Red-Headed Stepchild (Sabina Kane, #1)

May 22, 2012 Jeann rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, paranormal-uf, vampires, buddy-reads, demons

Red Headed Stepchild is about a half mage, half vampire assassin called Sabina Kane. She's been sent into the enemy's base to infiltrate their secrets and perform an assasination that gets complicated, as she finds out more about the people and her own birth.

At the very start of the book, there was a part that revealed that every vampire is a red head. The ones with darker mahogany hair are older and more powerful, while the ones with lighter auburn hair are newborns. I found this reference to b...more

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Mar 31, 2009 Julie (jjmachshev) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009-reads

"Red-Headed Stepchild" is a debut fantasy novel from Jaye Wells with a good dose of sexual tension. As a debut novel there was quite a bit of world-building and scene setting, but the story still moved along at a rapid pace with not too much lag time. The heroine is a kick-butt assassin who becomes torn between her two worlds as the novel progresses.

Sabrina is the product of a forbidden union between a vamp and a mage. Her mother died not long after her birth and she was brought up by her Grand...more

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Sep 22, 2011 Book Chick City rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, book-list-2011

'Red-Headed Stepchild' was such a fab read! It's the first in the 'Sabina Kane' series and what a fantastic start. I was pulled into Sabina's life from the get-go and I liked her immediately.

Sabina Kane is an assassin, which means she's one tough cookie. She fights hard and enjoys it, but to do this she has to sacrifice her personal life and do the bidding of her grandmother, the head of the Dominae, to the point that she will kill even her friends. She's also a 'half-blood' - half vampire and h...more 'Red-Headed Stepchild' was such a fab read! It's the first in the 'Sabina Kane' series and what a fantastic start. I was pulled into Sabina's life from the get-go and I liked her immediately.

Sabina Kane is an assassin, which means she's one tough cookie. She fights hard and enjoys it, but to do this she has to sacrifice her personal life and do the bidding of her grandmother, the head of the Dominae, to the point that she will kill even her friends. She's also a 'half-blood' - half vampire and half mage. This is a difficult place to be as both are on the verge of war...with each other. Sabina's sassy, snarky attitude is just perfectly written and exactly how I like my urban fantasy heroines.

He grabbed my arm and spun me around into a choke hold.
"If you wanted foreplay, you just had to ask," he whispered in my ear.
By adjusting my weight, I managed to flip him over my shoulder easily. His body hit the ground like a sack of potatoes drenched in too much cologne. He lay still for a moment, shocked by the impact. I placed the heel of my boot against his neck.
"You need to learn some manners," I said. "And while you're at it, try a breath mint."

However, although Sabina is a loner her character development is evident as the story progresses. In her fight to eliminate the enemy, in the form of vampire villan Clovis, Sabina meets a few people on the way who change her life. She begins to realise that having friends isn't such a bad thing and it was great to see her grow and become fond of them all.

'Red-Headed Stepchild' is definitely an urban fantasy but it also has a lot of humour. I usually prefer my UF to be on the darker, grittier side but with this book there are so many really well written light-hearted moments that I couldn't help but love it.

Most of these moments come in the form of a demon-cat, 'Mr Giggles', who is in fact a huge Mischief Demon called Giguhl, who was sent to kill Sabina. Unfortunately he doesn't succeed and instead becomes Sabina's familiar. To disguise himself to the outside world he transforms himself into a cat, and then for some unknown reason cannot transform back. It gets even funnier when Sabina tries to use magic she's never used before to turn him back into his very large, powerful imposing demon self, only to remove all the fur from Giguhl's cat body, to his utter embarrassment, revealing shiny wrinkled skin!

These moments were great and had me smiling and chuckling to myself. Having said that, if they weren't included it wouldn't have influenced the plot as the demon's role doesn't impact Sabina's mission. Also, I wasn't sure about this amount of humour in my urban fantasy at first, but only a short way into the book I was so enjoying Ms Wells' writing and the witty dialogue she used between the demon and Sabina that I couldn't imagine this sub-story not being there.

The other characters were also very well-rounded. Vinca is a sweet faery, more correctly a nymph. She's sweet and bubbly, but not as innocent as she looks as Sabina finds out when they go for a drink together...She's Sabina's first real 'friend' and it takes some getting used to, but Sabina soon warms to Vinca's peppy nature.

Clovis, on the other hand, is vile. He's the vampire villan who wants to rule over all the dark-races and he immerses himself in this role. I didn't like him one bit and I felt all of Sabina's disgust when he drinks from her. She's been sent by her Grandmother - who is an evil piece of work, I might add - to assassinate him, but while on the mission she discovers many unknown truths about her vampire family that leave her reeling and unable to fulfill her mission.

Now we get to the hero hottie, Adam - one word...Yum! Adam is a powerful Mage who has been sent to deliver Sabina to the mage family she never knew. Adam is a great character, just yummy, and delicious, and have I mentioned yummy? There is lots of sexual chemistry between Sabina and Adam and it begins with the love/hate kind - my favourite. They argue and fight and pretend they dislike each other immensely but it's obvious these two are hot for each other. Despite the fact there is this romantic aspect to 'Red-Headed Stepchild' it doesn't dip too far into the paranormal romance genre and feel it's still firmly within the urban fantasy camp.

VERDICT:

I really loved this book! With such great characters, an exciting story with a fast-paced, action-packed plot, and a hint of romance, 'Red-Headed Stepchild' is a must read for any urban fantasy fan.(less)

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Jan 24, 2011 Carina rated it 2 of 5 stars

First off just let me say that I truly wanted to like this book. I really did! I was in love with the cover, the description of the summary, and even though I had seen many mixed reviews about the book, it sounded like a story that I could really enjoy.

Before I start ranting about all the aspects of the book that I didn't like, let me begin with what I did like.

I really enjoyed the author's take on vampires. Having already done some research of my own, I was already aware of the legend of Lilith...more

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Feb 12, 2009 Mark rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sabina's a half-breed vamp with a little bit of the magixes in her! An assassin with a near impossible task and a secret history worthy of the best of Jerry Springer, Vamp edition! While it's not a comedy per se, there are tons of laugh out loud moments and Sabina's as engaging an urban fantasy heroine as I've read in years.

Ps. Loved me some Giguhl, Sabina's demon sidekick. I could read a whole spin-off of Mr. Giggles!

10 likes · like · see review

Apr 05, 2009 DarkHeart "Vehngeance" rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, 2009-best-releases, urban-fantasy

A wonderful debut novel to a promising new series. I really enjoyed the characters of Sabina, Adam, and Vinca. Throw a hairless demon cat into the mix and you're set for an exciting adventure. I look forward to reading more about Sabina as she uncovers the secrets of her identity.

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Sep 01, 2011 Anzu The Great Destroyer rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: UF fans

Shelves: buddy-or-group-read, ball-busting-chicks, the-fantasy-of-urbans, fanged-and-deadly, evil-horned-ones, hop-on-a-broom, reviewed-2011

Review from ZombieHazard

Digging graves is hell on a manicure

How can’t you love a book that starts like this?

Red-Headed Stepchild is one hell of a book. It’s fast-paced (I’m a sucked for fast-paced books), the heroine is wicked cool and the story freakin’ awesome! Since this was a group read and I was the only one who loved it this much I guess my review will be totally subjective. My mood was perfect for it so I got lucky, I guess.

First of all I shall pick on the cover! Cool lady, love the hai...more

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Apr 30, 2009 Mistress ~ ♠ Mistral's Kiss ♠ ~ (Mist) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Vampires are the living decedents of Lilith and Cain (as oppose to being the evil undead), and as a result all vampires are gingers. Sabina is a mixblood assassin for the Dominae, the counsel her Grandmother heads which rules the Vamps with an iron fist. You're thinking sweet deal right? Mixed abilities, Nana looking out for you & getting to kill things. Well that ain't the case.

Sabina has a complete disconnect from her mage heritage and is just as racist as the average vampire. Why? Well, V...more Vampires are the living decedents of Lilith and Cain (as oppose to being the evil undead), and as a result all vampires are gingers. Sabina is a mixblood assassin for the Dominae, the counsel her Grandmother heads which rules the Vamps with an iron fist. You're thinking sweet deal right? Mixed abilities, Nana looking out for you & getting to kill things. Well that ain't the case.

Sabina has a complete disconnect from her mage heritage and is just as racist as the average vampire. Why? Well, Vamps and Mages loathe each other, like the opposing street dance crews. While her Grandmother did raise her after the death of her parents, she did so in the apathetic commanding way she does everything; so no warm fuzzies. On the up side she does get to kill things, but any hesitation, refusal, or questioning their choice will render her equally dead.

So despite her prolific vamp bloodline and her pest control contribution; she's never fully been accepted among the Vampire community and will continue to suffer for the sins of her parents. All that leaves us, a Bad Ass killer with epic little girl issues; determined to prove herself worthy, no matter the cost. Which drives her to accept a dangerous mission infiltrating a cult that is threatening the Dominae's power base. It's all very Anita Blake meets alias. Nothing is as it seems and everyone has ulterior motives; survival will require reexamining: who she is? Who she's fighting with? and what she's fighting for?

Sabina's a funny, lethal, and flawed heroine; just how I like em. The world building was decent, but there were occasional gaps.
For Example Sabina sleeps in the day and wakes at night, but no mention is made of how vamps react to sunlight. Are her sleeping habits just cultural or would she sizzle like bacon at noon? Though I realize even if there are sleep patterns/sunlight rules that it probably wont to apply to her; I still would have appreciated the clarity.( Readers: if I missed where this revelation is mentioned, please shed some light, I promise not to bitch.)

The colorful cast of side characters were amusing, as was the dialogue. Sabina's issues give credibility to some of her actions, more than it detracts in a whiny sense. I even like the sidekick she acquires, but the jump from foes to friends was too instantaneous for my tastes. My other grumble is, Sabina was agreeable to illogical degrees when dealing with the enemy. I get that she needed to infiltrate the rival organization, but c'mon. Any assassin that you approach with a vague job offer, that agrees to be led somewhere unknown to meet, by your henchmen... blindfolded and disarmed...is either retarded and isn't worth hiring or ding ding ding is a enemy mole, lol. what about accepting a job without any discussion of payment or whats expected of you? I assume hunting vampires would take umpteenth cognitive reasoning and awareness skills, so why is Sabina in many aspects so naive?

