Silver-Tongued Devil (Sabina Kane, Book 4) [Mass Market Paperback]

Jaye Wells (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2012

Now that the threat of war has passed, Sabina Kane is ready to focus on the future. Her relationship with Adam Lazarus is getting stronger and she's helping her sister, Maisie, overcome the trauma of her captivity in New Orleans. Even Giguhl is managing to stay out of trouble thanks to the arrival of Pussy Willow and his new roller derby team. But as much as Sabina wants to feel hopeful about the future, part of her doesn't believe that peace is possible.

Her suspicions are confirmed when a string of sadistic murders threatens to stall treaty negotiations between the mages and the vampires. Sabina pitches in to find the killer, but her investigation soon leads her down dark paths that have her questioning everyone she thought she could trust. And the closer she gets to the killer, the more Sabina begins to suspect this is one foe she may not be able to kill.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"When I read Jaye Wells, I see yet another author on the cusp of something great. In my opinion, the potential is there for her to be the next coming of Laurell K. Hamilton and Kim Harrison." (bn.com on The Mage in Black )

"Red-Headed Stepchild is action-packed suspense at its best. And urban fantasy doesn't get much better than this. Steeped in mystery, intrigue, and magic, this debut is one of the best I've read in months. Jaye Wells is a promising new talent." (scifichick.com )

"Hold on tight -- a gritty new heroine has joined the pantheon of shoot-first, ask-questions-later protagonists." (RT Booklovers on Red-Headed Stepchild
)

About the Author

Raised in Texas, USA Today bestseller Jaye Wells grew up reading everything she could get her hands on. Her penchant for daydreaming was often noted by frustrated teachers. She embarked on a series of random career paths, including stints working for a motivational speaker and at an art museum. Jaye eventually realized that while she loved writing, she found facts boring. So, she left all that behind to indulge her overactive imagination and make stuff up for a living. Besides writing, she enjoys travel, art, history, and researching weird and arcane subjects. She lives in Texas with her saintly husband and devilish son. Find out more about Jaye Wells at www.jayewells.com.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Orbit; 1 edition (January 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316178438
• ISBN-13: 978-0316178433
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.2 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #126,036 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

USA Today-bestseller Jaye Wells is the author of several award-winning urban fantasy and speculative crime fiction novels. Raised by booksellers, she loved stories from a very young age. Eventually, the gateway drug of reading grew into a full-blown writing addiction.

When she's not chasing the word dragon, she loves to travel, drink good bourbon and do things that scare her so she can put them in her books. Jaye lives in Texas with her husband and son.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars I gave it 3.5 stars December 31, 2011

By Urban Fantasy Investigations

Format:Mass Market Paperback

A big part of the book addresses Sabina and Maisie's relationship and Maisie's issues now that she has been rescued from their maternal grandmother. Everyone is back in New York dealing with the Peace negotiations when people come up murdered in the dark races community.

I found that SILVER-TONGUED DEVIL was a lot slower then the previous books but still well paced and there was not a lot of action. There is drama between everyone throughout the book, no one is left unaffected in some way. Sabina and Adam are doing fantastic for most of the book until something that happened in a previous book comes out, I will refrain from telling you how that all turns out so not to spoil your suspense. There is some major loss which was beyond shocking and I found myself bawling my eyes out. Because of the loss some other things seem to be happening with Sabina and I cant wait to find out what they mean. Sabina has changed SO much from book 1 and it has been a great journey as she grows. There is some great lead-up to book 5 and we are not left with a ridiculous cliffhanger which is nice. I have really enjoyed Sabina's journey and I'm sad that BLUE-BLOODED VAMP will be the last book of the series but also excited to see how it ends.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Sabina is really coming into her own December 27, 2011

By A Book Obsession.. TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Life should have been much calmer now that Sabina's evil grandmother is finally dead. All the dark races are in peace talks with a treaty to be soon signed. She also has friends to rely on and Adam at her side. Even her magical training is going well. However, things are still very strained with her twin sister as Maisie tumbles further and further down a self-destructive path. Then come the horrific dreams about Cain who keeps reminding her that he isn't finished with her. As she scrambles to find the culprit of murders that threaten the tenuous peace, she discovers thing that leaves her questioning everything she has come to know. The plot goes deeper than she realizes, and this time it may cost her more than she is willing to give.

Silver-Tongued Devil read like a setup for the grand finale in the next book, which is to be the last in the series. However, unlike many other "setup" books that I have read, Silver-Tongued Devil did not have a dull moment. In fact, it was a pretty big game changer. At times it felt like the author decided to put everyone's roles and relationships into a blend and push puree. From Giguhl's change into a confidant and powerful weapon, to Rhea's complete support and faith in Sabina even against roles of authority, all of my assumptions have been irrevocably changed. However there was one change in "status" that really hit hard for me. After all Adam and Sabina have gone through I had hoped they would get some time in bliss without more roadblocks. I just didn't get my wish as some past secrets are revealed and it threatens to completely tear them apart. I must admit that I knew this day would come, but it doesn't make it any easier to swallow.... There is a slight bright side to this fallout, because now that all the building issues are finally out in the open, perhaps in time they can overcome them. I can only hope.

