The Mage in Black (Sabina Kane, #2)

Dec 25, 2012 Book Chick City rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, book-list-2011

I gave this 7/10 on my blog: Book Chick City

This is the second book in the 'Sabina Kane' series by Jaye Wells, and although I enjoyed it very much 'The Mage in Black' didn't quite live up to my expectations of what I hoped would be a fantastic follow up to the brilliant 'Red-Headed Setpchild'.

It could have been that I preferred reading about the Vampire world present in the first book rather than the Mage world which was dominant in this book. It may have been the fact that there was less humour...more I gave this 7/10 on my blog: Book Chick City

This is the second book in the 'Sabina Kane' series by Jaye Wells, and although I enjoyed it very much 'The Mage in Black' didn't quite live up to my expectations of what I hoped would be a fantastic follow up to the brilliant 'Red-Headed Setpchild'.

It could have been that I preferred reading about the Vampire world present in the first book rather than the Mage world which was dominant in this book. It may have been the fact that there was less humour and snarkiness between the characters, especially Sabina and Giguhl, the demon-cat (which I found very funny and endearing in book one). It may also have something to do with the fact that Adam was hardly present at all, which was a bit disappointing as I enjoyed the sexually infused banter between him and Sabina.

However, the void left by Adam was replaced with another male character in the form of the lovely, although very different, vampire, Slade, or better known to the dark-race as 'The Shade' (such a slight change to the name I'm not sure I understand why). His relationship with Sabina began many years ago and they didn't leave each other on good terms.

The writing in 'The Mage in Black' is just as good as the previous book, the imagination is still as vivid and Sabina continues to kick-arse, but the sparkle was missing for me. I didn't particularly like Sabina's sister, Maisie or the rest of the Mage characters. They dictated just as much as Sabina's grandmother, they were just more subtle about it. They told her she shouldn't fight, she should get in touch with her Mage side and learn magic and she shouldn't drink from humans but rather from a bag. One of the aspects I love about Sabina is that she doesn't apologise for who she is, which is a vampire and that means drinking human blood. Considering Sabina had just met them, I found their rules annoying and couldn't connect with any of them.

When Sabina meets up with 'The Shade' it was rather nice to get back to the world of vampire, and Sabina was just as relieved as I was. It was comforting and familiar. I don't often read books about lots of magic, but prefer to immerse myself in the world of vampires and werewolves rather than witches. And as this book if full to the brim of witchy magic it was a little slow going for me.

There's also the inclusion of a demon fight-club run by 'The Shade' in his bar/club Vein, and of course Giguhl wants to join. There's also love on the cards for Giguhl, which I'm not sure I liked. I preferred him as the demon-kitty much more than the love-sick randy demon. In fact, I saw him as a bit asexual and was surprised and a little disappointed if I'm honest that his character went down this route.

There is lots of action and intrigue. Sabina is being hunted and is nearly killed on numerous occasions, but who is behind the attacks? I was hoping for a sting in the tail...her sister maybe, or the leader of the Mage-race, Orpheus, but it turned out to be who I suspected, and unfortunately the culprit was a little dull. However, the suspense is very much there and with a fab character such as Sabina, it was easy to read this book in a short space of time.

VERDICT:

Overall 'The Mage in Black' is a very good read and I really enjoyed it, despite the above, and the ending sets us up nicely for what will hopefully be a great third instalment in this exciting series.(less)

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Dec 16, 2011 Fani rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, high-priority, heroine-is-feisty, emotional, heroine-kick-ass

I'm completely with AH on this: this is fast becoming my favorite, guilty pleasure series:) Yes, Sabina is not the most likable heroine around and yes there are better written UF stories out there. But this is so entertaining! It's a nice combination of humorous moments, action, a little romance and some quite emotional moments that caught me by complete surprise. Gighul is one of the most interesting secondary characters out there and he alone makes these books worth reading. "Lawrence of the L...more

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May 07, 2010 Melindeeloo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, vampires, witches-wizards-mages-sorcerers

After betrayal by her vampire grandmother, Sabina is no longer an assassin for the Dominae and is off to New York City to check out the mage side of her family and to finally meet her twin Maisie - who welcomes Sabina with open arms and lots of enthusiasm.

I finally have gotten into the swing of Wells' series (after one short story and one novel) and I really liked Mage in Black. Probably mostly because Well's UF heroine is thawing a bit and in this book she's starting to go through some interes...more

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Mar 31, 2011 Jill rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Loving this series. It's been a while since I got into one, and I'm realizing that what I like best is kickass female lead, existing and evolving in an interesting world. For me, this series gives everything I enjoy--a little paranormal plot, a little action, a little mystery, a funny sidekick, and a little romance. It is light on the romance and heavy on the plotline, which seems to appeal to me. YMMV.

The ending is a bit abrupt, but it sure made me want to jump right into the next book! Definit...more

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Sep 05, 2011 Anzu The Great Destroyer rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: it's too complicated

Shelves: the-fantasy-of-urbans, fat-kitty-judges-you, fanged-and-deadly, furry-wild-and-rabid, evil-horned-ones, hop-on-a-broom, dafuq-did-i-just-read, reviewed-2011, a-bit-of-mush, masters-of-snoozeville, facepalm

I started reading this EXACTLY after finishing the latest Night Huntress book. This will explain my harsh review.

