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Red-Headed Stepchild

(Sabina Kane #1)

Jaye Wells (Goodreads Author)

3.70 · Rating details · 16,410 ratings · 1,147 reviews

In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina Kane has the only profession fit for an outcast: assassin. But, her latest mission threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races and Sabina must scramble to figure out which side she's on. She's never brought her work home with her -- -until now.

This time, it's personal.

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Mass Market Paperback, 325 pages

Published April 1st 2009 by Orbit

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

The Best Urban Fantasy

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Oct 08, 2014 ✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, vamps-are-wimps, silly-fae, 2016, demons-are-yummy, welcome-to-the-zoo, cool-kick-ass-chicks-ltd, br-2016

😼 And The Cat Steals The Show Buddy Read with my MacHalo Freaks 😼

🆘 LOST: REVIEWING MOJO 🆘

☎ If found, please call the Murderous Crustaceans Hotline (1-800-We-Swim-To-Slaughter) urgently, and ask for Fleet Admiral DaShrimp, my go-to-decapod for highly sensitive issues such as this one.

💰 Reward for returning said reviewing mojo 💰
VIP access to my Harem for one night. I kid you not. But hey, don't get overexcited, it's for one night only. And NO, entrance to the high-security area where my most priz ...more

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Jun 16, 2015 Shelly Strange rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-urban, fantasy-fae-and-fairies, read-2016, hot-guys-alphas-rawr, 3-stars, fantasy-vampires, buddy-read

Sabina Kane is half-vampire, half-mage, and basically an outcast, considering vamps and mages hate each other. Her parents had a "forbidden romance" and she ended up an orphan, raised by her bitchy grandmother, who leads the Dominae (vampire elders - mostly a stuffy, boring bunch). Not good enough with her half-breed status to rise in the vamp ranks, she was trained to be an assassin instead. She gets a mission which leads her to discover she's been lied to, betrayed, deceived, and makes her que Sabina Kane is half-vampire, half-mage, and basically an outcast, considering vamps and mages hate each other. Her parents had a "forbidden romance" and she ended up an orphan, raised by her bitchy grandmother, who leads the Dominae (vampire elders - mostly a stuffy, boring bunch). Not good enough with her half-breed status to rise in the vamp ranks, she was trained to be an assassin instead. She gets a mission which leads her to discover she's been lied to, betrayed, deceived, and makes her question everything ... you know, all the good mind-blowing, life-changing stuff.

For some reason, all vampires have red hair in this world. The older they are, the deeper shade of red. Not sure why, but okay. World-building thing, I guess?

So this was a decent start to an urban fantasy series. UF is a love/hate thing for me and I've stayed away from it for awhile. I liked this, but there was a little something missing. Mainly, I didn't really feel anything for Sabina. She's that sort of typical UF heroine: immature and feisty, which came off as too bitchy to me. She's socially inept, doesn't have friends... this seems to be another fairly common stereotype in UFs.

Admittedly, it does make for good potential in future books to see growth and character development. I just feel it's an easy go-to for authors to use. Sabina disregarded important information because she didn't trust anyone. There are good reasons for it, considering her background and how she was raised.

As usually, the supporting characters kind of steal the show. I liked Adam Lazarus, the powerful mage and romantic interest. He was a hottie. The demon Giguhl was great. The villains were a little too villainy. Clovis was kind of one-dimensional. The grandmother will obviously be back in the future and she is kind of fun to hate.

Overall, this was a decent read and I'm curious enough to give book 2 a shot, but there wasn't anything really "special" about this one.

(view spoiler)

Buddy read with the MacHalo group starting March 14, 2016. ...more

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Mar 14, 2016 Choko rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: vampires, urban-fantasy

*** 3.44 ***

A buddy read with the Urban Fantasy maniacs at the MacHalo group!

I was almost afraid to start this series because the reviews I read were very discouraging. I am not exactly sure why... I understand it is neither too original, nor extraordinary, but the book has a charm that is undeniable. I had a hard time connecting with Sabina, the main character, in the beginning. However, as the story developed, I got used to the flippened way this Half mage-half vampire girl spoke to everyone *** 3.44 ***

A buddy read with the Urban Fantasy maniacs at the MacHalo group!

