The Saucy Wenches Book Club

"My love is like a candle. Carry me with you and I'll light your path. Forget me and I'll burn your fucking house down." Charley Davidson #10 by Darynda Jones

Real life is keeping some of us away from our regular reading, because it's selfish like that. But the rest of us have been trying to get in as much reading as we can!  As always, we've got some brand new reads on our lists as well as old favorites which demand to be reread! We hope you find something new to add to your ever growing TBR!  Click through to see what we've been reading. And feel free to share your reads of the week with us, or recommend something in the comments below!

“…He said there is a place in Gaul, the oldest church in their part of the world, where some of the Latin monks have outwitted death by secret means. He offered to sell me their secrets, which he has inscribed in a book.” The abbot shudders. “God preserve us from such heresies, he says hastily. “I am certain, my son, that you refused this temptation.” Dracula smiles. “You know I am fond of books.” ~ The Historian , Elizabeth Kostova

What are you using to control the thrust?” asks Frank. “ What is that? ” yells Klank. “Thrust!” repeats Frank, now shouting above the building roar of the rockets. “The amount of energy the engines are pushing out!” “ OHHHhhhh, ” says Klank, bouncing off the brick wall INTAKES, PUMPS & MANIFOLDS TURBINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD 47 of the back of Grampa Al’s Fix It! shop. “ I have not figured that ooooouuuuuuttttt . . . ” Frank Einstein and the Electro-Finger by Jon Scieszka

If you've been following along with our What the Wenches are Reading posts, you'll know that I recently listened to The 5th Wave trilogy by Rick Yancey. I will admit, I saw the preview for the movie in front of.....something, I can't even remember which movie I was there to see, and I was intrigued. Then, my dad said he had read the first one and enjoyed it. That's all the recommendation I need, so I figured I would give them a try. I was not disappointed. It's not the greatest trilogy or series I've ever read, but it was quite enjoyable. It was also a little different from the others I've read. Join me after the break to read some spoiler free (or at least spoiler light) thoughts on this series.

This year I decided to myself I was going to read more books written by men.  It seems that over previous years I've tended to read a lot of female authors. What that translates to, is I haven't been reading very many fantasy books!! That's all changed this year and I thought I would share with you some of the authors I've discovered. This is new to me fantasy, where I've been reading the author's first series and it's been a lot of fun.  The imagination and worlds these authors have created has truly been a pleasure to read. I can't wait to see what new works they produce in the future. Let's have a brief rundown of three great series. Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne by Brian Staveley, The Bloodsounder's Arc by Jeff Salyards and Greatcoats by Sebastien de Castell. There are great authors to watch for in the future. Their storytelling brings the Annurian Empire, the Syldoon Empire and Tristia to life.

There went my Zen moment of tranquil chi. Blackout rage, aisle five.  Destined for an Early Grave ~~Jeaniene Frost 

Just hit me with the dick talk, I can take it,” Owen groaned.   “You can take the dick?” Kelly deadpanned.   Owen stared at the camera, and Kelly fought hard not to grin. He finally lost and snorted, unable to pull a straight face to match Owen’s. Part & Parcel by Abigail Roux

"A man only learns in two ways, one by reading, and the other by association with smarter people." Will Rogers And you get both with the Wenches! Click through to see what we've been reading this week. And share what you've been reading in the comments below! 

“He wanted to care, he wanted to care so badly, but there was this gap between what he felt and what he wanted to feel, a space where something important had been carved out.”

