*Blog Tour Review: “The Last Plantagenet?” by Jennifer C. Wilson

Today I’m fortunate to be reviewing the novella The Last Plantagenet? written by Jennifer C. Wilson. Hosted by Rachel’s Random Resources I’m thrilled to be part of this three day blog blitz.

 

The fireplace hadn’t looked like a time-portal.
All Kate had wanted was a fun, relaxing day out, watching the knights jousting at Nottingham Castle. What she ended up with was something quite different.
Transported in a heartbeat from 2011 to 1485, how will Kate handle life at the Ricardian court? Even more importantly, how will she cope when she catches the eye of the king himself?

I have to admit, when I was given the opportunity to review this story, I had to look up the word Plantagenet. I wasn’t sure what it meant, but assumed it had something to do with plants and some sort of science-fiction gadget. Needless to say, it didn’t, but I’m not surprised I hadn’t heard it before because it turns out it’s a royal title!

For those of you who aren’t sure what it means either:

adjective

adjective: Plantagenet

1. 1.

   relating to the English royal dynasty which held the throne from the accession of Henry II in 1154 until the death of Richard III in 1485.

noun

noun: Plantagenet; plural noun: Plantagenets

1. 1.

   a member of the Plantagenet dynasty.

Origin

from Latin planta genista ‘sprig of broom’, said to be worn as a crest by and given as a nickname to Geoffrey, count of Anjou, the father of Henry II.

Now that we all know what it means, onto the story! I thoroughly enjoyed the novella – at 68 pages it’s a lovely, quick read that’s well-written and easy to enjoy.

I found it a bit bizarre that Kate wasn’t worried about her friends and family back in her own time, and there was a certain lack of depth throughout the story – but again, it’s under 100 pages and there’s only so much you can explore while still moving the story forward.

The insight into the life of a king, the conspiracies at court, the realities that nobility might have faced – they were all touched on and given a new perspective that made the story that much more intriguing.

I loved the twist! I can’t give anything away because no one likes spoilers, but the twist at the end made the story for me. The realism of the ending was; in my opinion, perfectly executed. Not only that, but there’s an element of mystery to it that makes me wonder if the author intends to build on it and create a new world featuring the characters. I certainly hope so.

Overall, The Last Plantagenet? gets four out of five feathers.

Purchase the novel from Amazon UK.

*I received a free copy of the book from Rachel’s Random Resources in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author

Jennifer is a marine biologist by training, who developed an equal passion for history whilst stalking Mary, Queen of Scots of childhood holidays (she since moved on to Richard III). She completed her BSc and MSc at the University of Hull, and has worked as a marine environmental consultant since graduating.

Enrolling on an adult education workshop on her return to the north-east reignited Jennifer’s pastime of creative writing, and she has been filling notebooks ever since. In 2014, Jennifer won the Story Tyne short story competition, and also continues to work on developing her poetic voice, reading at a number of events, and with several pieces available online. Her Kindred Spirits novels are published by Crooked Cat Books and available via Amazon.

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*Blog Blitz Review & Giveaway: “The Gathering” by Bernadette Giacomazzo

Today’s book review is for the one day blog blitz of The Gathering by Bernadette Giacomazzo, hosted by Rachel’s Random Resources.

The Uprising Series tells the story of three freedom fighters and their friends in high — and low — places that come together to overthrow a vainglorious Emperor and his militaristic Cabal to restore the city, and the way of life, they once knew and loved.

In The Gathering, Jamie Ryan has defected from the Cabal and has joined his former brothers-in-arms — Basile Perrinault and Kanoa Shinomura — to form a collective known as The Uprising. When an explosion leads to him crossing paths with Evanora Cunningham — a product of Jamie’s past — he discovers that The Uprising is bigger, and more important, than he thought.

The Gathering was a bit of an odd read for me. Aimed at new adults, it’s a strange mix of first person narration, with several flashback scenes, foul language, and a sense of confusion overall.

Unfortunately, as much as I tried to enjoy it, I just didn’t feel invested in the characters. I felt that there were scenes deliberately designed to shock the reader, and while I don’t want to give away any spoilers, I felt that they could have been handled with more subtlety.

On the other hand, The Gathering deals with some very real issues and confronts them head-on; there’s no chance of burying your head in the sand and pretending the world is idyllic with this book. It made a refreshing change from dystopian fiction that shies away from actually dealing with the issues that created the mess in the first place.

The elements that Giacomazzo has combined to create a science-fiction world are fascinating, and I’m curious to see what she has in store for the rest of the series. I particularly liked the elements of Rock n Roll, and the psychic abilities, but I felt the latter was only hinted at and hopefully will be explored in greater depth in the rest of the series.

Overall, The Gathering receives three out of five feathers.

Purchase the novel from: 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1980613788/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1980613788/

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39279875-the-gathering

International Giveaway

Win a paperback copy of The Gathering (Open Internationally)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Winner will be asked if they prefer a paperback or a digital copy.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

ENTER HERE.

*I received a free copy of the book from Rachel’s Random Resources in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author

With an impressive list of credentials earned over the course of two decades, Bernadette R. Giacomazzo is a multi-hyphenate in the truest sense of the word: an editor, writer, photographer, publicist, and digital marketing specialist who has demonstrated an uncanny ability to thrive in each industry with equal aplomb. Her work has been featured in Teen Vogue, People, Us Weekly, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, and many, many more. She served as the news editor of Go! NYC Magazine for nearly a decade, the executive editor of LatinTRENDS Magazine for five years, the eye candy editor of XXL Magazine for two years, and the editor-at-large at iOne/Zona de Sabor for two years. As a publicist, she has worked with the likes of Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and his G-Unit record label, rapper Kool G. Rap, and various photographers, artists, and models. As a digital marketing specialist, Bernadette is Google Adwords certified, has an advanced knowledge of SEO, PPC, link-building, and other digital marketing techniques, and has worked for a variety of clients in the legal, medical, and real estate industries.

Based in New York City, Bernadette is the co-author of Swimming with Sharks: A Real World, How-To Guide to Success (and Failure) in the Business of Music (for the 21st Century), and the author of the forthcoming dystopian fiction series, The Uprising. She also contributed a story to the upcoming Beyonce Knowles tribute anthology, The King Bey Bible, which will be available in bookstores nationwide in the summer of 2018.

Social Media Links –

https://www.facebook.com/bernadettergiacomazzo

https://www.instagram.com/bg_takes_pics/

https://twitter.com/bg_writes_stuff