The Spider

Elemental Assassin #10

by Jennifer Estep

The tenth book in the bestselling and “outstanding” (Romantic Times) Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series finally reveals for the first time the origins of Gin Blanco’s career as the deadliest of assassins.

For the first time, the origins of Gin Blanco’s career as the deadly assassin “the Spider” are revealed in full. In a story that pre-dates the other nine books in the series, Gin Blanco goes through her paces to become the most feared assassin in the Ashland.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Magic, Romance, Vampires, Adult

381 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 24, 2013

About the author

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author who prowls the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.

Jennifer is the author of the Elemental Assassin, Section 47, Galactic Bonds, Crown of Shards, Gargoyle Queen, and other fantasy series. She has written more than 40 books, along with numerous novellas and stories.

In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys hanging out with friends and family, doing yoga, and reading fantasy and romance books. She also watches way too much TV and loves all things related to superheroes.

For more information on Jennifer and her books, visit her website at www.JenniferEstep.com or sign up for her newsletter: http://www.jenniferestep.com/contact-....

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Reviews

[Choko · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** 3.44 ***

A buddy read with my UF loving assassins at BB&B!

This is book number 10 in the series, but it realy is more of a prequel to the series, giving us a glimpse of Gin as a young assassin still in training... We see her getting ready for one of her first solo jobs, at a time when Fletcher was still monitoring and mentoring her heavily. And we get to see the young, impulsive, hotheaded Gin, who, as most young adults do, thought she knows it all, she can deal with it all, and she can overcome every obstacle... And we see her learn some very difficlut lessons while dealing with this case... One of my favorite quotes of this book was

Assassins weren’t supposed to fall in love. Oh, it wasn’t one of Fletcher’s hard-and-fast rules, but it was one of those things that simply went without saying. Because how could someone ever really know you, much less ever truly love you, when you spent your life in the shadows? When you went from one dirty job and violent confrontation to the next? When being an assassin was what made you, well, you, for better or worse?

This and many, many more little, but crucial to her chosen style of life lessons were learned, and at times we get to cringe with embarrassment for her poor, naive choices... It made me remember some of the times when I felt invincible and smarter than the system... I learned in devastating ways how vulnerable each of us and our loved ones are... Almost wish we could all keep some of this naiveté and fearlessness as adults, because those who can don't even realize how truly lucky they are!!!

So, this is the book in which Gin grows up. We see it happening like a train wreck and can do nothing about it. And still, since it is in the past and we all know Gin is now alive and well, most of the tension that comes with the current books is missing and the mystery of what happens next is out of the equation. Thus, this walk on memory lane is not as adrenaline inducing, but it does give us perspective of character growth and the surreptitious connections which crisscross our casts' lives throughout, interweaving their faiths way before their current relationships appear.

Although not as heart stopping, The Spider is worth the read if not for anything else, at least for the banter between Gin and Finn, and to see the friction all the characters had before settling into the wonderfully entertaining roles they currently play... Not the best book in the series, but a fun look in the past.

I wish all of you Happy Reading and may you never suffer a day without a page read!!!

[Ferdy · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars — Spoilers

-I have to admit, the only reason I'm reading the new Gin/Elemental Assassin books is for completion's sake, ever since the whole Owen personality transplant my love for the series has all but vanished. I wasn't expecting to like The Spider but it was actually better than I thought it'd be. Even though I enjoyed it more than the last few books (though that's not saying much since I hated the last few), I still had a number of issues with it.

-The whole book was basically just a flashback of how the younger Gin became the much feared and infamous assassin “the Spider” — it was pretty much like reading a prequel book. The plot itself was predictable but I still found it mildly entertaining, it was a typical Gin story with her fighting off the enemy-of-the-week. Even though the bad guy was nowhere near as engaging as Mab (the main villain of the series) he did manage to create a bit of interesting conflict and angst.

-The highlight was getting to 'see' Fletcher, Mab and other long dead bad guys again — it was rather nostalgic. I loved the dynamic between Gin, Finn, Fletcher, Jo-Jo, and Sophie - their relationship with each other is definitely the heart of the series. The rest of the secondary characters don't really do anything for me - Owen and Bria in particular are just awful.

-I didn't like the repetitiveness, the coincidences, and the many cliches. I rolled my eyes a few times because a number of things were either far-fetched or glaringly obvious, such as young Gin/Finn coming across young Owen/Bria - Gin hadn't ever mentioned before how she crossed paths with them ten years earlier. I find it highly unlikely that she never remembered them considering her sharp memory. It was like the author was desperate to make Gin/Owen and Finn/Bria seem meant-to-be but they ended up coming across as forced and cheesy.

-Gin/Owen's relationship was handled badly — there was just a throwaway sentence about them being back to normal again. Really? After everything Owen did, I expected them to actually address their problems and be awkward together… Their relationship should have been built up again, instead we're just told that their cool with each other — so basically Owen's douchery and cheating was forgotten about, and he didn't have to work to get Gin's trust and love again. Yea, I wasn't impressed with that.

-It was obvious that Gin's new boyfriend, Sebastian, was the bad guy. How did she fail to see that?! It was strange how naive and blind she was considering her history.

-After being betrayed by Sebastian, Gin vowed to never let that happen again… But she did let that happen with Donavan… And then with Owen, who betrayed her even more than the other two put together. She didn't learn anything from Sebastian apart from how to be a pathetic foolish doormat for the next guy she dates.

-I HATED that Owen/Gin's problems were brushed under the carpet with one sentence about them nearly breaking up a few months ago and now being stronger than ever. So after all the cheating, lies, betrayal, and douchery their relationship is even better than before without us actually getting to see them work through anything. I know they got back together in the previous book but they didn't actually sort anything out - Owen suddenly wanted Gin back and gave a lame apology, Gin hesitated and then magically trusted him again, and that was it. They didn't actually work on anything, how could all that trust, love, and faith be restored for Gin when Owen had done very little to earn it? And also when Gin had been burned before in the past. Yea, not impressed. I wish they'd just broken up, they're so boring and lame together. Also, I'll never believe in Owen or his love for Gin again.

-There were too many coincidences like younger Gin crossing paths with Owen, Bria and her foster parents. Why didn't Gin ever mentioned that she'd actually met Owen, Bria and her foster parents?
And then there was younger Finn checking out younger Bria, and claiming that she was a little too young and that maybe in ten years he'd hook up with her (which as we know is exactly what happened)… Yea, it was all so cheesy and contrived.

