Heat Stroke

Heat Stroke by Rachel Caine

Weather Warden #2

Mistaken for a murderer, Weather Warden Joanne Baldwin is hunted down and killed by her colleagues. Reborn as a Djinn, she senses something sinister entering earth's atmosphere-something that makes tomorrow's forecast look deadly.

Wow, I thought the first book was good, but this one blew it out of the water. It picks up right where the last one left off with Joanne trying to figure out her new Djinn powers. Even though David tries to hide it from her, Joanne quickly finds out there are consequences for him saving her. The leader of the djinns, Jonathan, gives her a week to learn how to support her own power or both David and her will lose their lives. Jonathan sends her to another djinn for training but a disturbance ethereal plane starts reeking havoc, leaving Joanne to try and save the day. Again.

We learned more about what djinns really are. I find their "ethereal" lack of true bodies to be interesting, as they are truly just pure energy. It takes conscious effort to take maintain human form, something Joanne really struggles with at first. Her battles with reforming without nudity make for some comedic scenes. Unfortunately, before she can really start to train herself, Joanne gets claimed by a human It was horrible for Joanne to see firsthand how helpless a bound djinn really is. When their master orders them to do something, they have no choice but to obey regardless of how horrific the order is. Luckily she uses her innate sassiness to her advantage to keep some semblance of control over her own actions.

There are plenty of twists and turns, (and some "untwists" of events from the first book), that just kept me on the edge of my seat. This definitely is a book you will wind up reading in one session as you will not be able to put it down. The ending was a cliffhanger leading right into the next book, and I can't wait to see how Joanne digs herself out of yet another mess.

Rating:

Buy now at Amazon:
Heat Stroke (Weather Warden, Book 2)