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The matches in this year’s Alpha Showdown have certainly lived up to the name. The battles have been close, the champions true alpha. It’s gotten heated, and if you think the choices were hard before, it’s about to get worse. Take a look at the bracket!
The alpha who wins this bout will secure himself a space in the championship round. Kane has defeated both Jane Yellowrock and Mercy Thompson. Barrons has bested Slade and Adam Hauptman. Who will move on?
Your votes will decide!
We’ve lined up excellent bloggers to fill you in on why each alpha deserves to advance. Read the pitches, and then make the call.
You know him from: Blackthorn Series by Lindsay J. Pryor
First appeared in: Blood Shadows (Amazon)
Supernatural status: Master Vampire
Championed by: Tracey Rogers from Tracey Rogers Author
They say you always remember your first and you will remember this first timer. Step forward vampire, Kane Malloy. Not just any vampire, Kane, leader of the east side of Blackthorn, is a master vampire. A dual feeder, he’ll take your blood and your energy too. And you’ll thank him for it. With some serious skills, this bad boy can take down both the third and the fourth species.
Master vampire and a master of sex, Kane isn’t purely a vamp of action, he has the cunning label snagged too. He’s a game player, cleverly building his alliances and earning loyalty. He’s waited patiently in the shadows for years, plotting vengeance for the death of his sister, Arana, whilst remaining mindful of the Blackthorn prophecy and the looming war ahead. His enemies fear him and rightly so—with no soul, Kane will dare to go there. You want dark? Kane will go as dark as it gets.
Some say he’s a bad ass anti-hero, I say he’s a bad ass anti-hero—but maybe a little misunderstood. Fiercely protective of those he loves, he has his tender moments. So tender they’ll make you weep. He has a cobra tattoo guarding his heart, but still he let Caitlin in. But this vamp sure as hell doesn’t sparkle. He’ll have males fearing for their lives and females falling at his feet—with only his killer smirk. You’ll definitely want Kane on your side, you’ll want Kane all over you. Did I mention he has skills? Oh and a bow! Luscious navy eyes and a bow. Hello hotness.
‘I’ll make you feel as alive as I can. I’ll make your pulse race and your heart beat so fast it hurts.’ – Blood Dark
You’re asking for an alpha—he’s here. Kane’s loyal to those who deserve his loyalty and ruthless to those who don’t. Please don’t underestimate this vampire, he’s already sussed out the competition and smirked.
You know him from: Fever series by Karen Marie Moning
First appeared in: Darkfever (VBC Review | Amazon
Supernatural status: Immortal. Beyond that we don’t know and we don’t really care.
Championed by: Zee at The Saucy Wenches Book Club
Jericho Barrons. He’d laugh one of his very sexy laughs if he ever found out he was being pitted against these “alphas.” Sure, they’re great fighters, immortals who’ve been around for centuries, some longer, some not so long—vampires, werewolves, shifters, demons, charming talkers, talented lovers, and other fierce competitors I’m sure. But the plain, hard truth is, none of them are even in the same league as Barrons.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with loving all of them, as long as you can admit one fact. Absolutely none of them will ever stand a chance against this vital, ferocious, compelling, virile, deadly, almost omniscient creature who you will never be able to fit neatly into a category. His sheer presence on page is enough to wipe every other so-called alpha from your mind.
The others might moonlight as gallant knights in shining arming, especially for the ladies, but Barrons will do no such thing. He will help the most distressed of damsels grow into their own heroes if they so choose. And that is the mark of a true alpha. He can kick ass with one hand tied behind his back, he can kill within seconds, it doesn’t matter how powerful his opponent is, and he can do all this without breaking a sweat. And when every soldier on the battlefield has fallen, Barrons will still be standing. I mean, even death cannot defeat him.
What you end up feeling for Barrons during the course of the series isn’t some light romantic feeling that randomly makes you swoon when he says something pretty. The fact is, he rarely says pretty things, actions speak so much louder than words, one of the most amazing lessons Barrons teaches us. And when he does speak, his words are chock full of meaning.
