Publisher: Pocket
Release Date: February 28, 2012
Format: Paperback
Pages: 384
Source: Library Borrow
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Date: September 25, 2013
Rating: 5 bookmarks
Synopsis: I never thought I’d need a vacation from being an assassin….
My name is Gin Blanco, and I’m the assassin the Spider. All the Ashland’s lowlifes are gunning for me and trying to make a name for themselves by taking out the Spider. So I think it’s a good idea to get out of Ashland for a while until things cool down.
So I’m headed south to a swanky beach town, along with my baby sister, Bria, for a weekend of fun in the sun. But when an old friend of Bria’s is threatened by a powerful vampire with deadly elemental magic, it looks like I’ll have to dig my silverstone knives out of my suitcase after all. But this time, not even my own Ice and Stone power may be enough to save me from coming home in a pine box…
Release Date: February 28, 2012
Format: Paperback
Pages: 384
Source: Library Borrow
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Date: September 25, 2013
Rating: 5 bookmarks
Synopsis: I never thought I’d need a vacation from being an assassin….
My name is Gin Blanco, and I’m the assassin the Spider. All the Ashland’s lowlifes are gunning for me and trying to make a name for themselves by taking out the Spider. So I think it’s a good idea to get out of Ashland for a while until things cool down.
So I’m headed south to a swanky beach town, along with my baby sister, Bria, for a weekend of fun in the sun. But when an old friend of Bria’s is threatened by a powerful vampire with deadly elemental magic, it looks like I’ll have to dig my silverstone knives out of my suitcase after all. But this time, not even my own Ice and Stone power may be enough to save me from coming home in a pine box…
I love, love, love this book for so many reasons. First, let me point out that I was a bit nervous to see what Estep would do next now that Mab is dead, but I was worrying for nothing,. The story take a great turn and there are lots of new possibilities opening up for the series.
My main complaint about her previous books in this series is her constant rehashing of previous story lines, but that did not happen this time around. It was wonderful not to read again and again ...and again about the past. I guess Estep finally figured out that if you've been reading a long thus far, you know the history. Thank goodness. I just hope she doesn't revert back in her next book.
My main complaint about her previous books in this series is her constant rehashing of previous story lines, but that did not happen this time around. It was wonderful not to read again and again ...and again about the past. I guess Estep finally figured out that if you've been reading a long thus far, you know the history. Thank goodness. I just hope she doesn't revert back in her next book.
Let's jump right into the meat of it all shall we? Donovan. Hate him. Enough said. I should have known that sooner or later he would show up again. And he did, with his weak back bone and all. This story just made me like Owen for Gin together even more. I don't even know how Gin fell for Donavan to begin with, he's so weak. Gin has such a dominate personality, she needs someone with lots of confidence and he's got to be just as strong as she is, enter Owen! He's all of that plus some. I think I said this before when Gin finally stopped comparing Owen to her Ex, but now it seems official. I'm soooo glad that the Donovan door is officially closed.
Moving on to Bria, what was strange to me was the severe change in her character. In this book she really seemed to be a lot like Donavan in the fact that she seemed to be really judging Gin for her choice of living, even more than usual. She was actually acting like sort of a brat. She was almost whining. These aren't her words verbatim, but it could have been. "Gin, don't kill that bad guy that's threatening to kill my best friend.", "Gin don't kill those bad guys who tried to murder us in our sleep." Get over yourself Bria. But thank goodness, that is resolved (sort of) at the end of the book. I don't know if I could take another book of her acting like a mini Donovan.
Though Gin is a killer, she's a killer with a conscience. Now days she only kills when helping good people out of tough situations. Boy does that sound like ironic. Saving good people from bad guys by killing the bad guys...yep, piece of cake. Or is it? Gin actually almost has too much of a conscience. I say that because for most of this book she was consumed with guilt over who she is. She let Bria and Donovan judgement of her influence how she feels about herself. In addition to that, she's still learning about her abilities, her elemental magic and she's still learning life lessons. Old lessons that Fletcher taught her when she was a child manage to resurface just when she needs them. Per usual, out usual suspects, Finn, Sophia and Jojo are in the mix of it all and end up helping Gin finish the job and clean up the mess.
Of course, this story follows the same formulas as the previous books, but it works. Though the formula is familiar, the scenery is different, the bad guys are different, and that lends to the keeping this book fresh. Same as the other installments, it's a very fast read. If you've enjoyed the previous books, you'll really enjoy this book.
Have you been keeping up with this series? If so, please share your thoughts on it with me.
Happy Reading,
~Tamara
