Widow’s Web (Elemental Assassin #7)
Author: Jennifer Estep
Published: 2012
On Goodreads
My Rating: 
Rated A for action that both deadly and sexy with a side of deadly assassin mojo that no 007 villain can top.
If she’s supposed to be the ruthless killer, why is her name on all the lists?
Known as the assassin that took down Mab, the mobster that basically owned Ashland, Gin Blanco has every lowlife gunning for her, making her deadly skills that once made her money become more useful for survival.
But, once an assassin, always an assassin. When Salina Dubois strolls into Gin’s life, connected to Ashland and to her lover, Owen, she is thrown off balance. Something is off about this Southern belle. When Gin discovers her dark and nasty secrets that lead to her plan to take revenge and capture Ashland, and Owen, for herself Gin steps into the job she knows by heart. The job that gave her the deadly name, the Spider. This job may cost her her love affair though, but in order to protect not only Owen but her friends and family, it’s a sacrifice she is forced to make.
I remembered picking this up in the store partially because the cover was mysterious and pretty and partially because this was out of my usual reading zone. When I dived in I realized this was exactly in my reading zone. Magical elements, danger, love, friendship, and sex. All in one with a side of gritty, no-holds-back action? More please, I’m desperate.
There was no introduction, I was just shoved right on into the deep end of the pool. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but it totally did here. Nothing is trickier than coming up against your lover’s first love. It was no different for Gin. She has the strongest self-confidence I’ve seen yet, but even she gets a little worried and jealous and that really makes her relatable. Salina was one conniving water witch and sneaky too. A woman with the skill to convince anybody of her lies, even the deadly ones. It was freaky! Gin really met her match in this woman. Owen, her lover, which I love how she defines her relationship with him, also faces an old friend-turned-enemy, keeping the tension and intrigue high throughout the book. So much drama!
Gin Blanco is one tough bitch and I love it! Never reckless, but always willing to do whatever it takes to protect those she cares about, even if it means they may hate her for it and there are a lot of bodies. It doesn’t make her the bad guy, but it definitely doesn’t make her a hero. A badass assassin with unbelievable elemental skills in stone and ice, she is a deadly force. It is killer to see a woman that needs no one to come to her defense. It doesn’t make her heartless either.
The magic is so well melded into the modern world. Ashland reminds me of New Orleans, like a baby sister city. It’s got its own magic stemming from four primary elements: fire, ice, air, and stone. It strays from the original elements but not far. Not only is there a dose of yummy magic, but the creatures that live in it give so much more, making Ashland even more enticing. Vampires, trolls, dwarves—and I love Sophia, the Goth dwarf—you name it, I’m sure this city has it. Gives me a Sin City vibe. “Walk down any back alley and you can find anything.”
Overall
So, I started this series with #7. Not the first time I’ve done that with a series and not the first time a series has snagged me that way either. So much fun and wild. This was not the typical mass-market buzz-through type of book. There are so much substance, development, and entertainment. A splendid blend. Worth a read if you enjoy sass, action, and a woman who’s good in action. Take that how you will, I’m officially hooked on this series and can’t help but indulge in the double edge of magic and hot emotions.
Quotables:
“The past could be a powerful thing, especially when it came to love lost.” (Gin, p. 197)
“I could have protested. I could have told him that he was wrong. That I listened to my family and friends, that I didn’t just tune them out, but he was partially right. Because in the end, someone had to make the hard decisions, had to do the dirty work, had to be the bad guy, and, like it or not, it seemed that quite often that someone was me.” (Gin, p. 350)
More to come soon…
-K.
P.S. Song today? This is What Makes Us Girls by Lana Del Rey.
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The Scarlet Reader 
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