It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #170: Finally Onto Something I'm Actually Enjoying!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Kathryn at Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

Sunday Post #214: Getting Ready For Spooky Season!

Welcome to The Sunday Post hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where I talk about what is going on in life and the blog, and show you all the bookish things I got that week!

Fall Book Tag!

Another fall themed book tag because I love fall. Lol.



I first saw this tag over at a GREAT read but it was created by Bionic Book Worm, whom I borrowed the following images from 😊

Down the TBR Hole #32: Murder Mysteries and... Contemporaries?!

Most of you probably know this feeling, your Goodreads TBR pile keeps growing and growing and it seems like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. You keep adding, but you add more than you actually read. And then when you’re scrolling through your list, you realize that you have no idea what half the books are about and why you added them. Well that’s going to change!

And thank the gods for that because I desperately need it! Lol. And thanks to Lost in a Story, as well, for creating this amazing meme!

Review: Winter’s Web (Elemental Assassin #17.5) by Jennifer Estep

Title: Winter’s Web

Series: Elemental Assassin #17.5

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) | Heart of Venom (#9) | The Spider (#10) | Poison Promise (#11) | Black Widow (#12) | Spider's Trap (#13) | Bitter Bite (#14) | Unraveled (#15) | Snared (#16) | Venom in the Veins (#17)

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) | Carniepunk: Parlor Tricks (#8.1) | Kiss of Venom (#8.5) | Unwanted (#14.5) | Nice Guys Bite (#15.5)

Author: Jennifer Estep

Genre: Adult, urban fantasy

Publication date: March 2019

Published by: Jennifer Estep

Source: Purchased ebook

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon

Synopsis:

An assassin at a renaissance faire. What could possibly go wrong? Everything, if you’re the Spider...

I might be Gin Blanco, aka the assassin the Spider, but even I need a break from the bad guys every now and then. So when Owen Grayson, my significant other, suggests a trip to the Winter’s Web Renaissance Faire, it sounds like a perfect distraction from all my problems.

The faire starts off innocently enough, but something seems slightly off about the cheery atmosphere and costumed characters. Maybe I’m being paranoid, but I can’t help but feel like I’m trapped in someone else’s icy web—and that they don’t want me to leave the faire alive...

My rating: ★★★★★
Our girl Gin can never catch a break. Not even when she’s trying to enjoy a renaissance faire. Gin was gonna try and have a good time, but as soon as she arrives Gin thinks there’s something fishy going on... some sort of scheme. Owen and Finn would call her paranoid, but she’s hardly ever wrong.

The Autumn Book Tag!

🎵 It's the most wonderful time of the year! 🎵 And by that I mean Fall. Lol.



Summer can go back to the hot hell in came from because I hate it and I'm just glad Fall is finally here! Lol. Anyway, I saw this fun tag over at The Quirky Book Nerd and I though it would be a lot of fun to do!

Review: Venom in the Veins (Elemental Assassin #17) by Jennifer Estep

Title: Venom in the Veins

Series: Elemental Assassin #17

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) | Heart of Venom (#9) | The Spider (#10) | Poison Promise (#11) | Black Widow (#12) | Spider's Trap (#13) | Bitter Bite (#14) | Unraveled (#15) | Snared (#16)

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) | Carniepunk: Parlor Tricks (#8.1) | Kiss of Venom (#8.5) | Unwanted (#14.5) | Nice Guys Bite (#15.5)

Author: Jennifer Estep

Genre: Adult, urban fantasy

Publication date: June 2018

Published by: Jennifer Estep

Source: Purchased ebook

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon

Synopsis:

Blood might be thicker than water, but venom is stronger than just about anything...

It was supposed to be a nice, quiet, simple dinner with friends—but nothing is ever nice, quiet, or simple when you’re Gin Blanco, the Spider, notorious assassin and current queen of the Ashland underworld.

This time around, someone seems to be targeting Stuart Mosley, the president of First Trust bank. Lots of people have grudges against Mosley, but the more I investigate, the more Mosley’s problems seem to be connected to some of my own, especially when it comes to the Circle, the evil, shadowy group that is secretly responsible for much of the crime and corruption in Ashland.

But when another blast from my dark and deadly past as the Spider comes to light, I wonder if I’ll be able to survive this dangerous new enemy, who has a burning thirst for revenge that will only be satisfied with one thing: my death.

My rating: ★★★★★

New week, new bad guy pummeling me to a bloody pulp. Nothing out of the ordinary for the Spider, right down to all the emotional wounds that the battles left behind on my black heart.

There’s more Circle business, of course, but this time also involving Finn’s boss, Mosely. We actually learned quite a bit about him in the last book, including that he was friends with Fletcher! We are also introduced to a new villain, Alana Eaton.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #169: More Disappointment

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Kathryn at Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

Sunday Post #213: So Many Updates!

Welcome to The Sunday Post hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where I talk about what is going on in life and the blog, and show you all the bookish things I got that week!

Literary Nails: The Babysitters Coven by Kate Williams

It's been almost a year since I last did some book-inspired nail art. I mean, I still do nail art, just not bookish ones. However, earlier this week I was part of The Babysitters Coven blog tour and I had the sudden inspiration to do some nail art for this book. It was literally last minute. My review went up on Tuesday and on Monday afternoon as I was finishing up my post, it just suddenly struck me that I wanted to do this. It was like 2 pm when I started and I needed to get it done before I went to bed 'cause I had work the next day. But I did! It actually wasn't as difficult or time consuming as I thought it would be, especially considering a lot of it was hand drawn. Yeah, I hand drew stuff! 😱

Down the TBR Hole #31: Superheroes and Exorcisms!

Most of you probably know this feeling, your Goodreads TBR pile keeps growing and growing and it seems like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. You keep adding, but you add more than you actually read. And then when you’re scrolling through your list, you realize that you have no idea what half the books are about and why you added them. Well that’s going to change!

And thank the gods for that because I desperately need it! Lol. And thanks to Lost in a Story, as well, for creating this amazing meme!

Review: Snared (Elemental Assassin #16) by Jennifer Estep

Title: Snared

Series: Elemental Assassin #16

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) | Heart of Venom (#9) | The Spider (#10) | Poison Promise (#11) | Black Widow (#12) | Spider's Trap (#13) | Bitter Bite (#14) | Unraveled (#15)

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) | Carniepunk: Parlor Tricks (#8.1) | Kiss of Venom (#8.5) | Unwanted (#14.5) | Nice Guys Bite (#15.5)

Author: Jennifer Estep

Genre: Adult, urban fantasy

Publication date: April 2017

Published by: Pocket Books

Source: Borrowed from library

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository | Thrift Books

Synopsis:

Irony 101—The Spider herself snared in someone else’s web...

Another week, another few clues trickling in about the Circle, the mysterious group that supposedly runs the city’s underworld. Gathering intel on my hidden enemies is a painstaking process, but a more immediate mystery has popped up on my radar: a missing girl.

My search for the girl begins on the mean streets of Ashland, but with all the killers and crooks in this city, I’m not holding out much hope that she’s still alive.

A series of clues leads me down an increasingly dark, dangerous path, and I realize that the missing girl is really just the first thread in this web of evil. As an assassin, I’m used to facing down the worst of the worst, but nothing prepares me for this new, terrifying enemy—one who strikes from the shadows and is determined to make me the next victim.

My rating: ★★★★★
Ever since Gin found out about them, the Circle has been kind of elusive. But not anymore because Gin is finally finding some info on them and things are happening! But on top of that, someone has hired Gin for a job. Typically someone hires Gin to assassinate someone, obviously, but not this time. Oh no, a girl has gone missing and one of Gin’s acquaintances has hired her to find the girl. I really liked this because it was pretty different from other Elemental Assassin stories—it almost had this sort of mystery vibe to it.

Library Lovers Book Tag!

