Home of the Alpha Showdown, and one-stop shop for urban fantasy, paranormal romance and fantasy news and reviews.
The KingdomJess RothenbergPublished: May 28, 2019 (Henry Holt & Co.)Purchase at: Amazon or Book DepositoryReview Source: Copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review Reviewed by: Amy Rating (out of 5): 4 stars People go to The Kingdom to live out their fairy tales. In one day you can visit a mermaid lagoon, go on a safari, walk with dinosaurs or other extinct species, anything you could... 
In an effort to help you keep that to-read list updated, I’ve compiled the hot urban fantasy and paranormal romance releases for June 2019. All dates are U.S. and tentative. Also: Click the title of any book to visit the Amazon page for pre-order or purchase goodness. I’ve included genre classification with each book: UF is urban fantasy, PNR is paranormal romance, F is fantasy, SF is science fiction, SFR... 
Aurora Rising (The Aurora Cycle #1) Jay Kristoff & Amie Kaufman Published: May 7, 2019 (Knopf Books for Young Readers) Purchase at: Amazon or Book Depository Review Source: Copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review Reviewed by: Amy Rating (out of 5): 5 stars Trying to work off some pre-draft jitters, star cadet Tyler Jones decides to take a little flight. Well, that little flight turns... 
In an effort to help you keep that to-read list updated, I’ve compiled the hot urban fantasy and paranormal romance releases for April 2019. All dates are U.S. and tentative. Also: Click the title of any book to visit the Amazon page for pre-order or purchase goodness. I’ve included genre classification with each book: UF is urban fantasy, PNR is paranormal romance, F is fantasy, SF is science fiction,... 
Rosewater (The Wormwood Trilogy #1) Tade Thompson Published: Sept. 18, 2018 (Orbit) Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon Review source: purchased Reviewed by: Amy Rating (out of 5): 4 stars Rosewater is a city in a near-future Nigeria that formed around a mysterious alien biodome that appeared eleven years ago. Every year, the dome opens and releases healing to those gathered around the dome. This is known... 
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... 
Is November flying by for everyone else? It’s Thanksgiving here in the U.S. on Thursday, and it caught me by surprise. (I mean, yay turkey and pie, but also where did November go?) If it’s already the third week of November, then it’s almost Christmas, which means it’s almost time for VBC’s annual list of the Best Books of 2018. We need your help, though. Which books would you put on the list? Our... 
Hidden Sun (Shadowlands #1) Jaine Fenn Published: Sept. 4, 2018 (Angry Robot) 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 Rhia is…unconventional, to say the least. She is a noble lady—but one who spurns the idea of a conventional marriage, because she knows that a conventional man would not... 
Contagion (Contagion #1) Erin Bowman Published: July 24, 2018 (HarperTeen) Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review Reviewed by: Amy Rating (out of 5): 4.5 stars After receiving a distress call from a drilling crew on the planet Achlys, the crew of the Odyssey is instructed to head out to the far reaches of the Fringe for a standard... 
The Loneliest Girl in the Universe Lauren James Published: July 3, 2018 (HarperTeen) 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 In the year 2048 NASA launches The Infinity into space, heading to Earth II on a projected 44-year journey to cultivate new life. The daughter to two astronauts aboard... 