I had so many problems with this book that I have no idea where to begin. The start was too sudden. I’m a sucker for action but give me some time to adjust don’t just hit me in the head like this. I could get over this if the story would turn into something interesting and not mindless action. It didn’t. Eventually things got so boring that I lost interest in the book. Hell at a point...more I started reading this EXACTLY after finishing the latest Night Huntress book. This will explain my harsh review.

I had so many problems with this book that I have no idea where to begin. The start was too sudden. I’m a sucker for action but give me some time to adjust don’t just hit me in the head like this. I could get over this if the story would turn into something interesting and not mindless action. It didn’t. Eventually things got so boring that I lost interest in the book. Hell at a point I didn’t get what the story was about. Demon Fight-Club? Not what I wanted to find, I’ll tell you this. I was totally uninterested to read about the damn boxing matched between Giguhl and the rest of the demons. Give me a damn story please and quit screwing around!

I’ve always skipped the whole training on Eye of The Tiger moments in movies. They bore me especially since there’s no fun in them. Most of the book revolves around something like this. Damn boring I tell you!! At the end I felt that the story was close to useless.

Here’s an image to show you my opinion on this:

In the previous book Sabina seemed cool. I was actually amused by her messed up personality. It lasted for only the first book. Now she’s the same assh*le as before and instead of being amused I’m getting annoyed. A character should evolve with each book. She’s actually going the other way around. She acts like a big ass assassin but when faced with new knowledge or the chance for a fresh start she acts like she’s in primary school. Not the kind of heroine I would admire.

I guess Sabina’s attitude problem comes from the deep and desperate need to get laid. (view spoiler)

I still don’t understand why they didn’t kill her grandma in the previous book. It makes no sense. Sabina left her live just so she could show off with what a bad girl she is hanging with the mages and all that?

I used to like Giguhl but in The Mage in Black he’s simply annoying. Slade was ok and Maisie was neutral.(less)

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Mar 12, 2011 Bethany C rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review may not be particularly informative/useful as I have nothing constructive to say- I loved everything about this book. However, I'm pretty stingy with my stars, so a five star really means something. Wells is a master at character development; every single one of her characters feels instantly real. And she has really achieved something in my book- continuing to keep me 100% interested during 'fight' scenes. I often find in other books during fight or battle scenes that my interest wa...more

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Oct 29, 2011 Kitt rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2010, urban-fantasy, cliff-hanger, books-i-own, sabina-kane

The Mage in Black is second in author Jaye Wells' Sabina Kane trilogy. I found the first debut novel, Red-Headed Stepchild, in one my late night searches through Amazon's recommended readings. Red-Headed Stepchild was a favorite read of mine last year, so it's only natural that I'd be racing to the bookstore to grab up her next edition.

Jaye Wells' series is set in a world where vampires, mages, demons and faeries exist, but go mostly unnoticed by its human population. The vampires in this world...more The Mage in Black is second in author Jaye Wells' Sabina Kane trilogy. I found the first debut novel, Red-Headed Stepchild, in one my late night searches through Amazon's recommended readings. Red-Headed Stepchild was a favorite read of mine last year, so it's only natural that I'd be racing to the bookstore to grab up her next edition.

Jaye Wells' series is set in a world where vampires, mages, demons and faeries exist, but go mostly unnoticed by its human population. The vampires in this world are not undead but are living supernatural beings that are born, rather than made. They have a lot of the usual strengths and weaknesses of vampires but their origins, and their genetic red-hair, are linked back to original bible myth (they are the earthly descendants of Lilith and Cain) and as a result they have some weaknesses involving apples.

Sabina Kane has just left everything she knows behind her after being betrayed by her own grandmother, Lavina Kane, head of the vampire race. She's now an ex-assassin for the Dominae on her way to New York with Adam Lazarus [the mage we met in Red-Headed Stepchild:] to meet with her twin sister--that she only found about a week ago--Maise, High Priestess of her most-hated enemy, The Hectate Council of Mages. The product of a forbidden match and separated at birth, Sabina and Maise are half-vampire/half-mage and were brought up as complete opposites.

However, Maise has no intentions of letting the difference in their two worlds keep them apart. She has every intention of making Sabina feel welcomed. Sabina, though, isn't adjusting to her new life and her lack of knowledge of the rules in New York quickly gets her into trouble. Mage politics and transgressions in the Black Light District are set to stir up things to make her look bad. To make matters worse, not all the mages are happy about her arrival. So, Sabina must trust the Hectate Council to search out the mage(s) responsible for the threats to her life, except their attention is already occupied elsewhere with the upcoming vote to go to war against the Dominae... and their delay just might get her killed.

The Mage in Black was a great entry in the Sabina Kane trilogy. However, it was abundantly clear that this edition was a transitional novel, gearing up for the next in the series. There's a lot of 'down time' while Sabina learns to wield her new mage skills. She meets up with a friend from the past and her demon familiar, Giguhl, fights in the 'Demon Fight Club'. Negotiations and preparations are made for the upcoming dark races war. Despite it's lack of edge-of-your-seat, action-packed story like we got from the first book, it was still a satisfying read. We learn more about the mages and Caste of Nod. Sabina grows in character and power. Old characters come back to help Sabina, along with meeting some new friends. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments that I've come to expect from Jaye Wells. I like this series and would recommend it to any urban fantasy reader. Though, if you hate cliff-hanger endings, I would wait for the Green-Eyed Demon when it releases March 2011, for it promises to be a non-stop thrill ride.(less)

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Aug 12, 2011 Jenn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Okay. I am thoroughly enjoying the Sabina Kane series. It's a thrilling ride of magic and vampires and werewolves...oh my!

