Review of Praesidium

[Bertha Jackson]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Praesidium" by McKinley Aspen.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Praesidium by McKinley Aspen is Book One in the Shadows in the Wind series. On Kathryn's fifth birthday, her father disappears while talking to his sister, Jacquelyn, on the sidewalk. Years later, at the end of her last year at Yale University, Kathryn goes to a career fair and meets Raphael Landy, who offers her a job on a four-member team that works on special projects for Hope & Global Support (HGS). She is offered a $125,000 annual salary, housing, and full medical, dental, and retirement benefits. Kathryn does not know how this job will affect her long-distance relationship with Scott, a law student at the University of Chicago. However, knowing she will not receive a better offer for a first-time position, she accepts the job. Ashley, Greg, and Michael are her new teammates at HGS. What is HGS? What type of projects will they work on? How will this job impact Kathryn and Scott's relationship?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this thought-provoking book. I will now look at coincidences differently and question what is behind them. McKinley Aspen made me feel like one of the characters with descriptions like "racing downhill like a lion chasing its dinner." I could feel the speed the characters were going while racing downhill. I also appreciated the demographic description of the desert's natural beauty as "stunning red buttes rising from the dusty ground in the desert." Readers can learn the importance of teamwork by reading this book. For Kathryn, Ashley, Greg, and Michael, good teamwork was the difference between life and death and success and failure. The romantic and paranormal aspects of the plot flowed smoothly throughout the narrative.

I did not encounter any negative aspects in this book. It is a well-written and fast-paced book that kept me intrigued throughout it. The ending made me anxious to read the next book in the series to see what this four-member team will encounter next. The sequel is sure to be as adventurous and exciting as this book.

This book has been edited by a professional editor and deserves nothing less than 4 out of 4 stars. There is nothing about this book that would justify a lower score. This book is almost flawless, with only a handful of minor errors that did not distract from my reading enjoyment.

Readers who enjoy romance, crime thrillers, and science-fiction books are the ones I would recommend this book to. There is a religious aspect to this book, so if you find that type of content offensive, you may want to avoid this book.

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[NetMassimo]

This seems like a novel with some mysteries and potential twists. What's happened to Kathryn's father? What's behind HGS? I'll look into this series. Thank you for your great review!

[Dauria04]

This seems like an interesting read with well-written descriptions. Thank you for your review.

[Astral Magi]

This sounds like the type of book I would enjoy. Kathryn sounds fascinating. Thank you for a great review.

[MsH2k]

The sample pages captured my attention--the author is truly a descriptive writer. I wonder if Kathryn will see her dad again? Thank you for your thorough review.

[PMinstrel]

I found the sample intriguing enough that I was disappointed when I got to the end of it. I bought the kindle edition at the discounted price and I'm looking forward to finding time to read it through.

[Pitri Indah Sari]

Romance, crime thriller, and science-fiction is a good combination in a book. And the religion won't bother me. So I would love to read this book. Thank you for the review.

[Ochieng Omuodo]

The crime and sci-fi combo aside, although thrilling, the aspect of the book that seems most interesting is how reality-based Kathryn's work-life balance dilemma is.

[One piece]

By skillfully blending the appreciation of nature's grandeur with the exploration of teamwork, this book offers a compelling and enriching reading experience. Great review

[Mayang Bature]

This novel gives the impression of being full of intrigue and adventure. With the aid of her friends and knowledge of what happened to her father all those years ago, I'm confident that Kathryn will uncover something about the mystery of HGS.

[Moisés Alcántara Ayre]

Although I've only read the review in this forum and the intro chapter of the book, I feel like this is the kind of book that I couldn't put down. The fast pace coupled with a super engaging narration of the events make this a must-read if you're into fiction.

[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

I love romance and crime thrillers. I'm not much into sci-fi, but you made such a compelling introduction that now I NEED to know what HGS is about.
Great review!

[Bettny Andrade]

It seems like a very interesting book, full of magic and mystery. According to the review, it promises to be an amazing read and one that keeps you attentive. I really liked this review, thanks.

[tarafarah7]

What an awesome review! Thank you!

A combination of genres make up today's exciting and fast-paced BOTD! Filled with descriptive scenes and detailed events, readers of scifi, romance, and thrillers are really in for a treat with this adventurous read. Thank you again for the helpful review and keep up the awesome work!

[Timothy Rucinski]

After reading the sample, I realized that this story isn't exactly my cup of tea. But the first chapter is nicely presented with a little mystery and magic to whet the reader's whistle. I believe there will be many that will enjoy the story and the series of books to follow. Congrats to the author on BOTD.