"Digging graves is hell on a manicure, but I was taught good vampires clean up after every meal." With a darkly amusing opening line like that, I anticipated a thrilling ride. Did the positives outweigh the flaws? Do I look forward to the next novel? Will I pimp it to the legion Urban Fantasy fans? Yes, yes, and yes. Despite the hiccups, Red-headed Stepchild is a fun fast paced read & a damn fine addition to the genre. Congrats Mz. Wells, you've done good. (less)

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Apr 05, 2010 Cathy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, paranormal, read-in-2009, magic-users, vampire, elves-fae, angels-demons, zz-challenge-library-borrowed-2010

Really a 3.5, but definately not a 4. It has all of the right urban fantasy elements, almost a checklist. Tough chick, tough decisions, wacky friends, hot guy she starts out hating but starts to fall for, betrayal, etc. But I jus didn't have the zip or energy it needs to be a 4. I like Sabina and the story, I am looking forward to the next book, but... I do like her different take on vamps, mages, elves and demons. She uses the tried and true Lilith myth, but in a new way. The supporting charact...more

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view all 5 comments

Cathy I agree. And there are just some weird new-author awkward moments, things that don't flow or are repetitive. So far I think book 2 is a bit better ove...more
Apr 06, 2010 07:18pm

If it ain't good I don't read it ! Okey u all can't ovesliy read ???
This book is not only stupid it's also dumb the author can't write for shit did u all not see the story line it was...more Okey u all can't ovesliy read ???
This book is not only stupid it's also dumb the author can't write for shit did u all not see the story line it was AWSAME the book was great I loved it :)
Looool haaha I like doing a twist to my comments lol but anyways this book is still great I love that she can fight and can kick anyone's ass any day couse i dont like the chicks that just sit around waiting for fuckin prince charming to save there weak asses like come on are u serious bitch get up and fight !!! . Thnk god she wasnt that kind of character cause if she was I'd be ripping my eye sockets out right now that and she had a twiin sister I got to say I didn't in a million years see that coming I thought here dad was a very powerful Mage or something but a twin ??? !!! Yup total awsamness.
Also I am sorta sad that her romeeee died i was starting to like her .... Who I'm I kidding I loved her she was hilarious but the person I fell in love with from the beginning is the deman repufhul I think was he's name ?? I dont remember but I love that deman he is so freaken funny I died from the moment he said sorry after he shot her that was priceless and when he sat around on her couch ordering stuff off t.v killer i swear he was freakin funny anyway what I'm trying to say is I lovvvve thisss book but I can't seem to find any books like this so (drum rolls plz ) if u happen to now any book LIKE ThIS (key words) let me know and not books where the chick sits around for some shitty ass princes to swip her off her feet couse i swear if i read any more of those book Imma sue I seriously don't get why people read those kind of books like whats the point she can't fight for shit , no action in the book , same story line over and over again ( bitch gets herself into trouble prince charming over here who is by the way fuckin 300 400 years older then her Save her sorry mother fuckin ass and they live happily ever after like dude chill pedo alert age difference what the fuck where u thinking surly 400 year of living would have given u common sense ?? Oh but who could blame him cause that's not all bitch over her nows the age difference but is MADLY in love ( u hoe ) and I thought the dude had issues nope oh wait that's not all then they fuck them selfs sense less then they come to the conclusion they need to get married blah bah then they live happily for a while after then some shit a excuse of a villain pops up and the dude fights him but miss hoe over her want to help .... gets caught by villain ( climax of the story ) prince charming saves her the fucken stupid ending . So if u read books like that save your selfs time couse This is exactly what the fuck happens in shitty books like this !! you only live once that you must now so go find something worth reading couse books like that are just stupid.

Okey u probably get the point so yeah ....

Oh and if u know any books that the main character is not a detactive beacouse that shit just piss me of those detactive walking around waving fuckin badges in ur face like what the fuck get that shitt outta me face bitch detactive my ass like u serious ??? Imma bout to serve ur head on a platter ! Mather fucker lets see u wave that shit it my face again I'm gonna call your boss and tell him you took a PERMANENT vacation to plattervania v
Lol plz feel free to rate\ add as a friend like who wouldnt lol ) oh and plz sent me a meggage if u have a book that has anything I just described in it thnx pce(less)
May 06, 2012 03:53am

Mar 21, 2009 Monie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Half vampire, half mage Sabina Kane is an assassin working for the Dominae vampire council. Her latest job is to infiltrate the renegade group of vampires led by Clovis Trakiya who is recruiting vampires and other paranormal beings to ultimately overthrow the Dominae.

Raised by her grandmother, a powerful leader in the Dominae council, Sabina has always been required to suppress the mage side of her abilities. In the midst of infiltrating Clovis' group she's approached by a mage who has some int...more

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Jul 09, 2012 ♆ BookAddict ~ La Crimson Femme rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, witches, vampire, interlibrary-loan

The very first scene starts out with killing a trusted friend. Seriously? This does not bode well. Blind loyalty to the Vampire Council, Dominae, is something Sabina follows to the T. It is quickly revealed Sabina's grandmother runs the council with three other elder vampire. This makes sense as to why Sabina follows so blindly without question. Sabina is a mixed blood - 1/2 vampire and 1/2 mage.

From the very beginning, Sabina's grandmother comes across as loathsome. She's filled with hatred. Th...more The very first scene starts out with killing a trusted friend. Seriously? This does not bode well. Blind loyalty to the Vampire Council, Dominae, is something Sabina follows to the T. It is quickly revealed Sabina's grandmother runs the council with three other elder vampire. This makes sense as to why Sabina follows so blindly without question. Sabina is a mixed blood - 1/2 vampire and 1/2 mage.

From the very beginning, Sabina's grandmother comes across as loathsome. She's filled with hatred. The more information uncovered between Sabina and her relationship with her grandmother, the more vile her grandmother comes across. Frankly, someone should have staked the grandmother decades ago.

This racism between vampires and mages reminds me of the Cassandra Palmer series by Karen Chance. Where the Cassandra series is more romantic and erotic, Sabina Kane series is all urban fantasy. The struggles of power between the two opposing paranormal species in addition to a prophecy unfolding is quite similar. However, the books are very different in their heroine.

