Sample
  • Heart of Venom

  • Elemental Assassin, Book 9
  • By: Jennifer Estep
  • Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
  • Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,258 ratings)

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Heart of Venom

By: Jennifer Estep
Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
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Publisher's summary

The hotly anticipated ninth novel in the hugely popular Elemental Assassin series finds Gin Blanco on a dangerous mission to rescue a friend.

When a terror from the past threatens Gin’s friend and body-disposer, Sophia, Gin will stop at nothing to protect her, even if it means walking straight into a killer’s trap. Meanwhile, the rocky romance between Gin and Owen reaches a turning point - can they reunite and rekindle their love? Or will the things Gin has been forced to do in her line of work as the deadly assassin the Spider keep them apart forever? Assuming, that is, she survives long enough to find out....

©2013 Jennifer Estep (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Heart of Venom

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Sophia‘s story

This is one of my favorite series. This book; however, is one of my very favorite in the series. Everybody has a demon that they have to overcome and this book; although fiction, truly gets to the heart of how we have to deal with our past and how much we need the people in our lives to help us do that. Also, it was wonderful to truly get a glimpse into Sophia and JoJo. Seeing the heart of their story; especially Sophia’s, made for a great book. I would recommend this series to anybody! Be careful; though, if you read this book, you’re definitely going to want to read many more of the elemental assassin series!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Good story, great author, great voice actress

I missed really missed that line Gin says about someone "needed to get dead in a hurry". I don't recall that in this book. But it always makes me laugh in the other ones. The voice actress has the perfect accent for the characters in the book. I know many people who have that accent, so it is very believable. And reminds me of people I know. After seeing how choppy and strange a great audio book series becomes when the author suddenly decides to switches narrators, I'd definitely quit reading this if Lauren Fortgang wasn't reading it anymore. To date I've quit buying two series because I couldn't stand the switch.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Bloody Good!

Heart of Venom is a bloody fast pace ride through the backwoods of Ashland with a heroine that shows no signs of slowing down.

I’m a HUGE fan of the Elemental Assassin series. I love how we are 9 books into the series and Estep still manages to deliver great storylines. Books 1-5 has one story arc about Gin’s past and the person that was responsible for the death of Gin’s family.

The second half of the series has more wiggle room for other storylines and we are slowing building to what could be another arc with a new evil on the rise. But before we get there we take a side trip to deal with a story that has been building for a while about one of the beloved secondary characters, Sophia Deveraux.

I have always wanted more info on Sophia’s history. Estep has teased us here and there about how she got her ruined voice. Now we finally get the whole story on Sophia and it gives Gin’s back story a run for it’s money.

Several years ago a brother and sister, Bonnie and Clyde act kidnapped Sophia after the brother, Harley Grimes became obsessed with her. The part did horrible things to Sophia, leaving her with the ruined voice. All those years ago Jo Jo went to a little known assassin called The Tin Man. That’s right Gin’s foster father and mentor, Fletcher is the one that rescued Sophia. Now with Fletcher out of the way Grimes thinks it’s safe to take Sophia again.

Heart of Venom follows Gin trying to save Sophia after Grimes grabs her during a by a person a girls’ day at Jo Jo’s salon. Gin is always cool and collected when it comes to being The Spider. But she loses it all when Sophia is taken. She tries to run off with guns knives ablazing until her friends make her see that it would be suicide to go up on Grimes’ mountain alone.

“Grimes might be a bad, bad guy, but I happen to be a bad, bad bitch.”
Gin gets unexpected backup from Owen, her estranged lover. Gin agrees to let Owen come along with her. leaving the rest of the group to protect an injured Jo Jo. But it’s not just Gin and Owen to the rescue, they pick up an guide for the mountain hike. And of course Gin and Owen get a little time for an heart to heart between all the killing. ( I highly recommend you read the short story, Kiss of Venom that’s told through Owen’s POV which takes place after Deadly Sting and Heart of Venom).

