Elemental Assassin Series
Jennifer Estep
March 26. 2013
Pocket Books
Amazon/Book Depository/B&N
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’s 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.
May contain spoilers to other books in series.
With a plot that is something out of Die Hard, Deadly Sting grabbed me up and didn't let go. I love, love, love the Elemental Assassin books and I was curious after Gin killed Mab Monroe in Jennifer Estep could keep the series fresh and exciting. She has proven that with these last couple of books. Mab may be dead, but somehow she is still causing trouble for Gin and friends.
Gin is invited to go to the social event of the season with her step brother Finn. A showing of all the treasures of Mab Monroe's estate at the art museum. Gin gets all gussied up in a fancy red dress and starts to look forward to the party. Of course where Gin goes, trouble is bound to follow. While at the party Gin runs into her lover Owen who is there on a date with a woman in the same exact red dress. After that things go to hell in a hand basket for Gin because a group of terrorist Giants take over the museum to rob the place. The first thing they do is shoot the other girl in the red dress in the face. They just assume they have killed Gin. "Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy."
After mayhem ensues Gin has to save the day and kill the bad guys. She has help in the end, but most of it is on her own. I really liked the action in this book. Some parts while I was listening I was almost biting my nails while I waited for Gin to get out of one scrape after another. What I didn't like was the angsty part of the book with Owen. Owen, Gin's lover, is still upset from the last book where Gin killed his fiance. Sometimes you can't reason with people and something people just need killing. I know it sounds old west but that is one thing I like about these books in Gin's old west style of vengeance, Owen has forgiven by the end of the book but not forgotten and he can't get past it. So this book has excellent action and I liked the plot twist in Mab's will because it will definitely come back to haunt Gin. I felt like it was filler at the same time because nothing was solved in Gin's personal life and things are still the way they were at the end of the last book. With Owen and Gin on a break.
With that said I still found Deadly Sting on enjoyable listen. Lauren Fortgang is a wonderful narrator. I honestly don't know if I would love Gin or the world as much is Lauren Fortgang didn't bring the characters to life in my ears. She brings the drama and emotion that are Gin Blanco and I feel like I am right there in that museum watching Gin kick bad guy butt. I give Deadly Sting four laser pistols and look forward to the next book.
No comments:
Post a Comment