The Gathering Storm (Katerina, #1)

Jan 13, 2012 Rane rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-pnr, young-adult, cozies-mystery-suspense, keeper

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, but the old ways are sti...more
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, but the old ways are still very present with the workings of all that is paranormal that serve in the Russian Court some for the tsar others for their own gain. The political chess match is well played with Katherina stuck right in the middle.

Katherina dreams of being a doctor, with her father well known for his support of the medical field. Her dark gift makes her fear of every reaching her dream at times- the gift to bring the dead back to life. Katherina would rather not even acknowledge her gift until one night she uses it to save the tsar's heir from a spell, bringing her to the light of those who wish to gain power and use Katherina to reach their goal.
At times like Katherina all the glittering balls became very boring, behind all that glitter where you start to witness the silent chess match and power play.
Katherina could play the role of a royal debutante while behind the mask is a smart young woman. She plays her cards and while the deck is sometimes against her, she plays the cards she dealt as best as she can. She's also self-aware, she knows when she's acting dumb or not thinking straight. Katherina has a hard time trying to accept her gift, and the fear she lives under of every being discovered by her family. Many of her fears were very much on point, and her love for her family is wonderful, but can be called her weakness as their used against by those who wish for power and Katherina is their ticket. For the most part I really liked Katherina, raised as she was, she was a true product of her time, while staying to her roots and breaking through the barriers one brick at a time.

Nothing makes a reader- especially this reader- mad then a misleading back blurb. For The Gathering Storm, theirs huge hints of a so-called love triangle between dark and light. There was no such love triangle with more of a hint of romance that grows between Katherina and ONE GUY! The story read more like a paranormal mystery then some dark fae/ light fae trying to win the heart of Katherina. The Dark Prince-Danilo with his fake Maybelline eyelashes used Katherina for his own measure and means threatening Katherina’s family. SO no love lost there.
Katherina’s feelings for George Alexandrovich was very sweet with a growth of trust that later bloom to more. I appreciated the story even that with this romantic growth, then instant love-love seen so much in YA and PN books.

The story at times is slow going giving you hints of a bigger mystery that leads to some heavy suspense. The paranormal is always waiting on the wings to give you a glimpse of what hides underneath from vampires to ghosts.

Of course this is only the first book of the trilogy, and thankfully we’re not left with a cliffhanger. With unanswered questions I look forward to what Robin Bridges has up her writer’s sleeve for this series.
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Sep 28, 2012 Tori [Book Faery] marked it as did-not-finish

Shelves: arc, e-book, netgalley, read-in-2011, reviewed

See this review in it's entirety at:
http://www.book-faery.blogspot.com
Please note that this review will not go live on Book Faery until January 3rd.

I hate it when I look forward to a book, only to find that it was nothing like what I expected... and in a bad way. THE GATHERING STORM has an interesting premise, however, it disappointed me with its lackluster execution.

Let it be known that a few reviewers have stated on Goodreads that the second half of the novel is where things start to pick up,...more See this review in it's entirety at:
http://www.book-faery.blogspot.com
Please note that this review will not go live on Book Faery until January 3rd.

I hate it when I look forward to a book, only to find that it was nothing like what I expected... and in a bad way. THE GATHERING STORM has an interesting premise, however, it disappointed me with its lackluster execution.

Let it be known that a few reviewers have stated on Goodreads that the second half of the novel is where things start to pick up, whereas the first half is dedicated to the numerous balls and social gatherings Katerina attends. Perhaps this is what ultimately contributed to my disappointment, since there is some info-dumping and an overwhelming amount of names that essentially bogged the story's pace down for me. Even with a lack of action, what truly made me give up was the following:

Way too much telling--to the point where I wonder how an agent or editor would be okay with it. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against telling in a story, but after one reads so many blog posts and hears so much emphasis on "show, don't tell," only to publish books that do the exact opposite, it makes me wonder why they bother to preach it in the first place.

Coupled with the telling was a lot of glossing over of important details that would have otherwise made me connect with Katerina on a more intimate level. As it was, I felt incredibly detached from her narrative and wished that at any moment, something would click and I would get into the story.

It seemed like the start of this book was more focused on giving Russian history lessons instead of telling Katerina's story. And for some reason, I got really annoyed during the doctor debates between our protagonist and her family.

Finally, what was equally as jarring as all the information in such a short time was the seemingly random inclusion of paranormal creatures. First you get somewhat overwhelmed with technical terms/Russian customs, but then all of a sudden, there's talk of vampires and faeries. Even now, I still don't understand why they're being included, and I felt this was handled very poorly. I wish the history and the paranormal aspects melded together a bit more smoothly, but it didn't (for me).

