Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep

From the book: My name is Gin Blanco. They call me the Spider — the most feared assassin in the South (and a part-time cook at the Pork Pit BBQ joint.) As a Stone elemental, I can hear the whispers of the gravel beneath my feet and feel the vibrations of the soaring mountains above me, though I don't use my powers on the job unless I absolutely have to. Call it professional pride. 

After a ruthless Air elemental double-crossed me and killed my handler, I'm out for revenge. And I'll exterminate anyone who gets in my way. I may look hot in a miniskirt, but I'm still one of the bad guys. Which is why I'm in trouble when irresistibly rugged Detective Donovan Caine agrees to help. The last thing a coldhearted killer needs when she's battling a magic more powerful than her own is a sexy distraction ... especially when he wants her dead just as much as the enemy.

"My name is Gin and I kill people." Those first words of this book draw you into a thrilling urban fantasy with a side of elemental magic. Gin is a very confident and swift assassin with ethics. These rules or ethics that she holds to allow her to stay cold and continue her work. She is known in her profession as the Spider who can meld with the shadows, take her victim and quickly disappear without a trace. You might think that someone like this would be hard to like, but she becomes the heroine you cheer for even in the beginning of the story. 

The elemental abilities people have in this book are quite interesting. Fire, ice, stone, and air are the major elements. They all have good and bad sides to their abilities just depending on how and who uses the ability. This ability plays a major roll in Gin's life as well as the mystery she is determined to solve.

This is a fast paced and at times a bit gory read. Don't let that stop you, however. Jennifer Estep has written a great book with a lot of action, sexual tension without interfering with the plot, a side of magic and interesting characters. If you like urban fantasy or want to give it a try, this book is a must. I also loved the way that Gin would always describe an unknown person as the pronoun "her" instead of the usual "him". Gin sees her world in the terms of the feminine even though her profession is often seen as more of a man's job. That little tidbit in itself was enjoyable and I just had acknowledge it. 

I gave this book 5 stars. Go read it. You will enjoy it. I received this book from Kelly Gay's book contest and it is a signed copy. Yep, it is going on my permanent shelf while I wait for the next installment to be published.