As Gin and her small crew make their way up the mountain we get flashbacks about Fletcher (I love these) like it other books in the series, along with flashbacks on how Gin and Sophia interacted in the early stages of their friendship.

Heart of Venom is fully charged with emotion and adrenaline. Gin really is a one woman killing machine and I loved every bloody moment of it.



“Even my socks squished with blood….. Please, …. step up and die.”

Lauren Fortgang is on my top 5 favorite narrators list. She does an outstanding job with Gin and all the other characters. I’ve done most of series on audio and when reading the few books I've not listened to I have Fortgang’s voice in my head.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Not Bad.....

This book was not bad....not bad at all. I wish they would reveal Mab's heir already....I can't wait to see who it is.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Owen grows up, and fesses up

Would you consider the audio edition of Heart of Venom to be better than the print version?

I couldn't buy book six because of that jerk Donovan Caine coming back into the picture, and from everything I read in reviews I'm glad I avoided. He was i Jerk is a jerk and always would be. On the other hand Owen had some issues, and the way he treated Gin was horrid. He was pissed off with Gin for saving his life and maybe 100 other people, by killing his girl friend from when he was and she were teens......HELLO he's a man with a business. He finally realized he was an idiot for asking Gin not to kill Selina. (the lady was wacko nuts) I never read any of these in print form. Only audo.

Have you listened to any of Lauren Fortgang’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

All of this series, and she does a really good job, with emotions and voices. Glad she's stayed with the series.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

When Owen tried to save Gin and was covered with burns, from head to toe. I was burned in a fire, and I can not describe the intense pain.......It never stops. When giving birth you get time between contractions, but with burns there is not end, just time. I remember my hospital time as pure agony. I only had 20% of my body burned. The burns Owen suffered, in this day and age would have killed him for sure. ( luckily they had magic) Wish I would have had some. :) Also finding out the true story of Sophia. It was always a mystery, so many things cleared up in this story. It was awesome, with flash backs too, so it helps you remember from earlier books There are 9 now. .

Any additional comments?

Can't wait for next book to see who this relative of Mab Monroe is. Also what the story line is behind that piece of work.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Couldn't Stop Listening!

This was a slight variation for the Gin Blanco series and it was GREAT! It was suspenseful and interesting. Fans of the series will enjoy this book greatly. Praise to both Jennifer Estep and Lauren Fortgang for a riveting, well narrated story!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Bitchy female Lead! Love it!

Would you consider the audio edition of Heart of Venom to be better than the print version?

Not at all, i love both versions.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Heart of Venom?

The ending when Sophia finally kills that MAN!!!!! Won't say his name.

What does Lauren Fortgang bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Yes, i still can hear her voice within my mind.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

All of it moved me.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Jennifer Estep Spider Series is Awesome!!

Jennifer Estep is just one of my favorite authors and I absolutely love her Spider Series. I would love to see this series get turned into a TV series. It had triller, action and love all rolled into one. Jennifer keep writing and I'll keep reading!!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Good story!

I absolutely enjoy these books. There is one character in the story that the narrator really makes sound hilarious. And that character is the old man, Warren. I absolutely like this series although Gin has a habit of blaming herself for everything. That characteristic gets a little tiresome at times. However, really liked this book.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Lacking and redundant story telling

It was really difficult getting through this book. It's the classic Gin thinks her day is going well, something happens, she's the spider and she's badass, almost dies, survives, she's the spider she's badass, almost dies again.

I want to like the series, but for someone who's suppose to be the greatest assassin and strongest elemental she's always being overwhelmed by other elementals. She doesn't use her magic in any ways that seem even remotely useful besides draining her of all of it in a quick amount of time. Everyone she faces uses their magic so well, and apparently is stronger in it then her (Despite only having one element. Unlike her who has two different pools to draw upon). Everything has been dumbed down to physical fight scenes that are lackluster and redundant.

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3 people found this helpful