Poison Promise (Elemental Assassin Series Book 11)

Another action packed installment of the Elemental Assassin. It's Gin's Birthday book, Happy Birthday Genevieve Snow!

I love Lauren Fortgang's interpretation of the Spider so I had preordered this book at audible. Definitely a wise decision if i may say so. This audiobook was all that I had hoped it would be. I had been waiting for this enemy for awhile and this book resolved many issues and paved the way for a new war.

Someone is dealing drugs, a new kind of drug called Burn, and it is worse than anything Ashland and South town had seen in a long time. When the Pork Pit waitress, Catalina, was accosted by her friend and forced to sell drugs, Gin stepped in to help Catalina. Of course, this inserted the Spider into Ashland's underworld, and again forcing her to clean up the mess the Ashland PD couldn't.

What I liked about this book was that Gin finally reached a comfortable place in her tenous relationship with Bria, her baby sister. Bria is a judgmental, self righteous cop (the female Donovan Caine) and everything was just black and white with her. In this book she finally saw the shaded areas Gin lived in and she was finally humbled (or smacked her off her high horse).

My favorite part was the fact that the focus of this book was on the Spider and that is when Gin is at her best--Kicking Ashland underworld butt. Everyone connected to Gin makes an appearance and we finally get to meet MM Monroe. It's sad but I am excited because MM is definitely her mother's daughter. There is another surprise to MM Monroe too. I am excited for where this series is going.

Reviewed by Jen
Book provided by NetGalley for review
Originally posted at Romancing the Book

I love this series. It’s on my auto-buy list and I’m always anxiously awaiting the next release. And this installment was no exception. I’m always curious as to what new situation Gin is going to land herself in, and how she’s going to get out of it.

This time around, the bad guy is a drug lord named Beau Benson. Gin first learns of a new drug in town through one of her waitresses. Then she finds out that Beau is at the top of her sister’s most wanted list. This dude is seriously nasty. His elemental abilities combined with his ruthlessness in business and scientific curiosity makes him quite a challenge for Gin.

As always, Gin is super focused and is determined to protect her friends and family. While I admire this, it always drives me a little insane that she seems to shut out their concerns for her. And in this book, she seems to not listen even more than usual. It’s probably the one thing that really wanted me to reach into the pages and shake Gin a little.

The book will stand alone. But with such a long running series, it is always better to read the series in order as events from the past are brought up and relationships make more sense.

This was a pretty fast read for me considering it was over 400 pages long. I just couldn’t put the book down once I got started. There were some interesting twists and turns and more of Gin’s past is revealed. And even better, there was some foreshadowing of what’s to come for Gin. I can’t wait to see what’s coming next!

The Elemental Assassin series is an Urban Fantasy set in the fictional town of Ashland where corruption runs rampant and vampires, dwarfs, giants, and elemental magic wielders are all common place. In Poison Promise, Gin Blanco, main character and certified badass elemental assassin wielding the powers of stone and ice, is trying to get things back to normal after her latest bout of assassinating (I don’t want to say straight up murder, because these people kind of had it comin’- but yeah, she kills a lot of people. Be warned) and struggling to get over the recent loss of a loved one. But there’s no rest for the wicked; even though Gin killed the old Big Bad Bosswoman of Ashland’s underworld, ten more crime lords are standing in line to take her place and they all seem to be gunning for Gin. One of these is vampire drug lord Beauregard Benson (I love that name) who’s willing to do anything to cement his bid for the throne – including releasing a potent new drug called “Burn” onto the streets and coming after people Gin cares about.

Poison Promise is the 11th book in the Elemental Assassin series and the first one I’ve read. Stepping into this universe at the eleventh hour, so to speak, one would think I’d be completely lost – but I wasn’t at all. From fairly early on the author does a fabulous job of letting the reader know the key events that have gone down in the series so far and who all the important players are (including physical descriptions and how they’re connected to the main character). This “catching up” was well done and didn’t feel heavy handed to me at all and I really appreciated the effort.

The first part of the book is pretty much establishing the who’s and what’s of the series so far and setting up to the main meat of the story. When the important stuff goes down (around the halfway point) everything comes together and events hit hard and fast, an exhilarating, action-packed ride culminating in the requisite showdown. The last part of the book basically sets up for the next book (Black Widow coming out November 2014).

I loved the main character in this (but we all know about my love of badass chicks, so of course I loved her). The thing that made Gin Blanco such a standout character to me was that she isn’t just an assassin. She’s a sister, a friend, a business owner/ restaurateur (She owns and operates the Pork Pit – a barbecue joint that sounds delicious), and a fantastic cook (there’s a scene where she makes sloppy joes that can pretty much be used as a step-by-step how to recipe). The secondary characters are pretty interesting as well – they had great names and unique traits, like her foster brother Finnegan Lane, an investment banker who’s also a very talented sniper.

With great characters and an addictive storyline I’ll be sure to catch the next book in the series – I may check out some of the older books as well if I come across them since after reading this one I’m pretty confident I could pick up any book in the series and dive right in.

*I received an ARC of this book to review. You can find this review and others like it at BookAndCoffeeAddict.com, along with recommendations for a fantastic cup of coffee.

ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Like all of Jennifer Estep’s books (which I read them all) they are always full of action and never cease to bore you. Poison Promise is the 11th installment in the Elemental Assassin series and of course the fights are just as dirty, the kills are just as bloody and the outcome is always just as fulfilling. Lets take a moment for the amount of books in the series to sink in.

11 books. 11 books.

I can’t believe it. I began my trek in the series about 3 years ago and flew through the books in my library in no way every thinking that in 3 years I would request an ARC in the next book and actually receive it. Oh and there us still two more books that are to come our way. Whose excited as I am?

Gin Blanco, nicknames as the assassin The Spider, is back in the next installment wanting anything but trouble but somehow trouble always seems to find her despite all odds and this time it has come in the form of a drug. When this drug nonsense drags in one of her employees Gin has no choice but to step in, though it may be more challenging than she expects and the mysterious M.M. Monroe starts to show up at the oddest times, only adding to Gin’s list of people needed to take down.

I was very impressed with this book, with the characters – old and new – and especially the new villains. Gin has to be one of my favorite characters of all time, being that 1. She is a badass 2. Her sarcasm is excellent 3. She can kick anyone’s ass if she pleases 4. I love her cunning attitude 5. She can cook and oh my gosh she can cook.

My favorite parts in the any of the Elemental Assassin books is when the author incorporated cooking/baking with Gin’s everyday life. Yeah so what Gin comes home after brutally murdering (I use that term lightly, they did come at her first) douche’s dumb enough to take her on and she decided to whip up cheesecake and eat like nothing was out of the ordinary? I don’t even like cheesecake but dang, Jennifer Estep made cheesecake sound like the worlds best tasting dessert ever. Every scene that involved Gin constructing anything with food had me salivating with envy.