I was almost afraid to start this series because the reviews I read were very discouraging. I am not exactly sure why... I understand it is neither too original, nor extraordinary, but the book has a charm that is undeniable. I had a hard time connecting with Sabina, the main character, in the beginning. However, as the story developed, I got used to the flippened way this Half mage-half vampire girl spoke to everyone and once I accepted this is just how she is, everything else came to its place.

I would be dishonest if I say i was blown away by either the writing or the plot. There were some inconsistencies with Sabina's credentials as an assassin as at times she did not act very assassin like... There were also actions I found unreasonable or illogical, but as I always say, the story-lines are where the author wants to lead us and I have to trust the one who created the story to take us where he/she wants us to go. But I still think that logistical missteps is a bit of a cheating plot device... This was my biggest pet-peeve with the book as a whole.

What I realy liked were the 2 side characters, who when on page, totally stole the show!!! The Demon was my absolute and complete favorite!!! Every time he said something, he cracked me up and was a great comic relief! The Nymph was the softness to Sabina's hard-ass persona and gave balance to the story and heart to the group of creatures surrounding our heroine. The plot was well balanced between dialogues and action, but at the peak of the conflict point, I wish the author would have given us some more definite and complete resolutions... Again, I am not an author, this is just me being a humble Fantasy fanatic:):):)

As a whole, after expecting a total disaster, I was very pleased to read a solid, even fun at times, entry in a beginning of a series. Am I going to read the rest 4 books - absolutely!!! I want to know what happens in this mage and vampire laden world to a very lost and confused halfling who uses the tough and indifferent act as a shield from the rest of the world:):):)

Thanks to my buddies from the MacHalo group - it was a pleasure to share a read with you guys, as always!!! To all, I wish happy reading!:)!!:)!!! ...more

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Apr 01, 2009 UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish rated it liked it

Shelves: own-have-read, first-in-series-trilogy-duet, vampires, 2010-reads, magicians-mages-witches, reviewed-by-me, 2013-reads, pnr-other, pnr-vampires, mother-aka-bitch

Red-Headed Stepchild is the first book in the Sabina Kane series. We’re introduced to, of course, Sabina Kane, who is half mage, half vampire. We’re also introduced to a hilarious demon named Giguhl, a nymph named Vinca and a hot mage named Adam.

This is my first read by author Jaye Wells, and I enjoyed it. There were some very funny moments, and I have to be honest here and say that I think Giguhl, who spent a good part of this story as a bald cat, is probably my favorite character of the book
Red-Headed Stepchild is the first book in the Sabina Kane series. We’re introduced to, of course, Sabina Kane, who is half mage, half vampire. We’re also introduced to a hilarious demon named Giguhl, a nymph named Vinca and a hot mage named Adam.

This is my first read by author Jaye Wells, and I enjoyed it. There were some very funny moments, and I have to be honest here and say that I think Giguhl, who spent a good part of this story as a bald cat, is probably my favorite character of the book. There were times I really liked Sabina, and times I didn’t. She’s not a heroine I connected to in a big way, and found myself more concerned about the outcome of the secondary characters than I did her. In fact, it took me well over ½ the book before I became interested in her at all, and to really love a story, I need more than that from my heroines.

One of my favorite scenes takes place with Giguhl and Sabina, when she tries to use magic to send him back home:

"Are you sure you can handle it? I mean, you've never done magic before, right?"

“It seems pretty straight forward. You game?”

He jumped off the couch and looked back at me. “Sure. What’s the worst that could happen?”

Twenty minutes later, we had our answer.

“I can’t freaking believe this!”

I cringed. “I’m so sorry.”

“I’m bald!” Giguhl continued. “I look like a freak.”

“It’s not that bad,“ I said. But it was. Oh my lord was it bad. I’d never seen an uglier cat in my entire life. “Look at the bright side, you won’t have to worry about shedding anymore.”

Urban Fantasy isn’t my favorite genre, but that said, Red-Headed Stepchild is a pretty decent beginning to a promising series. And as I mentioned before, I did end up liking this book more than I thought I would, but the world in general didn’t grab me and suck me in as I had hoped it would, and even though I did enjoy Giguhl, Vinca and Adam, I’m not sure I’ll continue on with the series.

