The Saucy Wenches Book Club

Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin. It is, as far as he knows, the only way of coming downstairs, but sometimes he feels that there really is another way, if only he could stop bumping for a moment and think of it. And then he feels that perhaps there isn't. Anyhow, here he is at the bottom, and ready to be introduced to you. Winnie-the-Pooh. When I first heard his name, I said, just as you are going to say, "But I thought he was a boy?" "So did I," said Christopher Robin. "Then you can't call him Winnie?" "I don't." "But you said-----" "He's Winnie-ther-Pooh. Don't you know what ' ther ' means?" "Ah, yes, now I do," I said quickly; and I hope you do too, because it is all the explanation you are going to get. ~ The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne, illustrated by E.H. Shepard

It defies reason, really. Book series are supposed to slow down, get stale as they go on, particularly when installments reach double digits. But with the Chicagoland Vampires Series , the opposite has happened. These books were wonderful from the start, but they have continued to get better and better with each successive book. Midnight Marked is no exception. I'm not even going to pretend that I didn't love it, or tease what I thought and tell you to come through the jump to find out. No, I can't do that because this book was so spectacular that I cannot, even for a second pretend that it wasn't. So come with me through the jump and I'll gush in the most embarrassing fashion about this fantastic book, and probably about the author who gave us Methan and the gang and who can pretty much do no wrong as far as I'm concerned. Spoiler free, of course!

Fangirl Fridays - Chicagoland Vampires You know, as long as we've been around, I am shocked me and Barb haven't gotten around to writing a Fangirl Friday post on this series. I mean, yes, we've talked about this series a lot. And I mean a lot . We've done FF posts on both Merit and Ethan, on Merit's love of food here , Barb's talked about how awesome Chloe Neill is here . I went a little insane and wrote an entire post about ONE event in the series (A PILE OF ASH ON THE FLOOR!! *SOBBING*) and how it destroyed my life here . I've painstakingly gone through a billion people to get the dream fancasting just right for the series here . In fact, one click on our Chicagoland tag  here will show you we quote it on a regular basis and talk about the series a whole lot more than we do about other stuff.  We get pretty intense about CLV. Our love for this series and the author could not be more apparent. It's obvious in every nook and cranny of this ...

Besides, Mac would be fine, even without the spear. She had the cuff and she had Barrons at her side. When something like Barrons walked at a woman's side, he walked there forever, and not even death would come between them. He would never permit it. There was no place Mac could go that Barrons wouldn't follow. Not even that Hall of All Days. Feverborn ~~Karen Marie Moning

I wonder, pushed to the wall, stripped of all defenses, tested beyond endurance, just who might MacKayla Lane become? Burned by Karen Marie Moning Source

Feverborn : A Very Spoilery Discussion So, here we are again. Another year, another great book, and another chance for me and Barb to get down and dirty with the Fever world and really sink in hip deep to talk to you guys about it. It will get messy. And crazy. And inappropriate. And you might not hear it, but loud squeeing. I mean, by now you probably know that  KMM causes a lot of Wench squealing/screeching/shouting/cackling/sobbing etc. Most importantly, it WILL get spoilery!!!  Here there be SPOILERS! For those of you unwilling to wade through spoilers from Feverborn right now, stay safe with our NON spoilery Feverborn review here . For a Burned recap check out our review here and our spoilery discussion here .  The rest of you, follow us! 

"It is to confront fear, naked. No armor of bombast or machismo. Just duty, and love for one's fellows. Not love felt, not the love that compelled action without thought, but love chosen deliberately. I am the best person to do this thing, it said, though I may die doing it."

  It's a mixed bag of books at the Saucy Wenches this week! From a favorite fantasy author to a reread of a favorite series, to some important classics and a little smut, there's a bit of something for everyone in our list. Click through to see what we're reading this week!

The moment I turned the corner and saw the book store, towering, strong and timeless as the man, I nearly burst into tears. Happy to see it. Afraid one day I might turn the corner and not see it. Hating that I loved something so much because things you loved could be taken away. ~ Feverborn by Karen Marie Moning

Connection. It’s one of the reasons I love reading. I need that thread that pulls me into a story. I have to have that one character who it’s essential that they make it out alive once the series is done and dust. Or I really need these two characters to fall in love. Or sometimes, especially in dark fantasy books, I might, just need that character to be eliminated. Painfully or excruciatingly. What is it with me and needing authors to not be afraid to kill characters off? Maybe it says something about my reading tastes. So let's look at a few books that I disconnected from and some of the reasons why certain books haven't quite worked for me. Sorry in advance as I know some of the Wenches have enjoyed a few of the books and series below.

She had felt so helpless then, so utterly without recourse. She should have screamed. She should have bashed the duke over the head. She should have fought . In her memory of that night, her own silence mocked her most of all. She hadn't screamed, and because she hadn't, she'd felt silent ever since. The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan.