I thought this tag would be perfect to do right about now because I've just been getting a bunch of stuff from the library lately! This tag was created by PiandBooks!

Blog Tour - Review, Nail Art, & Giveaway: The Babysitters Coven by Kate Williams

Title: The Babysitters Coven

Series: The Babysitters Coven #1

Author: Kate Williams

Genre: YA, urban fantasy

Publication date: September 17th 2019

Published by: Delacorte Press

Source: eARC from publisher for blog tour

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository | B&N | Kobo | Google Books

Read an excerpt HERE!

Synopsis:

Adventures in Babysitting meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this funny, action-packed novel about a coven of witchy babysitters who realize their calling to protect the innocent and save the world from an onslaught of evil.

Seventeen-year-old Esme Pearl has a babysitters club. She knows it's kinda lame, but what else is she supposed to do? Get a job? Gross. Besides, Esme likes babysitting, and she's good at it.

And lately Esme needs all the cash she can get, because it seems like destruction follows her wherever she goes. Let's just say she owes some people a new tree.

Enter Cassandra Heaven. She's Instagram-model hot, dresses like she found her clothes in a dumpster, and has a rebellious streak as gnarly as the cafeteria food. So why is Cassandra willing to do anything, even take on a potty-training two-year-old, to join Esme's babysitters club?

The answer lies in a mysterious note Cassandra's mother left her: "Find the babysitters. Love, Mom."

Turns out, Esme and Cassandra have more in common than they think, and they're about to discover what being a babysitter really means: a heroic lineage of superpowers, magic rituals, and saving the innocent from seriously terrifying evil. And all before the parents get home.

My rating: ★★★★★
As soon as I came across this book and read the synopsis I knew I needed to have it in my brain asap! I mean, magical, protective, babysitters? Umm, yes please! And it did not disappoint! It was so much fun!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #168: Hits and Misses... Well, One Miss

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Kathryn at Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

Sunday Post #212: Magenta Hair...

Welcome to The Sunday Post hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where I talk about what is going on in life and the blog, and show you all the bookish things I got that week!

Down the TBR Hole #30: Mysteries and Mermaids!

Most of you probably know this feeling, your Goodreads TBR pile keeps growing and growing and it seems like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. You keep adding, but you add more than you actually read. And then when you’re scrolling through your list, you realize that you have no idea what half the books are about and why you added them. Well that’s going to change!

And thank the gods for that because I desperately need it! Lol. And thanks to Lost in a Story, as well, for creating this amazing meme!

Review: Nice Guys Bite (Elemental Assassin #15.5) by Jennifer Estep

Title: Nice Guys Bite

Series: Elemental Assassin #15.5

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) | Heart of Venom (#9) | The Spider (#10) | Poison Promise (#11) | Black Widow (#12) | Spider's Trap (#13) | Bitter Bite (#14) | Unraveled (#15)

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) | Carniepunk: Parlor Tricks (#8.1) | Kiss of Venom (#8.5) | Unwanted (#14.5)

Author: Jennifer Estep

Genre: Adult, urban fantasy

Publication date: December 2016

Published by: Pocket Star

Source: Borrowed from library

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon

Synopsis:

Working for Gin Blanco (aka the Spider, the assassin who runs the Ashland underworld) doesn’t leave much time for romance, especially with Gin’s holiday party planning in full swing. But when he catches the eye of a charming gentleman, Silvio finds himself going out for coffee.

All’s fair in love and war, though. Just as Silvio is starting to enjoy himself, he realizes he’s being watched. His nice guy date doesn’t sense the danger, and Silvio wants to keep it that way (and, well, keep the guy alive) so Silvio ends the date early—only to be abducted by some villainous giants.

Will Silvio survive the night and make it back to the Pork Pit in time for Gin’s holiday party? Only if he decks the hall with bodies...

My rating: ★★★★★
This novella is told in the POV of Silvio, which, yes please! Silvio was introduced only a couple of books back, but he quickly became one of my favorite characters! I especially love the relationship he has with Gin!