With every book there is a new plot twist and new person to piss Gin off, enough to the point of some war that will conclude of her finishing them off but this M. M. Monroe person is making things harder for Gin and she isn’t sure if there is a way to stop everything this is coming her way. Throughout the whole book I am blazing through the pages trying to find something that tells me who Monroe person is and I was so upset when the answer was throughout the book. It only makes me more eager for the next book to see how things will go down and if Gin will stay on top. (Pssh I know she will)

Reading about the characters always gives me a smile on my face and I love the scenes with Gin and her foster brother, Finn. Ah just thinking about Finnegan Lane makes me smile and blush. Their sibling banter is something I look forward to when reading the books and Estep does not disappoint. Also Gin’s other sibling, Bria had my emotions on a roll! One moment I would be happy to see Bria and then pissed because she was having issues and took it out on Gin. She frustrated me and I wanted to find out why.

Owen, Gin’s boyfriend of sorts or lover as she calls it, is a character I wanted to see more of, and JoJo, our air elemental medicine specialist. Hopefully we see more of them in the next book? I know I sure do.

So the whole plot of the drugs going around, both to humans and elementals, haunts me a bit after we get a quick peak of the effects and we also know that this somehow connects to M.M. Monroe and ugh I want this Monroe family to end! Mab was enough, we don’t need anymore Monroe’s. I also hope to see how this new drug is applied more in the later books and see if it finally disposed of or if there will be more ‘experiments’.

Thank you NetGalley and to the publishers for approving me for the read, I loved it and gave it 5 amazing blood filled stars! Thank you readers for reading the review and for those who have yet to read the Elemental Assassin series, go buy it! Like now! No regrets, and then we can discuss (:

Over and out.

: 4.5 stars--POISON PROMISE is the eleventh instalment in Jennifer Estep’s paranormal/urban fantasy Elemental Assassin series focusing on assassin Gin Blanco-aka The Spider. Gin is tired of the numerous attempts on her life; the killings; and the threats against her friends and family-but a new drug dealer in town has set his sights on Gin’s sister Bria and Gin is in no mood to stand by and watch the fall out from a new designer drug taking down most of Ashland and Southtown’s addicts and users.

Told from first person POV (Gin) the premise follows Gin as she, once again, must step in and stop a menace that is known as Beauregard Benson-a vampire with a special ability that leaves his victims a shell of their former selves. As the latest drug king pin, Benson likes to make his presence known, and in this, most of the people (humans, vampires, giants, dwarves and elementals) keep their distance lest they too, become a casualty of Benson’s secret powers. As Gin focuses on taking Benson down, she will become a victim of Benson’s tyrannical need to control the town of Ashland.

The secondary characters include all of the people and supernaturals close to Gin –Owen (Gin’s lover); Finn (Gin’s adopted foster brother and BFF); Jo Jo and Sophia (Dwarves); Bria (Ashland cop and Gin’s irritating sister) as well as Phillip, Eva, Roslyn, Xavier and more. The reader will be introduced to a soon-to-be new member of Gin’s team-a vampire and former nemesis whose motives are questionable until the truth is revealed. Gin’s past will come back with a vengeance – a second generation of supernaturals hoping for a piece of The Spider-and in this the next storyline is about to unfold-Black Widow (Elemental Assassin #12).

Jennifer Estep continues to pull the reader into a graphically violent, addicting and detailed series about a reluctant and complicated female assassin who wants nothing more than to spend her days working at the Pork Pit and her nights in the arms of her lover. Jennifer keeps the reader engaged with flashbacks, memories and recounting of previous storyline scenarios that further draw the reader into a series where The Spider will always come out on top but getting there is dangerous and messy.

POISON PROMISE is the build up to, and introduces the next ARC in Jennifer Estep’s intense and compelling Elemental Assassin series. Gin may have thought that taking down Mab Monroe ended that chapter in her life-think again-someone even more dangerous has taken up residence in Ashland and considers The Spider and everyone she knows- fair game in a war of power and control. No one will be safe with the new dealer in town.

If you are a fan of urban fantasy storylines with a kick-a$$ heroine who knows a thing or two about pain and suffering then Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassin series and POISON PROMISE should be your go-to series when the UF cravings take hold.

Whether Gin is serving up triple chocolate milkshakes at the Pork Pit or serving up bad guys at the end of her knife you can guarantee that the service will come with a smile.

Gin’s about to turn 31 and she’s not geared up to celebrate. It’s not turning 31 that bugs her, it’s the fact that bad things happen around her birthday. First years ago Mab killed her mother and older sister, then last year (that’s right, this wild and bloody ride has only been a year in Gin’s life) her mentor and father figure, Fletcher was tortured and murdered. So it’s no wonder she’s not excited about her birthday. Plus Finn, her foster-brother and wing man ALWAYS throws her a surprise every year even when she tells him not to. But before Finn has a chance to throw confetti at Gin the local drug dealer in Southtown throws bullets and other non-party favors at her.

Let’s talk about that drug dealer. Estep writes some great villains! Beauregard Benson is a great example. He’s a nerdy vampire that fancies himself a scientist that dresses in white pants, sneakers, bow ties, glasses and a pocket protector. And he drives a baby-blue Bentley that makes even Finn drool. But don’t let his outer appearance fool you. He is one evil dude. No one since Mab Monroe has come so close to taking out The Spider.

Benson really does a number on Gin. Where Mab and others have physically beaten Gin, Benson did some real mind games on Gin. And as we know sometimes the mind games stay with you longer than the physical hurts.

Gin’s been dealing with the fall out of taking down Mab for months. All the Ashland under lords and lackeys have been making attempt after attempt on taking down The Spider but after Poison Promise Gin has changed the game and it’s going to be very interesting to see how the underworld handles it.

The only thing keeping me from giving Poison Promise 5 stars is Bria. After all this time and all the things she’s seen, Bria is still judging Gin about being The Spider. I’m hoping after Poison Promise she’s finally learned her listen and we won’t see this kind of judgement thinking from her again. Really, how many times does Gin have to save her butt for her to get off her soapbox.

Poison Promise is full of the quality story telling and characters I’ve come to expect from Jennifer Estep, and I can’t wait to read Black Widow.

I really enjoy this series, although I do have one complaint that I will get out of the way before I start to gush about this book. The only thing that gets to me about this series is how repetitive and descriptive it is. Sometimes the book drags because it is a bit wordy, but since I know that something awesome is going to happen, I can usually motor through the pages that are bogged down with descriptions that don’t do much to move the story along. I love Gin. I love that she’s totally kick butt, although she’s starting to mellow out a little. Or she was until she realized some things in this book. I also love the cast of characters around Gin. They’ve all helped shape her and I love that.

This book opened up some interesting possibilities for Gin. Things with M.M. Monroe are finally coming to a head, which we’ll get a lot of in the next book, I’m sure. Something happens to Gin in this book that I think will have a lasting effect on her and I can’t wait to delve into that a little. Although we got to see all of the characters we know and love in this one, I don’t think any of them played as big a role as they have in the past. Gin was alone a lot in this book, reflecting and kicking butt. Although we do meet two new characters, one of which I’m pretty sure will be around for a while. And that’s not counting the baddies we meet in this book. I’m intrigued by what M.M. Monroe has planned. And the big bad in this book was creepy as all get out.

I really do enjoy this series and I’m mad that I’m so far behind. I need to catch up and quick. Gin’s adventures are always wild and intense. I’m usually on the edge of my seat with a side of hungry since she always talks about the food at the Pork Pit.