-The action scenes at the end were fast paced but they were also really typical. It's always the same thing: Gin fights with her knife, she does okay at first, and then the bad guy starts beating her up, she's battered and bruised and about to die, and then she uses her elemental magic and the bad guy starts to lose, and then Gin finishes them off much to their surprise. I wish Gin's showdowns would play out differently each time.

-I still don't understand what manslut Finn sees in boring-judgmental Bria apart from her being Gin's sister.

-Why does Estep always list 3 or 4 nouns to describe certain characters or someone's feelings? It's so simplistic and dull to read.

-There was too much description/listings of food.

-There were a number of times that Gin could tell exactly what people were feeling just by looking at their eyes.

-Finn sniffed loads, there was also lots of murmuring. I hate when characters are repetitive with their mannerisms/actions.

-Gin started a lot of her thoughts with oh — it was 'oh, I could have done blah blah blah' or 'oh, I knew that and this blah blah blah.'
It was really annoying.

-The whole M. M. Monroe thing has been dragged out for ages. Also, who was the woman the Philip saw at Mab's funeral?

-Overall, it was a somewhat entertaining read. But to be honest I didn't really see the point of it — the young Gin wasn't much different from the present day Gin, I didn't really learn anything new or vital, and the story didn't change my opinion of Gin, any other character or the series as a whole. It wasn't a bad book but it wasn't a necessary one either.

**ARC from Edelweiss

[Angela (Angel's Book Nook) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Spider is book ten in the Elemental Assassin series by Jennifer Estep.

This is by far one of my favorite series. Each and every installment gives me something new to fall in love with. Estep just keeps delivering on each and every installment!

Now, you can read this novel without every reading any of the other books in the series. The Spider takes the reader back 10-years to the begging. It’s the start of Gin’s career as the assassin known as the Spider.

I loved seeing Gin interact with Fletcher. Throughout this series we’ve seen flashbacks for Fletcher, but this time we get to have him front and center in her life.

The author does throw in many little easter eggs; events and characters that we meet and see throughout the Elemental Assassin series that fans will just die with excitement and love. I loved that we get to see so many characters from the past. It was so fun to see their path’s cross; a meet here, a moment their, but at the time you don’t know what life has in store for them and how their paths will cross again later in life.

The plot for was novel is suspenseful. The whole story is set 10-years in the past ending with the present day. Gin pretty much makes all the mistakes and does all the things Fletcher taught her not to ignore on her very first job. So, by the end of this novel she has the much-needed closure on all those events that took place back then.

The Spider was an outstanding novel. I don’t know where the author is going to go next, but I’m looking forward to seeing where things go from here.

Rated: 5 Stars

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Buddy Read with my UF junkies at Buddies Books & Baubles



On a good day I struggle with the main character, Gin. As UF heroines go she really isn’t my cup of tea, I still haven’t been able to put an exact finger on why *shrugs* but really if it wasn’t for the cool girl posse and Steven that I’ve been reading this with I might have given up on Gin a while ago. So if I’m already having a hard time with 30 year old Gin can you imagine how well I did with an entire book set in a flashback to 20 year old Gin????



Why??? Why is this a full story and not an optional side novella? Why do I have to live with 20 year old Gin? Why can’t I just love Gin??? These are all the burning questions that I had throughout this book.

I don’t like prequels for this very reason because usually there isn’t enough emotional connection because you know the MC will make it out alive and usually you don’t care about the other people. There are exceptions to this rule. For instance Michael J Sullivan wrote prequels to his Riyria series that actually took a story you thought you maybe knew and turned it on its head or showed it in a totally different light and made it so if you read those first there would be no spoilers for the later books. Totally genius and well planned. I will even give props to Sarah J Mass for writing the Assassins prequels to her Throne of Glass series and making me love someone I knew was dead and wishing that the heroine got to be with that character. So maybe you can do it as long as your middle initial is J. But my problem with this was it didn’t really add to the overall storyline, most of it was kinda silly and I guessed the entire story by chapter 10.

You know when you are reading a book and you guess what is going to happen but then the journey is so awesome that you don’t care that you knew where you were going to end up because the ride is phenomenal. Yeah that didn’t happen for me in this book. I guessed almost every important plot point right away and so every repeated statement that the ‘Mark’ was beating his daughter so he deserved to die just made me roll my eyes. If you have to remind me every 2-3 pages how bad someone is….then it is my guess they really aren’t that bad.

So besides being a bit bored with the story and the antics of a 20 year old Gin who is entirely too cocky, self-assured and just full of herself in general I also thought it was rather convenient and cheesy to have epiphanies that she met Owen before and saw Bria with her adoptive parents. You also see Finn hook up with Rosalyn for the first time and meet Xavier before he became a cop. If was all just a little too contrived for my tastes.

This really isn’t a book that adds anything to the overall series except this one thing. Once upon a time Gin was an assassin and she killed people. It is nice to believe that they were all bad and deserved it when we look at her now but the truth is that not all of them were bad and not all of them deserved to die.

Final Conclusion

This book was totally unnecessary and really shouldn’t be listed as #10 in the series but more like 0.5 or 0.2 or even 9.5. It is just a filler book and severely changes the tone of the story after three books that were more emotionally intense. For me it really put the brakes on the momentum this series was picking up.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

06/07/2016 Buddy read with my awesome friends over at BB&B, because we love UF!! May our Wednesday BRs never stop.

Happy anniversary.

In this book we see Gin a decade earlier, before she became the most feared assassin of Ashland.

Fletcher has received a job which Gin wants. He’s been training her for seven years, and she’s had a few solo jobs, but this one would be her first big one. And Gin feels very confident, thinking she’s more than ready to go at it on her own. Add the fact that a very handsome guy is interested in her, even though he’s her target’s son, and Gin thinks her life is finally turning out the way she has dreamed of.

The only thing I edited out was the fact that Sebastian and I had kissed. The old man definitely did not need to know about that. He’d claim that I was getting too emotionally involved with Sebastian. Maybe I was, but I could handle it.
I could handle anything as the Spider.

But there’s a lot more to this job than Gin and even Fletcher knowns. And Gin’s arrogance and naiveté might just teach her a lesson that will leave a scar forever.

