Ill Wind

Joanne Baldwin is a Weather Warden, a modern-day American witch with powers over the elements. She can control the air and water, raising and calming fierce hurricanes with little more than a thought.

Rachel Caine's world is populated by Djinn, immortal beings of fire and powerful magic. They're also the kind that can be confined in a bottle, can grant wishes, and may be bound to a master. They walk amongst us, invisible or disguised as humans. Often they're called on to help the Weather Wardens battle Mother Nature, who in this novel is not so motherly and more than a little inclined to homicide.

Joanne is on the run for murder, and infected with a demon mark. Whilst on the road she picks up David, an apparently ordinary hitch-hiker. She's searching for Lewis, the strongest of the Wardens, in the hope that he can help. But he's proving to be extremely elusive. Unless Joanne gets help the demon mark will corrupt and destroy her. The only way she can save herself seems to be by getting a Djinn to take the demon from her, condemning itself to an eternity of agony.

Joanne is the sort of person who gives her cars names, and her love for classic cars is matched only by her love for men. There's a touch of Bridget Jones about her character, and something very human and likeable about the way she has to battle bad hair and unsuitable shoes as much as she battles otherworldly forces.

Ill Wind is an extremely fast-paced read with heaps of adrenaline-pumped supernatural action. The romance always seems to hit the right spot, racy and intense without overwhelming the rest of the story. This is a fun, witty novel with a surprising ending that will leave readers hungry for the sequel. Crackling with all the energy of a category 5, this is a smashing start to the Weather Wardens series.