Sharpest Sting by Jennifer Estep
Elemental Assassins #18
Urban Fantasy
October 8, 2019 Self Published
ARC

Gin Blanco and crew are still going strong eighteen books into the Elemental Assassins series. When we last left the Spider, she had just figured out that her greatest nemesis also happened to be her uncle, yet she was determined to take him and the rest of the Circle down.

Sharpest Sting starts off with a bang, and a couple of murders, as you might have guessed. But these murders tip off Mason Mitchell, Gin’s uncle and the head of the secret, crime syndicate the Circle, that Gin was on to their trail and looking for clues about them. He decides to confront her and give an ultimatum that will leave her reeling. Find and bring back the missing ledger stolen by Fletcher Lane or else, one by one, her loved ones will die.

I always enjoy spending time with Gin, Owen, Finn, Bria and the rest of the Ashland gang. Book number eighteen is all at once a familiar, comfort read and an action packed, edge of your seat adventure. As many villains as Gin has faced through the series, Mason Mitchell just might be the strongest yet. She and Bria will discover more truths about their parents, and their deaths, while also learning some pretty big, and devastating, information about Fletcher Lane and his involvement within the Circle.

Oh, and don’t forget about the wedding.

I really love this series and always look forward to my time spent in Ashland. Sharpest Sting moves the main plot arc along quite nicely, and I’m wondering if the end of the series is in sight. I wonder where this author will go next after all the revelations about the backgrounds of the prominent Ashland residents, including ones who we’ve seen in the past.

Gin has grown quite a large circle of friends and chosen family who she will protect at all costs. It’s really nice to see them step up to the plate and have her back as well. The revelations about Fletcher were surprising and honestly, I felt for both Gin and Finn as they worked through their feelings about their mentor and father.

This is exactly what I expected when I opened my kindle to read and it was also exactly what I needed. Gin Blanco, aka the Spider, is one of my favorite urban fantasy heroines and I’m thankful Jennifer Estep has carried on this series through self publishing. I’m ready for what ever is next.

Final Grade- B

P.S. I feel like this author needs to put out a cookbook, because she always leaves me salivating over the descriptions of food and drink.

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