Sabina meets her long lost twin and is off to mage summer-school. There's a lack of Adam in the book and I'm glad because he would've proven a distraction from her learning about being a mage.

And can I just say I love that she's learning about her magic half? I'm so glad she's not going to fumbling her way through the half of her blood she doesn't know. No flukes, no "I'll le...more

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May 12, 2013 Bookmom rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sabina is half vampire/half mage and the two are bitter enemies. So being a half breed raised by vampires, even though her maternal grandmother, Lavinia, is the head of the Dominae (vampire council) doesn't help her status. Trained as an assassin, she'd been taught obedience and loyalty was not only expected, but the only thing she has to offer. She'd also been taught to tamp down her mage side.

She learns in the last book that she has a twin sister who was raised by their paternal grandmother to...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Maurinejt rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

2.5

Well, the writing style is still very fun and easy to follow. However. Some of the weaknesses in the first book were magnified here. This book suffered immensely from lack of imaginative world building. Wells' vampires are unusual and their mythology is interesting. I just wish I could say the same for the rest of the races she deals with. They are wooden cliches, nothing new is revealed. We've seen mages' strongholds, werewolves and their fanatical devotion to pack, and duplicitous fairies b...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Dangerous Romance Book Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In Mage in Black, Sabina Kane, half Vampire/Half Mage, has grown up as a Vampire among the Vamps on the west coast, and operated as an assassin, while her twin sister Maisie grew up on the East Coast among the Mages. Sabina didn’t know she had a twin, let alone one who is a deeply spiritual person in touch with her magic who has turned her back on Vampirism. This book is about new beginnings and how it can be difficult for someone to change.

Mage in Black, the sequel to book one, Red Headed Step...more In Mage in Black, Sabina Kane, half Vampire/Half Mage, has grown up as a Vampire among the Vamps on the west coast, and operated as an assassin, while her twin sister Maisie grew up on the East Coast among the Mages. Sabina didn’t know she had a twin, let alone one who is a deeply spiritual person in touch with her magic who has turned her back on Vampirism. This book is about new beginnings and how it can be difficult for someone to change.

Mage in Black, the sequel to book one, Red Headed Step Child begins with Sabina fleeing her evil Vampire Grandmother’s clutches, evading vampire assassins while traveling cross country with her Demon familiar/friend Giguhl and a hot Mage named Adam who she may or may not be falling in love with. Adam has convinced her to meet the Mage side of the family but after her Grandmother’s betrayal, she’s justifiably nervous about meeting new family, especially twin sister Maisie who is the spiritual leader of the Mages in New York.

The book starts out with an exciting fight scene so vivid it was like watching it on TV. Sabina is best dealing in a crisis and fighting, and that scene was a great kick off to the book.

Unfortunately, when it comes to navigating politics, social interactions, or anything to do with emotions and family, Sabina acts as if she were practically raised feral, and is inclined to put her foot in her mouth or up someone’s ass and then think about the consequences later. I like a strong, Kick Ass female adventurer as much as the next girl, but I don't want to think less of her intellectually as well and sometimes watching Sabina process information is like watching a prototypical dumb jock trying to follow a reading of James Joyce.

Sometimes her shoot from the hip attitude is a strength. There is a great scene where Sabina runs into an old flame and instead of gritting her teeth and civilly saying hello, she clocks him. I’ve been in a similar situation before and the idea of just punching the ex in the mouth was really great fantasy and satisfying! It reminded me of the first Indiana Jones movie when Marian and Indy meet up and she hits him in the face. However this is pretty much Sabina’s answer for most of her dilemma’s and I’d like to see her utilize her brain a little more.

Sabina and her ex are able to rise above the past and she ends up hanging out at his bar, where he conducts a demon Fight Club. Giguhl it turns out, is a surprisingly good fighter and Sabina becomes his fight manager. The Demon Fight club scenes were alternately exciting and humorous. While this added excitement, banter and some sexual tension between her and her ex, it really didn’t move the plot forward or deepen it, it just provided entertainment.

I guess this fundamentally speaks to the characters personality. She is much more comfortable with violence then attaining a peaceful grounded lifestyle and this comes between her relationships with the Mages, and her ability to learn the magic they are trying to teach her. Luckily her relationship with her sister, while superficial is cordial. Maisie is surprisingly cool and even goes to the bar to watch a fight. I was pleased the series didn't make Maisie an "Evil Twin" trope. When it comes to her relationship with Adam, Sabina has so much emotional baggage, she self sabotages the potential for a relationship whether intentionally or not.

The Mages think that Sabina is going to be pivotal in heralding in a new era of their future and they are optimistic about her future with them. Being a loner with massive trust issues, this makes Sabina naturally skittish. She relies a lot on her demon familiar Giguhl to be her rock and emotional support. Giguhl is an almost cartoonish character, there is nothing frightening about him and once again I feel this is a skimming on the tip of what lies beneath. He reminds me of that character on the show Angel, he is the witty and funny voice of reason in Sabina’s screwed up world and he provides a running commentary.

