Review: Shaedes of Gray by Amanda Bonilla

Shaedes of Gray 

(Shaede Assassin #1) 

by Amanda Bonilla 

Mass Market Paperback, 316 pages 

Published by Signet Eclipse

"I'd learned the hard way that love is nothing more than the sharpest blade, and it can easily be turned against you. I refused to let anyone have that kind of power over me ever again."

Darian has lived alone for almost a century in the shadows of the night. Made and abandoned by her former love, Darian is the last of her kind—an immortal Shaede who can slip into darkness as easily as breathing. With no one else to rely on, she has taught herself how to survive, using her unique skills to become a deadly assassin.

Darian finds herself struggling to keep her employer, Tyler, at arm's length, especially since his seductive smile makes her want to break her rules about love. The work he offers is necessary to protect the innocent—and a welcome distraction. But when Darian's next mark turns out to be Xander Peck, King of the Shaede Nation, her whole worldview is thrown into question. Darian begins to wonder if she has taken on more than her conscience will allow, but a good assassin never leaves a job unfinished.

One thing you must keep in mind when reading Shaedes of Gray is... Tyler never disappoints.

And nether does Amanda Bonilla writing skills. It's been a while since I stayed up past my bedtime to read a book. Bonilla has crafted an exciting world with all kinds of paranormal species. One being Shaedes, that can hide in the shadows of night and turn into a floating like mist during the night hours. But they are trapped in their human form during the day while their polar opposites the Lyhtans; can "poof" and be unseen in the daylight ours. But in the case of Shaedes of Gray, the light is not the good side.

So you have a good side and a bad side and a heroine Darian, that has no clue that this supernatural world exists. How can that be when she is a Shaede herself? She was lied to for years by her maker and slowly learns about the other supernatural beings along with her own race.

Darian has been working with Tyler, a human that acts as her middle man with her clients. He sets up the assassin jobs but he's more than just her "boss" that happens to have a crush on her.

Darian is like another of my favorite assassins (Gin Blanco from Jennifer Estep's Elemental Assassin series) she has one rule, she doesn't assassin innocent people.

When Tyler sends Darian on her current assassin job her whole world is turned upside down, both business and personal wise.

If you are looking for a well written Urban Fantasy that delivers a great heroine that can only get better and secondary characters that will only help her come into her bad-assery then you MUST read Shaedes of Gray.

To get a taste, you can read the Chapter 1 at Amanda's website.

Next Books in Series:

  

Similar Heroines:
Gin Blanco - Elemental Assassins series by Jennifer Estep
Merit - Chicagoland Vampires series by Chloe Neill
Mac - Fever series by Karen Marie Moning

Audio Review: Widow's Web by Jennifer Estep

Widow's Web 

by Jennifer Estep 

(Elemental Assassin # 7)
Narrated by Lauren Fortgang

I used to murder people for money, but lately it’s become 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 anyway. 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, 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.


REVIEW:

Oh where to begin? Well first if you follow me you know that all the books in this series have been 5 Mac Halo (stars) and favorites for me. Well kiddies, Widow's Web is still a favorite and I still have my Gollum moments (My Precious) but I could only give it 4 stars.

Why? One word, or rather name...OWEN.

Owen you broke my heart in this one. I knew you were too perfect. But I have hopes that you pull you head out of your ass in the future.

But I'll back up a bit and leave Owen where he belongs...bitch slapped and tie up somewhere. For now.

I love how Widow's Web starts. Gin has been planning an assassination for weeks on her current targets and you won't believe who they are. I found myself confused and then laughing my ass off.

We get to see the whole case, Finn, Bria, the Deveraux sisters (I knew that I've heard that last name before reading this series and it finally click in my head... The Golden Girls, Blanche Deveraux ok back to the review) Eva, Phillip Kincaid and of course Owen.

This time around the gang is dealing with a deadly water elemental, Salina who just happens to share a past with Owen, Eva and Phillip. And as the book summary states, she appears to be the perfect Southern Belle but really she's one cold heart, crazy bitch and it's seems every but Owen knows it.

