Tag Archives: Elemental Assassin

Kiss of Venom (Elemental Assassin 8.5) by Jennifer Estep-a review

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KISS OF VENOM (Elemental Assassin 8.5) by Jennifer Estep-a review

Kiss of Venom

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date: July 22, 2013

The New York Times bestselling Elemental Assassin series continues with a new e-novella—from the hero’s point of view! Owen Grayson is bound and determined to get Gin back…if her enemies don’t get her first.When you have a history of dating an assassin, a night out on the town can turn deadly—fast. Owen Grayson is still wracked with guilt over the end of his love affair with Gin Blanco, and there aren’t enough gin and tonics in all of Ashland to ease his heartache. But when Gin happens to show up at the same nightclub, he isn’t the only one hoping to get her alone. Some shadowy figures will do anything to take down the Spider, Gin’s assassin alter ego, and Owen will do anything to protect her. This could be the way to win her back, or at least give her a night off from fighting for her life—if Owen can survive…

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REVIEW: KISS OF VENOM is a short story-novella 8.5- in Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassin series focusing on Gin Blanco –The Elemental Assassin. Kiss of Venom is a storyline told from Owen’s POV (Gin’s ex-lover) and one that occurs between DEADLY STING and HEART OF VENOM. If you are a fan of Jennifer’s Elemental Assassin series Kiss of Venom reveals Owen’s inner most thoughts and turmoil following his heartbreaking split from the woman he loves.

This particular novella allows the reader inside Owen’s mind as he ruminates about everyone he has wronged in his life. Although most people’s list is lengthy, Owen knows that the four most important people in his life have suffered due to his inability to see the truth and admit when he is wrong-Phillip, Cooper, Eva and Gin.

For followers of the series, all of Owen’s heartbreaking decisions revert back to his inability to see the ‘bad’ in Salina and his refusal to protect the woman that he loves. He knew that Salina’s presence in his life has hurt those that he loves but he was still reluctant to face the reality of the situation –that Salina was going to kill everyone in her way including Gin.

The storyline is somewhat cathartic for Owen as he must accept that he was wrong and yet it is not in his nature. He is a strong male; has accepted Gin for all that she is and has done; and yet he is unable to let go of his feelings for a former love. In this, Owen has placed everyone in danger and knows that to right the wrong, there is some major groveling on the horizon.

There is no one -on -one time between Owen and Gin-this story focuses on Owen and Phillip as they resolve to protect Gin from would-be assassins as they begin to wonder how all of this is connected to Mabs Monroe-the one time mob leader and enemy of the The Spider.

One thing I will point out-I did not feel this story was of the same quality as the previous novels and novellas in the series. The writing was simple-no detail-and the conversations lacked any emotion or feelings. Even the conversations between Owen and Phillip felt forced and unnatural. Yes these two best buds have been estranged for some time but I had a difficult time with the overall presentation. The voice did not feel like Estep; I did not feel a connection to the characters although I desperately wanted to sympathize with Owen because I want the sensuality of this couple back in my fantasy life.

But, if you are a fan of the Elemental Assassin series, Owen’s thoughts and ramblings about his life are an interesting and necessary addition. The reader delves deeper into Owen’s mindset at the time of Salina’s murderous rampage but that still does not excuse his actions that nearly cost him the lives of everyone he knows and loves.

Reviewed by Sandy.

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Carniepunk: PARLOR TRICKS
(Elemental Assassin #8.1)
by Jennifer Estep
Release Date: June 2013

CarniepunkCARNIEPUNK: Parlor Tricks (Elemental Assassin #8.1) by Jennifer Estep

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 3, 2013

PARLOR TRICKS can be found in the Carniepunk anthology released June 2013, but is a FREE download as a single short story from Jennifer Estep.

ORDER LINKS: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO /

Come one! Come all! Witness Gin Blanco—aka the Elemental Assassin, aka the Spider—go toe to toe against the Esmerelda the Amazing’s Wheel of Death and some dangerously creepy clowns! Only at The Carnival of Wondrous Wonders!