Every time I think I'm getting wiser, more in control of my actions, I go slamming into a situation that makes me excruciatingly aware that all I've succeeded in doing is swapping one set of delusions for a more elaborate, attractive set of delusions--that's me, the Queen of Self-Deception. Shadowfever ~~Karen Marie Moning

Source Way back at the beginning of June, 25 Summer Books You Can Take To The Beach popped up on my Facebook newsfeed. I was curious and, with a long summer ahead, motivated to indulge. I shared the list with my fellow Wenches, and some of us decided to partake. We each selected one or more books and promised to come back and share our thoughts with each other and you, our dear readers. It's mind boggling how quickly the summer has passed, but we finally checked in with what we've read so far. We haven't finished everything that caught our eye, but we haven't given up yet, either. For some of us, kids are already back in school; others have almost another month to enjoy summer indulgences! So who knows, we might still manage to polish off a few more of these books before the leaves begin to fall from the trees. We hope that you have also had a wonderful June, July, and August, with plenty of "me" time to indulge your love of reading.

“If adventures will not befall a young lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad.”    Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey .

I don't know about you, Saucy Readers, but I am a huge fan of Game of Thrones and it's book equivalent, A Song of Ice and Fire . I am also a fan of hot men. So, for this Fangirl Friday, I am combining the two. I actually had so many men listed from this show, that I had to break it into two different parts. This one features characters that are still alive. Still alive on the show, I should clarify. None of us know, yet, what will happen in the last two books. Did you hear that George RR Martin? We don't have the last two books yet! Keep writing! Anyway, stay with me after the break to see some delicious Game of Thrones actors. And, here is your obligatory spoiler warning. This post will reveal some details of this past season! Wench Angela, you've been warned.

“Close your eyes, stretch, capture the world through other senses,” he had said. “Paint what you taste and smell and hear, not only what you see.”  The Ruby Brooch ,  Katherine Lowry Logan

“I don’t know who you think you are” — my mother’s voice was low and dangerous — “but if you don’t get out of my way right this instant, it won’t matter.” Adam was the Alpha werewolf in charge of the local pack. He was tough. He could be mean when he had to — and he wouldn’t stand a chance against my mom. Bone Crossed ( Mercy Thompson #4) by Patricia Briggs

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

Today I will go to wait for her again, because I cannot help it, because my whole being seems now to be bound up in the being of one so different from myself and yet so exquisitely familiar that I can scarcely understand what has happened. ~ Elizabeth Kostova, The Historian

The paranormal war that engulfed New Orleans seven years ago is over.  But the battle for the city is just beginning . . . Claire Connolly is a Sensitive, infected with magic when the Veil that divides humanity from the world beyond fell. Magic can easily consume and destroy a Sensitive, and if Claire’s secret is discovered she’ll be locked into the walled district of Devil’s Isle along with every other Paranormal left in the city. Bounty hunter Liam Quinn discovered Claire’s secret, but refused to turn her in. Together they saved New Orleans from the resurgence of magic that nearly destroyed it. But now a dangerous cult is on the rise, and it will take both Claire and Liam—and magical allies within Devil’s Isle’s towering walls—to defeat the occult threat before magic corrupts them both… We're excited to be a stop on Chloe Neill's new release blog tour once again! Regular readers know how much we adore Ms. Neill around here, and her latest book, The Sight , is no exc...

He wedged his face between Zane's and the pillow. "This in no way means I don't still hate you," he muttered as he nuzzled his nose and mouth against Zane's temple and closed his eyes. Cut & Run by Madeline Urban and Abigail Roux

Saucy Readers! It's Chloe Neill time again. Tomorrow is the release of  Wench Fave  Ms. Neill's second book of the year, this one the second in her Devil's Isle series. We adored the first installment in this series last year, which we told you about here , and have been eagerly anticipating the follow up. I got my hungry little paws on The Sight three full months ago, so it's been rattling around my brain for a while. Zee also read it, so her thoughts are going to be intertwined with mine in this review.  Click through to see what we thought of the second chapter in Claire's tale. Spoiler-free of course.

One of the greatest joys for me is traveling around the world. I wish I could do it all the time, but, you know, RL interferes. I like to explore new places, people, cultures, and scenery. Traveling, for me, usually ties in somehow with my love for reading. Random literary memories come to life at almost every place I visit, from historical and literary classics, plays and poems, or novels. Come join me as I reminisce about a few of my explorations.

