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kathydavie's review
4.0
Second in the Sabina Kane urban fantasy series. This story takes place in New York City and revolves around a young half-vampire, half-witch who feels betrayed by the vampire half of her heritage.
I am glad I pushed on to read this second installment in the Sabina Kane series as this story is better than the last. I love it! Gighul thinks Rosemary's Baby was a romantic comedy! Although, this is about as funny as Gighul gets in this story.
Nah, the reunion between Sabina and Slade is just too easy. And what's with Sabina thinking she has to get everything perfect right out the gate? How long did it take her to learn to be a successful assassin? Why would Wells feel the need to make Sabina believe she should be perfect at her mage skills when she also knows that she knows nothing?
Slade's introduction of Demon Fight Club and his management of it along with how he treats Gighul is just too cliché. And the last fight was too obvious. Although, the betrayers were unexpected so kudos for that one.
Yes, I still gave this a "4" because Wells is giving this a twist in spite of the too-obvious clichés.
It's an eventful trip back to New York what with demons and vampires attacking. And things don't feel much better when Sabina arrives at the mage stronghold for Adam is torn from her side and her sister Maisie is just too cheery for words. As for Aunt Rhea! Eeek, she is quite a stern taskmistress forcing Sabina to learn magic without much input. Of course, it does help reveal some pretty special powers…but Sabina's not sure about the cruelty of the tests.
Sabina's impetuosity and anger over Adam's defection leads her to commit a political crisis when she attempts to feed in Central Park. Seems there are rules no one bothered to tell Sabina. It is a bit useful as it enables a reunion with someone Sabina has been "just dying" to track down. A vampire who owes her quite a bit of money. But it also requires Sabina to fight in a private fight club. Ahhh, just the release she needs coming up against the were leader.
It's a fight that leads to yet more and quite possibly Sabina has a source of income if a bit unconventional for the sister of the Oracle. It does result in some very useful info that Sabina uses to save her new family. Well, some of them as it seems Lavinia has a new hold.
The vampire-mage Sabina Kane is discovered by her witch side of the family and is escorted back to New York City to learn more about the skills she inherited from them. And to meet her sister, Maisie Graecus, the High Priestess of the Chaste Moon and the Oracle of New York. Ameritat is her paternal grandmother. Tristan Graecus is their father whose body was never recovered. Rhea Lazarus is Adam's aunt and intends to teach Sabina how to use her magical powers. Damara is Rhea's assistant. Stryx is the white owl following Sabina.
Giguhl/Mr. Kitty is a demon sent to test Sabina and now he can't return to Hell. But he certainly turns out to be quite useful at Fight Club! Valva is a Vanity demon set up to fight Gighul to the death 'cept when it backfires. Her mage handler, Lenny, is trying to pay off too many debts; it screws up with Slade's betrayals as well!
Adam Lazarus is the mage who found and brought Sabina back to New York. Unfortunately, the powers-that-be are rushing him off leaving Sabina feeling quite lost and alone. Slade Corbin, a.k.a., Shade, is a former assassin and now the boss of New York's Black Light District when he isn't running his bar, the Vein. He keeps the peace between them all. He and Sabina have quite a history (see Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2: Vampsploitation, Sabina Kane, 0.5). A history that Sabina seems to put aside rather easily. Michael Romulus is an aggrieved were leader; Rex is his second-in-command. Tiny Malone is Sabina's first assignment with Shade.
Orpheus is the leader of the Hekate Council. The Caste of Nod is an organization of various supernaturals who want to see Lilith return which means Sabina needs to be removed. Queen Maeve rules the fairies and Hawthorne Banathsheh is her envoy to the mages and, supposedly, supportive of the alliance between the mages and the fairies. Lavinia Kane is Sabina's vampire grandmother who has been using Sabina.
The cover is black and purple along with the flesh Sabina displays wearing her lace-trimmed black tank top, her red hair flowing behind her as she keeps a relaxed two-handed grip on her gun, a city background behind her.
I still can't figure out why Mage in Black unless it refers to vampires going against the Black Covenant.
