The Not-So Austen Bookclub discussion

- “And you’re okay with this?” Nash stared across the room at his brother, challenge swirling in the greens and browns of his irises—a bean sidhes’ emotions could be read in the colors twisting in their irises, at least by fellow bean sidhes.

“Hell no, I’m not okay with it. It’s dangerous, and risky, and perilous, and also profoundly unsafe. But I have yet to come up with a better idea, so…” Tod gestured to me, reluctantly yielding the floor.


- “Yeah. What kind of dangling are we talking about?” Nash said. “Carrot in front of a donkey? Or raw meat over a pit of lions?”

“Probably not the carrot,” Sabine said. “Hellions strike me more as carnivores.”


- “We’re not going to spike her protein shake and throw her to the wolves!” I insisted.

Tod chuckled. “I thought they were lions. Or donkeys. You’re losing control of your metaphors, Kay.”


- “Don’t know yet,” Sabine said, and when I turned, I found her digging through the cabinet over the short kitchen peninsula. She pulled down a bag of Doritos and removed the clip, then shoved a chip into her mouth.

We all stared at her while she chewed.

“What?” she swallowed, then dug out another chip. “Sometimes you have to fix the problem that can be fixed. I can’t [PLOT DETAIL REMOVED], but I can fix the munchies.”

EXCERPT:

"Vanity, right?" Nash reappeared in the living room with an open bag of potato chips. "I nominate my venerable brother. He likes to play hero, and one look at him should establish the vanity angle."
"Nash!" I really shouldn't have been surprised by the dig. But I was.
"What?" He raised one brow at me in challenge. "It's okay to call me jealous, but not to call him vain?"
"Awareness of one's obvious advantages doesn't imply vanity," Tod insisted calmly.
Nash turned on him. "Does it imply narcissism?"
Tod huffed. "This coming from the guy who owns more hair products than his girlfriend."


"She's right." Em frowned and glanced at me apologetically. "Not about your boobs. They're fine."
"Way better than fine," Tod leaned over to whisper, and I buried my face in my hands, both embarrassed and relieved to realize that Nash was the only one in the room who'd refrained from commenting on the sad state of my personal assets.


I went up on my toes to kiss him, and he groaned. "Do you really think this is appropriate on school grounds?"
"Nope." I wrapped my arms around his neck. "And I happen to know there isn't an appropriate thought running through your head right now."
"Or any other time." Tod pulled me close and held me so tight my ribs almost hut, but I didn't want him to let go. Ever.


"Really. Compared to you, they're all nameless. Like...Thing One and Thing Two. And Thing Three. And...okay, that's not helping." His gaze searched mine, and his forehead furrowed. "This sucks. How can I help?"
"I don't..." But I did know. "I think I need you to kiss me."


"Your mortal attachments are like a puppet’s strings," Avari said, both hands clasped casually at his back. "One need only pluck the right cord to make the puppet dance." His smile was almost creepier than his threats. "Dance, reaper!"


"Some day soon, reaper, your mouth is going to be the source of your own destruction."
"That does seem likely, doesn’t it?" Tod glanced at me and shrugged. "Until then, it remains a source of my own amusement."

AHHHH !!!!!!!

CAN'T WAIT 4 THIS BOOK TO COME OUT!!!!!!