Dances, Princes and the Undead.What More Could a Girl Ask For?

It's not every day that a fantasy can keep me feverishly flipping the pages to find out what happens next. The Gathering Storm did just that!

This historical fantasy is set in Russia in 1888 and centers on the life of Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg. Katerina lives a life of privilege, receiving a top notch education and excelling in her studies while still attending numerous royal balls. She dreams of becoming a medical doctor, which is extremely unladylike and has her mother fearing that she will never marry. Oh, the horror! But what her family doesn't know is that Katerina has been hiding a terrible secret; she has the power to raise the dead. This is a time of many superstitions in Russia, and almost every family of Russian nobility holds some powers in their bloodlines. It is up to them whether they use it for good or evil. When faced with a choice to rise as a queen in the dark court or defend her beloved tsar in the name of the light court, what will Katerina choose?

This first installment of The Katerina Trilogy by Mississippi author Robin Bridges had a perfect blend of history and fantasy for me and just enough romance to satisfy my sappy side without taking away from the story. Overall, this story has an intriguing and unique concept with a heroine I could imagine being friends with. You know, if I were in 1888 Russia and had supernatural powers (which would be awesome)!

BIG NEWS: Robin Bridges will be HERE at Brandon Public Library, April 26, 2012 @ 6:00 for a Meet the Author program and book signing! Go ahead and put it on your calendar and check back here for more updates!