Review: Spider's Bites by Jennifer Estep

Title: Spider's Bite
Author: Jennifer Estep
Series: Elemental Assassin, #1
Publisher: Pocket
Release Date: January 26, 2010
Pages: 489
Rating:

My name is Gin, and I kill people. 
They call me the Spider. I'm the most feared assassin in the South — when I'm not busy at the Pork Pit cooking up the best barbecue in Ashland. As a Stone elemental, I can hear everything from the whispers of the gravel beneath my feet to the vibrations of the soaring Appalachian Mountains above me. My Ice magic also comes in handy for making the occasional knife. 

But I don't use my powers on the job unless I absolutely have to. Call it professional pride. Now that a ruthless Air elemental has double-crossed me and killed my handler, I'm out for revenge. And I'll exterminate anyone who gets in my way — good or bad. I may look hot, but I'm still one of the bad guys. Which is why I'm in trouble, since irresistibly rugged Detective Donovan Caine has agreed to help me. The last thing this coldhearted killer needs when I'm battling a magic more powerful than my own is a sexy distraction...especially when Donovan wants me dead just as much as the enemy. 

I thought that SPIDER'S BITE was very original and unique. The story was very intriguing and kept my reading. The story is about a woman, Gin who is an assassin. Her family was killed when she was younger and was taken in by Fletcher, owner of the Pork Pitt. He raised her to be strong and capable and also was the one to train her to become an assassin. In the story, Gin gets a job and this one has a very high pay and Gin could retire after this job. But the unexpected happens when she to double crossed. And Gin will not rest until she finds and kills the one who betrayed her.

Gin is our heroine in this story is very strong and capable but I feel as an assassin she doesn't have any feelings like some of my other favorite heroines does. But I think farther into the book we see her bring those out. I think that Gin has been through a lot. I don't know what I think about our heroine being an assassin quite yet. I know that she does NOT kill innocent people, only the people who deserve it. I don't mind her being an assassin, but it just seems like she is so cold most of the time. But I think that she has grown since the beginning of the story, like most heroines seems to do. Finn is Fletcher's son, and he is so funny. I think he is one of the reasons I really liked this book. He is always talking about woman, clothes, and money. He is a riot. Great character.

We also have Gin's love interest, Detective Donovan Caine. At the beginning I admit that I was drawn to Caine and liked him a bit, but throughout the book that changed immediately. I found that he was a constant jerk to Gin. I liked him, because I thought that he would be a little more kind to Gin. I feel like he is so slow at figuring things out too. But I think that Gin needs a love interest that can appreciate the woman that she is and truly loves her for her. I mean she has been through a lot. Gin does not like killing, but it is something that she has to do to survive. But again, I do understand Caine, saying that she is an assassin and really does not know that much about Gin except for the fact that she is an assassin, so I will see how the relationship between them develops in book 2, Web of Lies.

I thought that the world was very interesting with elemental assassins existing and the role vampires play. I also loved that this was very action-packed. I enjoyed the mystery, action, suspense, and the little romance. The ending had a cliffhanger that left me guessing what would happen next. I really enjoyed the book and I will continue the series to see what is in store for Gin.