Sabina is an assassin treated horribly by the vampires no matter how hard she tries to earn respect. They only fear her, not respect her. She's been brainwashed about Mages. When the truth is revealed, it's not exactly shocking, but it is heart breaking. Her world and views are turned completely upside down. The reader only feels pity for her.

There are many things about Sabina I found annoying. She's not perfect which is a good thing. She's a bit hot headed and doesn't think through everything which can be very frustrating. Still, she does try her best. She does have loyalty and a consciences.

The storyline moved at a decent pace. It was a relatively fast read with only minor bits of irritation. The world building is not robust, but it definitely isn't simplistic. Since this is the first book in the series, the expectation is future books will provide more information about this world of mages, vampires and demons. The mythology of Cain and Lilith is an interesting take which isn't seen too often in vampire stories. The tie in with the red hair is a hoot.

The one thing which caused great amusement and nearly stole the show is the demon, Giguhl, who turns into a cat. His insulting nickname, Mr. Giggles is hilarious. Giguhl and Sabina's relationship is funny as well as ridiculous at times. It shows the author's sense of humour. Hopefully Mr. Giggles will appear in the subsequent books and more prevalently.

This book is recommended for vampire lovers who enjoy the urban fantasy and angst. Those who prefer sparkly vampires, this book is probably not going to do it for you. (less)

3 likes · like · see review

Jan 17, 2013 ~ mariya ~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampires, paranormal

Recommended for: people who enjoyed reading the Sookie Stackhouse novels and the Parasol Protectorate series.

I have been looking for a while to find a good vampire series to read. Well, guys, this is it! The search is over.

This is a book that I purchased for $ 0.99 for my Nook when they were doing a deal on it. From the first sentence, I was hooked, "Digging graves is hell on a manicure." Now how funny is that?

The story/plot revolves around a red-headed half-vampire half-mage tough assassin chic...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 07, 2012 Ferdy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: likeable-heroine, vampires-ahoy

Sabina Kane is a half vampire, half mage and an assassin for her evil grandmother who is the alpha/leader of the vampires. Sabina's grandmother, Lavinia instructs her too infiltrate a cult in order to kill the leader - Clovis, who is plotting to take over as leader/alpha of the vampires. Sabina eager to please her grandmother sets about to destroy Clovis.
Sabina is cold, bitchy and a loner.. she is loyal to her grandmother and despises humans, mages and anyone who isn't a vampire. Her thinking i...more

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May 13, 2011 Mariya rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: magic-users, vampires, urban-fantasy

So we have a half-vampire, half mage assassin named Sabina who is trying to gain acceptance from her vampire grandmother who shows no love or adoration to Sabina. Sabina gets herself in some shit and finds out more about herself in the process from hunky and sexy mage named Adam who looked ultimately delicious in nothing but a towel. And now she has to choose sides, the Mages or the Vampires. No one said life was easy.

Sabina was one tough cookie. I don't think she really stood out like other of...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 22, 2011 Ros rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: physical-books, paranormal-supernatural

This book was so well written! Being that I'm in the middle of a rage against everything Vampires, I was almost turned off reading the book, but Jaye Wells did something totally different with the genre which made it not only bareable, but incredibly addictive - I can't wait to read more about the awesomness that is Sabina Kane...

1 like · like · see review

Mel ... not fair... I now must read it!!!
Apr 22, 2011 09:02pm

If it ain't good I don't read it ! Okey u all can't ovesliy read ???
This book is not only stupid it's also dumb the author can't write for shit did u all not see the story line it was...more Okey u all can't ovesliy read ???
This book is not only stupid it's also dumb the author can't write for shit did u all not see the story line it was AWSAME the book was great I loved it :)
Looool haaha I like doing a twist to my comments lol but anyways this book is still great I love that she can fight and can kick anyone's ass any day couse i dont like the chicks that just sit around waiting for fuckin prince charming to save there weak asses like come on are u serious bitch get up and fight !!! . Thnk god she wasnt that kind of character cause if she was I'd be ripping my eye sockets out right now that and she had a twiin sister I got to say I didn't in a million years see that coming I thought here dad was a very powerful Mage or something but a twin ??? !!! Yup total awsamness.
Also I am sorta sad that her romeeee died i was starting to like her .... Who I'm I kidding I loved her she was hilarious but the person I fell in love with from the beginning is the deman repufhul I think was he's name ?? I dont remember but I love that deman he is so freaken funny I died from the moment he said sorry after he shot her that was priceless and when he sat around on her couch ordering stuff off t.v killer i swear he was freakin funny anyway what I'm trying to say is I lovvvve thisss book but I can't seem to find any books like this so (drum rolls plz ) if u happen to now any book LIKE ThIS (key words) let me know and not books where the chick sits around for some shitty ass princes to swip her off her feet couse i swear if i read any more of those book Imma sue I seriously don't get why people read those kind of books like whats the point she can't fight for shit , no action in the book , same story line over and over again ( bitch gets herself into trouble prince charming over here who is by the way fuckin 300 400 years older then her Save her sorry mother fuckin ass and they live happily ever after like dude chill pedo alert age difference what the fuck where u thinking surly 400 year of living would have given u common sense ?? Oh but who could blame him cause that's not all bitch over her nows the age difference but is MADLY in love ( u hoe ) and I thought the dude had issues nope oh wait that's not all then they fuck them selfs sense less then they come to the conclusion they need to get married blah bah then they live happily for a while after then some shit a excuse of a villain pops up and the dude fights him but miss hoe over her want to help .... gets caught by villain ( climax of the story ) prince charming saves her the fucken stupid ending . So if u read books like that save your selfs time couse This is exactly what the fuck happens in shitty books like this !! you only live once that you must now so go find something worth reading couse books like that are just stupid.

