Title: Praesidium (Shadows in the Wind – Book One)
Author: McKinley Aspen
Publisher: Muse Literary
ISBN: 978-1-958714-02-7
Pages: 242
Genre: Young Adult Urban Fantasy
Reviewed by: Michaela Gordoni
Hollywood Book Reviews
Kathryn Bek is a typical college graduate trying to find her place in the world. When a mysterious man named Raphael suddenly shows up and asks her to join his company, HGS, she uncharacteristically decides to trust him. Her leap of faith propels her into a supernatural world which she never knew existed. She soon finds out she and her new coworkers are much more than ordinary, and their shared job is very unique. Kathryn’s father also disappeared when she was young, but it turns out there is more to his disappearance than she thought, and her family has a history with HGS. Everything seems to be starting to come together, but on top of these new discoveries and secret work missions, Kathryn is also trying to figure out her relationship with her protective boyfriend, Scott.
It is obvious that McKinley Aspen is an author who focuses on the big picture and overarching plot rather than one who likes to hammer out the fine details. Her writing style is great for readers who don’t like to waste time being pulled through unexciting or slow moments of a book. She also writes with humor. There are some pretty serious events, but the reader never feels bogged down by them as the story is placated with humorous dialogue. She writes very clearly, and while the characters are all adults, the novel is very clean and written at a level that is synonymous with young adult novels.
The storyline often has a lot of unexpected elements that continue to draw the readers in. McKinley Aspen does this in a lot of different ways. She sometimes has a random character pop up where you wouldn’t expect them, paints a new perspective on the past, and, on occasion or two, gives a character a sudden backstory.
Overall, Praesidium is an interesting urban fantasy. McKinley Aspen is not a lazy author; she goes beyond the simple by giving a “why” to the supernatural elements. The fantasy is not just there with no explanation; there is a reason for it, and McKinley Aspen does a great job of showing that. This is a book that any fantasy lover is likely to enjoy!