You know, it's a fairly well documented thing in homeschooling circles (and I've already gushed about homeschooling !), but in February? Everything goes all weird. The blahs set in, you don't want to do anything, it's just a miserable time of year. Having a fangirl moment over anything in February is hard. Hell, John Barrowman could turn up at my door - or Colin O'Donoghue ! - and I'd still have a hard time gushing over it. It's February, there's 18" of snow on the ground, and more falling from the sky. Even better, I just signed up for a new $10/month bill. To a *gym*. I'm a month late, though, so I get the good deals. Thing is, though... I haven't dreaded going. I've been turning up to the gym with alarming regularity, not because I'm a glutton for punishment, and certainly not because I love an elliptical machine more than I do my nice, warm bed (with its Powerpuff Girls blanket!!). No. I've been going to the gym and puttin...

"Just so you know, I practice Spanish   watching Dora the Explorer and playing GTA, so I know how to say payback, whore and weed. I hope you're impressed." Spotless , Camilla Monk

“You're Mad Rogan!" Leon burst out. "Yes," Mad Rogan said, his voice calm. "And you can break cities?" "Yes." "And you have all this money and magic?" "Yes." Where was Leon going with this? My cousin blinked. "And you look . . . like that?" Mad Rogan nodded. "Yes." Leon's dark eyes went wide. He looked at Mad Rogan, then glanced back at himself. At fifteen, Leon weighed barely a hundred pounds. His arms and legs were like chopsticks. "There is no justice in the world!" Leon announced.” Burn For Me by Ilona Andrews

Wench Review of Tessa Dare's Romancing the Duke . I've been stuck in a reading funk. It was bad. I couldn't pick up a book for months, and it was starting to depress me. I've always been the kind of person who is ALWAYS reading something. Anything. So going months without cracking open a book was just plain odd. But then came Feverborn (Talked about it here !) and Midnight Marked (CLV #12) and this year was starting to look a little better. But then... those books were so.freaking.good nothing else appealed to me! I picked up some smut, and it just wasn't doing it for me! Which is weird, because it usually does the trick when I'm bored and need something to read. Fast forward to me browsing my twitter feed, and reading Alisha Rai's tweets like I always do (because she's awesome, I've talked about her books here and here !) and I got curious about Tessa Dare! I got on my kindle and bought Romancing The Duke (Castles Ever After #1),  Say Ye...

Source At times these days I think of the way the sun would set on the farmland around our small house in the autumn. A view of the horizon, the whole entire circle of it, if you turned, the sun setting behind you, the sky in front becoming pink and soft, then slightly blue again, as though it could not stop going on in its beauty, then the land closest to the setting sun would get dark, almost black against the orange line of horizon, but if you turn around, the land is still available to the eye with such softness, the few trees, the quiet fields of cover crops already turned, and the sky lingering, lingering, then finally dark. As though the soul can be quiet for those moments. All life amazes me. ~ Elizabeth Strout, My Name Is Lucy Barton

There are a number of favorite authors on our reading lists this week, and a few of us taking chances on new authors. Click through to see what we're reading, and share your list in the comments below!

Mark was Mallory's sweet but aimless boyfriend. I gave them two more weeks. "Fine with me. Make him bring Chinese. But if he annoys me, I'll probably have to bite him." She rolled her eyes. "Vampire bitch." I shrugged and picked through another handful of cereal. "I'm just warning you, I'm probably going to be a total hard-ass vamp." Mallory snorted and walked out of the kitchen, calling out, "Yeah, well, you've got a purple marshmallow on your chin, hard-ass vamp." I peeled it away and , between my thumb and index finger, flicked it into the kitchen sink. Stuff like that was going to ruin my reputation. Some Girls Bite ~~Chloe Neill

www.goodreads.com I've been re-reading A Game of Thrones . I think this is probably the sixth time I've read the novel. As I read the words, the story comes back to me as familiar as always. I'm re reading in the vain hope that Winds of Winter might actually come out in 2016. At one point I had optimistically hoped that the book would be out before the next season of the show. Of course that plan has since been scuttled due to George R.R. Martin's Not A Blog post on January 2nd. My originally aim was to read one book a month from now until I'm up to date again. (This intention went out the window quickly as real life took over). On the plus side I now have plenty of time to finish my reread.  I've also found that actually I don't mind that much when Winds of Winter comes out. I know GRRM will do a great job and I can wait for that to occur. I'm also crazily thinking of trying to read A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons in tandem this time...

This Fangirl Friday is about my favorite food, PIZZA!!! I love all pizza, from the cheapest frozen pizza to the gourmet Chicago deep dish. Join me after the jump for a discussion of my love for any and all pizza!

I smiled faintly. One word: badass. I want to be Jericho Barrons when I grow up. Feverborn by Karen Marie Moning Source

“This is why there are few prophets. We end up dead a lot. The truth is offensive to men who love darkness.”

Click through to see what we're reading this week! 