Part of what bothers me about the series is Giguhl is basically her slave and she seems to have no problem with that. Later he falls for a beautiful blue Demon he is supposed to fight in the club and he asks her to rescue his lady love from being sent away. She has to really think about whether she is going to take on this added responsibility. I just kept thinking, how this was like slaves and their masters. Everyone acts like it’s great that she is able to capture, contain and control her pet demon. She and Giguhl are very fond of each other, but the very nature of their relationship bothered me. If he is such a good friend, why not free him and let him choose to be there for her?

Sabina and Maisie deserved time to actually talk on a deeper level about what their respective childhoods were like. As twins who were separated their entire lives, there could have been some very meaningful and moving conversations that led to a deeper sense of knowing not only each other better but themselves, something I think Sabina’s character could stand to grow from.

Ultimately, it is like watching a movie where the main character is a man who thinks with his fists and another part of his anatomy, then complains about why nothing ever goes their way. A woman doesn’t necessarily have to emulate every bad trait men have in order to be sucessful in a man's world. The book could dig deeper as far as emotions, and I would expect someone of this age to think a little more strategically.

Mage in Black however is a fun read and a wild ride, but ultimately it relies too much on a “shoot first, ask questions later” premise, robbing the characters of potentially deeper nuances which could make the reader become more involved emotionally.
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Aug 08, 2012 Adam rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Adam by: Debi

All right, so I immediately picked and finished the second book in the series having gone through the first one a light speed. This book series is more of a quick read and the depth of the characters and sub-plots is not built up from within each book individually; however, they are compounded and bolstered over time through out the series. There's nothing wrong with writing your characters that way, and I've read other authors that have done the same. I am merely saying that it is a different a...more All right, so I immediately picked and finished the second book in the series having gone through the first one a light speed. This book series is more of a quick read and the depth of the characters and sub-plots is not built up from within each book individually; however, they are compounded and bolstered over time through out the series. There's nothing wrong with writing your characters that way, and I've read other authors that have done the same. I am merely saying that it is a different approach to some of the other really good authors I have read.

All right, that being said, let's get to a few good details. I love the full-on integration and subtle building of new family loyalties between Sabina and her recently discovered twin sister, Massey. Given her past history and up-bringing, the trust and loyalty is still a hard pill for her to swallow. Granted, she struggles with it throughout the book, and I imagine she will continue to struggle with her insecurities throughout the series. Just as she struggles with the men and relationships in her life, and I am not ashamed to admit that I enjoyed reading her "intimate" exploits - reminiscent of scenes from the J. R. Ward fantasy/romance series called the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

On a lighter note, after a cold shower or two, this book had some laugh-out-loud, slap-stick one-liner moments between Sabine and her side-kick, Gigool, which really shows the bond between those two characters. Gigool has this visceral innocent naive quality about him which reminds me of a popular Grog Character called Ahn-Kha from the VAmpire Earth series. He grows on you over time.

I am not surprised by how this series is developing and advancing, and you grow to hate Sabina's enemies, like Lavinia Kane, just as much as she does. However, if you a looking for a great mystery suspense thriller to solve like a Jim Butcher novel, then don't set your expectations too high. If you are looking for an action-packed introspective struggle between families, relationships and varying fantasy races sprinkled in with some political overtones, then this is for you. (less)

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May 29, 2012 Urban Fantasy Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

To read this review and more like it check out my site, www.ufreviews.com

Shockingly I am progressing through this series rather quickly and I have to say that I am glad I finally found this series. There is something about then general tone of the books that appeal to me. I think it's the author voice in general, she seems like the kind of smart ass girl I would love to be friends with, mainly because I think she would get my sense of humor too. She writes her books pretty intelligently but she...more To read this review and more like it check out my site, www.ufreviews.com

Shockingly I am progressing through this series rather quickly and I have to say that I am glad I finally found this series. There is something about then general tone of the books that appeal to me. I think it's the author voice in general, she seems like the kind of smart ass girl I would love to be friends with, mainly because I think she would get my sense of humor too. She writes her books pretty intelligently but she does so in a way that remains pretty quirky, while being very true to the character of Sabina that she has created.

Now if you have not read the first book please do not proceed with this review because I am going to ruin the first book for you in the span of a couple of paragraphs. First off to say Sabina got screwed in the last book would probably be the understatement of the year. Sabina got the short end of the stick her entire life, being raised by vampires, a race that seriously resented her for being born. So I guess it wasn't that much of a stretch for them to betray her in the end, turned out she was just a pawn the entire time in her, let's face it evil, grandmother's plan.

So book two basically picks up right where we left off in book one, Sabina going to meet her long lost twin sister that she never knew existed, and really having to put her life in the hands of mages, a race she had been taught to hate, after being betrayed by the race who raised her. Sabina doesn't have it easy, and the first hard blow for her, and for me as a reader was that Adam was sent away as soon as they make it to NYC. I don't know about ya'll but for me Adam is an awesome character, and I really wanted to see where that whole thing was going, so when I saw that Adam was being removed from the situation I have to say I was a tad bit on the annoyed side. But I should have trusted the author.

