I really enjoyed this book. I didn't enjoy the ending but I understand why it ended that way. I'm not going to write a plot summary since so many others on here already have. I enjoyed the charater development tremendously and felt for the characters. I liked how she created a new world using real things like weather and the atmosphere. I had never heard of a djinn but found them to be interesting after reading about vampires and other paranormal things. I felt Ms. Caine really explored her world and brought me as the reader into it. I can't wait to read the rest of her series. However I didn't like how quick the ending happened. I felt she needed to expand it and explain it more. I just felt as if she was under deadline to finish it. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys the paranormal or fantasy based reality. It's a super quick read.

I read the blurb of the Rachel Caine Weather Warden series in my local bookstore newsletter and decided that they sounded interesting enough for me to purchase the first two - Ill Wind and Heat Stroke - based simply on the blurb and review. I haven't been disappointed. Joanne is a flawed heroine and someone who is believable. She doesn't always do the smart thing and tends to react more on emotion and instinct rather than cold logic. I can relate. :)

The character development in Ill Wind is extremely good - we get introduced to characters that become increasingly important in following books, but Caine takes her time with the introductions which of course whets the reader's appetite and we want to know more and read more. Clearly Caine has a bit of a thing for fast muscle cars and the open road, but it fits the character and the storyline, so it's forgiveable.

There's not a real downside to Ill Wind, other than the fact that almost every male character in the book has the hots for lead character Joanne, which gets a bit annoying. Charlaine Harris did the same thing with the wonderful Sookie, and having all these men "in love" with Sookie became extremely annoying. I wouldn't want the same thing to happen here. The second complaint is that Joanne is 'extraordinary' in her world - more magic than almost everyone else, extra special to the guy who is the most powerful warden in the world etc etc. Too much 'specialness' makes characters remote and it can really become overdone in magic themed books. Final complaint - I didn't like the demonisation of the Earth. The whole idea that the earth is waiting to kill us off and would have succeeded without the wardens years ago doesn't fit in with my idea of nature.

However, my complaints are relatively minor and I really did enjoy the uniqueness of this book and look forward to reading more in the series.