Review + Excerpt: Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep

by Carmen Shaw 12:38 PM 4 comments

My name is Gin, and I kill people.

They call me the Spider. I'm the most feared assassin in the South — when I'm not busy at the Pork Pit cooking up the best barbecue in Ashland. As a Stone elemental, I can hear everything from the whispers of the gravel beneath my feet to the vibrations of the soaring Appalachian Mountains above me. My Ice magic also comes in handy for making the occasional knife. But I don't use my powers on the job unless I absolutely have to. Call it professional pride.

Now that a ruthless Air elemental has double-crossed me and killed my handler, I'm out for revenge. And I'll exterminate anyone who gets in my way — good or bad. I may look hot, but I'm still one of the bad guys. Which is why I'm in trouble, since irresistibly rugged Detective Donovan Caine has agreed to help me. The last thing this coldhearted killer needs when I'm battling a magic more powerful than my own is a sexy distraction...especially when Donovan wants me dead just as much as the enemy.

Overall Thoughts:
Mother of pearl! This book was so thrilling, so rough & rugged, and just plain fearless!

Spider's Bite is about the ever-patient, ever-strong, ever-aggressive assassin who goes by the code-name "The Spider", but her real name is Gin Blanco. She is an Ice and Stone elemental (mostly Stone), meaning that she can manipulate the elements to do her bidding. She's been a deadly assassin for 17 years now, ever since her family was murdered when she was only 13 years old. Gin was taught everything she knows about her profession by her handler, Fletcher Lane, who is the proud owner of the Pork Pit and a retired assassin. He rescued Gin off the streets, and has been like a father to her ever since, until one night he's gruesomely murdered by an Air elemental.

Gin becomes overcome with extreme anger and will do anything it takes to find the bastard who did it (her words, not mine), including team up with Finnegan Lane (Fletcher's son, and like Gin's brother) and Detective Donovan Caine. Ah, but here's the gotcha: Gin murdered Cliff Ingles (Donovan's partner & friend), and Donovan wishes with all his might that he could end Gin's life like she did Cliff's. And it doesn't help that they're both extremely attracted to each other.

What I liked about this book:
This book was raw, gritty, bold, and adventurous, all wrapped up in 395 pages. I read it in a couple of days, and despised whatever distracted that took me away from it. This is exactly what I love about reading; it gets me so entranced that the world just fades away. Also, I loved everything about Gin! She was strength incarnate! She was smart, spirited, and seductive!

What I disliked about this book:
There were a couple of times when the pacing would slow down, and I'd be itching for more action, but no worries because this didn't happen often.

Verdict:
If you love mind-blowing action & desirable romance, then read it. Period.        

The next book in this series is Web of Lies, and it's already out. I need it!

4 TARGETS!

---

Excerpt:

"My name is Gin, and I kill people."

Normally, my confession would have elicited gasps of surprise. Pale faces. Nervous sweat. Stifled screams. An overturned chair or two as people scrambled to get away before I buried a knife in their heart-or back. A sucking wound was a sucking wound. I wasn't picky about where I caused it.

"Hi, Gin," four people chorused back to me in perfect, dull, monotone unison.

But not in this place. Within the walled confines of Ashland Asylum, my confession, true though it might be, didn't even merit a raised eyebrow, much less shock and frightened awe.

Page: 1

---

P.S. If that doesn't grab your attention, I don't know what will. And I noticed, the last 3 books I read had something to do with asylums... that can't be healthy lol.