Anyway Salina is back in town after being gone for years. And she is making a splash (pun intended) in the underworld of Ashland. See Gin and Owen's families were not the only people that Mab Monroe killed. Salina's father was killed by Mab at party years ago when she was younger and it broke her. While she was away she only got crazier and now she has brought her deadly water magic to town in hopes of getting revenge.

That's where Gin comes in to take the bitch down. But Salina wrecks all kinds of havoc before the Gin finally takes her out. And we will feel the effects of the havoc for few books yet, I'm sure.

Also to sum up Widow's Web - action packed, another crazy bitch dead by Gin's knives, and the once loved Owen is now on my shit list as well as others that have read the book. Fans of the series will no doubt read this one and have strong feelings, especially if they are an Owen fan.

Series Reading Order:
Spider's Bite
Web of Lies
Venom
Tangled Threads
Spider's Revenge
By a Thread

Audio Review: Spider's Revenge by Jennifer Estep

Spider’s Revenge 

by Jennifer Estep 

(Elemental Assassin #5) 

Old habits die hard. And I plan on mur­der­ing some­one before the night is through.

Killing used to be my reg­u­lar gig, after all. Gin Blanco, aka the Spi­der, assassin-for-hire. And I was very good at it. Now, I’m ready to make the one hit that truly mat­ters: Mab Mon­roe, the dan­ger­ous Fire ele­men­tal who mur­dered my fam­ily when I was thir­teen.

Oh, I don’t think the mis­sion will be easy, but turns out it’s a bit more prob­lem­atic than expected. The bitch knows I’m com­ing for her. So now I’m up against the army of lethal bounty hunters she hired to track me down. She also put a price on my baby sister’s head. Keep­ing Bria safe is my first pri­or­ity. Tak­ing Mab out is a close sec­ond.

Good thing I’ve got my pow­er­ful Stone and Ice magic — and my irre­sistible lover Owen Grayson — to watch my back. This bat­tle has been years in the mak­ing, and there’s a chance I won’t sur­vive. But if I’m going down, then Mab’s com­ing with me...no mat­ter what I have to do to make that happen.

“Old habits die hard for assassins. And I planned on murdering someone before the night was through. That’s what I did, me Gin Blanco, the assassin known as The Spider. I killed people, something that I was very, very good at.”

Have I told you guys how much I LOVE this series? Well, I’m telling ya again. It’s on my top 5 list of Urban Fantasy series EVER.

Since I don’t want to spoil you guys I’ll keep this review very short.

Gin is back, kicking ass and taking names.

Finn is back with his smart remarks and sexiness.

Owen is back with his yummy self.

Mab is back…..

Donovan is still gone. YAY

That’s all you’re getting from me. I can’t talk about this book without spoilers so just know it’s AWESOME and I suggest you start this series you have not already. And if you have, you know how great it is.

“The people I've killed over the years, yeah I did most of them for the money. Because being an assassin was a job and one that I was good at. But the biggies, all the folks I've taken on in recent months......they've all practice for you bitch.”

If you are just now getting into this series and have not made it past Spider’s Revenge, I HIGHLY recommend you read the novella that follows, Thread of Death. It reads like an epilogue to Spider’s Revenge.

Review: Tangled Threads by Jennifer Estep

Tangled Threads

by Jennifer Estep

Narrated by Lauren Fortgang

Elemental Assassin # 4

Published April 26th 2011 by Audible Frontiers

An assassin has come to Ashland to murder Gin Blanco, the renowned killer known as the Spider. Ever since she declared war on Mab Monroe, the ruthless head of the Ashland underworld, she's had a target on her back. Mab wants her dead in the worst kind of way, which is why she's hired Elektra LaFleur. LaFleur is just as ruthless as Gin, and has electrical elemental magic that equals Gin's Ice and Stone power. Complicating matters is the fact that Mab's kidnapped an innocent young girl. For Gin, finding her is priority number one…but surviving is a close second.

It's getting harder and harder not to spoil during these reviews but here I go....
 