I seem to be in the minority, so please do not take my review as the be all, end all when it comes to making your decision on whether or not to read/purchase this title. And remember: I did not read the entire book--this review reflects the pages that I did read. If it sounds interesting, read a sample chapter and then decide for yourself whether THE GATHERING STORM is something you will enjoy.

My Rating: DNF.(less)

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Jan 13, 2012 Truly Bookish rated it 2 of 5 stars

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, Katerina being...more 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, Katerina being one of the most powerful necromancers in Russia.

The historical setting of Tsarist Russia is wonderful: the balls, glittering jewels and gorgeous dresses and wonderfully described. Robin Brides also does a good job of introducing really interesting folk lore to the story line and for using real people from history in her story. These are the elements that I liked. Unfortunately, there are more that I did not.

Katerina has known about supernatural ability since she was a child but she has taken great care to hide it from everyone. She is a person of science, wanting to be a doctor, an occupation that was not thought to be inappropriate for a woman at that time. While Katerina is book smart and has bravely chosen and unpopular occupation (which I admire), she does some really stupid things.

She has a hard time believing that other supernatural beings exist even though as a necromancer, she is one of them. She is repeatedly warned about a certain family and seen members of the family doing evil things including hurt her own family and friends, yet she still hangs out with them so as not to upset them. Katerina is also specifically warned that a certain boy is evil and is given a talisman to help protect her from him, but she falls victim to him anyway because she only wears the talisman sporadically. She gets really angry at people who tell her she can’t be a doctor because she is a woman, but is annoyingly meek to the people who blackmail, kidnap, drug and use her as a blood donor for their crazy rituals.

Most of these issues stem from Katerina believing that she can fix everything herself and refusing to tell those close to her what’s going on or ask for help. I’m so frustrated with book smart girls who make dumb decisions and bury themselves in deeper and deeper. You know this girl, she has been showing up more and more in YA books lately.

I don’t like bashing books, especially from hard working debut authors, so I won’t keep nitpicking at all the things that frustrated me about The Gathering Storm. While it’s not a bad book, it had all the ingredients to be an awesome read, it just did not deliver for me. I think I’m so disappointed because I had such high expectations for it. If you read it without expectations, you will probably enjoy it more than I did.

Content: Kissing and violence.(less)

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Oct 31, 2011 Leah (Jane Speare) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Katerina Alexandrovna considers her ability to raise the dead a curse, not a gift. And right after she uses this curse to help the Imperial Family, she is caught up in a world of magic and monsters. In the royal bloodlines, dark secrets are stirring and evil is rising, and the more Katiya tries to dismiss her powers, the more creatures like the Dark Court of faerie and ancient Russian vampires try to use her for their malicious plans. I found The Gathering Storm filled with great Imperial period...more

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Nov 04, 2011 Ashleigh Paige rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: the-great-shelf-of-awesome, e-arc-via-netgalley, arc

See more of my reviews sooner on The YA Kitten! My copy was an ARC I received from the publisher via NetGalley.

Duchess Katerina Alexandrovna of Oldenburg has a secret: she's a necromancer, one who can raise the dead. Since discovering her gift as a child, she has refused to use it again out of fear, but a threat to the tsarevich by the Montenegrin princess and sorceress Elena forced Katiya to use her powers once again. This pushes her into a tangled web of intrigue where the Montenegrin royals,...more See more of my reviews sooner on The YA Kitten! My copy was an ARC I received from the publisher via NetGalley.

Duchess Katerina Alexandrovna of Oldenburg has a secret: she's a necromancer, one who can raise the dead. Since discovering her gift as a child, she has refused to use it again out of fear, but a threat to the tsarevich by the Montenegrin princess and sorceress Elena forced Katiya to use her powers once again. This pushes her into a tangled web of intrigue where the Montenegrin royals, now aware of her gift, are trying to win her over, fellow royals use Katiya and tell her only what suits their agendas, and the tsar's middle son accuses her of being a threat to the tsar. The truth is that the greatest threat is yet to come and Katiya's powers are the key to defeating it when it comes.

Katerina--Katiya, from this point on--was a great character and I enjoyed both her and the conflict she had with her powers, but there were time I thought she was ridiculous. For instance, she can believe that faeries, necromancy, sorceresses, and general magic exist because they're all around her, but vampires and prophetic dreams? She calls bull on that. Really? It boggles my mind how she does that. If there's one mythical being out there, it's not a far stretch for there to be more, is it?

