Total Eclipse (Weather Warden, Book 9)

As I huge fan of the Weather Warden series, I am so sorry to see it end. As it has been mentioned, I would rather it go out on top than drag on and drag on like Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. Rachel Caine doesn't dissapoint with Total Eclipse, book #9 and final book in her Weather Warden series. We left Joanne Baldwin and her husband/Djinn, David, having fought and lost both their powers. They are trying to navigate the soon to be apocalyptic world blind and powerless. Old friends join them on their journey like Cherise (human friend), Kevin (adolescent fire warden), and Lewis (the head of the wardens) to just name a few. The world is a strange one for all humanity and Djinn. Mother nature is awake and really pissed off at humanity and the Djinn are no longer controlled by humans but mother nature herself. The world is falling apart around them (fires, earthquakes, animal attacking humans, Djinn attacking humans, etc) and humanity is all going to die if mother nature has her way. Djinn that Jo has once called her friends can no longer be trusted and the one Djinn who could do something (David) has lost his powers. The journey takes them to all the Oracles who have a direct line to mother nature which are the Air Oracle, Fire Oracle, and the Earth Oracle (which is David and Jo's daughter Imara). The journey is two fold in that Jo and David need to get their powers back and find a way to stop the end of the world. No small feat but this is Joanne Baldwin. She has seen worse and will not give up until this battle is over. David and Jo learn that their powers were transferred to the two people that were closest in proximity to them and the same people who are with them on this journey. This offers some funny moments as Jo has to teach her friend on how to use Jo's old Warden powers. I also like the scene where Jo rents a 1970 mustang boss and she just drools over it and will not let anyone else drive it (reminds me of the old Jo from earlier in the series with her love of fast cars). Jo and David both get their powers back eventually and now they have to save humanity from certain doom. David cannot directly help Jo in the battle after getting his powers back because as a Djinn he would be under the control of mother nature, so he has to hind out in a protective bubble and indirectly help. The journey is fast paced and exciting with obstacles and crazy animal attacks (ants, chimeras, hawks, eagles, snakes, etc). The conclusion is bittersweet in that not everyone survives, but the ending brings hope to the future of humanity. I don't want to spoil it for you. I am sad to say goodbye to Jo and David and all their friends and enemies. Rachel Caine gave an exciting conclusion to her Weather Warden series that didn't disappoint long time fans like myself.

Sit down, buckle up, and hold on as Rachel Caine takes you on more wild adventures of Joanne Baldwin. She's kept her as sassy as ever, and raises the already hair-raising level of action even higher! I want to say more but I don't want to spoil it for anyone. So if you liked the earlier books, you'll like this one too.

Another fast paced novel, which was quicker than most, due to rushing through to find out what ultimately happens to Jo & her cohorts. As always great writing & editing by Caine. I was a bit disappointed that not everything was resolved by the end. I hate to write spoilers in a review, so please check-out the discussion page to find out what those were. In any case, a satisfying conclusion of such a great action packed & sometimes emotional series. Yes I whimpered a few times, before the end. I'm not ashamed to say. A hard book to find, since it wasn't available on Kindle & out at my local Bookstore, but it was well worth getting a copy if you are vested with this series.

Weather warden Joanne Baldwin and her husband Djinn David defeated their enemy former weather warden Bad Bob (see Cape Storm), but at a price that she knows was too high. Besides her friends like Lewis becoming ill, she and David are stripped of their power, Djinn are dead in mass numbers, and the Black Corner of the planet no longer contains earth's natural pulse. Their victory at all costs has come with an even greater price as Mother Nature is waking up from a long nap; outraged by the pollution that has destroyed much of the planet's magic. With the Djinn gone, no one can intercede to persuade Mother Nature to give mankind one more chance; her inclination is extinction of humanity and all other living essences. Leaving "Gilligan's Island" (as she has no gowns anyway) to save the world, Joanne accompanied by her man David, her BFF Cherise and Cherise's soul mate Kevin set out on a quest to prevent the end of times though they have no power beyond that of humans. The ninth tale in the Weather Warden urban fantasy saga is a great finish that showcases why Rachel Caine is a master wizard. The story line is simple: save the world from a rightfully righteous fuming Mother Nature without any otherworldly powers. Fans of the long running series will relish the climax as Joanne and company find themselves in dire straits with no hope of success; however as she understands to hit a home run one must swing the bat and risk striking out; as not trying means out anyway. Harriet Klausner