However, I have been known to change my mind :)

3.25/5
...more

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Jan 21, 2012 Jeann (Happy Indulgence) rated it liked it

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

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 13, 2016 Denisa rated it liked it

Shelves: great-female-char, uf-or-paranormal, impressive, interesting, better-than-i-expected, cute, fun

3.5 I really enjoyed this book!

I absolutely love a badass female assassin who isn't actually a bleeding heart. I mean, I've read so many books where the assassin/sucubus/badass/mage/whatever is actually a good guy but he/she has no choice and boo hoo! Finally someone who not only accepts her job but actually likes it! I mean, c'mon, you kill people for a living! Don't tell me you cry at night after you killed 15 people that day!
So I was damn glad to see that Sabina is one of the good ones!

I lov ...more

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May 23, 2012 Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* rated it it was ok

Shelves: dislike-protagonist, urban-fantasy, a-own-book-form, part-of-series, 2-star, reviewed

“By now, I should have learned that luck, if she was a lady, was a mean-spirited bitch with a grudge against me.”

Red-Headed Stepchild’s blurb drew me in with its intriguing sounding storyline, and of course the fact that I completely heart Urban Fantasy series and always hunt for more to add to my growing obsession collection. The story line promises a mix and blend of mages and vampires, so think of uber magic and an intricate world with a set-up system. Unfortunately the beginning book wa
“By now, I should have learned that luck, if she was a lady, was a mean-spirited bitch with a grudge against me.”

Red-Headed Stepchild’s blurb drew me in with its intriguing sounding storyline, and of course the fact that I completely heart Urban Fantasy series and always hunt for more to add to my growing obsession collection. The story line promises a mix and blend of mages and vampires, so think of uber magic and an intricate world with a set-up system. Unfortunately the beginning book was a letdown for several reasons, which aren’t the usual ones.

Generally I have a loose form of order I cover in reviews, with characters rarely being discussed first, but Red-Headed Stepchild forces me to change my rule because my dislike for the main character overshadowed everything else. Seriously. If you truly despise the character it’s hard to follow them around as they encounter situations, care about their issues, get into the plot without gritting your teeth, or even care much about the sideline characters.

The ‘heroine’ starts off the book by doing something unforgivable to a friend all in the name of misplaced orders. She does feel regret, but to me it’s certainly not enough. Even if she is living in a world and mindset where the rules always come first (something else I have a hard time understanding as I’m not like that,) more remorse would have been appreciated as she carried it out.

Her abrasive attitude is hard to take. The annoying smugness and overbearing harshness were turn offs. She thankfully does thaw out a bit as pages drag, but frankly she’s so unlikeable it ruined most of the book for me, yech. She’ so incredibly hot headed she acts and speaks without thinking like an enraged, assassin monkey.

It’s not just her personality that rubbed me the wrong way either, but that she’s so clueless. By the end of this book I was fed up with how amazingly blind and dull-witted Sabina was. I mean, seriously? She never would face up to the obvious that sat in front of her face, that was constantly shoved down her throat, painted for her in pictures, and told to her by almost everyone she ran into.

At least Clover and the Grandmother were twisted villains you also like hating, but hating because you should, but liking as villains (Especially Clover….le sigh.) Sidekicks and friends were also engaging, especially with the injected humor coming from the unusual companion who starts tagging along with her, Giguhl.

Now, to the plot. It was certainly a unique one and I hold no faults with it. I’m not really into the whole Lilith vampire storylines, though, I see them sometimes and it doesn’t do much for me, but will wait to reserve judgment on that. The author does an admirable job of blending vampires, mages, fairies, and even unusually crafted demons into a bizarre, legendary mix. The world building isn’t as well structured as some but it’s worthy for a start.

My other complaint of the book is an unusual one I don’t see often. A lot of Urban Fantasies (and other genres) can be dark, gritty, and deep and have humor that works incredibly well too. This book attempted that. The humor worked with flying colors, too. Dialogue is especially funny. But what’s odd is how uneven the humor and the dark stuff was applied. It stood out like a sore thumb. It was like one chapter would be filled with humor and lightness, then the next chapter would be grim and depressing, and then it would keep repeating the cycle. It was almost a merging of two different books or writing styles. Bizarre.