Arc provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review

This is one of my favorite Urban Fantasy series, and 11 books in, it still hasn't gotten old. I feel like the series is coming close to an end because Gin isn't growing much anymore, and we all know she'll come out of everything okay. However, I still enjoy meeting the new villains and seeing what Gin and her friends are up to. Poison Promise is a fast-paced novel, full of action and adventure. You won't be able to put this one down.

I really enjoyed this novel, but I still had a few complaints. For instance, Gin didn't grow at all, in my opinion, over the course of the book. I wish something had changed for her... at least something small. Bria still annoyed the crap out of me, and I still hate her and Finn together. Also, they have 0 chemistry. I really think Finn needs to find someone else. Their relationship is too convenient for my liking. Owen and Gin are back to normal, and he is fully supportive of her. Yes, he made mistakes in the past, and I wish those had been dealt with in book 10 instead of having a flashback novel, but I really love how he accepts and supports her as she is. I think they're a good match. Beauregard Benson, the villain is different, but he seemed weak to me, so I wasn't worried about Gin at all. I really enjoyed Silvio, though, and I'm glad we'll get to see more of him. I'm also glad we finally met M.M. Monroe. This nemesis may be worthy of the Spider.

This book has a lot of action, just like all of the Elemental Assassin books do. Gin's fights need to be mixed up some, though, and I'm tired of her getting kidnapped constantly. We all know she'll make it out alive. In a way I feel that the formula for these novels is getting old, but I was still intrigued and flew through the pages of this book. The pacing is fast, and I love that. Also, Estep quit spending pages upon pages rehashing things that happened in past books, and for that I am thankful. The ending tied things up nicely and set the stage for the next book in the series. I am definitely looking forward to the next installment thanks to M. M. Monroe's introduction.

Overall, I'd recommend this book and series to anyone who loves a good, bad ass lead character and action packed Urban Fantasies. Estep is a fantastic author, and Gin is a great character. You won't be sorry you gave this series a try.

Whether Gin is serving up triple chocolate milkshakes at the Pork Pit or serving up bad guys at the end of her knife you can guarantee that the service will come with a smile.

Gin’s about to turn 31 and she’s not geared up to celebrate. It’s not turning 31 that bugs her, it’s the fact that bad things happen around her birthday. First years ago Mab killed her mother and older sister, then last year (that’s right, this wild and bloody ride has only been a year in Gin’s life) her mentor and father figure, Fletcher was tortured and murdered. So it’s no wonder she’s not excited about her birthday. Plus Finn, her foster-brother and wing man ALWAYS throws her a surprise every year even when she tells him not to. But before Finn has a chance to throw confetti at Gin the local drug dealer in Southtown throws bullets and other non-party favors at her.

Let’s talk about that drug dealer. Estep writes some great villains! Beauregard Benson is a great example. He’s a nerdy vampire that fancies himself a scientist that dresses in white pants, sneakers, bow ties, glasses and a pocket protector. And he drives a baby-blue Bentley that makes even Finn drool. But don’t let his outer appearance fool you. He is one evil dude. No one since Mab Monroe has come so close to taking out The Spider.

Benson really does a number on Gin. Where Mab and others have physically beaten Gin, Benson did some real mind games on Gin. And as we know sometimes the mind games stay with you longer than the physical hurts.

Gin’s been dealing with the fall out of taking down Mab for months. All the Ashland under lords and lackeys have been making attempt after attempt on taking down The Spider but after Poison Promise Gin has changed the game and it’s going to be very interesting to see how the underworld handles it.

The only thing keeping me from giving Poison Promise 5 stars is Bria. After all this time and all the things she’s seen, Bria is still judging Gin about being The Spider. I’m hoping after Poison Promise she’s finally learned her listen and we won’t see this kind of judgement thinking from her again. Really, how many times does Gin have to save her butt for her to get off her soapbox.

Poison Promise is full of the quality story telling and characters I’ve come to expect from Jennifer Estep, and I can’t wait to read Black Widow.

Why is it someone so clever, strong and streetwise always manages to end up being captured by the local psycho? You would think y now she would spend a lot more time listening to her inner alarms, then again maybe Gin just doesn't have any. this time the torture flips a switch inside of her.

The torture or rather the effects of BURN seem to facilitate the opening of a door in Gin's psyche. The flow of emotional baggage seems hard to ebb now it has started rolling over Gin like an avalanche down a mountain. She is confronted with her inner Pandora's box of secrets and emotions she would rather not think about, hence locking them up deep inside.

Gin goes all omnipotent in her battle against the drug-lord, perhaps a wee bit over the top. Her reputation and her ego are placing her at the same level as her opponents. She is going to have to watch those boundaries from this moment forward, because if not it will eventually become very hard to differentiate between her and the bad guys.

I also think that Gin was and is surprised by the similarities between herself and her younger sister. Not in a good way either. Bria acting as if everyone is expendable to achieve a means to an end, despite the fact Gin often does the same I do believe it came as a bit of a shock to her.

Meanwhile in the midst of this new conflict it becomes clear how Gin is stepping into the footsteps of Fletcher. She is building a team, quite a large and very highly skilled team, without even fully acknowledging that fact. Her family and friends have always been around her and willing to support, save or rescue her, but this is starting to feel different.

At the end of the book we get to meet the new muscle in town. Literally the new and next generation of villains. I think Estep will try to bring back some of the Mab/Gin mortal combat magic, which always worked well for the characters and the series.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.

This installment of the Elemental Assassin series continues along the same vein of people coming out of the woodwork to kill Gin since her defeat of Mab Monroe. It's hard to believe that happened less than a year ago! This time Gin finds herself smack int he middle of a drug kingpin's operation when one of her employees is targeted by a dealer.

Beauregard Benson was an interesting and different villain. I was not expecting for a the drug king of Southtown to be a lanky nerd complete with pocket protector. Though I think that served to make him and his science experiments even more frightening. Ick.

Bria has been after Beau Benson for quite some time, and her quest begins to make her reckless and hurt her relationship with those around her. I lost some respect for Bria in this book. She treated Gin poorly, which was undeserved. It's apparent that Gin's outwardly calm demeanor makes people forget she has feelings - whether she lets them show or not. But Bria does redeem herself for the most part by the end... I just hope she continues to remember what Gin has sacrificed for those she loves.

We finally learn the identity of the mysterious M.M. Monroe in this book, which is setting up a story arc for the next couple of installments I believe, and they should be a doozy. Old enemies are going to come back to haunt Gin through their offspring, even pairing up with that wish-he-were-dead lawyer, Jonah McAllister.

The secondary characters continue to be great, and almost all of them play a part in Poison Promise. We also have a new character come into play who has lots of promise - I think he will be around and playing a big part in the rest of the series. (Not revealing identity so it doesn't spoil anything.)

Overall, this was a good continuation of the series and a reminder of why I love it so much. 4 stars / 2 flames

Despite her fervent wish to be left alone, people keep trying to kill Gin. Just because she's the assassin who finally took down Mab Monroe, that doesn't mean it's open season on her. Too bad no one told the bad guys.

This time Gin sort of brought the trouble on herself, by stepping in when she saw one of her waitresses being harassed in a parking lot. Little did she know that she would soon be in neck deep with a nasty vampire drug lord!

Bria, Gin's sister, is obsessed with taking down the drug lord. This makes a difficult situation even more complicated for Gin. It's not easy for an assassin to have an honest cop for a sister, and this case shows signs of straining their relationship.