Now, be a nice assistant, and put that thing down.” She brandished her scissors at me. “Before I stab it to death—literally.”
With anyone else, I would have considered it an idle threat. But not when my boss was Gin Blanco, the assassin known as the Spider. I’d seen her kill men with her bare hands . . . trash-can lids . . . loose bricks . . . even a fork once.

Lay out the Beach Towel–It’s Summer Book Tag!

I saw this tag over at Emily the Book Nerd and it looked like a lot of fun to do! Especially now that Summer is winding down... finally! Look, I'm not the biggest fan of Summer because I can't stand the heat, so I am super excited that Fall is finally just around the corner!

Review: Unraveled (Elemental Assassin #15) by Jennifer Estep

Title: Unraveled

Series: Elemental Assassin #15

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) | Heart of Venom (#9) | The Spider (#10) | Poison Promise (#11) | Black Widow (#12) | Spider's Trap (#13) | Bitter Bite (#14)

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) | Carniepunk: Parlor Tricks (#8.1) | Kiss of Venom (#8.5) | Unwanted (#14.5)

Author: Jennifer Estep

Genre: Adult, urban fantasy

Publication date: August 2016

Published by: Pocket Books

Source: Borrowed from library

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository | Thrift Books

Synopsis:

What could go wrong when you’re trying to unravel a decades-old conspiracy?

As the current queen of the Ashland underworld, you would think that I, Gin Blanco, would know all about some secret society controlling things from behind the scenes. I might be the Spider, the city’s most fearsome assassin, but all my Ice and Stone elemental magic hasn’t done me a lick of good in learning more about “the Circle”. Despite my continued investigations, the trail’s gone as cold as the coming winter.

So when Finnegan Lane, my foster brother, gets word of a surprising inheritance, we figure why not skip town for someplace less dangerous for a few days? That place: Bullet Pointe, a fancy hotel resort complex plus Old West theme park that Finn now owns lock, stock, and barrel. At first, all the struttin’ cowboys and sassy saloon girls are just hokey fun. But add in some shady coincidences and Circle assassins lurking all around, and vacationing becomes wilder—and deadlier—than any of us expected.

Good thing this assassin brought plenty of knives to the gunfight...

My rating: ★★★★★

Finn’s mother is gone for good, but my poor Finn is still feeling the after effects of his mother’s betrayal. Especially since he apparently inherited some western themed resort/amusement park? Can someone say vacation? Lol.

“Cowboy up, y’all. We’re going on a road trip.”

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #167: More Endings... My Heart Can't Take It!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Kathryn at Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

Sunday Post #211: Sci-Fi and Alchemy!

Welcome to The Sunday Post hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where I talk about what is going on in life and the blog, and show you all the bookish things I got that week!

Finish the Series! #1 + Why I'm So Bad at Finishing Series

So I'm sitting here, it's Sunday afternoon, and I am surrounded by books, deciding what to read next...

Down the TBR Hole #29: Funhouse of Death Basically

Most of you probably know this feeling, your Goodreads TBR pile keeps growing and growing and it seems like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. You keep adding, but you add more than you actually read. And then when you’re scrolling through your list, you realize that you have no idea what half the books are about and why you added them. Well that’s going to change!

And thank the gods for that because I desperately need it! Lol. And thanks to Lost in a Story, as well, for creating this amazing meme!

Review: Unwanted (Elemental Assassin #14.5) by Jennifer Estep

Title: Unwanted

Series: Elemental Assassin #14.5

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) | Heart of Venom (#9) | The Spider (#10) | Poison Promise (#11) | Black Widow (#12) | Spider's Trap (#13) | Bitter Bite (#14)

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) | Carniepunk: Parlor Tricks (#8.1) | Kiss of Venom (#8.5)

Author: Jennifer Estep

Genre: Adult, urban fantasy

Publication date: July 2016

Published by: Pocket Star

Source: Borrowed from library

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon

Synopsis:

The fallout from his disastrous “family reunion” in Bitter Bite has left Finn feeling hurt, angry, and depressed. He can barely stand to look at himself in the mirror, much less eat any of the delicious barbecue from Gin’s famed Pork Pit restaurant.

But when the funeral for a slain security guard at his bank turns into a showdown with some nasty underworld giants, Finn knows that he must act in order to protect an innocent family.

Finnegan Lane might be the most unwanted man in Ashland these days, but he’s determined to try to make amends for his past mistakes...

My rating: ★★★★★
This novella is in Finn’s POV and takes place after the hot mess that was Bitter Bite. And I don’t mean that in a bad way ‘cause the book was amazing! I just mean that Finn’s encounter with his long lost mother was a disaster and I hate what she did to him! Finn is still feeling awful about what happened, understandably. Especially because so many innocent guards were killed that day. He feels like it was his fault, and he’s not the only one who feels that way. The people at the bank are not happy with him either. So on top of his mother’s betrayal there’s this. You can understand why he feels so depressed and guilty.

What a sad, stupid, gullible fool I’d been.

Back to School Book Tag!

I saw this tag over at That Book Gal and I thought it looked like a lot of fun to do! Everyone is probably back at school by now... except for those of us who are done (me. Lol). And while I'm not in school anymore, I have been contemplating going back to get my BSN... but I kind of don't want to. I really don't miss school. Lol. Although, it's funny that I chose for this post to go up today because I guess, in a way, I am going back to school today! I'm a home care nurse and I'm accompanying a patient to kindergarten starting today to watch their airway, so that should be interesting! Lol. Anyway, onto the fun stuff!

Review: Bitter Bite (Elemental Assassin #14) by Jennifer Estep

Title: Bitter Bite

Series: Elemental Assassin #14

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) | Heart of Venom (#9) | The Spider (#10) | Poison Promise (#11) | Black Widow (#12) | Spider's Trap (#13)

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) | Carniepunk: Parlor Tricks (#8.1) | Kiss of Venom (#8.5)

Author: Jennifer Estep

Genre: Adult, urban fantasy

Publication date: February 2016

Published by: Pocket Books

Source: Purchased ebook

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository | Thrift Books

Synopsis:

Which is stronger: blood ties or a battle-tested friendship?

It’s not easy being queen bee of an underworld abuzz with crooks and killers. Wielding my potent Ice and Stone elemental magic will only get me so far—my real secret is my tight-knit makeshift family, a motley crew of cops and criminals, dwarves and playboys. My foster brother Finnegan Lane is my right-hand man, but when his suddenly not-dead relative comes back into the picture, I’m the one on the outside looking in.

It’s funny how life works: one minute your best friend is rock-steady, and the next he’s doe-eyed and buying into this whole loving-relative routine to the point of ignoring you. I’d like to be happy for Finn, I really would. But all of my instincts are telling me that beneath the syrupy sweet demeanor and old-fashioned charm, this sudden interloper is planning something. The whole shtick leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. This person might have avoided the grave once, but I’ll put anyone who hurts Finn in the ground—for good.

My rating: ★★★★★
Just from reading the synopsis I knew this one was gonna be a tough one to go through. Salina levels tough. Finn’s not-so-dead mother is back in town and her intentions with Finn... well, they’re questionable at best. Gin is cautious around her, but my poor Finn is ecstatic as you can imagine. So yeah, reading this was difficult emotionally. Especially because I love Finn so much! But Gin always has his back—always watching out for her brother.

How do you go about rocking the foundation of his world to its very core? Changing everything he thought he knew about his parents? All that would have been bad enough if this was a stranger. But this was Finn. The guy I’d been raised with. The guy I had been through so much with. The man who was my brother in all the ways that truly mattered.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #166: And the end has come...

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Kathryn at Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

Sunday Post #210: Spooky Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Welcome to The Sunday Post hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where I talk about what is going on in life and the blog, and show you all the bookish things I got that week!