 

REVIEW: PARLOR TRICKS is a short story (found in the Carniepunk Anthology) in Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassin series. Although this particular storyline is not pertinent or instrumental in the Elemental Assassin series ( and it does not further the current storyline) it does show a side to Gin as her relationship with her sister Bria grows closer with every otherworld encounter.

The premise follows Gin and Bria as they search for a missing sixteen year old girl last seen at the travelling carnival in Ashland. As fans of the series know, nothing is as simple as a missing girl. Bria and Gin will soon discover that there is more to the carnival acts than meets the eye. Someone knows something but everyone is afraid to talk. When Gin and Bria find themselves on the receiving end of some elemental magic, it will take the actions of two sisters to stop the Amazing Esmerelda and uncover the secret to her everlasting youth.

PARLOR TRICKS can be found in the anthology CARNIEPUNK released June 2013 but is FREE as a standalone. Among Jennifer’s fellow contributors are Rachel Caine, Kevin Hearne, Seanan McGuire, and Rob Thurman, and also includes Delilah S. Dawson, Kelly Gay, Mark Henry, Hillary Jacques, Jackie Kessler, Kelly Meding, Allison Pang, Nicole D. Peeler, and Jaye Wells. Each short story brings the mysterious world of the travelling carnival onto the pages of Carniepunk. If you are a fan of Jennifer Estep, Parlor Tricks is a bonus short story featuring Gin and Bria in the supernatural world of the Elemental Assassin.

Reviewed by Sandy

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Widow’s Web (Elemental Assassin #7) by Jennifer Estep-a review

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Widow’s Web (Elemental Assassin #7) by Jennifer Estep-a review

REMINDER:  Interview  and Giveaway with Jennifer Estep August 23, 2012

WIDOW’S WEB is the 7th novel (August 21, 2012 release)  in Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassin series. Gin Blanco aka The Spider is an assassin with the elementals of stone and ice, but Gin may have met her match both magically and emotionally, when someone from her lover’s past returns seeking revenge for the death of her father and Gin is the only one standing in her way.

Gin was surprised when local casino owner Phillip Kincaid requested her catering service. As the owner of the Pork Pit, Gin’s reputation preceded her, but no more than her assassin services. But after a suspicious water elemental attack on the floating casino, Gin knows that her skills as The Spider were what Kincaid was hoping for.

Salina has returned to Ashland. But unbeknownst to Gin, Salina has a history with both Owen Grayson and Kincaid. With their colorful history, it is no secret that something happened between the trio of friends, and the animosity between Owen and Kincaid is deep and dark-very personal. Even Owen’s younger sister appears to be caught up in the dysfunctional family feud. But it is Owen’s behavior towards the return of Salina that has everyone on edge including an angry and disgruntled Eva. Betrayed by her brother’s obvious defense of Salina, Eva confesses to Gin the secret she has kept from her brother for over 15 years.

Owen and Gin’s relationship has had its’ ups and downs, but throughout the last couple of storylines, they have become closer professing their love for one another. But Salina is part of Owen’s past and apparently one that he has never relinquished hold. When Gin must choose between saving the people that she loves or stand by watching everyone die a horrible death, it will force Owen to make a decision that will break her heart and yours. Throughout the series, Owen has remained (for the most part) in the background, but Widow’s Web will reveal a different side of the man and one that I was saddened to read.  His love for Gin will be questioned especially when he is willing to risk everything and everyone for a woman that is truly evil and over the edge. And knowing that The Spider had no choice but to do what she had to do, made Owen’s reactions that much more difficult to accept.

As the assassin Spider, Gin is at the top of her game, but Salina’s powers will prove too much for Gin. Revenge for the murder of her father forces a mentally unstable Salina to seek retribution against everyone who stood by and watched him die and this time everyone Gin loves will be caught in the web including herself.

WIDOW’S WEB is another wonderful and exciting instalment in Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Series. Jennifer focuses much of her energy in character and plotline development allowing the reader to be absorbed into the storyline right from the start. The usual cast of characters returns including Jo Jo, Finn and Bria, but my heart broke and the tears fell when Owen could not accept the truth about the past, even when the results could have been fatal for the woman that he loves. Owen’s denial of the past and his refusal to let go of the shattered memories and times long ago, sets up a scenario that I am not sure I will enjoy.You can’t save someone who doesn’t want to be saved. I am looking forward to DEADLY STING in 2013.