The nasty vampire is pushing a really nasty drug, so you just know that Gin will get involved sooner or later. I still like that Gin is human despite her elemental powers, and she gets hurt during fights. I don't like that she takes unnecessary risks and have to wonder if she's maybe losing her edge? Can assassins ever retire?

Gin mentions at one point that she's tired of all the blood, the bodies, the sneak attacks, and having to be constantly vigilant. I got the impression that maybe the author is getting a little tired of Gin too. Can't put my finger on it, but this one didn't seem to have the energy of the previous books. It's still an interesting story and I don't think I'll ever get tired of reading about Gin and her friends, but there was something missing this time around.

I'm curious to see if anyone else got this impression or if I'm just reading between lines that aren't there. I really love Gin and watching her relationships with her family and friends grow, so I really hope I'm mistaken about the author losing interest!

"Gin Blanco is hard-nosed, sexy, and lethal. Nicknamed “The Spider,” she’s a stone elemental assassin who brings her unique mix of magic and tact to every assignment, no matter the target" (Net galley Synopsis). I loved this book. Just when I think that Jennifer Estep simply can't write another Elemental series novel, she shoots and scores. I simply thought that her new books would never be up to the standard of the old ones but she only got better. Gin faces, I would say, the toughest battle of her life both in this book and probably even more in the next book; Black Widow. I mean, we all know she always skated through by a hair's breathe, but her final battle in this book was a truly beautiful thing to watch. There is a culmination of all her people having her back. We see all the past characters, not truly involved, but being present. We see a sense of family. Familia for both Gin and every one. I mean e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e.

As usual, there are flashbacks that show us Gin's past and are of course necessary to the narrative. We also see a different side of Gin's sister, Bria. One that brings her to the fore and leaves us tearing our hair out. Girl's got to get it together, that's all I'm saying!

What else can I say but that she doesn't disappoint, if you think you know the score, fugget about it! You don't. There' gonna be a whole new monster to battle. I'm definitely looking foward to Book #12, Black Widow! Sign me up please!

5 stars!

Check out this A-Z poem I wrote about it

A- A new book I'm reading now

B- Book number nine

C- Culminates in -----------

D- Do not reveal

E- Elemental

F- Ferocious

G - Gin Blanco

H- Hindsight

I- Incredible

J- Jennifer Estep

K- Killer Time

L - Livid

M - MM Munroe

N - Never mess with the Spider

O - Operation

P - Poison Promise

Q - Queen of Southtown

R - Review

S- Spider

T - Trust

U - Underworld

V - Victim

W - Wicked

X - Xavier

Y - Yowza!

Z - Zing!

#A-Z blogging Challenge

This is the eleventh book in the Elemental Assassin series. I thought this was a better book than the last few books. It gets going on the larger storyline again and didn’t have such an excessive amount of recapping (many of the previous book have been awful for this).

Gin finds out about a new drug on the street called Burn. Her sister Bria is set on capturing the distributor of Burn, a big-time drug lord and air elemental. This starts to affect Gin when she finds out one of her employees, who has agreed to testify against the drug lord, is being hunted by him. The whole things blows up into an all out brawl between Gin and the drug lord. The new broader story arc about the mysterious M M Monroe, also makes some progress.

This was actually a better book than the previous few books. There is a lot of action here and not as much foreshadowing and recapping as in previous installments (usually the recapping and foreshadowing is way too heavy in these books).

There is a contained story that is solved nicely in this book, that of the street drug Burn. This actually ends up tying in nicely to the MM Monroe storyline that has been strung out (but not moved forward) in the previous books in the series.

I have really enjoyed how Gin has grown throughout the series. She’s in a good place in this book. People are still out to get her, but in this book she tries to make a stand against that. Her and Owen have a sexy and stable relationship going which was fun to read about as well. I liked how Gin is allowing her friends and family to help her out in tough situations.

I also enjoyed how this book takes a look at Bria’s dark side, she usually comes off as a pretty goody goody cop. Bria was a total brat at points in the story, but you could better see her tough and stubborn side as well. I liked that we saw more depth to Bria’s character than we’ve seen in previous books.

The action scenes are phenomenal and I really enjoyed reading them. This is one of the more action packed books in the series. While Finn, Xavier, and Owen were there for support...this was definitely more of a story about Gin and Bria.

The end of the book sets things up for the 12th book in the series called Black Widow which is due to release this November already.

Overall a really good book in this series, I enjoyed it. The overall storyline involving MM Monroe makes some progress here and I am excited to see how that plays out. I think this book was a lot better than the previous few books in the series. I was about ready to give up on this series, but this book made me want to stick with it. This whole series is recommended to those who enjoy action packed urban fantasy.

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

Sometimes a book series can go stale, especially after a huge story arc ends and the characters are left with not much to do. Luckily POISON PROMISE shows that the Elemental Assassin series is still going strong after eleven books. When the story starts Gin is given only a small break from fighting a big bad or being beaten to near death which I’ve come to expect to happen at least once in each book. Sure she has to fight off the occasional small time crook trying to make a name for himself but these fights are pretty easy for a highly deadly assassin. Eventually the plot goes down the rabbit hole of awesomeness with excellent elemental fights and Gin pushing herself to the limit both physically and mentally to bring down a drug ring that leads to a big reveal and consequences for Gin.

POISON PROMISE shows off Gin’s heart and dedication to protecting those close to her as she becomes embroiled in a conflict with a new street drug simply because she heard one of her employees being hassled by a few drug dealers and decided to intervene. Her ability to handle so much pain and yet keep on going to help those she loves is what I love about her. I also enjoy the tiny flashbacks of a young Gin living on the streets which are wonderful treats and demonstrate how Gin became who she is today. I also liked that in POISON PROMISE that her friends and family are able to come to her aid and prove that they are just as loyal to Gin as she is to them.

As I’ve come to expect the final fight is epic and awesome and lets Gin really show off her stone and ice powers to spectacular results. Naturally POISON PROMISE is merely the start of a brand new story arc as we are introduced to a new big bad. I for one am very excited to see what is in store for Gin and her friends in the next book, BLACK WIDOW coming out November 25, 2014.

"Gin Blanco is hard-nosed, sexy, and lethal. Nicknamed “The Spider,” she’s a stone elemental assassin who brings her unique mix of magic and tact to every assignment, no matter the target" (Net galley Synopsis). I loved this book. Just when I think that Jennifer Estep simply can't write another Elemental series novel, she shoots and scores. I simply thought that her new books would never be up to the standard of the old ones but she only got better. Gin faces, I would say, the toughest battle of her life both in this book and probably even more in the next book; Black Widow. I mean, we all know she always skated through by a hair's breathe, but her final battle in this book was a truly beautiful thing to watch. There is a culmination of all her people having her back. We see all the past characters, not truly involved, but being present. We see a sense of family. Familia for both Gin and every one. I mean e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e.

As usual, there are flashbacks that show us Gin's past and are of course necessary to the narrative. We also see a different side of Gin's sister, Bria. One that brings her to the fore and leaves us tearing our hair out. Girl's got to get it together, that's all I'm saying!

What else can I say but that she doesn't disappoint, if you think you know the score, fugget about it! You don't. There' gonna be a whole new monster to battle. I'm definitely looking foward to Book #12, Black Widow! Sign me up please!

