The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges

A world created by Robin Bridges where the supernatural resides among the normal and clueless. There you have Katerina Alexandrovna, a young debutante and Duchess of Oldenburg. Her gift is one she considers a curse, for she can raise the dead. After having kept this fact a secret for many years, a small slip-up to protect a member of the Imperial family plunges Katerina into a world she's never known.

Her necromancy attracts the unwanted attention of several rival parties, each wanting her gift for their own agendas. Lies and schemes surround her, and Katerina no longer knows who to trust. The increasing number of deaths of the Tsar's guard causes rumours and theories to swirl through the courts: someone is hunting these men, and it's up to Katerina to find who.

Faced with the ultimate decision, Katerina must decide who she will aid and who she will turn to.

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Well, what can I say?
The Gathering Storm was simply fascinating, a magnificent blend of supernatural, romance and intrigue. Necromancy is something that has always enthralled me, it's dangerous but it's got this spark about it. One that can make or break a book.

At first, Katerina doesn't want anything with what she considers her curse, but as events occur, she realises that she doesn't really have a choice, for others have made it for her. And then she's faced with a terrible decision, one that could completely alter, not only her life, but the lives of many.

I think it's safe to say that Katerina is a reluctant heroine, she doesn't want anything more in life than to become a doctor and discover the cures to many diseases. She's a very considerate character who is selfless but not without her moments of courage. and without these, the book would cease to be half as excellent as it is.

Despite her upbringing in a society where girls are bred only to be shipped off to a rich aristocrat with a flashy title, or to form an alliance, Katerina has a bit of a rebellious streak, wanting to marry for love, wanting to become a doctor, and this makes her a very admirable character. Her determination, although she may be a little reckless at times, is another admirable trait.

The other characters in the book, were all different with various roles and personalities. They all had different parts to play and I had different reactions to all of them, the "villains" to be precise. Wow. They were eeeeeevvviiiiiiillllll. I think my skin is crawling from just the memory, the way they were described, their voices, appearance, all this added up to their overall image.

The plot of this book could only be said to be original, and unpredictable. I'll admit, I found myself a little lost with all the long names and the twisting plot, it was a tad overwhelming. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing though, I found the different style of writing to be all the more interesting.

With a taste of the first book, I can't wait to delve into the second... as soon as it comes out :)