Total Eclipse by Rachel Caine

Book Summery:
The good news is that Weather Warden Joanne Baldwin has saved the world. The bad news: It doesn't really matter. A substance is poisoning the earth, destroying the very magic that keeps the planet alive. Joanne and David have already lost their powers and the destabilization runs even deeper, shattering the delicate balance that we all take for granted. With signs of chaos everywhere, our harried weather warden must search for new remedies to an unprecedented world crisis. -goodreads.com

Book Review:
A fitting end to a fabulous series! Caine does not disappoint in this final installment of the ever-beloved Weather Warden series. I loved this series from page one of Ill Wind, and it was with a heavy heart that I turned the last page of Total Eclipse. I have been on many a road trips with Jo. I've been along side her as she battles against the impossible, as she fights the good fight and sacrifices much of herself because it is the right thing to do. I've felt the weight of humanity on her shoulders, had her heart broken and found a lasting love. No, it was not an easy task for me to finish this series. I believe this why I put off reading Total Eclipse for so long, despite the fact that I bought it almost immediately upon its release.



Everything comes full circle in Total Eclipse and the bigger picture is filled in. I could not asked for a better ending. The most interesting and ingenious concept was the use of mother earth as the villain. Let me just say that should she ever decide to end humanity, we do not have a fighting chance. If you haven't read the series, I highly encourage you to do so. The characters are imaginative, flawed, and emotionally realistic. The idea of using djinn and the four elements was refreshing, original, and a total success. I have yet to read anything like the Weather Warden series, and therein lies its charm. I absolutely love Caine's writing and look forward to reading her newest series, a Weather Warden spin-off, The Outcast Season, as well as her upcoming series, The Revivalist. Also, if you haven't read her YA series, The Morganville Vampires, you should do so. Immediately. For more information, check out Caine's website here. Also, if you're interesting in reading more about the series, you can read my spoiler-free reviews here.

Favorite Quote:

"I was fantasizing about a peaceful afternoon and a hot bath the way perverts fantasize about porn. Hell, maybe I'd throw in some shopping. I'd always loved the clothing stores in the big casinos. Nothing like hitting Couture when you're depressed, and if you're going to certain death, why not go out wearing Valentino or Prada?" (p.234)

Cover Art Commentary:
Not my favorite cover in the series, but the use of red has a lot of meaning in this book. Once again, Jo is on the cover looking as fierce and beautiful as ever!

Overall Rating:

Cape Storm by Rachel Caine

Summery:
Weather Warden Joanne Baldwin was supposed to be enjoying a romantic honeymoon with her new husband, the Djinn David--not running from a malevolent hurricane bent on destroying her. Joined by an army of fellow Wardens and Djinn on board a hijacked luxury liner, Joanne has lured the storm into furious pursuit. Only one problem: Even their combined magic may not be enough to stop it.

Now Joanne's being drawn into uncharted dark territory, both at sea and in a battle for her own soul...and if she doesn't change course, her fellow Wardens--and even David's Djinn--won't have any choice but to blow her away...-Goodreads.com

Review:
This book left me breathless. Cape Storm is action-packed from beginning to end. The one element missing in this story are the muscle cars Jo loves to drive (and almost always destroys). Instead of the usual on-the-road setting, this story takes place out to sea, leaving the wardens and djinn vulnerable to a horrific storm...one that is specifically sent to destroy them. I found the change of scenery refreshing, a new component to the overall story arc. David and Jo are more fiercely in love than ever. As the usual, the world is about to end and Jo is the key to survival. Oh, and there are some great and unexpected twists and turns along the way to keep the reader on their toes. ;) Overall, a lovely, lovely series by Rachel Caine. I look forward to the last *sighs* book in the series due to come out this year.

Cover Art Commentary:
Very dark, very fitting. This book has a overall dark backdrop with subtle light notes along the way. The troubled waters heavily speak to the many obstacles and threats posed to the characters throughout the story.

Overall Rating:

Gale Force by Rachel Caine

Summery:
While on vacation, David asks Joanne to marry him. While Joanne is thrilled to say yes, she must consider the various parties that are strongly objected to union and will do anything to stop it from happening. Meanwhile, there is a dark force at work which is posing a large threat to the wardens, djinn, as well as mother earth. One that the djinn are unable to see and the wardens, unable to stop. Oh, and the press has caught wind of said supernatural phenomena and are hot on Joanne's trail, trying to capture her every move. Just what a girl needs when she is trying to save the world from imminent doom, right?!

