Friday Favorites: Urban Fantasy

 

Urban Fantasy is a genre that became more popular starting in the 1980s. In Urban Fantasy, the magical shares our world, but is often hidden in some way. It differs from Magical Realism in that in Magical Realism, the magic is accepted as a normal part of the world. Not everyone has magic, but those that do or those around them more or less accept it as part of the status quo. When you think of Urban Fantasy, think about perhaps some of the magical people/creatures living underground in old subway tunnels. Or perhaps inhabiting an arts studio where their eccentricities might be discounted rather than really noticed.

My introduction to Urban Fantasy came with the book Dreams Underfoot by Charles de Lint. It is a collection of short stories that take place in the fictional city of Newford. Since the birth of Newford, the author has gone on to write many more stories that take place there as well as in other locations. Newford is a favorite of fans as are some of the characters that inhabit there such as Jilly Coppercorn and The Crow Girls.

Terri Windling is also of note as she has been editor, writer, artist and more in the genre and beyond starting when it became more popular.

Some other favorites of mine include, but are not limited to:

C.E. Murphy - The Walker Papers

Faith Hunter - The Jane Yellowrock series and the Soulwood series

Seanan McGuire - The InCryptid series and October Daye series

SM Reine - Preternatural Affairs and more

Kim Harrison - The Hollows series

Patricia Briggs - The Mercy Thompson Series

Jennifer Estep - The Elemental Assassin Series

Jim Butcher - The Dresden Files 

Kevin Hearne - The Iron Druid Chronicles

If you enjoy contemporary fantasy, you will most likely enjoy urban fantasy. I remember being surprised at how many people chose to use a blend of Celtic and Native American beings. For example, in book one of the Walker Papers, Urban Shaman, Joanne Walker discovers that she is a shaman and must save people from the Wild Hunt. Some other authors design a magic system virtually from scratch - the Elemental Assassin series for example.

Question: Is it possible to have urban fantasy in a historical city setting such as Boston? An example here would possibly be The Whimbrel House series by Charlie N. Holmberg.

Please understand this is not a definitive list, but rather some Urban Fantasy authors I have enjoyed over the years. If you have a favorite you don't see here or have something you'd like to add, please feel free to do so in the comments. Happy Reading!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #483: Stings and Stones by Jennifer Estep

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From Amazon: 

New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Estep serves up an Elemental Assassin short story collection featuring danger, magic, and a touch of romance. Perfect for fans of Ilona Andrews, Anne Bishop, Patricia Briggs, and Faith Hunter.

Flash back to one of Gin Blanco’s many missions as the assassin the Spider. Learn more about Gin’s relationships with her mentor, Fletcher Lane, and her foster brother, Finnegan Lane, and see what trouble the other characters get themselves into when Gin’s not around. From a ghost’s lost love to a villain’s origin story, this action-packed collection has something for every urban fantasy and paranormal romance fan.

The Stings and Stones collection features ten short stories told by various characters:

“Spider’s Bargain” — Gin Blanco
“Web of Death” — Gin Blanco
“Web of Deceit” — Fletcher Lane
“Poison” — Finnegan Lane
“Wasted” — Finnegan Lane
“Tangled Dreams” — Jo-Jo and Sophia Deveraux
“Tangled Schemes” — Bria Coolidge
“Spider’s Nemesis” — Mab Monroe
“Haints and Hobwebs” — Gin Blanco
“Parlor Tricks” — Gin Blanco

Note: Stings and Stones is a 67,000-word collection of Elemental Assassin short stories. Some of the stories previously appeared on Jennifer Estep’s website, while others have been featured in anthologies.

Stings and Stones by Jennifer Estep is due out November 28, 2023. It is available for preorder now.

Why am I waiting on this book? This is an urban fantasy series that I've really enjoyed. I missed most of the stories when they were originally published in varous places. If you've read any of the series, this is a must. If you haven't yet, this may be a good introduction to some of the major characters.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: Karma Girl by Jennifer Estep

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser:

My fiance and best friend were sleeping together and hiding their secret identities from me. I didn't know which betrayal hurt worse. Or which made me angrier. (p. 8 on my Kindle)

Karma Girl by Jennifer Estep was published May 1st, 2007 by Berkley.

