Goodreads Mobile | see what your friends are reading

Feb 02, 2012

Rane rated it:

Set in a time of Russia where the old, superstitions and folklore clash and give away to the new of science and new medicines. The Dark and Light court serve the tsar as old forces that were once banished arise anew, stronger with a young woman Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg deals with her dark ability that may end up saving all she knows and loves.

Robin Bridges could not have set this book at a better time, where old is giving into new ideas and thoughts, b More...

18 comments like (18 people liked it)

Jan 23, 2012

Truly Bookish rated it:

With the combination of historical and paranormal elements plus a beautiful cover, The Gathering Storm is the kind of book I adore. In theory. In reality, this book did not deliver for me like I wanted it to.

Prior to reading, I though The Gathering Storm was a historical novel with some paranormal elements, but it’s more of a paranormal novel in a historical setting. Almost all the characters are fey, witches, vampires, werewolves, zombies or necromancers with our main character, Ka More...

2 comments like (4 people liked it)

Jan 22, 2012

Ria rated it:

2.5: Basically, I'm fluctuating between a 'like it' and 'it was ok' rating.
The Good:
- I decently liked the main character. I stand by her for sticking to her unrealistic dreams.
- I enjoyed the ball scenes. This may just be the fantasy buff in me, but I could definitely visualize the court goings-on.
- The inner conflict about the necromancy was good.
- I hold historical fiction near and dear to my heart, and the fantasy element was nice.
- The romance was cute (if More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Oct 07, 2011

Emily rated it:

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges is one of the most captivating books I have read in a while! Katerina is a beautifully original character full of dreams and compassion. Although she is a duchess and therefore only expected to marry up to a rich man with political power, she longs to study medicine like her father. Russia at this time was still quite superstitious and in this retelling of history, they are right to believe in the supernatural, for fairies are in the royal court, witches are More...

1 comment like (4 people liked it)

Jan 06, 2012

rameau rated it:

Let's look at the blurb. The time and place:

St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888. As she attends a whirl of glittering balls...

That right there, ugh, I should hate it. On the other hand it's historical, which I absolutely love, but on the other hand it's Russia and we Finns have a long history with Russians. On the other hand, it's Imperial Russia and the tsar is the son of Alexander II who we Finns love, never mind what he did to the rest of his subjects, we love him. (If you'r More...

3 comments like (5 people liked it)

Dec 27, 2011

Alyssa rated it:

Originally posted at Redhead Heroines!

The Gathering Storm is a lush, rich and unique young adult paranormal with a memorable heroine!

Amidst Russia's debutante society, we follow Katerina through boarding school, royal parties, and a chilling paranormal plot. Katerina's voice is very unique; she is plucky and astute, immediately equating the galas she attends to meat markets, where royal girls like her are the prize pigs. It is difficult not to like her!

Howeve More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Jan 09, 2012

Nafiza rated it:

I have a confession: I am completely enamored by stories set in imperial Russia. There is something so attractive about the tsars, duchesses, princesses and other royalty that inevitably dot the landscapes of these novels. The sleds instead of carriages, beautiful dresses, lights, the attractive love interests and if you throw in magic…well, you’ve got me. The Gathering Storm is a strong beginning to a trilogy by debut novelist Robin Bridges. I liked the fantastic breadth of the novel and there More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 11, 2012

Nancy rated it:

A YA novel of Imperial Russia, historical fiction meets the folktales of Eastern Europe. The Tsar and his family, light and dark forces, vampires and other beasts, and at the center a young Russian aristocrat who dreams of being a doctor like her father and rebels against her mother's dreams to marry her into a good family. I enjoyed this novel, though keeping the characters all straight was a bit of a struggle. And, believe it or not, I'm actually looking forward to reading the rest of the plan More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 31, 2011

Sydney rated it:

I really liked this book! Quite a bit actually. The cover doesn't do it justice, to be honest when looking at the cover I expected a childish very predictable, immature story. Yet it ws the opposite of those very things! It was fast-paced, filled with romance, dangerous, and tantalizing dark turns. Almost every aspect of this novel, save the cover, drew me in so deeply! It was really good. I suggest ALL paranormal romance readers check out this book!

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jan 18, 2012

Kavanand rated it:

The Gathering Storm requires some major suspension of disbelief on the part of the reader. But if you can get on board with that, it's an enjoyable read.

It's the story of a Russian duchess, Katerina of Oldenburg (shouldn’t that be Ekaterina if she’s Russian?). She's related to the imperial family, and she leads a luxurious life in pre-revolutionary Russia. She's not your average royal--she wants nothing more than to be allowed to go to medical school. Oh, and she can raise the dead, More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Feb 18, 2012

Paradoxical rated it:

This was, in turns, frustrating and fun. I would say it's a success of a first book, though there are several issues I had with it that kept it from being truly great.

The world that Katerina lives in is a glittering one. Born of nobility, the entirety of the book circles around the Russian court and the players in it. Yet underneath all of the glitz is a darkness that never quite manages to fade, and Katerina finds herself a major player in a plot that arises because of her curse of More...

0 comments like

Feb 06, 2012

Deborah rated it:

Loved this book! A Russian mixed with paranormal novel featuring a young adult girl who unwittingly becomes the central focus of a plot to win the battle between the Dark Court and the Light Court of Russian aristocracy. This involves faeries, psychic abilities, vampires, ghouls and the like. And, it involves the tension of a love match choice between the female protagonist, Katiya and the Grand Duke (Light Court) or Prince Danilo (Vampire-to-be--Dark Court).

Beautifully written wi More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jan 21, 2012

Diana (Random Pabulum) rated it:

Robin Bridges’ debut novel, The Gathering Storm, is the first installment in a planned trilogy that centers on Katerina Alexandrovna of Oldenburg. Katerina is a debutante, descendant of Catherine the Great, and a necromancer. She attends the Smolny Institute, a boarding school for girls. Amongst her peers are the princesses of Montenegro, who discover her dark secret when she uses her skills to protect the heir of Czar Alexander III. Soon, she is entangled in a web of political intrigue ming More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 11, 2012

Adrienne added it

Russian in the late 19th century...the land of the Romanovs, the Winter Palace, Faberge...not to mention vampires, faeries and necromancers. 16 year old Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg isn't interested in balls or making a marriage to a handsome, rich Royal - she wants to become a doctor, despite the fact that the old-fashioned Tsar does not allow women to enter medical school. But Katerina has a bigger problem than finding out how to follow her chosen career path: she is a necromanc More...

0 comments like

Jan 08, 2012

Monisa Lee (Wendy) rated it:

I read an advanced copy of this book an loved it. What an exciting, original series! The story is set in 1880s Tsarist Russia. Now when was the last time you've seen a teen fiction series set in that period? The book blends Russian history with dark paranormal, and it is a wild ride. First off, the author has researched this period very well. Many of the characters in the story are actual historic figures (minus the part where they may or may not have been supernatural creatures, of cours More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 07, 2012

Jaylia3 rated it:

Fae folk, undead soldiers, and vampires cavort and conspire in this elaborate, rich in atmosphere YA novel set in the glittery balls and dark corridors of Russia’s imperial court during the late 1880’s when Russia’s final tsar, Nicolas II, was a young man and his father, Alexander III, still ruled. Main character Katerina Alexandrovna is a reluctant necromancer with the “gift” of being able to raise the dead, an ability she considers a horror and hideous curse, but unsurprisingly she must in th More...

0 comments like

Jan 05, 2012

Jac rated it:

** 3.5 Stars, Rounded Up **

I'm not normally a fan of Historical books, but the cover of this one was so beautiful and the synopsis was fascinating, so I wanted to give this debut novel by Robin Bridges a try. The Gathering Storm marries together a wonderful mix of Russian History and Paranormal. With a bit of romance thrown in, although for me the romantic aspect was little more than a side story.

I loved the historical aspect, so much so that I'm ready to give the whole gen More...

0 comments like

Jan 02, 2012

Alanna (The Flashlight Reader) rated it:

Well, I'm not sure what to think of this one. I should have expected an element of paranormal based on the synopsis, but I didn't anticipate the direction of this one. If Buffy the Vampire slayer went back in time to tell history, that would describe my impression of the book. Now don't get me wrong, it wasn't a terrible read... but it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows either.

I loved the setting. Russia in the 1800s is a fantastic setting for a story. There is just so much that More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 31, 2011

Amanda rated it:

The Gathering Storm seemed to have it all: Russian nobility, a mysterious paranormal element and an interesting protagonist who wasn't willing to accept the norm for young women her age. Despite the book's rather generic name, I was ready to dive in the second I got the book. Sadly, it just didn't live up to my expectations.

Russia: 1888. Young royal noble Katerina is caught up in the world of fancy balls and the European marriage market, though she tries to hide her dark secret: she ca More...

1 comment like

Dec 19, 2011

Charlotte rated it:

Synopsis:
St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888. As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. No one knows. Not her family. Not the girls at her finishing school. Not the tsar or anyone in her aristocratic circle. Katerina considers her talent a curse, not a gift. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue.
More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 12, 2011

Wandering rated it:

In 1888 in Russia Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, is trapped in a world of balls and marriage. Katerina wishes to be a doctor, although Russian women are not allowed in the medical schools. Katerina is also hiding a terrible secret: she can raise the dead. Katerina is careful never to tell anyone about her curse, but her secret gets out and now the rival families of the Dark and Light courts are after her power.

My knowledge of Russian history is minimal. It mostly re More...

0 comments like

Dec 02, 2011

Lisa rated it:

I got this as an e-book from Netgalley. I normally wouldn't enter the Goodreads contest to win a copy of a book I've already read, but I did really enjoy this, and since it is part one of a series, I'll want to have it to re-read before the next one comes out probably. I really liked the story to begin with. The characters really grabbed me, and it was fun to kind of read about "royalty" in a way. To read about girls who were supposed to only get married and be good wives. Yet our More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 28, 2011

Melissa rated it:

This is a new young adult series that has lots of great elements. A little supernatural, some undead, vampires, werewolves, dark magic and a good romance. I was a little worried this would be a dark book with all these elements but it was surprisingly handled well. Very Young adult. The book had a good story, but started out slow and there were many names to learn. The Russian royals were everywhere and everyone was a prince or princess of something. It was difficult to follow who everyone was a More...

4 comments like (2 people liked it)

Oct 25, 2011

Katy Book Corner rated it:

I am very fascinated by the Russian era of the Romanovs so this book was a big hit for me. There were a few things that bothered me (see below) but not enough to drop it down to three stars - maybe more of a 3.5.

I was intrigued by not only by Bridge’s version of royal society but also her story about necromancers, vampires, witches, fairies and all the other paranormal elements.

Lately, I’ve been finding that I’m getting bored of paranormal because the storyline is always the More...

8 comments like (3 people liked it)

Jan 29, 2012

Valerie rated it:

This was probably closer to 3.5 stars but I went with a 3 since I had some problems with it even though I did enjoy this one quite a bit. There's just so much going on with the plot that it was distracting. The plot thread that started the book went absolutely nowhere and it ended up being a completely different story than I thought it was going to be, which would be fine but the original threat was never explained or tied up. And there were a lot of things that were never explained so I struggl More...

0 comments like

Jan 07, 2012

Tammi rated it:

This is the story of Katerina Alexandra Maria von Holstein-Gottorp, the Duchess of Oldenburg, who is known as Katiya by her family. She goes to the Smolney Institue in St Petersburg, Russia with her cousin Dariya, where they teach how to be a good wife. Katerina has always wanted to be a doctor and would rather go to medical school, but it is not acceptable for women to attend medical school in 1888. Katerina is a necromancer. She doesn’t understand this totally and call this a “curse” that More...

0 comments like

Jan 11, 2012

Kris rated it:

I love, love this book. To name my top three reasons: One, it is historical fiction. Two, the gorgeous Russian setting. Three, the paranormal aspects. There are also the characters that I love and hate. Robin Bridges has brought to us Katerina Alexandrovna, better known as Katiya to those close to her, a forward-thinking young woman with an interest in science and the medical professions despite her mother's intentions of marrying her off. There is her cousin and confidante Dariya, her many othe More...

0 comments like

Jan 03, 2012

Majibookshelf rated it:

As I first started reading this book, I didn't know what to expect. I read "Bright Young Things" and it was also a historical book, but i didn't enjoy it. I also knew this was a historical book, but i gave it a chance.

The story is based on Katerina, and the setting is in Russia. At first, it was so confusing to me. All the names, and political positions, and the family relationships sounded all new and weird to me. I even thought about making a family tree so i could keep up More...

0 comments like

Jan 21, 2012

Krystal rated it:

Katerina is one of the most powerful necromancers, yet she doesn't stand up for herself.

Katerina's ability remains hidden through her own mechanisms, she doesn't want to be exploited or viewed as different. Katerina can be a little hard-headed, the reader will want to shake her on more than one occasion. She stays with "friends" she knows are dangerous and ignores warnings about a certain boy. However, although she is not easy to connect to, the reader will most likely More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 17, 2012

Mandy rated it:

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges is simply breathtaking. An adventurous tale set in St. Petersberg Russia in the year 1888, The Gathering Storm tells the story of a teen necromancer, Katerina, who is trying to come to terms with her powers. To further complicate matters Katerina is the Duchess of Oldenburg and must simultaneously hide her powers and fend off suitors while trying to keep the royal family safe.

Teens and adults alike will be fascinated by the cultural differen More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

reviews