Home of the Alpha Showdown, and one-stop shop for urban fantasy, paranormal romance and fantasy news and reviews.
Polaris Rising (Consortium Rebellion #1) Jessie Mihalik Published: Feb. 5, 2019 (Harper Voyager) 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 Ada von Hasenberg has been on the run for two years. What is she’s running from, you ask? Her family—most notably her controlling father. Why? House... 
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,... 
Assembling our annual Best Books list is always a challenge, but I’m going to be honest this year was easier. Our team had really strong favorites this year. There were books that spoke to us, that we flashed in everyone’s faces until they’d buy the book, too. Sure there were some series enders (Kate Daniels), but we had some remarkable debuts this year that captivated us—and we hope you’ll add them to... 
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!),... 
If you’re a long-time VBC reader, you may know I ‘shipped Rose and Dimitri in Richelle Mead’s highly successful Vampire Academy series. In that series we met Adrian Ivashkov. He was a little old to be hanging around high schoolers without, you know, a reason. He was that charming older guy who somehow always had booze. He was hot and a bad influence. Things change, though. People change. They grow. I can... 
This Cruel Design (This Mortal Coil #2) Emily Suvada Published: Oct. 30, 2018 (Simon Pulse) Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review Reviewed by: Beth Rating (out of 5): 5 stars Note: While this review will be spoiler free it will reference the previous book. If you haven’t started this series yet, check out VBC’s review of book 1,... 
Muse of Nightmares (Strange the Dreamer #2) Laini Taylor Published: Oct. 2, 2018 (Little Brown Books for Young Readers) Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review Reviewed by: Beth Rating (out of 5): 4.5 stars Lazlo Strange is no longer himself. Or rather he is, but he’s also so much more. And Sarai, well…she has changed as well. While... 
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... 
Shades of Wicked (Night Rebel #1) Jeaniene Frost Published: Oct. 30, 2018 (Avon) Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon Review Source: Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for and honest review Reviewed by: Chelsea Rating (out of 5): 4.5 stars Jeaniene Frost gave us an Ian book. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. Starting today you can spend 384 pages discovering what makes Ian tick. Verbal sparring? Obviously.... 