Okey u probably get the point so yeah ....

Oh and if u know any books that the main character is not a detactive beacouse that shit just piss me of those detactive walking around waving fuckin badges in ur face like what the fuck get that shitt outta me face bitch detactive my ass like u serious ??? Imma bout to serve ur head on a platter ! Mather fucker lets see u wave that shit it my face again I'm gonna call your boss and tell him you took a PERMANENT vacation to plattervania v
Lol plz feel free to rate\ add as a friend like who wouldnt lol ) oh and plz sent me a meggage if u have a book that has anything I just described in it thnx pce(less)
May 06, 2012 03:54am

Nov 22, 2011 Glass rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampire, urban-fantasy, girl-power

Well, it started quite promising, but then something happened and until the last fifty pages or so I was annoyed. Demon turned into the cuddly ugly cat... Give me a break!
Plot is interesting, Sabina is badass and I like mythology behind the vamps and mages.
But it was the red hair that got me! When I was thirteen, I wanted to dye my hair - take the wild guess - red, but my mom didn't want to hear about it. So, in the my not so smart rebelious moment, I dyed it with color shampoo. There's no need...more

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Aug 30, 2011 Aly (Mircea) Basarab rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: UF Fans

Shelves: buddy-read, urban-fantasy

3.75*
It was an ok book... I didn't like it much at the start, though I loved the first sentence :D
I loved V and I am so sad that JW killed her. I like Adam and the G-demon, they're funny and cool.
Sabina is annoying, she is impulsive and it seems to me that she does things without thinking. I mean, come on, how idiot can you be to change allegiance and go to NYC to piss of your grandma? IMO she needs to grow up a lot.
In the end, I think that I would have liked the book more if I didn't compare...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 30, 2013 Stacy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I might go as high as a 3.5 on this, but not a full 4. It was fun and fast-paced, the heroine has promise, and the potential love interest is totally hot, but there was a lot of silliness that was a little hard to swallow. So, vamps are the children of Lilith and Cain, are born, not made, and all have red hair that deepens shade as they age. Cool, works for me. But apples in all their forms are lethal? Say whozit whatzit? Ok, I get that this is supposed to be an Eden reference, and applewood sta...more I might go as high as a 3.5 on this, but not a full 4. It was fun and fast-paced, the heroine has promise, and the potential love interest is totally hot, but there was a lot of silliness that was a little hard to swallow. So, vamps are the children of Lilith and Cain, are born, not made, and all have red hair that deepens shade as they age. Cool, works for me. But apples in all their forms are lethal? Say whozit whatzit? Ok, I get that this is supposed to be an Eden reference, and applewood stakes through the heart, no problem (or brain, or...anywhere, really? I couldn't figure out if that was really the case or if I was just missing some placement details). But apple cider? I'm sorry, but there's just something inherently uncool about being taken down by a squirt of apple cider. At least holy water isn't readily available at your neighborhood grocery store. The vamps explode in a spray of fire & ash, ala Buffy. Eh, ok--I always thought that was a tad silly on Buffy, but whatever. Makes for easy cleanup.

Beyond that, while Sabina was acceptably kick-ass in general, for someone who was supposedly a trained assassin, it seemed like she was exceptionally inept when it came to taking down any of her actual targets. And all the bitching about "I'm an assassin, not a spy"??? Come on, considering there was never a single reference to a long range sniper rifle as part of her standard arsenal, I'd say the need to get up close and personal with your marks should be high on your skill list. And essentially letting all the bad guys go at the end was way too contrived. Um, gee...I wonder if any of them are going to be back with a vengeance?? Nah, never happen!

That said, I really wasn't feeling super negative as I was reading--there was a lot of humor thrown in, and I'm always appreciative of some well-placed sarcasm. (The pithy take-down lines got to be a bit much, though.) I had a good time, it just required me to gloss over a bit more than I should really have to.(less)

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Apr 27, 2013 Bookmom rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sabina Kane is half vampire and half mage and the two species have long been enemies. So even though she comes from royal blood and her grandmother is head of the Dominae (vampires), she's constantly put down for her parents' sin. She works as an assassin for the Dominae and loyalty to them was drilled in by her grandmother at an early age.

But her world starts to unravel when she's ordered to kill a friend from assassin school for treason against the Dominae; then told to go undercover to learn...more Sabina Kane is half vampire and half mage and the two species have long been enemies. So even though she comes from royal blood and her grandmother is head of the Dominae (vampires), she's constantly put down for her parents' sin. She works as an assassin for the Dominae and loyalty to them was drilled in by her grandmother at an early age.

But her world starts to unravel when she's ordered to kill a friend from assassin school for treason against the Dominae; then told to go undercover to learn the plans of, and assassinate the half vampire half demon leader of a united group of vampires, mages and faeries. Only it becomes difficult to know who to trust as she learns everything she'd been led to believe isn't true.

The story contains a lot of action as Sabina is a kick-butt heroine, emotion (she's never really had a close friend before), humor in the form of a demon cat-shifter, some sexual tension and political machinations. And of course Sabina isn't quite what she thought she was; nor is she infallible. If outnumbered and without a weapon, well, she's in trouble.

I enjoyed how Sabina thinks and shares with us her reasoning before saying or doing something. There is plenty of world-building and I'm guessing a great deal more as the series goes on. Sabina has only limited knowledge and had no interaction with mages, faeries or demons before, so we're learning as she does. And each species follows their own religion, worshipping the "deity" that started them. For the vampires, it's Lilith.