I initially had worries about the book due to the mention of an apparent love triangle in the summary, and I was relieved to find that this was not the case. It's a little more complicated than that. Our antagonist (one of about fifty million, really) Danilo, appropriately creeped me out and made me hate him, but I wasn't quite sold on Katiya's love interest George. When a guy spend half the book glaring at her/accusing her of being evil and then spend the other half of the book only starting to warm up, and then does something as dramatic as George does at the end of the book, I'm not sure how I'm supposed to feel.

Though I am not overly familiar with 1880s Russia, it appears the author has done her research on royal titles, the Russian naming system, and more. Only one or two things please me more than seeing that an author has done their research well and not contradicted themselves in multiple places. So thank you for that, Mrs. Bridges. Thank you. Now, if only some other authors could follow that example...

Several plot lines are going on in the book--the dead soldiers coming back to life, the Montenegrins' plans, strange happenings around St. Petersburg, and what's going on behind the scenes--but the book switches seamlessly between them, timing them just right so the switches happen when the reader begins to tire of one plot line and wonder when advancements will be made on one of the other plots. I can't remember the last time I read a book so well-paced in such a manner!

The Gathering Storm was a worthwhile read I know I'll be getting a copy of once it is released. There was a troubling detail or two towards the end (mainly an element coming in that should forbid George and Katiya from being together, and those forbidden romances are so passe), but I look forward to the sequel in... Wow, it's going to be a while. Reading the ARC of a fantastic novel: a double-edged blade.(less)

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Feb 28, 2012 Kimba (Caffeinated Book Reviewer) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Gathering Storm is the debut novel of Robin Bridges and the first in her Katerina Trilogy. Bridges' paranormal novel delivers, from the historical aspects of Russia to the supernatural. This was a delightful tale of vampires, fairies, werewolves, witches, necromancers and other supernatural creatures. A combination of Russian history and folklore make this an exciting, addictive read.

The protagonist Is Katerina Alexandrovna, she is the Duchess of Oldenburg, residing in Russia during the reig...more The Gathering Storm is the debut novel of Robin Bridges and the first in her Katerina Trilogy. Bridges' paranormal novel delivers, from the historical aspects of Russia to the supernatural. This was a delightful tale of vampires, fairies, werewolves, witches, necromancers and other supernatural creatures. A combination of Russian history and folklore make this an exciting, addictive read.

The protagonist Is Katerina Alexandrovna, she is the Duchess of Oldenburg, residing in Russia during the reign of Tsar Alexander III. Katerina is a necromancer, but she views this as a curse. She attempts to hide her gift and wants no part in using the ability. Once as a small child she used it, to save her mother’s cat, but she quickly realized the cat was wrong. Since she hasn’t even told her parents her secret, she understands very little about her ability and is fearful to share it with anyone.

Katerina is attending finishing school. A school which is more concerned with ballroom dancing then studies. Katerina longs to attend medical school at a time when woman are banned from being doctors. Her dearest friends are more concerned with catching the eye of the highest titled and richest young man. Katerina has been inspired by the first woman in the field and daydreams of going abroad to study. Alas, she has been born to an era where alliances and families’ incomes are dependent on securing good marriages for their daughters.

In a world filled with balls, gorgeous gowns, ballet, and musicals there is a dark underbelly filled with witches, vampires, werewolves and Fae all vying to secure their place. Katerina attracts the attentions of a powerful family, when she uses her gift to save a member of the royal family. As this family attempts to secure power, they use their skills to lure Katerina. Their young son uses his power and threats to woo her. At the same time she attracts the attentions of George (the Tsar’s middle son). He pledges to keep her safe, but she is constantly getting herself into trouble trying to solve things, and of course the young vampire Prince Danile wants to make her his bride.

The tale that unfolds is captivating and complex. People are being poisoned, guards are being murdered and bodies are rising from the dead. As Katerina struggles to uncover who is causing these attacks, she finds herself caught up in the middle of things. When she is offered help by elders, she finds herself confused as light fights dark. With Prince Danile and George breathing down her neck, can she save the royal family before it’s too late?

There is romance or the hint of it in this novel, but delightfully it takes a backseat to all the suspense, plots, and supernatural events. This book completely captured me, and it was delightful to see young Katerina come into herself and protect those she loves; even at great sacrifice to herself. I found other characters to be delightful as well. I liked George, and Katerina’s friends and even the dreadful Princess Elena.(less)

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Jan 16, 2012 Ria rated it 2 of 5 stars

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 not downright convenient at t...more 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 not downright convenient at times).

The Bad:
- This book is too long. Comparatively, it's the same length as many other books out there, but I felt like I lot of the waffling could have been tightened up. I lost my focus so many times, and I finished this book simply because I wanted to see if I could predict the ending.
- So.many.characters. I could keep straight the main 10 or so, but after that I got plain confused. Granted, I'm not in my best state of mind, but I did get fed up right in the middle.
- Katerina made me want to pull my hair out sometimes. Ugh, some of her decisions drove me crazy!

