Spider's Trap by Jennifer Estep Series: Elemental Assassin #13
Publisher: Pocket Books on July 28, 2015
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Adult
Pages: 400
Format: eARC
Source: Blog Tour
Purchase: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads
Rating:
Keep your friends close but your enemies within stabbing distance.
One important lesson I’ve learned in the assassination business is that to be the best you have to roll with the punches. Now that I’m queen of Ashland’s underworld — by default, not by choice — a lot more punches are being thrown my way. But I suppose that’s the price of victory for taking down some of the underworld’s top dogs. Good thing I have my Ice and Stone magic to help me survive my volatile new position. Just when I think things are finally settling down, someone tries to murder me during a hush-hush underworld meeting. But the real surprise is how strangely familiar my shadowy assailant seems to be.
My job is to maintain order among killers, crooks, and thieves, and soon I’m embroiled in a bloody game where the ability to keep secrets could be the greatest superpower of all. My enemies have all sharpened their knives and laid their traps, waiting for me to fall. But this Spider weaves her own webs of death…
At A Glance
This series is still going strong.
The Good
I haven’t realized until this book but I actually miss Gin and the crew in-between books. I really love each character so much. But I got my fix with Spider’s Trap, so I won’t punch anyone from Elemental Assassin withdrawals for at least a month. I swear.
This book had a different feel from the others. The bad guy’s motive and target are not what you expect, at all. Gin is in a tough spot trying to figure out how to be the Queen of the underworld, a job she did not want. But, hey, when you keep killing the badassiest of bosses, there is nowhere else to go but up. Now this mysterious bad guy is reeking havoc in Gin’s town and her friends keep getting caught in the crossfire. Hurting Gin’s friends makes Gin a vengeful girl.
Gin as the head honcho is hilarious! She is sooooo not into it. Seriously, bad people are stupid. I wouldn’t want to deal with them either. I loved the new people introduced in this one. I think we will see more of them later, which excites me. As always, the action was great and the characters were amazingly entertaining. We have a scare with Owen which almost killed me. Ugh, I don’t even want to think about it.
The ending was perfect. I am so excited to see what happens next with this new enemy. This enemy is very personal too.
The Bad
Maybe every book has been like this, but with Spider’s Trap I felt like some of the dialogue was SUPER corny. I found myself rolling my eyes quite often. And this one felt really melodramatic too.
The Snuggly
We actually get a lengthy sex scene with Gin and Owen. Not super detailed but pretty hot.
Final Thoughts
Read this series. I love it. It’s not perfect. A lot of little things can get annoying, but overall the story is great, as are the characters. Highly recommended.
Excerpt
Dimitri kept staring me down, his breath puffing out of his open mouth like a bull about to charge. Beside me, Phillip and Silvio got to their feet and moved out of my way.
“Try to show a little restraint,” Silvio whispered as he passed.
Restraint wasn’t a popular word in my vocabulary, but I nodded, acknowledging his point. If I killed Dimitri and Luiz, it would just convince the other bosses that I wanted them all dead, and they would probably start trying to murder me again. I’d fought hard for my relative peace and quiet, and I wasn’t going to throw it away on a couple of minor mobsters.
Even if I did feel like stabbing both of them. Violently. Viciously. Repeatedly.
Phillip and Silvio stepped over to where Lorelei Parker was still sitting at the far end of the table. Lorelei had quit texting and was staring at me, but she remained in her seat, with Jack Corbin standing by her side. The two of them weren’t dumb enough to take me on, at least not face-to-face, but the same couldn’t be said for the other bosses.
Dimitri wasn’t brave enough to fight me on his own, so he turned to Luiz. “You help me with Blanco, and I’ll let you have the coin laundries. All of them.”
Luiz scoffed. “I want the laundries and that deli you own on Carver Street.”
Dimitri sighed and nodded.
I rolled my eyes. A minute ago, they would have been happy to murder each other, and now they were going to work together to try to kill me. Well, at least Luiz had the good sense to try to squeeze everything he could out of the other gangster. Had to admire him for that. Even if he’d picked the wrong side.
About Jennifer Estep
Giveaway
This is a tour wide giveaway
kindlemom1
I’m so excited this series is still going strong. I’m only on book five but I can’t wait to get here, it really sounds like a lot happens with Gin and the gang.
Jennifer Bielman
Sooooooo much happens. It gets more stressful and fun each new book.
Manisha
The blurb sounds rather interesting but the book cover is kinda putting off!
Jennifer Bielman
Yeah, not the best cover.
Lekeisha
Is it crazy that I haven’t started this series? Over the years, I’ve just been reading great things about it but haven’t actually read it. Maybe I should remedy that soon, seeing as it’s still going strong. I actually saw a few books in the series in a strip mall while in Florida last year, but I was too focused on getting me some classics to get them. I can kick myself right now!
Jennifer Bielman
It’s hard not to love this series, even with it’s faults.
Lily
Oh, I keep seeing so much love for this series!
Jennifer Bielman
I LOVE it!
Melissa (My World...in words and pages)
Hey, if that’s the bad of the bad for the book…dang that’s good! 😀 I’ve got to get to this series, and this is my kinda giveaway for it! 😀 Thank you!
Jennifer Bielman
hehe, there is never much bad with these books. just minor things.
Melliane
I’m so so so late with this series. I’ve only tried the first book years ago and I don’t even remember it. I should read the others mainly as I have them
Jennifer Bielman
LOL, you should reread it because each books builds the story.
Jaclyn Canada
I keep saying that I’m going to read this series. It’s been on my to-read list since the first review of your’s I read for it. You keep convincing me with every single review that I really need to get my hands on this one. I have to catch up with Kate and Curran first though!! I’ll start it soon. I’m making a mental note to myself LOL. Great review!
Jennifer Bielman
I know, I still haven’t read the contemp books from Ilona Andrews, which is crazy. when am I going to get to it???