Review:
I just finished this book and I can barely catch my breath. Again, can I just say what I a fan of Rachel Caine I am?! She packs it all in, in this 7th installment of the Weather Warden series. What I love most about her writing is the sarcasm and dark humor. It balances out the heaviness and darker moments of the story. I cannot tell you how many times I found myself laughing aloud, even when the characters are facing certain death. It takes an incredible writer to do that. I also love how fierce and independent she makes her heroine. You cannot help but love Jo, even if you don't agree with her every decision and action. With every book, I get closer to the end of the series. While I am enjoying the ride, I am sad to see it end.

Cover Art Commentary:
This is my favorite cover of the entire series. No joke. I knew it the moment I bought the entire series. I love the colors. I love the cherry red mustang and the leaves that are fluttering beside Joanne. The indeterminable sky in the background has a lot to say about this book.

Overall Rating:

Thin Air by Rachel Caine

Summery:
Joanne Baldwin has had better days--at least she hopes she has. After waking up naked and freezing in a forest, she's located by two rescuers she doesn't recognize at all. One supernaturally gorgeous guy might have been her lover. The other says he can control the weather...and so can she.

Not everyone looking for Joanne has her best interests at heart, and with no way to tell friend or foe, Joanne is quickly lost in a fog of deception. Her tenuous hold on life is fading with every passing moment. Now she must rebuild herself, one memory at a time, before someone else steals her life--and she disappears into thin air. Oh, and along the way, it seems that she has to save the world....-From the back cover, also found at goodreads.com

Review:
I chose to use the synopsis from the back cover because it made me want to tare into this book, which I did hastily. Seriously, that summary offers some serious enticement, does it not?! Well let me tell you what, Caine does not fail to follow through! If I thought Firestorm was amazing, I had no idea what Thin Air held in store. This is my absolute favorite book in the series so far. I love the interaction of Jo with the other characters without her memory. It offers a fresh perspective to the overall storyline. Watching Jo piece her life back together is an interesting process. There are many obstacles in store for Joanne as well as the reader. Caine's writing is smoother and better than ever in this 6th installment. I absolutely cannot wait to start Gale Force!

Cover Art Commentary:
I love, love the cover to this book. Thin Air primarily deals with the element of earth, which is represented by the trees in the background. What I like most about this cover, is that Joanne is dressed casually in jeans and a tank top, instead of the black leather outfits which are more often displayed on the covers. While the leather outfits are tantalizing, the more casual clothing is closer representative of what her character usually dons in the books.

Overall Rating:

Firestorm by Rachel Caine

Summery:
Rogue Weather Warden Joanne Baldwin is racing to New York to warn her former colleagues of the impending apocalypse. An ancient agreement between the Djinn and the Wardens has been broken, and the furious Djinn, slaves to the Wardens for millennia, have broken free of mortal control. With more than half the Wardens unaccounted for in the wake of Djinn uprising, Joanne realizes that the natural disasters they've combated for so long were merely symptoms of restless Mother Nature fidgeting in her sleep. Now she's waking up--and she is angry....-Goodreads.com

Review:
I chose to use the synopsis from Goodreads because I simply cannot begin to describe this book in mere words. It is amazing. There is so much that happens, and it's all quite valuable to the overall storyline of the series. Caine's writing is better than ever in this fifth installment of the Weather Warden series. I am 100% hooked and itching to start the next book in the series. If you haven't read this series, I highly encourage you to do so...soon.

Cover Art Commentary:
I love the cover to this book. In the weather warden world, the wardens can control earth, fire, or weather (i.e. air and water). Obviously, this book deals greatly with fire. This is the first cover in the series that hasn't depicted a major scene in the book, but the element of fire is a prominent theme. Therefore, is rightly justified as the cover for this volume.

Overall Rating:

Windfall by Rachel Caine

Summery:
Joanne Baldwin has had a bumpy life's journey since she became a Weather Warden. So it's no suprise Jo decides to leave the Wardens for good to salvage the few pieces of her life left remaining. Unfortunately, life has other plans for Jo...Her sister Sarah shows up, freshly divorced, without a penny to her name. David, her Djinn boyfriend is having problems of his own and seems to be draining the life right out of Jo. Also, a police officer shows up and starts to tailing Jo in attempt to find out what happened to his partner who is mysteriously missing. On top of her personal problems, the truce between the Wardens and the Djinn begins to dissolve. Joanne finds herself forced to choose between saving her Djinn lover, saving her Warden abilities and saving humanity.