The Ugly:
- Sometimes all the politicking drove me crazy. I kind of got lost in the shuffle.
- Her mother drove me crazy! There's really nothing more to her than that she wants her daughter to marry up? And she posses such a hysterical character that she can't even stomach bad news without swooning? Really, now? To this I heave a very long sigh.
- Noble Idiocy. God, there's nothing more that I hate in movies, shows, and books than Noble Idiocy (yes, it deserves to be capitalized). Let me explain: Noble Idiocy is basically the concept of one character acting weirdly in ~mysterious ways~ that no one else can understand because he can't possibly fathom revealing his deepest,darkest secrets to those he should trust. Kind of like how Katerina couldn't tell anyone who could actually help her about her biggest problem because she would endanger them (to which I say, but she could tell her best friend? WTF?). Sorry, I just have very strong feelings about Noble Idiocy. I just find keeping secrets and acting furtive to protect your loved ones unbeknownst to them an unnecessary way to add drama and thicken the plot. It's also a bit presumptuous to assume that others want your protection from dark forces they don't even know about. Argh, I don't even know if I'm making sense...

Anyway, I'm not too interested in reading the sequel. Maybe I will out of curiosity to see how the romance works out. We'll see!
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Jan 09, 2013 Bern rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: loved-it-to-bits, paranormal-stuff, romance, ya

There's something about tsarist Russia. Something crazily enticing, if you ask me. All the glamour, the balls, the royalty, the intrigue, the balls, the murderous vampires... Wait, what?

Oh, didn't you know? Besieged by dark creatures, those communist-ancestors were. Their high society was divided in the Light Court, where humans and other nice paranormal people belonged, and the Dark Court, where the baddies swarm. Ok, well, maybe real tsarist Russia wasn't like this, but who cares? Robin Bridge...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: school-reading-2011-2012, 2012-debut-author-challenge

Turned out to be excellent! The only thing I didn't like was how much information was thrown at you. It just takes awhile to soak it up!

Review:

The Gathering Storm is an intense historical read that incorporates many paranormal elements into a fantastic story.

The Gathering Storm has an amazing setting. Russia in 1888? I don't think it gets much better than that. I loved being alongside Katerina as she went to various social events and balls. I totally wish that I lived back then. Bridges makes S...more

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Jan 06, 2012 rameau rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-galley, fantasy, january-2012-challenge, romance, ya, zombies, fairies, vampires, something-positive-shelf, recommending, historical, read-in-2012

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're interested to know why...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Alyssa Udall rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: january-2012, historical-fiction, magical, paranormal, teen-fiction

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!

However, once Katerina becomes more involv...more

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Jan 09, 2012 Nafiza rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: net-galley, debut-authors-12, 2011

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 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 are many other things that I really do want to talk about so settle in.

I appreciate the time Bridges devoted into constructing and maintaining the various family dynamics of the characters in the novel. Oftentimes, the only relationships that get much attention in YA novels are the dysfunctional ones and the romantic one but Bridges carefully created many different threads that bind people together. There is friendship between friends, respect between Katerina and her father, love for her mother and brother. Even the more villainous characters come with their own set of family relationships that are no less complex.

The world building is off to a good start and it is not at all difficult to envision the world Bridge sets her story in. The pacing is brisk and the writing does not hinder the story. The love interest is very um…interesting and I would have loved to see their courtship stretched out so I could get maximum enjoyment before stuff goes crazy but alas, that does not happen. Now, let’s talk about the things I had problems with.

Katerina is a very interesting character and she is no doormat but there were moments when she drove me absolutely nuts. She doesn’t DO anything to get out of the troubles she invariably finds herself in. And okay, the one thing that I really do not have any patience with is when a character is forced to do something because “otherwise we’ll hurt your family/brother/dog.” That’s a very outdated method of pushing your plot forward and all it does is create frustration in the reader. There is no reason the parents/brother/dog will be unable to fend for themselves because they are their own people and fine, I understand the emotional blackmail but just, don’t use it. It was jarring and it took me out of the narrative as I kept on getting angrier.

Other than that, I found the book to be compelling and a breath of fresh air in terms of the newness of its setting to the YA genre and the mixture of preexisting mythology woven together to create the unique mythology original to the story. And don’t get me wrong, when Katerina does start acting, she goes for it but the lead up to her becoming an active player rather than a passive victim is frustrating. I am looking forward to reading the next installment in this series because book one ends on an promising note and the possibilities are endless. And besides, what girl can resist the promise of more passion, intrigue and magic?(less)

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Jan 29, 2012 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, young-adult

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

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Dec 31, 2011 Sydney rated it 4 of 5 stars

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!