My Take
I am glad I pushed on to read this second installment in the Sabina Kane series as this story is better than the last. I love it! Gighul thinks Rosemary's Baby was a romantic comedy! Although, this is about as funny as Gighul gets in this story.
Nah, the reunion between Sabina and Slade is just too easy. And what's with Sabina thinking she has to get everything perfect right out the gate? How long did it take her to learn to be a successful assassin? Why would Wells feel the need to make Sabina believe she should be perfect at her mage skills when she also knows that she knows nothing?
Slade's introduction of Demon Fight Club and his management of it along with how he treats Gighul is just too cliché. And the last fight was too obvious. Although, the betrayers were unexpected so kudos for that one.
Yes, I still gave this a "4" because Wells is giving this a twist in spite of the too-obvious clichés.
The Story
It's an eventful trip back to New York what with demons and vampires attacking. And things don't feel much better when Sabina arrives at the mage stronghold for Adam is torn from her side and her sister Maisie is just too cheery for words. As for Aunt Rhea! Eeek, she is quite a stern taskmistress forcing Sabina to learn magic without much input. Of course, it does help reveal some pretty special powers…but Sabina's not sure about the cruelty of the tests.
Sabina's impetuosity and anger over Adam's defection leads her to commit a political crisis when she attempts to feed in Central Park. Seems there are rules no one bothered to tell Sabina. It is a bit useful as it enables a reunion with someone Sabina has been "just dying" to track down. A vampire who owes her quite a bit of money. But it also requires Sabina to fight in a private fight club. Ahhh, just the release she needs coming up against the were leader.
It's a fight that leads to yet more and quite possibly Sabina has a source of income if a bit unconventional for the sister of the Oracle. It does result in some very useful info that Sabina uses to save her new family. Well, some of them as it seems Lavinia has a new hold.
The Characters
The vampire-mage Sabina Kane is discovered by her witch side of the family and is escorted back to New York City to learn more about the skills she inherited from them. And to meet her sister, Maisie Graecus, the High Priestess of the Chaste Moon and the Oracle of New York. Ameritat is her paternal grandmother. Tristan Graecus is their father whose body was never recovered. Rhea Lazarus is Adam's aunt and intends to teach Sabina how to use her magical powers. Damara is Rhea's assistant. Stryx is the white owl following Sabina.
Giguhl/Mr. Kitty is a demon sent to test Sabina and now he can't return to Hell. But he certainly turns out to be quite useful at Fight Club! Valva is a Vanity demon set up to fight Gighul to the death 'cept when it backfires. Her mage handler, Lenny, is trying to pay off too many debts; it screws up with Slade's betrayals as well!
Adam Lazarus is the mage who found and brought Sabina back to New York. Unfortunately, the powers-that-be are rushing him off leaving Sabina feeling quite lost and alone. Slade Corbin, a.k.a., Shade, is a former assassin and now the boss of New York's Black Light District when he isn't running his bar, the Vein. He keeps the peace between them all. He and Sabina have quite a history (see Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2: Vampsploitation, Sabina Kane, 0.5). A history that Sabina seems to put aside rather easily. Michael Romulus is an aggrieved were leader; Rex is his second-in-command. Tiny Malone is Sabina's first assignment with Shade.
Orpheus is the leader of the Hekate Council. The Caste of Nod is an organization of various supernaturals who want to see Lilith return which means Sabina needs to be removed. Queen Maeve rules the fairies and Hawthorne Banathsheh is her envoy to the mages and, supposedly, supportive of the alliance between the mages and the fairies. Lavinia Kane is Sabina's vampire grandmother who has been using Sabina.
The Cover
The cover is black and purple along with the flesh Sabina displays wearing her lace-trimmed black tank top, her red hair flowing behind her as she keeps a relaxed two-handed grip on her gun, a city background behind her.
I still can't figure out why Mage in Black unless it refers to vampires going against the Black Covenant.
brendalovesbooks's review
4.0
Why I read it: 2nd in a series, have the 3rd on my e-reader for review.