Wells brings in a lot of new characters in this book, because well lets face it the people Sabina didn't leave behind are dead, so there was a lot of room open for new characters. I think the really interesting thing about this book is that book one was more vampire than anything else, told from Sabina's point of view. But since Sabina was an outsider basically, you as a reader felt like you had the basic information about how vampire society works but never really felt like you were a part of it. Book two is basically all mages all the time, but this time you are learning along side with Sabina, and it's a totally different feel. You really get to go along with Sabina through her journey to figure out who she really is and what she really wants (and that is not to say she has it figured out by the end of this book).

So with the new found mage cast of characters, I have to say I like a lot of them. I enjoyed the introduction of Slade, the vampire Sabina clearly has a past with, who has this great cocky personality throughout the entire book. Then you have Rhea who is really Sabina's main teacher of all things mage. She seems like the wise woman who takes crap from no one. And then of course when you back her into a corner you realize "wow shouldn't have done that", she can hold her own like nobodies business. Although there is one scene where she literally wears a helmet while training Sabina which was just too cute for words. And of course then you have Maisie, who in my opinion is a great sister. She really wants to do the right thing by her people as well as by her family. She just seems genuine in every sense of the word. That being said I think I wish I had gotten to know her a little bit better. She had a couple of surprising moments within the book, but for the most part I feel like I want to know more.

Overall this book ends with just a big of an "omg what next" as the first book does. So needless to say I am already working my way through book three. I love this series. It's just a fun ride. I think a lot of it comes from tone like I mentioned earlier. But the story is good, and it's a fun ride from beginning to end. And if you don't think mages are you thing, I seriously urge you to reconsider. This series kind of has it all, all of the awesome supernatural races can be found her, and I have a feeling that is not going to change as the series progresses. So if you are an urban fantasy fan I urge you to pick up this series I think just about everyone will enjoy it. (less)

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May 14, 2012 L.M. Smith rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm all for a good vamp novel, don't get me wrong, and I've been reading everything vamp/mage/demon I can get my hands on for the past few years now but this one doesn't stand out in a good way. The characters are flat, the writing is one-note, the story is predictable and the dialogue is cheesy. She sets a picture for everything that happens so that, as it's happening, you know what's coming next. She writes well enough that the book plays out like a movie in my head, which is something I reall...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

At the end of Red Headed Step Child, Sabina was leaving the west coast to head for New York to finally meet her long lost sister Maisie, the head oracle of the mages. Sabina is still filled with rage about the betrayal of her grandmother Lavinia, and feels that by getting in touch with her mage heritage, she might find a way to finally defeat her. This trip also offers the opportunity for Sabina to start over and be a different person from her grandmother raised her to be. In the process of reco...more At the end of Red Headed Step Child, Sabina was leaving the west coast to head for New York to finally meet her long lost sister Maisie, the head oracle of the mages. Sabina is still filled with rage about the betrayal of her grandmother Lavinia, and feels that by getting in touch with her mage heritage, she might find a way to finally defeat her. This trip also offers the opportunity for Sabina to start over and be a different person from her grandmother raised her to be. In the process of reconnecting to a lost past, Sabina hopes to discover who she really is.

When she gets to New York, Sabina quickly realizes that mage ways are very different from the vampire norms that she has become accustomed to. Mages are highly concerned about human life and see them as innocents who are not to be harmed. Being raised strictly as a vampire, Sabina has never had any real concern for human safety. For the first time in her life, Sabina discovers that her physical abilities as a vampire assassin are not going to help her. Mage life is built around magic and her grimoire contains one spell - the spell for summoning Giguhl, her demon familiar. Sabina is frustrated by her failure to advance quickly, but promises herself that she will not make the same mistake twice.

Sabina no longer has a source of income now that she is no longer an assassin, and so after being forced into fighting the alpha of the werewolves, Slade offers her work pitting Giguhl against other demons in he ring. Sabina initially rejects the offer but when Giguhl makes it clear that this is something that she wants to do, she eventually concedes and becomes his manager. The demon quickly becomes a hit, though he spends his winnings having sex with fairy prostitutes, that is until he meets Valva, the demon of his dreams.

Just as on the west coast, Sabina continues to be a target and it isn't long before she realizes that a mage is trying to kill her. A demon is sent to kill her and she barely survives the assault thanks to the help of Giguhl. If that were not enough, she has to deal with her feelings for Slade i.e. The Shade the vampire ruler of the city, and her blossoming feelings for the mage Adam. The supernatural world is also on the brink of war, and though this is what Sabina wants, the hesitancy of the mage council to vote and the resistance of Queen Maive - the fairy queen to agree to ally with the mages, keeps everything in limbo. In short, it's a very dangerous time to be a half breed.

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Feb 01, 2012 Gef rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, vampires, werewolves

It's been too long since I read the first book in Jaye's Sabina Kane series, Red-Headed Stepchild. That was the first time I purposely sought out an urban fantasy novel, after reading a couple rave reviews for it, and found it highly enjoyable. But while I've been acquainted myself over the last three years with other urban fantasy tales, I've neglected the one that introduced me to the genre. For shame. Well, I'm remedying that now, and back in the thick of things with The Mage in Black.

