Web of Lies by Jennifer Estep(Elemental Assassin Book #2)
Urban Fantasy
May 25, 2010
Paperback, 384 Pages
Pocket
Why I read: The first in the series, Spider’s Bite is one of my favorite books.


Favorite Quote: “See something you like, detective?” I said in a soft voice. “Because I sure do.”

Gin Blanco, the infamous “Spider” assassin, is now enjoying retired life. Well, maybe not enjoying is the right word. Gin is kind of bored. While she loves owning and working in the Pork Pit, a BBQ restaurant in the town of Ashland where she lives, life is a bit dull. She has her friends Finn, the son of her late mentor, (and once owner of the Pork Pit) and Jo-Jo and Sophia- dwarf sisters who pack quite a punch. Gin is used to being in trouble, and soon that trouble finds her.

She finds herself aiding an old friend of Fletcher’s and his granddaughter, Violet Fox. A big time coal minor wants the Fox’s property, and will stop at nothing, including the threat of rape and murder to get it. When head elemental, Mab Monroe and her gang get involved, Gin won’t stand for it – and soon her retirement is something of the past.


Web of Lies is the second in this series, and blew me away as much as the first. Jennifer Estep has a way of writing a dark, gritty world, with a heroine who likes to kill. She has no remorse, no regrets, and yet you root for her. She values her new family, having lost all of her biological one and is so determined to keep them safe, killing someone that threatens them, or threatens innocents or children is just part of her life.

Gin excels in not just being an assassin, but a stone elemental. She can manipulate any type of stone, to use as a weapon or to protect herself. She can put her hand on a building and feel if the vibrations from within are happy or sad, violent or content. Jennifer Estep brings in the elementals (also including fire, air, and ice) and they almost become another character. How the characters manipulate the elements is both intriguing and very scary.

She not only has to go up against some scary elementals who are out to do many harm, but her personal life is in crisis mode too. She found a folder Fletcher had compiled on her life before he died – showing a picture of her sister who is very much alive. Gin has no idea why Fletcher was compiling information on her life, and it is a shock that her sister is out there in the world somewhere, having thought she died with the rest of her family at the hands of an evil elemental. It has taken her so many years to move past the heartbreak of her family being murdered, she really doesn’t know if she can move forward with finding her sister. I love that she doesn’t rush out on page one and search for her. She really has to think if putting the effort into finding her is worth it.

In the previous book, Gin meets Donovan Caine, Mr. Smexy police detective. They have a very intense, tension filled relationship. They both want at each other – but one small problem stands in the way – Donovan can’t quite get over the fact that Gin kills for a living. BUT, he also can’t quite get over the very hot sex they had just the one time (in book one). He is an honest cop in a very dirty town and in this book he is still at odds with his guilt. Gin wants for him to look at her as Gin first, assassin second. This is one area in Gin’s life that breaks that hard exterior of hers. She wants him so bad, and the fact that what she does literally disgusts him, and completely tears him up on the inside, tears me up too! The anxiety and tension between these two in this book tore me up. I loved every second of it!

Jennifer Estep has something very special going on with this series. It is extremely violent, extremely dark – yet riveting and intriguing. She gives you a very strong, likable heroine, with terrific supporting characters. The villains and mystery in each book are really well done and there is just enough romance and sexual tension to keep my smexy heart beating. This has fast become one of my favorite series and Venom, coming in September can’t get here fast enough.


Rating: 5/5

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