There is plenty of room for character growth, which is a good thing because she's got a lot of growing to do. While mostly confident in her abilities, she has a difficult time letting go of loyalty to the Dominae, even when presented with some truths. In that aspect she's a little wishy-washy. But I expect that to change.

After reading this first book I realize the series had already concluded after 5 books and a novella. Well, at least I can read them back-to-back and not have to wait for a book to be released. (less)

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Apr 16, 2013 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Let me start by saying I got this book at RT after the author had read from the most recent one in a panel and I was intrigued, and I could not wait to et my hands on this series. How did I miss this author, she is right u my alley and I have no idea how I missed this, or why no one has recommended me the book!!

This book was awesome. It started out slow for me, so I will not lie and say I was sucked right in right away. It took me a few chapters and then it finally got interesting and got me hoo...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Faye rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-that-don-t-make-any-sense

This book started out great, but a third of the way, it stopped making any sense.

First off, how can she be so cool about someone who summoned a demon to "test" her by killing her? I mean how do you get over that so fast? Just because he's hot doesn't necessarily means he's trustworthy! What if his hunch was wrong that applewood won't kill her? She could so easily been dead, but she trusts him that easily?? How did that happen?

Then there's his easy capture by the cults' guards. He's supposed to...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Adam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Adam by: Debi

Having just finished reading a Casandra Clare book in the sci-fi/fantasy genre, I won't lie. This book was a bit tricky to get into at first. My expectations were not the same. I picked up the book series on a recommendation, and had high expectations. However, I must say that the book series and subsequent characters grow on you over time - not the same way as a richer and more developed character and sub-plot scheme like an E.E. Knight or Casandra Clare.

Towards the end of the book, I really s...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Willsin Rowe rated it 3 of 5 stars

*** POSSIBLE SPOILERS ***

I'm not a huge devourer of urban fantasy/paranormal books, but the title and the cover art of this one drew me in.

"Red-Headed Stepchild" opens well, dropping the reader straight into the action. There's intrigue, sass and assassination, all within the first few pages. Jaye Wells metes out her characters' stories at a nice pace and with a dash of smart-mouthed confidence. The character of Giguhl, especially, gave the author plenty of material to work with.

But this book ju...more *** POSSIBLE SPOILERS ***

I'm not a huge devourer of urban fantasy/paranormal books, but the title and the cover art of this one drew me in.

"Red-Headed Stepchild" opens well, dropping the reader straight into the action. There's intrigue, sass and assassination, all within the first few pages. Jaye Wells metes out her characters' stories at a nice pace and with a dash of smart-mouthed confidence. The character of Giguhl, especially, gave the author plenty of material to work with.

But this book just couldn't bring it home for me. In part, that could be an incompatibility issue: this just might not be my genre. But that's definitely not the only factor in play. For one, I had trouble with the affection Sabina Kane so readily felt for the other main characters, all of whom were unknown to her at the beginning of the story. I understood that her world had changed dramatically, and that she was feeling vulnerable. I could easily believe that she WOULD take comfort in those around her. I just didn't feel that Ms. Wells sold it to me. There was too much "tell", not enough "show" for my liking.

The sarcastic humour played well early in the piece, but seemed to diminish in effectiveness as the story progressed. It just didn't seem to develop as strongly as it could have. And there are several elements to this story which are similar to the ones J.K. Rowling used in the Harry Potter series: the main character is an orphan, raised by relatives who despise her; she has magical abilities which she's never explored; and there are hints that she is some kind of "chosen one". Heck, on that description, she's almost Luke Skywalker, too.

I also found it odd that Sabina had such strong blood cravings, while also having a great hunger for regular human food. And especially coffee. As a half-mage/half-vampire, I understand that she'd probably have the dietary requirements of both species...but I don't recall there being any attempt to explain that. It also felt odd that vampirism seemed to be a genetic trait, handed down by parents. Again, I don't have trouble with that. It's the author's world, and the author's rules...it's just that no attempt was made by the author to explain her rules, as far as I recall.

More than anything, though, it was the editing which left me feeling cold. It was just plain poor in many places. A lot of echoes, redundancies, and unwieldy sentences. In some cases, all three at once: "Watching me pretend I could handle watching my life disintegrate before my eyes." And inconsistencies leapt out in places as well. When vamps die, they ignite, then turn to ash. At one point, Sabina impales a female vampire, causing her to ignite. Then in the next paragraph that vampire has somehow reconstituted enough to sustain a well-directed blow on the temple. These things SHOULD be picked up by a beta-reader, but it's absolutely ESSENTIAL that an editor would notice.

So in the end, it's a pretty easy and harmless read. There's enough material and creativity in there to warrant the sequels. But I don't think I'll be exploring them. I might stick with Katie Salidas for all my vampire needs.

2.5 stars (+ a half star for the cover art!)(less)

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Apr 19, 2012 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 3-5-stars

Plot: 3.5 Stars
I really liked the idea of a half-vampire, half-mage character, with the vampire and mage communities being enemies. I wish more of the vampire-mage history had been explained. The twists and turns, lots of fighting, a tiny glimmer of romance, and even some humor. But it just felt like there was something missing.

Pace: 3.5 Stars
The beginning was fast paced and reeled me in quick, but by around chapter fifteen, the pace definitely slowed down. Although I never lost interest in the...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Sinn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Every time I picked up this book, it sounded as though it could be a good read. However, for some reason or the other, I ended up putting in back on the shelf. And, let me tell you, I am happy I finally convinced myself to buy it with my Christmas money!