What you feel for him is a living, breathing, pulsating, writhing thing with a life of it’s own. Almost as real as the beast he turns into. You can tell me you didn’t fall in love with him at first sight, and sure, I’ll believe you, but I won’t believe that you didn’t feel that surge of electricity, that spike of adrenaline, every single time he was on page. And it’s a feeling that never went away, it only got stronger with each book. And that’s the point isn’t it? If you’re totally honest with yourself, you realize that this beautiful, intense, life changing force of nature makes you feel things on levels that you can’t even begin to understand. And the beauty of it is, it’s something you don’t need all the answers to. It’s liberating. It’s unique. Barrons just IS. And you will always hunger for more when it comes to him. There will never be enough.
If you want an alpha to challenge you, invigorate you, dare you, scandalize you, and make every cell in your body feel more alive than it’s ever been, Barrons is the one you’re looking for. If the thought of that scares you… it should. You’ll never be the same once you’ve bumped into Barrons in Dublin. But oh, you’ll be so much more alive.
“He’s disturbing. Carnal. Base. Forbidding. Big and powerful, radiating primal hunger. His eyes are blades, slicing into you: dark, ancient, glittering with predatory intensity. He moves like a beast even in his human skin. A woman takes one look at him, her stomach drops like a stone and she runs like hell.
Which direction she goes in is the defining point: she’ll run away—or toward him—depending on her ability to be honest with herself, her hunger for life and willingness to pay any price at all to feel so damned alive.”
I know which way I’m running. Hard. Without looking back. What about you?
Who are you putting your money on: Kane or Barrons?
At the request of Alpha Showdown voters, we’re leveraging traditional polls for the voting, but also keeping reading for your chance to win awesome books. Your to-be-read pile could always use more. Trust us. Each poll will be open for 48 hours.
Participating in the Alpha Showdown is all about fun, and free books equal fun, right? We hope you’ll find lots of great new reads during this year’s Alpha Showdown, and to help that along, we’re giving away some stellar reads.
For Round 13, we have a copy of Kresley Cole’s Shadow’s Claim from her Immortals After Dark spinoff series The Dacians (VBC review). You can read it without having read the IAD series (though, VBC highly recommends checking out IAD.)
Used to be Barrons all the way – until he left a child to her own devices in the silvers and DIDN’T EVEN BOTHER TO TELL ANYONE SHE WAS THERE. I get that he’s not a traditional hero, but that’s a 100% dick move. Alphas don’t put children in danger. Alphaholes do.
So, I’m voting for Kane to block Barrons.
LOOOL Alphaholes!! AHAHAHA. oooh, that really got me…
What book does that happen in? I’m racking my brain trying to think of when that happened.
I took “showdown” to mean vote for whoever could beat the piss out of the other guy. And that’d definitely be Barrons in my book!
It happened at the end of Iced. Dani ran into the silvers thinking Mac was going to hurt her, and they left her there not bothering to look for her or at the least mention it to anyone. For anyone other than Dani it would have been a death sentence and as it was, she was fundamentally injured/altered by her time there.
IMO an alph is both a bad ass and able to take on threats and outsmart predators, even more a true alpha cares for those who are in their wold who can’t always defend themselves. Alpha is a strong leader, otherwise their just a brute.
It’s actually right at the beginning of Burned that Dani runs into the Silvers then.
Seriously?! He wasn’t even present at the time when Danni ran inside the mirrors. Later when MacKayla told him what happened there was nothing he could do – As it states in the books there’s no way to find anyone within the mirrors. Had she not taken off her tattoo they may have been able to track her. Barron’s is awesome! Haven’t read the other series with Kane Malloy but he must be pretty darned awesome as well to be up against Barron’s so surely the series is a good one! Have a great weekend! 🙂
Actually, he is there when she runs into them because Mac goes to jump in after her, and Barrons stops Mac from doing so.
However, I agree; it’s a bit extreme to say that he abandoned Dani. Plus, the way it’s phrased makes it seem like he abandoned a defenseless child when those of use who are familiar with Dani know that teenager can take care of herself. Not to say that what happens to her in the Silvers isn’t a traumatizing experience, but who knows if Mac and Barrons would have even been able to find her had they followed her into them.
And, yes, Kane is pretty bloody awesome! Give him a go in Blood Shadows! 🙂
Jericho Barrons trumps Kane.
I totally agree, no contest in the alpha department. He doesn’t have to be perfect, just the most alpha to win. Therefore he wins. Go Jericho Z. Barrons!
I love Barrons.
