Reading during my month of downtime

I took June off.  I usually go slow on goals during the month between Jeff's birthday (6/5) and my birthday (7/6) but this year, I just needed total downtime.  So, I read novels, comfort reading.  Novels I had read and enjoyed before.   And here's what I read.

First up was the new release of Patricia Briggs' latest novel, Smoke Bitten.  I read the entire Mercy Universe series as a run up, most of that being in May. 

While I like the Mercy books, I prefer the Omega books in general as I'm not that keen on vampires.  This novel, the 12th in the series, is more about the fae coming out and how the werewolves are dealing with it.  Very enjoyable expansion of the series.

Then my friend Lisa decided to start her second novel based on a witch near the local prison who can see ghosts.  She was starting from the very spooky setting and doesn't read urban fantasy herself so she wanted me to help her out with the fantasy elements.  So, I went back to the Kalayna Price series about a grave witch who can call up the shade of the deceased and question them.  This series also has a major fae element and tends toward the romance end of the urban fantasy spectrum.  Enjoyable beach reading, definitely.

After that series, I was craving shapeshifters and B&N told me about a new Psy-changeling book from Nalini Singh.  I enjoy this series a lot when I'm in the mood for some fun paranormal romance.  Great sense of humor especially the excerpts from the Wild Woman columns.

I finished off the month with the Iron Seas series from Meljean Brooks.  Steampunk pirates in an alternate history with lots of adventure, swashbuckling and romance. 

So now I am refreshed and destressed and heading back into the studio.