Scan barcode
geezenstack444's review
2.0
I loved the first book, but I couldn't even finish this one. I wanted to like this book so badly, but it was a huge disappointment.
annabell_hrs's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
katyanaish's review
4.0
***4.5***
What can I say about this book? It is a lot of fun, with a great cast and great supporting characters. It was just as sharp and enjoyable as the first one. And I can't wait to see what Gin does next.
Only one thing kept this from being 5 stars for me: Donovan freaking Caine.
Something about the relationship subplot with him felt off this entire book. It felt, to me, like the author knew he wasn't the one for Gin, but wasn't entirely sure how to go about ending things. So he was ... I don't know. Inconsistent. There was one point where they finally have THE conversation about his partner. Caine finally understands that Gin doesn't just murder indiscriminately; that in fact, the people she kills deserve it. She's a vigilante. And hell, Caine even says that had he known what his partner had done, he'd probably had offed him himself. So great, right? He's finally coming to understand Gin's not a monster.
But no.
He says there is still a problem. He just can't decide what it is. He blows some smoke about guilt, and that's the end of the conversation.
Which left me wondering: what just happened here?
I know a lot of people seem to come away from this book hating Caine. I don't hate him. I get it. I get why someone who considers themselves an upstanding person - and a cop! - would have serious trouble coming to terms with his attraction to an assassin. I get that as a cop, he is seriously opposed to vigilantism. For the most part, I can accept that. What I can't accept is that he can't even articulate it. It is weird, to me, that he just hems and haws and stutters and looks guilty... bangs Gin, and then goes right back to the beginning.
But what was unforgivable, to me, is when he turned his back on her at the mine. Honestly, that struck me as so wrong, so inconsistent, that it was out of character. It felt like the author was looking for a final break between then, and this was it. But that's not Caine. Caine is having trouble accepting Gin because he's too much of a Boy Scout. He wouldn't turn away and leave her when she's clearly injured. Hell, in the first book, we saw him wanting to chase after Gin and Chucky C, because he was concerned for her safety. And Gin's conclusion that he was relieved when he thought she was dead? Too much. I get that Estep was trying to clear the way for Owen Grayson in the minds and hearts of her readers (having him right there, though... also too much), but she can do that without slash-and-burning the character. I know I had already written Caine off as a real possibility (hell, a book ago!). But she built him into being a guy who thinks the world is black and white. There are right choices, and there are wrong choices. And he has to leave Gin because his affection for her is causing him to stray into the realm he has clearly delineated as wrong. That's fair. Then to go with "and he's an asshole too!" was unnecessary.
Anyway. I loved the book. Loved the story. Can't wait to see where it goes next. But am using mental white-out on the whole Donovan Caine arc, because I found it to be a disappointing thread in an otherwise excellent story.
Looking forward to the third!
What can I say about this book? It is a lot of fun, with a great cast and great supporting characters. It was just as sharp and enjoyable as the first one. And I can't wait to see what Gin does next.
Only one thing kept this from being 5 stars for me: Donovan freaking Caine.
Something about the relationship subplot with him felt off this entire book. It felt, to me, like the author knew he wasn't the one for Gin, but wasn't entirely sure how to go about ending things. So he was ... I don't know. Inconsistent. There was one point where they finally have THE conversation about his partner. Caine finally understands that Gin doesn't just murder indiscriminately; that in fact, the people she kills deserve it. She's a vigilante. And hell, Caine even says that had he known what his partner had done, he'd probably had offed him himself. So great, right? He's finally coming to understand Gin's not a monster.
But no.
He says there is still a problem. He just can't decide what it is. He blows some smoke about guilt, and that's the end of the conversation.
Which left me wondering: what just happened here?
