Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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28 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Red-Headed Stepchild by Jaye Wells, March 31, 2009
3.5 stars. "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 Grandmother (note the captial G) who is the Head of the Dominae (vampires) and as cold as they come. Her Grandmother raised Sabrina in an almost-vacuum, while teaching her exactly what she wanted Sabrina to know--all other races are inferior, the Dominae is everything and as a halfbreed Sabrina owes her life and loyalty to those who raised her. And finally, she also raised Sabrina to be a stone-cold assassin who kills the 'targets' selected by the Dominae without question. Although Sabrina is frustrated by her inability to receive any kind of warm approval from her Grandmother, she still tries...until the day her target is her best friend and she's sent to become a spy in an enemy camp.
I admit to having some issues with Sabrina and her adamant refusal to open her eyes to the reality of what was going on around her. I understand WHY the author began the book the way she did...but that doesn't mean I have to like it. However, as the story unfolded I began to warm to Sabrina (in spite of her mulishness) and actually feel a bit sorry for her situation.
As first novels go, this one was pretty good. The action was fast-paced, the world is fairly complex without being confusing, and the heroine is certainly memorable. There were some weak spots where I felt the author was trying too hard to spell things out for me ad infinitum...but I'll still put the next book on my to buy list. If nothing else, I want to see where all that sexual tension goes!!
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19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
It was worth the purchase price for this paranormal junkie looking for a fix, April 5, 2009
Plot Summary: Sabina Kane is the result of a Romeo-Juliet love affair between her vampire mother and mage father. As a half-blooded outcast, Sabina was raised by her vampire grandmother to be an assassin for their ruling body, the Dominae. Her loyalty is tested in a series of strange jobs that begin with killing a former friend, to infiltrating the enemy as a spy, and Sabina begins to question whether her grandmother loves her at all, or views her as just another pawn on the chessboard.
I now have another series to add to my "seriously-want-to-read-more" list. Since my appetite for all things paranormal knows no limit, I'm always pleased to find a new author who can feed my habit. Sabina satisfies all my favorite heroine criteria, which are probably becoming a tad clichéd with all the kick-butt heroine series floating around, but I can't help it. I love my heroines strong and sassy on the outside, and vulnerable on the inside.
As an assassin, Sabina has no problem being cold and objective until her grandmother orders her to kill one of her friends. Maybe `friend' is too strong a word, since Sabina is a consummate loner, but killing David creates the first crack in her blind devotion to the Dominae. Unfortunately, it takes her a long time to open her eyes, so by the time she realizes who her real friends are, she's already in danger of losing them.
The weakest link in this story is Adam Lazarus, a mage who intends to stalk Sabina until she agrees to his demands. Sabina and Adam don't share more than a make-out session and a couple of intense looks, but clearly this is going somewhere in the next book(s). Since we don't learn anything about him, it's hard to feel too excited about their potential romance. While I understand the importance of developing Sabina's character, I hope that Wells will rectify this issue in her sequel, and give us more on Adam beyond his blond hair and sexy smirk.
No clue right now when book two is coming. I'll add it to my Coming Soon page when I spot it.
Update 5/14/09: Since writing the above, I got an update on the second book (yeah, I emailed the author... I'm a total pest), and she kindly informed me that "Mage in Black" is coming out January 2010. Ms Wells also said that "there is a Sabina story coming out in the Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance, vol. 2 this fall. It's a prequel to Red-Headed Stepchild that sets up some backstory for Mage in Black." Don't cha just love it when authors are willing to talk to their fans? I sure do.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
A poor protagonist in a series that may have had potential., August 6, 2009
Sabina Kane is half-vampire and half-mage. She has no true hold in either world, so she serves as an assassin for her grandmother and the Dominae; however, this role has never gained her anything but the deception of those she trusts and now she must decide what side she will take...
I learned a few things from Sabina Kane. Mostly I learned that even though an author says someone is a great assassin, said assassin may actually be completely inept and without a spine. Random example? Let's say the Great Assassin allows someone to sneak into their apartment, their own territory, and then shoot them through the heart. Even if the shooter is a demon--you've failed as an assassin and should be dead.
Okay, but miraculous survival saves the Great Assassin, one would think that Great Assassin would rip her attacker limb from limb ... Instead of offering them a place to stay.
And if the same demon/would-be-assassin starts using the Great Assassin's credit card and memorizes the number on it, then cancel the card or cancel the demon's life or kick his ass out of the apartment ... not just give a long-suffering sigh.
(Oh by the way, these aren't really spoilers, all this happens before page 50. And it's only the beginning of the very long trudge through silly writing and circumstances masked with angst towards the ending.)
Something just didn't quite work for me in RED-HEADED STEPCHILD. Maybe it was the frivolous writing, maybe it was the annoying Sabina Kane... Either way, not a book I'm recommending despite the gorgeous cover.
If you want a kick-ass mercenary heroine check out Ilona Andrews. At least Kate Daniels makes sense when she sets out to do something--and isn't utterly invincible, whiny, and "the chosen one" (heed this warning, by the next book of Wells I predict you'll be hearing that phrase more than once). Perhaps Wells will be improving with the next volume, but I won't be spending money on the sequel to find out.
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