The Plot: Sabina Kane doesn't have the best track record when it comes to family. After all, her own grandmother, leader of the vampire race, wants her dead. So when she arrives in New York to meet her mage relatives, the reunion puts the fun in dysfunctional. Not only is mage culture completely bizarre, but everyone seems to think she's some kind of 'Chosen' who'll unite the dark races. Sabina doesn't care who chose her, she's not into destiny. But the mages aren't Sabina's only problem. In New York's Black Light District, she has run-ins with fighting demons, hostile werewolves and an opportunistic old flame. Sabina thought she'd take a bite out of the Big Apple - but it looks like it wants to bite back.
The Characters: I liked Sabina a lot better here than in the first book. She has calmed down a bit, and is not quite so violent at every turn. The love interest(s) here were not really at the forefront, which is nice.
The Setting: This book took place in New York, but could really have taken place in almost any large city, so the setting wasn't extremely important.
A Sample of the Writing:
The Kum-N-Go's roadside-chic interior was bathed in a sickly fluorescent glow. The aroma of stale smoke, urinal cakes, and rotgut coffee had me breathing through my mouth on the way back to the ATM. It was my turn to pay for gas, so getting cash took priority over raiding the snack aisle for the moment.
Who Should Read This? Obviously I would suggest starting with the first in the series, Red-Headed Stepchild (Sabina Kane), and would recommend this series to fans of urban fantasy. It's pretty straight-forward, typical urban fantasy, but it's entertaining enough.
Final Thoughts: I remember after reading the first book that I really didn't like the main character, and thought there were a lot of copycat elements in the story. But I was willing to read the next in the series, because I thought the author had potential. Well, I did and she does. This one was better than the first, although nothing exceptional; it was pretty standard stuff. I'll keep reading the series.
Grade: B
Cover Thoughts: The cover leaves a lot to be desired, if you ask me. It's rather boring and generic.
The Plot: Sabina Kane doesn't have the best track record when it comes to family. After all, her own grandmother, leader of the vampire race, wants her dead. So when she arrives in New York to meet her mage relatives, the reunion puts the fun in dysfunctional. Not only is mage culture completely bizarre, but everyone seems to think she's some kind of 'Chosen' who'll unite the dark races. Sabina doesn't care who chose her, she's not into destiny. But the mages aren't Sabina's only problem. In New York's Black Light District, she has run-ins with fighting demons, hostile werewolves and an opportunistic old flame. Sabina thought she'd take a bite out of the Big Apple - but it looks like it wants to bite back.
The Characters: I liked Sabina a lot better here than in the first book. She has calmed down a bit, and is not quite so violent at every turn. The love interest(s) here were not really at the forefront, which is nice.
The Setting: This book took place in New York, but could really have taken place in almost any large city, so the setting wasn't extremely important.
A Sample of the Writing:
The Kum-N-Go's roadside-chic interior was bathed in a sickly fluorescent glow. The aroma of stale smoke, urinal cakes, and rotgut coffee had me breathing through my mouth on the way back to the ATM. It was my turn to pay for gas, so getting cash took priority over raiding the snack aisle for the moment.
Who Should Read This? Obviously I would suggest starting with the first in the series, Red-Headed Stepchild (Sabina Kane), and would recommend this series to fans of urban fantasy. It's pretty straight-forward, typical urban fantasy, but it's entertaining enough.
Final Thoughts: I remember after reading the first book that I really didn't like the main character, and thought there were a lot of copycat elements in the story. But I was willing to read the next in the series, because I thought the author had potential. Well, I did and she does. This one was better than the first, although nothing exceptional; it was pretty standard stuff. I'll keep reading the series.
Grade: B
Cover Thoughts: The cover leaves a lot to be desired, if you ask me. It's rather boring and generic.
mellhay's review
5.0
***This summary contains SPOILERS for Book 1***
Sabina travels with Adam to New York, to be with her twin sister and the mages as she has severed her ties with the Dominae. Sabina is attacked on the trip by Vampire assassins, with the thanks to her Grandma. But through out the book Sabina finds she's under attacked by many different races. Something is a little off here, everyone seems to want Sabina gone...except her sister, Maisie. But Maisie is having her own troubles, not having visions and the mage council is debating about going to war with the Vampires, but they need the support of the faery. Sabina finds she makes some new friends here, and finds an old friend as well. The prophecy of the twins starts to be explained from Maisie and others, but will Sabina and Maisie believe it or not? Sabina is starting to learn more of her Mage magic as well. Will she learn it and accept it?
Sabina quickly realizes the rules are different here in New York as opposed to LA where the Dominae ruled.
~ No fresh catch feeding, with out a tax price.
~ There are Werewolves here.
~ The Shade and his Laws.
~ Hekate Council and their Rules
~ And having a sister!
Sabina came to New York to get back at her Grandmother. But along the way here Sabina starts to grow and things change. Sabina goes through some rough times emotionally and physically but she finds she does have a heart and can care for people, mages at that.
Jaye Wells has once again done a wonderful book full of action, love (on a few levels), and suspense. The story starts off right where The Red-Headed Stepchild ended and is running fast forward with action, and never stopping. If we aren't in a wonderful action packed fight scene we are learning more of the prophecy and powers that the mages have, which is still full of action.
We have many of the same cast of main characters we love here. Sabina's wonderful sidekick, Giguhl, is back in full force in this book. He really gets to show off his muscles here. And there is even a nice little surprise for him. And we meet many new characters that add to the mix of fun and action.
The only part I was a little bummed with, and in NO way did it take from the book - it was just me, was that my hunk Adam wasn't as present as I wanted him to be. ;D But he does have a lovely scene with Sabina. So, now he's back and with those wonderful eyes, for Sabina.
I can't wait to dig into Green-Eyed Demon!
Sabina travels with Adam to New York, to be with her twin sister and the mages as she has severed her ties with the Dominae. Sabina is attacked on the trip by Vampire assassins, with the thanks to her Grandma. But through out the book Sabina finds she's under attacked by many different races. Something is a little off here, everyone seems to want Sabina gone...except her sister, Maisie. But Maisie is having her own troubles, not having visions and the mage council is debating about going to war with the Vampires, but they need the support of the faery. Sabina finds she makes some new friends here, and finds an old friend as well. The prophecy of the twins starts to be explained from Maisie and others, but will Sabina and Maisie believe it or not? Sabina is starting to learn more of her Mage magic as well. Will she learn it and accept it?
Sabina quickly realizes the rules are different here in New York as opposed to LA where the Dominae ruled.
~ No fresh catch feeding, with out a tax price.
~ There are Werewolves here.
~ The Shade and his Laws.
~ Hekate Council and their Rules
~ And having a sister!
Sabina came to New York to get back at her Grandmother. But along the way here Sabina starts to grow and things change. Sabina goes through some rough times emotionally and physically but she finds she does have a heart and can care for people, mages at that.
Jaye Wells has once again done a wonderful book full of action, love (on a few levels), and suspense. The story starts off right where The Red-Headed Stepchild ended and is running fast forward with action, and never stopping. If we aren't in a wonderful action packed fight scene we are learning more of the prophecy and powers that the mages have, which is still full of action.
We have many of the same cast of main characters we love here. Sabina's wonderful sidekick, Giguhl, is back in full force in this book. He really gets to show off his muscles here. And there is even a nice little surprise for him. And we meet many new characters that add to the mix of fun and action.
The only part I was a little bummed with, and in NO way did it take from the book - it was just me, was that my hunk Adam wasn't as present as I wanted him to be. ;D But he does have a lovely scene with Sabina. So, now he's back and with those wonderful eyes, for Sabina.
I can't wait to dig into Green-Eyed Demon!
amybraunauthor's review
5.0
A great sequel with some really intense fights and a lot more character development. I adore Maisie and Rhea, and while I really like Sabina, I have to admit that she made some pretty bad choices that had me sighing and doing a face-palm. I have to admit that while it seemed a bit silly at first, the idea of a Demon Fight Club (You do NOT talk about Demon Fight Club!) was a lot of fun, and the twist at the end is promising a dark turn for the next book (more than likely). Can't wait to keep going!
jesslynh's review
4.0
I loved this book, but am getting a little tired of series books that can't stand on their own as a single story.
pixip's review
4.0
Another great book with what felt like non stop action. I didn't see it coming with the enemy that one took me by surprise (very vague but trying not to spoil). Sabina is growing more and more as a character and I find myself feeling for her more. Gighul is amazing best character hands down was shocked with his violent nature in this book but it made for a cool twist.
amber1989's review
4.0
Much better than the first one. I loved joining Sabina on her magic lessons and even though I really like Adam I am glad their romance wasn't explored more than the oncoming war
ckjaer88's review
3.0
This book has the same problem as the first one... you get the idea that Wells has written it like a tv-show, lots of suspense, drama, humour and raw emotions dwelled upon in the obligatory selfanalization - that's all well and good... for a tv-show. In a novel it's kinda annoying not having the usual suspense curve. It leaves you wanting more, that final showdown, not just another lead up to it! Granted, this series is a very easy read, with a mystery you've worked out 30 pages in and banter and one-liners you'v seen coming a mile away - but that doesn't stop me from hoping it will get it's act together and become the novel it could be. You really want to engage and feel with the characters, but as alive they may seem, they stay 2 dimensional and ordinary.
I will continue the series in my hopes it will fulfill its destiny as a novel instead of a script... or just pick up on the diddling. Whatever works.
I will continue the series in my hopes it will fulfill its destiny as a novel instead of a script... or just pick up on the diddling. Whatever works.
vikingwolf's review
4.0
After the disaster at the winery, Sabina reluctantly agrees to go with Adam and Giguhl to meet the Mage community based in New York, but her Grandmother's assassins are lying in wait for them. When they finally arrive, Sabina finds it difficult to trust her new hosts and struggles to form a relationship with her Mage raised sister Maisie. She is convinced that she will be useless at learning magic but the thought of revenge on the vampires keeps her going. But a stop in Central Park to try and have a snack brings her into conflict with the local werewolf pack and the city crimelord who keeps the peace between the races.
Sabina has more family issues to deal with. Being brought up by vampires who hated her means she didn't exactly have a fuzzy family upbringing and it leaves it hard for her to deal with her creative, enthusiastic twin sister Maisie who grew up in a warmer Mage environment. She leans heavily on Adam for support but he is no longer to train her and he has his own missions to undertake for the Mages. Even Giguhl has fallen in love with a demon stripper who is in a Demon Fight Club at a local bar, leaving Sabina feeling more isolated than ever. It is also clear that not everyone in her new community want her to be there and someone in particular is out to get her. It is when her new family are threatened that Sabina decides where her loyalty lies and her fangs really come out.
On a feeding trip to Central Park, Sabina discovers that New Yorkers are armed and fight back when you try to snack on them. She then falls foul of the werewolf enforcers who have been alerted by her enemy and come to deal with her. Her fight with them leads to a duel in a local club with their Alpha, which she feels grumpy about. Sabina is fuming that nobody bothered to tell her the no feeding rule for the city and that her enemy has landed her in more trouble. She is less than thrilled to discover that the city crimelord who runs things is someone she once worked with and who cheated her out of money. Slade tries to convince her that he can be a trusted ally but at this point Sabina doesn't have cause to believe him.
I love Giguhl in this book! He really is funny and entertaining. After an unfortunate shooting incident with the vampire assassins, he settles in nicely to the new community. He is at her side but Sabina does become jealous of his friendship with Maisie. He becomes fascinated at the prospect of making money by fighting in Slade's Demon Fight Club but Sabina is worried that he might get hurt-physically by the other demons in the ring and financially by the persuasive nymph prostitutes that want his winnings! But when Giguhl meets the demon stripper fighter Valva, he falls madly in love and urges Sabina to take her on as another familiar. Rhea is the Mage who tries to teach Sabina which is a pretty thankless task but the scenes between the two are entertaining.
I did like the book and enjoyed Slade and events at the Demon Fight Club, as it was corny and entertaining. I also liked the introduction of the werewolves and hope to see more of them through the rest of the series. I wasn't greatly keen on all the Mage council stuff which did get a bit repetitive at times as Sabina struggles to fit in but it was necessary to set the scene for the series so I can understand where it came from. There were still good action scenes and plenty of humour. The tension between Adam and Sabina is a bit on and off but she is trying to find resons not to get involved with him which puts the skids on things. Overall it was a decent urban fantasy read and I'll continue on with the series in my March reading.
Sabina has more family issues to deal with. Being brought up by vampires who hated her means she didn't exactly have a fuzzy family upbringing and it leaves it hard for her to deal with her creative, enthusiastic twin sister Maisie who grew up in a warmer Mage environment. She leans heavily on Adam for support but he is no longer to train her and he has his own missions to undertake for the Mages. Even Giguhl has fallen in love with a demon stripper who is in a Demon Fight Club at a local bar, leaving Sabina feeling more isolated than ever. It is also clear that not everyone in her new community want her to be there and someone in particular is out to get her. It is when her new family are threatened that Sabina decides where her loyalty lies and her fangs really come out.
On a feeding trip to Central Park, Sabina discovers that New Yorkers are armed and fight back when you try to snack on them. She then falls foul of the werewolf enforcers who have been alerted by her enemy and come to deal with her. Her fight with them leads to a duel in a local club with their Alpha, which she feels grumpy about. Sabina is fuming that nobody bothered to tell her the no feeding rule for the city and that her enemy has landed her in more trouble. She is less than thrilled to discover that the city crimelord who runs things is someone she once worked with and who cheated her out of money. Slade tries to convince her that he can be a trusted ally but at this point Sabina doesn't have cause to believe him.
I love Giguhl in this book! He really is funny and entertaining. After an unfortunate shooting incident with the vampire assassins, he settles in nicely to the new community. He is at her side but Sabina does become jealous of his friendship with Maisie. He becomes fascinated at the prospect of making money by fighting in Slade's Demon Fight Club but Sabina is worried that he might get hurt-physically by the other demons in the ring and financially by the persuasive nymph prostitutes that want his winnings! But when Giguhl meets the demon stripper fighter Valva, he falls madly in love and urges Sabina to take her on as another familiar. Rhea is the Mage who tries to teach Sabina which is a pretty thankless task but the scenes between the two are entertaining.
I did like the book and enjoyed Slade and events at the Demon Fight Club, as it was corny and entertaining. I also liked the introduction of the werewolves and hope to see more of them through the rest of the series. I wasn't greatly keen on all the Mage council stuff which did get a bit repetitive at times as Sabina struggles to fit in but it was necessary to set the scene for the series so I can understand where it came from. There were still good action scenes and plenty of humour. The tension between Adam and Sabina is a bit on and off but she is trying to find resons not to get involved with him which puts the skids on things. Overall it was a decent urban fantasy read and I'll continue on with the series in my March reading.
blodeuedd's review
4.0
Ok so you all know about middle book/second book syndrome...well this book was actually better than book 1 *high fives self*.
I hope the rest of the series will be good too cos as it is now it's cool, kick-ass and did I say cool? Oh I did, well it was ;)
Sabina is...arghh ok I will not say the word again. Kick-ass (oh B you are so original). In the last book she left LA, cos that is what you should do when you gran tries to stake you, the evil vampire bitch she is. So Sabina tries her luck with the mage side of the family.
There were meet her twin sister. New people...nuff said. Her pet demon, yay, and of course Adam whom she likes.
There are fights, prophecies, assassins and a cliffhanger ending that makes me want book 3 at once.
I like it.
I hope the rest of the series will be good too cos as it is now it's cool, kick-ass and did I say cool? Oh I did, well it was ;)
Sabina is...arghh ok I will not say the word again. Kick-ass (oh B you are so original). In the last book she left LA, cos that is what you should do when you gran tries to stake you, the evil vampire bitch she is. So Sabina tries her luck with the mage side of the family.
There were meet her twin sister. New people...nuff said. Her pet demon, yay, and of course Adam whom she likes.
There are fights, prophecies, assassins and a cliffhanger ending that makes me want book 3 at once.
I like it.