I know a lot of people seem to come away from this book hating Caine. I don't hate him. I get it. I get why someone who considers themselves an upstanding person - and a cop! - would have serious trouble coming to terms with his attraction to an assassin. I get that as a cop, he is seriously opposed to vigilantism. For the most part, I can accept that. What I can't accept is that he can't even articulate it. It is weird, to me, that he just hems and haws and stutters and looks guilty... bangs Gin, and then goes right back to the beginning.
But what was unforgivable, to me, is when he turned his back on her at the mine. Honestly, that struck me as so wrong, so inconsistent, that it was out of character. It felt like the author was looking for a final break between then, and this was it. But that's not Caine. Caine is having trouble accepting Gin because he's too much of a Boy Scout. He wouldn't turn away and leave her when she's clearly injured. Hell, in the first book, we saw him wanting to chase after Gin and Chucky C, because he was concerned for her safety. And Gin's conclusion that he was relieved when he thought she was dead? Too much. I get that Estep was trying to clear the way for Owen Grayson in the minds and hearts of her readers (having him right there, though... also too much), but she can do that without slash-and-burning the character. I know I had already written Caine off as a real possibility (hell, a book ago!). But she built him into being a guy who thinks the world is black and white. There are right choices, and there are wrong choices. And he has to leave Gin because his affection for her is causing him to stray into the realm he has clearly delineated as wrong. That's fair. Then to go with "and he's an asshole too!" was unnecessary.
Anyway. I loved the book. Loved the story. Can't wait to see where it goes next. But am using mental white-out on the whole Donovan Caine arc, because I found it to be a disappointing thread in an otherwise excellent story.
Looking forward to the third!
hectaizani's review
4.0
Web of Lies was even better than Spider's Bite. The author has been busy filling-in backstory, doing more world-building, and improving on her characterizations.
Gin's retirement ended up short-lived but it wasn't her fault, trouble came looking for her at the Pork Pit. First, the scion of one of Ashland's most influential families threatens to rob the store and kill the customers. Of course, Gin kicks his ass, takes names and doesn't back down from the fallout. Then while she's still taking care of situation one a girl named Violet shows up asking for the Tin Man. Naturally, Gin can't let that slide, so she follows Violet around town, saves her from an assassination attempt and eventually fixes her problems in a big way.
During the course of her total badassery Gin also discovers more clues that will help her uncover her past. Meets an interesting new man, and has a little bit of closure with Donovan Caine the original star-crossed, wasn't meant-to-be love interest from the first book.
The dwarven sisters are still my favorite supporting characters. I just want to hug Sophia.
Gin's retirement ended up short-lived but it wasn't her fault, trouble came looking for her at the Pork Pit. First, the scion of one of Ashland's most influential families threatens to rob the store and kill the customers. Of course, Gin kicks his ass, takes names and doesn't back down from the fallout. Then while she's still taking care of situation one a girl named Violet shows up asking for the Tin Man. Naturally, Gin can't let that slide, so she follows Violet around town, saves her from an assassination attempt and eventually fixes her problems in a big way.
During the course of her total badassery Gin also discovers more clues that will help her uncover her past. Meets an interesting new man, and has a little bit of closure with Donovan Caine the original star-crossed, wasn't meant-to-be love interest from the first book.
The dwarven sisters are still my favorite supporting characters. I just want to hug Sophia.
redentrapy's review
5.0
I like the story it was fun but I also loved how much we got to see if gin's character. One of my problems with the first one was that she seemed 2 dimensional to me but this book the that away. Her character shows hurt and love and fear and everything in this and I felt all of it. Also I love Owen Grayson omg he's cute, he's interesting, he's sarcastic i absolutely love him. I really hope that he is a permanent character in this. The story was fun and the big finale was just wow. Gin has a scary amount of magic and i can't wait till she learns how to utilize it to its full potential. I'm also glad that she is finally going to pursue the answers to her family's murder. The scene with Mab was so good i was worried but wow.
samrushingbooks's review
5.0
I'm getting majorly addicted to this series, and I have a theory that the feeling will only increase now that I've met Owen Grayson. Seriously, I did not feel that much of a good relationship connection between Donovan and Gin, so having him step aside as a romantic interest for someone who instantly snatched my interest is amazing. Donovan was just such a good moral guy that pairing him up with an assassin romantically meant one or the other would have to sacrifice a great deal of who they are to make it work.