What a sad, stupid, foolish child I was.

It was very interesting but also quite difficult to see how young Gin once was. We all make stupid mistakes when we’re young, thinking that we’re adults now and know what is best, but in the end our hubris can sometimes cost us our innocence. Gin was very cocky at 20, refusing to listen to the lessons that Fletcher taught her, thinking that patience, planning and paranoia was redundant. And her arrogance and ignorance taught her a very hard lesson. After reading this book I understand so much better why Gin is so cold and logical now.

My favorite part of this book is that we got to see more of Fletcher, and I loved that. It was also wonderful to get brief glimpses of Owen, Bria, Roslyn and Xavier.

“Are you kidding me? I’ve just had the worst date in the history of the world, and you’re actually hitting on me?”
An embarrassed flush filled his chiseled cheeks. “Well, when you put it like that, it does sound really bad.”
I snorted again. “You could say that. Although you and my foster brother would get along great. He would totally approve of your method of trying to seduce a girl when she’s down.”
“Hey, now,” the guy said, seeming genuinely affronted. “It’s not like that at all. You’re not the only one who’s had a bad . . . breakup. Trust me on that. But you just seem . . . interesting. More interesting than any girl I’ve met in a long time.”

I love it when we find out that Gin and Owen had actually crossed paths a few times before when they were younger. It makes me believe that they were always meant to be together ;-)

“Actually,” Finn said, sniffing, “I was too good for you. I’ve ruined you for all other men.”
“Hardly. I’ve had longer, deeper, more meaningful relationships with cheeseburgers than I did with you.”
“Yes, but at least I didn’t go straight to your ass,” he said in a smug, superior tone.

I absolutely love the relationship between Finn and Gin, and it was wonderful seeing that their bond was there even a decade ago.

This was a very interesting look at a younger Gin, and seeing her before she became the kick-ass Spider that we know. Another great addition to this series, and wonderful buddy read. I just love this series!

[Sharon ∞❥ is an emotional book junkie ❥∞ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story that starts almost at the beginning, well, at least at the early start of "The Spider". Unfortunately, what we get is a younger Gin learning a very hard lesson.

To be honest, I wasn't sure if I was interested in reading this story. Oh sure, I definitely wanted more Fletcher but who wants to go back? However, the pull was too great and I was just too curious!

Thankfully, all the stars aligned because it was wonderful! Once things got going, I could not put the book down and read it in one day. I was thrilled with all the little nuggets and connections! It definitely had me smiling. Did I mention how much I love Finn? ♥

The story is told in a retelling of something in Gin's past. It all starts when a mysterious box shows up. I did feel a bit bad for Owen to have to hear that but I did love their history!



But it was bittersweet. Reading about Fletcher was much harder than I thought. Who knew I would miss the old guy so much? And then reading about what Gin went through...that was rough!

I do have to say that it wasn't hard to figure things out. I'm always a little disappointed when things seem too easy but it didn't make me lose interest.

You could read this book without reading the prior ones but you would miss out on sooo much. I would definitely recommend waiting and to read them in order!

Next up is Poison Promise and the blurb sounds intriguing. I just hope we get to find out more about M.M.! The suspense is killing me!

Favorite quotes:

♥ “Her?” Finn asked, his voice taking on an offended, incredulous note. “She looks like she’s fifteen at the most. That’s way too young for me, Gin. I do have some standards, moral and otherwise.” He paused and glanced at the girl again. “Maybe in ten years or so. When she’s all grown up.”

♥ "He seemed nice, this Owen."

♥ "He’d made me feel special . . . he’d made me feel safe . . . he’d made me feel loved . . ."

[Carmel (Rabid Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

The Spider is hands-down my favourite Elemental Assassin book to-date and, the fact that it’s the tenth installment is even more impressive! I can count on one hand the number of authors who’s ENTIRE SERIES’ deserves a 5-star rating and it should come as no surprise when I tell you that Jennifer Estep has earned her spot on that list because of Gin Blanco. Not only has she proven that she has talent, but staying power as well!

I loved going back in time to re-visit the Spider’s training wheels stage; it was fun being able to see a beloved character in an entirely new light. Gin “retired” after the first book so readers never really got to see her pre-badass self and I really enjoyed learning more about how Blanco became the stone cold assassin she is today. The Spider is only 20 years old in this installment which means that she hasn’t completely mastered her skills; she’s still as unlucky as ever but hasn’t yet learned the value of patience (a trait she’s now renowned for). We also get to witness the making of some of her expressions and mannerisms such as “Gin, like the liquor” which I adored. As sappy as this sounds, in a lot of ways this book felt like I was reminiscing with an old friend.

Estep’s writing really shines in The Spider; this story made the EA world feel like new again and because we’re going back to the beginning, there are no repetitive details or need to rehash old happenings which was a common complaint with her earlier books. I also thought that it was important to mention that Jennifer once again had my stomach grumbling after only one page; I blame her for my new obsession with southern food! Practically every character makes a cameo appearance in this installment which I LOVED almost as much as I did checking-in with old foes. There was something oddly rewarding about mentally pointing out all of the scumbags Gin has killed in the future. The Spider has a real “small world” feel to it as well; I liked how all of the characters were already connected before they even realized it. The Finn / Bria link is pretty darned funny too. Classic Finnegan Lane!

Originally, I had thought that this story was going to somehow connect to the present day. In the opening chapter Blanco receives a dozen roses and a note which lead me to believe that an old foe was going to surface in the next installment after this one’s little history lesson. But that wasn’t the case at all and I enjoyed the surprise “pay it forward” twist ending. It made Gin’s relationship with Fletcher even more meaningful and speaking of which, I LOVED having her mentor back for a full book! As much as I enjoy all of the flashbacks in this series, it was great to read an entire installment where he was front-and-center. And of course, Estep just HAD to throw in an M.M. Monroe reference, like that’s not all I’ve been thinking about since Deadly Sting!

The Spider is a fun, bloody trip down memory lane and quite possibly my top read of 2013!

[Hmr28 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh....I hate prequels!

And...alas this book did not change my mind. Bland and boring.

[AH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initial Thoughts: An interesting plot device whereby Gin receives some beautiful dark blue roses, which remind her of one of her first hits. The story is 10 years in the past and Gin is younger and a little brash. There's still a lot of details in the cooking, so have a snack ready while you read. There are some nice cameos from main characters in the series before they became main characters. Nicely done.

