Magic Rune Academy 2: An Urban Fantasy Adventure

I’ll admit, I was skeptical when Jessica Threet’s narration hit the opening line with a thick Maine accent—it’s easy to overdo regional dialects. But Threet sells it, grounding the protagonist’s roots before the magic takes over. Her performance is the audiobook’s secret weapon: she oscillates between weary skepticism and electrified urgency as the story demands, and her chemistry with the side characters (especially the morally gray mentor) feels natural, not forced. The real triumph, though, is how she handles the runic combat. Instead of a generic ‘magic whoosh,’ she syncs her delivery to the audio cues—like a stuttering incantation that sounds like a short-circuiting computer. It’s a small detail, but it turns abstract spells into something tactile. That said, the pacing drags in the middle act. Scott’s worldbuilding is dense, and while it pays off by the end, there’s a slog of exposition where the story teeters on info-dumping. A tighter trim could’ve kept the momentum racing forward. The production also occasionally leans too hard into the grit—some rune activations sound like a power drill instead of a mystical surge, which jolts you out of the moment. Still, these are nitpicks. By the final act, the story’s momentum carries you like a runaway train, and Threet’s narration ensures you’re gripping the seat the whole way. If you loved the first book, this sequel delivers—but if you’re new to the series, brace for a steep learning curve. 4 out of 5 rune stones.