Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep

This book was a really nice surprise in the paranormal genre. The paranormal element was pretty much in the background with some people having "elemental" powers such as being able to talk to rocks, control fire, wind, water, and such.

The main character is Gin, an assassin otherwise known as the Spider. Although this is the first book in the series Gin is not new to the assassination game. (Spoiler alert) Basically she is hired for a job, where her employer double crosses her and tries to have her killed. Her handler and adoptive father of sorts is murdered brutally instead. So she and her step-brother of sorts, Finn, decide to figure out what is going on. They end of having to joining forces with one of the only clean cops, Donovan Caine. Unfortunately Gin is responsible for killing Caine's old partner, but they call a truce for the time being since everyone else is trying to kill them.

It ends up that the group has to track the power plays through low level stooges and vampires until they realize that one of the sisters of a major company is a high powered elemental who is planning on taking on the biggest player in town, Mab Monroe. Mab is an extremely powerfully fire elemental who pretty much runs everything behind the scenes. Eventually there is a showdown between Gin and the air elemental with Gin just barely winning after she has to use both her rock and ice powers.

Overall the book is very well written with a fast moving plot and interesting characters. There is a quick sex scene between Gin and Donovan with Donovan feeling all angsty and confused about Gin and her profession. The assassination scenes are well thought out and brutal without being overly gory.

I am very much looking forward to reading more books in this series.

I like to rate books from 1 to 10 stars. Sometimes a low rating does not mean anything negative, it just may mean that there was not much of that type of content.

********- 8 stars for the characters
********- 8 stars for action
********- 8 stars for the overall plot
*****- 5 stars for romance and sex
********- 8 stars for violence and gore
-0 stars for werewolf content
**- 2 stars for vampire content
****- 4 stars for other supernatural creatures content
********- 8 stars for the overall book

Fallen- by Lauren Kate

Fallen is a new addition to the paranormal romance genre. The supernatural element in this book is relatively new and it’s one book where you won’t find werewolves and vampires for a change.

The basic premise is that a young girl, Luce, has to go to a special boarding school after having an “incident” where a young boy is killed in a fire. She is attracted to two boys at the school, but it inexplicable drawn to Daniel. However, there is some reason that she and Daniel can’t be together which you will learn at the end of the book. Cam is the other boy and one of the most interesting characters in the book.

Overall the book is interesting but drags a bit in he middle and is kind of convoluted. From the first chapter you know something weird is going on with Daniel and it’s not hard to see that he and Luce have some kind of history. It didn’t take me long to figure out what the big mystery was, and it was kind of annoying that Luce stays oblivious for so long.

Overall the writing is good and I think the next book could really go someplace interesting. There is a pretty open ending and some of the questions are not really answered, but that makes you want to the read the next book in the series now doesn’t it? .
Fallen would be appropriate from about age 12 and up. There is some kissing but nothing overtly sexual. Some of the scenes could be kind of scary for some younger kids. I enjoyed the book and will read the sequel that is due out in September of 2010. One a side a big thumbs up for the cover art.


I like to rate books from 1 to 10 stars. Sometimes a low rating does not mean anything negative, it just may mean that there was not much of that type of content.

******- 6 stars for the characters
****- 4 stars for action
******- 6 stars for the overall plot
****- 4 stars for romance and sex (no sex in this one)
**- 2 stars for violence and gore
- 0 stars for werewolf content
-0 stars for vampire content
****- 4 stars for other supernatural creatures content
******- 6 stars for the overall book