The Review:
I’ve often wondered about Gin’s early days and how she learned how to be one of the most lethal assassins in the Ashland area. The Spider goes back 10 years as we watch a young Gin Blanco go after her first target.

The story begins in the present when a mysterious package arrives. When Gin finally opens the package (after checking for magic, explosives, and explosive magics), she finds a bouquet of black roses inside with a cryptic “Happy Anniversary” message. Only one person would send Gin those roses and Gin begins to reminisce.

Gin tells the story of her first hit on the Vaughn family. Gin was still living with Fletcher and was learning her trade from The Tin Man himself. Finn provided the financial background and assisted during fight training. When Fletcher is approached for the hit, something just doesn’t feel right, but Gin continues to tail her mark.

What follows is the story of Gin’s early days when she was younger and more naïve. Gin gave her heart easily to Sebastian Vaughn, the son of her target. It was nice seeing a happy and more care-free Gin. As an added bonus, many of the supporting characters from the present day series appear in cameo roles. Owen appears as a knight in shining armor (well, he had a car and he was in the right place at the right time). Gin even meets a young girl who was a dead ringer for Bria.

You can really see the growth in Gin’s character from this book. Gin is young and more impulsive. She really wants to prove herself. Now she is much more meticulous and takes the time to properly research her marks.

The writing is kind of fun. The author likes to describe everything, so if that’s not your cup of tea, you may want to skip this series. Gin likes to cook and some passages read like recipes. Have a snack ready as you read. I wish the author would go ahead and publish the Pork Pitt cookbook already. There is still a lot of repetition of eye colors but that’s just the charm of this series. The story is good and it should keep the reader engaged.

The Elemental Assassins series is full of magic, corrupt officials, and really good barbecue. If you have not yet had a chance to start this series, give it a try. Gin is one kickass heroine.

Thank you to Edelweiss and Pocket Books for a review copy of this book.

Review posted on Badass Book Reviews. Check it out!

[Cheryl La Pa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a flashback by Gin about her early days as the Spider. I loved the young, cocky Finn and the banter & rivalry between him and Gin. And Fletcher trying to impart his wisdom on his overconfident, enthusiastic young assassin.
However, I found there was too many cameos to make it believable and I tire of the villains being so rotten to the core.

[Maria Dimitrova · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buddy read with the awesome assassin aficionados over at BB&B and part of the MacHalo July TBR Cleanup Challenge.


Actual rating 2.5 stars.

This was the most annoying book of the series so far. And most boring. Because it was a flashback from ten years before in-universe time. I don't usually mind flashbacks and even find them fascinating. It's a way to see the character's growth in the same way as comparing a character from the beginning of a series to the final personality at the end of the series. But it takes away from the "fear" for the characters' lives.

Gin at 30 years is emotionally stunted and immature. I know why that is and I've come to accept it over the last 9 books. Gin at 20 is impossible! I wanted to slap her. For someone who has been through so much trauma and is in fact a trained assassin she lacks basic emotional defences that everyone who has gone to high school has developed before they enter senior year. I was ranting about her imagined relationship with Donovan Caine (based on two times having sex) but apparently mistaking physical attraction for a deeper connection is a habit of Gin. Adding to my growing annoyance is the way she brushed off Fletcher's warnings and teachings. In this book Gin was impatient and reckless and stupid beyond believe. The moment she realised that she had killed an innocent person and lost if as a result made me roll my eyes! Come on, you're an assassin, did you really think that it would never happen??? Geez, talking about being naive *eyeroll*

Fletcher saved the book for me. I always wanted to see more of him and now I got the chance. Still it wasn't enough to make me rate the book higher. Because there was another thing that I disliked. Cameos from people Gin meets ten years later. The first few times I thought "Oww how cute! It's [enter name]!" But when she had an actual run in with Bria, who at the time Gin though was dead and would continue to do so for another decade, and Owen, to whom she acted like a bitch by her own admission I was like "Really? You're trying waaaay too hard." It's just not believable. Havng a run in with some of the power players and future friends is okay. The same city and everything. But absolutely everyone? Including a mention of Cooper, who's still on the fringes of Gin's life and the mysterious second Monroe? No, just no.

I don't think I can handle another such flashback and to be honest if the series has started in that point of time with that Gin I would have stopped reading after the first book.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gin Blanco is ten years older now but as she looks back at one of the defining moments in her life, we get to relive the haroing experience right along with her.

The Spider is a flash from the past, giving us insight into the now 30 something Gin Blanco AKA the spider. We see the younger Gin, and now understand more thoroughly why she's made some of her life decisions. While meeting or re-meeting characters from her past that come to play pivotal or can play pivotal roles in her future.

Jennifer Estep once again takes us into the world of an assassin and has us routing for Gin till the end. I'm not a big flash back fan but have to admit The Spider is a nail biting, action packed adventure that will keep you clinging to the pages. As a prequel, it also can stand alone and carries the exciting story on its own. This is a must read for Elemental Assassin fans and wetting your appetite for what might come next in this marvelous series.

I received this ARC copy of The Spider from Pocket Books in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication December 24, 2013.

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I am not normally a fan of the flashback type book, this one was a great entry. It's not my favorite entry in the series, but it was good to see a little of young Gin and how she learned some of the lessons she needed to learn to become The Spider. I'll give it a little over 4 stars, rounded up. :)

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0

*MY Thoughts*

"It all begins with a girl-a stupid, arrogant girl who thought that she could do no wrong.."

In the 10th installment of the Elemental Assassin series, Jennifer Estep takes her character, Gin Blanco aka the Spider, back in time 10 years after she receives a mysterious package of Dark Blue Roses with a note attached saying "Happy Anniversary." Who is the mysterious person sending Gin roses? Why is Gin receiving them on this particular date and time? Is this person an enemy, or someone Gin met along the way as the Spider?

Gin then tells a whale of story to Owen Greyson, who she is back together again after the tumultuous events of Widow's Web and Deadly Sting left many readers wanting to strangle or gut Owen. The story is one fraught with a painful experiences that Gin won't soon forget and a deeper understanding about who Gin the assassin really is. Estep also tosses in a few bread crumbs about the mysterious M.M. Monroe who has yet to be exposed to Gin and readers but always seems to be in the background just waiting to pounce.

