Deadly Sting

by Jennifer Estep

Published by: Pocket Books

Heather’s Rating: 

Red is definitely my color. Good thing, because in my line of work, I end up wearing it a lot.

Most people shy away from blood, but for an assassin like me — Gin Blanco, aka the Spider — it’s just part of the job. Still, it would be nice to get a night off, especially when I’m attending the biggest gala event of the summer at Briartop, Ashland’s fanciest art museum. But it’s just not meant to be. For this exhibition of my late nemesis’ priceless possessions is not only the place to be seen, but the place to be robbed and taken hostage at gunpoint as well. No sooner did I get my champagne than a bunch of the unluckiest thieves ever burst into the museum and started looting the place.

Unlucky why? Because I brought along a couple of knives in addition to my killer dress. Add these to my Ice and Stone magic, and nothing makes me happier than showing the bad guys why red really is my color.

Book Savvy Babe’s Review:

Gin Blanco is by far one of my favorite heroines ever.  She is deadly, fiercely loyal, and with each installment in the series she grows as a person, becoming more secure with who she is.  Each book brings  new challenges and obstacles for Gin to overcome, both magically and personally.  I was completely hooked on Deadly Sting, couldn’t put it down, and now I am craving more.

After book 7, Widow’s Web, I was desperate to pick up Deadly Sting because I never expected the actions and emotions that Owen affected.  When Owen came into Gin’s life, I was thrilled.  In book 6, Spider’s Revenge, I thought that Owen and Gin had really solidified their relationship, and they did temporarily.  Deadly Sting picks up with Gin trying to move past the hurt and get out of her comfort zone and have a night out.  The night goes horribly wrong, leaving Gin to save the day and her loved ones as well.

Deadly Sting is different from the other books in the series because most of the story takes place in one day in this book.  Most of the action happens in a night; it’s dramatic, action-packed, and highly emotional as well.  Gin is awesome at what she does, killing.  The action never gets old in this series, and the stronger Gin’s magic gets, the more intrigued I am by it.

Deadly Sting addresses some open-ended threads from previous story lines and enemies.  Gin has to deal with her emotions and the fall out from Owen.  I am so proud of who she is, she knows who she is and what she deserves, and she is not a woman who settles.  I really hope that Gin finds true, lasting happiness and I’m very curious to see what Jennifer Estep has in store for her.  Instead of feeling like a filler book, Deadly Sting is a substantial book, it answers questions, rounds out some previous story threads, and simultaneously sets the stage for future books.  Gin may have killed Mab Monroe, her number one enemy, but the repercussions keep coming.

Sometimes, when series start getting to the 7-10 book point, the books can lose some of their appeal or feel repetitive.  The Elemental Assassin series is not one of those series.  This series continues to intrigue me and with each book I become more ensnared by the characters and the world.  Book nine, Heart of Venom releases this coming August and I am very much looking forward to reading it.

Urban Fantasy readers, I highly recommend reading this series.  I do recommend reading the series in order, especially at this point.  I think it’s important to know what happened for Gin and her loved ones, the events that shape her and her world, to fully appreciate the story.