"Holy God,” he muttered. He looked to the side, out the floor to ceiling windows. “Oh Jesus, is that the Empire State Building?”     Ty stood and trudged over to stand beside him, wavering as he blinked at the window. “Are we stateside?”     “Are we alive?” Owen countered. “I don’t feel alive.”     Nick slid out of the bed and shuffled to the window, his shoulder bumping into Kelly’s as they both looked down at the streets of New York City far below.     “Are you freaking out?” Nick asked Kelly under his breath.     “Yes! Join me!” Part & Parcel by Abigail Roux

Click through to see what the Wenches Are Reading this week! 

“To us — richer and cleverer than everyone else!”

"Save your act for other people. The lies and the show--I don't want it. I want you. Fucked up and crazy, I want you." Burn Down the Night ~~M. O'Keefe

“She had always consciously or unconsciously formed fear into a simple equation: fear = unknown. And to solve the equation, one simply reduced the problem to simple algebraic terms, thus: unknown = creaky board (or whatever), creaky board = nothing to be afraid of. In the modern world all terrors could be gutted by simple use of the transitive axiom of equality. Some fears were justified, of course (you don’t drive when you’re too plowed to see, don’t extend the hand of friendship to snarling dogs, don’t go parking with boys you don’t know – how did the old joke go? Screw or walk?), but until now she had not believed that some fears were larger than comprehension, apocalyptic and nearly paralyzing. This equation was insoluble. The act of moving forward at all became heroism.”  Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot

Deceptively obsessive (I’m writing a review instead of the usual Fangirl Fridays post this time around, but there’s also a bit of fangirling in here — about finding the perfect series to complement my wannabe-laid-back summer lifestyle!) I didn’t plan to read Southern Comfort . I picked up the first book impulsively as a treat after trudging through a good-but-interminable tome, before tackling another time-consuming commitment on my TBR list. It was supposed to be a momentary distraction, a literary palate cleanser. Instead, this series took over my entire summer reading schedule! It turned out to be highly diverting, and hilarious, and so much fun to read that I haven’t put it down since! This is not entirely because I’m avoiding my TBR list. Or yard and garden chores, though it might have started out that way. These books are like that single chocolate truffle I indulge in late at night and then wind up eating the entire box. I couldn’t read just one. Set in and...

“Those people who post pictures of their dinner on Facebook, only to be disappointed by the lack of “likes” from friends, are simply trying to appeal to the wrong audience. If there were such a thing as Facebug (Facebook for microbes!), a picture of your dinner would provoke an excited response from millions of users—and shudders of disgust from millions more. The menu changes daily: useful milk digesters contained in a cheese sandwich, armies of Salmonella bacteria hiding in a delicious dish of tiramisu.” Gut; The Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Underrated Organ, Giulia Enders

In the moments when the stage fails to save us, we’ve always sought to find the bottom of the well where things are magical again. We’re each other’s fairy tales. Maybe that’s why we always come back to each other. Our story’s not finished yet. Second Position ~~Katherine Locke

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

It is a natural human instinct to turn our fears into symbols, and destroy the symbols, in the hope that it will destroy the fear. It is a logic that keeps recurring throughout human history, from the Crusades to the witch hunts to the present day. ~ Johann Hari, Chasing the Scream

"Didn't expect when they put you on a leash it would be to a damn anchor, did you?" he asked testily. "I was expecting an anvil with a little pink slip attached," Ty admitted. "Call me Wile E. Coyote." Cut & Run  by  Madeleine Urban  and Abigail Roux

I'm back with yet another set of questions from my Chicagoland Vampires reread. As I stated in Part One of the  Twice Bitten questions, this might be one of my favorite books in the series. I had quite a few questions come of this book. And, armed with the knowledge that we get one extra short story and a potential spin-off series, I'm hoping that we get some of my questions answered. But, if not, I won't mind. I'm enjoying re-reading and discussing these almost as much as actually having the answers. I hope you all are too! Join me after the jump for part two of my questions for Twice Bitten .