5 stars!

Check out this A-Z poem I wrote about it

A- A new book I'm reading now

B- Book number nine

C- Culminates in -----------

D- Do not reveal

E- Elemental

F- Ferocious

G - Gin Blanco

H- Hindsight

I- Incredible

J- Jennifer Estep

K- Killer Time

L - Livid

M - MM Munroe

N - Never mess with the Spider

O - Operation

P - Poison Promise

Q - Queen of Southtown

R - Review

S- Spider

T - Trust

U - Underworld

V - Victim

W - Wicked

X - Xavier

Y - Yowza!

Z - Zing!

#A-Z blogging Challenge

This is the eleventh book in the Elemental Assassin series. I thought this was a better book than the last few books. It gets going on the larger storyline again and didn’t have such an excessive amount of recapping (many of the previous book have been awful for this).

Gin finds out about a new drug on the street called Burn. Her sister Bria is set on capturing the distributor of Burn, a big-time drug lord and air elemental. This starts to affect Gin when she finds out one of her employees, who has agreed to testify against the drug lord, is being hunted by him. The whole things blows up into an all out brawl between Gin and the drug lord. The new broader story arc about the mysterious M M Monroe, also makes some progress.

This was actually a better book than the previous few books. There is a lot of action here and not as much foreshadowing and recapping as in previous installments (usually the recapping and foreshadowing is way too heavy in these books).

There is a contained story that is solved nicely in this book, that of the street drug Burn. This actually ends up tying in nicely to the MM Monroe storyline that has been strung out (but not moved forward) in the previous books in the series.

I have really enjoyed how Gin has grown throughout the series. She’s in a good place in this book. People are still out to get her, but in this book she tries to make a stand against that. Her and Owen have a sexy and stable relationship going which was fun to read about as well. I liked how Gin is allowing her friends and family to help her out in tough situations.

I also enjoyed how this book takes a look at Bria’s dark side, she usually comes off as a pretty goody goody cop. Bria was a total brat at points in the story, but you could better see her tough and stubborn side as well. I liked that we saw more depth to Bria’s character than we’ve seen in previous books.

The action scenes are phenomenal and I really enjoyed reading them. This is one of the more action packed books in the series. While Finn, Xavier, and Owen were there for support...this was definitely more of a story about Gin and Bria.

The end of the book sets things up for the 12th book in the series called Black Widow which is due to release this November already.

Overall a really good book in this series, I enjoyed it. The overall storyline involving MM Monroe makes some progress here and I am excited to see how that plays out. I think this book was a lot better than the previous few books in the series. I was about ready to give up on this series, but this book made me want to stick with it. This whole series is recommended to those who enjoy action packed urban fantasy.

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

Sometimes a book series can go stale, especially after a huge story arc ends and the characters are left with not much to do. Luckily POISON PROMISE shows that the Elemental Assassin series is still going strong after eleven books. When the story starts Gin is given only a small break from fighting a big bad or being beaten to near death which I’ve come to expect to happen at least once in each book. Sure she has to fight off the occasional small time crook trying to make a name for himself but these fights are pretty easy for a highly deadly assassin. Eventually the plot goes down the rabbit hole of awesomeness with excellent elemental fights and Gin pushing herself to the limit both physically and mentally to bring down a drug ring that leads to a big reveal and consequences for Gin.

POISON PROMISE shows off Gin’s heart and dedication to protecting those close to her as she becomes embroiled in a conflict with a new street drug simply because she heard one of her employees being hassled by a few drug dealers and decided to intervene. Her ability to handle so much pain and yet keep on going to help those she loves is what I love about her. I also enjoy the tiny flashbacks of a young Gin living on the streets which are wonderful treats and demonstrate how Gin became who she is today. I also liked that in POISON PROMISE that her friends and family are able to come to her aid and prove that they are just as loyal to Gin as she is to them.

As I’ve come to expect the final fight is epic and awesome and lets Gin really show off her stone and ice powers to spectacular results. Naturally POISON PROMISE is merely the start of a brand new story arc as we are introduced to a new big bad. I for one am very excited to see what is in store for Gin and her friends in the next book, BLACK WIDOW coming out November 25, 2014.

Gin Blanco aka the Spider is back in Elemental Assassin #11, Poison Promise by Jennifer Estep. Ever since she killed Mab, one denizen of the underworld or another has been gunning for her. Now in addition there is a new drug on the street called Burn.

Her sister Bria, a good cop, has been investigating Burn and who is putting it out on the streets. One of her confidential informants is murdered by the vampire who is spreading it.

Now, one of Gin's employees has witnessed him killing someone and he and his men are out to get her. Gin steps in to protect the girl, but what will happen next?

I gave this book 5 stars out of 5 stars. It is well written. The pace of the action keeps you turning the pages. The characters are well written. And the snarky banter between Gin and the vampire is entertaining. She knows how to provoke a guy.

The drug Burn is interesting too. It has a component to it that mundane drugs don't. It is still highly addictive though.

Also a little of Gin's past is revealed in a flashback. I found that interesting because I am a bit of a latecomer to the series. I started with Book #10. I will be starting Book #12, Black Widow now that I have finished Poison Promise.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The latest threat to Ashland (and Gin) is a dangerous combination of nasty. He’s not only pushing deadly drugs, but he takes a scientific approach to the victims he tortures. And his brand of torture isn’t tame.

Gin has been so busy defending herself against the people trying to kill her on a daily basis that she hasn’t had time to go on the offense. That changes when the new threat goes after people she cares about. As usual, that kind of thing doesn’t go ignored or unpunished.

I think what I enjoy most about this series is the love that ties these characters together. Gin is a force to be reckoned with, but she doesn’t do it alone. She’s surrounded by her friends and family who have her back both physically and emotionally. I think that’s why Bria’s attitude in Poison Promise bothered me so much. She was hurt and distracted by her need for revenge. She lost sight of not just Gin, but everyone else who could have been there for her.

As readers have come to expect in the Elemental Assassin series, nothing is ever exactly as it seems. Players changed and new ones were added to the mix. The next threat is sure to make Black Widow an interesting read.

The 11th book of the Elemental Assassin series follows similar concepts done in earlier books: Gin comes across bad guy, Gin gets beaten up by bad guy, Gin decides to confront bad guy, Gin fights, and Gin wins. In between the showdown, Gin gets to bake a meal that has me frothing at the mouth, we get to witness Finnegan Lane's charm (yes, he is still charming even after all these books!), Gin gets healed by Jo-Jo, and Gin gets some one on one time with Owen. There is the predictable aspect all over again that we've become so familiar with. Even after all this time, I'm still entertained and I still love Gin and her motley crew. This book isn't as good as all of the others before it, but still a good read for me.

Out of all the bad guys that Gin has ever come across, I would say that Beau Benson was the least scariest of them all. I guess he just didn't seem as bad ass as the rest. There was progression in this book as to who M.M. Monroe really is and we get to meet her! Nicely set up to go into the next book in series. I'm still not quite as convinced that M.M. Monroe is as big and bad as she is made to sound, but I guess we'll see. This book also showed a little bit more of how Bria is coming to accept Gin's life as the spider and that sometimes you just can't do things the clean way.

