The Saucy Wenches Book Club

"And this is your document scanner," Knight said as he cradled a long device in both palms. It was roughly the size of a ruler, just slightly thicker. "You know how to use one of these, right?" Knight asked Ty dubiously. "Push the button, scan the document," Ty answered obediently. "And no using it as a club. It's not built for violence," Knight admonished. "I only did that one time!" Ty argued. "And to be fair I'm pretty sure it was already--" "Can it, Grady. No more using sensitive tech gear to maim, understood?" McCoy interrupted. "Yes, sir," Ty said in a disgruntled voice. Source Fish & Chips by Abigail Roux & Madeleine Urban

Source I have always loved books and reading. Some of my earliest memories are of my dad reading me bedtime stories. Most kids would get fairy tales or children's books. Not me. My dad would read me his favorite books, namely, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings . Of course, I was too young to understand a lot of the plot. But, I loved hearing about Bilbo and Frodo​ and Sam and Thorin. I watched the animated movie of The Hobbit easily several hundred times throughout my childhood. And, I always requested one or the other of those books as my bedtime story. My dad was always more than happy to comply. His eagerness to introduce me, and later my siblings, to reading fostered a life-long love. Now, I have my own child: a three and a half month old boy. I want to be able to foster in him the same love of reading and books that my dad did in me. So, my husband and I are already laying those foundation blocks. A few of the other Wenches share desire to pass on their love of read...

“I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn't already know? I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race-that rarely do I ever simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant.”

Source Some light and fluffy romance, an epic saga, next installments in Wench favorites, and possibly some thought-provoking non-fiction are on our reading lists this week. Click through to see who's reading what, and share your picks in the comments below.

The female's voice was a low growl right in his ear. "We both know that you can get out of this if you choose to. In the blink of an eye, you can overpower me--you more than proved it back in the gym." "And the second?" "If I got to you once, I can do it again. And maybe next time I won't waste my breath trying to prove the fact that I'm your equal." "I am the King, you realize." "And I'm the daughter of a deity, motherfucker."  ~J.R. Ward, The King

I've had a hard time getting engrossed in any books lately, starting several but not getting very far into anything. Until last week when I read this article on Salon.com about the vast number of people who believe that the American Civil War was fought over States' rights, rather than the fundamental issue being slavery. I discovered that the article was an excerpt from the book The New Mind of the South by Tracy Thompson, a reporter and essayist born and raised outside of Atlanta, several generations a Southerner, who now resides outside of Washington D.C. Born and raised in Ohio, I've lived in the South for over a decade, and it still doesn't feel comfortable most of the time, leaving me with so many questions and wonderings about why Southerners think and feel the way they do, why they do the things they do. So anytime I can gain some insight, a glimmer of understanding, I will seek it. I tracked this book down, not terribly optimistic that it would hold my att...

“Sometimes you wake up. Sometimes the fall kills you. And sometimes, when you fall, you fly.”  Neil Gaiman, The Sandman, Vol. 6: Fables and Reflections

“Maybe I was destined to forever fall in love with people I couldn’t have. Maybe there’s a whole assortment of impossible people waiting for me to find them. Waiting to make me feel the same impossibility over and over again.”  ― Carol Rifka Brunt ,   Tell the Wolves I'm Home      

There is some great TV out there right now, especially genre shows, which makes me unbearably happy after a decade-long dearth of good TV shows. That topic could be an easy subject of fangirling, in itself. But today I'm going to focus on one great show, and even more specifically, one pair of characters on one great show. I don't often start watching shows from the very first episode, but as a lifelong lover of fairy tales, I had to check out Once Upon a Time when it premiered. I was hooked (haha, no pun intended!) from that very first episode, but in the middle of the first season my heart was broken when a character departed too soon, and I nearly gave up on OUAT. But the second season came along, bringing Captain Killian "Hook" Jones with it, and watching Hook and Emma dance around each other has kept me gleefully coming back week after week ever since. Join me after the jump and I'll tell you about some of the reasons I am fully on board the Captain...