READING ORDER:

Spider’s Bargain (a free short)
Book 1–Spider’s Bite 
Web of Death (a free short story)
Book 2–Web of Lies 
Web of Deceit (free short)
Poison (free short)
Wasted (free short)
Book 3–Venom 
Tangled Dreams (free short)
Tangled Schemes (free short )
Book 4–Tangled Threads 
Book 5–Spider’s Revenge 
Book 6–By a Thread 
Book 7–Widow’s Web 
Bok 8–Deadly Sting- 2013

LINKS TO ORDER:
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Paper Books
B&N Nook and Paper Books
The Book Depository
KOBO

Copy supplied by author.

Reviewed by Sandy

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BY A THREAD (Elemental Assassin #6) by Jennifer Estep-a review

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BY A THREAD (Elemental Assassin #6) by Jennifer Estep-a review

BY A THREAD by Jennifer Estep

BY A THREAD is the sixth book (February 2012 release)  in Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassins series. Featuring heroine Gin Blanco, The Elemental Assassins series focuses on Gin’s life as assassin-for-hire The Spider. Now that her nemesis Mab Monroe is no longer a threat, Gin schedules a long needed vacation with her sister Bria, only to find, that no one will ever let her forget her past.

Gin Blanco has decided it is time to retire. Her life as The Spider has affected everyone she loves including her sister, her love life and her extended family of vampires, dwarves, giants and elementals. When her step-brother and her sister’s lover Finn suggests a vacation, Gin is reluctant. Although time together may help heal the heartache between she and her sister, their destination is about to bring more problems than she could have ever imagined.

Bria and Gin head to Blue Marsh, a small sea-side town where Bria was raised when the sisters were orphaned following a fatal fire that killed their parents and older sibling. Hoping to catch up with her childhood friend Callie, Bria is surprised to learn that Callie is engaged, and Gin is stunned when she recognizes Callie’s fiancé-her ex-lover Donovan Caine. To make matters worse, neither Callie nor Bria are aware of the connection between Donovan and Gin, or that Donovan left Gin with the hope of never again seeing the assassin known as The Spider.

Bria’s continuous disdain for her sister, breaks Gin’s heart. As the assassin known as The Spider, Gin works the other side of the law. Her sister Bria, as a police detective, is torn between the law and her moral and ethical obligation to her superiors. But without Gin’s help, the tiny metropolis of Ashland, would be controlled by the beings more powerful than anyone could have predicted. Gin is washed in the knowledge that her only sister despises her and their relationship may be beyond repair.

The painful reminders from her past continue to haunt Gin, especially when her skills as an assassin may be needed. Randall Dekes is a wealthy landowner (and vampire) who continues to purchase all the surrounding land to build a large and sprawling casino, and Callie is one of only two holdouts in the land appropriation. On numerous occasions, Callie has been threatened and assaulted by the vampire’s men and Randall Dekes refuses to back down waging a campaign against Callie and anyone who stands in his way.

With her extended family now secluded in Blue Marsh, Gin, Bria, Finn and Gin’s lover Owen, devise a plan to convince Dekes, it would be in his interest to leave Callie and the others alone. But an error in judgment,almost costs Gin her life, as well as the lives of those thought to be closest to Randall Dekes. Gin’s fatal error, was not recognizing that perhaps her reputation as The Spider was known to Dekes. And once again, someone from her past, has let it be known, what and whom is Gin Blanco.

Randall Deke’s is a vampire, who knows a good thing when he finds it. To keep his abilities at full strength, he must feed from the Elementals, syphoning their powers, absorbing the elements of air, fire, stone and ice. With Gin’s dual elemental power, Deke is now in possession of all four elements. Weakened by Deke’s feeding, Gin must attempt an escape, by any means possible. But there are others who are in danger, and Gin promises to return.