As much as Sabina has been dragging her feet about buying into her prophesied role as the chosen one, I think that is going to change. In Silver-Tongued Devil, she starts to really show progress, especially when she trusts her instincts about Cain, despite everyone else thinking she is over-reacting. I did find it be be a little strange that they would believe Maisie could have prophetic dreams, but that Sabina's own dreams hold no meaning. I realize it is easier to just brush her off than face the horrors of the possibility of Cain escaping, but there is a difference between confidence in something not being possible, and being purposely obtuse. You would think they would have learned to trust their "chosen" a little more by now. But then again I can't blame them too much on account of Sabina's lack of team player skills. Perhaps in time that will change.

As I look back over the previous books in the series, I realize each installment has had more of an emotional attachment than the last, and Silver-Tongued Devil continues that trend. After finishing this book, I am sitting here with so many emotions running through me. It is simply amazing that this book can leave me feeling devastated, yet also somehow hopeful at the same time. As heartbreaking as some of the events were, I understand why they had to happen, and that knowledge is what drives my hope for the future. All in all Silver-Tongued Devil is another stellar installment in this fantastic series. Once it grabs a hold of you it won't let get go until the very end, and even then it will leave you reeling from the depths of emotion. Ms. Jaye Wells, my hat goes off to you. Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Urban angst February 19, 2012

By Shelleyrae TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Mass Market Paperback

It's awkward to review Silver Tongued Devil, the fourth book in the series without at least briefly referencing the events in the previous titles so if you haven't yet read them, and plan to, you might want to avoid this review...

With her grandmother dead, Cain thwarted, Maisie rescued and Sabina settling into the New York mage community with Adam you could be forgiven for expecting that this fourth installment would be lacking the action and urgency of the first three books. In some ways that is accurate, Silver Tongued Devil is more about internal conflict than raging battles. Sabina is struggling to reconcile her vampire and mage halves, and is uneasy about suppressing her natural instincts. She hopes the opportunity to investigate the brutal murders happening in the city, will satisfy her but instead she is distracted at having to work with both Slade and Adam, worried that Adam will figure out exactly what happened in New Orleans. With the added concern of the approaching Treaty signing, Sabina doesn't realise how badly her twin is suffering after the events in The Green-Eyed Demon and seems unable to reach out to her friends. With all this emotional angst, I didn't enjoy this installment quite as much as the first three. It's not only Sabina and Adam not getting along, Giguhl is feeling ignored and despite filling his time with roller derby and a budding relationship with a transgender fairy, his spark seems to be missing. Georgia and Mac's also make an appearance but their relationship is dissolving under the pressure of werewolf law so it's heartbreak all round. It is good to see emotional growth from the characters but I didn't think it was balanced well within the plot. It's not until about three quarters into the story that the action begins, though it has quite a kick.... In a shocking finale, Sabina discovers she isn't as nearly as free from her past as she hoped and risks losing everything.

Silver-Tongued Devil is not the best example of this series but skipping over it would definitely leave a hole in the storyline, this isn't a series that can be picked up out of order. The conclusion certainly saved the book for me and left me eager to read the next, Blue-Blooded Vamp, due in June 2012, which will conclude the series. Read more ›

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Sabina, you've come a long way baby. February 13, 2012

By melindeeloo TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Mass Market Paperback

On the brink of the eve of a peace treaty between the three dark races, a series of brutal murders look to be a move to stir up distrust and to block the signing of the pact. And it is ironic that Sabina who has spent her life feeling like an abomination since she is the product of a forbidden union between a mage and a vamp, will be the one that the leaders choose to lead the investigation.

While I was reading Silver-Tongued Devil, I realizes that one of the things that I like about this series is that the main character Sabina, who is a half mage/vamp and former assassin, has actually grown through out the series, unlike some other UF heroines - who shall remain nameless - who are stuck relearning the same lessons over and over and over again. In fact there is a vampire Enforcer in Silver-Tongued devil who is pretty much like Sabina used to be so you can see just how far Sabina has come from the start of the series. She has gone from being a loner, emotionally stunted mess to actually having some normal relationships and a fair number of people that she cares about. Yes, Sabina is still a work in progress, but that's half the fun.

The way that events play out in Silver-Tongued Devil really ramp the background story arc for the next book, which if rumors are true, is supposed to be the last. And they don't come without a steep cost for Sabina, but I am really looking forward to the next book Blue-Blooded Vamp, because it looks like Wells is working up to an epic finale.