Bottom line is I’ll give the second a chance, the first book may have been a weaker start to the series. And, since Sabina was shown the error of her ways, maybe she’ll start improving as a character. I can only hope so. Overall Sabina’s negative outlook, childish temper, and blind devotion was a turnoff, and the humor and grittiness needs to be applied more convincingly. It’s not a book I can recommend.
...more

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Mar 31, 2009 Julie (jjmachshev) rated it really liked it

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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Jan 12, 2011 Carina rated it it was ok

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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Jun 01, 2014 Dino-Jess ✮ The Book Eating Dinosaur ✮ marked it as never-in-a-million-years

Shelves: machalo, y-do-i-do-dis, buddy-read, witches-wizards-magic-sorcery

Pretty sure I read this wrong, but I got to 40% and IDGAF about anything that is happening.

I'm returning it to the library.

Sorry for giving up on this you lovely MacHalo Peeps! ...more

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Jun 11, 2009 Missy Ann rated it did not like it

Shelves: fantasy, paranormal, kindle

A 4 star average? Really?

First of all unforgivable errors in the time line.

Sabina was a worthless character. She's supposedly 53 years old. Yet she has the emotional maturity of a 15 year old. Are vampires emotionally retarded? Her relationships were shallow and fraught with logical errors. And don't get me started on the demon/cat. Unoriginal, uninteresting, unfunny, unnecessary. And I really liked how all of a sudden she understood the basics of spell casting.

It was written like a bad actio ...more

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Jan 03, 2010 Carolyn Storer rated it really liked it · 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 '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. ...more

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Dec 11, 2008 Mark rated it it was amazing

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!

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May 17, 2010 Annie (Under the Covers Book Blog) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: first-book-in-series, my-hottie-harem, genre-urban-fantasy, vampires, drinks-on-me, favorites, angels-and-demons, books-i-go-rabid-over, read-in-2010, books-i-own

I read this book so fast even when I tried to pace myself. I absolutely love Sabina. I think she may very well be my second favourite heroine. I feel like I understand her so well. Her personality is quite cold in the beginning because that's how she was raised by her grandmother. But soon, she realizes that those who she thought were on her side are not. In RHSC picking a side is a lot more difficult than you think.

I also have to mention Giguhl and Adam and Vinca. Giguhl is a hilarious demon w ...more

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Oct 17, 2010 Anzu The Great Destroyer rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: UF fans

Shelves: ball-busting-chicks, reviewed-2011, suburban-fantasy, fanged-and-deadly, buddy-or-group-read, meh-just-ok, evil-satan, witchy

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 t ...more

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Dec 30, 2010 AH rated it really liked it

Recommended to AH by: UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish

Shelves: demons, own, first-in-series, zzread-august-2011, urban-fantasy, mages, babr-reviews, fae, vampires

I’m always fascinated by the many variations of vampires out there in the literature. In Red-Headed Stepchild, vampires are descendants of an illicit union between Cain and Lilith. Most people are familiar with Cain, but let’s take a few minutes to talk about Lilith, who is one scary lady in the folklore. Lilith was known as a night demon. When infants died in their sleep, Lilith was to blame. She appears in a lot of the literature written at the time of the Bible. When Jaye Wells used Lilith as ...more

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Jan 13, 2011 Maja (The Nocturnal Library) rated it it was ok

Shelves: reviewed-in-2011, urban-fantasy

I can't seem to find a decent UF book these days. Either I've read all the good ones, or I'm simply tired of the genre altogether. If it's the former, I'm in deep trouble and I have to wait for next installments of all the series I'm already attached to. If it's the latter, I'm in even deeper trouble since I don't seem to enjoy much else.
But let's get back to the reason I'm this depressed. I’ve long ago promised myself that I’ll never start paying attention to the language of these books (or an I can't seem to find a decent UF book these days. Either I've read all the good ones, or I'm simply tired of the genre altogether. If it's the former, I'm in deep trouble and I have to wait for next installments of all the series I'm already attached to. If it's the latter, I'm in even deeper trouble since I don't seem to enjoy much else.
But let's get back to the reason I'm this depressed. I’ve long ago promised myself that I’ll never start paying attention to the language of these books (or any non-classic books for that matter). As a linguist, I tend to lose myself in poor stylistic choices and not notice the plot at all. So to avoid gritting my teeth, I’ve developed the skill of not caring. But here I have no choice. And idiot could have written this book. I’ve seen 6th grade students do a better job. The sentences are short and in no way linked together, especially in various descriptions. You could almost shuffle them all without making a bit of difference. Here’s a small example:

The sign for the store hung from an archway between to buildings. The tunnel led to an ivy-draped filled with statuary, small stone benches, and a bubbling fountain. The hidden garden smelled of rosemary, sage, and other herbs I couldn’t identify. Small twinkling lights draped over more ivy, which hung over the open front door.

Oh, God. The sign hung, and ivy hung, and everything hung from something, and there was ivy, and some more ivy, and come on!!! If you used do be an editor and then decided to write a book, at least do it properly.

I have to admit there were some funny parts. The demon, Gighul, was hilarious at times, but as such, he was not used enough. Here’s an example (favorite quote, btw):

“Why haven’t you exploded yet?”The demon was closer now, only a few feet away. I opened one eye to look at the arrow. Blood bloomed from the site of impact, just over my left breast.
“I – I don’t know.” Holding myself up became difficult as the seconds passed.
“Hmm. I wonder if I should stake you just to be sure.”
“I’d really prefer it if you didn’t,” I said. “I’m sure I’ll ignite any second.”

All in all, Red-Headed Stepchild, I had such high hopes for us. To say I’m disappointed is an understatement.

...more

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Apr 30, 2020 Nenia ✨️ Socially Awkward Trash Panda ✨️ Campbell marked it as fantasy-kindle-cleanout

All of the books on the series are on sale for $1.99 ea right now!!!

I just spent $10 LOL. ENJOY MY MONEY JAYE WELLS.

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Apr 24, 2009 Mistress ~ ♠ Mistral's Kiss ♠ ~ (Mist) rated it really liked it

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, Vamps 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. ...more

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Oct 17, 2013 Lanie (Lanies Book Thoughts) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

Sabina is an outcast in her world. She doesn't belong to either side of her blood line, she's an unwanted woman with a special set of gifts that tends to get her into trouble. This girls a hardass with a heart, even though she likes to deny it. Her latest assignment might just be her undoing though.
Red-Headed Stepchild is my go to Urban Fantasy read. This book is gritty with a female lead that really lives on the edge of her society. When people see Sabina Kane they either run, laugh or attack. Sabina is an outcast in her world. She doesn't belong to either side of her blood line, she's an unwanted woman with a special set of gifts that tends to get her into trouble. This girls a hardass with a heart, even though she likes to deny it. Her latest assignment might just be her undoing though.
Red-Headed Stepchild is my go to Urban Fantasy read. This book is gritty with a female lead that really lives on the edge of her society. When people see Sabina Kane they either run, laugh or attack. She never gets that warm welcome but being a mixed heritage assassin tends to merit that type of reaction. Sabina was raised by her momma's mom, but never received the love or acceptance you'd think a grandmother would provide. Instead, she was trained to be an assassin, to become a usable tool that would carry out any and all orders the vampires needed done.

Vampires in this book have their own set of rules and government system. It's actually led by three women known as the Dominae who occasionally take advice from a larger council. The fact this is a matriarchal society is pretty awesome. What sets these vampires apart is the unusual modern mixed with mythology feel, they have a foot firmly planted in todays world but still worship old gods. Vampires in this book also need to be born, there is no such thing as biting a human to turn them.

Vampires happen to be at odds with mages and other magical creatures in this world which sets the stage for this series. There are a ton of different magical creatures mentioned throughout the book, but vampires and mages remain the big baddies. Also, humans aren't aware of these creatures that go bump in the night, and those that do, don't remain around very long.

Here's the thing about this book, it's not flowery or delicate in it's phrasing. It's a very gritty and forward read, Sabina has a serious attitude and talks a bit like a guy. She doesn't try for tact but outright says things that some probably would view as crude. Normally, this type of heroine would probably annoy me, specially since this girls got some serious people issues, but I was instantly caught up in this world, so it just made sense to me.

I always recommend this book to anyone looking for a darker Urban fantasy read. ...more

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Jul 22, 2011 Bell Curran rated it did not like it

Shelves: vampires, urban-fantasy, demons, not-a-keeper, oh-please

Full disclosure: I couldn't finish it. I forced myself to read to page 100 and then decided I would rather do just about anything than read this book. I took it to the playground to read while the kids were on the flying fox, and at one point I decided it was more interesting to stare at the sky than read this book.

Half of the problem was the writing: It was clunky in a way that seemed designed to appeal to a tween audience (e.g. when the eponymous narrator informs the reader that all vampires h Full disclosure: I couldn't finish it. I forced myself to read to page 100 and then decided I would rather do just about anything than read this book. I took it to the playground to read while the kids were on the flying fox, and at one point I decided it was more interesting to stare at the sky than read this book.

Half of the problem was the writing: It was clunky in a way that seemed designed to appeal to a tween audience (e.g. when the eponymous narrator informs the reader that all vampires have red hair and all humans with red hair have some vampire ancestors: "OMG! I knew it! I knew I had some vampire blood!"). The humour is heavy-handed and gimmicky and thus not remotely funny (e.g. the demon who colonises her living room and then spends all day and night watching TV buying crap on the Home Shopping Network until she convinces him to turn into a cat and then drugs him with catnip).

The second half was the unappealing characters. It's hard to like a main character who opens the book by ensnaring and then killing her friend, simply because she's told to by some bossy triumvirate of vampires (one of whom is her grandmother) for whom she works as an assassin. She spends the next 75 pages periodically regretting it. Are we supposed to feel sorry for her because her cold vampire grandma made her kill her friend? No, it just makes her even less appealing, because she never has the balls to stand up to vampire granny. (At least, not by p.100.) Then she heads off on an undercover mission to infiltrate the cult headquarters of vampire granny's political opponent, and we keep getting told that the cult leader, who is described as being like a televangelist and super creepy, makes her "panties wet," and sorry, that's where Ms Wells lost me, because how can I relate to a heroine who is sexually attracted to a cross between Pat Robertson and Tony Robbins?

Not only is this not a keeper, it's also not a book I would give away to anyone, because I frankly don't think I know anyone who would like it. (I hope I don't know anyone who would like it.) Straight to the recycle bin. ...more

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Dec 18, 2009 Nafiza rated it did not like it

I read a lot of the genre so I am fairly cognizant of what I like and what works from the perspective of a reader. Now it might be that I started this immediately after finishing a Karen Chance novel but I found myself unable to continue this story till the end. I don't want to be totally mean because this is her first book and the writing itself isn't horrible. What totally annoyed me were her characters.

Sabina is supposed to be some hot shot vampire assassin; she has powers which set her apart ...more

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May 23, 2009 Cathy rated it liked it

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

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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Jan 10, 2011 Sarah rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-i-own-print, read-in-2016, books-i-own-kindle, buddy-read

Sabina Kane has always been an outcast thanks to her mixed blood heritage, as a half-vampire/half-mage she is seen by most as an abomination. Abandoned by the mage side of her family as a baby she was raised by her grandmother, a member of the Dominae (the ruling council of the vampires). Sabina has never been able to fully live up to her grandmother's expectations of her, and the vampires are able to find fault in pretty much everything she does but they are the only family she has ever known a Sabina Kane has always been an outcast thanks to her mixed blood heritage, as a half-vampire/half-mage she is seen by most as an abomination. Abandoned by the mage side of her family as a baby she was raised by her grandmother, a member of the Dominae (the ruling council of the vampires). Sabina has never been able to fully live up to her grandmother's expectations of her, and the vampires are able to find fault in pretty much everything she does but they are the only family she has ever known and she is completely loyal to them.

