This book pissed me off. I've ignored how glaringly stupid Gin was and she should have been dead before the first book, but this book, I couldn't ignore it any more.

1) A small army of bounty hunters is in town gunning for you, and you know a number of them had eaten in your restaurant but you don't know who all of them all. Of course it makes total sense to discuss your super secret plan to kill Mab while in your restaurant while there are still customers.

2) Secret ID, what secret ID? In book 1 she invites a police detective who hates her into her home and reveals her identity to him. It's a miracle she didn't blow her ID to the entire world halfway through book 2 given all the freaking number of times she shows up for a job as Gin and not in disguise, or the random people she just tells it to.

3) Her weapons of choice are knives. Close contact weapons. And when she is smart enough to go for her target at a distance, she uses... a crossbow? I don't even...

4) It's a freaking trap. She knows it's a freaking trap. Everyone tells her it's a freaking trap. What does she do? Walk into the freaking trap.

Not to mention she contradicts herself in throwaway narrative. She didn't remember being rich as a child... but she remembers her family's servants got killed that night Mab went after her family. Because non-rich people have servants, or courtyards with fountains.

One positive thing though was that Estep's writing was better. There wasn't the info dump of backstory that was characteristic of the previous books. Though she still uses the same phrases to describe the same things. I never ever want to hear "gin joint" again. Also, "baby sister." And does Estep really need to make the point that Gin takes her "little white pills" before every book's obligatory sex scene? The horse is dead; you can stop beating it.

And the final fight scene was just... ugh. Magical deus ex machina.

I need a break from this series. ( )

From this book, it seriously fits it's name especially with "Revenge" this book was entirely set on The Spider getting her revenge on the fire elemental Mab Monroe. It was full of mistakes on Gin's end, and ended up with the result she was seeking. But it leads me to wonder how the rest of the books are going to go since this was a good basis, on the super villian in the previous books so far. ( )

Spider's Revenge
4 Stars

Great characters and a riveting story but the repetition of detail is, unfortunately, still excessive and tedious.

Every single detail from the previous books is rehashed once again and the descriptions of people, places, powers and runes are repeated over and over - enough already! Readers are smart enough to remember what happened and to come to their own conclusions without having everything spelled out for them.

Fortunately, the plot and the characters more than make up for the repetitious writing. Gin is as kick-ass as ever and finally comes to terms with the full force of her stone and ice magic. Readers are also rewarded with the ultimate showdown between Gin and Mab, which not only lives up to expectations but exceeds them.

The secondary cast is fantastic as always and the attention paid to fleshing out each and every character makes for enjoyable reading. Gin’s romance with Owen is taken to the next level and their scenes together are poignant and emotional. Finn and Bria grow closer and more information is provided on the Deveraux sisters’ and the reasons for Sophia’s rasping voice. A couple of new characters are also introduced, Ruth Gentry and her ward, Sydney, who have their role to play in Gin’s struggle against Mab.

Spider’s Revenge provides loyal readers with a much needed sense of closure but also offers new and tantalizing threads for future books, and I look forward to seeing what Estep has in store for Gin and the others. ( )

Ooh...a very satisfying book. Not much more I care to review or say about it. Well, honestly, not much I can say without spoilers. Great book.

Oversimplifying but appropriate is the ending line as Gin takes a new direction with it:

"My name is Gin, and I kill people."

( )

The fifth book in the Gin Blanco series finally puts to bed the underlying story arc of the Spider vs. Mab Monroe. Although I didn't mind this particular continuing plot I am glad that it is finally at a close and am looking forward to what is in the future for a retired (semi-retired?) assassin.

The romance is minimal in this book but well played out as Gin and Owen's relationship continues to build. To tell the truth the relationships between Gin and her entire makeshift family moved forward in this book which I enjoyed.

My only complaints are the unnecessary repetitions. Estep does a remarkable job of recapping what has happened in previous books for those just jumping on the Gin bandwagon (why would you do this? Go back and start at the beginning!) However, for those of us who are extremely familiar with the series reading that Mab Monroe super heated Gin's metal rune melting it into the palms of her hands, oh, 5 times....is a bit much.

Overall this book was an exciting addition to the series and at this point I hope they remain this good because I look forward to many many more Elemental Assassin books. Plus I can't get enough of Owen. ( )