The Saucy Wenches Book Club

I Am Pilgrim , Terry Hayes

I almost let the best thing that ever happened to me to slip away because I was hung up on ideas of what I 'should' want. Sometimes there is no 'should', there is only one chance to grab on to happiness. Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh

Quick as lightning, she stooped and her hand shot under his kilt like a striking snake. Jamie let out a roar of sheer outrage and stood bolt upright with shock. He tried to turn, then froze as she apparently tightened her grip. “There’s men as are sensible,” she said to me, with a wicked smile, “and beasts as are biddable. Others ye’ll do nothing with, unless ye have ’em by the ballocks. Now, ye can listen to me in a civil way,” she said to her brother, “or I can twist a bit. Hey?” ~ Outlander , Diana Gabaldon

Rereads, sexy clergy, Highlanders, hit-men, and reading with loved ones filled up our reading time this week. Click through to see who's reading what. 

Love means seeing the beauty in the ugly, the light in the dark, and accepting that even if the lights are off, and I can't see what's in front of me, there will be something there to guide my way. Love means turning yourself inside out, handing yourself over to somebody else, and trusting them… trusting them to touch you, to handle you, to bend you, but never, ever break what you give them. Monster in His Eyes ~~J.M. Darhower

Collage by the supremely talented Wench Olga I've told you about my love of, my fascination with anti-heroes . A good number of my favorite anti-heroes are paranormal in nature, but I do love a good human anti-hero as well, and what could be better for creating an anti-hero than living in the mafia? Mob tales have fascinated me since I discovered The Godfather movies and then read the utterly amazing, way-better-than-the-movie book. I've also been working my way through the Dark Romance genre since last year, and Goodreads likes to enable my addictions so it recommended that I check out Monster In His Eyes by J.M. Darhower. My reading list had been languishing and the book sounded interesting, so I decided to take a chance. And this is one time that I'm so glad I tried something untested, because I devoured that book in twenty-four hours, then went on to read the other two in the trilogy, all within a work week! Come with me through the jump and I'll tell you w...

A few days ago, I received a new book, a book I was not sure I wanted to read. I opened it anyway and read the first few lines: Some say my story began when my parents were murdered. It did not. Others say it began when I died. They are wrong. I remember the pain. Okay, I was hooked and had to go on reading. I had to know what happened. She is telling the story, obviously alive, so what is that line about dying? What happened to her parents? That led me to ponder on the first few lines of books. What do I feel when I start my read, based on these sentences? Sometimes they hook me like the example above. Other times, they make me smile or wonder. Sometimes I close the book and never come back to it. I collected a few examples from books that most of us know and love, and I tried to remember my reaction to their first lines. It’s not easy; I’m biased because I already know the rest of each story, but I here’s what I came up with...

He smiled faintly, but his eyes were sad. "You know one of the best things about Dani?" The list was long.   "She feared nothing. Do you know what fear fears?" I inclined my head, waiting. "Laughter," he said.   "Your point?" I said stiffly, in no mood for more of his cutting insights. We'd accomplished nothing tonight but pissing each other off. Again. "Laughter is power. One of the greatest weapons we have. It can slay dragons and it can heal. Jada doesn't have it anymore. As long as she doesn't, she's more vulnerable than any of you seem to realize. Stop worrying about your idiotic 'things' and start worrying about her. Make her laugh, Mac. And remember how to do it yourself, while you're at it. Nice hair, by the way."  ~ Feverborn by Karen Marie Moning

I couldn’t teach her to be a doctor. But evidently I had, without meaning to, somehow taught her to be a mother. The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon Source

Want to read a swashbuckling adventure? An adventure where our heroes escape from one impossible situation after another? Where anything is possible if you know how to use a sword, a rapier, or a bow and arrow? Then this series might just be for you. Join our three heroes Falcio, Kest and Brasti as they try to save the world! After all three men can surely save a kingdom, can't they?  www.giphy.com After the jump a brief, non spoilery look at the Greatcoats series by Sebastien de Castell.

“Assume nothing,’” he said. The first chapter of the Tactics. “If we figure everyone might be a murderer, we’re less likely to be disappointed.”

It's quite a mix of titles this week, from rereads of Chicagoland Vampires and Outlander, to contemporary spy tales to swashbuckling knight tales to regency romance to mafia intrigue. Click through to see what's tickled our fancy this week! 