Our heroine in The Spider is a 20 year old gang buster who has been trained by Fletcher Lane for the past 7 years to be an assassin. Gin still has no clue who the Fire Elemental was that killed her mother Eira, and older sister Annabelle. She has no clue that her baby sister Bria is alive and well and living with a loving couple in Blue Marsh even when she is confronted by someone who looks like her. She has no clue that her life as she knows it will fundamentally change forever because of one horrific mistake that leads to 10 years of being a guardian Angel to a young girl who witnessed the entire episode because of Gin's mistake in killing an innocent man, and then falling for his son.

Gin truly believes she is unstoppable and tries to live by the rules that Fletcher has set for her. Don't Be Memorable. Don't do anything to attract attention to yourself, and Don't engage potential enemies or targets in anyway. For Gin, this story gives you an idea that Gin hasn't always made the correct choices, and her mistakes always come with severe consequences for those she loves. By breaking the rules that Fletcher has sought to live by, Gin makes a bad choice that leaves her fighting for her life.

The Spider features some series mainstays like Finnegan Lane, Sophia and Jo-Jo Deveraux, Jonah McAllister, Mab Monroe, Xavier Grant, and Roslyn Phillips. Like I said above, there is a hint that M.M Monroe has been in the background the entire time. It will definitely be interesting to find out when Estep releases this person's true identity, and whether it will be the finale we are all expecting to go out like gangbusters.

In the end, The Spider is a nice walk down memory lane. For me, I can't really get enough of this series and will be sad when it comes to an end. Learning more about Fletcher Lane and how he took Gin under his wing and trained her to become an assassin, has always been appealing. Personally, I would love to go back in time and read a Fletcher Lane's story about what he actually saw in the 13 year old Genevieve Snow and also Gin's relationship with Finn which surprised me.

ARC provided by Pocket Books via Edelweiss

Recvd via Edelweiss 10/08/2013 - Expected publication: December 24th 2013 by Pocket Books

[Jen Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I could say that I loved this book. I’m a long time fan of this series, but ever since the destruction of Owen, things just haven’t been the same. Owen isn’t my problem here, but I did have many issues. Don’t get me wrong, there were things I enjoyed, but I think it’s time for me to accept that this series and I are just drifting apart.

This is a flashback book, which was kind of disappointing off the bat. After all, by its very nature, it could not advance the overall storyline. What it did, instead, was give us an extended look into Gin’s past. The blurb describes it as an origin story for how she became the Spider. That’s not exactly what I would call it. It’s more like a pivotal job that taught her valuable lessons.

Gin’s trying to prove herself to Fletcher and make a name for herself. The details of the hit aren’t that important. Suffice it to say, the job isn’t exactly as it seems. Let me rephrase that. The job isn’t exactly what it seems TO GIN. To the reader, we are practically hit over the head with the reality. It was painfully apparent that Gin was making Bad Choices and the villain may as well have had a neon sign blinking above his head. It was all so obvious, I felt like I could predict the entire plot of the book by the end of chapter 6.

My other big issue: every single character in the present day storyline ended up in the flashback. Including characters that don’t come into play until years later. One cameo appearance, I could be ok with. But the foreshadowing was so heavy handed, I found myself rolling my eyes. Specifically, this was the case with Owen and Bria. I don’t know if Jennifer Estep thought all the coincidences would be fun, but I actually found myself rolling my eyes.

It pains me to be so negative, because I love Gin. I still love her here, especially as she shows both her strength and vulnerability. As always, the character delivers. Another thing I really loved: Fletcher. Since he died at the beginning of the series, I feel like we’ve really missed out on the relationship he had with Gin. After all, he was her mentor and father-figure. We know how much he shaped her, but we’ve never gotten a chance to know him. I really liked getting that chance here. It was also kind of cool to see Gin as a younger, weaker version of herself. We can see how much she has grown since then –and in some ways, how she has held on to the same issues and insecurities.

Despite the things it had going for it, I really felt like this was my least favorite installment of the series to date. Will I read Poison Promise? Yeah, but I am really going to need to see something new to keep going beyond that.

Rating: C/C-

*ARC Provided by Pocket Books

[Douglas Meeks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well I got my ARC of The Spider today and I am hoping to be amazed and enthralled but as a prequel it will have to be awesome to keep those 5 Stars.
------------------------------------------------------
Well I wrote that back in Oct 2013 and was not to excited about a prequel in one of my favorite series. It is mid December and I read it all day yesterday because I could hardly put it down, looks like I get to eat some comments I have made about how I hated prequels. It did indeed earn those 5 Stars.

This story starts and ends in the present with Gin and Owen sitting at the counter and a box of roses arrives and triggers an old memory and a story from when she was still a young assassin.

Gin has to do a "job" and things start to fall apart, it is a riveting story of love, betrayal, loyalty and painful lessons learned.

This is one of my favorite series because I am a self-confessed "revenge junkie" and nobody does revenge better than Gin. The thought that this series may be ending make me sad, I hope it does not.

The story here is very detailed and give us a look into the mind of a much younger Gin and a much more emotionally strong Gin. If I had any problems with this addicting story it was that it was written in a manner that "you can see it ending badly" manner. The thing is you have no idea how badly it would end but it has a great heart warming ending that all fans will enjoy. Gin does go into revenge mode and I of course loved that but those painful lessons I spoke of will make her stronger but you can't help but feel sympathy for her.

This is a book that can be read as a stand alone for a new reader but I would suggest you read them in order since you get a much deeper appreciation for Gin and what she has been through and what she will become. I read late into the night to finish this novel because I could not put it down once I got to the horrible betrayal and knew the much needed revenge would be forthcoming. I love this series and this is one of the best installments which means I won't be complaining about prequels for a long time. Highly recommended.

[Michelle Leah Olson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Vivacious Valkyrie - Marta:
--Actual rating 4.5 Skulls

This series is Urban Fantastic at it's very best! A world not unlike our own is explored, but the addition of magic and supernatural creatures adds to the fun. This is a series well worth reading from the beginning, but this - the 10th book - is a prequel of sorts, so in many ways, a good place for new readers to start.

Although the story begins in the present, the author has cleverly allowed the lead character Gin to take a trip down memory lane and what an intriguing journey it is. Gin is an assassin who is known as The Spider. She is very unusual, as she can control not one element, but two - Stone and Ice. Trained by the notorious Tin Man, she has learned to be careful about the hits that she takes on, but she wasn't always as honed in her abilities and in this book we get to peek at her past exploits and realize jus how far Gin's journey has taken her.