Gin has stepped up her game on the take down Mab Monroe front. She is taking out Mab's men left and right and now Mab has brought in Elektra, an out of town assassin, in hopes of taking out the Spider.

The assassin's name hints at her elemental power, electricity. And Gin gets a few shocks from Elektra. But have no fear, Gin is the still the baddest ass assassin in Ashland. With her ice magic becoming just as strong as her stone and she is learning that she just might have what it takes to finally take out old Mab.

Gin and her gang (Finn, Jo-Jo, Sophia, Rosalind and Xavier) work on helping free an innocent little girl that Mab's men have taken while trying not to get themselves or the little girl killed.

Gin and Bria work together again and secrets are found out.

On the romance side Owen is back. Mmmm... Owen. He could not be more perfect for Gin. He doesn't guide her by her past and is front and center to help her with her present. 

Gin might be a "retired" assassin but the bad guys of Ashland better look out cuz the Spider is now doing her job for free and she is every as bit as dangerous if not more.

Still loving this series and now that I've gotten then review out of the way I can power through the next book, Spider's Revenge. 

Review: Venom by Jennifer Estep

Venom

by Jennifer Estep 

(Elemental Assassin #3) 

Lauren Fortgang (Narrator)

It’s hard to be a badass assassin when a giant is beating the crap out of you. Luckily, I never let pride get in the way of my work. My current mission is personal: annihilate Mab Monroe, the Fire elemental who murdered my family. Which means protecting my identity, even if I have to conceal my powerful Stone and Ice magic when I need it most.

To the public, I’m Gin Blanco, owner of Ashland’s best barbecue joint. To my friends, I’m the Spider, retired assassin. I still do favors on the side. Like ridding a vampire friend of her oversized stalker—Mab’s right-hand goon who almost got me dead with his massive fists.

At least irresistible Owen Grayson is on my side. The man knows too much about me, but I’ll take my chances. Then there’s Detective Bria Coolidge, one of Ashland’s finest. Until recently, I thought my baby sister was dead. She probably thinks the same about me. Little does she know, I’m a cold-blooded killer . . . who is about to save her life. (From Goodreads)

****Review will contain mild spoilers if you are not update on the series.****

Ok the awesomeness of this series just gets better with each book. Each book in the Elemental Assassins series has its own plot with a bigger picture plot surrounding the murder of Gin’s mother and older sister. Things keep building as Gin finds out more about that night and about her later handler, Flecter.

Gin is still mourning her handler and foster father, Fletcher. She is also having a hard time with her love life. But as one douche bag leaves town; another HOTTER and more suited for Gin, guy comes along.

“I don’t judge you for what you’ve done, Gin. Why are you judging me for another man’s mistakes? Because Donovan Caine did make a mistake,” Owen said in a soft voice. “Letting someone like you go.”

By the time Venom ends I can’t see a more perfect guy for Gin than Owen.

Gin just can’t seem to stay retired from the assassin gig. But instead of getting paid for her skills she is using them as a service to the good people of Ashland.

“I’m just wondering how exactly I went from being the Spider to the Robin fucking Hood of the greater Ashland area... Instead of stealing from the rich, I’m stabbing them to death for the poor.”

Gin and gang has their hands full trying to help Rosyln Phillips with a stalker problem. The stalker in question is Elliot Slater, Mab Monroe’s head of security. Gin has no problem planning a way to kill the giant, since we start out Venom with Slater beating the crap out of Gin on the college campus. How can that be? Gin decides to go along with the beating as not to give away her cover as Gin Blanco.

Gin spends a great deal of Venom protecting her cover in order to get closer to Mab Monroe and figuring out a way to take her out for killing her family all those years ago.

Speaking of family, Gin finally gets to meet her baby sister that she thought died with her other sister and mother on that dark night. Gin and baby sister Bria are on different sides of the law but are more alike than either would have guessed.

Venom is full of action, mystery and a healthy dose of dark humor and snark. I love the world and characters that Jennifer Estep has built. It’s been a while since a series has grabbed me the way this one has.