Following a much-needed healing session with Jo Jo, Gin and the others must once again track a vampire in his lair, but not before Donovan reveals Callie is missing and presumed in Deke’s custody. Knowing that Donovan already hates her for who she is, Gin must call upon her skills as The Spider, to affect the rescue of her ex-lover’s fiancé and a couple of other elementals secluded within the walls of Deke’s mansion.

Gin’s battle with Deke and his warriors is action packed and the results are worth the effort. Freedom is gained at the cost of many lives but Callie is safe in the arms of her fiancé, and Blue Marsh and its’ people no longer have to worry about a vampire and his dreams of a casino and resort.

Gin and Owen’s relationship grows stronger thoughout the storyline and the love scenes are gentle and pure. Donovan’s true feelings for Gin are revealed, and to everyone’s surprise, his confession leaves both himself and the reader-breathless. Gin’s past still haunts her dreams as well as her life, and we know, that we have not seen the last of Mab Monroe’s Ashland villains. BY A THREAD is another wonderful story in The Elemental Assassins series and I can’t wait for WIDOW’S WEB to be released August 2012

READING ORDER:

Spider’s Bargain (a free short)
Book 1–Spider’s Bite 
Web of Death (a free short story)
Book 2–Web of Lies 
Web of Deceit (free short)
Poison (free short)
Wasted (free short)
Book 3–Venom 
Tangled Dreams (free short)
Tangled Schemes (free short )
Book 4–Tangled Threads 
Book 5–Spider’s Revenge 
Book 6–By a Thread 
Book 7–Widow’s Web 
Bok 8–Deadly Sting- 2013

LINKS TO ORDER:
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Paper Books
B&N Nook and Paper Books
KOBO
The Book Depository

Reviewed by Sandy

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WEB OF LIES (Elemental Assassin #2 ) by Jennifer Estep-a review

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WEB OF LIES (Elemental Assassin #2) by Jennifer Estep-a review

WEB OF LIES (Elemental Assassin #2) by Jennifer Estep

WEB OF LIES is the second novel in Jennifer Estep’s Urban Fantasy series Elemental Assassin focusing on the Elemental Assassin for hire –The Spider. Gin Blanco is the recently retired assassin, who begrudgingly stepped away from the profession for which she has been trained for over a decade. But a vendetta against a friend of her one-time mentor brings Gin out of retirement and once again onto the front lines of murder, mayhem and the mob. Only this time, several people are hoping The Spider dies, including a one-time lover who cannot get past-the past.

As Gin’s mentor, Fletcher Lane aka the Tin Man, had trained her well, but following his murder, Gin had decided to retire. Fletcher had raised Gin after her family was murdered by a Fire Elemental, and when he died, a few secrets about her past died with him. Running the Pork Pit in the corrupt town of Ashland kept Gin busy but an attempted robbery by the son of mob lawyer Jonah McAllister once again put Gin in the eye of the storm. And to complicate matters, both Jonah and his son would just as soon see Gin dead then press charges against the delinquent male.

Meanwhile a young woman comes looking for the Tin Man-that name was only known by those who associated with the assassin and who ever was looking for the man did not know he was dead. But when shots are fired into the Pork Pit, Gin goes hunting for who ever was aiming at the café. Only this time is wasn’t at Gin but at the young woman at the counter. Tobias Dawson was sending a message to Fletcher’s old friend Warren Fox and his granddaughter was the target. Tobias wanted his land.

Detective Donovan Caine returns as Gin’s former lover. Unable to handle the pressure associated with being The Spider’s man, Donovan continues to treat Gin like she has the plague, until the night his hormones take over and Gin hopes that the man she thought she once loved, would see that she was not his enemy. But ego and the law eat away at Donovan when as one of the detectives trying to clean up the corrupt Ashland Police Department, Donovan can no longer step aside and let Gin continue to kill for hire. Donovan’s feelings about Gin are raw and ugly, but when he walks away in disgust after finding her alive following a cave-in at the mines, Gin knows the pain of rejection and the heartache that accompanies a fall.

