The truth won’t set me free—but it will probably get me killed …As Gin Blanco, aka the assassin the Spider, I’m used to having a target on my back. But ever since I started investigating the secret society known as the Circle, that target seems bigger than ever.Still, I’m trying to relax and enjoy the events leading up to my friends’ wedding when I learn that an old enemy has returned to … enemy has returned to Ashland. And that’s the just beginning of my latest nightmare. Soon, I have Circle goons watching my every move, but I have no choice but to continue searching for a key piece of evidence against the evil group.
The deeper I dig, the more horrifying secrets I uncover, and the more dangerous things become for me and my friends. Just when I think I finally have a handle on things, a shocking revelation shatters my heart and leaves me with an ugly realization—that betrayal is the sharpest sting of all …
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I have been following along with Gin’s adventures since book one, Spider’s Bite, so you can say that I am invested in Gin and all of her friends… and enemies. As with any series there are some books that aren’t as great, but Sharpest Sting by Jennifer Estep is another great addition to the Elemental Assassin series!
As with any long running series I find my review to be short because I don’t want to spoil anything for those who have been along for the ride with me and to really say anything other then, very well developed characters and awesome world building, to those starting the series, well, it won’t mean much.
So if you are new to the series, buy this book right away to support an excellent author, but also start with the first book so you can be like the cool kids and have all the inside info.
And if you’ve been enjoying Gin from the beginning, this book throws a major bomb at you in regards to the Tin Man. Gin ultimately handles it well, but dang!!! And of course there’s the awesome fight scenes and love scenes. One other thing I’ll leave you with is I am loving the flirtation between Silvio and Gin’s hired muscle… Wait. What?!? Gin hired someone to protect her highly feared assassin self?!??? Grab yourself a copy of Sharpest Sting, and you can thank me later.
5 stars – I loved it!
Well this book was nonstop suspense and action. I couldn’t put it down. Gin has been taking down the Circle for a few books now but the truth about the leader really shocks her to the core. This book was filled with more shocking revelations about her family and Fletcher. It was just a very emotional one for Gin and the gang because they are questioning everything they thought they knew about a family member.
We also finally get to see Mason in this one and how ruthless he can be. I never expected him to make the first move or to be so bold about it. His power is daunting and I am excited to see how Gin deals with taking him down. There is also some new information about Hugh Tucker which will be interesting to see how it plays out.
This one also shows how much of a mad genius Fletcher was when it came to hiding clues apparently. That man really was smart and strategic when it came to planning ahead and we are finally starting to see that Gin can also be strategic like he was. Overall, this was a wonderful addition to this series and I can’t wait to see what Gin will do next.
Also, I love all the flirting between Liam and Silvio in this one. I really hope they get their own novella.
Mallory and Stuart are tying the knot soon but an old enemy ends up on scene. Now, not only does Gin have to be aware of this new threat, she also had to try and to keep track of the Circle. Every step Gin takes, she finds she has a shadow. As she continues to dig into her past, the associations with the Circle, and current events, her life and the lives of those she loves are increasingly in danger.
The 18th book in the Elemental Assassin series is action packed, suspenseful, and a wonderful addition to Gin’s story. As will all books in this series, I found this installment fresh and exciting as Gin faces an old enemy and members of the Circle. I was pulled into this story and the author did a wonderful job keeping me engaged. In fact, the entire series has pulled me in and kept me engaged from the very beginning. These are the types of books that have me longing for the next one. They are written with vivid descriptions and genuine feelings, allowing the reader to become totally immersed in this world.
The twists and turns come out of nowhere and there are many surprise moments. My heart was pounding and I was on the edge of my seat through a good portion of the book. The world building continues and we continue to learn more about Gin’s past and the Circle.
Even after 18 novels Jennifer Estep knows how to keep the stories interesting. I am a huge fan of the entire series.
It doesn’t matter how many books I read in this series – it is still a delight to start another one, and a bittersweet sadness when it s finished and there is no more to read for a while. Thoroughly enjoy it.
Hope Gin never retires.
I LOVE this series!!! From the first book, I was hooked. I care about the characters, which is a great sign for me. Reading is a getaway for me, when I need to forget the world, I grab a book. Gin is an awesome “person”, she handles whatever comes her way, and deals with the outcome. She loves her family, and no one better bother them, if they do the spider comes out………..
The latest in a fantastic series, Sharpest Sting has Gin Blanco trying to find a way to put an end to the Circle and its leader, which isn’t helped by the discovery that an old enemy has returned and is working for the Circle – and is out to get her. Her friends are getting married, so there are lots of events to attend leading up to the wedding, but it’s hard to enjoy them with Circle thugs constantly harassing her. There are a lot of revelations about family, violent confrontations, a new employee that might not be trustworthy, and as always, the help and support of her group of friends and family, who will be there no matter how dangerous it is to do so. The story ended with the Circle leader still at large, so Gin will have another confrontation coming, and it will be the hardest fight of her life. I’m looking forward to seeing how she comes out ahead on this one, because of course I have full faith in Gin that she will.
