Audiobook Review: Dirty Magic by Jaye Wells

Series:	Prospero's War #1
Pub. Date:	Jan 21, 2014
Publisher:	Recorded Books
Narrator:	Morgan Hallett
Length:	11hrs 52min
Source:	Library

I've had the Prospero's War series on my TBR for quite a while, so I was happy to find this audio copy at my library. I was able to get my print books of the series signed by Jaye Wells last year... but I can't read those! So I will probably be doing this series in audio unless I can find room in my ebook schedule anytime soon.

The Prospero's War series takes place in a magical urban environment, in a city that sounds much like New York. There are the magical (adepts) and the mundanes, and both clean magic and dirty magic at play. The world building wasn't extensive (and didn't need to be) but the magical development will prove to be interesting as the series progresses.

So Kate Prospero is our heroine and main character in this series. Kate is patrol cop who has met her glass ceiling it appears due to her sordid history of growing up in a dirty magic coven. When Kate is given the opportunity to join the Magical Enforcement Agency (MEA) task force, she thinks things are going to start going her way. Only her life is about to get much more dangerous. I really like Kate as a heroine. She is not perfect and is relatable in her imperfection. Despite this being an urban fantasy, I found Kate's character to be somewhat realistic and I could see myself hanging out with her if she jumped off the pages of the book. Her struggle with magic, and the relationship with her brother gave Kate enough vulnerability to soften the edges of her character. However, Kate also proved herself to be a capable law enforcement officer and willing to put herself on the line. I also liked that the author didn't make our heroine invincible. I think her injuries and struggles helped make her character more realistic.

One thing I was missing in this story was a defined love interest. I think there are two possibilities, but there was no movement in one direction over another. While I don't need romance in every urban fantasy... I think the stirrings of a relationship would have given me something to look forward to in future books. (Not that I'm uninterested, I will definitely be continuing the series.)

There are an abundance of secondary characters. Between Kate's friends and teammates, plus a few acquaintances and a dubious love interest, there are lots of personalities mixing it up. It wasn't overdone, however. None of the characters seemed superfluous, and each one has his or her defined role to play in the story.

If you are a fan of urban fantasy or strong female heroines, I would recommend this series. 

Purchase Links

Prospero's War