"He didn't make it in spite of you, Merit. He passed because of you. Because that's who you are to him. You may not feel it--not right now--but he's changed. He is happy because of you. {snip} Ethan is a man of a type: strong, powerful, honorable. But he has always held himself back from the rest of his vampires. Partly because he's a Master, sure, but partly because he didn't quite fit. With you, he fits. He's no longer alone. He's part of a pair, and that's a really good thing." Blood Games ~~Chloe Neill

Source Besides, Mac would be fine, even without the spear. She had the cuff, and she had Barrons at her side.   When something like Barrons walked at a woman's side, he walked there forever, and not even death would come between them. He would never permit it.    There was no place Mac could go that Barrons wouldn't follow.   Not even the Hall of All Days. FEVERBORN by Karen Marie Moning

On New Year's Eve, I was doing what many other people were doing: reflecting on the past year, wondering if there was a resolution I should be making for the new year, and scrolling through my Facebook feed. Personally, 2015 was a mixed bag. It started off well enough - I finally talked hubby into a Caribbean vacation for the first time since our honeymoon. We had such a great time , I have a feeling it won't be so hard to talk him into it again. For our extended family, things weren't so rosy. Marital problems, financial problems, health problems - there were many sleepless nights. We pitched in to help where we could, and it looks like things are finally turning around. For the past few years, I've had the same resolution: make more healthy choices. At this point, I don't consider this to be a New Year's resolution, I consider this a way of life. I'll be thrilled if I can drop five pounds, happy if my weight stays the same, bummed if I gain five pounds...

“I’m Tetris Silas. All my pieces and parts are going to fit into all of your pieces and parts.”   Never Never, Colleen Hoover “If I were dead like Snow White and he kissed me like that, surely my heart would kick back to life. That I’d be the one to slay dragons for that kiss.”   Never Never , Tarryn Fisher

Readers, because we're awesome, and Karen Marie Moning is awesome, and Feverborn was SO awesome (Wench review  here ) and there's just a whole lot of awesomeness going around, Team KMM is doing a giveaway just for our amazing, Saucy readers!  YAY! Fever was a lot of firsts for us, our first few posts, out first group reread, first series we bonded over that had none of that team war stuff a lot of mediocre series were pushing at the time, first with a male lead you could NOT define (which I talked about here ), first relationship between leads you could not label.  Our fave relationship! Just... a lot of firsts for us. And we remember them all fondly. We've been worshipping at the Feververse altar since this was a newborn blog in 2012, in case you're in the mood for some light reading, or are new followers, here are some of our posts! (You can also see some great Fever quo tes by going through our Fever tag .) Three Reasons My Husband Hates My E-reader H...

“ What exactly was the difference? he wondered to himself.  And who decided which people wore the striped pajamas  and which people wore the uniforms?” The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

The One Where The Wenches Were In Fangirl Heaven Readers, we've been so overwhelmed by everything Fever that it's taken us a while to write down all our thoughts and share them with you! So far we've talked about the Wenches feeling the Fever here , a Feverborn NON spoilery review here , and Barb's excellent post with more details about how amazing our Fever weekend in New Orleans is here . As Barb mentioned, one of THE best things that weekend was the Q&A with Karen Marie Moning. We made it to the second session, and it's almost impossible not to be giddy and happy in Karen's glowing presence.  Look at the happy Wenches. Being on a KMM high is a VERY real thing. So Karen's already posted the transcript from the Q&As on her blog here , these are just what we took away from it and our thoughts on it! And some of our uncontrollable fangirling! Words fail us when it comes to Karen's sheer brilliance! Click through to read more!

His eyes said, Do you really want to call me Jericho? I thought about it a minute and was rather startled to realize I didn't. Jericho was...intimate. Jericho and Mac were a completely different entity than Ms. Lane and Barrons. They existed in a different place. A freer environ, a sacred one. And I liked that difference. I nodded, smiling faintly. His dark dyes gleamed with something appreciative, and I practically preened. You continue to evolve , his eyes said. Keep fucking me instead of worrying. ~ Karen Marie Moning, Feverborn

As life after Feverborn sets in, we're attempting to move on. A few of us were lucky enough to get ARCs for upcoming books in favorite series, while some of us are trying something completely different. And one lucky Wench is on holiday and too busy to read. Click through to see what we're reading this week! 

"Last call." Liam got up to retrieve the final pair of beers. He opened them and handed one to Robert, who grunted a thanks, then returned to his own seat. After a few sips, he said, "Let's live here." "What, in the park?" "Why not? It's only five quid a night." "They close for the winter next week," Robert said. "Then we'll stay in Luss." Liam nodded to the twinkling village on the loch's far shore. "I'll open a sport pub. A gay sport pub," he added with a chuckle. Playing With Fire by Avery Cockburn

The One Where the Wenches Become Maniacs Who Take Over New Orleans In October of 2013 Guest Wench Jennifer and I journeyed to New Orleans to Party with the Moning Maniacs to celebrate the release of Iced . We had such an amazing time that we've been looking forward to the next release party ever since. Well, this month was finally the next release party in NOLA, and while Jennifer wasn't able to make it (next time!) Zee, Anne, Amanda, and Natalie joined me and and we partied with the Maniacs. It was an amazing time, capped off with meeting the goddess Karen Marie Moning and having a few minutes to chat Fever with her.  Come with me through the jump and I'll share some of the highlights of the best weekend ever!