And now that I’m done with this review and can now start Tangled Threads!

UF Audio Review: Web of Lies by Jennifer Estep

Web of Lies 
by Jennifer Estep
Lauren Fortgang (Narrator)
(Elemental Assassin #2)
Amazon | B&N | Audible.com
★★★★★
Curiosity is definitely going to get me dead one of these days. Probably real soon.

I'm Gin Blanco.

You might know me as the Spider, the most feared assassin in the South. I’m retired now, but trouble still has a way of finding me. Like the other day when two punks tried to rob my popular barbecue joint, the Pork Pit. Then there was the barrage of gunfire on the restaurant. Only, for once, those kill shots weren’t aimed at me. They were meant for Violet Fox. Ever since I agreed to help Violet and her grandfather protect their property from an evil coalmining tycoon, I’m beginning to wonder if I’m really retired. So is Detective Donovan Caine. The only honest cop in Ashland is having a real hard time reconciling his attraction to me with his Boy Scout mentality. And I can barely keep my hands off his sexy body. What can I say? I’m a Stone elemental with a little Ice magic thrown in, but my heart isn’t made of solid rock. Luckily, Gin Blanco always gets her man . . . dead or alive.

REVIEW:


Ok let me get the rant part of this review over with….. Bye, Bye Dick-tective Douche Bag! That’s all I will say so that I don’t spoil you guys but those of you that have read this series will know what I mean.

Web of Lies takes place about 2 months after the events in Spider’s Bite. And we find that Gin has been retired after taking a long vacation and is now running the Pork Pit full time. But what does a retired assassin do when she gets bored?

She plans the murder of one of the rich douche bags in town, which is trying to strong arm an old man by having one of his thugs rape and kill the old man’s granddaughter one night on the college campus.

Gin dusts off her skills and goes to work. The whole team from Spider’s Bite, Fin and the Deveraux sisters are back to help Gin with the dirty work. Also detective Donovan Caine is back to get Gin’s warm spot, hot again.

Gin is juggling a few things this time around. She has a few bad guys to deal with, she’s still grieving over Fletcher’s death and not to mention her conflicting feelings about Donovan. Plus Gin is trying to figure out how to hand the news she learned about her past in Spider’s Bite.

After all is said and done, Gin gets her man….well the man she means to murder and plus one. As far as getting her man in her personal life that’s a bit harder for her.

Web of Lies ties up a few things just to build up more things to come in the coming books in the Elemental Series by Jennifer Estep and I for one can’t wait to dig into the next book, Venom. In fact, see y’all botches later. I’m off to start it on audio NOW.

 Part of:

Check out the interview Jennifer Estep did the 

the narrator of the series over at her WEBSITE.

AADSAV Review: The Bodyguard's Princess by Ann Mayburn

The Bodyguards' Princess 
by Ann Mayburn 

ebook, 132 pages
Published August 2nd 2011 by Liquid Silver Books
Amazon - B&N
★★★ 1/2

Lalita Chetana, daughter of a United Nations Diplomat, survives an attempted kidnapping by a terrorist group known as the anarchists. She has a difficult time with her recovery, and her father hires two bodyguards, ex-Marines Asher Epson and Kent Warne, to keep her safe and give her time to heal. Unfortunately, even their skills can't save her from an enemy determined to destroy her.

Hypnotized into stealing UN secrets, she is framed by the anarchists. As part of their plan to humiliate and break her father, they plant a hypnotic trigger that anytime she hears the word “bitch” she will become aroused to the point of pain. She is forced to flee and go into hiding with Asher and Kent. The men become unable to hide their real feelings for her after her trigger is hit and they have to relieve her of her sexual torment.

Warning: This book contains hot, dominant men who will do anything to please their lady including light bondage, spanking, public caning, and decadent ménages.


REVIEW:

The Bodyguards’ Princess is a unique story filled with suspense: terrorism, fugitives, hypnotism, and near death experiences. These aspects combined with the pure hotness of the main characters are wonderfully entertaining.

