Venom in the Veins
Author: Jennifer Estep
Reviewer: Jen
Rating: B-
What I’m Talking About:
A few weeks have passed since Gin’s confrontation with the Doll Maker, so of course, it’s time for things to go sideways in Ashland again. This time, someone is targeting her friend, and Finn’s boss, Stewart Mosley. And everything appears to be tied to the upcoming auction of Mab Monroe’s possessions and a person of interest who has her eye set on making sure things are just right.
Venom in the Veins is the seventeenth book in the Elemental Assassin series. The cast of characters has grown, and I love that Gin’s circle of friends has expanded. She has learned to turn to her family and friends for help and support, giving up pieces of herself and trust to them. It’s made Gin a better character, and I appreciate her drive to keep them safe.
I love Gin. I do. But… at Book 17, things no longer feel as fresh and exciting as they used too. The world building has been solidly established, so the constant need to remind readers of Gin’s history and idiosyncrasies is starting to annoy me. Additionally, I felt this storyline is old news. Once again, Gin faces down a person from and/or connected to her past. It just seems like that storyline has played out a number of times in the series.
The overall story arc relating to the mysterious Circle continues to grab my interest, as does the main face of the group, Hugh Tucker. I enjoyed seeing more of Hugh, especially with his actions in this title. With that said, I would have preferred more movement forward within the plot. The little tidbits tossed in with each book aren’t enough, and I’d like for Gin to catch a break and discover more.
In the end, I have mixed feelings after finishing Venom in the Veins. I enjoy Gin and her gang. Watching her pull the clues together to take down the bad guys is thrilling. However, I feel like Gin is running in circles (pun intended) as she tries to find out more about the threat of the Circle. She’s not really getting any closer to discovering what the Circle is, who they are, what her parents had to do with it. Additionally, the storylines are starting to feel too much the same.
My Rating: B- Liked It, but I had a few small issues
About the Book:
Blood might be thicker than water, but venom is stronger than just about anything …
It was supposed to be a nice, quiet, simple dinner with friends—but nothing is ever nice, quiet, or simple when you’re Gin Blanco, the Spider, notorious assassin and current queen of the Ashland underworld.
This time around, someone seems to be targeting Stuart Mosley, the president of First Trust bank. Lots of people have grudges against Mosley, but the more I investigate, the more Mosley’s problems seem to be connected to some of my own, especially when it comes to the Circle, the evil, shadowy group that is secretly responsible for much of the crime and corruption in Ashland.
But when another blast from my dark and deadly past as the Spider comes to light, I wonder if I’ll be able to survive this dangerous new enemy, who has a burning thirst for revenge that will only be satisfied with one thing: my death.
Release Date: June 12, 2018
Publisher: self-published
Series: Elemental Assassin #17
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format(s): paperback (354 pages), e-book
Book Source: Author
Purchase Info:
Amazon
Reviews in the Series:
Spider’s Bite by Jennifer Estep (Elemental Assassin #1) – Audio review
Web of Lies by Jennifer Estep (Elemental Assassin #2) – Audio review
Venom by Jennifer Estep (Elemental Assassin #3) – Audio review
Tangled Threads by Jennifer Estep (Elemental Assassin #4) – Audio review
Spider’s Revenge by Jennifer Estep (Elemental Assassin #5)
Thread of Death by Jennifer Estep (Elemental Assassin #5.5)
By a Thread by Jennifer Estep (Elemental Assassin #6)
Widow’s Web by Jennifer Estep (Elemental Assassin #7)
Deadly Sting by Jennifer Estep (Elemental Assassin #8)
Kiss of Venom by Jennifer Estep (Elemental Assassin #8.5)
Heart of Venom by Jennifer Estep (Elemental Assassin #9)
The Spider by Jennifer Estep (Elemental Assassin #10)
Poison Promise by Jennifer Estep (Elemental Assassin #11)
Black Widow by Jennifer Estep (Elemental Assassin #12)
Spider’s Trap by Jennifer Estep (Elemental Assassin #13)
Bitter Bite by Jennifer Estep (Elemental Assassin #14)
Unwanted by Jennifer Estep (Elemental Assassin #14.5)
Unraveled by Jennifer Estep (Elemental Assassin #15)
Nice Guys Bite by Jennifer Estep (Elemental Assassin #15.5)
Snared by Jennifer Estep (Elemental Assassin #16)