Review: Web of Lies by Jennifer Estep

Title: Web of Lies
Author: Jennifer Estep
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 05/25/10
Summary:

Curiosity is definitely going to get me dead one of these days. Probably real soon.

I'm Gin Blanco.

You might know me as the Spider, the most feared assassin in the South. I’m retired now, but trouble still has a way of finding me. Like the other day when two punks tried to rob my popular barbecue joint, the Pork Pit. Then there was the barrage of gunfire on the restaurant. Only, for once, those kill shots weren’t aimed at me. They were meant for Violet Fox. Ever since I agreed to help Violet and her grandfather protect their property from an evil coalmining tycoon, I’m beginning to wonder if I’m really retired. So is Detective Donovan Caine. The only honest cop in Ashland is having a real hard time reconciling his attraction to me with his Boy Scout mentality. And I can barely keep my hands off his sexy body. What can I say? I’m a Stone elemental with a little Ice magic thrown in, but my heart isn’t made of solid rock. Luckily, Gin Blanco always gets her man... dead or alive.

Plot: 4.5 Stars
Although I wished Gin would've looked a bit more into the bomb that was dropped at the end of Spider's Bite, I can understand her hesitance. Hopefully this plotline will be expanded on in the third novel, Venom. Besides this point, the plot drew me in immediately. Every piece of the puzzle fit together perfectly, and yet so many things completely surprised me. It was very interesting to see more of the elemental powers that Gin and other citizens of Ashland possess.

Pace: 4.5 Stars
Web of Lies was like a roller coaster: you speed through a bunch of twists and turns, and once you're finished you can't wait to do it again. The novel itself encompassed less than a week, but it was a completely believable timeline. Even when Gin took a step back and baked a delicious cobbler, the story didn't slow down. I was on the edge of my seat for the entire four hundred pages, and just couldn't get enough.

Characters: 5 Stars
Gin really showed some growth in this novel. After a stint of retirement, she takes a case out of morals instead of money. It's always good to be reassured that a tough-as-nails heroine has feelings and morals. Finnegan makes a great sidekick to Gin, although I'm sure he would be pissed to be referred to as a sidekick. He brought just the right amount of humor to the story. There were also a lot of new characters, both good and evil, and we got to know all of them pretty well. I was a little disappointed in Donovan, but I don't think this is the last we've seen of the good cop.

Cover: 4.5 Star
This series has been blessed with a fantastic cover artist. At first, I was confused by the brown background image, especially after Spider's Bite had such specific details added in. But once I finished the book and gave the cover another look, I was enlightened and realized the background image was from a crucial part of the book. I also love that the cover model has Gin's spider rune scars on her palms, and her silverstone knife. It actually feels like Gin is on the cover, and not just a model that can pass for her.

Overall: 4.5 Stars

Disclosure: I received an eARC of this book from the author and also bought a copy of this book for my own enjoyment.