I am officially in love with Jericho Barrons
Hot, Sexy, Tough and all Alpha male KANE has my vote.
have started the fever series, will I be converted? not so far, kane had me from the very start but I think it’s great to find new books to get my teeth into
I don’t need to know what he is to know I want him. JZB baby, all the way.
JZB will eat all these other “alphas” for lunch. Barrons Babe all the way!!!
I love the Blackthorn series. Have bought and read them all and can’t wait for the next book.
Barrons again for me.
Go Barrons!
Barron’s is and always will be the best! Check him out in the fever series if you haven’t already!
All for Barrons.
Barrons all the way!
Always Barrons.
BARRON’S!!! How could it be any body but Barron’s!?!?!
Barrons or Kane? Can anyone who knows them both choose? Barrons was my first love. He has my vote. My hand was forced.
It has always been and always will be Barrons for me
Kane! I have read all these series except the Teresa Gabelman’s series.
Kane! *cheers*
Jericho Barrons is beyond any other male character for me!
I’m definitely going to give the DarkFever series a go. It’s very popular and this Jericho Barron’s does sound delicious.
However my heart will forever belong with Blackthorn and Master Malloy.
Be still my immortal heart <3
I love Kane, he rules and that’s all there is to it.
Gotta be Kane x
KANE!!!!!
KANE ALL THE WAY!!
Two amazing series both fab writers. But Barrons doesn’t pull on my heart like Kane does. Anyone who can take on Caleb, Jask & Eden gets my vote – not to mention Rob & Fenith! go Kane!
Barron’s because I haven’t read Kane, but it sounds like I need to!!!
Kane all the way for me….anybody that has not read the Blackthorn series this is a must read, then u will understand all about this
Hot Sexy Master Vmapire Kane Malloy that we r all voting for.
I really want to read it. But I am SO sick of vampires… :/
You should give a try because it’s so much more than just another vampire romance. The series has a very Urban Fantasy vibe to it almost.
Plus, while Kane is the main male lead of the first and fifth book, there are other male leads in the others, and two of those males (Jask and Eden) aren’t vamps. Besides vampires and humans, the series features lycans, angels, humans, and a handful of creepy fourth species (call them the various lower castes of Unseelie in the Blackthorn world if you will) from a different dimension as well!
It is not all about vampires Eliz,there r Lycans angels humans and lots of different 4th species….Kane is the Master vampire in book 1 and 5 but there is also a prophacy to the story that has to be solved.it is def worth a read.
Move over Barrons,make room for the Master! Kane all the way!
Barrons all the way
BARRONS!!!
Barron!!! <3
As far as true Alphas go…there’s no one, no one more Alpha than JZB.
I love them all but JZB could chew ’em all up and spit ’em out.
Kane! Such a complex anti-hero or is he a hero?
If you haven’t read the series yet, it’s a MUST!
No contest. Kane all the way!!!!!
I went with Barrons because I don’t want Kane to win may be a hard fight for Kate Daniels to be Alpha Champion!!!!
Kresley Cole is the Best.
Kane Kane Kane!!!!
Wow. I’ve never even heard of Kane (like a lot of the voters) and he has almost 6000 votes against Barrons? Interesting.
80% of these comments nobody knows who kane is, and its not accepting my vote for barrons… weird.
Kane Kane Kane baby!! Blackthorn in the house!
It wont let me vote for barrons.. :/
Barrons
Love BARRONS!
It’s crazy because they are all so good!
Barrons
Barrons for sure. Never heard of this Kane bloke and the blurb above didn’t even excite me in the least. Now that I’ve read the comments tho, I may have to give him a chance.
Go Barrons!
It is JZB for me. I liked him from his first scenes. I didn’t have to wait until book 5 to love him!!!
BARRONS!!
Well damn, Kane won by over 2000 votes, never even heard of this guy and the Goodreads ratings for the book is really not that great. That is just shocking considering most of the commentors voted for Barrons.
The Kane fans definitely came out for him in this round! There’s been a big call for votes on all social media. Often we find during the Showdown that people who aren’t regular readers won’t comment on the posts, but will still vote in droves after a call from the author.
It’s definitely a good way to find new books to read, right?!
I know right. I attempted to read blood shadows yesterday, and I’m baffled as to what all the hypes about. Team Barrons all the way!!