I used to murder people for money, but lately it’s become more of a survival technique. Once an assassin, always an assassin. So much for being plain old Gin Blanco. With every lowlife in Ashland gunning for me, I don’t need another problem, but a new one has come to town anyway. Salina might seem like a sweet Southern belle, but she’s really a dangerous enemy whose water elemental magic can go … go head-to-head with my own Ice and Stone power. Salina also has an intimate history with my lover, Owen Grayson, and now that she’s back, she thinks he’s hers for the taking. Salina’s playing a mysterious game that involves a shady local casino owner with a surprising connection to Owen. But they call me the Spider for a reason. I’m going to untangle her deadly scheme, even if it leaves my love affair hanging by a thread.
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First; this series does need to be read in order. Everything builds on the next.
Now where to start? The opening chapter had me going OMG. It’s a shocker. Then the shock’s keep coming.
We get to see the whole gang together to work on this one; Fin, Bria, the Deveraux sisters, Eva, Phillip Kincatid and of course Owen. We have a water elemental who so happens to share a past with Owen, Eva, and Phillip. She appears the perfect Southern Belle, but she’s a cold hearted crazy bitch. Of course Owen can’t see it, but all the others can. What happened to Eva in the past was hard to read. We also get to learn why Phillip and Owen aren’t friends now.
Owen. I’m not happy with him in this story and after. I don’t understand WHY? He broke my heart. He was perfect for Gin, but of course something has to happen to disrupt their relationship. I still have hopes for the future, but it’s going to be rocky.
Now that Salina is back, she’s steering up all kinds of trouble and havoc in Ashland; before Gin takes her out.
Widow’s Web is action packed and full of shock value. It’s another stellar installment. I picked it up and couldn’t put it down until the last page and then I just wanted more. I love the Elemental Assassin’s series and Gin; because she’s a kick-ass chick who takes no shit.
Rated: 4 Stars
I freakin’ love this series. Most people that read my reviews know that I don’t often gush over books. Instead, I tend to be overly critical. And in fact, some of my past reviews of Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassin series I often whined about the repetitiveness of Gin’s thoughts and even some descriptions (especially when it came to Gin’s knives and their locations on her body!). However, I think with the focus of this series veering away from Gin’s vendetta with Mab Monroe (books 1-5) it’s setting stronger and is breaking away from that mold it had found itself in.
When Ms Estep sent the book out for review, she said that there was going to be a surprising twist in this book and she hoped that her fans would stick with her as things would resolve in future books as there are 10 planned. So I went into this book wanting to know what the heck she did that she would share this mini spoiler. Obviously, I’m not going to tell you more other than to say that while I wasn’t terribly happy about the turn of events, the whole book really did set it up.
As I’m sure you’ve read the blurb before moving on to the review, you know that Gin is an assassin and since her showdown with Mab, everyone has been gunning for her. So imagine her surprise when the newest threat is Salina… a water elemental (first one we’ve met in the series) and Owen’s ex-fiancee. So there are all kinds of complications in Gin’s life now.
Pluses with this book… the use of the water elemental. Wow! Ms Estep found some awesome ways for Salina to use her elemental talent. Each one seemed to be more creative than the last and I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see how Gin would outmaneuver Salina. And the book caught me from page one as Gin was giving the reader her background while on a “job”. It was an effective intro that hooked me almost immediately and kept me guessing.
I think the weak point was Owen. My feelings here are hard to express without spoilers. So, you may want to skip over this paragraph if you don’t want anything given away. You’ve been warned… Yes, I know first loves have a special place in many people’s hearts but when it came to Salina, Owen seemed to be completely blind. And even when confronted with her, well let’s call them faults, Owen still didn’t seem to see the light and continued to see the “best” in her. In other books, I think I had a bit of a crush on Owen over the way he loved Gin… but in this one, I just wanted to reach into my e-reader and strangle him. The complete change in Owen’s personality just drove me crazy.
Possible spoiler over…
Outside of my issues with Owen, I really did love this book. I think Ms Estep’s writing is getting tighter and just plain better as the series goes on. She’s getting more inventive and descriptive. And I for one can’t wait to see what happens next in Ashland.
My review originally posted at Romancing the Book.
Love this series. This author is beyond talented she weaves a wicked web of a story. And I want the tshirts
This series draws you in and keeps you hooked!
There a few little annoyances such as, repetitive descriptions, over use of certain phrases, and certain word such as “My Lover” instead of using his name. However they are small in comparison to The rest of the story!
There is action galore, tension, strong character building, with each growing and progressing in a natural way! Not to mention an extremely interesting, alternate contemporary world. The protagonist “Gin” is ever evolving, and pretty entertaining. There were quite a few passages that made me laugh out loud. I really enjoyed this book!
YES, I’m addicted to this series!
An old love of Owen’s is back in town. She only seems to have two things on her mind, revenge and desire for Owen. She’s led a interesting life but will who she is be enough to capture Owen’s heart once again? This story is not a happily ever after ending for all. Good characters, plot, & storyline.