Review - Carniepunk: Parlor Tricks (Elemental Assassin #8.1) by Jennifer Estep

Title: Carniepunk: Parlor Tricks

Series: Elemental Assassin #8.1

Previous books in this series: Spider's Bite (#1) | Web of Lies (#2) | Venom (#3) | Tangled Threads (#4) | Spider's Revenge (#5) | By A Thread (#6) | Widow's Web (#7) | Deadly Sting (#8)

Short stories in this series: Poison (#0.1) | Web of Deceit (#0.2) | Spider's Bargain (#0.5) | Web of Death (#1.5) | Wasted (#2.7) | Tangled Dreams (#3.5) | Tangled Schemes (#3.7) | Spider’s Nemesis (#4.5) | Thread of Death (#5.5)

Author: Jennifer Estep

Genre: Adult, urban fantasy

Publication date: June 2013

Published by: Pocket Star

Source: Library book

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Synopsis:

Come one! Come all! Witness Gin Blanco—aka the Elemental Assassin, aka the Spider—go toe to toe against the Esmerelda the Amazing's Wheel of Death and some dangerously creepy clowns! Only at The Carnival of Wondrous Wonders!

A free story from the forthcoming Carniepunk urban fantasy anthology starring bestselling authors Rachel Caine, Jennifer Estep, Kevin Hearne, Seanan McGuire, and Rob Thurman, and also includes Delilah S. Dawson, Kelly Gay, Mark Henry, Hillary Jacques, Jackie Kessler, Kelly Meding, Allison Pang, Nicole D. Peeler, and Jaye Wells. Samples of all fourteen tales are included to tantalize and to tease. Come to the Carniepunk midway and explore the creepy, mysterious, magical world of traveling carnivals today!

My rating: ★★★★☆
Gin is helping her baby sister Bria out on a case of a missing girl. This leads them to a traveling carnival, one that is quite strange and filled with even stranger people. And this missing girl might not be the only one who’s gone missing around this particular carnival. Gin's not a fan of this carnival, for more than one reason...

Each of the marks was shaped like a small circle surrounded by eight thin rays—a spider rune, my rune, the symbol for patience. Something I would need a lot of if this show was as cheesy and over-the-top as the rest of the carnival.

Gin and her sassiness... I swear! Lol. I love it! I liked this short story, overall, actually! It had action, a crazy setting, and lots of magic with and interesting air elemental. And of course our badass assassin Gin kicking ass alongside her sister Bria, who is pretty badass in her own way. I really liked that it was just Bria and Gin hanging out, getting in trouble, and then trying to get out of said trouble. Lol. It was short, sweet, and fun. What more could you ask for? Lol.

Oh! We do get some Easter Eggs: Karma Girl is mentioned, as is Cypress Mountain (which is where Mythos Academy resides!)

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a link to your review or comment below! :)