I wanted what most people wanted--love, companionship.  I wanted someone to touch. I wanted someone to touch me back. I wanted someone to laugh with, someone who would laugh with me, laugh at me. I wanted someone who looked and saw me. Not my power, not my position. I wanted someone to say my name. To call out, "Merit," when it was time to go, or when we arrived. Someone who wanted to say to someone else, with pride, "I'm here with her. With Merit." I wanted all those things. Indivisibly. Friday Night Bites ~~Chloe Neil

   “The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story.”   Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Aliens invade Los Angeles! I’ve had a theory lately about the proliferation of aliens on TV. Vampires were all the rage for a few years, with various comparisons drawn to a general feeling in Real Life of being sucked dry by the Evil Forces of Greed. Then the zombies shuffled in, as we stumbled around after the Great Recession trying to get our bearings and figure out how to survive in our new economic landscape. But lately there seems to be a rising number of aliens on TV — and I’m not just talking about the media circus surrounding the U.S. Presidential election shenanigans. Even The X-Files made a brief reappearance! A few of the new aliens have been invading Earth and setting themselves up as overlords, whether for nefarious or benevolent purposes. The recently aired Childhood’s End was a good example of this, based on Arthur C. Clarke’s classic book from the 1950s. But my favorite new sci-fi show is Colony , set in a not-too-distant, dystopian version of southern Ca...

"You bought Iron Man's car." "He is not even immortal." The clear disdain in Ethan's voice made me snort. "He's a fictional superhero. You aren't in competition." He's a very mortal superhero outside that suit," he said, looking over his car with an appraiser's eye."You've apparently put some thought into that."A man carefully considers his ride, Sentinel. And his rivals. This car will get us where we need to go, and it will do so very, very quickly.                                             Midnight Marked , Chloe Neill 

“Has he apologized?” “In the way that he apologizes. ‘I would do anything to protect you,’” I said, in a pretty good imitation. Mallory nodded. “He gave you an alphapology .” “What now?” “An alphapology. The apology made by the alpha male, which isn’t really an apology, but more a reason for insane behavior.” ~ Chloe Neill, Midnight Marked

Chicagoland Vampires are on a lot of our reading lists this week! Also thought-provoking erotica, a bestseller, some zombies, romance, and a little non-fiction are occupying our time this week. Click through to see who's reading what, and give us some suggestions in the comments below!

source: http://fuckyeahreactions.tumblr.com/ Ultimately, we've recognized the phenomenon of dyslexia but missed its significance - like archaeologists who've discovered a vast and elaborately carved gate but become so engrossed in its study that we've failed to realize that a magnificent city must lie buried nearby. Because we first recognized dyslexia as a learning disorder  rather than a learning  or processing style , we've paid little attention to whether dyslexic processing might also create talents and abilities. The Dyslexic Advantage by Brock L. Eide, M.D., M.A. and Fernette F. Eide, M.D.

As I'm sure regular readers are aware, a large portion of us Wenches are OB. SESSED. with Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampire series. The penultimate book in the series, Midnight Marked , was recently released and it was so, so good that Headwench Barb and I both decided to reread the entire series from the beginning. As it turns out, that was a really good idea for me. There was a lot from the earlier books that I have forgotten. And, reading through this time, with the knowledge that there is only one book left, I am finding a lot of questions I would like answers to. Statements that are made that haven't yet come to pass, or things I would like clarified or elaborated. I actually have so many questions, that this post will only cover Some Girls Bite . We may not get answers to these questions. But, who knows, maybe we will. Maybe the lovely Ms. Neill will satisfy all of our curiosities. She is pretty spectacular. She might be the one author that ties up all of the loose e...

Fair warning: This is a shameless self promotion post. We recently started an  Instagram account , and we want to tell you, our wonderful, Saucy readers, all about it! Sharing IS caring, after all. So follow us through the jump for a sneak peek into our brand spankin' new Instagram, and let us know what you think! Click through to read more.

I have no mercy or compassion in me for a society that will crush people, and then penalize them for not being able to stand up under the weight. The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Source The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien Happy 63rd Birthday to my Dad, who taught me to love reading through these books.  Love you, Dad!

Sometimes you come across an author and their work just seems to speak to you. That is exactly the situation with Brent Weeks. I haven't read a book of his that I didn't love and just can't get out of my mind. Such is the case with Weeks's book The Broken Eye (Lightbringer #3 ). Again, I simply adored it. I delayed reading this installment a year and a half as I wanted to read it closer to when the next book came out. Hopefully in August this year! What is it about Weeks's writing that has me coming back for more? Somehow he's managed to captivate this reader. I can't wait to see what's in store for the characters next. World building. Check.  Innovative magic system. Check.  Compelling characters. Check. After the jump let's check out what I thought of The Broken Eye . Mild spoilers.

“I don't know how well I can fight, or run, or judge, but when the blade comes, I swear on whatever they want me to swear on, I'll stop it, with my body if nothing else.”