All in all, not a must read before you die. I still love the Elemental Assassin series and will be quite sad when it ends.

See my profile's website link for my reviews on other books.

Listened for Fun (Audible)
Overall Rating: 4.00
Story Rating: 4.50
Character Rating: 3.50

Audio Rating: 5.00 (not part of the overall rating)

First Thought when Finished: Loved the story in Poison Promise by Jennifer Estep but Bria needs to get over it already! Either accept your sister or move on.

Story Thoughts:There was a whole lot of kicking ass in Poison Promise and I liked it. Drug King needed taking down: Gin's got it taking care of. New characters in the fold that could go either way: Gin's got that too. A whole lot of twists, turns, and snark: Gin can handle it. It was just another great adventure for Gin and crew!

Character Thoughts: Let me be specific: every character was downright awesome except Bria. Seriously, I know it sucks that you are a cop and your sister is an assassin. Also, it sucks that she knows it is better for her to do things her way than you. JUST SUCK IT UP ALREADY. Can you tell she annoyed me a bit (or a lot) in Poison Promise? :)

Audio Thoughts:

Narrated By Lauren Fortgang / Length: 11 hrs and 8 mins

If you haven't listened to Lauren narrate this series, you are seriously missing out.

Final Thoughts: Ready for the next adventure because I think I have a new side boyfriend. Finn is still my main man!

After ten fabulous, kick-ass stories, it’s a pretty sure bet that I’m going to love the eleventh, and that’s right, I did! In this one Gin is up against a drug lord with a new product called “Burn” and it’s particularly potent on elementals. Threatening anyone in Gin’s circle is dangerous, including her employees at the Pork Pit, so when an employee is threatened by drug dealers pushing Burn, Gin steps up to take care of the threat. Of course, things aren’t going to be easy, especially when her sister Bria is determined to take down the drug lord as well, and then a mysterious new player arrives in town to make things even more complicated. But Gin never backs down from a fight, especially when it’s to protect those she cares about. I always cringe when I read about all the punishment Gin goes through in her fights, but I know she’ll make it through, and I have to keep reading to get to the part about her triumph over evil. This is such a fantastic series, and I’m always excited to read another of Gin’s adventures. I’m looking forward to the next one to see what happens with this new player on the scene, I know it’s going to be great.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Finally, the series seems to be back on track. It was nice to see progress made by the characters and I like the foundation that Ms. Estep is setting up to take the series forward.

There is a new drug in town and the drug lord of the slums seems determined to use it to launch himself into Mab Monroe's vacant position at the top of criminal hierarchy. Gin gets pulled into the chaos when Bria convinces one of her employees to testify against the boss, putting both of them in danger.

Bria played a prominent role in this story. She kind of goes over the edge a bit in her pursuit of this guy. It was nice to see a darker side of her. This also set the stage for more development in the sibling relationship between Bria and Gin.

What I liked best about this story was that Gin seemed to turn a corner and went on the offensive. She has been so passive lately, letting people come at her. There is a great scene where she shows just what a bad ass she can be. I loved it, but sorry, you will have to discover it for yourself!

Hopefully, the series will continue moving forward with good development and story telling.

Over all I did enjoy this story. I love “angst” which you will get from the series. I like that all the characters are not perfect! Gin blames her self way too much and so does her sister! But I did really enjoy this story. But I do have a big problem and that is the new “Monroe/Slater” characters. Sigh. Do we have to endure the same characters. We already killed them off. Why do we need to read about their kids now? The series is getting more like a formula. Now we’re going to even use the same names?!

Poison Promise begins with Gin having to help out her best waitress out of a jam. Gin just didn't realize how bad it was actually going to get after she helped her, especially when one of the cities biggest drug dealers shows up and kills someone. Now Gin, and her sister are having issues, and Gin is trying to figure out if she needs to go after this guy or not.

This one was good, but not one of my favorites. I really felt like it was almost a filler type of book, and that bugs me. I'm also a little annoyed with all the stuff that happened in the end. I really don't want a "repeat" of things that have basically already happened. But I won't say much more about that. Other than that I really did enjoy this book, and getting to see Gin be the Spider in all her glory!

We're 11 books into the Elemental Assassin series so I just don't have much more to add to my thoughts on the series as a whole which makes it perfect for a Quick Thought Review.

Is there action? Of course, it wouldn't be an Elemental Assassin book without it.

Is there a little bit of romance? YAY yes.

Are there plenty of surprises? Yup but I won't tell you about them.

Am I a bit sad that Mab Monroe is still gracing the pages? I am, but we all saw this storyline coming and I'm really hoping it doesn't last long.

Did I love it? Without a doubt

Will I continue to read the series? Heck Yes. Its a keeper

* This book was provided free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Gin never fails to entertain and there are plenty of nasty characters with frightening powers to spoil her day. Even though people try to kill her every day, she keeps cooking at the Pork Pit. When she saves her employee, Catalina, from a drug thug, it drags them both into the underworld and makes them target for drug lord, Benson, who literally can suck the life force out of his victims.
Gin’s sister, Bria, is obsessed with bringing Benson down; so much so that she walks over whomever gets in her way and puts innocents in danger. Naturally Gin is captured and tortured, but manages to escape with a little inside help.
Her brilliant plan of attack is simply to draw a crowd, walk up to the gates of Benson’s mansion and ask him to come out to play. Doesn’t sound like it will end well... for him.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A new drug is on the streets of Ashland, and a dealer is starting to make problems for one of Gin’s waitresses. Naturally, Gin can’t let that continue, and her actions set into motion a series of events that will have Gin facing off with Ashland’s most notorious drug kingpin. Just another day in the life of the Spider…

Opening Sentence: “Someone has a birthday coming up.”

The Review:

All I can say right now is I freaking love this series so much. I can’t even tell you why. It’s not like each book is unique. They’re not. There is a very simple formula to the plot of each one. And yet, each and every time, I find myself sucked into the world of Ashland and the story of the latest villain to try and take on the notorious assassin the Spider. This book was no different. I started it over my lunch hour, and by the end of that time period, I was 30% in and so hooked I wanted to take off the rest of the afternoon so I could just read. Again, I love this series.

Things are business as usual for Gin: running the Pork Pit, taking classes at the local college for fun, and dealing with the occasional thug who thinks he/she will be the one to finally take down the Spider. High on her list of worries right now is dealing with her foster brother Finn’s plans for a surprise birthday party for her. He always manages to do it, even though the “surprise” portion of the party always makes her want to reach for her knives. All in all, life is as calm as it’s ever going to get for Gin Blanco.

Then on her way to her car after class, Gin sees one of her waitresses being harassed by a drug dealer and two vampires. Turns out there’s a new drug on the streets known as Burn, and this guy’s wanting his ex-girlfriend to help spread the word around campus. She refuses, and the situation escalates from there. Gin’s not about to let someone she knows wind up hurt or dead, so she steps in, as only she can. After this event, Gin attracts the notice of Ashland’s most notorious drug kingpin, a vampire who can feed on emotions as well as blood, with devastating results. As tensions rise, it becomes clear that soon, only one of them is going to breathing soon. Will the Spider be able to come out on top again?