Synopsis: 

Investigative reporter Carmen Cole gets the surprise of her life on her wedding day when she discovers that her fiance and best friend are sleeping together – and that the two of them are her town’s resident superhero and ubervillain. Shocked and hurt, Carmen reveals their secret identities and then decides to devote her life to unmasking every superhero and ubervillain who crosses her path.

A series of successful unmaskings lands Carmen a job at The Expose, one of the biggest newspapers in Bigtime, New York, a city that’s full of superheroes and ubervillains. Carmen is in her element – until she gets kidnapped by the Terrible Triad, Bigtime’s most dangerous ubervillain team.

The Triad orders Carmen to uncover the secret identity of Striker, the leader of the Fearless Five, Bigtime’s most popular superhero team – or else they’ll drop her in a vat of radioactive goo. With that threat hanging over her, Carmen sets out to unmask Striker, but what she doesn’t count on is falling for the sexy superhero. But with the Terrible Triad lurking around, this is one story that just might be the death of her …

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #350: Last Strand by Jennifer Estep

 

Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.

Every bloody thread has been leading to this . . .

I’ve battled a lot of bad guys in my time, both as Gin Blanco and as the notorious assassin the Spider. But I’ve never faced off against anyone quite as powerful and deadly as the dastardly leader of the Circle secret society.

Just when I finally have a lead on how I can defeat the evil group once and for all, new information comes to light that throws me for a loop. Suddenly, everyone and everything I love is in imminent peril of being destroyed, and I’m racing against the clock to figure out a way to save my friends.

The stakes couldn’t be higher, and the danger has never been greater. Somehow, I need to weave one last strand in my web of death—and kill my enemies before they kill me . . .

Last Strand by Jennifer Estep is expected out March 16th, 2021. It's available for pre-order on Amazon now.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like the series. This is the nineteenth book in the Elemental Assassin series. Jennifer Estep says it will be the last full length book for a while in this series. She is planning some novellas from different characters' points of view. And she has some other projects in the works. I like the characters in the series and am really looking forward to seeing what happens to them in this book.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Review: Sharpest Sting by Jennifer Estep

Gin and her friends are getting ready for the wedding of two of their friends - Mallory and Stuart. Gin is also spending her spare time searching for more evidence against the Circle. Some of the latest evidence comes to her directly from the Circle. And it involves betrayal that hits close to home.

Soon, the goons from the Circle are watching her every move. Will things be resolved before the wedding? Will her friends stay safe? Will Gin survive this betrayal mentally and physically?

Just when I think Jennifer Estep can't top herself, she does. I ended up giving this addition to the Elemental Assassin series 4 out of 5 stars. It's good and twisty. There is danger to everyone who knows her. I raced through the book. I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. We learn more about the past of her family and of her mentor Fletcher. What was buried in the past just won't stay there. And her future is even more uncertain.

If you've been following the Elemental Assassin series, this is a must-read. While you might read it as a standalone, I wouldn't recommend it. It would be better to start earlier in the series to see just what is at stake and the interplay of characters. If you haven 't been reading the series, but enjoy good urban fantasy, then definitely check the series out. It's not really a cliffhanger, but there is a serious loose end. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book.

Sharpest Sting by Jennifer Estep was published October 8th, 2019.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #297: Sharpest Sting by Jennifer Estep

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From Goodreads:

The truth won’t set me free—but it will probably get me killed ...

As Gin Blanco, aka the assassin the Spider, I’m used to having a target on my back. But ever since I started investigating the secret society known as the Circle, that target seems bigger than ever.

Still, I’m trying to relax and enjoy the events leading up to my friends’ wedding when I learn that an old enemy has returned to Ashland. And that’s the just beginning of my latest nightmare. Soon, I have Circle goons watching my every move, but I have no choice but to continue searching for a key piece of evidence against the evil group.

The deeper I dig, the more horrifying secrets I uncover, and the more dangerous things become for me and my friends. Just when I think I finally have a handle on things, a shocking revelation shatters my heart and leaves me with an ugly realization—that betrayal is the sharpest sting of all ... 

