Home of the Alpha Showdown, and one-stop shop for urban fantasy, paranormal romance and fantasy news and reviews.
![Round 5: Adam Hauptman vs. Dragos Cuelebre [Alpha Showdown 2013]](http://vampirebookclub.net/wp-content/uploads/et_temp/VBC-HomeofAlphaShowdown-67822_200x200.jpg)
It’s officially time for Alpha Showdown 2013! You made your nominations and we have 16 of the most badass, alpha characters from urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels locked into the bracket. Only one will be named champion and today’s first bout is sure to end in a knockout.
Round five is shifter time. Both Adam and Dragos know how to lead their people, but how will they fare in a fight?...
It’s officially time for Alpha Showdown 2013! You made your nominations and we have 16 of the most badass, alpha characters from urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels locked into the bracket. Only one will be named champion and today’s first bout is sure to end in a knockout.
Round one pits a man full of mystery who overwhelms just about everyone sharing space with him against a... 
After a little more than a week of grueling battles, we finally have our first match-up in the second level.
Bones straight-up crushed witch Rachel Morgan.
Then Charles Cornick took our King Dorian.
Will the master vampire sink his fangs into the werewolf? Will being an alpha enforcer make it easy to stake the vampire? As always, that’s up to you.
Read the pitches, then make the call. Who should...
We just don’t see werewolves and faerie kings duke it out often enough. Luckily, we’ve pitted the dangerous and possessive werewolf Charles Cornick against the powerful, creative and quick King Dorian in Round 2 of the Alpha Showdown 2012.
Read the pitches, then make the call. Who should advance to the next round in the Alpha Showdown? The poll at the end of this post will be open for two... 
February has been filled with Character Love Letters and on-and-off chatter about Karen Chance’s Touch the Dark. Because of a death in the family at VBC HQ, we can’t lead the group read discussion for Touch the Dark. If you’re interested in leading a last-minute chat — either on Goodreads or Twitter — please let me know in the comments.
In the meantime, let’s look... ![Love letter to Bran (Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega) [UPDATED]](http://vampirebookclub.net/wp-content/uploads/et_temp/lovelettersbanner1-52963_200x200.jpg)
UPDATED WITH RESPONSE FROM BRAN!
From VBC: Today we’re swooning over a werewolf from not one, but two urban fantasy series. Mandi just can’t shake her attraction to Bran, and the fact his wife hates him only makes her want him more. Read on to find out why the shifter from Patricia Briggs’ series tops Mandi’s list.
Dear Bran,
I am choosing to write a love letter to you not only... 
I’m not sure how to top yesterday’s post. There was Russian vampire goodness, but we must move forward. (But don’t forget to enter to win signed copies of the latest from both Jaye Wells and Kresley Cole.)
In which Richelle explains Shadow Heir
If you read my review of Richelle Mead’s final Dark Swan novel Shadow Heir, you know I liked it quite a bit but wasn’t at all pleased... 
Here’s the deal, readers: I like shifter books, too. I know. Shocking. But while I may be an expert on vampire books, my friend Kelly is the queen bee of shifter novels. Oh, she loves her heroes furry. It made sense to ask her to write up the favorite shifters for part of this week’s ongoing chats about favorite paranormal beasties. Other key things to know about Kelly: she runs the blog... 
Home Improvement: Undead Edition
edited by Charlaine Harris & Toni L.P. Kelner
Published: Aug. 2, 2011 (Penguin)
Purchase at: Book Depository, B&N or Amazon
Rating (out of 5): 4 stars
I have a hit-or-miss record with anthologies, especially those including more than five stories. However, Charlaine Harris and Toni L.P. Kelner consistently manage to pull together a quality collection of short...
