Sabina Kane #1: Red-Headed Stepchild Review

Title: Sabina Kane #1: Red-Headed Stepchild

Author: Jaye Wells

Date of Publication: April 1, 2009

Formats Available: Paperback, E-Book

Synopsis: Half vampire and half mage Sabina Kane is trapped between two worlds. Having no contact with the mage side of her family Sabina is considered an outcast by her vampire relatives and is given the undesirable job of being an assassin. When she is given an assignment that threatens the uneasy peace between mages and vampires Sabina finds herself in the middles of complex political unrest. Not to mention shes being followed around by relentless, but attractive, mage who won't leave her alone until she recognizes her magical powers. As Sabina struggles to decide what side she is in a fast approaching war between vampires and mages she discovers more about her birth and the unexpected abilities she seems to possess.

My Review:

Red-Headed Stepchild wasn't a particularly original, mind blowing, or memorable novel but it was fun. Full of witty banter and page turning action I found myself becoming more and more engrossed in the novel the more I read. I love books that make me laugh out loud and Red-Headed Stepchild was full of enough hilarious dialogue to keep me smiling the whole way through.

Like most heroines in the urban fantasy genre Sabina was a kick-ass heroine with a tough facade that hid a more sensitive side that she tried desperately to hide. Similarly Adam was a stereotypical male counterpart who knew more about Sabina's past than she did and their underlying sexual tension kept me wondering how long it would take for them to finally kiss. Even though both Sabina and Adam were nothing new I still really enjoyed reading about them and their humorous interactions kept them from being entirely cliche.

I absolutely loved Giguhl, the demon sent to kill Sabina that ultimately fails and becomes her companion. Absolutely hilarious I just couldn't get enough of his character and his infomercial purchases. Paired with Sabina's badass attitude and Adams cocky ego the three made an absurd but effective team.

The plot was entertaining and full of action. Sabina's profession as an assassin definitely grabbed my attention and brought me into the story. The dynamic with her grandmother being the leader of the Dominae, a group of vampires determined to start war and control Sabina, also added an exciting twist to the story. By the end of the novel I found myself desperate for the sequel, something I definitely didn't see coming.

I ended up liking this novel way more than I originally anticipated.  Highly entertaining and just plain fun to read I really enjoyed Red-Headed Stepchild and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a fun read full of magic, vampires, action, and romance.

4/5