The Tin Man had given Gin an assignment, but something just didn't quite make sense. If the information they'd been given was correct, why did it seem as if something or someone was off? The younger Gin is more trusting and possibly a lot more naive, but her deadly skills are never in doubt. Gin's target seems to be a straight forard one, but she makes a costly mistake, and it's one that she could live to regret. Heartbreak and death can sometimes be linked!

Love this tough heroine that Ms. Estep writes about, but in this book we get to see a different side of her, which just opened her up even more.

Loving that some of the regular characters in the series popped up as it added to the fun, and it's really nice to get inside Gin's head and see through her complicated layers.

The ELEMENTAL ASSASSIN series is never afraid to tackle revenge, and Gin never shies away from it either.

If you are looking for a heroine whom is never afraid to be brutal, then you will lap up these books! A world of magic that is seldom black or white, and full of action and danger. There's humor in these books as well, but most of all, the author always gives her readers a fabulous story. Go get yours!!

[Ronda · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a difference to previous books, I didn't expect to take a trip into Gin's past and it was a fabulous experience in doing so.

As usual, Jennifer Estep kept me fixed to the pages and drawn into the storyline. I could 'feel' the mistakes that Gin was making, it kept me utterly breathless and I literally 'hated' Sebastian with a passion from the word 'go'. I just knew!

I love the way Estep writes her books, I love the entire Elemental series and Gin is one of my all time favourite leading ladies. Having followed Gin through her trials and tribulations, it is great to catch up with her in the present tense and then look forward to the future, this books settles us back into what Gin is currently doing and it leaves me in anticipation of what can possibly be waiting for her in the next release.

I can't wait!!!

[Angie ~aka Reading Machine~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gin Blanco's early days as an assassin have been hinted at yet never told until now. Flynn is an exacting teacher and father figure for Gin along with his son Finn. Gin is in constant want for Flynn's approval. Yet she's very impatient with the process of Flynn's teachings. What lessons does Flynn want Gin to learn? Your answers await you in The Spider.

I'm loving this series! The characters and story keep me wanting more and more. I can't wait for my next adventure in this series.

[Monica Hills · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my least favorite novel in the series. It was a giant flashback. The book got better as I went on and there was an interesting teaser with Owen. It gave insight into why she is the way she is but I didn't like one particular event. I look forward to reading her next one.

[Ina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I wasn't ready for this.

When I started reading The Spider and realized that it will be probably one big flashback, I was seriously disappointed, because I'm not particularly fond of prequels. So I just rolled my eyes, mentally prepared myself to be let down and wished that it was just a short story I could skip. I dropped my expectations. But as I continued reading, a strange thing happened. I started enjoying this book very much really early on.

Things I liked about The Spider:
1. Fletcher
I don't know why, because he wasn't even in the books so much until now, but I really like Fletcher. He is smart, dangerous, but also caring and isn't afraid to help people when they need help. And he doesn't expect anything back (well, of course he expects money when someone hires him to do their dirty work, but he helps people for free too and doesn't expect a paycheck). In my mind he is this old cool man I would really love to have as grandpa. And I'm really glad I got to see more of him.

2. Sebastian
Despite everything, I actually liked Sebastian. He reminded me of Finn. If Finn was crazy sadistic monster, of course. But even though it was pretty obvious that he is the villain pretty early in the book , I really enjoyed reading about him.

3. Memories and connections
I have to admit, it was a little bit over the top that during those few weeks of Gin's life during her 20, she met almost every person of her current extended family, like really, it would be HUGE COINCIDENCE that she met Bria, Roslyn, Bria's foster father, Xavier and Owen in one week and she didn't even remember any of them until now, but okay, let's say I believe that such accidents actually happen in life (even though really, they DON'T).
It was nice that even though it was flashback, we still got to interact with all these important people. And I liked how Owen hinted that he just broke up with someone too, I guess he meant Salina's recent departure. Puzzle pieces clicked nicely together.

4. Gin's doubts
Gin is a smart girl and sometimes she is overly confident or too cocky for her own good (and it really annoys me sometimes, saying how she is THE BEST at cooking and THE BEST assassin. Seriously Gin, calm your tits). But here, Gin was younger and more vulnerable. I loved the moment when Gin finally realized that she killed innocent man . Of course, it took her a LONG time and we knew long before she found out, but I especially like that she did something about it and kept looking out for Charlotte all those years.

Things I didn't like about The Spider:
1. It was a prequel
Even though I enjoyed this prequel very much, it was still a prequel and the story didn't move on at all. It really might have been a short story instead of full novel.

2. Gin obviously doesn't age
Like I already mentioned a lot of time must have passed in Gin's world since the book one of Elemental Assassin. Her mentor died, she avenged him, took vacation, found her long lost sister, reconnected with her, killed most of her enemies, took another vacation, built a solid relationship (and then screwed up aforementioned relationship and then reestablished it) and there where also a few month breaks between the books. So how comes that Gin is still 30 just like she was in the first book? I smell plot hole.

3. Gin's lack of interest in Bria
I know that during that time, Gin had a lot on her mind, but she saw a girl that looked exactly like her long lost sister and she didn't even try to investigate if there's any chance it was her? I'm not buying that. Another plot hole, IMO.

Verdict
Even though The Spider was prequel which I generally don't like and it had some plot holes, I enjoyed reading it a lot (probably the most in this series). Can't wait for the next one!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally Reviewed at The Book Nympho


With The Spider being the 10th book in the Elemental Assassin series one can’t help but wonder if Jennifer Estep can still bring the same outstanding writing and characters to us. I’m here to tell you that she can and she did!

You could read The Spider without having read the series because Estep takes us back 10 years to show us a young and naive Gin in the early stages of her becoming The Spider but you will miss all the little easter eggs to events and characters that are throughout the series.