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Jul 04, 2012 Surin rated it 1 of 5 stars

While it had some interesting concepts, the writing was pretty unpolished and at times dare I say come off as comical. I don't think the author did a good job of blending the paranormal fantasy elements with reality. The introduction of vampires, werewolves and fairies was just so strange I really couldn't take the book seriously at any given time. It almost felt like none of it was real (but it was actually!!) and that characters were just overtly superstitious. The plot itself is confusing and...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Ellen rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: written-reviews

I am not going to lie. I saw the city St. Petersburg, Russia and thought it was going to be more so about the history. As I started reading the book I was a little disappointed. It was in the genre of paranormal books. Don’t get me wrong. I love reading paranormal book but it wasn’t what I had expected. I had went back to my to-read list and re-read the description and realized the description I had read earlier was for another book and that would explain my disappointment.
The book was well writ...more

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Jan 18, 2012 Kavanand rated it 4 of 5 stars

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, a fact she...more 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, a fact she tries to keep hidden from her family and friends. It’s not a talent she wants, but it’s something that makes her valuable to various supernatural factions.

In this version of imperial Russia, the members of the aristocracy are aligned with either the Light or Dark faerie courts. The empress is a Light court faerie, and her rival and sister-in-law the Grand Duchess Miechen is a Dark court faerie. There are also witches, the walking dead, and rivals groups of vampires. Katerina’s necromancer abilities put her right in the middle of a lot of supernatural action and in the middle of a love triangle. She’s caught between the Tsar’s son Grand Duke George, who’s disturbed by her abilities but can’t seem to stay away from her, and Crown Prince Danilo of Montenegro, who may have less than noble motives for pursuing her.

Although I had some issues with it, I ended up enjoying The Gathering Storm for the most part. The plot was absorbing and fast moving and I was very caught up in the story. At times, I found it hard to keep track of the many supernatural factions. Some of the supernatural elements were better developed than others, and the less developed parts could be a bit confusing. I also wanted Katerina to be less passive. She spends a lot of time waiting around for someone to save her. As the story moves along, she begins to show more backbone, but I wished she had been less helpless right from the start. These quibbles aside, I liked this book and I’m looking forward to the sequel. It didn’t quite reach 4 stars for me, more like 3.5.

I received an ARC of this book from Amazon Vine.
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Apr 08, 2013 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Have you ever experienced something like this: After reading the herald of a book you thought this book is perfectly matched for me, this is what I was looking for? It was the case with this book. Because nowadays on the market you can find a lot of paranormal books that are similar this time I was looking for something fresh and interesting. I have to admit that I wasn't disappointed.

The book is written in an easily understandable language and one reads it pleasantly. The plot is intelligent ho...more Have you ever experienced something like this: After reading the herald of a book you thought this book is perfectly matched for me, this is what I was looking for? It was the case with this book. Because nowadays on the market you can find a lot of paranormal books that are similar this time I was looking for something fresh and interesting. I have to admit that I wasn't disappointed.

The book is written in an easily understandable language and one reads it pleasantly. The plot is intelligent however it has some minor mistakes in it. Some of the events in the book are illogical or even contradict to what was written earlier. Despite such things it is still pleasant to read.

The plot is taking place in 1888 year in Russia. The main character is Katerina Alexandrovna, who has an odd talent. She can bring back the dead. About this curse, she thinks of it as a curse, she learns by accident in an early age. After this she promises herself not to use it ever again. She sticks to her decision until one day when something threatens tsarist son. Her decision leads to exposure of her secret.

I have no idea why, but not until after the exposure we learn that the whole tsarist family is fae and also that there are two courts - Light and Dark - ruled by tsarina and grand duchess. The paranormal thread in this book is introduced a little bit differently but it's something fresh and surprising. You couldn't have seen it coming.

In my opinion this book isn't so good at grabbing your attention. One of the good things I can say is that the events can be unpredictable for the reader. On the other hand I had sometimes an impression that the characters were a little bit half-baked in their behaviour as well as their character. About the ending, there are books that after the last page leave you wanting more, but for me it wasn't that kind of book.

To sum up with a clear conscience I can recommend this book for 19th century lovers as well as people looking for something new in the paranormal area and of course bookworms :)(less)

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Jan 19, 2013 N rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had to admit that the first hundred pages or so of the book bore me a lot, in fact, I thought of stopping altogether seeing as I didn't think that I had the capacity, or the attention span, to read one more sentence. Good thing I didn't, seeing as after those few hundred pages (according to my book thing on iBooks The Gathering Storm has 1119 or so pages) I couldn't stop reading the book. I think it may be because of the fact that Robin Bridges wrote really descriptive passages of the balls th...more

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Jan 11, 2013 Tonya rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, paranormal, ya, couldn-t-finish-or-get-into-it

Grand balls, tsars in Russia, dukes, princes, intrigues and diabolical plots -- this book has it all. We follow the story of Katerina, a young, aspiring doctor in 19th century Russia who is stuck in finishing school to make herself suitable to be an arm decoration for her future husband. What we initially think is simple aristocratic jostling turns into supernatural events that will change the course of history.

I tried, tried to like this book. One of its biggest downfalls is the overabundance o...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Pretty in Fiction rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews-by-jesse

The Gathering Storm is author Robin Bridges first novel.

It tells the story of sixteen year old Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg. Katiya, as her family calls her, longs to be a doctor. She's wanted nothing more since her younger brother died as a baby. But Katiya lives in the late ninteenth century in Russia, a time when women were supposed to stay at home with the children, not go to medical school. Katiya is not only gifted with an intense love of science and medicine, but she also h...more The Gathering Storm is author Robin Bridges first novel.

It tells the story of sixteen year old Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg. Katiya, as her family calls her, longs to be a doctor. She's wanted nothing more since her younger brother died as a baby. But Katiya lives in the late ninteenth century in Russia, a time when women were supposed to stay at home with the children, not go to medical school. Katiya is not only gifted with an intense love of science and medicine, but she also has a supernatural gift, or curse as she sees it. She is a necromancer, a powerful being who can control life and death itself. She doesn't know much about her gift other than that she can raise the dead, and she must forever keep her secret safe. But when people begin to realize just what she is capable of Katiya is thrust into a secret world that she thought existed only in old legends and fairytales. Vampires, fairies, an undead army. They all want something from Katiya, something sinister. It will take all of her power and a lot of luck to overcome the obstacles she faces.

I loved this book! I needed to put that out there. I smiled to myself through most of it. I probably looked like a total weirdo, but that's fine. I was having too much fun reading about Katiya and her world.

Katiya was a wonderful heroine. She was strong and refused to give in to the will of others, even though her situation seemed hopeless. Yes, there were times when she did stupid things or made bad decisions, but everyone does from time to time. And what would a book be without a few misguided decisions? But for the most part Katiya was strong and did what she needed to do to help herself and her family. Some of her reasoning seemed off to me at times, and I thought that if she had communicated more openly with her family some of her problems might have been avoided or at least less severe, but overall I enjoyed reading about Katiya.

Now here's the part where I talk about the love interest. Oh, Georgi! I fell in love with him pretty much right away. The tsar's son, Grand Duke George Alexandrovich, reminded me (more than a little) of a Russian Mr. Darcy. You know, if Mr. Darcy had ever carried a sword around and chopped undead folk's heads off. He was infuriating (-ly adorable) and stubborn and absolutely perfect for Katiya. I found myself waiting for him to show up, probably as much as Katiya was. I appreciated how they didn't just see each other and fall in love on the spot. (Insta-love can be so boring sometimes.) George distrusted Katiya, and Katiya thought George wasn't very nice himself. But their interactions kept me reading page after page.

Katiya's biggest problem throughout the book was that she was stuck in the box royal society had placed her in. The only person who she knew she could trust, Grand duke George, wasn't allowed to be left alone with her. Not for very long anyway. They didn't have free reign to run around St. Petersburg solving the mysteries they were presented. The only people Katiya was able to talk to we're the ones she knew were evil. All in their own ways of course, but still. Evil is evil. How do you trust someone you know has a stake in the bad things that are happening around you? How do you know which of the bad guys is telling you more truths than the other? How can you possibly tell which is the lesser evil? Usually something like that would annoy me, mostly because the heroine would naively trust someone and think that they're intentions were honorable. But not Katyia. She didn't really trust anyone. Not even George. Not really. She was always afraid of what he would think of her if he knew the extent of her powers. Which is another thing that would usually annoy me, but didn't. Not trusting a guy with all of your secrets when he threatens you with death for just some of those secrets? Yeah. I probably wouldn't either.

I've always had this romantic view of old Russia and The Gathering Storm just totally made my day. Even though the St. Petersburg in the novel is rife with supernatural creatures, I think Robin Bridges did a fantastic job weaving in the paranormal with the mundane so that the city still seemed realistic. If you're a fan of urban fantasy or historical fiction you'll want to read this book.

I highly recommend reading The Katerina Trilogy: The Gathering Storm. It's like reading a fairy tale and will have you up late into the night, reading about the magic and intrigue of Bridge's Russia. And I will be anxiously awaiting the sequel! I need more Katiya and George!(less)

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Dec 11, 2012 Cleo rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Gathering Storm is an interesting paranormal fantasy set in alternate 1880s Russia. The main character is the Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg. She has a terrible secret that no one knows, not even her family or friends: she can raise the dead. Katerina regards it as a curse, not a gift. But when she uses her talent to protect a member of the tzar's family, she's caught up in a web of intrigue. Two powerful men take an interest in her: George Alexandrovich, the tsar's middle son,...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Karla rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

The premise of the book, Imperial Russia with fantasy elements and creatures attracted my attention. The political struggle presented in the book ((view spoiler))at the beginning was enough to read page after page, wondering what our protagonist, Katerina, would discover.

Though the concept of the book is great, the execution wasn't the best. Sometimes I felt I was being overwhelmed with info and characters, and though some plot twists were great others see...more

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Dec 08, 2012 The Library Lady rated it 2 of 5 stars

Since I adore Mara Kay's sadly long out of print books (I own both) Masha and The Youngest Lady In Waiting it intrigued me that the heroine of this book attends Smolny, the school for the daughters of noblemen founded by Catherine the Great. The paranormal thing wasn't of great interest, but I figured I could tolerate it.

The bulk of the story though DOES focus on the paranormal, as in "what if the court of the Tsar was overrun with faeries, vampires and all the rest" and I found it less than ent...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Natalie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, young-adult, fantasy-magic, fey, historical-fiction, russia, series

This had bits of history, fantasy and romance all blended together in a fun afternoon read. I won't say the writing was seamless, the author could definitely work on her coherency, but it was fun. I loved the setting and Katiya was a fun character to follow. She made some really stupid decisions, but not so stupid that you hated her for it - her actions seemed believable for a teenager.

Katiya can raise the dead. This is not a gift she's proud of. She has tried desperately to keep her secrets hi...more

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Sep 02, 2012 Camika Hayes rated it 4 of 5 stars

I bought this book on a bit of a whim. It is not exactly the type of book I would have bought, but I was drawn to the cover. The description sounded interesting and even though I left the book at the store a few times before I actually purchased it, it seemed to worm its way into the back of my mind.

I have to say, I am impressed. Even the extensive use of nearly unpronounceable Russian names did not deter me from reading the book in its entirety. This is Robin Bridges' first novel and I think s...more

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May 22, 2012 Christin (Portrait of a Book) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 100in2012, 2012-debut, book-portrait-review, dac2012, historical-fiction, paranormal, young-adult

Really 4.5 stars

This was one of my highly-anticipated debuts for 2012, and thank goodness I didn't have to wait long into the year to read it! With an exotic Russian setting, an intriguing world of paranormal creatures in the royal court, and a boy worth swooning over, Robin Bridges created a fantastic debut novel and one that kept me up reading into the wee hours of the morning.

From her childhood, Katerina Alexandrovna has carried a dark secret with her: She is a necromancer and can reanimate t...more Really 4.5 stars

This was one of my highly-anticipated debuts for 2012, and thank goodness I didn't have to wait long into the year to read it! With an exotic Russian setting, an intriguing world of paranormal creatures in the royal court, and a boy worth swooning over, Robin Bridges created a fantastic debut novel and one that kept me up reading into the wee hours of the morning.

From her childhood, Katerina Alexandrovna has carried a dark secret with her: She is a necromancer and can reanimate the dead. In spite of this, or perhaps because of it, she dreams of attending medical school and becoming a doctor. However, she is also a duchess and expected to behave in the royal court and to marry well. Yet when the tsar's son is in danger from a spell, Katerina cannot help but use her power to protect him. Soon she is caught up in a battle that has lasted for centuries, a battle spanning all of the nobility as well as the living and even the dead. Katerina must try to unravel the plot and stop it before it is too late. But to make matters even more complicated, there are boys. Both carry their own secrets, and being with either one would greatly affect the course of Katerina's life. Katerina will have to embrace who she is and to make a choice...a choice that could affect Russia as she knows it...

I think my love for books with foreign settings has been pretty well established, and the setting of The Gathering Storm is no exception. I enjoyed traveling back in time with Katerina to the late 1800s and being part of the Russian nobility, attending balls and witnessing an era when chivalry was very much alive. The addition of the paranormal elements to this world was nothing short of ingenious. There were a variety of paranormal creatures in this book, from faeries to vampires and beyond, yet rather than being overwhelming, all of these elements worked together to create a truly fascinating world. I found myself caught up in the mystery and intrigue of both the paranormal world and the two boys right along with Katerina. I loved that she looked for the reason behind things - in line with her desire to be a doctor - instead of being a "normal" debutante and only looking for a husband. And for those of you who read "two boys" in the summary and immediately thought "love triangle," let me assure you, it's not what you would expect. There are, however, definitely romance scenes in here that will leave you smiling.