“He kissed me with color, with drumbeat, and a surgeon’s precision.  He kissed me with who he was, the sum of his life—and it was all encompassing. I wondered what I kissed him with since I was only broken parts.”  Mud Vein , Tarryn Fisher

He leaned his head to me, his neck so close to my lips, I felt the heat coming off his skin. His breath was warm against my ear. His voice was a ragged snarl. "I miss you." This wasn't happening. "I worry about you." He dipped his head and looked into my eyes. "I worry something stupid will happen and I won't be there and you'll be gone. I worry we won't ever get a chance and it's driving me out of my skull." No, no, no, no......... We stared at each other. The tiny space between us felt too hot. Muscles bulged on his naked frame. He looked feral. Mad gold eyes stared into mine. "Do you miss me, Kate?" I closed my eyes trying to shut him out. I could lie then we would be back to square one. Nothing would be resolved. I'd still be alone, hating him and wanting him. He grabbed my shoulders and shook me once. "Do you miss me?" I took the plunge. "Yes.”  Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels #4) ...

I don't know about the rest of you, but, living in the polar vortex once known as Chicago, I am eternally grateful to finally be seeing some Spring-like weather. With Spring comes great things like green grass, flowers, leaves on the trees and, of course, babies. Be they human or animals, babies have always been a part of the idea that Spring brings new life. And, while we Wenches do love babies (just ask my 3-month-old, who is constantly showered in virtual hugs and kisses), the one thing we love more than babies, is hot men....with babies! So, for the latest Saucy Wenches Man Candy installment, I bring you celebrity men with babies!! Warning: Proceed past the jump with Caution. Possible ovary explosions ahead. **We Wenches didn't want to use creepy telephoto lens paparazzi pictures. So, some of them are pictured without their children. 

Source There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, There is a rapture on the lonely shore, There is society where none intrudes, By the deep Sea, and music in its roar: I love not Man the less, but Nature more ~ Lord Byron,     Childe Harold's Pilgrimage Happy Earth Day!

Source Spring is finally taking hold of the Northern Hemisphere, making us want to engage in some outdoor activities--reading outside. Veronica Roth, Tarryn Fisher, Diana Gabaldon, Tracy Thompson, and JR Ward are all on our reading lists this week. Click through to see what we're reading this week, and share your reading list in the comments below!

Zane moved toward the corner, nodding for Nick to join him. "Got anything we can cull the herd with?"   Nick stared at him for a few seconds, "I never realized how disturbing your accent is until you use cow analogies."   Zane fought hard to keep his face as deadpan as Nick's. "Yeah okay, say car." Ball & Chain ~~Abigail Roux

I love technology and all those cool kinds of electronic gadgets that come from it: digital cameras, computers, iPods and mp3 players, iPhones and other smartphones, iPads and various other tablets and mini-tablets, media players, and other whatnots that are out there. All these devices in different types, shapes, sizes, and colors, luring us with the many cool things we can use them for. However, I admit that even though I love all this technology — own and use some of these devices a lot — I often think it's a bit too much and overwhelming, and that we've started to forget, all too often, to put it down and communicate with each other the old-fashioned way rather than through the Internet or with our eyes on the screens... but that's not what I want to talk about today. One of those cool electronic devices that I love is the e-reader. The magical gadget that allows us to take our whole library with us whenever we want, wherever we want. I own one, and I absolutely...

Hello hello! I’m Heidi Belleau, and welcome to the Riptide Books “Straight Shooter” blog tour! Straight Shooter is the third (and final?) novel in my Rear Entrance Video series, and is the story of roommate Austin, a homophobic hockey player with a kinky secret . . . and the Dominant porn star who helps him get his act together. For the next two weeks, I’ll be hopping blog to blog giving you an inside look at the novel . . . and also giving away a prize! Read on for details! Thanks to The Saucy Wenches Book Club and to all of you for tuning in! (Follow us through the jump for an interview with Ms Belleau, a giveaway, and a review of  Straight Shooter !)

"You can’t be with someone else effectively, unless you can stand to be alone with yourself," he declared. "Being part of a couple isn’t the final answer. It can’t define who you are." ~ Thwonk by Joan Bauer

FANGIRL FRIDAYS : RUSSELL BRAND. I'll admit, lately I haven't been much for fangirling. The world around us has been depressing me to no end, and I've struggled to see the silver lining in everything. So I was kinda lost when it came to who or what I would feature in my Fangirl Friday post. Until of course, I went back to my youtube history and rewatched a few videos. Russell fucking Brand. The man and his ideas. That's what brought a flicker of hope to my heart when I felt like humanity was beyond redemption for those few dark hours late at night. And that's what I'll share with you today.  Just look at that delightful laugh...

She either loved him the way he was, which was no good for her, or she stopped loving him. But there's the problem with love--also like water, it works its way into every crack and crevice of a person, and it can break you worse than any sorrow. She couldn't stop herself from loving him, not just like that with a  snap of fingers and an iron will, but she could refuse to let it break her. Flying ~~Megan Hart

"Hey," Nick grunted. "Marriage is just a word for some people, but for others it's a fucking sentence, okay?" Zane was holding his side. "Oh my God, marriage puns! Oh my God...." Source Ball & Chain by Abigail Roux

My TBR. So it's April already and our Goodreads book group is frantically trying to whittle down their TBR's. We know this is an impossible task. Each month we have four Books of the Month . It provides us with a great way to read books we might not normally read. (stop recommending so many great books. Do you know how many first-in-series I've read in the last year and half?) Just kidding. I love being exposed to authors I never knew existed. We like to have four books as it gives everyone a chance to hopefully find one they would like to read. So let's take a look at what we are reading this month. Please note book blurbs are included in the descriptions below.

“Sometimes men want what they don't have because they don't have it. Even if everyone offered to share, they would only want the share that wasn't theirs.”   

Source   A few Wenches are relishing their buddy read this week, while others are trying overcome a very busy real life to fit in some reading escape. Still others are working on Classics of literature or new treasures. Click through to find out what we're reading, and share your reading list in the comments below.

Our blind trust in the system is the product of ignorance and magical thinking, and there was no way in hell I was going to trust my son's fate to it. Not because I believed he was guilty, I assure you, but precisely because he was innocent. I was doing what little I could to ensure the right result, the just result. If you do not believe me, go spend a few hours in the nearest criminal court, then ask yourself if you really believe it is error-free. Ask yourself if you would trust your child to it.  ~William Landay, Defending Jacob

Ever hear of wanderlust? Every other weekend, Stella buys a ticket on the next flight out of town and leaves her life behind. Home is a place with too many memories, and departure is the sweetest possible distraction. As soon as she arrives at her destination, Stella visits the airport bar. She orders a drink and waits for the right guy to come along. A bored businessman, a backpacker, a baggage handler just off shift. If he's into a hot, no-strings hookup, he's perfect. Each time is a thrilling escape from reality that gives the term layover a whole new meaning. When Stella meets the enigmatic Matthew in Chicago one weekend, she hits some serious turbulence. Something about him tells her she's not the only one running from the past. The connection between them is explosive, and for the first time, one taste is not enough for Stella. But returning to find a gorgeous man waiting for her is the easy part & facing the reason she's there is a whole other matter. ~~From...

“Let me go now, Lucan.” “I can’t do that.” He took her hand and lifted it to his lips. His mouth was warm and soft on her fingertips, weaving a spell around her as only he could do. He brought her hand closer, pressing her palm to his chest, to the heavy throb that beat against his ribs like a drum. “I can’t ever let you go, Gabrielle. Because whether you want it from me or not, you have my heart. You have my love, too. If you’ll accept it.” She swallowed hard. “What?” “I love you.” The words were low and earnest, a caress she felt deep inside of her. “Gabrielle Maxwell, I love you more than life itself. I’ve been alone for so long, I didn’t know enough to recognize that until it was nearly too late.” He stopped talking then, searching her eyes intently. “It’s not . . . too late, is it?” He loved her. Joy, pure and bright, poured through her to hear those words coming from Lucan. “Say it again,” she whispered, needing to know that this moment was real, that it would last. “I love you,...

I've spent a good deal of time umm-ing and arr-ing about what I should gush about this go. I've never been one to gush all over about a certain celebrity and what they're doing, or a sport, a game, or really anything but books - and we cover that pretty well every other day of the week! Then it occurred to me. I spend an awful lot of my time doing several specific things, things I love, and things that don't get gushed about enough. And so, a Fangirl Friday was born! Homeschooling. I know, right? Not the typical fare for a book blog. Follow me through the jump to see what it is I love about homeschooling, and just how it relates to books and a love of reading!

My vampire creator told me this:  ...Sometime in your life, Allison Sekemoto, you will kill a human being. Accidentally or as a conscious, deliberate act, it is unavoidable. The question is not if it will happen, but when. Do you understand?... I didn't then, not really. I do now. The Immortal Rules , (Blood of Eden #1), Julie Kagawa

I sat down in the middle. “So,” I said to Darryl, “do you think Korra is going to be as good an avatar as Aang?”  “Who’s Aang?” he asked.  “You started him with Korra?” I accused Jesse.“That’s not okay. It’s like reading the last chapter of the book first.”

An action hero's essential arsenal requirement . When should an author end a series? You know the drill. 200 books down the line and you're thinking "enough already!!!" Perhaps you have doggedly followed the author. Loved the first 4 or 5 books and just want a satisfactory ending for your favourite characters. You've stuck with the author through thick and thin. Stalked them on Tumblr and Twitter. Joined the Goodreads and Facebook groups as you dissect every single action that was ever undertaken through the novels. Whether Eleanora has porridge for breakfast or it you really can survive on a diet of coffee and takeaways. I'm still trying to work out how coffee can keep the motor running with all the leaping and jumping the heroine / hero has to undertake in a day. I need to remember to include a bucket-load of sugar into my caffeine hit. But it is possible in a novel. But after a while a series gets to that point where fresh ideas are starting to wan...

“It’s about time you showed some sense. You should be afraid.” “I’m shivering because I’m freezing.” “You’re cute when you’re afraid.” I give him a dirty look. “Yeah, you’re cute when you’re afraid, too.” “You mean I’m devastatingly handsome when I’m not afraid. Because you’ve never seen me afraid.” ~ Susan Ee, World After

A buddy read, a new find, some old favorites, and giving up on a well-loved series are all on the Wenches' plates this week. Click through to find out what we're reading, and share your reading list in the comments below.

Kids are exhausting. Gifted kids are exhausting plus emotionally draining. Twice-exceptional kids are exhausting with a double side of emotionally draining, all deep-fried in guilt and smothered in a tart regret sauce.  Tasty, tasty parenting. Jen Merrill,  If This is a Gift, Can I Send it Back?: Surviving in the Land of the Gifted and Twice Exceptional

I was lucky enough to be approached with an ARC by author Brian Robert Smith for his debut novel Purified. It isn't the type of book I would normally read, being part horror, part sci-fi, but I have to say it was a thrilling read for me. Sometimes it's nice to step out of my normal genre comfort zones and be pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed a book. Blurb from Goodreads: "There's no use trying to escape. You're miles from anywhere. You have no clothes, no food, no money... You're dead, Mason." As far as everyone else is concerned, Mason Bushing died over a year ago, but now he's running from Dr. Harlow who is secretly conducting an unauthorized experiment for a drug he calls Purify. It saved Mason's life, but Mason is focused on getting what he wants most-his old life back. His plans change when he realizes his wife is more interested in the insurance money she inherited than seeing him alive. His best friend doesn't believe his ...

"There is no such thing as equality for some. Equality must be for all. That is what freedom is. That is what liberty is. No human being is born more or less important than any other. How can we allow ourselves to forget that? What simpler truth is there?" ~ Wide Awake by David Levithan

Man Candy : Game of Thrones special edition. In honor of the new season of HBO's Game of Thrones, which starts this Sunday (the 6th) we figured we'd help ease you into the intense, tragic and somber world of Westeros with some Man Candy. Wench Amanda talked to us about the HBO series and the book series in this post in preparation, and I'm here to reintroduce you to the pretty people we see in the series (or saw in the last few seasons, before they were so cruelly taken from us. To avoid spoilers I'm not mentioning which characters are dearly departed.)  So click through to see which of the guys made the list!  Goes for the guys on this list! ;)

I put my hands on my hips and turned toward him. This seemed to amuse him more. "Adrian, we're focusing on Jill here. This isn't about your personal entertainment." "Not true," he said, green eyes sparkling. "Everything's about my personal entertainment. The world is my stage. Keep it up--you're becoming a star performer in the show." Bloodlines ~~Richelle Mead

He took a deep breath and let it out, grumbling to himself. "I'm going to fucking die in Scotland." Source Ball & Chain by Abigail Roux

Or How I Learned to Stop, Smell the Pig Shite, and Fall in Love with the Fifth Book in Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander Series A young White Sow dreams of all the food she’ll be eating to grow into her role in this book As the wait for the new Outlander book and television series drags on (and oooooonnnnnnnnaaaarrrggghhh), many fans have been rereading the first seven books in the series. Fascinating online discussions abound as to the motivations of the characters, the nuances of meaning within various scenes, and future possibilities and foreshadowing. Amongst enthusiastic effusions about all things even remotely associated with our beloved series, I’ve seen one recurring subject of complaint. People like to pick on The Fiery Cross . “It’s too slow.” “It doesn’t have enough action.” “Where’s the mystery?” So during my recent reread, I set out to take a few notes about memorable moments. But I gave that up early on. There were far too many. Because the book was like a beautifu...

“Vlad hated doing the paperwork as much as he did when a human employee quit, which was why they'd both made a promise not to eat quitters just to avoid the paperwork. As Tess had pointed out, eating the staff was bad for morale and made it so much harder to find new employees.”