Lalita is a diplomat’s daughter who is wrongly accused of being a terrorist. On the run, her bodyguards, Asher and Kent, protect her and help her clear her name while searching for the bad guys. It doesn’t take long for the three to realize Lalita has been conditioned/hypnotized by her enemies to respond sexually to the word “bitch”. Though they work at finding a way to break her conditioning, the three also enjoy her intense sexual response. The sex scenes were hot while the ménage depicted was well written, with light BDSM and some M/M.

There were a few drawbacks, for example, Lalita’s personality annoyed me at times. She was…brattish at times and I thought Asher and Kent’s long lasting relationship goals with women were a bit ridiculous.

This is the first Ann Mayburn’s books I have read and I must say, her writing style has caught my interest and I’ve already added a couple of her books to my to-read list.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy ménage with some light kink.

Check Ann's website for more books.

YA Review: Death and the Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones

Death and the Girl Next Door
by Darynda Jones 
(Darklight #1)

Paperback, 304 pages
Published October 2nd 2012 by St. Martin's Press
BUY: Amazon / B&N
★★★


Ten years ago, Lorelei's parents disappeared without a trace. Raised by her grandparents and leaning on the support of her best friends, Lorelei is finally beginning to accept the fact that her parents are never coming home. For Lorelei, life goes on.

High school is not quite as painful as she thinks it will be, and things are as normal as they can be. Until the day the school's designated loner, Cameron Lusk, begins to stalk her, turning up where she least expects it, standing outside her house in the dark, night after night. Things get even more complicated when a new guy—terrifying, tough, sexy Jared Kovach—comes to school. Cameron and Jared instantly despise each other and Lorelei seems to be the reason for their animosity. What does Jared know about her parents? Why does Cameron tell Jared he can't have Lorelei? And what will any of them do when Death comes knocking for real?

REVIEW:

Even though I am not a huge YA reader I do enjoy one from time to time and since I love Darynda Jones' Charley Davidson adult series I knew I had to give Death and the Girl Next Door a try.

For me the 1st quarter of the book moved a little slow but then things started picking up for me when the plot started to get more detailed and action packed. There was a really cool action scene between two of the guys where time kind of freezes around them. It was awesome. I could see it all in my head like I was there and I thought this would blow the Matrix away if it was on the big screen.

The humor is much like that of Charley Davidson series but a little watered down for the YA crowd. Lorelei and her buddies, Glitch and Brooklyn are what I imagine what Charley and Cookie would be like in high school, snarky but safe for the PG crowd. 

And because this is a YA novel the characters have some of the insecurities that teenagers have; that cheerleader is much more prettier than me, why would he like me? But Lorelei and company have more than just the everyday teenage problems. They have to think about how to save the world. Much harder than a pop quiz.

The characters are likeable and plot is interesting but the I got a little lost in the Christian mythology during some points. But it pretty much boils down to good vs evil.

As far as the hotness of Jared, the tall dark mystery guy that comes to town. He sounds like the prefect little brother to Reyes. Although he is way older than he appears.

All in all fans of Jones' way of writing and snarky humor and YA readers will most likely enjoy this read.

 (ARC provided through Netgalley)

Part of:

 

UF Audio Review: Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep

Spider's Bite 
by Jennifer Estep
Elemental Assassin Series - Book #1
Narrated by Lauren Fortgang 
Audiobook
Published September 28th 2010 by Audible Frontiers
Amazon | B&N | Audible.com
★★★★★

“My name is Gin, and I kill people.”

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. 


REVIEW:


Wow. Any book that starts with the heroine stabbing someone in the balls is a book for me!

Spider’s Bite starts with a thrill ride that you find yourself riding through out the whole book. Like all great roll coasters there are not just ups and downs but there are a few loopy-de-loops and twists and turns just like the plot of this excellent Urban Fantasy tale that Estep was crafted.

If you are a fan of the Urban Fantasy genre then you know that they can be dark and gritty, some more than others. Spider’s Bite is very dark with a high body count but it also has a little something for the smexy fans as well. Estep has done an awesome job in creating a kick ass heroine that’s dirty and not just in the hardcore kick ass way. Sure Gin gets dirty and bloody doing her job but she also knows the value of getting dirty in a broom closet by having hot monkey sex. BRAVO to Estep for knowing that a hard core chick needs her fun sweaty time too.