There were only two things I wanted with this story - a better way to keep all of the nobility straight, because the amount of names was a bit overwhelming at first - and more. More of the brilliant writing, more of the world, more interaction between Katerina and George. After the ending of this book, I cannot wait to see how everything works out for Katerina.

Blending elements of historical fiction and the paranormal, The Gathering Storm is a fresh new story that will capture you from the very first pages. I will be eagerly anticipating the next book in this trilogy!(less)

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May 14, 2012 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Gathering Storm is the first in the Katerina Trilogy by Robin Bridges. The trilogy blends historical fiction with the paranormal, and is set in St. Petersburg, Russia, in the late 19th century.

Bridges immerses us in an evocative setting. The pageantry of the Russian court is combined with that hard-to-describe fairy tale mood. Even though we see through the eyes of a heroine who doesn't really like all the pageantry, we are swept away into a world that is elegant but filled with dark secrets...more The Gathering Storm is the first in the Katerina Trilogy by Robin Bridges. The trilogy blends historical fiction with the paranormal, and is set in St. Petersburg, Russia, in the late 19th century.

Bridges immerses us in an evocative setting. The pageantry of the Russian court is combined with that hard-to-describe fairy tale mood. Even though we see through the eyes of a heroine who doesn't really like all the pageantry, we are swept away into a world that is elegant but filled with dark secrets.

Katerina has an innate talent for necromancy, and is sought after by a family of evil witches and vampires who want to use her ability for their own ends. In addition, she's a debutante of noble blood and is supposed to be looking for a husband in the social whirl of the court. She also has an interest in medicine and dreams of going to becoming a doctor -- something unusual but no longer unheard-of in her time. Any one of these plot threads could make a good novel. Any two of them could make an interestingly complex novel. All three of them start to feel a little "kitchen sink." There simply isn't enough page space to do justice to all three of these ideas at once.

I'm also not in love with the way Katerina's intelligence is presented. She has the variety of fantasy-heroine intelligence that seems to come bundled with a disdain for dresses and parties, and this is something of a cliché. It doesn't help that she describes her beloved medical books as "dry" in her own narration. Sure, everybody else might think they're dry, but why would she think that when this is her passion? It reads as trying too hard to set her apart from the other young women in the novel, who read fiction -- which Katerina also disdains. Meanwhile, she exhibits a lack of intellectual curiosity about the most urgent subject on her plate, her magical talent. When given a book that could help her harness her powers, she refuses to look at it until her cousin finds it and points out something useful in it.

Back to the kitchen-sink feel, this is exacerbated when we abruptly learn that a large portion of the Russian court is composed of faeries, and that this is a well-known fact. It seems like overkill since (at least so far) it's not needed for the plot to work, and it's introduced in a jarring fashion. One moment we think we're in a "hidden magic" novel where the real history will play out the way we know it and the supernatural elements will work behind the scenes. The next moment, we're in an "open magic" story that might not follow the real history at all.

That said, while the openness of the magic appears abruptly, it may turn out to be a positive for the series. It opens up a wider range of plot possibilities, because now Bridges need not limit herself to what really happened. For example, people who died young in real life need not do so in the fictional universe.

I was often frustrated with The Gathering Storm, but found the setting fascinating and beautiful, and am curious about how Bridges will proceed with her interweaving of history and magic. I will probably read book two, The Unfailing Light, but won't rush to get it.(less)

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Mar 26, 2012 Alan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, witches, vampires

The short review:
1. To me the female lead (Katerina) isn't a strong female character.
2. There are just too many "beings" in the story.

I liked the idea and setting of the story, Russia during the imperial period, with Faberge and Tchaikowsky and Tostoy. Although there is an endless list of imperial titles.

Katerina, while she starts out looking and feeling like a strong female lead with her desire to become a doctor and continue on in her education, as the story progresses she has too many instanc...more

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Mar 17, 2012 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-emmy

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: The politics of Romanov Russia are brought to a new level–the Dark and Light Faerie courts, intertwined with the Imperial family, are threatened by vampires. The dangerous and multi-layered court life is brought to life in this historical paranormal.

Opening Sentence: Our family tree has roots and branches reaching all across Europe, from France to Russia, from Denmark to Greece, and in several transient and minute kingdoms and principalities...more

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