Spider's Bite

Elemental Assassin, Book 1

By: Jennifer Estep

Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang

Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

©2010 Jennifer Estep (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Fortgang’s captivating drawl sketches Finn’s flirty, genteel arrogance and Caine’s horrified disapproval of her. Fortgang portrays Gin’s well-hidden emotions as well as her habitual analysis of combat probabilities. The capable narration ensures that Gin comes across as an intriguing mix of battle-weary assassin, sorceress, and affectionate homebody. Fortgang also delivers the book’s wry humor with subtle elegance." ( AudioFile)

Rating would have been higher except for language

The story line was interesting, but there was too much course language for me to enjoy it as much as I would have otherwise.

Meh

It took me half the book to get into it over several listens. I finished it and there is a hook for book 2 so hopefully it gets better.

Great series, slow narration

I've read this series more than a few times and enjoy it every time. The character development is what I like most. The narrator's spittle noises and slow narration were distracting.

Loved it!!

Love the chemistry between Gin and the cop! Wish she would come clean to him about his ex-partner!

Non-stop action from beginning to end! And what a cliffhanger! Can’t wait for the next book!!

Wonderful!!!

I automatically loved Gin and the charactars that were brought in. I was entranced through all of the books. I know they all came out at once, but I would love another book to come on out.!!!! Best one of my reads since J.R. Ward's Brothers of the black daggarhood.

Another Great Author

I love the concept of elementals and Gin brings the story of her development of her skills in the first of this series. Lauren Fortgang helps you picture the characters and Jennifer Esteps writing draws you into this page turner. Gin's flashback to her childhood helps to add to understanding her distrust of others. Of course the impossible love interest adds to the intregue. The ending makes you want to run out and buy the second in the series.

Reese Witherspoon with dark hair and killer skills

When a book gets to 5,000 reviews, I figure it’s time to stick to sky level thoughts and focus on recommending similar series. This was good enough that I’ve wish-listed book 2, in the hope that the series finds its rhythm and improves.

Pros:
+ Overall concept of a sweet southern pixie as a ruthless, but still hospitable, kick@ss assassin
+ Has strong female lead, as if Miss Muffet literally became the spider instead of running away like a girl
+ Avoids many of the usual urban fantasy tropes, especially the uber special teen, desired by every male, who has an instant connection with a centuries old man who’s also uber powerful…and probably a vampire (see Jeanine Frost’s Night Huntress series if that sort of tropes and hyper sexualization of girls is your thing… blech)

Cons:
- Dialogue is rather ordinary and repetitive. With Fortgang narrating Gin with a sweet Reese Witherspoon twang, I was hoping for more clever and quippy sass… like a brunette Buffy at the end of the series.
- Chemistry lacking. As much as I like Fortgang’s narration, I find that her male voices don’t convey dark, dangerous or sexy very well. I did like that Gin can ogle and consider casual hookups just like most male leads in UF series, but found the writing about it, and the single hookup, to be rather clumsy.
- For a story with vampires, dwarves, and elementals, it felt like we only got enough detail on the magic and magical creatures to move the plot.
- I’m good with salty language in the right series (hello, Quincy MF-ing Harker), but here, the occasional F-bombs were unnecessary and out of place with the overall tone.

Similar books:
📍Hidden Legacy - Don’t let the 80’s romance cover art of the first few turn you off. Better written, stellar narration and kick@ss female leads in a fun, action packed urban fantasy series about a family of magical Primes in modern day Texas. There’s even a strong female assassin/sniper in the family.
📍Nix series - If you want to go edgier and darker, rather than campier, this is urban fantasy meets Mrs. John Wick.
📍Miss Fortune - If you prefer cozy stories, but still want a strong female with killer skills, this non-magical series tracks a military assassin (aka a sniper) as she fails miserably at living a normal life.
📍Hitman’s Guide trilogy by Alex Winters- Only for adults with bent, open minds, this is an absurd, yet hilarious non-magical MM love story involving an assassin and a cop.

Interesting book- despite the narration

I had not previously encountered this series and really like the story and the way it develops, however, the narrator is way to flat for my tastes.

good narration cannot overcome bad writing

The narrator does a great job, but there's just no getting around the poor writing. There is too much description, most of which is dripping with analogies, and the author finds it necessary to constantly remind you of the heroine's tragic past, crushing grief, etc. I get it. I got it 10 repetitions ago. The pacing is also pretty slow for this kind of book. Only the narrator made it possible for me to listen to the whole thing.

Very enjoyable

This book could have been easily been just as good without the vampires and other silly stuff such as super natural powers of the heroin and others, but it did not detract anything from the story line. I would gladly listen to a part two of this book if the author ever considered writing a sequel.