The Saucy Wenches Book Club

... how enjoyable it was to converse with someone who didn't have the brain of a chicken nugget. I was finally—perhaps for the first time in my life—being heard. I let myself ponder the concept before saying, “You know so much, Onida.” “I have nine brains—which never stop growing—three hearts, and I can regenerate my arms; but mostly, it’s because I’m female.” ~ Kira Jane Buxton, Hollow Kingdom

“That’s one of the perks of being a writer. You get to put mean people in a book. And then you get to kill them.” That Guy , Kim Jones

My dreams, the rope and the knots, I know exactly what they mean. You don’t tie yourself to something unless you’re scared you might float away. ~ Taylor Jenkins Reid, One True Loves

“You put a spell on the dog,” I said as we left the house. “Just a small one,” said Nightingale. “So magic is real,” I said. “Which makes you a...what?" “A wizard.” “Like Harry Potter?” Nightingale sighed. “No,” he said. “Not like Harry Potter.” “In what way?” “I'm not a fictional character,” said Nightingale. Rivers of London , Ben Aaronovitch

Rule number one: Always stick around for one more drink. That’s when things happen. That’s when you find out everything you want to know. ― John Berendt, Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil

“Never judge anyone by another's opinions. We all have different sides that we show to different people.” ― Jacqueline Susann, Valley of the Dolls

Butterflies live short lives because they have mastered the art of living. They serve to pass it on with luminous bursts of joy, bright flickers from the other side. ~ Kira Jane Buxton, Hollow Kingdom

That’s what the school did to a boy. It didn’t stop when you got out. Bend you all kind of ways until you were unfit for straight life, good and twisted by the time you left. [snip] They’d always be on the lam, no matter how they got out of that school. ~ Colson Whitehead, The Nickel Boys

If a friend lied to me the way I lie to myself, I’d say, ‘you’re a shitty friend’. ~ Taylor Jenkins Reid, Daisy Jones & the Six

Someone has been tortured on my behalf. Someone has been tortured on your behalf. Someone in this world will always be suffering on your behalf. If it comes your time to suffer, just remember. Someone suffered for you. That is what taking on a cloak of human flesh is all about, the willingness to hurt for another human being. ~ Louise Erdrich, Future Home of the Living God

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a delectable tale of ambition and courage, true love, and the price of fame. The more I think about this book, the more it reveals to me its hidden gems, the more I realize how much greater it is than the sum of its parts, and the more I miss Evelyn Hugo. Writing books that are deceptively richer than they appear seems to be a real strength of this author. Along with creating characters, particularly celebrities, that you’d swear are real. And writing a story far more captivating and unforgettable than the one you expect. Now that I’ve fallen in love with another Taylor Jenkins Reid character (I wrote about others here ), I want to meet more! I’ve already got my eyes on her previous book, One True Loves . But before succumbing to its charms, I’d like to bask a bit longer in the glow of the mesmerizing Evelyn Hugo by telling you about her. Seven husbands. Which one did she love best? Which one was the real one?

“What I say is, a town isn't a town without a bookstore. It may call itself a town, but unless it's got a bookstore it knows it's not fooling a soul.” ~ Neil Gaiman, American Gods

“You and I keep looking for light in the darkness, expecting it to appear. But it already has.” I touch his shoulder. “We’re it, boyo. Broken and cracked and stupid as we are, we’re the light, and we’re spreading.” ~ Pierce Brown, Morning Star

It breaks my heart to be loved like this, to be loved so purely that I’m capable of breaking a heart. It is not something I take lightly. In fact, I think it might be the most important thing in the world. ~ Taylor Jenkins Reid, One True Loves

The weight of responsibility settled around me. Now I had two people counting on me. And while I was sure both of them would be fine without me, I always felt responsible for those in my care. According to my father, it made me a terrible von Hasenberg. ~ Polaris Rising , Jessie Mihalik ( Consortium Rebellion #1)

There is a legend about a bird which sings just once in its life, more sweetly than any other creature on the face of the earth. From the moment it leaves the nest it searches for a thorn tree, and does not rest until it has found one. Then, singing among the savage branches, it impales itself upon the longest, sharpest spine. And, dying, it rises above its own agony to out-carol the lark and the nightingale. One superlative song, existence the price. But the whole world stills to listen, and God in His heaven smiles. For the best is only bought at the cost of great pain . . . Or so says the legend. ~ Colleen McCullough, The Thorn Birds

I knew I was in trouble as soon as I saw the obituary. The fact that it had my name on it was sort of a clue. ~ Touch the Dark , Karen Chance ( Cassandra Palmer #1)

“I think being yourself—your true, entire self—is always going to feel like you’re swimming upstream.” “Yeah,” she said. “But if the last few years with you have been any indication, I think it also feels like taking your bra off at the end of the day.” ~ Taylor Jenkins Reid,  The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Jem made the little Scottish noise again, and Brianna looked sideways at him. “Are you doing that on purpose?” He looked up at her, surprised. “Doing what?” “Never mind. When you are fifteen, I’m locking you in the cellar.” “What? Why?” he demanded indignantly. “Because that’s when your father and grandfather started getting into real trouble, and evidently you’re going to be just like them.” Written in My Own Heart’s Blood , Diana Gabaldon