I will also say that the food descriptions in these books just make my mouth water, even if I've just ate. I do not recommend reading any of these books on an empty stomach. Seriously. It makes me wish Gin's restaurant the Pork Pit was real so I could go and stuff myself silly. Plus, getting to run into Gin and Sophia and Finn, etc would not be a bad bonus.
Yeah...I'm going to start reading Venom (book 3) now. So glad I just ordered books 5-7 yesterday. I'm flying through these.
I will also say that the food descriptions in these books just make my mouth water, even if I've just ate. I do not recommend reading any of these books on an empty stomach. Seriously. It makes me wish Gin's restaurant the Pork Pit was real so I could go and stuff myself silly. Plus, getting to run into Gin and Sophia and Finn, etc would not be a bad bonus.
Yeah...I'm going to start reading Venom (book 3) now. So glad I just ordered books 5-7 yesterday. I'm flying through these.
vikingwolf's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Gin has been studying the file that Fletcher left for her...could the fearsome Mab Monroe be the Fire elemental that murdered her family? And how can she track down her younger sister who she thought was dead? Those matters need to be shelved when an attempted robbery brings her to the attention of fearsome lawyer Jonah McAllister, and helping an old friend of Fletcher puts her at odds with a mine owner prepared to kill anyone to protect his business ambitions. Maybe she isn't quite retired yet...
Fletcher's oldest friend is in trouble-his land is needed by the greedy dwarf Tobias who runs a nearby mine and he won't take no for an answer. His grand-daughter Violet asks Gin if Fletcher is around to help, and Gin is curious enough to follow her, saving her from a rape and murder attempt. Now Gin is determined to help but the only way to stop Tobias is to kill him, which causes more problems between Gin and Donovan in their already complicated relationship. He may have forgiven her for killing his partner but hearing that the retired Gin intends to solve a problem with murder is too much for him.
The son of Jonah McAllister is one of the punks who tries to rob Gin's Pork Pit. He may not be impressed by his son's lawbreaking but it doesn't stop him doing everything he can to get Gin to drop the charges against Jake. The last thing she needs is to draw the attention of Mab's lawyer when she is trying to keep a low profile in town but Gin refuses to be intimidated by anyone even if it costs her business. Jake swears revenge on Gin and she is concerned about having an unhinged Fire elemental gunning for her again.
Coming out of her short retirement means getting the usual gang involved in helping her again. Finn uses his considerable skills to get information on her new enemies, while Jo-Jo is ready to heal all her wounds as Sophia disposes of the bodies. I really love this team together. I also like seeing the interaction between Gin and Roslyn, now that Gin knows how Roslyn is partly responsible for the death of Fletcher. We also get to see more of the very scary Mab, and the whole of the party Mab is hosting makes very interesting reading. You really do have to be kind of crazy to consider taking out an associate of Mab at her own party.
I liked the use of the flashbacks and an old man's memories to build a better picture of the relationship that Gin had with Fletcher, including the jealousy that Finn once displayed towards her when his father took her in off the street. It makes me sad that the series is going to miss such a good character. I also like the way Gin can get the information through her magic, just listening to the murmur of the stone in the buildings to be able to sense what recently happened there or to get a full painful history of a house and its owners. It is so inventive and different.
The complicated relationship between Gin and Donovan rears up when he gets dragged into the case against his will. Lawbreaking is not his favourite way to pass the time but finds himself helping Gin anyway. His attraction to her is at war with his disgust for her former career and I must admit he was really bugging me by the end of the book! He doesn't treat Gin well and I understand why she gets so mad at him. There is also the added interest of a new man-Owen. He is not shy about making his interest in Gin clear and seems to have no issue with her morals-which might mean that he has few of his own. I'm not sure what I think of him yet.
