Review: Widow's Web by Jennifer Estep

Widow's Web 

Book 7 in the Elemental Assassin series

Author: Jennifer Estep

Publisher:  Pocket

Release date: 8/21/12
Author's website:  Link

I used to murder people for money, but these days it’s more of a survival technique.

Once an assassin, always an assassin. So much for being plain old Gin Blanco. With every lowlife in Ashland gunning for me, I don’t need another problem, but a new one has come to town.

Salina might seem like a sweet Southern belle, but she’s really a dangerous enemy whose water elemental magic can go head-to-head with my own Ice and Stone power. Salina also has an intimate history with my lover, Owen Grayson, and now that she’s back in town, she thinks he’s hers for the taking.

Salina’s playing a mysterious game that involves a shady local casino owner with a surprising connection to Owen. But they call me the Spider for a reason. I’m going to untangle her deadly scheme, even if it leaves my love affair hanging by a thread.

Along with the main character of the series, Gin Blanco, the reader gets the opportunity to learn so much more about the past of her boyfriend Owen Grayson in this installment of the Elemental Assassin series.  His past is a huge part of this book as several characters from it are re-introduced into his life, and not in a good way.  Gin's life is threatened as well as the lives of her loved ones so she'll have to do what she does best, figure out what's going on and take care of the issue.  In other words, kill the person that's causing the problem.  She's good at doing that and usually doesn't have a problem taking care of someone, but it's a little different in this book.   She has to make a hard choice and unfortunately with some choices, there are consequences. 

By getting a glimpse into Owen's past,  Gin realizes that they've been a part of each others lives for quite some time.  I enjoyed learning more about who and what helped shape Owen into the man he became.  I think it was good for Gin to learn more as she truly loves this man.  As with every couple, there can be issues at times.  He's been nothing but supportive to her and while he may not agree with her choices, he knows that she means to do the right thing.  So in a way this installment becomes more about these 2 characters than anything else. 

I'm giving Widow's Web a rating of: 

I would have to say that Widow's Web is the most emotional book of the series to date.   There are lots of flashbacks that give meaning as to why some of the events take place in the book.  What I liked the most is that Gin has a true support system of people that truly care about her.  She's not alone and has friends and family who will be there for her.  It was nice to see that as Gin has to deal with so much death because of who she is.  I enjoyed Widow's Web but I did have some issues with it.  While I've come to love the characters in this series, the books are beginning to have a monotonous feeling to me.  There are tiny differences, but not enough to excite me the way the books did in the beginning of the series.  However, there's something that happens in the book that may just be catalyst that this series needs to add a little more excitement to it.  Other readers may not feel the same as it's a major change for the series, but I like it when authors take risks with their books.  I feel that is what Jennifer Estep has done and nothing excites me more than not knowing what is going to happen next. If there is anything that I've learned from being an avid reader is to expect the unexpected.  I'm hoping the next book will excite me a little bit more as I'm not ready to give up on this series just yet.