Title: The Mage In Black
Author: Jaye Wells
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Sabina Kane #2
Publisher: Orbit
Number of Pages: 326
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. (from goodreads.com)
I really enjoyed this second book in the Sabina Kane series. It picks up right where book one ends. Sabina goes to New York City to meet her Mage family. Sabina is hoping to escape trouble, but it just finds her. First there is the goons that her grandmother has sent after her, then she accidentally offends the werewolf community and in doing so runs into an old flame-Slade. He's a link to the past that Sabina thought was over, and is thrown for a loop by his reappearance and her attraction to him, which she fights because she already likes a really good guy-Adam, the mage who helped her find this side of her family. Slade or The Shade as he's known on the street (He's a bit like Tony Soprano) helps Sabrina out with her problems with the were..and somehow Gighul, Sabina's Demon ends up in a Fight Club run by Slade.
The Fight Club scenes were a lot of fun, but I have to admit I got a bit bored with it after awhile and realized why: There was no Adam. He was off on a mission for the mages, and left Sabina alone to make some stupid decisions regarding Slade. Which brings me to a first: Brace yourself for this, I'm still in shock over it. I still like the good guy love interest better then the troubled tough guy one. I know, I'm surprised as well. While Slade has all the qualities I normally go for in a book boyfriend-a bit jerkish, controlling, and a sensitive side Adam still won me over. The Mage in Black was fun, but I think this was what I call the set up book so the series can go on, and there was so much introduced that it just had a slightly different feel then the first book did.
This is a great series, and while I still liked the first book more I can't wait to read the third book in this series, The Green Eyed Demon. I almost forgot-I enjoyed Gighul so much that I named a meter after him.
Curran Crush Meter: Low for Slade, High for Adam
Barrons Hero Hotness Meter: Medium for Slade, High for Adam
Ethan/Merit Sizzle Meter: High for Sabina/Adam Low for Sabina/Slade
Gighul Sidekick Meter: High
Rhiannon Heroine Kick Ass Meter: High