Despite...more It's been too long since I read the first book in Jaye's Sabina Kane series, Red-Headed Stepchild. That was the first time I purposely sought out an urban fantasy novel, after reading a couple rave reviews for it, and found it highly enjoyable. But while I've been acquainted myself over the last three years with other urban fantasy tales, I've neglected the one that introduced me to the genre. For shame. Well, I'm remedying that now, and back in the thick of things with The Mage in Black.

Despite the time away from Sabina and company, it took very little time to get warmed up to the story and have Sabina regale me with her snarky point of view as she slays vampires and makes nice with magicians.

After a falling out her grandmother, the leader of the L.A. chapter of vampires, Sabina moves to New York City with her demon sidekick Giguhl, magician pseudo-love interest Adam, and meets her long-lost sister Maisie. While in the Big Apple, Sabina sets out to learn the other side of her heritage. Born half-vampire/half-mage she's fully embraced her vamp side, and now that she's in the company of mage society it's time she finds out how the other half lives. There's a bit of culture shock though, not only from trying to navigate through an unfamiliar metropolis, but also a way of life as all sorts of paranormal beings intermingle, including vampires, mages, werewolves, faeries, and even a few demons like Giguhl. And when enemies start coming out of the woodwork to off Sabina, well, what's a girl to do?

I was really charmed by Red-Headed Stepchild and had big expectations for its followup, but I wasn't quite as wowed as I was with the first book. Oh, it's really fun and the introduction of mage society was intriguing as heck, especially with a New York City backdrop and the introduction of a new love interest. The big showdown at the end just lacked the same epic quality as in the first book, in my view, and it wound up being all of the buildup and subplots through the meat of the book that offered the most rewarding moments. Stalking prey in Central Park only to get into a fight with werewolves, managing Giguhl as he enters a demon Fight Club in the "Black Light District", and learning magic through trial and error in training sessions (and sneak attacks) were some of the most amusing and adrenline-soaked scenes in the book.

Like a lot of seconds in book series I've read, The Mage in Black feels a bit like a setup for the third book, Green-Eyed Demon. Thankfully, there is enough of a stand-alone story with its own resolution to let this sequel hold up more than other seconds out there. I'm definitely geared up for book three--as well as book four and five, for that matter.(less)

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Jan 28, 2012 Felicia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-read, kindlepurchase2010, physical-owned, signed-copy

Publisher: Orbit
Purchased: Bought on Amazon

What I Loved: The whole cast of characters used in this book. Maisie, Adam, Sabina, G, and V were all fantastic. Though, I have to say Rhea is my favorite! I also really loved Micheal and Slade, they stepped it up when they needed too. I can't really say what I loved most about this book without spoilers but I want to make sure that you understand this is one of the best Urban Fantasy Series that I have read. Jaye does a fantastic job of weaving all ele...more

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Jan 11, 2012 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Book one was built around the threat to the vampires major religion and the mistrust between the supernatural races, but if you are looking for more of the same you'll be disappointed as the events in THE MAGE IN BLACK are powered by Sabrina's need for some good old vengeance: Sabrina now knows that the friend Lavinia ordered her to kill didn't betray the Dominae at all and Lavinia has lied to Sabrina and treated her like a second-class citizen her whole life.

Sabrina realises that it's safer an...more Book one was built around the threat to the vampires major religion and the mistrust between the supernatural races, but if you are looking for more of the same you'll be disappointed as the events in THE MAGE IN BLACK are powered by Sabrina's need for some good old vengeance: Sabrina now knows that the friend Lavinia ordered her to kill didn't betray the Dominae at all and Lavinia has lied to Sabrina and treated her like a second-class citizen her whole life.

Sabrina realises that it's safer and simpler to kill her way through the corrupted Dominae in order to kill her grandmother, rather then try to talk to members and attempt to get them to see reason. So this volume opens as she just goes along with the only person she has left in the world [Adam] and prepares to meet up with the sister she has only just found out about...

The main obstacle that Sabrina faces here is the whole vampire versus mage situation. Sabrina's vampiric side and ethics are stronger and feel 'right' to her as she has been raised in a vampire cult, so she is naturally at odds by the mage community she is now in the middle off. For the first fifty three years of her life she has been told that her mage blood is an abombination, now - although no-one outright says it to her face - she is made to feel that her vampiric blood is 'bad'. Basically -in her mind at least - she's just traded in the devil she knows for the one that she doesn't.

Some readers may be put off by Sabrina's often petty attitude in this book, but I find that it adds a sense of realism to things. Think about it, she has just literally lost everything; Her friends, her home, job and the only family she has known for fifty three years want her to suffer and die. Then she is abruptly put in the environment of the twin sister she has only just found out about who is in the highly respected position of leader of the Hekate council, Maisie is loved by everyone, has never been treated as inferior because of her mixed blood, and is generally well-adjusted person, so of course Sabrina is going to act somewhat put-out, lost, envious and abandoned.

I like that Sabrina is still part-vampire and that the author hasn't flip-flopped and made her whiter than white and all lovely-dovey with everyone now that she has reunited with her sister; She feels nothing for her long-dead parents, is willing to try and bond with Maisie but is still cautious and closed with her and she is agreeable and tries to get along with the other mages more out of a mix of obligation and a desire to piss off granny. At this point I'd say the only people she'd class as friends are Giguhl [Sabrina calls him her sidekick, not her familiar and certainly not minion] and Adam.

