Caffeinated Reviewer

Each year I select one audio series from my backlist to devour, and I am currently enjoying the Weather Warden series by the late Rachel Caine. Chill Factor delivered an intense installment that had me clenching my fists, swiping at tears and screaming for justice.

GAMBLING WITH HER LIFE

In Rachel Caine's Ill Wind and Heat Stroke, Weather Warden extraordinaire Joanne Baldwin, who protects the human race from monster storms, was killed, reborn as a Djinn, and then restored to her original form. She's been through a lot -- and stuck her neck out many times -- to save innocent lives. Now she's rolling the dice to stop an infinitely powerful, deeply disturbed kid from destroying the world....

A teenager named Kevin has holed up in style at a Vegas hotel with the most powerful Djinn in the world, planning who knows what kind of mischief. The Wardens' senior leadership is dead, Djinn are disappearing, and a secret society wants to help Joanne destroy Kevin, even if doing so kills her (again). But everybody in Vegas has a game going, and Joanne has to learn the rules fast because the stakes have never been higher -- and all hell is about to break loose....

Narrated by Dina Pearlman, Chill Factor by Rachel Caine, is the third audiobook in the Weather Warden series, and it was intense. Hold on to your hats, it’s about to get windy. Kevin has Vegas on lockdown, Djinn are going missing and our girl has a secret.

I quickly learned that our weather warden, Joanne Baldwin, and her Djinn David never catch a break. Kevin has Vegas locked down while he lives it up, living on the strip with Jonathan, the most powerful Djinn in the world. And he is at Kevin’s beckoning command.

When Weather Wardens Paul, Marrion and other show up at Joanne’s hotel she knows there is trouble and oh boy…. what happens to Joanne and David had me screaming, but then Lewis and his shenanigans send Joanne smack dab into the middle of Vegas where she will have to contain Kevin and get him to hand over Jonathan’s bottle. To complicate matters, she will have to do it without David.

Caine took me on one hell of a ride. We met another group similar to the Wardens called the Ma’at who claim to want balance. We learn Joanne has a secret and watch things go all to hell. Don’t start this unless you have a clear schedule, wine, tissues and chocolate. Damn. I hate the weather wardens, and the Ma’at aren’t much better.

Power plays, evil villains and Joanne linking them created a tale that was non-stop action with loss, double crosses, and Joanne left to clean up the mess. For me the series keeps getting better and has me emotionally invested even as it rips out my heart and makes me want to slap a few characters in the face.

The audio was produced in 2010 and all I can say is, “We’ve come a long way, baby.” The sound quality and production isn’t the best, but Dina Pearlman does a brilliant job at bringing these characters and their emotions to life through tone, pacing, and character voices.

Amazon | Audible

About Rachel Caine

Rachel Caine is the NYT, USA Today, and #1 WSJ bestselling author of more than 50 books in several categories and genres, including adult thriller and adult urban fantasy/SF as well as books for young adults ages twelve to eighteen. Rachel Caine lost her fight with a rare and aggressive cancer, soft tissue sarcoma, in November of 2020. With over 56 books in print and millions of copies sold, she was a frequent guest at conventions in the United States and around the world. Her popular book series include the young adult Morganville Vampires novels, the Great Library series, and the #1 bestselling Stillhouse Lake novels in adult thrillers.

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About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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