Gin needs a way to get close to the man hoping to kill Warren, but the only way was through a major soire at Mab Monroe’s. As the leader of the Ashland mob scene, Mab held all the cards as it pertains to the criminal element and its’ control. But something about Mab was familiar to Gin and the information hidden by Fletcher would hold the clues to the murder of Gin’s parents and the sister she once thought was dead. Only now, Mab is involved with the man gunning for Warren and the lands rights that he owns. But when Tobias Dawson is no longer in the picture, Gin will find she has become the target of two of Ashland’s most powerful criminals.

Along the way, we are introduced to Owen Grayson. A wealthy businessman, whose sister witnessed the attempted robbery at the Pork Pit and by the end of the story Owen has purchased the mines and lands in question and the sparks of a potential new relationship are looking up for the woman known as The Spider.

WEB OF LIES is another welcome storyline in Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassin series. Gin’s numerous losses of family and friend, is only highlighted by the tears that refuse to fall when the pain of rejection hurts almost as much as a broken jaw. Jennifer is a gifted and powerful writer that will keep you on the edge of the proverbial seat until the final chapter.

LINKS TO ORDER:
Amazon Kindle
Amazon paper books
B&N Nook and Paper books
KOBO

Reviewed by Sandy

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Spider’s Bite by Jennifer Estep – a Review

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Spider’s Bite by Jennifer Estep – a Review

Spider’s Bite is the first book in Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassin series.  In Spider’s Bite we meet our heroine, Gin Blanco immediately.  We learn that Gin is a hired assassin, who is paid big money to kill people.  When she isn’t killing, she works at a restaurant named the Pork Pit, run by Fletcher Lane, whom is Gin’s mentor and father figure.  When Gin was a child, her family was murdered, leaving her alone. It was Fletcher, who used to be an assassin before he retired to open his restaurant.  But Fletcher is the one who takes the calls, and sends Gin out to perform the deadly deed.

Gin is a Stone and Ice Elemental, but though she uses her powers sparingly, she is a wiz with a knife; is very smart, fast, elusive, cold and brutal, as she is considered the best assassin for hire.  Only those close to Gin, know that she is the Spider.  We see Gin in action in the beginning, taking out her target easily.  Fletcher tells her its time for her to consider to retire from this business, but one more job will pay them 5 million dollars. 

Of course, since this is the beginning of the book, you know things don’t end the way they planned, and retirement for Gin at this time is not in the cards.  When Gin is at the scene and ready to finish off her next target, there is a double cross, a betrayal, and Gin needs to escape quickly, but not before she took out other assassins out to kill her.  As she escapes, Gin hurries home worried, since she knows that the double cross came from those who hired her.  She finds Fletcher brutally murdered by another Elemental. Gin manages to save Fletchers son, and together they work to find who was behind the double cross, and murder of Fletcher.  Both Gin and Finn (the son) want revenge, and will do whatever it takes.  The so called good guy in this book, is Donavan Caine, a cop, who hates Gin, because she killed his partner.  Caine finds himself having to team up with Gin and Finn, as he himself is being framed.  He puts aside his hate and anger of Gin, and what she is, to find the real killers and who in the police department is working with the killers.  Gin and Donovan, though not totally romantic, find themselves having the hots for each other, and sex, not romance does happen.

Jennifer Estep has done an excellent job creating this world, which includes, magic, different types of elementals, vampires, dwarfs, & giants. She also brings in some really great secondary characters, which makes this story even better.  Gin is a great kick ass  heroine, despite her being assassin.  She is tough, aggressive, confident, but you can help but root for her.  She is that good.  Gin does have some ethics, as most of the people she is hired to kill have done bad things (rapists, murderers, etc), and she claims not to kill pets or children.

This is an exciting story from start to finish.  Estep adds humor in this story, alleviating the tension, and it works very well. The secondary characters do add so much to the story, such as Finn, a womanizer and techie;  her two dwarf  sister friends with magic..Sophia, who cleans up the murder scenes and is also the cook at the Pork Pit…Jo Jo, who is a healer.  The action is non stop, with twists right to the climatic ending, as Gin must face off against a strong and dangerous Air Elemental.  Along the way we find out more how Fletcher saved Gin, and how she became what she is.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and cannot wait to continue with the series. Jennifer Estep has created a fun and exciting new world in he Elemental Assassin series.

Reviewed by Barb

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