Poison Promise (Elemental Assassin) by Jennifer Estep Review

Series: Elemental Assassin #11
Publish: July 22nd 2014 by Pocket Books
Format: ebook, 400 pages
Rating: 5 / 4
Synopsis: Gin Blanco is hard-nosed, sexy, and lethal. Nicknamed “The Spider,” she’s a stone elemental assassin who brings her unique mix of magic and tact to every assignment, no matter the target.
There’s a new drug on the streets of Ashland, and its name “Burn” sums up the potent effect it has on its users. When one of her restaurant employees is threatened by dealers of the drug, Gin steps in to set things straight...
Review:
  Here is the eleventh book in Jennifer Estep phenomenal Elemental Assassin series. So far I read everything form the author and I think that she really good at writing urban fantasy. I didn't really expected this much installment in the series especially after reading the fifth book. For me it started on a rocky road, I liked the general idea but it took a while, a couple of books, it too became one of my favourite. But since then I always look foraward to reading new installment. The course of the series it developed a lot, story and character wise too.

  It's amazing how easy it is to fall back into the story and that the author still can show us something new and that the story is still exciting and original. There is an ongoing development in the books that helps this. And I think the fact that there is 2 or 3 new book piblished in the series every year helps, too. The reader don't have to wait a year between them. It's a quite accomplishment from a writer especially since she has/had another ongoing series. I think because of this there is not that much reharsing in the book than usually in others and I really like this fact. I hate when half of the book is about what happened in the previous ones. If you want to now read them first and don't strat with the eleventh one.
  I really like Jennifer Estep's writing style and how she can twist thing you thought are already finished but suddenly something happens and it turns out there are still mystery behind it. Also she is quite a talented writer when it's about character building.
  The story as always is told by Gin and despite the fact that nowdays almost every book is narrated from at least two point of view, the book still can hold it's place.

  As all of the previous books there is a crazy dinamic in the plot and everything happens really fast still it's not so hard to follow. The whole installment is full of surpriese and dispite the little predictable details, like that Gin is going to come out on top in the end, it is still exciting and fresh. A lot of thing is unforeseeable because there isn't a main arc in it like there was in the first 5. You simply don't know what is going to happen. Sure I was expecting the infamous M.M.Monroe appearance since the author drawn it out quite a while beside that however it is a mystery. I was hoping that M.M. Monroe isn't as bad as Mab were. Unfortunately we get a more maniac version of her, not good at all.
  After Gin satisfied her revenge every book started to became more emotional and more about Gin and the other characters feelings and sometimes their background. However, it's looks like the series is returnig to the beginnings in plot wise. I mean we got another mastermind criminal who still lives after a whole book with Gin. Oh and Gin desperatly needed a more focused goal. I don' have any idea how long the series is going to be but right no the author is contracted for 12 books. In taht case I think the final showdown with M.M. Monroe is going to be a bit rushed. I see a lot of potential in it.

  Gin has a kind of personality I love. Strong, sarcastic, independent and a real fighter. Still I think after she defeated Mab she simply lost herself. And beside this she started to be more and more emotional and in the course of the 3-4 book she started to feel tired. She can't bethe cold blooded killer she once was and I think she is strating to exhauset herself. It is not helping either that her friends and family slowly leave her behind but they still expect the help and problem solving from her. She reache rock bottom in the seventh installment when Owen left her and since then she is barely keeping her head above water. Book after book it feels more emotionally exhausting for her and all of that is wonderfully portrayed and I can really feel them. I love her but I think her so called retirement is more spending than she thought. She should take more time for herself. Fortunately, Owen came to his senses and since then their relationship is really solid and balanced. I think it is strange how can Owen be so important in Gin life, yet we know so little about him, he stays in the background in a way. However it seems Owen the only constant in her life and he is the only one who doesn't leave her behind.
  I never liked Bria and this book didn't changed my opinion. I started to simply hate her. She always were judgmental with Gin but in this book she became cruel and mean with her. Gin made many sacrifices but Bria couldn't cope with them, respect them. She only sees the cold blooded killer and she acts like somebody who desn't even want to try and get to know the real Gin. It's really bugs me, especially since Finn, her boyfriend isn't better crime wise and she doesn't have any problem with that. It doesn't matter Gin how much tries to warm up to the idea that her sister still lives, Bria makes it immosibble since most of the time she simply just avoiding Gin. Except when she needs something from her criminal sister. Oh, and I was a bit dissapointed in Finn, too. He is starting to leave behind Gin, too. Don't get me wrong all of them was written perfectly. I just don't like Bria selfish and judgmental personality.

  Over all Poison Promise is a fantastic instalment in an interesting and exciting series. I can't wait the next book, but I'm a little afraid that the end is near. However I don't know what would be best a couple of new books or to finally give Gin a little bit of a peace. She deserves it.

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