Adept Solutions Series of Special Investigations for the Magickally Challenged Box Set: Books 1-2

De: Teagan Kearney

Narrado por: Elisabeth Lagelee

JB runs the Adept Solutions Agency for the magickally challenged with help from his maverick team of hybrid supernaturals: Zhanna and Nikki and the psychically gifted twins Jason and Gemma. They’re resourceful, determined, and will do everything they can to solve their cases.

©2018 Teagan Kearney (P)2018 Teagan Kearney

Short Urban Fantasy Stories

I received this book for free. I am voluntarily posting this review and all opinions expressed herein are my own.

This covers the first two books in the Adept Solutions series. The stories takes place in a detective agency full of paranormal characters.

In the first story, JB has taken over the agency after his father was hit by a car and lies in a coma. The case is to find a chalice for a witch. The story was interesting and I liked how the mystery of the chalice intertwined with the events of JB's father's accident. However, there wasn't a lot of character development and it just felt a bit flat for me. It just seemed like there was a lot of complaining by everyone in the agency about each other.

In the second story, JB must rescue a princess from an evil wizard while at the same time, Jason, one of the investigators, has gone missing. Problem is that Jason is so unreliable that JB believes that he has disappeared on purpose. What I liked about this book - and what I missed in the first book -- was more character development. I also enjoyed that there was less whining/complaining by the characters within the agency about each other. This was a more involved story - between an evil wizard and the succubus.

The narrator, Elisabeth Lagalee, did a good job. She had voices for the various characters - although the male voices were my least favorite.

Some issues

Urban fantasy rules, I do love it so. So when I find something good I freak out and tell everyone. This book, as a book, has some solid legs although the ending could have used some work. Here the narration is like tea made from an overused teabag. Its really weak. Don't know, but it seems like Lagelee just wasn't all that into the book, and if you are going to narrate something it should come across like you think its the best thing you ever read. Good narration makes a story better, bad narration kills it.

Enjoyable Paranormal Stories

I enjoyed this two-book set, although it started a bit abruptly without a lot of history on the characters, and some action, including a short-term relationship between two of the main characters, appears to occur between the books that is referenced but not detailed. That said, the characters and stories are entertaining, and a pleasant way to spend your down-time. I enjoyed the mix of paranormal beings working together, and liked watching them employ their special skills.. I would like to see more character depth, and I'd like to hear from Jason once in a while. He seems to be painted mostly as a womanizing ne'er-do-well and not much of a team player. I'd like to hear his point of view.

The narration was pretty good, and I had no trouble distinguishing between the different characters. The delivery was smooth and well paced.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

short stories

even being short stories I just couldn't get into them the narration just wasn't something I could get into.

Overall it's 3.5 rounded up to 4...

First of all, I generally liked the stories - both of them - as they are short, relaxing and entertaining.

The plots are not overcomplicated; JB and his team take a job, investigate into the case and follow the leads, and then get the bad guy and save the day, all without much effort really, and with the help of JB's grandfather, who happens to be a powerful demon:) The only problem is, they have it almost too easy; the bad guys turn out to be not so powerful, the obstacles are overcome in an instant and problems are not so problematic... That's why I can't give the stories more than 3.5-4 stars.
Also, there's not much character development, especially in the first book, still, the characters themselves are likeable, with some background that we are yet to discover more of, so there's potential for further development.

Narration by Ms Lagelee is overall good, ranging from just OK to really good at times; she's sometimes a bit flat in the narative parts where I'd like to have more emotions. Dialogues are much better, very good when it comes to women, male voices, however, sound a bit strange sometimes. But as soon as you get used to her way of reading, you stop noticing those things most of the time. So I'd say it' again 3.5 stars rather than 3.

DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.