Home of the Alpha Showdown, and one-stop shop for urban fantasy, paranormal romance and fantasy news and reviews.
We’re doing things slightly differently this year. This is the first year where we have associate reviewers at VBC. As such, it didn’t feel quite right to only include my top 10. So, you’ll find my 10 picks for the absolute best books of 2012 and below that a top 5 list from Jo and Candace, respectively. Plus, of course, we have your winner for the reader’s choice best book. (See the Best Of lists from... 
The Ripple Effect (Rhiannon’s Law #3) J.A. Saare Published: July 31, 2012 (Mundania) Purchase at: Amazon Reviewed by: Chelsea Rating (out of 5): 4.5 stars Note: This review assumes you’ve read the previous books in the Rhiannon’s Law series, particularly The Renfield Syndrome. If you haven’t, you can find reviews of the first and second books on VBC. Readers of the Rhiannon’s Law series know J.A. Saare... 
I’m starting to think we, as readers, actually love cliffhangers. Or at least love to hate them. Really. Earlier this week, we talked about those gasp-inducing, anxiety-causing cliffhangers on the VBC Facebook page. And while it was easy to name the one that gutted us the most — favorites were Karen Marie Moning’s Dreamfever ending and Chloe Neill’s Hard Bitten — it was always from a beloved series. We... 
In an effort to help you keep that to-read list updated, I’ve compiled the hot urban fantasy and paranormal romance releases for July 2012. All dates are U.S. and tentative. I’ve included genre classification with each book: UF is urban fantasy, PNR is paranormal romance, F is fantasy and YA is young adult. JULY 1 Angel Betrayed by Cynthia Eden (The Fallen #2) PNR Sin’s Dark Caress by Tracy O’Hara (Dark... ![Auction: Romance Prize Pack featuring Meljean Brook, J.A. Saare, Thea Harrison, Jennifer Estep, more [Books Fighting Cancer]](http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1332699341l/13560468.jpg)
Steampunk, shifter and even contemporary romance novels fill this lot. Nine great romance titles from excellent authors in this Books Fighting Cancer auction. Highest bidder will take home: Signed U.K. copies of The Iron Duke and Heart of Steel by Meljean Brook Signed copies of Crimson Moon and Crimson Sunrise by J.A. Saare Signed copy of Oracle’s Moon by Thea Harrison Signed copy of Eternity and a Day by... 
Thanks to everyone who provided feedback and suggestions on yesterday’s captcha-related post. I am going to look into utilizing additional spam filters before considering bringing back captcha. Also, did you know Alpha Showdown 2012 starts on Monday? It does. And it will be epic. Have you started placing your bets? Excerpt from Karen Mahoney I enjoyed The Iron Witch and The Wood Queen by Karen Mahoney,... 
Crimson Sunrise (Crimson #2) J.A. Saare Published: May 1, 2012 (Wild Rose Press), digital editions May 18, 2012. Purchase at: Amazon Rating (out of 5): 4 stars J.A. Saare is at her best when she merges emotional turmoil with cutting action scenes. The latter half of Crimson Sunrise brings this repeatedly in fresh ways that make your heart break for some characters and want to hug others. Crimson Sunrise... 
The Alpha Showdown bracket is being assembled. We’ll launch it mid-May, but you can keep an eye on the Alpha Showdown 2012 page for bracket info, nominated alphas and their champions. Changeling snippet Kelly Meding posted a snippet from her upcoming Metawars novel Changeling (releases June 26). And it sounds so good. Will you be reading this one? Cover Alert: The Ripple Effect J.A. Saare shared the cover... 
After a hiatus last week, Book Bits has returned! First a few housekeeping things. VBC is in the Independent Book Blogger Awards over at Goodreads. It would make for a very happy VBC Team (mostly Chelsea), if you vote for us. I’ve been blogging once a week over on my writer site. Typically these are YA- or writing-focused posts, but I thought you might like a heads up. This week I did the unthinkable and... 
Before we jump into newsy goodness, a quick reminder that there is still time to nominate your favorite characters for the 2012 Alpha Showdown. Also, I have no problem with you rallying for your favorite characters and encouraging others to vote for them. The top 16 alphas with the most nominations make the bracket. So, you know, hustle. The sexy is locked up for Lord’s Fall Thea Harrison shared the cover... 
