Review: "Venom" by Jennifer Estep

"Venom"  
by Jennifer Estep
Series: Elemental Assassin #3
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 389
ISBN: 9781439148013
Published: September 2010

Goodreads Blurb:

It's hard to be a badass assassin when a giant is beating the crap out of you. Luckily, I never let pride get in the way of my work. My current mission is personal: annihilate Mab Monroe, the Fire elemental who murdered my family. Which means protecting my identity, even if I have to conceal my powerful Stone and Ice magic when I need it most. To the public, I'm Gin Blanco, owner of Ashland's best barbecue joint. To my friends, I'm the Spider, retired assassin. I still do favors on the side. Like ridding a vampire friend of her oversized stalker—Mab's right-hand goon who almost got me dead with his massive fists. At least irresistible Owen Grayson is on my side. The man knows too much about me, but I'll take my chances. Then there's Detective Bria Coolidge, one of Ashland's finest. Until recently, I thought my baby sister was dead. She probably thinks the same about me. Little does she know, I'm a cold-blooded killer . . . who is about to save her life.

Darcy's Review:

***SPOILER ALERT***

With each book that I read in this series I find that I keep saying it can't get any better, but then it does. And this book Gin finally steps up and takes back control of all aspects of her life, especially her past that up until now she has run from.

I love how tough Gin is, but she is tough in a way that makes sense within her life. She lets herself take a beating to protect her alternate identity's activities, she always stands up for those she lets in to her inner circle, and while she is an assassin she does have a code that she works within.

I was so glad that Donovan was gone, but he did do a number on Gin, which is too bad because from the start I liked Owen and really wanted her to give him a chance. And it looks like I got my wish in this book. He seemed to always be around and run into Gin just when she was doing something that Spider does. He calmly accepted her actions and often covered her patiently waiting for her to explain. When we finally hit the scene where they both bared their past I found that Owen firmly wormed his way into my heart by his acceptance, now I just needed Gin to agree. When she returned his weapons it looked like I got my wish.

I also loved how Gin realized how Jo-Jo, Sophie, Finn, and now Roslyn are her family, that they are always there for each other and will back each others play. Which will be important now that Gin has claimed being the Spider in such a fantastic way.

I also think that as readers we have been waiting for Bria and her background to come to light, so it was no surprise when it was revealed that she was Gin's long lost sister. What I really liked about Bria is that she has Donovan's good cop instincts, without any of his straight and narrow morals. I have a feeling that Bria knows who Gin is, but just isn't ready to face that fact. I can't wait to see when she finds out. I have a feeling that Gin will have an ally when she goes after Mab.

And how great is it that Gin is now going after Mab! This is something that has needed to be done, and Gin and her team are just the ones to do it. I loved when Gin let Mab know just who was coming after her.

I can't wait for the next book to see where all the threads left hanging play out!!

This review was written by my friend Darcy at Goodreads.