"a real treat for urban fantasy fans"
When Sabina Kane is sent by her vampire grandmother to kill
one of her fellow assassins and closest friends, she does
so for the good of all vampires. He was a traitor after
all -- and traitors must die. Being born a mixed blood -- ˝
vampire and ˝ mage -- an assassin for the Dominae is all
she's good for. Or so Sabina's been told. All her life,
Sabina has lived in shame for her mixed heritage and is
still paying for the sins of her deceased parents who dared
to fall in love with one another. Continuously striving to
gain the respect of her grandmother, who happens to be
Alpha of the Dominae, Sabina agrees to her request to
infiltrate a cult run by the charismatic Clovis Trakiya.
Clovis Trakiya -- ˝ demon, ˝ vamp -- who claims of wanting
nothing more than to unite all of Lilith's children --
vamps, mages, fairy, as well as mortals to make the world a
better place. Her mission is to take out Clovis and
eliminate him as a threat to the vampire world. Sabina
must be careful though lest she upset the fragile truce
that exists between the mages and the vamps. What Sabina doesn't count on is being approached by a
handsome stranger who has been following her around town.
Adam Lazrus claims to have been sent by her Hekate (mage)
side of the family -- a family, who as far as she knows, has
never wanted anything to do with her or her flawed
bloodline. While Sabina initially scoffs at all Adam has
to say, she soon realizes more is at stake than she
originally realized. Red-Headed Stepchild is a real treat for urban
fantasy fans. Filled with action and violence, yet with
plenty of humor and sass throughout, Ms. Wells has created
a wonderfully fast-paced tale set in a dark and dangerous
world. Outwardly, Sabina is a kick-ass, take-no-crap kind
of woman, but on the inside she has the vulnerability that
has readers rooting for her to stand up for herself and to
find her self-worth outside of her cold and emotionally
detached grandmother and the Dominae. I also enjoyed the
unique cast of supporting characters, but none more so than
Gihul, the ugliest hairless cat demon shifter that ever
existed. I have no reservations whole-heartedly
recommending Red-Headed Stepchild and fans of fellow
urban fantasy authors like Jeanine Frost, Jennifer Rardin,
Karen Chance, Richelle Mead should have no trouble
embracing newcomer Jaye Wells' debut novel.
Reviewed by Mippy Carlson
Posted March 27, 2009
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**A PNR REVIEWER TOP PICK** Sabina Kane’s life is complicated… In a world where being of mixed blood is a major liability,
Sabina 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. Genre: Urban Fantasy
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