As for ethics; Sabrina still kills when she needs to, she pulls a face at being asked not to hunt humans for foodd and instead drink bottled s***, she thinks the mage's "protect the innocent" speech is new-age BS and humans? They're just annoying bugs; In fact when one witnesses an incident and will be able to identify her and Adam, she is unable to see why killing him to silence him is considered horrifying to Adam.

Speaking of Adam, yep - there's a romantic sub-plot bubbling away there. Sabrina has developed feelings for Adam and it's clear that he returns the interest, but the whole mage and vampire aspect means that she is trying to ignore romantic leanings. It is easy to see why she has fallen for him so quickly; He is one of the few supernatural's who hasn't been horrified or taunted her, he has seen her at her worst and still defended her, he's fought by her side and has always been honest with her.

Jaye Wells proved in book one that she has qualms about killing of characters, so there's never that feeling of assurance when it comes to characters in peril - everyone is fair game in the books, so there is loads of tension building, that kept me reading "just one more chapter" before bed [it was almost two a.m. before I managed to put the book down].

However I'm left with some niggling questions. Can all vampires reproduce or only powerful ones? Can they reproduce with anyone or only powerful individuals or those from certain races? So if they can reproduce there must be an aging process for the vampires, so how does that work? Or does it stop at a certain point?

The issue I have is that the author may have indeed answered these questions at some point in the books, but there is so much world-building and new character revelations - seemingly in every chapter - that I haven't taken any answers that there may have been in, despite re-reading the books and keeping them both on hand for this review.
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Jan 10, 2012 Mello ❣ Illium ✮Harry✮ ☀Myrnin☀ Torin Ichimaru rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: demons, mages, magic, paranormal-romance, vamps, urban-fantasy

I enjoyed this second book in Sabina's world. She leaves LA with Adam to head to New York to meet her long-lost twin and learn how to use her latent magic. Sabina learns quickly that she can't handle things the way she usually does. The mages expect her to not feed from humans and if she does, she has to pay a blood tax to a guy who she knew when she was an assassin for the Dominae.

While in NY, multiple attempts are made on Sabina's life and while defending herself, she kills one of her would b...more

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Jan 06, 2012 Kathy Davie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, urban

Second in the Sabina Kane urban fantasy series. This story takes place in New York City and revolves around a young half-vampire, half-witch who feels betrayed by the vampire half of her heritage.

My Take
I am glad I pushed on to read this second installment in the Sabina Kane series as this story is better than the last. I love it! Gighul thinks Rosemary's Baby was a romantic comedy! Although, this is about as funny as Gighul gets in this story.

Nah, the reunion between Sabina and Slade is just...more

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Dec 20, 2011 Marsha rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Adult lovers of Paranormal Mysteries

Yowsa, Yowsa, Yowsa! I love this series. "The Mage in Black" begins immediately after "Red-Headed Stepchild"ends. Sabina journeys to New York with Adam to meet her twin sister, Maisie. She is immediately struck by the awe and sheer devotion the mages show her. However, she is not prepared for life in New York.

Little does Sabina know that there are certain protocols that must be followed if a vamp wants to have a 'hot dinner' in N.Y. Not knowing these rules will only cause the unfortunate outcome...more

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Oct 12, 2011 Faye rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-i-love-thus-the-5-stars, werewolves-characters, vampires-characters, jaye-wells, read-in-2011, paranormal

The Mage in Black
(Sabina Kane 2)
October 8, 2011

5 stars

When I first started this series, I am very satisfied with the first book but my, my, this series keeps getting better and better. I remember that I had a very exhausting day at school what with finals coming up, thesis to polish, and tons of other things that I wouldn’t want to complain about since I might wore anyone who will read this out, so what I wanted to say was I finished this in one reading though I finished at around 2:30 in the m...more

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Sep 26, 2011 Mel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, urban-fantasy, vampires, witches, new-york

Picking up immediately following the end of the first book, this one sees Sabina move from California to New York and exploring her mage heritage along with some unexpected family and an old flame re-appears.
As before Sabina is a girl who reveals in action and snarky comments. I love her conversations with her demon minion, Giguhl – there is a great banter between the two of them that flies of the page. This time round Sabina is a little more relaxed, she’s not undercover this time so you get t...more

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Jun 16, 2011 James rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, fiction, novels, read-as-ebook

Mage In Black picks up right where Red-Headed Stepchild left off. Sabina Kane, recently estranged from her vampire family, is traveling to meet the twin sister she never knew existed, who happens to be the figurehead for the mage race. On the road with Sabina are Giguhl, her demon familiar, and Adam, a mage sent to find and escort her back to the mage capital of New York City.

After a pack of vengeful vampires attacks her in the middle of the country, she finally makes it to New York where she is...more Mage In Black picks up right where Red-Headed Stepchild left off. Sabina Kane, recently estranged from her vampire family, is traveling to meet the twin sister she never knew existed, who happens to be the figurehead for the mage race. On the road with Sabina are Giguhl, her demon familiar, and Adam, a mage sent to find and escort her back to the mage capital of New York City.

After a pack of vengeful vampires attacks her in the middle of the country, she finally makes it to New York where she is immediately thrust into the mage life and her sister’s world, where she is absolutely alone. Throughout her stay in the Big Apple, she has run-ins with werewolves, a ‘Demon Fight Club’, and an old flame from the past. Surrounded by political struggle and a mess of things that are out of her control, Sabina must find a way to cope with all that’s happening around her.

