HAINTS AND HOBWEBS (Elemental Assassin 4.5) by Jennifer Estep-dual review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play

Re-release Date: November 27, 2018.

Even the Spider can’t escape a ghost’s web . . .

I’m being haunted.

As Gin Blanco, aka the assassin the Spider, I’m used to being haunted by all the bad things I’ve done over the years. I suppose it was only a matter of time before an actual ghost came back to haunt me. But for once, I’m not the bad guy, and I wasn’t the person who sent this ghost—this haint—into the afterlife.

But this haint definitely wants something from me, and I can’t help but think that it’s revenge on the person responsible for her untimely demise.

Good thing revenge is my specialty, whether it’s among the living or the dead . . .

Note: Haints and Hobwebs is an 11,000-word story that takes place after the events of Tangled Threads, book 4 in the Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series. Haints and Hobwebs first appeared in The Mammoth Book of Ghost Romance in 2012.

•••••••

Sandy’s REVIEW: HAINTS AND HOBWEBS is a short story in Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassin paranormal/ urban fantasy series focusing on Gin Blanco aka The Spider aka The Assassin –the reigning Queen of the paranormal Underworld of Ashland. HAINTS AND HOBWEBS takes place after the events of Tangled Threads (Elemental Assassin #4).

NOTE: HAINTS AND HOBWEBS first appears in The Mammoth Book of Ghost Romance in 2012

DEFINITION: A Haint is a restless spirit who is unable to move on due to unfinished business.

Told from first person point of view (Gin Blanco) HAINTS AND HOBWEBS follows Gin as she is haunted by the spirit of a young woman who needs our heroine’s help. Unable to move on, the ‘haint’ needs Gin’s help to reunite with the man that she loves but his soul lays trapped behind magic and glass. When Gin’s foster-brother Finn discovers the truth behind the spirit’s death, Gin goes in search of the young lover’s soul.

HAINTS AND HOBWEBS is a very quick read; an intriguing, engaging and colourful stand alone in the author’s Elemental Assassin series that reveals at little about Gin and Owen’s growing love; Gin and Jo Jo’s ability to see spirits; the early stages of Finn and Bria’s relationship; and the ultimate evil who steals the souls of the people he kills.

BARB’s Review:   Haints and Hobwebs by Jennifer Estep is a short story that is part of her wonderful Elemental Assassin series.  Haints and Hobwebs is a re-release that was published as part of an anthology from a few years ago. Since I had never read this book, I looked forward to reading this, as I love Gin Blanco and Elemental Assassin series.

The story begins with Gin visiting Fletcher’s grave and she sees a female ghost standing over someone else’s grave.  Gin is shocked as this is the first time she can see a ghost; as she watches the girl, Gin notices the desperation on her face.  What is a Haint? It is a spirit (ghost) that cannot move on due to something left unsettled.  Even though communications is difficult, in a short time, Gin and her team will become involved in helping the haint solve the problem, which has been in existence for many years.

What follows is a quick story that is exciting and also fun.  It was exciting as Gin will discover an evil vampire who is killing people and stealing their souls; one of those souls is from the girl’s (haint) boyfriend, whom she is desperate to help.  It was tense when both Gin and Owen find themselves in a deathly situation.  The fun part, since this goes back to earlier in the series,  was remembering the early days of Gin & Owen; Gin’s sister Bria, and just spending time with them all.

Haints and Hobwebs was a nice fast paced enjoyable read. If you are a fan of the Elemental Assassin series, I suggest you read this short story, as it was fun.

Copy supplied for review

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author, prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.

Jennifer writes the Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series. The books focus on Gin Blanco, an assassin codenamed the Spider who can control the elements of Ice and Stone. When she’s not busy killing people and righting wrongs, Gin runs a barbecue restaurant called the Pork Pit in the fictional Southern metropolis of Ashland. The city is also home to giants, dwarves, vampires, and elementals – Air, Fire, Ice, and Stone.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads