It’s got vampires, it’s got mages, it’s got assassins . . . and it’s got feisty vamp-mage-assassins! That’s right, it’s Red-Headed Stepchild (UK/US), Jaye Wells’ fantastic debut, and it’s out this week. Here are some of the great reviews it’s been getting:

Kat Richardson calls it ‘Brassy, sassy and hip’.

Karen Chance thinks it’s ‘Fast-paced and funny . . . very enjoyable!’

And SciFi Chick says ‘Red-Headed Stepchild is action-packed suspense at its best. And urban fantasy doesn’t get much better than this. Steeped in mystery, intrigue, and magic, this debut is one of the best I’ve read in months. Jaye Wells is a promising new talent.’

Here’s what’s in store for you lucky readers:

It’s a hard knock life for Sabina Kane. Being half-vampire, half-mage, she’s an outcast from both races, not that she’s going to sit around crying about it. She does the job that suits a hot-headed, kick-ass chick like her – being an assassin for her vampire bosses, the Dominae. But in trying to fit in with her vampire family, she’s always tried to play down her mage powers, preferring to use her fangs and fists over spells and sorcery. And she doesn’t want to shout about being a half-breed when relations between the vampire and mage races aren’t exactly chummy.

Sabina’s always thought it best to not ask questions when her vampire bosses decide who needs to bite the bullet. But when an annoyingly persistent (and rather cute) mage starts trying to inform Sabina about her mage heritage, Sabina starts to question whether she’s on the right side…

What’s great about Red-Headed Stepchild is that the writing is excitingly fresh and witty, and Jaye Wells definitely succeeds in putting an interesting new spin on the vampire mythos. She’s set to impress, and you can read an extract here.