There’s not much I can say about Gin that I haven’t already said in my reviews of previous books in the series. Suffice to say, I love her as the main character. The first person narration gives the reader a great view of both the kickass side of her character, as well as the side that’s more vulnerable. There is also something about the way Gin’s voice is written that is just uniquely Gin to me. I always know when I’m reading an Elemental Assassin book, and that is a very good thing.

It’s probably best to read this book only if you’ve read the others in the series in order to fully connect to the various characters (and to be able to fully appreciate the significance of the ending). As with all Elemental Assassin books, there is a ton of action. Once the plot is set in motion, there’s no slowing down. The end is guaranteed to make fans of this series eager for more. I know I am!

Notable Scene:

“Siblings fight,” Owen said. “You know that. Eva and I have had some doozies over the years. We have always managed to find a way to get past it. You and Bria will too.”

I sighed and snuggled down deeper into the couch cushions.

“I do know that, all of that. But you should have seen Bria tonight. She was practically foaming at the mouth at the thought of using Catalina’s testimony against Benson. It reminded me of…”

“Yourself?”

Owen’s voice was gentle, but I still winced all the same.

“Yeah.”

“Bria’s a cop,” he said. “She’s just as tough as and strong as you are, and when she has a job to do, she doesn’t let anything get in her way. The two of you are eerily similar that way. Must be a Snow family trait.”

His teasing tone brought a ghost of a smile to my face, but it fled all too quickly, and my gray gaze drifted up to the fireplace mantel, where a series of framed drawings perched.

The runes of my family, dead and otherwise.

My mother Eira Snow’s snowflake, for icy calm. My older sister Annabella’s ivy vine, representing elegance. Their matching silverstone pendants draped over their respective drawings. The neon pig sign outside the Pork Pit that I’d drawn in honor of Fletcher. Owen’s hammer for strength, perseverance, and hard work. And finally, Bria’s primrose, symbolizing beauty.

“She’s always going to be my baby sister,” I replied, staring at the primrose drawing. “The one whose hair I used to brush while she drank invisible tea and chattered nonsense to her dolls.”

“I know,” Owen said. “But you can’t protect her forever, Gin. At some point, you have to let go.”

I didn’t want to let go. Because every time I did, I lost someone else I cared about. I’d watched my mom disappear in a ball of Mab’s elemental Fire. I’d let Annabella pound down the stairs at our house, and she’d been burned to ash by Mab too. I’d left Fletcher to go do a job as the Spider, which turned out to be a trap, and he’d been tortured to death in his own restaurant.

So no, I wasn’t letting go. I wasn’t losing Bria too because I’d stood by and failed to act. Even if I was still angry and hurt by all of her harsh words and actions tonight.

“Gin?” Owen asked.

“Yeah, you’re right,” I said, lying through my teeth. “I should let Bria handle this one.”

We talked for a few more minutes. Owen promised to come by the Pork Pit for lunch tomorrow, and I told him how much I appreciated him letting me vent. Then we hung up.

I tossed my phone down onto the coffee table, making the fork rattle on my empty plate. I stared at the fork, then at the runes on the mantel, then back at the fork.

What the hell. I went and got a third piece of cheesecake.

FTC Advisory: Pocket/Simon and Schuster provided me with a copy of Poison Promise. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

My Rating: A, Loved It

Gin’s birthday is quickly approaching, and she doesn’t like it. Not only does she struggle with memories of her foster father Fletcher’s death, but bad things always seem to happen to those she cares about around her birthday. And as if on cue, Gin’s life starts to get messy, again. There is a new drug in town that is messing with Elementals, and one of Gin’s waitresses, Catalina Vasquez, seems to be caught in the middle. Not only that, but Gin’s little sister Bria is taking a personal interest in the case when one of her informants is killed. Gin makes it her mission to protect Catalina and bring down Beauregard Benson, the drug-dealing vampire king of Southtown, while trying to give Bria some independence to do things her way.

There is a reason that Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassin series is one of my favorites: even after ten full-length books and a handful of novellas, the eleventh story is just as exciting, engrossing, and original as the first. Ms. Estep is an incredibly gifted storyteller who can weave stunning detail into each and every scene. Dark humor, intense action, and raw emotions are packed into every story with exquisite precision, making Gin, and her extended family, all characters which I care about.

After the past few books looked into Gin and Owen’s relationship, in Poison Promise there is a lot of focus on Gin’s relationship with her police officer sister, Bria. The pair has only recently reconnected, and sometimes Gin feels like she is still on shaky ground when it comes to Bria’s tenuous acceptance that Gin is an assassin. This is never more evident during the course of this book. Gin struggles with her fierce need to protect and save her family from danger while allowing Bria to go after Benson on her terms. Meanwhile, Bria becomes obsessed with bringing down Benson, and her actions put innocent people in the line of fire. The scene when Gin finally confronts Bria is one of the best in the books. Their dialogue is intense and raw, ripping open old wounds. In addition, Bria’s partner, Xavier also steps in with some harsh words. It’s all so intense and amazing, allowing both Bria and Gin to learn and grow.

There is a perfect balance between personal character development and the intense action-driven storyline. One thing about the Elemental Assassin series: the author is good to her readers and rarely kills off any of Gin’s beloved extended family; however, one never knows what will happen next. In one of the more critical scenes, the moment Gin hears gunshots... my heart stopped. Ms. Estep is able to work her magic, keeping me on the edge of my seat, never knowing for certain if everyone will make it out alive. The entire scene was brilliantly intense, and I was literally holding my breath.

Gin also experiences intense character development when she is forced to confront some of her innermost thoughts after being pumped full of drugs. Again, Ms. Estep creates such vivid imagery that my emotions were tugged right along side of Gin’s. I teared up and wanted to cry, knowing what these revelations would do to Gin’s psyche. Since the stories are always told from Gin’s point-of-view, I feel like I know so much about her, and I look forward to seeing if there are any longterm repercussions from this ordeal.

Finally, the only slightly negative thing I can comment on is the reveal of the mysterious drug supplier. It really was no surprise when Estep finished toying with readers and spilled. The scene near the conclusion was a bit anticlimactic since I knew darn well who she was. However the confrontation leaves Gin rattled, which unnerves me. In addition, Gin had some very negative thoughts towards the end of the book which make me apprehensive about the future.

All in all, I really enjoyed Poison Promise. It is amazing how after eleven books, each story is fresh, exciting, and unique. Ms. Estep takes what is familiar and adds layer upon layer to give Gin and her friends so much depth. I feel so attached to these characters because Ms. Estep, through Gin, creates a family. Poison Promise delivers a wonderfully gripping, explosive plot full of emotional tension and personal turmoil and character development. Love it!

Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
Review copy provided by NetGalley.

Is this really the eleventh book in the Elemental Assassin series? This is terrific urban fantasy that has it all suspense , action, drama, violence and of course interesting characters who keep the readers attention. I am amazed that the author keeps managing to find a new spin to put on this series and yet with this book the reader gets even more in depth knowledge about what being an elemental can really mean. Be prepared for shocks and twists galore as Ms Estep expands her characters horizons !
Mab Monroe is dead and yet still there's no sign of peace for Gin Blanco as there are still those who continue to test her. The rumours about her being the fabled assassin The Spider , have spread and there are many shady characters in the seedy underbelly of Ashland who fear her. When she steps in to help a waitress she has no idea just what the repercussions will be and it's about to get very messy indeed. There's a new drug on the street and it's distributor , vampire Beauregard Benson is determined to push it no matter who gets hurt. Gins sister Bria a police detective is on to him and when her case collides with Gins newest problem then it's time to show the people of Ashland just what the Blanco sisters are made of!
Ok as usual the author has written a fast paced and incredibly well written story with a plot that left this reader spinning! I love that Gin is able to come out fighting and in this book you will be cheering as she gives us an almost "high noon" moment! Yes, this spider may usually be found hiding in darkness but when it's time to step into the light those bad guys better start running! Simply fabulous!
It's not all action and showdowns though and poor Gin really goes through the wringer in this story and it's written in a very descriptive way that truly pulls the reader in. There's not a lot of romantic interaction but Gins sister Bria gets more time in the spotlight in this book. I'm not that sure that I was happy with her initially as she is supposed to be on the side of the law but as Gins sister it's fair to say that the apple didn't fall too far from the same tree!
As I mentioned things are being expanded and that includes the posse that Gin seems to have, yes you read that right Team Gin has arrived! New characters for the reader to get to know and also those pesky elemental powers that we all thought we knew about well suffice to say there's a whole lot more besides. As for the end of this book? Definitely not a cliffhanger and there is a resolution to this story but oh no oh I did not just read that! Please tell me the author is not going to make me wait to find out what Gin will do next? This was a great read but I suspect the next could blow all others out of the water. I'm loving this series and heartily recommend it

This series never stops amazing me. Every time I think Gin has overcome the worst that she can, yet another big and bad foe comes and one ups the last. Or perhaps it's not even that as I'm not quite sure this latest threat was really as bad as Mab Monroe was. But that's not what's important. What really matters is that each new big and bad doesn't feel like a repeat of the last. And that's why I love this series so much I think. Well aside from the absolutely fabulous cast of characters that it. But frankly even a phenomenal cast wouldn't be enough to keep this long of a series at the top of my all time favorites list. It's the fact that despite Gin being in the same near death situations over and over again, it never once has felt stale. When I sit down to read one of these books I know that I'm going to have a guaranteed block of entertainment, and POISON PROMISE more than delivered on that.

Another thing that continues to throw me for a loop are the character dynamics. Nothing is safe or stable as each time things start to feel comfortable, the rug is ripped out from under Gin. Early on it was things with Donavan, then it was things with her sister Bria, then Owen and Gin had one heck of a rough patch, with so many other rocky patches in between. This time is was a pretty important character relationship on the rocks that I won't spoil, but suffice it to say that Gin's world is turned upside down once again, proving that nothing is safe. Another thing was that Gin, despite having to "take out the trash" as she gets jumped almost daily, she's become complacent, and that all comes to a head in this book.

POISON PROMISE is a book of change and largely character dynamic driven that I thoroughly enjoyed. It's one heck of a ride from start to finish that is sure to please fans of the series. Trust me, you can't lose here.

Jennifer Estep's Gin Blanco series has never failed to entertain. The characters are engaging, three dimensional, and I love the food descriptions! Please come out with a cookbook because I need the sloppy joe and coleslaw recipes! I love this world, and settling in with a drink and snacks and a new Spider book is like readers heaven for me. Can't wait to see how the new dynamics of Silvio works in the group - hoping well!

This time Gin Blanco goes up against the drug lord of Ashland. She thinks that she made the choice to take him on but when all is said and done she finds she has been manipulated. By who? A new version of an old enemy.

I felt like Gin as the book ended. I was really let down. The battle was exciting, Gin had a fight for her life and in the end she found that she set up a bigger enemy. While I liked the story I did wonder if we were about to go back to the beginning and see a replay of the first few books. I guess I will find out when book 12 comes out.

Really liked it as usual! There were some annoyances like Bria's actions since I thought we were over that, but apparently not? I'm glad she got over it. Again. (ugh) but I love the 2 new additions to the team and the ending parts leave room for a lot of great power plays and battles, so I'm really excited for that!

I don't write long reviews going over each chapter of the book but I will say these books have quickly become my favorite series. In my experience by the 11th book the story line tends to fade and the books become boring without depth...I can honestly say NOT THESE! I can't wait to see how Gin handles her next victim since we have been anxiously waiting for M.M. Monroe to make an apperience. I just hope it isn't to long of a wait!

The ELEMENTAL ASSASSIN series started in 2010, and I discovered it in 2012, so it seems crazy to me that although we’ve reached the eleventh installment, only one year has gone by for Gin Blanco since it all began in SPIDER’S BITE. She’s about to celebrate her 31st birthday, and in many ways this book felt like a new beginning. There were some seriously badass scenes in POISON PROMISE, mad scientist villains are always super creepy, and two additional paranormal elements are introduced which all added-up to one exhilarating read. However, there was also a lot of déjà vu in this novel (that annoying stick that was up Bria’s butt in the earlier days is once again firmly lodged in place) that was cause for some concern. Jennifer Estep hasn’t steered me wrong yet, so I’m going to wait and see what she has planned, but I do have my doubts.

It’s no secret that I’m an action junkie through and through, and this latest installment DEFINITELY delivered on this front. As an assassin, Gin typically does her best work in the shadows, but in POISON PROMISE she boldly shouts to the world that she is indeed The Spider. That was my #1 scene in this book; you’ll know it when you read it. My second favourite was when she uses her Aston Martin as a battering ram. OMG Pure awesomeness. Those two stellar sequences aside, the plot’s great; I always look forward to Estep’s villains, and she does not disappoint with Beauregard Benson. I also enjoyed the vivid descriptions of what a Burn trip is like from an Elemental’s POV, and the twist at the end was well-done.

This is probably going to turn into a paragraph long rant about Bria, but it couldn’t really be avoided because she is the main reason why I’m giving this novel four stars instead of five. I really hated her character in the earlier installments of this series, and now here she is back on her stupid high horse. I understand that she’s blinded by revenge and seeing red, but she’s still a cop, and has sworn to serve and protect. Now, all of a sudden she’s willing to sacrifice an innocent witness’ life, and quite possibly her sister’s as well? Bria needs wake-up, to stop judging Gin, and either arrest her or shut it. I wanted to slap her.

I love that this series continues to surprise me; Estep has added two new paranormal elements to her ELEMENTAL ASSASSIN world. I’m not sure revealing them in my review is overly spoiler-y, but I don’t want to ruin it for anyone so I’m just going to say that my interest is definitely piqued. A new character has also joined Gin’s crew, so it’ll be interesting to see how Silvio Sanchez fits in with this close knit group. I have a feeling that big things are in store for The Spider now that she’s gone public; I just hope that the déjà vu doesn’t take over the main story line. I’m extremely wary of Mab Monroe 2.0.

My mini Bria rant aside, POISON PROMISE is an action junkie’s dream, and another winning installment from Jennifer Estep.

Loved loved this book was a little worried at first but then bang!!!! I love that Gin & Owen are back on & that Gin still kicks butt!! That we finally get to meet M.M.M and boy the company she keeps this one is going to be a intresting fix to work out!!!

This used to be such a fresh, unconventional series but the last two books have been stale and unsatisfying. The characters seem to be cliched cardboard versions of themselves and the story arc just feels like a re-hash of previous books. This is the last one for me - sorry Gin, you're not that interesting anymore.