Holiday Break Reading Challenge Update

Here is a list of what I have read since the Holiday Break Reading Challenge began on Dec. 18.

My first goal was to catch up with newly published books in series that I follow. I began with Divine Misdemeanors by Laurell K. Hamilton. This is the eighth in the Merry Gentry series and was a good read for fans of the series. Then I read First Lord's Fury by Jim Butcher. This is the sixth in that series and was filled with battles as the war with the Vord Queen comes to a head.

Then Christmas Eve came and I was looking for something lighter. I had brought Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle with me and it proved to be the light and fluffy romance that I was looking for. It was a very good Christmas story or, rather, three interconnected stories. Very young adult and very nice. This was also the first time that I have read anything by any of these young adult authors. I now have to go and read other things that they have written. Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson was free for the Kindle and I downloaded it. I know I have John Green's books in my HS Media Center. I'm not sure about Lauren Myracle but when I get back to school I'll check.

Christmas Day I fired up the Kindle (so to speak) and read some adult books. I read Alpha Turned by K B Alan which is the story of a young woman taken home by a college boyfriend and forcibly turned into a werewolf. She eventually finds her place and love when she meets an honorable werewolf. Kiss and Kin by Kinsey Holley and Serengeti Heat by Vivi Andrews were also shape-shifter erotic romances. They were all good reads if you are looking for erotic romance. Alpha Turned was free for the Kindle and the other two were $2.80 each. As far as I know, none of them are available as print books.

Then, still in a paranormal mood, I picked up Immortal: Love Stories with Bite which was edited by P. C. Cast and included a number of stories by Young Adult authors of paranormal books. I chose this book to read the stories by authors I already read -- Richelle Mead, Rachel Caine, and Rachel Vincent -- but all of the stories were good and I may have to add a few more authors to my reading list.

After finishing that book of short stories, I chose another. I chose Changing the World: All-New Tales of Valdemar. The book quickly brought me back to the world of Heralds and Companions. I liked the Valdemar books written by Mercedes Lackey and like going back to it with the various short story anthologies that have been printed.

Staying in the short story mode, I chose to read The Queen in Winter next. This book is essentially composed of four novellas. I chose it for the novella by Sharon Shinn which revisits her Twelve Houses universe. I read the story by Lynn Kurland too. I lost interest before finishing the book but I did read the first two stories.

Next, I chose Shadowlight by Lynn Viehl. This is her first book in the Kyndred series. It is a spin-off from her Darkyn books. The Kyndred are children who were created by the Brethren to battle the Darkyn but were abandoned, adopted, and raised in ignorance of their abilities. The story talks about how the Kyndred are trying to find each other and learn about themselves and the other Kyndred while keeping themselves secret from the greater society for fear that they would be used again because of their powers. This was a good introduction. I'll be looking for the next installment in May.

That brings me to today. Next on the list is another short paranormal -- Eternal Desire -- by Roxanne Rhoads. I follow her blog and thought I would give her book a try.