Who's Your Author? discussion

This thread is for the discussion of Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep to begin in April.

**Please be aware**
This thread WILL contain spoilers. If you would like to make a comment or ask a question without reading spoilers you can visit the April BOM Roll Call Thread and post there instead.

I'm on the waiting list for this one, I think I was number 5 or 6, so hopefully I will get it soon.

I Just got mine in the mail and I read the first two chapters it starts out really well.

Dawn - have you read any more of it? Is it good? I've got it sitting on my desk, ready to start it, but it's right alongside of about 10 other books that I need to get read this month! So, I'm not sure when I'm going to get to it.

Yay, my copy is available at the library for pick up today. I'll probably go later and start the book tonight or tomorrow.

I keep meaning to pick this one up, but other books keep getting in the way!

I just picked this book up this morning, and I flew through it in a matter of hours. It was really great! I liked the main character Gin, and I really liked the world that was created by the author. It felt a little different than some other books I've been reading lately.

Anyone else finish it yet?

I just picked mine up today, too. But I have to work, so I won't be flying through it like you, Jess! LOL

Chapter one is promising.

Sarah ~Sehrenity~ wrote: "I just picked mine up today, too. But I have to work, so I won't be flying through it like you, Jess! LOL

Chapter one is promising."

I think you're going to wish that you could fly straight through though!

25 pages in so far and things look promising. But I did have to put it down to work for a couple of hours. Hopefully I'll get back to it this afternoon.

Kelley Anne wrote: "25 pages in so far and things look promising. But I did have to put it down to work for a couple of hours. Hopefully I'll get back to it this afternoon."

Don't you hate when work interferes with books.

I finished it. Very good start to a new series! It is a good mix of mystery, suspense, action and romance.

Spider's Bite is about an elemental magic assassin named Gin (code name Spider). Gin's family was killed when she was young and Fletcher, owner of the Pork Pitt, took her in and raised her like a daughter. Fletcher is a retired assassin and teaches her everything he knows. Later, he be comes her handler. She's just coming off a job when Fletcher convinces her to take on another. This one is higher risk but at much higher payout. It'd be enough that she can retire to a normal life. But someone is out to double cross them, and the job goes awry. Fletcher's son Finn, a banker, and a sexy Detective Caine join her to solve the fast paced mystery.

I enjoyed this highly original urban fantasy. Areas that could use a little improvement are character development and the romance. However, I liked how the author wove in elemental magic. And the plot twists kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next.

Looking forward to reading the next book Web of Lies which will be out next month.

I've just finished it. It was pretty good, it stuttered in a few places especially in the first half but it got better. I initially thought Gin was a very hard woman but then you begin to witness her emotions, that she can feel hurt and is still vulnerable despite the bulletproof ultra tough exterior. Plus, she has morals, rules she's not willing to break. Her targets are rarely saints and she doesn't touch kids or animals (pets).

There was some repetition, mostly eye colour but I saw it as symbolic. Gin's grey eyes are jaded they say she's death, cold and calculating whereas Caine's gold ones are full of life, passion and dare I say purity?

I all ready want to step in and referee the relationship between Gin and Caine. They need to spill their guts to each other: Gin about Caine's dead partner and the morality in her profession and Caine needs to loosen up a bit and encourage Gin to spew.

**Spoiler**



I saw the ending coming a mile away, no body = not dead in my book, I like definitive proof.



I will definitely be reading the sequel though when I saw the release date I cursed because lots of books seem to be coming out in May and the few days before. I'm gonna be so broke...

Amy or "Ames" wrote: "I've just finished it. It was pretty good, it stuttered in a few places especially in the first half but it got better. I initially thought Gin was a very hard woman but then you begin to witness h..."

I agree about the ending! And I think that Mab (I think that was her name, the fire elemental) had something to do with it.

I just finished this one, and have to say it was better than I expected it to be. It seemed to hit all the emotions, I was even teary eyed at the end in the Pork Pit, that doesn't happen to me with UF stuff.

I liked how Gin was strong and able to do what needed to be done, but she hadn't turned off her emotions either. Her wanting, Caine knowing it was a bad idea, but charging right ahead was great. I also loved the sibling relationship between Finn and Gin, it brought some much needed levity at times. I also loved how Gin would talk about her pro-bono jobs, as some people just needed killing, and at times I agree with her.

By the time we got to her family part I just wanted to know more and didn't catch the twist. I did wonder why Fletcher seemed to hate Mab so much when they talked about it at the beginning, but it is clear why at the end.

I am glad that Gin didn't tell Caine why she killed his partner. I don't think he would have believed her if she did, but if he finds out what a scumbag he is on his own it will hit him harder.

Darcy wrote: "I just finished this one, and have to say it was better than I expected it to be. It seemed to hit all the emotions, I was even teary eyed at the end in the Pork Pit, that doesn't happen to me wit..."