Sharpest Sting is expected to be published October 8th, 2019 by Jennifer Estep.

Why am I waiting on this one? I really enjoy this series. And this is the eighteenth book in the series. I want to see where she is going with the Circle and the shocking revelation that breaks her heart.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: Venom in the Veins by Jennifer Estep

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

He huffed. "And I've also told you time and time again that Lady Luck is a fickle bitch. You might make your own luck with all your planning and preparation, but never forget that she can screw you over at any moment. Just because she can. Just because she feels like it. Just because she wants to see you squirm." (19% on my Kindle) Fletcher talking to Gin in a memory/dream.

This is my second teaser from this book. I'm enjoying it and if you like urban fantasy, you might enjoy this series as well.

Venom in the Veins was published June 12th, 2018 by Jennifer Estep. It's the 17th book in the Elemental Assassin series.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: Venom in the Veins by Jennifer Estep

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

I grinned. "You really want to get into a knife fight with me? Go ahead, sugar. You just go right ahead." (location 98 on my kindle)

Venom in the Veins was published June 12th, 2018 by Jennifer Estep. It's the 17th book in the Elemental Assassin series.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #236: Venom in the Veins by Jennifer Estep

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

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.

Venom in the Veins by Jennifer Estep is expected to be released June 12th, 2018. It is book #17 in the Elemental Assassin series.

Why am I waiting on this one? I've been enjoying the Elemental Assassin series. I'm looking forward to seeing where this installment takes Gin and her friends and family. I love that in addition to being a busy assassin and leader in the criminal underworld of the city, she is also a restaurant owner/operator. She is a busy, complex woman with friends and family that care about her and she about them. And this is an excellent urban fantasy series well worth the time to check it out.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Review: Snared by Jennifer Estep

Snared is the 16th installment in the elemental assassin series by Jennifer Estep.

Gin Blanco has her hands busy. If it's not tracking down members of The Circle and trying to find out more about it and them, then it is acting on redeemed favors chasing down a missing girl on the mean streets of Ashland.

The first member of The Circle that Gin is pursuing is Damian Rivera. He is the most accessible member she has found thus far. He is a drunk, generally reprehensible, and appears to have little security. Gin sneaks onto his property to see what she can learn. His head of security seems to be more of a threat than Damian. Bruce Porter is for a minimum very alert.

The next day, Jade, a minor boss in Ashland, comes to Gin to collect on her promise of a favor. Since Gin considers Jade a friend, the favor is freely given. One of Jade's girls is missing.

In the course of the investigation, Gin becomes aware of the fact that there appears to be a killer on the loose in Ashland. But there is something different about this one. And the hunter becomes the prey.

The book is well written. The characters are like old friends. There is enough backstory given to enjoy the book, but it would be better if the reader was already familiar with the main characters. I liked that what was revealed in the book as it seemed to give Gin more depth as well as her nemesis, Hugh Tucker.

It's a good mystery, well plotted. I had my suspicions as to who the killer was, but there was a nice little twist involved.

Overall, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's well worth the read. And it's better if you've been reading the series. The series has lasted to 16 installments and Jennifer Estep still manages to keep Gin and her friends fresh.

Snared became available April 25, 2017 from Pocket Books.

Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book via NetGalley. This review includes my own honest opinions and is given freely.

Teaser Tuesday: Snared by Jennifer Estep

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"Be careful, darling," Jo-Jo murmured. "I'm seeing storm clouds ahead for you. Some very dark, nasty ones. Swirling around and around, trying to consume you, trying to drown out all your light..."

~56% through on my Kindle

Snared is #16 in the Elemental Assassin series by Jennifer Estep. It's due out April 25, 2017 from Pocket Books.

What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Disclaimer: The quotation comes from an ARC of the book and may appear differently in the final copy.

Teaser Tuesday: Nice Guys Bite by Jennifer Estep

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Her rampant paranoia was one of the things that I admired most about her, especially since she was so often justified in her suspicions. 
So I wasn't going to let myself get too fond of Martin... yet.

~ 18% through on my Kindle
That's Silvio thinking first about his boss and secondly about his date.

Would you keep reading? 