The story follows Sabina Kane, half vampire/half vampire assassin working for one of the largest vampire groups around. However, even though she is good at her job and her grandmother is 1/3 of the ruling body, she still feels the pinch of being...more Every time I picked up this book, it sounded as though it could be a good read. However, for some reason or the other, I ended up putting in back on the shelf. And, let me tell you, I am happy I finally convinced myself to buy it with my Christmas money!

The story follows Sabina Kane, half vampire/half vampire assassin working for one of the largest vampire groups around. However, even though she is good at her job and her grandmother is 1/3 of the ruling body, she still feels the pinch of being an abomination. In order to win the approval of her grandmother, she takes on a seemingly impossible case: infiltrate a rival upstart, determine the identity of his mole, and assassinate him. However, being a half vampire/half demon, it seems impossible. And here starts the crazy adventure of political intrigue and an unknown quest to find her identity.

First off, I enjoyed that Wells didn't take the typical, clique vampire approach. Granted, that being said, she did know of take the vampire origin (being from Cain) from Masquerade. Either way, I loved the concept of the vampires being the children of Cain and Lilith. In addition, making all of the vampires have red hair due to Cain's mark was brilliant! I also liked the animosity between the vampires and other races. It was interesting to see how the vampires views themselves as a superior race. I know that part has been done before, but her approach felt different.

I absolutely loved the banter between Sabina and Giguhl! Many times, I had to read large sections to my husband! It was just awesome and hilarious! Something about a demon being a hairless cat is priceless! Along with that, all of her supporting characters were well fleshed out without taking the main focus off of Sabina.

One of my hangups with the book was the editing. Many times I had to stop and reread an entire section multiple times. Some of them could be a simple case of typos; however, it ended up pulling me completely out of the book. And, at some level, that is almost unforgivable. Her editor needed and editor. Unfortunately, those mistakes keeps the book from a 5 skull rating.

Aside from the major drawback, the book was well written, very well paced, and fun! I tore through this book in a matter of days and picked up the second one. If you're looking for a good urban fantasy, this one might be right up your alley! (less)

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Mar 03, 2012 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sabina Kane is half vampire and half mage, in a world that looks down upon mixed blood beings. Her vampire half is readily obvious, because like her mother and her grandmother, she has red hair. It's obvious to those that see her that she is still very young, and in fact a scant 53 years old by the fact that hair isn't very dark yet. Sabina is an assassin, having been declined other roles due to her mixed heritage. Sabina was raised by her grandmother (because both of her parents are dead) to di...more Sabina Kane is half vampire and half mage, in a world that looks down upon mixed blood beings. Her vampire half is readily obvious, because like her mother and her grandmother, she has red hair. It's obvious to those that see her that she is still very young, and in fact a scant 53 years old by the fact that hair isn't very dark yet. Sabina is an assassin, having been declined other roles due to her mixed heritage. Sabina was raised by her grandmother (because both of her parents are dead) to distrust and limit her contact with all other groupings of supernatural beings.

Sabina is fiercely loyal to her grandmother, even killing a dear friend when told to, because it was assumed that he betrayed vampires. She is strong, capable and desperate to prove her worth to her grandmother and so when she is sent to kill Clovis Trakiya, a being who is half demon and half vampire, who is attempting to supplant the Dominae (read: vampire leadership) she jumps at the opportunity.

The mission does not go as Sabina planned. It begins to go awry when a demon stakes her and she does not die, thanks to her mage blood. Giguhl becomes stuck in the human realm and is forced to mascaraed as a cat. Adam the mage who has been following her becomes her love interest and ends up being the one to introduce Sabina to her mage heritage, causing her to question everything that she knows as true.

Red-Headed Step Child is not a unique story in many ways. As I mentioned above, once again we have a protagonist with dead parents. I don't understand why urban fantasy writers are so determined to give their protagonists a tragic past. At times the plot is a touch predictable but it is saved from being just another run of the mill urban fantasy books by the humour. The relationship between Giguhl in cat form and Sabina is touching and hilarious. How can anyone not love a talking kitty with a ton of attitude? There were times when I laughed out loud.

There is one GLBT character in this story; Ewan is a bar owner and a gossip. Wells tries to redeem this by suggesting that Ewan trades in information, but it still amounts to one of the most common tropes aimed at gay men. At the beginning it seemed that Ewan would have a large role in the story and so I was disappointed, while not shocked, that he ended up being murdered by the Dominae. Having the sole gay character die to prove just how evil and unfeeling the Dominae die is jut another example of how disposable gay people have become in this genre. Just like many writers Wells has added a gay character for the purposes of inclusion, and then followed it up with a shitty portrayal.

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Feb 20, 2012 Sassapphras rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: too-awful-to-finish

I'm only a few chapters into this book, and I can aleady say I don't like it. There is a lot to be desired as far as dialogue goes. It feels childish--seriously like jr. high kids are conversing instead of adults. And as for the characters--I sincerely dislike them all. That, in itself, wouldn't be a "broke the camel's back" issue if I at least liked the main character. But being unable to respect her makes that an unlikelihood. For a century-old assasin, she is about the dumbest person I've eve...more

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Feb 08, 2012 drey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, urban-fantasy

The first time I heard about Jaye Wells’ Sabina Kane series was in a what-would-you-buy-if-you-won giveaway comment. And it kept popping up, so I had to pick it up…

drey’s thoughts:

If you:

1. like urban fantasy
2. prefer your heroines smart-mouthed and sassy and able to open a can of whoop-ass with her pinky finger
3. want some plot amidst the action

then you’re going to love Sabina Kane in Jaye Wells’ Red-Headed Stepchild. How do I know? If you have to ask, you must be new ’round here…

Sabina is a m...more
The first time I heard about Jaye Wells’ Sabina Kane series was in a what-would-you-buy-if-you-won giveaway comment. And it kept popping up, so I had to pick it up…

drey’s thoughts:

If you:

1. like urban fantasy
2. prefer your heroines smart-mouthed and sassy and able to open a can of whoop-ass with her pinky finger
3. want some plot amidst the action

then you’re going to love Sabina Kane in Jaye Wells’ Red-Headed Stepchild. How do I know? If you have to ask, you must be new ’round here…

Sabina is a mixed-blood assassin working for the vampires – her grandmother’s the head honcho after all. Not that it garners any favors for Sabina – mixed-bloods rank lower than the lowest. She’s having one of the worst days of her life, where she ruins her manicure digging graves, gets assigned a super-secret if-you-fail-we’ll-have-to-disavow-any-knowledge project, and gets staked in her own home. The indignity! But finding out who tried to kill her is secondary to proving her loyalty to the Dominae and completing her assignment.

Along the way lies treachery and falsehoods, familiars getting turned into ugly hairless cats, sarcastic witticisms whirling amongst aspen stakes and bullets, gorgeous good guys, gorgeous bad guys, and a whole lot of I’m-not-comfortable-with-warm-fuzzies. Phew. Did I forget anything?

I like Sabina, even if she does have a titch more angst than I prefer in my heroines. Then again, she’s just found out everything she lives for is a lie. (Ok, so maybe not quite everything…) But she rolls with it, survives the punches, and winds up with a couple new friends in her corner – which can be very satisfying indeed.

The action moves quickly, and the story-telling flows well. I love Giguhl, especially as a cat. Adam is sufficiently mysterious. Clovis altogether creepy – maybe just a tad too creepy. The ending is wrapped up just a bit too fast for my taste, it seemed a bit rushed. But the revelations at the end mean more changes for Sabina, and I’d love to watch her grow and transform.

If you’re looking for something to read until that next book in your favorite urban fantasy series comes out, give this one a whirl. I’m hunting down the next book in the series…

drey’s rating: Excellent!(less)

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Jan 11, 2012 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

This book was so much fun. I'm delighted by the fact that the heroine is a assassin and drinks from humans, sometimes to the point of death [she hates drinking synthetic blood]... True she does go for drug dealers and would-be rapists ala Dexter, but it's still a ton better then most of the other "blood is yuck" and "kiss don't kill" otherworldly heroines many publishers are trying to sell to me. If I'm looking at a book about vampires, cults and assassins I know that I'm going to read about mur...more This book was so much fun. I'm delighted by the fact that the heroine is a assassin and drinks from humans, sometimes to the point of death [she hates drinking synthetic blood]... True she does go for drug dealers and would-be rapists ala Dexter, but it's still a ton better then most of the other "blood is yuck" and "kiss don't kill" otherworldly heroines many publishers are trying to sell to me. If I'm looking at a book about vampires, cults and assassins I know that I'm going to read about murder and gore, so let the characters be less then squeaky clean accordingly. Thanks.

Books featuring vampires are ten to a penny post-Twilight and every scenario has been done countless times so I ignored this book when Amazon kept recommending it to me, before coming across it in my local library and biting the bullet. Fortunately author Jaye Wells has come up with a formula that I've not come across before; The vampires in this author's world are descended from Lilith's affair with Cain, so in addition to Lilith's blood thirst, all vampires also have inherited Cain's red hair (God marked Cain with red hair after he murdered Abel) and inability to go out in sunlight. Oh yeah - if you want to stake a vampire make sure you use applewood, or if you can somehow get a vampire to ingest the forbidden fruit it will strip away their immortality and make them kill-able.

I'm not religious, but the biblical origins of the vampire paired with the inner workings and politics of modern cults was fascinating and the aspects of the uneasy supernatural races also helped lend an air of realism. People not liking others who are different to them? differing cultures? killing people over religious ideals? It is a story that is startlingly relevant and is slightly unsettling. It will stay stuck in your head long after you've read it.

Was there anything that I didn't like? I wouldn't depend on my description of the Dominae as being a major religion for vampires as fact in a [unlikely] life or death situation; Whilst I'm fairly sure I've deciphered it correctly, it's never made crystal clear [maybe it was and I'm just a tad slow to catch on].
(less)

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Jan 02, 2012 MandyM rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

Interesting but frustrating urban fantasy about a half vampire/half mage assassin, Sabina, who has been brainwashed and lied to all her life by her powerful vampire Grandmother, the leader of the Dominae. Sabina is sent by the Dominae to infiltrate a rebel group but along the way Sabina realises the truth and starts to switch her allegiance.

The problem I had with this story was Sabina's assassination of her life-long friend David in the first chapter. It was a morally reprehensible act and it wa...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
SOS: Serious Over...: May Buddy Read: Red-Headed Stepchild by Jaye Wells	58	80	May 28, 2012 06:31pm
Vampire Book Club: Group Read: Red-Headed Stepchild (Spoilers!)	10	42	Dec 31, 2011 01:21pm
Vampire Book Club: The No-Spoiler thread for Red-Headed Stepchild	11	21	Nov 17, 2011 12:35pm
Vampire Book Club: The November group read is RED-HEADED STEPCHILD	14	36	Nov 09, 2011 11:05pm

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Red-Headed Stepchild (Sabina Kane #1)

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