Home of the Alpha Showdown, and one-stop shop for urban fantasy, paranormal romance and fantasy news and reviews.
This month’s group read — Kristen Painter’s Blood Rights — has characters with chemistry that pops off the page. Only they aren’t a couple. Chrysabelle and Mal’s interactions ripple with tension and unspoken desire. They like each other, but both think it’s a bad idea. The complexity of their fight against intimacy is made exponentially complicated by the fact Chrysabelle needs Mal’s saliva to keep... 
Bloodlines (Bloodlines #1) Richelle Mead Published: Aug. 23, 2011 (Penguin Teen) Purchase at: Book Depository, B&N or Amazon Rating (out of 5): 4 stars Bloodlines may be a separate series from Richelle Mead’s remarkable Vampire Academy, but it’s set in the same world with some of the same characters. It also takes place following the end of Last Sacrifice, the final VA book. If you read Bloodlines before... 
A few times I’ve been asked why I review young adult novels on a blog written, by and large, for adults. The answer is always a simple one: the novels are excellent reads. When written well, YA has epic emotional pull. The latter teen years (and into college) are a tumultuous time when we experience so many things for the first time. It’s easy to get pulled into the rush of first love and first heartbreak... 
Today’s the final preliminary round of the Alpha Showdown. We couldn’t make it an easy one. We have two feisty, strong woman up this time. Will you go with Kate Daniels, who wields both magic and one hell of a sword, or Rose Hathaway, who has killed so many strigoi that we’ve lost count? You can get a refresher on just what this Alpha Showdown thing is here, but a key point to remember: Each poll is open...
We’ve spent the last two days with kick-ass ladies, but today it’s time to get back to the guys. And while we’ve already heard a few of you gripe about how difficult the battles are, today it doesn’t get any easier. Dimitri versus Jace? Oh, we’re going there. Two of the most popular YA hotties are going to battle it out in Round 4. Will snark win out over stealth with a stake? You decide. (Added bonus, if... 
Those who follow VBC on Twitter may know things are stressful these days here at the VBC HQ. One of my close family members has a rare brain cancer — complete with experimental treatments. (He has the best doctors and is in great spirits.) My point in mentioning this isn’t to be a downer, but to say things kind of suck. I’m in a perpetual state of tension, but I’ve been getting a nice break from reality... 
Over the last two weeks, those who entered our Nightshade giveaway* told us which love interest from a young adult novel tops their list. We expected Vampire Academy’s resident Russian hottie Dimitri Belikov to top out (he did), but almost always his name was in the same breath as that snarky Shadowhunter Jace Wayland from The Mortal Instruments series. On a side note, we’re with everyone else in lobbying... 
Our top books of 2010 was posted early enough to be able to use as a shopping list. That means we’re at the end of the year without a nice wrap-up list. Really, it’s a bit embarrassing. So, what do we have in store? A list we know several of you will feel the need to argue with in the comments. (We actually really love that, by the way.) TOP 10 SWOON-WORTHY HEROES In fairness, we’re using the word hero in... 
Today’s the last day to post your reviews of the Vampire Academy series as part of the Re-Read Challenge (if you want to win prizes). Remember, if you review all five books you’re in for the big prize pack. If you review just one, you’re still up to win a copy of Last Sacrifice. Two reminders: 1. You must fill out the participant form to be up for prizes. 2. You must link to your reviews from the... 