Reading isn't good for a ballplayer. Not good for his eyes. If my eyes went bad even a little bit I couldn't hit home runs. So I gave up reading.  ~~Babe Ruth

The thought made me depressed for some reason, but I'd been a priest long enough to know that sometimes the best decisions were the ones with the most short-term unhappiness. ~ Priest , by Sierra Simone

The Gems of Vice and Greed is an absolute gem of a book (sorry, but it really is!) that serves as the latest installment in Colleen Gleason’s contemporary Gothic romance series. I was lucky enough to snag an ARC, and I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to share. As it turns out, this fast-paced paranormal mystery was just what I needed. I’d recently persevered through three books that seemed to take forever, and this fun, sexy romp was a fabulous antidote. In some ways, it reminded me of the Nancy Drew books I devoured in my youth, but with sexy times. And a hunky blacksmith who makes housecalls and likes to work shirtless. And a celebrated ex-CEO who moves to a small rural town to renovate a historic inn. And an elusive hidden treasure. And a decades-old murder mystery. And a real live (?!) ghost! So please join me after the jump for a spoiler-free closer look. I won’t keep you in suspense about my rating: I liked it!

He reclined on the sofa, sprawling across the full length of it. It was a largish sofa, but he was an even more largish man. Magnus curled in a heap nearby. "So while I read, you're just going to lie there. Like a matron reclining in her chaise lounge." "No. I'm going to lie here like a duke reposed in his own castle." Hah. He ought to recline while he still could. This wouldn't be his castle for long.  Tessa Dare's Romancing The Duke.     (Wench Review here .)  

Five Wenches and a Goddess: Feverborn2016 Authors are our rockstars. We've taken roadtrips to meet authors and planned vacations around books signings. I've been a very fortunate Wench with stunning experiences meeting authors, including some of my very favorite rockstars writers. We told you about our Wench outing to meet the absolutely fabulous Chloe Neill, and I shared my incomparable experience at the Iced Release Bash in New Orleans, then more recently at the Feverborn release. At those NOLA events I had the unmitigated joy of meeting, chatting briefly with, and listening to Karen Marie Moning. Before those weekends I had known that KMM (because she's so fabulous that initials are all she needs) wove spectacular tales laced with many of the most potent life lessons I've ever read, but what I found out was that she is also brilliant and unbelievably gracious. As if I wasn't before, I became a KMM Fangirl For Life. Come with me through the jump,...

“Can you imagine people wasting all those trees just to print news and translate information on paper? It’s so weird. Books are one thing. They last. But other staff? That’s just wasteful. I often think about what life must have been like for people before. Before the Nephilim and Zeniths. Before the Angel Technology. Before the Great War. Before the Cataclysm. Before the Orders. Before. They led such odd lives.” Court of Nightfall , Karpov Kinrade

Title: Backfire Series: A Vigilantes Novel Author: Keri Lake Genre: Romantic Suspense Release Date: Summer 2016

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

I was lucky enough to read an advanced copy of Patricia Briggs' ninth Mercy Thompson book, Fire Touched . I really enjoy the Mercy books. They are like meeting up with an old friend after a long separation. You just pick up right where you left off and it's like you were never apart. I love my time catching up with Mercy, Adam, Jesse, and the rest of the pack.   Fire Touched is a great addition to the series. We meet some new characters, catch up with some old ones, and encounter a few surprises along the way. I don't want to give anything away so, I will try to keep this as spoiler free as possible. Keep reading after the jump to see what I though about the newest Mercy book!

Oh yes, indeed, he'd just had sex. He'd just had mind-blowing, intense, sweet, amazing sex with a gorgeous, smart, sassy woman. And he couldn't freaking wait to do it again. And with that very happy thought as fuel, he grew a pair and went out to face the music. ~ Colleen Gleason, The Gems of Vice and Greed

Art by the fabulous and talented Wench Olga! We are once again honored to be a stop on Chloe Neill's blog tour, this time for the release of Midnight Marked, the second-to-last Chicagoland Vampires book. Barb reviewed the book yesterday, and of course Zee and I will be combing through all the juicy details soon. But today is release day and that means a giveaway here, and another from the Word Magician herself. But first!  A vampire’s grudges don’t stay dead long…   Merit is one of Chicago’s most skilled vampire warriors; these days, she doesn’t scare easily. But she and Master vampire Ethan have made a new and powerful enemy, and he won’t give up until he owns the Windy City.      With his last plan thwarted, he’s more determined than ever to watch Cadogan burn. Ethan has put the House’s vampires on high alert, but their enemy will stop at nothing, including pitting vampire against vampire… In this deadly game of cat-and-mouse, the stakes are life or ...

It's another mixed bag of books this week for the Wenches. We've got several new releases due out from authors we enjoy reading. We're also trying new authors, revisiting favorites, and picking up classics.  Click through to see what we're reading this week, then let us know what you're reading in the comments! Because we can never have enough books in our TBR lists!