This was a solid sequel in which Gin learns more about the people closest to her, uncovers secrets from the past and learns much more about her own magic.
Fletcher's oldest friend is in trouble-his land is needed by the greedy dwarf Tobias who runs a nearby mine and he won't take no for an answer. His grand-daughter Violet asks Gin if Fletcher is around to help, and Gin is curious enough to follow her, saving her from a rape and murder attempt. Now Gin is determined to help but the only way to stop Tobias is to kill him, which causes more problems between Gin and Donovan in their already complicated relationship. He may have forgiven her for killing his partner but hearing that the retired Gin intends to solve a problem with murder is too much for him.
The son of Jonah McAllister is one of the punks who tries to rob Gin's Pork Pit. He may not be impressed by his son's lawbreaking but it doesn't stop him doing everything he can to get Gin to drop the charges against Jake. The last thing she needs is to draw the attention of Mab's lawyer when she is trying to keep a low profile in town but Gin refuses to be intimidated by anyone even if it costs her business. Jake swears revenge on Gin and she is concerned about having an unhinged Fire elemental gunning for her again.
Coming out of her short retirement means getting the usual gang involved in helping her again. Finn uses his considerable skills to get information on her new enemies, while Jo-Jo is ready to heal all her wounds as Sophia disposes of the bodies. I really love this team together. I also like seeing the interaction between Gin and Roslyn, now that Gin knows how Roslyn is partly responsible for the death of Fletcher. We also get to see more of the very scary Mab, and the whole of the party Mab is hosting makes very interesting reading. You really do have to be kind of crazy to consider taking out an associate of Mab at her own party.
I liked the use of the flashbacks and an old man's memories to build a better picture of the relationship that Gin had with Fletcher, including the jealousy that Finn once displayed towards her when his father took her in off the street. It makes me sad that the series is going to miss such a good character. I also like the way Gin can get the information through her magic, just listening to the murmur of the stone in the buildings to be able to sense what recently happened there or to get a full painful history of a house and its owners. It is so inventive and different.
The complicated relationship between Gin and Donovan rears up when he gets dragged into the case against his will. Lawbreaking is not his favourite way to pass the time but finds himself helping Gin anyway. His attraction to her is at war with his disgust for her former career and I must admit he was really bugging me by the end of the book! He doesn't treat Gin well and I understand why she gets so mad at him. There is also the added interest of a new man-Owen. He is not shy about making his interest in Gin clear and seems to have no issue with her morals-which might mean that he has few of his own. I'm not sure what I think of him yet.
This was a solid sequel in which Gin learns more about the people closest to her, uncovers secrets from the past and learns much more about her own magic.
lee25's review
3.0
At about two-thirds through [b:Web of Lies|6933152|Web of Lies (Elemental Assassin, #2)|Jennifer Estep|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1262902266l/6933152._SY75_.jpg|7164540] I was ready to give up and was only skimming the pages. I was struggling with the repetition (this is book two, I know what the runes on Gin's hands are, where she carries her knives, the colour of Gin and Donovan's eyes etc,etc, there is no need to describe them every 20 or so pages). I also hate Gin pining over Donovan Caine - she is a strong, kick-ass assassin, but she has so little self respect that she throws herself at a guy who doesn't even try to hide his disgust for her.