Nice Guys Bite by Jennifer Estep falls into the Elemental Assassin series at #15.5 just after Unraveled and right before Snared. There is a spoiler for #15 in this novella, so don't read it until after you've read Unraveled. And it includes a preview of Snared at the end of it.

What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Waiting on Wednesday #158: Snared by Jennifer Estep

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. 

This week I am waiting on Snared by Jennifer Estep. It's due out January 31, 2017 from Pocket Books according to Goodreads. Synopsis is from Goodreads:

The sixteenth book in the New York Times bestselling Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series that RT Book Reviews calls, “An extraordinary series…[containing] one of the most intriguing heroines in the genre.”

If you don’t know Gin “the Spider” Blanco, you don’t know dangerous female heroines.

Irony 101—The Spider herself snared in someone else’s web…

Another week, another few clues trickling in about the Circle, the mysterious group that supposedly runs the city’s underworld. Gathering intel on my hidden enemies is a painstaking process, but a more immediate mystery has popped up on my radar: a missing girl.

My search for the girl begins on the mean streets of Ashland, but with all the killers and crooks in this city, I’m not holding out much hope that she’s still alive.

A series of clues leads me down an increasingly dark, dangerous path, and I realize that the missing girl is really just the first thread in this web of evil. As an assassin, I’m used to facing down the worst of the worst, but nothing prepares me for this new, terrifying enemy—one who strikes from the shadows and is determined to make me the next victim. 


 Why am I waiting on this book? I love the Elemental Assassin series. I enjoy reading about the adventures and dangers the characters encounter and rooting for Gin and her friends to triumph. It's a good urban fantasy series.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our ever-growing TBR lists. Thanks for coming by!

Review: Unraveled by Jennifer Estep (Elemental Assassin #15)

After the incidents in Bitter Bite (Elemental Assassin #14), Finn finds out that he has inherited a wild west theme park complete with a luxury hotel. He talks Bria, Owen, and Gin into accompanying him to check it out.Considering her last vacation was a little disastrous, Gin is skeptical about going, but gives in. She has her own motives for the trip: finding out more about her mother and the Circle -  a group that is supposed to secretly control all the illegal goings-on in Ashland.

It's not long before they find out that there is more to the park than meets the eye. Hugh Tucker, a member of the Circle, is there and has henchmen in key positions around the park. One thing leads to another and the bullets and knives start to fly.

Jennifer Estep mixes things up a bit this time around in a couple of ways. The setting is outside the usual Ashland. The supporting characters are a slightly different group. And there is an interesting dwarf named Ira who has been working in the park for a long time. Also, the bad guys are relatively new and different as Gin looks into the mysterious Circle. I think the Circle will continue as her nemesis into the next book and maybe beyond.

I liked that Gin remembers more about her mother and her past in this book. And the cast of characters worked well together - both the white hats (Gin and her friends) and the black hats (Hugh and his henchmen).

It was fast paced as all the other books in the series that I've read have been. And Estep makes you want to know what will happen next. I ended up reading it in just 3 days which is pretty quick for me.

If you like urban fantasy with plenty of action, then you will like this series. There is also a little romance, but it is not overwhelming. And there is character development. You could probably read it on its own, but you will enjoy it more if you've read a couple of the earlier books especially, perhaps, Bitter Bite. I give Unraveled 4 out of 5 stars.

Unraveled by Jennifer Estep is due out August 30, 2016 from Pocket Books. An excerpt can be read on the author's website.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Teaser Tuesday: Unraveled by Jennifer Estep

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Expected publication:
August 30th 2016 by Pocket Books

But Finn kept right on bellowing along to the music, singing about horses and beer and other cowboy things. I was the only one who seemed to notice how strained his smiles were and how forced and fake his over-the-top, giddyap cheer really was. Finn seemed determined to have a good time and forget all about his problems back in Ashland, at least for the weekend.

I admired his determination, if not his singing.

21% through on my Kindle

The quote is from an ARC and may appear differently in the final version. Unraveled by Jennifer Estep is due out August 30, 2016 from Pocket Books.

What's your teaser? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our ever-growing TBR piles. Happy Reading!

