Review--Red-Headed Stepchild

THINGS TO DO:
1) INFILTRATE RIVAL VAMPIRE CULT AND ASSASSINATE LEADER
2) GET RID OF DEMON HOUSEGUEST
3) DITCH THE HOT MAGE STALKER
4) BETRAY FAMILY

In a world where being of mixed blood is a major liability, Sabina doesn't really fit in. And being an assassin--the only profession fit for an outcast--doesn't help matters. But she's never brought her work home. Until now.

Her latest mission is uncomfortably complex and threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races. As Sabina scrambles to figure out which side she's on, she uncovers a tangled political web, some nasty facts about her family, and some unexpected new talents. Any of these things could be worryingly life changing, but together they could be fatal....

Finished re-reading Red-Headed Stepchild, since the sequel The Mage in Black comes out in a few weeks and man was my memory really bad with this story. I recalled a few things as they came along, but whew, so glad I re-read it.

It was still phenomenal! Sabina is a total kick-a$$ character/assassin. I mean have you ever met an assassin that wasn't kick-a$$ in some way? I mean it's like a job requirement, one that Sabina meets fully.

The secondary characters were all fantastic! Adam, he is freaking awesome! I love his sense of humor and how it seems so real. I feel like I've seen that kind of humor before in other people I've met in life, but cannot recall now. Sabina's grandmother who is one of the head honchos for the vampires is...well, let me just say by seeing her character, she fits the bill perfectly. I don't want to produce spoilers by calling her one thing or another. And Sabina's friend Vinca is to die for! She's a nymph and holy cow, you can tell by her up beat and perky personality that contrasts well with Sabina's slightly moody vampire like one! They are definitely the odd couple or something. And the demon cat that comes along is very comical as well.

Their friendship development was very nicely done, it started out with Sabina not quite liking the perky nymph, it's like the goth girl and cheerleader or better yet, Galinda and Elphaba becoming friends from Wicked (Might have botched the spelling on those names, sorry). But eventually the friendship forms and becomes real.

Adam starts out as one of those annoying nuisances but that in itself is comical. Basically Sabina is sent on an assassination mission to prove her loyalty to the Dominae and her grandmother by killing this "guy" who is a threat to the vampire community, but then soon dark hidden secrets from Sabina's past come to front and she questions everything she has ever known since she was a child.

The whole vampire growing up thing is a little confusing based on what others say about vampires and aging, and doesn't really make sense here, so it is best to ignore it. I mean Underworld did too.

But the secret overload that is revealed is BIG. I mean huge! I forgot how deep it went and all the questions that arise from it. Not all are answered here, obviously, since the questions are just coming up. Hopefully The Mage in Black will shed some light onto the mystery that is Sabina's family heritage. As a half vampire, half mage, Sabina only knows about the vampire part of her. The mage half was seen as an abomination, so she knows almost nothing at all. But Adam is there to help shed some light on to the matters, but that's when things get really complicated with the enemy, only thing is there is more than one enemy!

Cue dramatic music!! ;)

I know it says Soulless is next, but I got a call from Borders yesterday and they told me my book came in, so next up is Chris Marie Green's Deep in the Woods, since I should've read that earlier this month. And most likely after that, Soulless will still be put on hold, because in theory Vampire Diaries: The Return: Shadow Souls by L. J. Smith will be in and I am dying to read that! I read the Vampire Diaries 10 years ago when I was in middle school so I have the trippy 90's covers or one version of them. And now Vampire Diaries are back as of last year! So that one will likely be read before Soulless and then after that I hope to come back to Soulless and then continue on with my TBR list as the releases come out.

Until next time readers!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!