Helpful Score: 3
The book was a mixed review for me. Sabina acted so adolescent at times that I could not believe the author designated her as 53yo. In fact, I may have just insulted some teens by saying Sabina displayed adolescent thinking and actions. The humor, especially with the demon, was frequently laugh out funny. The story line varied from very good to ridiculous. I plan to read the next installment as I hope this new author moves forward with her writing by building on her strengths and vanquishing her problem areas.
Helpful Score: 3
My book shelf is overflowing with vampire books, which is perfectly fine with me. I simply can't get enough of them. I found out about this intriguing series on Twitter and had to rush out and buy a copy of Red-Headed Stepchild. I honestly didn't know what to expect and my expectations were minimal. Wells really let the creative juices flow and definitely added a much needed spark to a genre that is filled with books that ultimately sound the same.
Sabina Kane is a super bad*** heroine with more than enough personality to keep you enthralled in her story. She may have been raised within the vampire society but being a mixed blood doesn't offer her the equality of her brethren. In a way, Sabina is an abomination due to her half vampire, half mage blood. Her mixed blood puts her in the middle of a war that could provide answers to questions about her life and her family.
It's always exciting to come across a truly creative idea in a novel that adds a little something to a vampire's character. Wells created a new quality to her vampires by giving them red hair, varying shades based on age. I thought this change was kinda cool and was a fresh change to the typical vampire look.
Overall, I enjoyed the characters and the plot was great. I do have to admit it was a little on the slow side and I would have loved for there to be a tad more action. But still a very enjoyable read. Would I read it again? Sure. Am I going to continue reading this series? Heck Yes!
Sabina Kane is a super bad*** heroine with more than enough personality to keep you enthralled in her story. She may have been raised within the vampire society but being a mixed blood doesn't offer her the equality of her brethren. In a way, Sabina is an abomination due to her half vampire, half mage blood. Her mixed blood puts her in the middle of a war that could provide answers to questions about her life and her family.
It's always exciting to come across a truly creative idea in a novel that adds a little something to a vampire's character. Wells created a new quality to her vampires by giving them red hair, varying shades based on age. I thought this change was kinda cool and was a fresh change to the typical vampire look.
Overall, I enjoyed the characters and the plot was great. I do have to admit it was a little on the slow side and I would have loved for there to be a tad more action. But still a very enjoyable read. Would I read it again? Sure. Am I going to continue reading this series? Heck Yes!
Helpful Score: 3
Red Headed Stepchild is the story of Sabina, a 1/2 mage, 1/2 vampire whose parents are dead and she is being raised by vampires. She is a conflicted character that has to deal w/ trying to be accepted as a mixed race "person" in a society that shuns all but the full bloods. Her life is further conflicted as the grandmother that raises her is also the head of the vampires. As is common in many UF books, Sabina is trying to find herself and is at times not a likeable characters. She does grow through the book and I look ward to reading the next. Even though there were some rough parts overall I thought this was a good book that shows potential by a a new author.
Lisa R. (alterlisa) -
Helpful Score: 2
Was a great start to what I hope will be a great series. I didn't particularlly like Sabina but she evolved into a very likable person by the end of the book. Love her demon sidekick. Laughed out loud numerous times at the antics and descriptive nature of the poor "hairless"(after one of Sabina's spells went wrong) cat. Hope he features more in the upcoming books cause he was a hoot
Helpful Score: 1
This feels like it was written by a 12 yr old. At least the way the characters communicate does. I just couldn't finish it.
Helpful Score: 1
SPOILER***
Who the heck kills their best friend without giving them a chance to explain? This book was just... ok
Who the heck kills their best friend without giving them a chance to explain? This book was just... ok
Stephanie C W. (stephanie13w) reviewed Red-Headed Stepchild (Sabina Kane, Bk 1) on + 300 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This book was good! At first I didn't care much for Sabina but as I learned more about her I could see why she acted & felt the way she did. She is a half breed (vamp & mage) & a trained killer. As the story progresses she questions everything she thought she knew to be true & becomes an even stronger character. I can't wait for the next one in the series.
Brittany H. (poohbritt) -
Reviewed on http://bookishbritt.blotspot.com
In Wells' world, vampires are red-heads. And she uses the mythology that vampires and mages are offspring of Lilith and Cain. (Both rejects from the garden of Eden) Vampires and Mages are like the genesis version of cats and dogs. They don't get along and are almost always tip-toeing the line of all-out warfare. But, most importantly of all, they do NOT interbreed. So Sabina, half-vampire, half-mage...is the black and red-headed sheep of the herd. The elders of the vampires, the Dominae (lead by her grandmother, Lavina) trained her to do their dirty work. Mostly, hunting down and killing anyone who questions or works against the best interest of the vampire race.
So granny sics her on Clovis, another half-breed vampire (only demon/vamp) and skeevy as all get out, who runs what appears to be a cult to unite all of the children of Lilith. Ya know, kum-bay-ya and all that jazz. In the process and after a few encounters with a mysterious mage, she begins to doubt the ultimate wisdom of the dominae. So dear Sabina is caught between worlds and doesn't know what to believe or who to trust. At the conclusion of RHSC, Sabina is introduced to the world she was sheltered from growing up, and possibly a whole branch of the family tree she didn't know existed.
In Wells' world, vampires are red-heads. And she uses the mythology that vampires and mages are offspring of Lilith and Cain. (Both rejects from the garden of Eden) Vampires and Mages are like the genesis version of cats and dogs. They don't get along and are almost always tip-toeing the line of all-out warfare. But, most importantly of all, they do NOT interbreed. So Sabina, half-vampire, half-mage...is the black and red-headed sheep of the herd. The elders of the vampires, the Dominae (lead by her grandmother, Lavina) trained her to do their dirty work. Mostly, hunting down and killing anyone who questions or works against the best interest of the vampire race.
So granny sics her on Clovis, another half-breed vampire (only demon/vamp) and skeevy as all get out, who runs what appears to be a cult to unite all of the children of Lilith. Ya know, kum-bay-ya and all that jazz. In the process and after a few encounters with a mysterious mage, she begins to doubt the ultimate wisdom of the dominae. So dear Sabina is caught between worlds and doesn't know what to believe or who to trust. At the conclusion of RHSC, Sabina is introduced to the world she was sheltered from growing up, and possibly a whole branch of the family tree she didn't know existed.
Sabina Kane is an assassin in the employ of the Dominae, the elders of the vampire race, one of which is her grandmother. However, due to her half-mage heritage, instead of being a high-ranking vampire herself, she is an outcast who must fight for every scrap of respect and validation. When her grandmother, the Alpha Dominae, sends her on her latest assignment, everything is questioned and Sabina must reevaluate her place in the world
Barbara R. (geckflac) -
I liked this start of a new series by a new author. I would say it is a fast read, but all in all, not a bad start. I feel the author shows potential for this genre, would like to see introduction of more "creatures & characters" in future books, but I feel RED-HEADED STEPCHILD is definitely in the urban fantasy genre. I gave it 5 stars!
I started out not caring for Sabina, but ended up liking her a little more by the end. Sabina's greatest weaknesses are her blind trust to her family and her inability to trust herself completely. She makes great strides in both by the end (thank goodness!). Hopefully she will learn more about the world she lives in as well. "Again I wondered how I could have lived so long and not known more about the other races."
Nice twist with the certain family member(s) too.
Nice twist with the certain family member(s) too.
Barbara S. (barbsis) -
A great start that really draws you into Sabina's world. Sabina is an assassin for the Dominae which is headed by her grandmother, Lavinia. Vampires and Mages are mortal enemies. However, Sabina is half vampire and half mage which certainly makes for interesting moral dilemmas. The Dominae is being threatened by Clovis Trakiya. Clovis is building an army of the disenfranchised vampires, demons, mages and fae in an effort to destroy the Dominae. Now Sabina is tasked with infiltrating Clovis Trakiya's cult and ultimately killing Clovis.
This book is action from start to finish with a sweet romantic element as well. I particularly liked the demon Giguhl though he reminded me of Effrijim from Katie MacAlister's Aisling Grey series but maybe that's why I liked him. I am anxiously awaiting the next installment in Sabina's adventures and hope Sabina and Adam eventually become a couple.
This book is action from start to finish with a sweet romantic element as well. I particularly liked the demon Giguhl though he reminded me of Effrijim from Katie MacAlister's Aisling Grey series but maybe that's why I liked him. I am anxiously awaiting the next installment in Sabina's adventures and hope Sabina and Adam eventually become a couple.
Elizabeth R. (esjro) -
Sabina Kane is an assassin for the Dominae, a powerful vampire leadership council led by her grandmother. Sabina has an inferiority complex however, because she is the product of a forbidden relationship between her vampire mother and a mage father, and consequently is never quite good enough in her grandmother's eyes. When Sabina is sent undercover to infiltrate a group of supernatural beings who are attempting to unite and upsurp the authority of the Dominae, she finds that her blind loyalties to the Dominae may have been misplaced.
Red-Headed Stepchild is an impressive debut by author Jaye Wells, and the first in what promises to be an original and engaging urban fantasy series. Books filled with vampires are a dime a dozen these days, but Wells creates a world full of her own little twists (e.g. the significance of hair color and the possibility that apple cider could be used as a weapon). The story line is full of surprising revelations, and Wells finds a good balance between action, romance and humor. The next book is not scheduled for release until January of 2010 and I cannot wait.
Red-Headed Stepchild is an impressive debut by author Jaye Wells, and the first in what promises to be an original and engaging urban fantasy series. Books filled with vampires are a dime a dozen these days, but Wells creates a world full of her own little twists (e.g. the significance of hair color and the possibility that apple cider could be used as a weapon). The story line is full of surprising revelations, and Wells finds a good balance between action, romance and humor. The next book is not scheduled for release until January of 2010 and I cannot wait.
This was one of the best books I read in 2009! What's not to love about Sabina and this story kept me wanting more. I loved it so much, I preorderd the second in this series months before it's release!
Christine H. (solarawynn) reviewed Red-Headed Stepchild (Sabina Kane, Bk 1) on + 724 more book reviews
A little different take on the vampire thing,really enjoyed this book.
This book is so slow, terrible weak, and very unbelievable. If I am to believe that Sabina is a badass assassin, then shouldn't she act like one? She was insecure, and totally gets her butt handed to her by the mage. Which she just keeps taking and taking. She lets everybody else decide the fate of her life. Not really a very inspiring female lead character. I did not like her, nor did I like the story. When do you ever read of an assassin letling someone go "so she can see me destroy everything she holds sacred." Total waste of time!
Danielle R. (danielleraybuck) reviewed Red-Headed Stepchild (Sabina Kane, Bk 1) on + 76 more book reviews
I thought it was very good.