Review: Unwanted by Jennifer Estep

This novella is considered #14.5 in the Elemental Assassin series by Jennifer Estep starring Gin Blanco. Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Elemental Assassin #14: Bitter Bite by Jennifer Estep.

The e-novella is told from the point of view of Finnegan Lane and takes place after the events in Bitter Bite, but before the upcoming #15 in the Elemental Assassin series, Unraveled.

The mini family reunion that occurred in Bitter Bite has left a bad taste in Finnegan Lane's mouth. It was a worst case scenario ending in the deaths of several innocent people at the bank where he works.

Attending the funeral for one of the guards, Finn finds out that the widow is being shaken down for some debts owed by the guard's brother. He decides that this is something he can take action on and that the widow shouldn't feel obligated to pay off the giant delinquent. Rather than call on Gin to deal with it, he takes matters into his own hands.

It's a good novella, 4 star quality. We see things from the point of view of Finnegan Lane, a well liked character in the Elemental Assassin series. Here though, he is disliked and full of self-loathing after the disastrous reunion in the previous book. It's interesting to see how he deals with the resulting emotions.

The story moves along at a good pace. It sets up some plot elements that could be built on in future stories. It"s all Finnegan and no Gin. This novella is best recommended for fans of the Elemental Assassin series who have already read book #14. It will please readers who have wanted to see a deeper side to Finn especially about how he feels after the events of Bitter Bite.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Waiting on Wednesday #136: Unwanted by Jennifer Estep

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. 

From Goodreads:
The New York Times bestselling Elemental Assassin series continues with a new e-novella--from the point of view of Finnegan Lane, the foster brother of Gin Blanco, and a fan favorite of readers of the series.

The fallout from his disastrous “family reunion” in Bitter Bite has left Finn feeling hurt, angry, and depressed. He can barely stand to look at himself in the mirror, much less eat any of the delicious barbecue from Gin’s famed Pork Pit restaurant.

But when the funeral for a slain security guard at his bank turns into a showdown with some nasty underworld giants, Finn knows that he must act in order to protect an innocent family.

Finnegan Lane might be the most unwanted man in Ashland these days, but he’s determined to try to make amends for his past mistakes...

Why am I waiting on this book? Well it's a novella in the Elemental Assassin series. I enjoy reading that series. I look forward to learning more about Finn since it's from his point of view. The novella is due out July 18, 2016 from Pocket Star.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out. Happy Reading!

Waiting on Wednesday #129: Unraveled by Jennifer Estep

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

Unraveled by Jennifer Estep is #15 in the Elemental Assassins series. It's due out August 30, 2016 from Pocket Books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
After the shocking revelations of the previous book, Bitter Bite, the world of Ashland’s become even more sinister, and Gin Blanco (aka Ashland’s most fearsome assassin, the Spider) no longer knows who—or what—she can count on. Only one thing is for certain: danger and new enemies await Gin in Unraveled, Book 15 in the New York Times bestselling Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series that RT Book Reviews calls “unbeatable entertainment!”

What could go wrong when you’re trying to unravel a decades-old conspiracy?

As the current queen of the Ashland underworld, you would think that I, Gin Blanco, would know all about some secret society controlling things from behind the scenes. I might be the Spider, the city’s most fearsome assassin, but all my Ice and Stone elemental magic hasn’t done me a lick of good in learning more about “the Circle”. Despite my continued investigations, the trail’s gone as cold as the coming winter.

So when Finnegan Lane, my foster brother, gets word of a surprising inheritance, we figure why not skip town for someplace less dangerous for a few days? That place: Bullet Pointe, a fancy hotel resort complex plus Old West theme park that Finn now owns lock, stock, and barrel. At first, all the struttin’ cowboys and sassy saloon girls are just hokey fun. But add in some shady coincidences and Circle assassins lurking all around, and vacationing becomes wilder—and deadlier—than any of us expected.

Good thing this assassin brought plenty of knives to the gunfight … 

Why am I waiting on this one? Well, I've been following the series. And I've been enjoying reading it. The last book ended with a bit of a cliffhanger with the introduction of "the Circle." Not sure where she's going with it, but I am curious and want to see what's going to happen. 

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it in the comments or a link to your WoW so we can check it out and maybe add it to our ever-growing TBR list.