But then, over the last 60 pages, the action kicked in and I really started to enjoy the story. And now I am intrigued to find out what will happen next. I honestly thought I wouldn't be going on to book three but here I am ready to start [b:Venom|7614747|Venom (Elemental Assassin, #3)|Jennifer Estep|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1269891027l/7614747._SY75_.jpg|10074436]
But then, over the last 60 pages, the action kicked in and I really started to enjoy the story. And now I am intrigued to find out what will happen next. I honestly thought I wouldn't be going on to book three but here I am ready to start [b:Venom|7614747|Venom (Elemental Assassin, #3)|Jennifer Estep|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1269891027l/7614747._SY75_.jpg|10074436]
amym84's review
5.0
I took mew awhile to start reading this book from when finished the firsgt book. Usually I will read whatev books are in a series (if I like the series) one after the other. Part of the reason I didn't read this book right away was because it took about 2 months to get it from the library. THen after I got it I wait until it's almost due back to start it. I had forgotten how much I like the world that Jennifer Estep has created with her Elemental Assassin books. Once I started reading this I couldn't put it down.
i really like Gin as a character. She's a tough woman who can take care of herself. Yet we see more in this book that she really does need love and her heart is breakable just like everyone else. I like that she doesn't apologize for who she is although that is clearly what Donovan Caine wants. He wants her to be sorry for the things that she has done in her past and change who she is completely so he can feel better about being with her. Although she wants to be with him so badly I like that she won't compromise who she is. I know that she's an assassin and she kills people but if nothing this series teaches you that there are shades of gray to everything not just black and white.
The first book was more of a mystery. We didn't know who was trying to kill Gin until closer to the end. But this book we know right away who the target is, and the reader gets to spend more time learning Gin's steps to achieving her hit and more about the people she's trying to save. Thre wasn't really much twisting and turning with the plot. It was very straight forward. Not a boad thing at all. There really seems to be more learning about who Gin is in this book deeper down than the first book's initial introduction to her. We get to see her heart.
Personally I'm glad Donovan Caine left at the end of this book. His morals were too conflicting, and I think if that storyline would have gone on too long it would have gotten old pretty quickly. It's unusal (in the books that I've read at least) fro an author to set up a potential romantic interest in the first novel and not see it to fruition. Even more unusual that said character will actually leave the series. I like the direction she has taken with this however and honestly I am more intrigued by Owen Greyson in the first 3 pages he appeared (and kept waiting for him to pop up again in the story) than I ever was with Donovan Caine. Something to watch and see what happens but I think we all can guess. :)
I look forward to continuing this series with Venom and the other 2 new realeases coming out this year. I know right now there are only supposed to be 5 books in the series and from what I've read the 5th (and right now final) book seems to bring things full circle. So I guess we'll see how long we get to read about Gin.
i really like Gin as a character. She's a tough woman who can take care of herself. Yet we see more in this book that she really does need love and her heart is breakable just like everyone else. I like that she doesn't apologize for who she is although that is clearly what Donovan Caine wants. He wants her to be sorry for the things that she has done in her past and change who she is completely so he can feel better about being with her. Although she wants to be with him so badly I like that she won't compromise who she is. I know that she's an assassin and she kills people but if nothing this series teaches you that there are shades of gray to everything not just black and white.
The first book was more of a mystery. We didn't know who was trying to kill Gin until closer to the end. But this book we know right away who the target is, and the reader gets to spend more time learning Gin's steps to achieving her hit and more about the people she's trying to save. Thre wasn't really much twisting and turning with the plot. It was very straight forward. Not a boad thing at all. There really seems to be more learning about who Gin is in this book deeper down than the first book's initial introduction to her. We get to see her heart.
Personally I'm glad Donovan Caine left at the end of this book. His morals were too conflicting, and I think if that storyline would have gone on too long it would have gotten old pretty quickly. It's unusal (in the books that I've read at least) fro an author to set up a potential romantic interest in the first novel and not see it to fruition. Even more unusual that said character will actually leave the series. I like the direction she has taken with this however and honestly I am more intrigued by Owen Greyson in the first 3 pages he appeared (and kept waiting for him to pop up again in the story) than I ever was with Donovan Caine. Something to watch and see what happens but I think we all can guess. :)
I look forward to continuing this series with Venom and the other 2 new realeases coming out this year. I know right now there are only supposed to be 5 books in the series and from what I've read the 5th (and right now final) book seems to bring things full circle. So I guess we'll see how long we get to read about Gin.