Fast-Paced and Kick-Ass
This is an incredibly fast-paced and exciting novel that I devoured in a day. The characters are interesting and the plot just keeps throwing out twists for Sabina and her crew to face. Sabina Kane isn’t the type of woman to roll with the punches—when someone punches her, she punches right back, most of the time maiming – if not killing - the person who annoyed her. She’s willing to bend to an extent, but only for the people she cares about.

More romance
In Red-Headed Stepchild, we got a glimpse into the personal life of Sabina—she didn’t have any romantic attachments, instead sleeping with the occasional guy to fulfill her need for sexual company. Adam lit a bit of a spark in her, but it was nothing serious in Sabina’s eyes. In The Mage In Black, she’s torn between two men: Adam, who she finally realizes that she has intense feelings for, and Slade, her partner-turned-rogue from her past.

The romance is handled very well in this novel. It’s an undercurrent throughout the entire novel, never taking precedence, which makes sense considering all that Sabina has been through in her life. She has so many trust issues that overcoming them shouldn’t be an easy thing, and I’m glad that Jaye Wells didn’t take the easy route of giving her an instant romance, but instead continues Sabina’s romantic struggles through the book.

Political Strife
Finding out that you’re the daughter of a hero-mage and the sister of the head of the mage race can be pretty daunting, and even Sabina Kane balks at the thought of all that awaits her. The politics and the interpersonal relationships between characters involved are masterfully delivered. Most urban fantasy rarely takes into account the fact that while their novels are supernatural in essence, they still have to play by the rules of the real world, and I felt that the way Jaye Wells handled the politics in The Mage In Black was fantastic and real.

A lack of passion
I never became terribly invested in this novel. There were exciting and interesting parts, but I never felt the same passion for Sabina Kane that I did in the previous volume. I felt like an outsider looking into her life, and I had absolutely no investment in how things turned out for her—and that’s really disappointing when reading a novel. I want to be able to feel for the character and get upset and happy when things happen to her, but that just didn’t come through for me in this book.

Why should you read this book?
If you enjoyed the first installment, then you definitely won’t be disappointed with this one. I daresay that it’s a little bit better, with the mistakes I found in the first novel being cleared up well in the sequel. It’s not remarkable, but it is a fun read that will entertain you for a day or two. I look forward to reading the sequel.(less)

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Apr 12, 2011 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Fangs, Magic, and Fur...Oh, My!
The Mage in Black, book two of the Sabina Kane series, picks up where Red-Headed Stepchild left off (picks up with a bloody vengeance, in fact), so if you're new to the series, you'll be missing a lot if you don't read that book first. Yes, you could read The Mage in Black as a stand-alone, mostly because the plot of this one isn't directly related to the plot in the first, but the characters and backstory are important enough that I wouldn't recommend that route.

S...more

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Mar 30, 2011 Sarah Kelsey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chicklit, paranormal, urban-fantasy

I apparently skipped book 1, but I don't think it was necessary. That is a plus for this book; the author doesn't worry too much about exposing the events of the previous novel. They arise as needed, but I didn't feel that I'd missed anything by skipping the first book and the author didn't engage in that annoying first chapter recap of last week's episode.

This is another urban fantasy chick-lit series. The protagonist is a badass vampire/mage assassin with a twin sister who happens to be an or...more

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Jan 12, 2011 Ithlilian rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

First, a warning. If you hate cliffhanger endings, don't read this book. That being said, I really did enjoy this book, just as I enjoyed Red-Headed Stepchild. The main character has flaws, and I love it. She thinks her way of doing things is the right way, she always has to have the last word, and she likes to kill things. There are reasons why she acts the way she does though, and she recognizes her flaws, which I appreciate. My first impression of her in this novel was very negative, but she...more

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Dec 27, 2010 Sandra rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: vampy-stuff, urban-fantasy

Again I was torn between 3 and 4 stars for this series. Becuase Sabina goes to NY to discover her Mage family and powers, there is a lot of intro into this new facet of the supernatural world. There is a lot of basic info that Sabina doesn't know regarding the Mage, fairy, and Werewolf races. (Although they never explain how the Were's relate to the other dark races) So this was ok, except that it made for a lot of talk and very little action. Some of it was interesting, and necessary to the sto...more

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Aug 04, 2010 Kt from A Book Obsession.. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hardcopy

Sabina has major trust issues in this book. It is no wonder she has a hard time accepting her father's family after finding out she has been lied to and manipulated her entire life by her mother's family. She has a terrible temper and is very sarcastic, but that's only her "tough as nails" exterior, inside there is a world of hurt and pain. That facade does get a little old at times as she cannot seem to have a conversation without being snarky, but it is somewhat understandable as it is her ver...more

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Apr 11, 2010 Ellz Readz rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My thoughts...In case you are new to this series, this is book two. Book one was good, but I was waiting for something to set this heroine apart from others in the Urban Fantasy world. Book two, The Mage In Black did just that. Readers learn in book one that Sabina Kane is half vampire and half mage, but the mage side is not really explored. TMIB really explores her magical abilities, introduces a magical community, and gives Sabina platform to stand on.

In The Mage In Black, I saw different sid...more

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The Mage in Black (Sabina Kane #2)

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