So when Gin’s not in broom closets having the sex, she is an assassin for hire that is known by her nick name, The Spider. All the great assassins have one and they all have meaning to them. Gin’s means that she knows how to hide in the shadows and wait for her prey to come to her before she strikes them down with her knife.

There are different types of elementals in this world; air, fire, stone, ice, etc. Gin happens to wield both stone and ice, even though stone is the stronger of the two for her. But when Gin finds herself without a knife she can make a handy ice stake for a weapon that works just as well as her knife in a pinch.

I know what you’re thinking. How can you root for an assassin? Even though Gin kills people for money, she has standards. All of her hits are on bad guys; like rapists and murders. Think of her as an exterminator, she takes out the low life and trash.

In Spider’s Bite we follow Gin, on her mission to clear her name and hand out revenge on a client that has framed her for the murder that she was hired after. But the kicker is, Gin didn't get to finish the job.

Gin has a handler named Fletcher; he’s more than a handler, he’s like a father to her. He took her off the streets after her whole family died at the hand of a fire elemental when she was just a kid. Fletcher is a retired assassin that is the owner and cook at the Pork Pit, a B-B-Q restaurant where Gin works part time when she’s not busy killing people.

While Gin is trying to find out who framed her, she gets closer to one of police detectives in town, Donovan Cane. Who just happens to be the partner of a bad cop that Gin assassinated for raping and beating a young girl. But Donovan being the good cop doesn't know that his partner was a rapist and believes that Gin assassinated him just for shits and giggles and he has been hunting her ever since his partner’s death. But once he meets her all he can think about is getting her naked.

And like most heroine, Gin has a side kick like character, Finn. Finn is Flecther’s son and like a bother to Gin, a smoking hot bother that she once slept with (when they were young and stupid, her words not mine). Finn is great for comic relief with his snarky comments. He is a solid member of Gin’s team. He is always there for her and her for him, and he is a total man whore.

I HIGHLY recommend Spider’s Bite to any Urban Fantasy fan that loves reading about a kick ass chick that has way too knives and knows how to make a mean .

Narration Note: Lauren Fortgang is now on my favorite narrator list. She does an amazing job with Gin. She has a smokey voice is great for the gritty feel of urban fantasy and she can take Gin’s voice from bad ass to 1-900 sex line worker from 0-60 when it’s needed in the plot. I feel like her male characters could be a little more deeper but she still does a good job with him.

 Part of:

Cover Revealed: Deadly Sting by Jennifer Estep

 

Deadly Sting outer cover

Deadly Sting inner cover

Jennifer Estep posted on her BLOG the cover for the 8th book in her Elemental Assassin Series.

I am currently listening to book 2 on audio. I must say that I LOVE this series so far. I can't wait to get caught up on it.


She also shared the description:



Red is definitely my color. Good thing, because in my line of work, I end up wearing it a lot.

Most people shy away from blood, but for an assassin like me — Gin Blanco, aka the Spider — it’s just part of the job. Still, it would be nice to get a night off, especially when I’m attending the biggest gala event of the summer at Briartop, Ashland’s fanciest art museum. But it’s just not meant to be. For this exhibition of my late nemesis’ priceless possessions is not only the place to be seen, but the place to be robbed and taken hostage at gunpoint as well. No sooner did I get my champagne than a bunch of the unluckiest thieves ever burst into the museum and started looting the place.

Unlucky why? Because I brought along a couple of knives in addition to my killer dress. Add these to my Ice and Stone magic, and nothing makes me happier than showing the bad guys why red really is my color.






If you want to see what this series is all about you should sign up for the Read-A-Long that The Book Vixen and Smash Attack Reads is hosting.

And if you'd like to meet Estep she is one of the featured authors for Authors After Dark in Savannah, GA next August.



          What do you think of the cover?