SPIDER’S TRAP (Elemental Assassin #13) by Jennifer Estep-Dual review and Giveaway

Spider’s Trap
Elemental Assassin #13
by Jennifer Estep
Genre: adult, urban fantasy
Release Date: July 28, 2015

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / The Book Depository

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 28, 2015

Keep your friends close but your enemies within stabbing distance.

One important lesson I’ve learned in the assassination business is that to be the best you have to roll with the punches. Now that I’m queen of Ashland’s underworld—by default, not by choice—a lot more punches are being thrown my way. But I suppose that’s the price of victory for taking down some of the underworld’s top dogs. Good thing I have my Ice and Stone magic to help me survive my volatile new position. Just when I think things are finally settling down, someone tries to murder me during a hush-hush underworld meeting. But the real surprise is how strangely familiar my shadowy assailant seems to be.

My job is to maintain order among killers, crooks, and thieves, and soon I’m embroiled in a bloody game where the ability to keep secrets could be the greatest superpower of all. My enemies have all sharpened their knives and laid their traps, waiting for me to fall. But this Spider weaves her own webs of death

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Sandy’s Review

SPIDER’S TRAP is the thirteenth full-length installment in Jennifer Estep’s adult, contemporary Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series focusing on elemental assassin Gin Blanco aka The Spider. With her dual elements of stone and ice, Gin is a one woman force of nature’s power.

Told from first person point of view (Gin Blanco) SPIDER’S TRAP finds Gin facing a new but familiar enemy, in the fictional town of Ashland, whose elemental strength may be more than Gin had anticipated. As the new head of Ashland’s underworld, Gin must mediate between rival kingpins and settle disputes, all the while trying to ward off the attacks against the people that she loves. When an enemy from the past resurfaces looking for revenge, Gin makes it her mission to stay one step ahead-but is Gin the target or is someone else?

SPIDER’S TRAP brings together all of Gin’s elemental friends, vampires, giants and dwarves. Owen returns as Gin’s love interest but the romance is always limited in UF storylines; Finn continues to make impressions on the ladies; and memories of Fletcher continue to direct Gin on her path of knowledge and understanding. Gin and Bria’s relationship is no longer combative and hasn’t been for several storylines; Jo Jo and Sophia continue to play their supporting roles as protector and healer.

Jennifer Estep infuses some of the backstory and history between Gin and the previous evil elementals who have threatened our heroine or wreaked havoc on her family and friends. There is a familiarity to the storyline as old stories are revisited and the past comes full circle; Fletcher’s letters, files and lessons are a major part of the storyline (and series) premise as Gin continues her mentor’s job.

SPIDER’S TRAP is an engaging and intriguing addition to Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series that blends magic with the elementals; the supernatural with reality. There is the usual mayhem, violence, blood shed and death, but Gin, more or less, comes out of this adventure unharmed-others may not be so lucky. Gin’s evolution throughout the series finds our heroine stopping to consider all outcomes before jumping head first into a battle she may not be ready to lose-Gin’s overconfidence is often her Achilles heal.

Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassin series and Gin Blanco are a ‘go to’ read every time.

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Barb’s Review

Spider’s Trap by Jennifer Estep is the 13^th book in her fantastic Elemental Assassin series. Gin Blanco is our heroine in this series, and she is one of the best kick-ass heroines I have read. Gin is an assassin with the name Spider, but in recent books, her identity which was hidden is now known. Gin is tough as they come, and throughout this series, she has killed many in self defense, killing evil beings, or to save those of her friends/family, whom she is loyal to. Gin thinks nothing of putting herself in continual danger, and in each story that Jennifer Estep so wonderfully creates, Gin faces off against the ultimate powerful nemesis and they just keep getting stronger and more powerful.

With the demise of Mab and Madeline Monroe in the last few books, Gin has been elevated to Queen of the Underworld, something she really doesn’t want, but having eliminated those in power, she inherits this title. The story begins with Gin overseeing a meeting of the Ashland underworld, and since she is bored, she begins to watch her surroundings and becomes suspicious of a waiter. Gin realizes there is a bomb and jumps to save everyone, and the mystery begins who is trying to kill who.

Gin will find herself against a powerful villain, as well as remembering a case from the past that comes back to haunt her and her competitor Lorelei Parker. What follows is an amazing adventure that puts Gin in many dangerous and death defying situations. What I loved the most is the team Gin has built over the years, consisting of friends and family that surround her. These are a wonderful group of secondary characters…Owen, Finn, Sophia, Jo Jo, Bria, Xavier, Silvio, just to name a few. As the danger escalates into an impossible situation, it will take enemies to join hands to fight against this master villain.

Jennifer Estep simply amazes me how she keeps giving us such fabulous thrilling stories, with such a fantastic heroine who always has us on the edge of our seat praying for her survival. The romance between Gin and Owen keeps growing, as does her second family. Each book in this series just keeps getting better and better. Please Jennifer, do not ever end this series. If you have not read Elemental Assassin series, what are you waiting for?

Copy supplied by Netgalley.

READING ORDER

0.5 Spider’s Bargain
1 Spider’s Bite
1.5 Web of Death
2 Web of Lies
2.5 Web of Deceit
2.6 Poison
2.7 Wasted
3 Venom
3.5 Tangled Dreams
3.7 Tangled Schemes
4 Tangled Threads
4.5 Spider’s Nemesis
5 Spider’s Revenge
5.5 Thread of Death
6 By A Thread
7 Widow’s Web
8 Deadly Sting
8.1 Parlor Tricks
8.5 Kiss of Venom
9 Heart of Venom
10. The Spider
11. Poison Promise
12. Black Widow
13. Spider’s Trap

The Reading Cafe and Jennifer’s publisher are offering a paper copy of SPIDER’S TRAP to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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