I agree about Gin not telling Caine. He wasn't ready to hear what she was saying anyway. So he would have just ignored it. When he finds out on his own he's going to feel like a pretty big dumbass. I can't wait to see it :)

He's a little too pure for me though. I mean, the electricity between them was pretty hot, but he's too squeaky clean. It bugs me. This is an interesting twist though, normally it's the male that's hard and cynical and the female is fluffy and virginal. I liked the switch.

Jess wrote: "He's a little too pure for me though. I mean, the electricity between them was pretty hot, but he's too squeaky clean. It bugs me. This is an interesting twist though, normally it's the male that's hard and cynical and the female is fluffy and virginal. I liked the switch. ".

I agree the gender reversal roles was great. I wonder just how pure Caine will remain. I think his adventures with Gin will have made him see things aren't always black and white. I think his discovery of his partners will hammer that home even more.

Darcy wrote: "Jess wrote: "He's a little too pure for me though. I mean, the electricity between them was pretty hot, but he's too squeaky clean. It bugs me. This is an interesting twist though, normally it's th..."

With what happened in this book, and all the corruption with the police, he should know that maybe there was something going on with his partner as well.

It will be entertaining to see how fast he falls from his "purity" so to speak.

I'm also really interested to see what happens with the twist that was in the end. I think that Gin might go after Mab.

I think Gin going after Mab is a done deal now. It will just be a matter of how.

I wonder if she really did have anything to do with it though, or if she just knew about it. It seems too easy I guess that she was responsible for Gin's family's death.

Jess wrote: "I wonder if she really did have anything to do with it though, or if she just knew about it. It seems too easy I guess that she was responsible for Gin's family's death."

I am sure that if she did it there was a reason behind it. It seems like whoever did it was being extreme to murder a whole family. It would either be because there was the potential of great power or revenge to cause the extinction of everyone.

I really kinda liked this one. The elemental aspect was something different from the other worlds I'm reading, and I'd like to see more of that. I like the character dynamics, and I, too, am glad Gin will let Caine learn about his partner on his own. I even snickered a couple of times at the witty barbs between Gin and Finn.

The only complaint I have, and it's a minor one, is the amount of repetition of some of her favorite phrases. Chickory coffee. Gray on gold. Mmm. Sometimes it made me roll my eyes, but, hey, it wasn't all that bad. I've seen some writers do much worse with less compelling characters.

I'm definitely coming back for book 2.

Sarah ~Sehrenity~ wrote: "The only complaint I have, and it's a minor one, is the amount of repetition of some of her favorite phrases. Chickory coffee. Gray on gold. Mmm. Sometimes it made me roll my eyes, but, hey, it wasn't all that bad. I've seen some writers do much worse with less compelling characters. "

I do agree with those phrases, but wonder if she was doing that on purpose.

We first heard/saw the coffee one with Fletcher, so it seemed like when she brought it up after that it was a bittersweet memeory that always made her think of Fletcher.

As for the eyes, I agree with Amy wrote, There was some repetition, mostly eye colour but I saw it as symbolic. Gin's grey eyes are jaded they say she's death, cold and calculating whereas Caine's gold ones are full of life, passion and dare I say purity ? I do think this is spot on.

Of course if it continues in the next book, it will drive me nuts!!

And I agree--I think that's exactly what she was doing. There is a fine line, though, between setting up your world and beating your readers over the head with it. I think Estep stayed just the right side of the line here. Just enough to eye-roll, but not enough to make me quit reading.

I loved this book. I think Caine will come around (or it will really get it him eventually) and I do think there was a reason she repeated the eye color. I agree with Amy on that one.

I've just finished reading Spider's Bite, and I've got to say I really enjoyed it. 4 Stars from me. The Elemental stuff was newish and fun, but I agree about the repetition of the eye colour over and over and over again.

I think the next one is out in September or thereabouts and the third I think in December. I'll certainly be reading them, just to see how Mab gets it.

Sandra wrote: "I've just finished reading Spider's Bite, and I've got to say I really enjoyed it. 4 Stars from me. The Elemental stuff was newish and fun, but I agree about the repetition of the ey..."

I liked the elemental stuff as well, it set it apart from other books out there.

I'm about a third of the way through it and even though I'm still not sure whether or not I'll love the elemental aspect of the book or not, I'm really enjoying it. The first chapter was great and set up to have you hooked.

I think one day Gin will just hand Caine his partners file without actually commenting. That's how I'd do it at least. Here's the evidence for yourself. Do what you will with it type of thing.

Oops, I just checked and the 2nd one Web of Lies is due out 1st July and the 3rd one Venom is due out September 2010.(as per Book Depository)

So not as long as I thought, thank goodness.