Although Sabina usually works as an assassin her latest task is much more dangerous and it's not going to be an easy one to pull off. Sabina must convince the entire supernatural community that she has broken ties with the Dominae and go undercover with the enemy to try and uncover his plans. That would be hard enough if she wasn't being stalked by a mage who wants to train her to use her magic and introduce her to the other side of her family but Adam adds a whole new set of complications. Sabina has been raised to hate mages and she doesn't find it easy to trust but the more she uncovers about her past the more she starts to realise that the Dominae, and her grandmother, have been keeping a few too many secrets from her. She is forced to question everything she's ever been told but how can she decide which path she should take from now onwards?

I've seen mixed reviews for Red-Headed Stepchild but I thought it was a great introduction to the Sabina Kane series and it definitely left me wanting to know more. Sabina isn't always the easiest character to get along with, she's spent years being brainwashed by the vampires and even when certain things are staring her in the face she is very quick to try and justify her grandmother's actions. I can't say I blame her for that though, the vampires are the only family she has ever had and no matter how badly they treat her they are still the only ones who have ever been there for her. She may be stubborn but she's not stupid and even though it takes a while she does start to put all the pieces together later on in the story. Once she's made a decision about the right thing to do she is determined to see things through no matter what it costs her.

Although I liked Sabina I have to admit it was the side characters who really stole the show in this book. My favourite was her demon sidekick Giguhl who added a lot of humour to the story and constantly made me laugh while I was reading. I also really liked Adam, the mage who has come searching for Sabina. It took me a while to decide he could be trusted but I liked the chemistry between him and Sabina and I hope we get to see a lot more of them working alongside each other. The world building was done well and I enjoyed finding out about the history of vampires and mages, I still have a few questions but I'm sure it'll all come clear as the series continues. We have a good mix of supernatural characters, alongside the vamps and mages you also have demons, faeries and nymphs but I wouldn't be surprised if there are more species yet to be introduced. Yes this is a fairly standard urban fantasy world but I think the characters are strong enough to pull it through and I'm hooked enough to want to continue reading.

Source: Purchased
____________________

Group read with the MacHalos starts 14th March ...more

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Nov 23, 2015 Alex ☣ Deranged KittyCat ☣ rated it did not like it

Shelves: adult, vampires, fae, magic, paranormal-uf, demons

Ok, so... I didn't like this book. I didn't hate it, I just didn't like it. I felt Red-Headed Stepchild was all over the place and everything was confusing. From the hair color of the different races to Sabina's constant shift with her emotions.

Sabina's hair color is red and black, but no hair dye can alter it (because of the whole mark of Cain thing). Ok, then why didn't she dye her black strands red so she won't feel so self-aware all the time because of her mixed heritage? That means that mag ...more

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Feb 11, 2009 DarkHeart "Vehngeance" rated it it was amazing

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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Aug 23, 2013 Amyiw rated it did not like it

Shelves: x-2016, outlier, zred-yellow, new-author, new-series, assassins

I really liked Jaye Wells' Prospero's War, at least the first 2 books.
So I was hoping to find another UF favorite but so far a bust and this was no different. We have a 53 year-old 1/2 vampire assassin who reads like a 17 yo. I can see this appealing to YA/NA fans. I'm not one of them. The only thing missing was the triangle love interest. It is hard to like a book where you completely dislike the main character.
Here's my reasonings
1. She is still seeking her mother's approval (Grandmother in th ...more

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Apr 01, 2010 Francesca the Fierce (Under the Covers Book Blog) rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-read-2010, read-audio-books, vampires, genre-urban-fantasy

Sabina is half vampire, half mage. She's been brought up by her vampire grandmother, after her mother died, thinking that her mage family didn't want her. She is an assassin for the Dominae, which is the vampire ruling body, headed by her grandmother. But on her latest assignment, all her beliefs about the people she loves and calls her own, and what she knows about her past, is all going to be put to the test and challenged.

And since I usually try not to give too much away with my review, all I ...more

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Nov 06, 2011 Naoms rated it really liked it

Shelves: library, paranormal-urban-fantasy, demons, read-in-2012

I'm surprised by all the so-so reviews I've read about this book, because I LOVED it. I'm not a huge fan of assassin heroes or heroines, because the assassin tends to be overly confident and just brag too much that it annoys me. Sabina was pretty badass, with enough vulnerability and a desire to belong, that made her realistic and not eye-roll worthy. It also had enough family drama, hot men and evil intentions to keep the book going.

Sabina Kane is an assassin, because in her world she didn't qu ...more

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Aug 02, 2009 Natasha rated it it was amazing

Red-Headed Stepchild is the first installment in the Sabrina Kane series by Jane Wells.
Let me start off by saying I loved this book. I heard so many good things, and was hoping it lived up to the expectations I had, and I'm happy to say it did. I'm a new fan of Jane Wells and I will be following her writing from now on! Red-Headed Stepchild was an awesome debut to the beginning of a new trilogy.(Wells says there might be more surprises or stories with the character Sabrina beside the trilogy, Red-Headed Stepchild is the first installment in the Sabrina Kane series by Jane Wells.
Let me start off by saying I loved this book. I heard so many good things, and was hoping it lived up to the expectations I had, and I'm happy to say it did. I'm a new fan of Jane Wells and I will be following her writing from now on! Red-Headed Stepchild was an awesome debut to the beginning of a new trilogy.(Wells says there might be more surprises or stories with the character Sabrina beside the trilogy, we'll just have to read on and find out!)

In this book the protagonist is the fierce and awesome Sabrina Kane. Sabina is a mixture of both vampire and mage which means her whole life she has been outcast amongst the vampires who are her family. She never knew her mage relatives and believes to be disowned from them as well.

At the start of the book we find Sabrina in a bit of a situation that battles with her conscience and pride. Sabrina is a great, passionate character that I find very interesting to read. The cruelty of the vampires ways and behavior are a bit different from usual urban fantasys, but I find I like the change.
Sabrina's occupation (offered by her grandmother , which is one of the head vampires) is an assassin for the vampires. Also, I liked that all vampires bear the mark of Cain. Sabrina has an eight pointed star birthmark that I found really cool.
My favorite character of the book(besides Sabrina) would have to be the demon cat named Giguhl. He's a funny input character and livens up every scene he's in. He kind of reminds me of the Demon Dog familiar in Katie MacAlisters 'Aisling Grey ' series and maybe a bit of Jenks from Kim Harrison's 'The Hollow' series. But it's sort of hard to come close to Jenks. :) Adam is also a great character. He's Sabrina's new mage friend who becomes a more permanent roll in her life during the book. I cannot wait to see how their relationship goes in the future books.

I can honestly the only thing I was disappointed with was that the story ended. I just wanted to keep reading, and found myself saying "Oh no, only 100 pages left." "Oh no, only 50 pages left." And so on. Ha! I found this read face paced and filled with all the best categories - action, mystery, romance, a bit of good humor and a bucket full of twists and secrets. For lovers of urban fantasy, this is the one to read! I cannot wait to read THE MAGE IN BLACK, which comes out April 1st, 2010!

Synopsis:

A mission that seemed simple, if not a little inconvenient to her reputation, soon gets complicated and Sabina finds herself making friends and enemies and discovering things about herself and her family that she never even dreamed of. None of which is helped by Adam Lazarus, a sexy mage bringing her an appointment with destiny and a promise of power. Whether she likes it or not.

In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina Kane has the only profession fit for an outcast: assassin. But, her latest mission threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races and Sabina must scramble to figure out which side she's on. She's never brought her work home with her---until now.

This time, it's personal. ...more

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About Jaye Wells

Jaye Wells

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Jaye Wells is a former magazine editor whose award-winning speculative fiction novels have hit several bestseller lists. She holds an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, and is a sought-after speaker on the craft of writing. When she’s not writing or teaching, she loves to travel to exotic locales, experiment in her kitchen like a mad scientist, and try things that scare her ...more

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“I walked to the door where Clovis waited. When I looked up, he was staring at Adam. A quick glance backward confirmed Adam was returning his stare. Freaking males, I thought, they couldn’t be more obvious about their territorial dispute if they’d both peed on me.” — 78 likes

“Sure. What's the worst that could happen."
Twenty minutes later, we had our answer. "I can't frecking believe this."
I cringed. "I'm so sorry."
"I'm bald!" Giguhl continued. "I look like a freak."
"It's not that bad," I said. But it was. Oh, my lord was it bad. I'd never seen an uglier cat in my entire life.” — 42 likes

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(Sabina Kane #1)

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