It was fun to see how Estep did a “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon Gin Blanco” with very one from Mab Monroe, Slater, Dawson to Owen make cameos in The Spider. I mean VERY main character good and bad that has touched Gin’s life show up in some way, either in person or by reference, even the mysterious M.M. Monroe that Estep keeps teasing us with since Deadly Sting. All but one character and my least favorite, Dicktective Caine. But I was fine with that. LOL

One of the ways that Estep showed a younger and softer side to Gin was in a scene where she described the pjs that Gin was wearing, short pink pajama bottoms patterned with garish green limes, definitely not something I would picture Gin wearing now.And we get to see how the expression “Gin, like the liquor” was born. Other of Gin sayings were present like “another minute, two tops” when talking about how long her victims had until she kills them.

I loved seeing Gin interact with Fletcher. Over the series we’ve seen Fletcher through flashbacks but this time we get to have him front and center in Gin’s life. Also we’ve learned that Gin and Finn had a fling of some kind when they were younger, in The Spider some of the details are told about that summer fling and it was fun to see that they have always been great snarky partners.

“Actually,” Finn said, sniffing “I was too good for you. I’ve ruined you for all other men.”

“Hardly. I’ve had longer, deeper, more meaningful relationships with cheeseburgers than I did with you.”

Speaking of cheeseburgers…. fans of the Elemental Assassin series know not to read these books on an empty stomach because of all the yummy sounds food that Estep describes. Where I thought the last book, Heart of Venom was the bloodiest installment, The Spider had the most food references. Seriously, I highlighted 12+ passages about food while I was reading.

The plot of The Spider was wonderfully surprising. When I read chapter one on Estep’s website I thought we would see a back and forth between the past and present with a failed assassination attempt from Gin’s past. But the whole story is set 10 years in the past ending with a present day ending that gives Gin much-needed closure.

If I had to pick something that didn’t quite work for me it would be a couple of the cameos felt a little forced and that’s why The Spider is the only book in the series to earn a rating lower than the usual A+/A.

To me The Spider had a series reset feel, we took a break from the mountain mystery about M.M. Monroe and the dark past that Sophia had in Heart of Venom. I feel like we can now move forward into a new story arc that might carry us to the end of the series. Which makes me hopeful and sad at the same time. As of this review Estep is contracted for two more books in the series, Poison Promise to be released in July of 2014 and an untitled 12th book. Could Gin really be coming close to a true retirement? (hugs self just thinking about it)

[All Things Urban Fantasy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

THE SPIDER is the Elemental Assassin book I’ve been waiting for. I’ll admit to being a few books behind in my reading, but this prequel installment doesn’t require you to be all caught up on current events to enjoy it, or even be a reader of the series at all! Full of the standard Estep drama, action and witty quips, THE SPIDER was everything I wished for and more.

The majority of the book (probably about 95%) took place in a flashback stuck between two scenes in the current times, and it was a perfect way of telling the story. Being able to see the end result, since we are familiar with the present-times Gin, was a satisfying conclusion and provided good bookends to the story. Though I thought it was a little cheesy that most current day characters had cameos in THE SPIDER (hi, Bria and Owen), it was cute, too. And one of the great things about THE SPIDER is that some of the annoying characteristics of the previous books that put me off were not to be found in this one. For one, the frequent repetition commonplace in other books was nearly absent! Gin only mentioned “getting dead” about once!

But one of the best parts about THE SPIDER is Gin’s immaturity and youth. In THE SPIDER, Gin isn’t yet the fearsome assassin who in previous books in the series took out various mobsters and powerful elemental magic users, she’s just a girl, and her victory is (despite this being a prequel) not guaranteed. This brought a tension to the book that some of the other Elemental Assassin books lack. Gin’s emotions feel so much more fierce, as if she hasn’t yet learned to tamp them down yet. THE SPIDER made me fall in love with Gin all over again and reminded me why I read the Elemental Assassin series- for her.

All in all, THE SPIDER was an amazing ride. For being ten books in, I was so pleasantly surprised when it was as great as it was. Having renewed my love of the series, now I’ve got to go back a few books- Gin and I have some catching up to do.

Sexual content: Single sex scene

[Ezi Chinny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book purports to give us the background of how Genevieve Snow earns her stripes on her path to becoming Ashland's most feared assassin--The Spider. In Truth, it is a book about a specific event that helped solidify Fletcher's lessons and cement them for Gin on her first solo assignment as the Spider.

Since this is an e-arc, I won't ruin it for you fans...but I saw similarities with her behavior in this book with her behavior in Spider's Bite, book 1 of this series. I also found it interesting that EVERYONE was present here including Bria and Finn even flirted with her, as Gin predicted that he would fall for that girl.

I won't go as far as calling it revisionist history, but I will say this: There is no Gin without Mab Monroe. Which is why I am anxiously waiting for the revelation of M.M Monroe

I really liked the book because it humanized her and highlighted her mistakes early one. My real point is that I feel that she never really learned from them like Gin believes she has. But this book was really just a snapshot of an event that taught Gin a difficult lesson. It wasn't a background story that bridged the gap from 8yr old Gin to 23 year old Pork Pit Waitress, assassin in training. So keep that in mind.

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love that we got this look into how the Spider really came into her own and more importantly it was so much fun seeing how and when all my favorite characters met! Great addition to the series.

[Weinlachgummi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spinnenzeit ist schon der 10. Band der Elemental Assassin Reihe. Da das Buch aber hauptsächlich in der Vergangenheit von Gin spielt, könnte man auch als Neueinsteiger damit seinen Spaß haben, ohne zu große Plot Lücken zu haben. Trotzdem ist es ratsam von vorne anzufangen.

Man könnte meinen, nach 10 Büchern sei die Luft langsam raus, aber nein. Hier erfahren wir mehr über die Vergangenheit von Gin. Wir starten und Enden zwar in der Gegenwart, aber 90 % des Buches spielen 10 Jahre in der Vergangenheit. Gin ist zwar schon die Spinne, muss sich aber noch beweisen, sich, den Kunden und auch Fletcher gegenüber. Ja es war schön den alten Mann wieder zu sehen und auch zu lesen, wie Gins Leben sich damals schon leicht mit denen der anderen gestreift hat. Auch wenn es noch Jahre dauert, bis daraus Freundschaft, Familie oder gar Liebe wird. Manches fand ich diesbezüglich zwar etwas komisch, weil ich dachte, Gin müsste doch die Ähnlichkeit aufgefallen sein oder dass sie Owen damals schon getroffen hat. Aber dies tut der Geschichte keinen Abbruch.

Vom Aufbau her ist der Plot wieder ganz gewohnt. Es gibt einen Auftrag und Gin tritt in Aktion, doch hat sie die Sache mit der Geduld noch nicht gelernt, was ihr zum Verhängnis wird und nicht nur ihr. Die Geschichte ist wie gewohnt spannend erzählt. Es gibt einige Action Szenen, in denen es blutig wird und einen Showdown am Ende.

Die Charaktere sind dem Leser mit der Zeit richtig ans Herz gewachsenen, auch wenn hier nicht alle vorkommen, da manche Nebencharaktere damals noch nicht zu Gins Familie zählten. War es trotzdem schön sie wieder zu sehen und so konnte Fletcher und auch Finn mehr Raum einnehmen.



Fazit:
Wie gewohnt konnte mich auch Spinnenzeit, der mittlerweile 10. Band der Reihe überzeugen.
Wir reisen mit Gin 10 Jahre in die Vergangenheit und erfahren einige interessante Dinge, sodass man sie letztendlich noch besser verstehen kann.
Der Plot ist wieder spannend und fesselnd und die Charaktere sind einem eh schon ans Herz gewachsen.
Der locker leichte Schreibstil trägt dazu bei, dass man das Buch nur so verschlingt.

[Pam Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahh ok I read this one out of order but I did go back and listen and I loved it. We learn all about Gin and how she became.
Her upbringing and Fletcher how he took her in and gave her all the wisdom he tried to impart to her as a very over eager young assassin.
I liked the bond we see with her and Finn too you see it become what it is today.
Great book and it turned out to be ok that I didn’t listen to it in order.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Normally this would probably have been 4 stars but it was so annoying that it was a non sequitur in the running order, I never quite got over it. I didn’t realise until Mab Monroe showed up and nobody responded correctly.

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who would have known Gin Blanco could be sloppy, sloppy, sloppy? Well she definitely was in her younger years! The Spider takes us back in time, when Gin was only 20 and still in training with Fletcher Lane.

I have to say I didn’t have high expectation for this book. I don’t know why but I wasn’t particularly looking forward to reading about Gin’s younger years. I’ve been reading the books in this series back-to-back and was afraid The Spider would break the rhythm somehow. Well, I have to say that although the book is much slower-paced than the other instalments in the series, it is still very enjoyable. This is about Gin and Gin only. Okay, there is an interesting enough plot and some action but The Spider is all about getting to know Gin and finding out why she is the way she is in the present day.

It’s great to be in the younger Spider’s head. She might be an assassin in training but Gin can be so naïve and innocent sometimes (especially when it comes to Sebastian, what a school-girl crush!)! Here, she lacks the patience she is now renowned for and her timing is pretty bad most of the time. Not only is she as down on luck as ever, she is also too proud and arrogant (it never occurs to her that she could be found out and much less played!). Gin’s actions and their consequences in The Spider are very enlightening as they help understand her present-day personality: aloof, cold-hearted, more ruthless and precise… definitely no longer naïve and innocent! Much is revealed here which makes this instalment one of the most important in the series.

Still, there are a few things that bothered me in The Spider. First, there was no element of surprise as far as the plot was concerned: I had guessed from the start that Sebastian was too good to be true and a sick bastard in hiding. It was pretty obvious early on that he was the one who was abusing Charlotte. Then there are the cameo appearances by most recurring characters of the series. I didn’t have a problem with most of them since the events in The Spider take place in Ashland, with the characters moving in the same circles, so it would make sense that they had crossed paths before. I actually liked having these characters either appearing or being mentioned in the book and thought it was a nice touch: Xavier, Roslyn, Cooper Stills (and his fountains!), queen bitch Mab Monroe, Jonah McAllister, Elliot Slater… I loved having Fletcher around for a whole book and seeing a much-younger Finn was great. The main problem I have here is with Bria and Owen. When Harry Coolidge came into the picture I thought it was stretching it a bit. Then Bria made an entrance and it was stretching it a lot (especially with the Finn thing later on in the book). The proverbial straw on the camel’s back was Owen picking up Gin when she was hitch-hiking. I knew the minute she stepped it the car that it would be him and I thought that was just too much. I think Estep definitely got carried away there!

Anyway, these are minor annoyances really. I still enjoyed The Spider a lot since the events that take place here impact the rest of the series and do so much in terms of character development. Now I’m really looking forward to going back to present-day Ashland in Poison Promise!

[BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme · Rating 3 out of 5]

How did Gin become the Spider? How did she become such a good assassin?  Anyone really good at their job learns from experience and mistakes. What kind of mistakes did Gin make? In The Spider, it's a painful read from beginning until close to the end. It's difficult because Gin is exposed as a young, arrogant and self-righteous avenging angel.

Ms. Estep does a great job at filling in Gin's early years as she learns to be a killer. It's done very well because it shows how a cocky person can fall so hard. Fortunately, Gin's fall from grace occurs when she is young enough to pick herself back up. The storyline is tight written and well done. There are no surprises to the big reveal. There are very pleasant Easter eggs with unexpected character cameos. Xavier, Owen and Brie all show up in Gin's life when she was in her early twenties. It isn't until her trip down the memory lane where she remembers it all.

This story gallops at a fast pace, keeping up with Gin's youthful impatience. It's not often an author will take a well-established character and unmake the person a bit. When I say unmake, I mean show us the character before a life changing moment hardens the character. Gin's mistake forces her to grow up and learn a very difficult lesson. The reader is dragged along witnessing this grievous error which results in a complete cluster fuck. It's an interesting lesson because basically, it teaches Gin that making the job personal can result in severe unintended consequences. In addition, it's sad to see a young girl experiencing the thrill of first love to be completely crushed. In this story, what doesn't kill you, will make you stronger. Gin definitely became stone cold out of this lesson.

The ending is really what makes the story good for me. I'm not sure if the reveal of Gin's ugly secret is because the person Gin wrongs is out to get Gin. When Gin confronts the person who reminds her of the FUBAR she made ten years ago, it's a happy reveal. It appears, Gin's penance over the years have not been unnoticed. It's sweet and completely in character with Gin's personality.

Overall, Ms. Estep does a pretty nifty twist by presenting Gin in her younger years, this late in the series. She also ties up several loose ends which makes a reader wonder if this is nearing the end of the series. It's been a spectacular run. Recommended for paranormal readers who enjoy learning about a heroine's difficult past.

*provided by Edelweiss