Home of the Alpha Showdown, and one-stop shop for urban fantasy, paranormal romance and fantasy news and reviews.
Circle of the Moon (Soulwood #4) Faith Hunter Published: Feb. 26, 2019 (Ace) Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review Reviewed by: Margaret Rating (out of 5): 4 stars Note: While review will be spoiler free, it does make reference to previous books. If you haven’t started this series yet, check out VBC’s review of book 1, Blood of the... 
I’m very excited to say Lost Souls (Soul Charmer #3) is out today. Most of you are aware this is my—Chelsea, the HBIC at VBC—book. This series packs in all my favorite things, which means it makes sense to share it here at VBC. And now with the first major story arc closing (and, yes, there’s another arc coming for books four, five, and six), I’m even more in love. If you like your books gritty, like your...
The third book in Chelsea Mueller’s Soul Charmer series comes out in a month. A month, y’all. That’s my book. I always try to be upfront about this part. 🙂 Lost Souls brings a big punch of soul magic and even bigger changes at the Soul Charmer’s emporium. It’s always weird talking about your own books, though, so I’ll tell you that Kelly from Reading the Paranormal says: “Gem City is dangerous and deadly... 
In An Absent Dream (Wayward Children #4) Seanan McGuire Published: Jan. 8, 2019 (Tor) Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon Review Source: Purchased Reviewed by: Amy Rating (out of 5): 4.5 stars Notes: While this review will be spoiler free, it will reference previous books. If you haven’t started this series yet, check out VBC’s review of book 1, Every Heart a Doorway. In An Absent Dream is the story about... 
Summoned to Thirteenth Grave (Charley Davidson #13) Darynda Jones Published: January 15, 2019 (St. Martin’s Press) Purchase at: Amazon or Book Depository Review Source: Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for and honest review Reviewed by: Amy Rating (out of 5): 4.5 stars Note: While this review will be spoiler free, it will contain references to previous books in the series. If you haven’t yet... 
The Lost Queen (Wilde Justice #2) Jenn Stark Published: Dec. 27, 2018 (Elewyn Publishing) Purchase: Amazon Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review Reviewed by: Amy Rating (out of 5): 4.5 stars Note: While this review will be spoiler free it will reference events from the previous book The Red King (VBC review) and also the Immortal Vegas series (VBC review of book 1,... 
Urban fantasy can be aligned with the old-school police procedural style—think Harry Dresden, early Anita Blake books, The Hollows—solving supernatural crimes. Over time the genre has expanded, and while I still love a good gumshoe urban fantasy, as the genre has grown it’s pulled in the best from other worlds. It’s slipped to the crime end, it’s sucked in small-town mysteries (hey, Charlaine Harris!),... 
Dark Alchemy (Dark Alchemy #1) Laura Bickle Published: March 24, 2015 (Harper Voyager Impulse) Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review Reviewed by: Beth Rating (out of 5): 4 stars When Petra arrives in Temperance, Wyoming, she is running away from one death and about to barrel into even more. While trying to find information about her... 
First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson #1) Darynda Jones Published: February 1, 2011 (St. Martin’s Press) Purchase at: Book Depository or Amazon Review Source: Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for and honest review Reviewed by: Amy Rating (out of 5): 5 stars Considering this is a re-read, this will not be a typical review. Instead it will be more a trip down memory lane in preparation for...
Archangel’s Prophecy (Guild Hunter #11) Nalini Singh Published: Oct. 30, 2018 (Berkley) Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review Reviewed by: Margaret Rating (out of 5): 4 stars Note: While review will be spoiler free, it does make reference to previous books in the series. If you haven’t started yet, check out VBC’s review of Angels’... 