Review:
This is probably the best book in the series that I have read so far. I love the introduction of all the different characters. It's nice to get to know Jo as a person, rather than just a Weather Warden. What is probably the best feature of this book is Caine's writing. It is much more polished and reads more smoothly than the first three books in the series. Caine previously wrote several other books under pseudo-names before beginning The Weather Warden series (which are still some of her earlier writings), but she admits herself, that it took time to really hone her writing skills. I was completely gripped to the story, like I was in Caine's Morganville Vampire series. I am definitely hooked now and can not wait to devour the rest of the series!

Cover Art Commentary:
Gorgeous. I love that this book does not have the basic white background that the first three books have. The color gives the cover depth and character. As always, the picture is of a pivotal scene in the story! :)

Overall Rating:

Chill Factor (Weather Warden Series #3) by Rachel Caine

Summery:
*Due to taking some time off from reading, halfway through the book, I am posting the summery from goodreads.com.

Weather Warden Joanne Baldwin has protected the human race from monster storms, been killed, reborn as a Djinn, and then restored to her original form. Now she's throwing the dice to stop an infinitely powerful, deeply disturbed kid--who is holed up in a Vegas hotel--from bringing on a new ice age. -Goodreads.com

Review:
Readers are in for a wild ride in Rachel Caine's third installment of the Weather Warden series. Chill Factor picks up right where Heat Stroke left off. Caine plants more twists and turns amidst non-stop action. Fans of the series will not be disappointed.

*The fact that I took a reading hiatus in the middle of the book, should in no way reflect the story. I enjoyed it very much and devoured in two well-spread-apart sittings. I highly anticipate reading the rest of the series.

Cover Art Commentary:
I still hold that the first book in the series, Ill Wind is my favorite cover. This cover definitely goes with the rest of the series. I like the choice of color. It also depicts a pivotal action scene from the book.

Overall Rating:

Heat Stroke (Weather Warden Series #2) by Rachel Caine

Summery:
Joanne has been reborn into a djinn. Apparently the transformation of human into djinn isn't easy or common. Jo discovers that she has a lot to learn. Quick. She has been given a week to learn how to survive on her own before her lifeline to survival is cut. Meanwhile, there is a rift in the atmosphere, which is leaking out a fine mist, known as coldlight, which is deadly to all djinn. Said leak is also creating lethal storms, which the Wardens are finding difficult, if not impossible, to contain. Joanne must master her djinn skills quickly in order to help fight the coldlight before her fate, as well as that of her fellow djinn, comes to a rapid end.

Review:
Readers are in for quite a journey in this second installment of Caine's Weather Warden series. In the first book, Ill wind, there was a direct path, one main goal for the main character to obtain, with a few minor pieces that fit into the main storyline intricately. In Heat Stroke, there is a lot more going on. It's almost too much. There are various obstacles for Joanne to overcome, some of which at the same time, almost always effecting another person or djinn. I found it a bit overwhelming and struggled to stay on track at times. However, the ending of this book made up for the chaos ensued. I rather enjoyed meeting Jonathan, the main deity of the djinn. I hope for more appearances of him throughout the series.

Cover Art Commentary:
While not my favorite cover in the series, it does depict a major scene in the story.

Overall Rating:

Ill Wind (Weather Warden Series #1) by Rachel Caine

Summery:
Joanne is unique person with an unique ability to control the weather. Such unique people are often known as Wardens. There are weather wardens like Joanne who control air and water. There are fire wardens who control fire and earth wardens who controls all earth-related matter.

What makes Joanne special is that her ability is about ten-fold compared to your average warden, which makes her coveted, yet feared. The warden council has made sure to keep an extra close eye on her to ensure her gift does not go unchecked. However, Joanne has run into an unfortunate mishap that singles her out as a murderer and liability. Now the council is hot on her trail and an unseen enemy is throwing deadly storms her way. Joanne must use of all her power to outrun the wardens that seek to lobotomize her and find another outlaw warden who is the strongest warden known, and her only hope to survival.

Review:
I absolutely adore Caine's writing. I have read (and loved) the Morganville Vampire series, so I highly anticipated the Weather Warden series. I was not disappointed. Caine's writing style is quite similar, however her adult writing is more complex than that of her YA, and rightfully so. It took me a few pages to discern the complex world Caine created, but once I was up to speed, I didn't slow down. I love the Djinn characters especially. I devoured this book eagerly and can not wait to dive into the rest of the series!

Cover Art Commentary:
I am just smitten with this cover! It highlights Joanne and her prized mustang. There is some foreshadowing with the open road and lightening ahead...Just talking about it makes me want to read it again! ;)

Overall Rating: