Home of the Alpha Showdown, and one-stop shop for urban fantasy, paranormal romance and fantasy news and reviews.
A Season of Spells (Noctis Magicae #3) Sylvia Izzo Hunter Published: Dec. 6, 2016 (Ace) Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review Reviewed by: Amy Rating (out of 5): 4 stars Note: While this review will be spoiler free, it will reference previous events in the series. If you haven’t started the series yet check out VBC’s review of book... 
Narrowing the list of stellar books published each year continues to get harder and harder. For the first time in seven years, VBC is bumping the number of books featured in our Best Books list. Yes, we’ve determined the Top 15 Books of 2016. We have great fantasy romance (something we got into this year), stellar YA, the very best in urban fantasy, and a few doses of the sexy-sexy. Basically, any book on... 
Court of Fives (Court of Fives #1) Kate Elliott Published: Aug. 18, 2015 (Little Brown Books for Young Readers) Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon Review Source: purchased Reviewed by: Amy Rating (out of 5): 4 stars Growing up in a household that straddles the in-between of Commoner and Patron, Jessamy has dreamed of a different life. A life where she’s an Adversary in the royal game of Fives. She’s been... 
A Promise of Fire (The Kingmaker Chronicles #1) Amanda Bouchet Published: Aug. 2, 2016 (Sourcebooks Casablanca) Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review Reviewed by: Jo Rating (out of 5): 5 stars Mix together all the things I love about high fantasy and paranormal romance, add in a sarcastic, reluctant heroine, a band of warriors on a... 
Imprudence (The Custard Protocol #2) Gail Carriger Published: July 19, 2016 (Orbit) Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review Reviewed by: Jo Rating (out of 5): 4 stars Note: While this review will be spoiler free it may make references to previous books in the series. If you haven’t started this series yet, check out VBC’s review of... 
The Bloodbound (Bloodbound #1) Erin Lindsey Published: Sept. 30, 2014 (Ace) Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon Review source: purchased Reviewed by: Amy Rating (out of 5): 4 stars The Bloodbound starts on a battlefield as King Erik of Alden is betrayed by his brother, and left to die at the hands of the Oridian enemy. Alix Black, a scout in the King’s army, leaves her post to give aid and ends up saving... 
Eidolon (Wraith Kings #2) Grace Draven Published: April 18, 2016 (Grace Draven) Purchase: Amazon Review source: Purchased Reviewed by: Amanda Rating (out of 5): 4 stars Note: While this review will be spoiler free, it does reference previous books. If you haven’t started this series yet, check out VBC’s review of book 1, Radiance. In her unending quest for more power, the Shadow Queen of Haradis unseals... 
Dreaming Death (Palace of Dreams #1) J. Kathleen Cheney Published: Feb. 2, 2016 (Roc) Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review Reviewed by: Amy Rating (out of 5): 3.5 stars Shironne Anjir is a touch sensitive. Her powers, which manifested when she was twelve, have now grown so overwhelmingly strong that she’s gone blind. Not letting... 
Cast in Honor (Chronicles of Elantra #11) Michelle Sagara Published: Nov. 24, 2015 (Harlequin Mira) Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review Reviewed by: Amanda Rating (out of 5): 3.5 stars Note: While this review is spoiler free, it does reference previous books in the series. Elantra’s recovering from the brutal fight at the end of... 
Autumn Moon (Celtic Wolves #3) Jan DeLima Published: Sept. 29, 2015 (Ace) Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review Reviewed by: Krista Rating (out of 5): 3 stars I’ve read a lot of paranormal romance and urban fantasy. So, it’s rare when a book takes me by surprise. Jan DeLima’s first book in the Celtic Wolves series, Celtic Moon did... 