This Is my favorite book in the Spider series. The ending opens up many new avenues to pursue.
Series is getting repetative.
Estep is one of my top go-to authors for adult, paranormal, urban fantasy reads and her Elemental Assassin series is one of my favorites. Sharpest Sting is her eighteenth installment in the series and features Gin Blanco also known as the Spider (an assassin) and the current reigning Queen of the paranormal Underworld of Ashland.
This book can be read as a stand-alone without difficulty because Estep does a wonderful job of filling in the gaps from previous books related to the characters, main plot, etc. but it would be much better enjoyed being read as part of the series for the same reasons. From meeting Gin in book one and following her life and adventures along with her and her friends makes the entire series more engaging and enjoyable. Estep does a great job keeping the action, suspense and mystery flowing, as well as the danger and excitement throughout. Gin is a fantastic kick-a** female and I love Owen and the gang.
In Sharpest Sting, she and her friends are preparing for a wedding between two of their friends, along with continuing to investigate The Circle (a powerful, evil secret society responsible for the deaths of her father, mother and older sister years earlier). The last book shared some shocking twists, including the identity of The Circle’s leader and their connection to Gin, and this installment delves further into that revelation, as well as exposing several more dreadful truths that leave Gin an emotional mess and her and the gang reeling from the discoveries. There is so much more on The Circle and its’ leader than she could have imagined and the betrayal she discovers from someone dear to her is almost too much for her to bear along with everything else revealed. She has a lot of emotional baggage to deal with and Estep gives the reader a glimpse into her memories as she works to understand and come to terms with the information; letting us learn even more about Gin in the process.
After one mistake leaves her exposed to her enemy Gin knows she has to make plans fast to protect her loved ones from reprisal so she puts a plan in action with the aid of her friends. However, things do not go according to plan when she and others are kidnapped and Gin is forced into a corner and given an ultimatum. She has to find something for The Circle leader or she and everyone close to her will be killed. Time is of the essence and Gin is desperate to protect everyone so she comes up with an even crazier plan that has disastrous consequences.
Estep does a wonderful job of writing a compelling, engaging read that will grab you from the beginning and take you on a wild, exciting, dangerous ride with Gin and her friends. This is a story full of friendship and family, love and betrayal, secrets and lies, and power and control. It is all woven flawlessly into an exceptional read. Sharpest Sting is my favorite book yet and I am looking forward to more adventures with Gin, Owen, and the rest of their friends.
4.25 stars–SHARPEST STING is the eighteenth full-length instalment in Jennifer Estep’s ELEMENTAL ASSASSIN adult, paranormal, urban fantasy series focusing on Gin Blanco aka The Spider aka The Assassin –the reigning Queen of the paranormal Underworld of Ashland. SHARPEST STING can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty although I recommend reading the series in order for cohesion and backstory. SHARPEST STING begins the latest arc in the series.
SOME BACKGROUND: Years earlier, Gin lost her father to a car accident, then her mother and older sister to a deliberate fire started by a fire elemental, a fire ordered by the notorious group known only as The Circle. Fostered and mentored by Fletcher Lane, Gin would become the fiercest elemental assassin the Underworld would ever know.
NOTE: There are some scenes of graphic violence that may not be suitable for more sensitive readers.
Told from first person perspective (Gin Blanco) using present day and memories from the past, SHARPEST STING begins the latest arc of the Elemental Assassin series focusing on Gin Blanco as the Circle continues to reign supreme in the world of the supernatural. When her friends and family are threatened, Gin is forced to retrieve an item, her mentor and former assassin Fletcher Lane, had stolen and hidden from the man in charge. As Gin and her lover Owen Grayson begin a search of places known to Fletcher Lane, Gin will discover that her connections to the Circle go much deeper than the hated disdain of the Queen of the Underworld, connections that threaten everyone she loves. An ultimatum forces Gin to give into demands as she continues to search for the missing item, demands made by an elemental whose powers overshadow those of all others.
The secondary characters are numerous, colorful and energetic with the return of Gin’s sister Bria, and her step-brother Finn Lane (Bria’s lover); Gin’s assistant /vampire Silvio Sanchez, vampire Roslyn Phillips, police officer and giant Xavier dwarves Jo Jo and Sophia Deveraux, Mallory and Lorelei Parker, as well as Underworld boss and security specialist Liam Carter, vampire Hugh Tucker, elemental and giant Emery Slater, and leader of the Circle Mason Mitchell. Here’s hoping the author has future plans for Silvio and Liam, together.
SHARPEST STING is a story of family, friendships, betrayal and love; hatred, vengeance, power and control. The reader is pulled into the past through Gin’s memories, memories that reveal more about Fletcher Lane, and his connection to the group known as the Circle. The premise is haunting and engaging; the characters are energetic and strong.