting Characters Three Character Cities Two Painful Endings and One Piece of Gandy Candy Source: tumblr.com

My true love gave to me: Six Sexy Couples Five Hot Book Boyfriends Four Supporting Characters Three Character Cities Two Painful Endings and One Piece of Gandy Candy Shot by Arnaldo Anaya-Lucca for M&S

"What if I tell you a story, instead?" Highlanders loved stories, and Jamie was no exception. "Oh, aye," he said, sounding much happier. "What sort of story is it?" "A Christmas story," I said, settling myself along the curve of his body. "About a miser named Ebenezer Scrooge." "An Englishman, I daresay?" "Yes," I said. "Be quiet and listen." I could see my own breath as I talked, white in the dim, cold air. The snow was falling heavily outside our shelter; when I paused in the story, I could hear the whisper of flakes against the hemlock branches, and the far-off whine of wind in the trees. DRUMS OF AUTUMN , Diana Gabaldon

Amanda: I started Caught Running by Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux. I'm not too far into it, but it's got me hooked. Anne: I finished The Hobbit this week and breezed through Matchless by Gregory Maguire. It's a nice little spin on the Little Match Girl story. I am also about ten chapters into A Feast for Crows . Lots of Jamie, which I like. But, also lots of Cersei, which I don't. Not sure what book I'm going to move on to now. Maybe I'll go back to Ty & Zane. Angela: Too busy cross stitching for Christmas to really read much. I've read around 10 pages only of The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. Bring on Boxing Day (26th December) when things will calm down again and I can get into this book. Barbara: I finished Dragonfly in Amber and raced through the first third of Voyager , the second and third books in the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. Now that I am in a place where my heart can once again reside inside my chest,...

My true love gave to me: Five Hot Book Boyfriends Four Supporting Characters Three Character Cities Two Painful Endings and One piece of Gandy Candy

Elizabeth is my happiness, he thought again. “I could hate her for what she did to me.” “Because of one unsuccessful beheading?” She tapped her claw to her chin. “Wow. I never thought you were such a pussy. I’m rethinking our friendship.”  ~Kresley Cole, Immortals After Dark series, Lothaire

My true love gave to me: Four Supporting Characters Three Character Cities Two Painful Endings and One Piece of Gandy Candy David Gandy for August Man Magazine (Malaysia)

“You are my courage, as I am your conscience,” he whispered. “You are my heart — and I your compassion. We are neither of us whole, alone. Do ye not know that, Sassenach?”  —  Diana Gabaldon , Drums of Autumn

My true love gave to me: Three Character Cities Two Painful Endings and One Piece of Gandy Candy July 2012 August Man Malaysia Magazine

                      “And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” ― Dr. Seuss , How the Grinch Stole Christmas

My true love gave to me: Two Painful Endings and One Piece of Gandy Candy via scatterations.tumblr.com

Another foot forward, and he leaned into her personal space, putting his lips near her ear. "In my bedroom, menage means two men simultaneously pounding a woman to orgasm and driving her so insane, she forgets her name and screams the roof down." Decadent ~~Shayla Black

My true love gave to me: One piece of Gandy Candy David gandy for Marks & Spencer

“The most important things are the hardest things to say. They are the things you get ashamed of, because words diminish them—words shrink things that seemed limitless when they were in your head to no more than living size when they’re brought out. But it’s more than that, isn’t it? The most important things lie too close to wherever your secret heart is buried, like landmarks to a treasure your enemies would love to steal away. And you may make revelations that cost you dearly only to have people look at you in a funny way, not understanding what you’ve said at all, or why you thought it was so important that you almost cried while you were saying it. That’s the worst, I think. When the secret stays locked within not for want of a teller but for want of an understanding ear.”    - Stephen King, The Body (Different Seasons)

 Picture from Book Riot. This is how my bedside table looks . I've always been a reader for as long as I can remember. I can't pinpoint the moment when I thought to myself that reading was going to be a lifelong love affair. As soon as I learned to read, I wanted to devour books. Anything from fairy tales ( Cinderella was a personal favourite) to Maurice Gee's Under the Mountain , I was hooked. (Although perhaps a tad scared when I first read Under the Mountain . And I'm still terrified of scary movies and books.) Thus began a journey that continues today. I still love the thrill of cracking open a brand new book, that smell of paper and the fact I'm about to embark on a new journey to places unknown. Each page I turn is a step into another dimension; a step towards the conclusion. Sometimes it's a race to reach the end, and at other times it's a slow meander, savouring each written word. After the jump are five of my most treasured books/ser...

"Terrible was...He was a miracle in a world without miracles, and she couldn't believe her luck. And there was nothing, absolutely fucking nothing, that she wouldn't do to keep him in her life. Because without him it wouldn't be a life at all." Home ~~Stacia Kane

Amanda: I haven't had much time to read, so I'm still re-reading Iced . Anne: I had to put down Pride and Prejudice to get in my re-read of The Hobbit before the movie comes out this week. I also finished A Storm of Swords . That damn George R.R. Martin keeps breaking my heart. I'll be starting A Feast for Crows on my commute this week. Angela : Still on Chasing Magic by Stacia Kane this week. There isn't much time for reading at present. Barbara: Dragonfly in Amber , the second Outlander book by Diana Gabaldon. Wench Kathi and I have had identical taste in books, since we started reading together, so she has been badgering encouraging me to read these books for months. Knowing how long each book is, and that there are seven, I'd been putting them off, because I knew I would get sucked in and never find my way out again. But two weeks ago I succumbed to peer pressure, and exactly what I was afraid of has occurred. I have several holiday projects I sho...