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
Chasing Dreams Publishing 