Author Interview and Giveaway: Widow's Web by Jennifer Estep

Widow's Web by Jennifer Estep
Now Available!!! Order Here
Publisher: Pocket Books
Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads:
I used to murder people for money, but these days it’s more of a survival technique.

Once an assassin, always an assassin. So much for being plain old Gin Blanco. With every lowlife in Ashland gunning for me, I don’t need another problem, but a new one has come to town. 

Salina might seem like a sweet Southern belle, but she’s really a dangerous enemy whose water elemental magic can go head-to-head with my own Ice and Stone power. Salina also has an intimate history with my lover, Owen Grayson, and now that she’s back in town, she thinks he’s hers for the taking. 

Salina’s playing a mysterious game that involves a shady local casino owner with a surprising connection to Owen. But they call me the Spider for a reason. I’m going to untangle her deadly scheme, even if it leaves my love affair hanging by a thread.

My Thoughts:

Estep has done it again! I can't believe how exciting she keeps the Elemental Assassin series!

Gin has been through a lot, she's finally taken down her arch nemesis, Mab, and found closer with her old flame, Donovan. Everything should be smooth sailing now right? Wrong.

There's a new nemesis on the block and she wants Gin's man! 

Owen fans be prepared, an old flame is back, and it's not pretty, but through it all, I just fell in love with him more. His and Gin's relationship and trust are definitely put to the test with Estep's latest installment. 

But like with all her Elemental Assassin books, Estep doesn't shy away from putting Gin through some difficult loops. Gin is forced to make a really hard decision in this instalment, and like all her others, she doesn't think twice about it and makes no apology for it. But it puts her most important relationship at risk, leaving the question of whether or not they're strong enough to survive it. (I apologize if I seem very vague with this, but I don't want to get to spoilery in this review :)).

One thing I really appreciated about Widow's Web, was the depth that we get to see from Owen. He's always been Gin's rock and not judged her " lifestyle choices" and we get to see why and what exactly lead him to be the successful man he is today.

I love that Estep never goes to cliche with her characters, especially Gin. In the real world, not everyone would be as accepting of the assassin lifestyle, and Estep has done a great job of showcasing this through Donovan. But, it's refreshing to see that her heroine, Gin, makes no apologies for who she is and what she does, she's not trying to make excuses for her choices, that's just who she is!  

This is an Urban Fantasy series that just seems to get better as it continues. The growth of the characters and the new enemies Gin must face, keep this series fresh and relevant with it's readers. Estep knows when to end a story arc, and continue a new one. I can't wait to see where she takes Gin next in Deadly Sting (Elemental Assassin #9).

After reading the ending to Widow's Web, I definitely need Deadly Sting. Typical Estep, always leaving you thirsty for more! :)

I would recommend this series for all Urban Fantasy fans, who enjoy a kick-ass, sarcastic heroine, a confidently sexy hero, comic relief side-kicks, and action within the pages of their read. If you're already a fan of this series, you won't be disappointed and if you haven't read it yet, well what are you waiting for?!

Happy Reading!!!

Please join me, in welcoming Jennifer to the blog today!!!

Which character from your Elemental Assassin series do you relate to the most?

JE: Hmm. That’s a tough one, and it changes given my mood and what’s going on, but right now, I’ll say Finn. He’s often the comic relief in the books and tries to make Gin and the other characters laugh at his antics, and I enjoy making folks laugh and smile in real life.

Do you have a preference over writing Adult Urban Fantasy vs. Young Adult? Is one easier than the other?

JE: I don’t really have a preference, and one isn’t any easier than the other. Both genres have their challenges (writing any book in any genre is always a challenge), and so far I’ve been having a lot of fun writing in both genres.

Many of my books have a lot of the same elements – a strong, sassy heroine, magic, romance, and lots of action/fight scenes. I would just say that I’m telling a little more of a coming-of-age story with my Mythos Academy young adult urban fantasy books versus my Elemental Assassin adult urban fantasy books.

You have taken Gin on some wild rides, in her personal and "professional" life, did you have the whole series mapped ahead of time, or do stories come to you with each installment?

JE: I usually know the big things that I want to happen as the series goes along, like Bria coming back to town and Gin’s showdown with Mab. But I’m a panster, which means that I don’t do a lot of detailed outlines or things like that before I start writing, although I usually have the general story idea and the big turning points in mind.

But some of my best ideas and characters have come to me as I’ve been writing. So it’s part plotting and part discovery along the way. Hopefully, folks are enjoying reading Gin’s adventures as much as I am writing them.

If you could describe Widow's Web in three words, what would they be?

JE: Intense. Action-packed. Heartbreaking.

 Some series can grow stale after the first few books, how do you keep Elemental Assassin so fresh and exciting?!

JE: I always enjoy coming up with new villains for Gin to face down. I like to think about what I haven’t done before in terms of magic, villains, and sticky situations, and then figure out how Gin would react, how she would overcome those villains with her own wits and magic, and how those things would affect her and the other characters. Then I just sort of go from there.

What do Elemental Assassin fans (and Gin) have to look forward to, in the installments to come?

JE: Deadly Sting, the eighth book in the series, is set to be published in April 2013. I can’t say too much about that book, but Gin will once again find herself in a dangerous situation and facing down some bad guys, as well as dealing with the aftermath of some of the things that take place in Widow’s Web. There will be at least two more books in the series after Deadly Sting. Folks can visit my website at www.jenniferestep.com for more information. Happy reading, everyone!

Haven't read the ELEMENTAL ASSASSIN series yet? Why the heck not?! Here's the first 6 books in the series!

For synopsis' and excerpts visit Estep's website here.

Follow Jennifer:

Goodreads

Twitter: @Jennifer_Estep

Facebook

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!!! Jennifer has generously donated a copy of Widow's Web for giveaway! To enter fill out the rafflecopter below, but PLEASE READ THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE FORM!

Good luck to all!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway