What first struck me about <em>Romanov</em> is the magic system: in this version of Russia, spell masters and their contemporaries can wield magic through spell ink, which they use to scribble and cast spells. Nastya learned to use spell ink from the late Rasputin to ease her brother Alexei's chronic pain from hemophilia. The idea of words as magic spoke to me immediately because it was something that anyone could access and use. In a place where spell masters are now hunted and executed for their crafts, the availability of magic was an intriguing and unique one. I've yet to read of a magic system like this one.

I also appreciated the sense of historical accuracy throughout the first half of the book. From the prose alone, I could tell that Brandes did her research and was incredibly knowledgeable about what really happened in the final months of the Romanovs' lives. She also weaved fictional characters and ideas into the story; I had trouble discerning what was fact and what was fiction, but this added to my reading experience. That feeling of well-researched accuracy disappeared at about the two-thirds mark, but I think it had to. Brandes didn't write a textbook, and I appreciated the creative liberties she took; they made for a more interesting novel.

While the world was rich, the characters sometimes fell into archetypes. Nastya felt full and round to me, as did Zash (the Bolshevik guard who catches Nastya's eye) and Maria (Nastya's sister), but other supporting characters could have used some rounding out. There was the father who preached nothing but goodness, the ruthless commandant who oversaw their exile, and the wizened spell master who was as peculiar as he was curious, among others. These characters deserved more development than they got.

Another part of the story that seemed a little fuzzy was the premise. In the beginning, Nastya's father tells her to retrieve a Matryoshka doll from their quarters and keep it safe because it will reveal spells that will help their family. As the spells are revealed throughout the story, I had a tough time believing that Nastya knew exactly what each spell was meant to show her even when she was presented with almost no clues. The set-up seemed improbable.

Overall, I enjoyed this lovely story about a mystery that has continued to entrance us even after it's been solved. Brandes' novel gave the story of Anastasia and the Romanovs a new spin that I highly recommend.

Well written, historical fiction. I enjoyed to narrative, characters and story and will recommend to my teen readers, and teachers looking for good thematic reads.

A magical twist to the Romanov story : I was in !
I loved the magic system even though it was kinda hard to understand it at first. The characters is what kept me going and I was not disappointed. My favorite part was the relationship between Anastasia and her brother, they were so cute together
I did find the writing style to be engaging and I think the story was touching.

*ARC generously provided by Thomas Nelson through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

When I was younger, I was obsessed with the story of Anastasia and the possibility that the "lost princess" might have survived her family's execution. This novel brought all of those memories right back to me. I couldn't put this one down.

Anastasia, or Nastya as she is called by her family, is tired of Bolsheviks and tired of waiting. In a world of spell casters, the Romanov family claim connections not only through the infamous Rasputin but others too. After smuggling an ancient family spell to their new home in exile, Nastya must wait for a sign that the spell is ready to use before she can attempt to help her family. But the wait isn't the only struggle and she soon finds her heart touched by one of the Bolshevik soldiers. When the unthinkable happens, Nastya must decide who trust and how far she's willing to go to protect herself and her family.

This novel did an amazing job blending history with fiction and fantasy. I loved how the characters developed over the course of the story. The main characters had clear flaws, which I always find relatable and realistic. Beyond this, the enhancements to the history of the Romanovs were engaging and interesting. Even with the inclusion of magic, nothing felt out of place. My only criticism is that the novel had really great pacing--up until the end. At the end, it seemed like a lot happened in a short amount of time.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

3 1/2-4 Stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I am a huge Anastasia fan--historically accurate versions and the not-so-accurate movie version we all know and love. While I was originally excited for this book, it didn't quite live up to my expectations.

The beginning of the book takes a more historical approach, with only a little magic weaved in. The last half of the book is the largest fantasy part in the book, focusing the reader's attention on the magical elements we were introduced to in the beginning.

I was surprised to find myself more drawn to the historical section of the book rather than the fantasy half. I love historical fiction/fantasy, but I'm not sure the fantasy element in this book quite lived up to what it needed to be in order for it to really work.

Since the book was from Anastasia's point of view, I think the author took some liberties with how the Romanov's were perceived by the public and how she made Anastasia set the other character's tones. As a reader, I really liked the Romanov's, felt for them. Knowing history, I don't really think I should have felt that way. Should everyone, the kids included, have died? I don't think so. But, was Nikolai the ruler and figurehead Anastasia made him out to be? Not at all.

I liked that there was a slight romantic aspect to the story, because I'm a sap like that, but I don't think it entirely worked for me like I was hoping. I thought that his and Anastasia's ending was to clean-cut and fairytale-like for the murdery story we had gotten up to that point.

I also wish the magic system had been flushed out more. It seemed like anyone could do magic, so why were the Bolshevik's so gung-ho about killing the spellmasters if they could have just used their ink? This could have been played with a lot more and the author could have really dug in, I think, and made the magic in this something to really remember, but it just fell a little flat with me.

Overall, I enjoyed the book for what it was!

I love the blend of historical fiction and fantasy in this book about the Romanov royal family. It is a spin of the story of Anastasia with a twist of magic to parts of the Russian story. The book does a good job of honoring and describing the real historical facts and events while weaving fiction (and a little bit of magic) throughout.
The world was well built, the characters enchanting and the writing memorable. Definitely one to pick up for your bookshelf!
Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with a free digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Romanov by Nadine Brandes
An Anastasia Re-Telling...  5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



Ok wow...
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this copy in return for my honest opinion.

This isnt the story of Anastasia that you see in the movie we all love from Disney. No their true story was heavy and heartbreaking and mysterious. Brandes gives a fresh take on the story bringing more of the historical facts to the story and it was done perfectly.
Tragedy, forbidden romance, fact, politics, and of course magic. The magic itself was completely original and amazing to read.
The characters each had as much depth as their stories themselves. Brandes' version gives a backstory to the tragic night in July 1918 when the family was ultimately slaughtered.
She also forces readers to ask some tough questions along with the characters:
As they struggled with hope and foregiveness it effected their attitudes and actions toward the soldiers around them. What is you meaning of foregiveness?
How far would you go for the ones you love?
I definitely recommend this title when it releases... May 7, 2019!!

Rating: 3/5 Matryoshka dolls

Format:
ebook. I would like to thank Netgalley for a copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review! There are some minor spoilers below, but I try to stay mostly spoiler free!

What it's like:
It's not like the Disney movie Anastasia so be warned! haha but it definitely comes across as a more historically accurate version of that story (plus magic of course!)

What I loved:
I loved the little snippets of historical context. I actually would have loved a lot more of them. Every detail that immersed me in the world of Russia in this era was really fascinating. I am sure a lot of research went into writing this story, and the author's note at the end where she describes what was based in fact and what wasn't just proves that. I really appreciate an attempt to breathe new life (and a little magic!) into a fascinating story from history while keeping a lot of the historical details fairly accurate. Trying to understand the Romanov family, honor their legacy, and share with young readers what they went through is an important endeavor. This story didn't shy away from some of the gruesome and heartbreaking details, which I was glad to see. I didn't really want to read a sugar coated version of the story, I can watch the Disney movie (which I still love!) for that haha.

I also loved the main character, Nastya, and her relationship with her brother, Alexei. Nastya is a trickster, fiercely loyal to her family, and very brave. Her bond with her brother is so sweet, relatable, and heartbreaking. A lot of Nastya's motivations in this book are tied to helping her brother and I really felt for her and rooted for her.

THE MAGIC. I lovveeeee blood magic. I looooveee the idea of spell ink. I lovvveee the idea of a spell melting on your tongue and then speaking the spell word to enact it. HOW FREAKING COOL IS THAT. I want more more more please. I was so frustrated that we didn't see more of the spells at work for the first 50% of the story. GIMMIE MORE. Tell me all about how the magic works, who can cast it, why is it outlawed, EVERYTHING. We get a few of these answers by the end, but in my opinion not nearly enough!

The ending, to keep it vague, I found really pretty satisfying. I was really worried that all the conflicts were going to be solved literally by magic, and I hate those types of endings where complex problems are swept aside by a perfect answer. I think the author strikes a really nice balance between happy and tragic, grief over what was lost while regaining hope for a future, and allowing the reader to imagine this ending as a potentially true one for the Romanovs.


What was meh:
Very early on in the story we learn that the Romanovs are being held by the Bolsheviks, awaiting trial after the Russian revolution. They are basically being held prisoner, just on a gated estate, under armed guard with limited access to the grounds of the estate, and no access at all to the outside world. While this is an intriguing premise, it is a little limiting in a narrative. I felt trapped there with them, wanting to know more of what was going on outside the walls, and what was going on between the guards. Although the relationships between the Romanovs and the guards was fairly interesting, I wanted more to the story, and for about 50% of the book this is the primary focus. This part dragged on and felt really slow to me. We are waiting either for a dramatic escape, or a horrible twist, and left in between not knowing how far the author will diverge from known events. It would have been interesting to have some chapters from some of the guard's POV, or for Nastya to glean more from whispers between guards or other source of information. I wanted to know more about the Romanov's previous life, how magic works in their society, and the historically relevant events that proceeded this story more than Nastya telling us for the fifteenth time that she wants to go outside and that her mother has a headache. Overall, this part of the story could have been shorter, or more complex, and it would have held my interest more.

Secondly, I wasn't a fan of the romance elements in the first 50% of the story. One of the guards involved in the romance part of the plot, Zash, presented a lot of issues for me. While I understand the appeal of melting a stern soldier's exterior for the sake of a love story, I didn't get quite enough of his personality outside the stern exterior to root for the main paring before he does something pretty reprehensible. I wanted a little more subtle detail about his character, to see why one might fall for him other than just being a victim of Stockholm Syndrome because he is pretty and not horrible. The second half of the story, we learn more about Zash and how he ended up where he does, and some of his emotional motivations, which definitely helped but I never really forgave him.

It's also worth mentioning that the writing style wasn't really for me. I tried to focus on the plot and character aspects of the story, but a lot of the writing is in a dramatic and spelled out style that I find a little tiring. I would rather see that a character is upset through the description rather than have the author to tell me, for example. I think this writing style is mostly born from writing from a fairly limited first person perspective who is also a teenager, so we are intimately aware of all of Nastya's thoughts and feelings, but I think the author might have broadened and matured Nastya's observations a little to add more depth to the story.


Who I'd recommend it to:
Fans of historical fiction YA with a little magic mixed in. The genre and dramatic style reminded me a little of the show Reign (on Netflix, about Mary Queen of Scots!). There is romance, heartbreak, and a lot of action in the second half of the book. There is also some really descriptive violence in it (and a few fairly descriptive passages about corpses and violence done to corpses), so keep that in mind if you are sensitive to that.


Favorite quotes:
If you look at it, it's still red. If you touch it it, it's still wet. But if you listen to it, it speaks a single name in a pulsing chant. Romanov. Romanov. Romanov.

"It will be okay. This will help you." For now.
"I will save you." Maybe.
"I love you." Always.

"You can't overlook a well-made pastry. May you dream of nongiddy girls with arms full of of vatrushka."

I plunged my hand into the spell ink that had gathered in small pools in the cracks of the floor. Light awoke in my mind, like a flickering star falling closer and closer to earth, growing brighter and more stunning even though it fell to its death.

I was SOO excited for this book! Historical Fiction mixed with Fantasy is some of my favorite combinations and it works brilliantly in this book! I love books with Russian culture/history in it and I just knew I was going to love this book. I’m so happy it didn’t disappoint!

First of all, the writing is beautiful! It completely immersed me in the story and it made it incredibly magical. I was gripped from the very start and read this in two sittings. I was just gonna check it out since there was still time until the release but I just couldn’t stop once I started… It’s a beautiful story featuring Anastasia and the Romanov family in a world where magic exists in the form of spells.

One thing I absolutely adored in this book is the family dynamics. It’s beautiful, and strong, and full of life even in the darkest times. I loved how connected they were and how much I could see their love for each other. It’s probably not the truth, and to be honest, I can’t really imagine it even possibly being the truth, but it was beautiful to read anyway.

This book mixes facts from what happened to the Romanov family into an amazing fantasy version of it. We see them in Tobolsk and in the Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg in exile, which is a fact. Also, their execution holds to the truth. But what comes after that and in between, is just an amazing magical story, full of excitement, tragedy, sadness, and love. I also really enjoyed the Bolshevik’s part of the story. We could see their hate for what they believed to be true about the family and the change when able to get to know them. It was just done beautifully and I was all for it!

I loved the magic in this book. I don’t think I’ve read of any quite like it yet… It’s really unique and it fits the story perfectly! There’s something called spell mastery, which is a technique used to create spells out of magical ink, which is also illegal. I just found it really simple and interesting, and I would love to read more about it.

As for the Russian bits and pieces, I’m not Russian and although I love to read about Russian culture and history, I don’t know as much as I want to yet. So, I couldn’t really say if they were done well or not. I did know some of the basic words and those seemed right. As for the ones I didn’t know, I think they were put in a way that I was able to understand, and I think it was interesting to add them to the story. So, as for how the historical part was done well, I don’t really know, although I do plan to read more about the Romanov family. As a book for a person that knows only a bit about it, it was incredibly enjoyable, gripping and beautiful.

The romance in this book, it’s not a big one. It’s most of the time more of an implied one really, which I loved. It seemed more realistic this way and it didn’t take the majority of the book. I do like romance but I always tend to prefer if the book focuses more on family and friendship… I seem never to find books focusing more on that. They always jump to some yada yada of romance…

As I said in the beginning, historical fantasy is some of my favorite genres to read and this was definitely one that I could not put down. I loved everything about it and I would recommend it. But yeah, keep in mind that the facts are probably not all there… There’s a fair share of them, but a lot of fantasy and fiction in it too.
4.5stars

Historical novels are one of my favorites! This one was about the last Russian royal family, from the perspective of Anastasia (once believed to be the surviving princess, plus the mystery of why her and Alexei were buried separate from the rest of the family). The story followed history pretty well with the family moves, events with the family and their stay at the Ipatiev House. Most characters in the book were real people and had real interactions with the family. The sad event of their deaths followed history pretty well. Thereafter is fantasy, using magic and the belief that Anastasia and Alexei escaped and were later buried near their family after their later deaths. So, while the story had little surprises as it is a story based on history, it was still a great one.

***I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.***

I must admit, I’ve always loved the animated movie. I can’t stop myself when it comes to Romanov history, it doesn‘t matter if it‘s a retelling, musical or historical book. I must have it.

Just to make it clear: This isn’t a fantasy. It’s a historical book with “what if” and few spells that make the whole plot possible. Yes, there are “spell masters”, but you can easily believe in their existence when you consider Rasputin and all that. Almost.

I would’ve rated this book more positively if I could call it a fairytale, but I can’t. Nadine Brandes tries to make this story as accurate as possible and therefore it must be reviewed mainly as a historical book.

From the very beginning, the Romanovs felt like saints. They loved each other, they loved their friends, they loved their enemies and they always did their best for their people. Nikolai was pictured as a strong leader and the tsarina as a person who deeply cared for her ill son and therefore hasn’t much time to spare when it came to other children.

All members of the family were always nice to each other which would be impossible in such a small space. They would’ve fight each other time to time, because real people become easily nervous in conditions such as these. Even if they love each other. Not mentioning I know nothing about Olga or Tatiana, because they were barely there. I’m not even sure why the tsar was pictured as a victim of propaganda considering Bloody Sunday or the fact it wasn’t him who ruled, but his wife.

What I really appreciated was pictured insecurity in Ipatiev house and awful conditions in which the Romanovs were forced to live in. This part felt very real and constricting just as it should be. The quick pacing held my attention till the end and even if I consider historical inaccuracy and some plot holes, I enjoyed this book.

If you’re interested in Russian history and young adult is your thing, you’ll like this one. Especially if you grew up on the famous animated movie.

From the author of Fawkes comes a magical take on the story of Anastasia Romanov.

The history books say I died.

They don’t know the half of it.


Ever since I read Fawkes, I knew I loved Nadine’s writing, and when Romanov was announced, I couldn’t be happier. As I have spend my childhood and young adult life in the Balkans, whilst travelling across Europe, I have always admired Russia, and always enjoyed reading all the theories about the Romanov family.

As a child I would be told stories and fairy tales, I would watch the Disney adaptation of Anastasia, and as I was growing up, I would read history books and fiction on this very subject. When I got my hands on ‘’Romanov’’, I knew I would be up for an adventure, with lots of expectations, but what I never knew was that I would be blown away of how beautiful this book is!

This book is split into two main parts, before and after the Romanov’s execution, but it is also split into the first being the historical part, and the second being the fictional part. Both parts of the book are quite intense, and very different emotions come up to surface, but they are both very powerful throughout, and fitted together quite well.

In the first part, we are introduced to the Romanov family, and how they are kept as hostages by the Bolsheviks. It would’ve been much better if we had more details on the pre-hostage period, why the revolution began, why the king abducted the throne, who are the Bolsheviks and what they believed in. The book starts in the middle of this whole situation, and whilst I knew the beginning before, I am certain a lot of people wouldn’t have.

The history, as much accurate as it was, also had a personalized feeling that the author wanted to give. I have to admit, a lot of the details, especially around the family were quite accurate. The family did stick together and loved each other, they did have secrets and they did make friends with their captors. Anastasia’s brother did indeed had hemophilia and Rasputin was allegedly helping him. However, the author decided to put her personal feelings into the history as well. The king is presented as a wonderful leader that cares about the people. I understand that we see this story from Anastasia’s point of view, and as his daughter, she is supposed to see her father as the best figure in the world. But I still believe this part should be more objective, if not from Anastasia’s point of view, then at least by the king’s actions and dialogues. The other big element that bothered me was the portrayal of Rasputin. He is shown in this book as a family helper and a kind man, when in fact, he was far from that. In the history books, he is described as a madman, a creepy person, and the king was not happy of him coming in the house. The family’s secrecy and the queen’s silent domination over the king, together with Rasputin’s doings were the start of the revolution, and I believe that it one of the required truths that this books should have included, but didn’t. And that troubled me.

On top of this, is the Russian language used throughout this book. There were a lot of spelling errors, and misinterpretations. And whilst I can understand these words, many people can’t, and translation wasn’t provided in the book. Also, I really found this quote interesting, talking about the Russian culture, and how they don’t show emotions. Just a note – this is most of the time true, people won’t be nice to strangers, but actually, Russian people are quite friendly and emotional as well.

‘’We Russians weren’t required to share any amount of emotion we didn’t want to.’’

Apart from these few things that slightly bothered me, I really enjoyed this book. Anastasia is an amazing character, and through her we can see her love towards her family, her country, and even towards the people that wish her harm. We get to see her love, cry, be hurt, be afraid, forgive, and grow throughout the book, and her journey was magical.

‘’As I lay in the grass next to the spell that could rid me of heart pain, I realized that a part of forgiveness was accepting the things someone had done – and the pain that came with that – and moving on with love. Forgiveness was a personal battle that must always be fought in my heart.’’

I loved the beginning of the book the most. The setting was well-written, and I got the feel the same way as the Romanov family did. They tried to act as if everything was normal, when in fact, they were held captive, and moved out of their home. They weren’t allowed to go out in the garden often, and when they did have this opportunity, they enjoyed every single second of it. And they all had hope every single day. They kept smiling and stayed together.

There are number of scenes that will always stay close to my heart – the relationship between Zash and Anastasia (as unrealistic as it might be), always kept me on my toes, his desperation, and his guilt, and her ability to forgive and love regardless.

The brother’s illness, and his persistence through it. His motivation and his will to never give up. The love he holds for his family, and especially his sister Anastasia, and the toughness and not letting go. A few scenes were unrealistic with him, as I hardly believe anyone suffering from hemophilia can survive all those injuries mentioned in the book and the pools of blood, but above all – this character did achieve what he was meant to do – show hope where there is none.

A wonderful and magical tale, with a history behind it of a mysterious family, especially their end – this book brought tears on my eyes and made me think about the power of forgiveness and love. A true masterpiece.

Thank you to Nadine Brandes, for letting me be a part of her Ninja Team.

Thank you to the publisher, Thomas Nelson, and NetGalley, for providing me with a complimentary ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

I've always been fascinated with Russian history and I would grab any opportunity that fuels that interest. So of course I was ecstatic when I was given the chance to read this!

Romanov is such an intriguing and captivating read. Seeing Nadine Brandes weave fiction with facts was nothing short of addictive. I now have a new fascination and obsession for the Romanovs. (Anyone willing to lend me a copy of Helen Rappaport's published works?)

Romanov had so much going for it. I enjoyed the magic aspect and the writing most of all. The characters' realistic portrayal and their internal struggles would surely capture readers' hearts. I doubt anyone could read the book and not sympathize with the Romanovs, especially Nadya. What they all went thru was brutal and utterly heartbreaking. I also may have stopped reading a few times because I couldn't read thru the brutality and not cry. The romance was a welcome addition. It was sweet and slow and I very much savored what little of it there was.

Personally, I think the author did a very good job giving the Romanovs' story a new life.

I received an e-arc via Netgalley to read and review.

Actual rating: 2.5

I'm not entirely sure how to properly review this. I think most people will be familiar with the Romanov's history. You probably know what happened to the last tsar's family, more or less. And you probably know at least something about the many conspiracy theories claiming that one of the Romanovs secretly survived. You've likely watched Anastasia, of which this book is a - very loose - retelling. Maybe you've also, like me, read one or more other books about this.

If you have, and you're already familiar with this story and its variations, I probably wouldn't recommend picking up this novel. Going in, I was already aware of what was going to happen to the Romanovs, so the book seemed... really bland. It took 200 pages for the story to actually take off, and even then, not a lot really happened. There just didn't seem to be going on much in terms of a plot. This was all the more noticable because the characters weren't exactly well-rounded either. So overall, it was all pretty boring to me.

My biggest issue with this book was how much it was centered around romance. I wanted so badly to read about the other things going on! Like the magic system that was a fairly interesting addition. Or the characters' personalities! One of my favourite parts of the book was the relationship between Anastasia and her brother Alexei, and I think that deserved a lot more attention. So I just didn't care about the romance at all.

However, if you're unfamiliar with the story, you might enjoy this a lot more. I did find the writing style to be engaging, and I think it would be a nice enough introduction to the subject matter.

Romanov is a retelling of the tale of Anastasia Romanov and the dynasty, a tale woven in family, magic, betrayal, trust and love.
Right from the beginning, Romanov picks up pace. We meet the Romanov family in hiding, torn and tired yet united by the love in their hearts. I loved how beautifully the relationship between all the family members were shown, especially Nastya and Maria, and Nastya and her father. They were my absolute favorite characters from the beginning. The author has done a commendable job in showing a nearly true image of Nastya - her naughty self, her impishness. Those instances in the book were extremely engaging and fun to read about.
All of the characters in the book are well crafted, and to see the development in them was great. I loved Zash, although he seemed stoic and cruel hearted in the beginning. But through him, Nadine has shown us how misunderstandings can change your heart, and how kindness and little bit of love can change it for better. Zash is a character who's sole duty in the beginning was to survive and save himself. But he changes later. For the good.
The book was filled with its own highs and lows, somewhat cliche moments that went easy on the heart. Then there were moments that totally crushed my heart and kept me at the edge of my seat. There was sadness, there was hope and there was magic.
I also loved the fact that the romance wasn't the main focus of the book. It was family and kindness and the bonds that family creates. I loved this aspect of the book. Although, I did wish the magic was more than what was mentioned. It felt less. But nevertheless, it created a good balance.
The end did feel a little flat for me, but it was sweet and beautiful at the same moment. I loved how the characters developed, how they grew through the chapters.
All in all, I think Nadine has done a great job with this retelling. Merging history, politics, family and magic together, the book was truly intriguing and enjoyable!


I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Before I say anything else, let me say that I have an intense interest in Russian history, and in particular, the last Romanov tsar and his family. I’m also a fantasy nerd, so I was delighted to get a copy of Nadine Brandes’ fantasy interpretation of their final days, and excited for a historical fantasy addition to the many books about the tragic end of the Romanovs.

The book was very well researched, and I think Brandes did a great job of weaving historical facts into the narrative. However, I did not like this book as much as I’d expected to. One main issue I had was with the characters, whom I felt were flat and uninteresting. I think this may be related to the use of first-person p.o.v., which sometimes makes for lazy characterization. I just couldn’t seem to connect with any of the characters, which was totally surprising, considering they were based on such well-known, interesting historical figures, who led rich lives and left behind a large amount of personal documents.

I also felt that there were some pacing issues – the book rushed when I wanted it to linger, and dawdled when it should have focused on action. I would have also liked more backstory and world-building – I feel like Brandes introduced some great ideas and created a world that could provide the backdrop for other stories (did I hear someone say prequel?)

I think the biggest problem is that the story of the Nicholas II and his family, including the most famous daughter, the lost Grand Duchess Anastasia, is just far too dark to make for any kind of reimagining. The tragedy may have happened over a hundred years ago, but the brutality of the deaths is still too fresh, and it casts a shadow over even this novel.

Many thanks to Thomas Nelson and Nadine Brandes, as well as NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Expected publication: May 7, 2019

๏ ๏ ๏ Highlights ๏ ๏ ๏

Retelling
Russia
Based in Truth
Historical
Fantasy
Magic Spells

๏ ๏ ๏ My Thoughts ๏ ๏ ๏

The first half of this book is based in truth and the second half is more fantasy seeped in magic spells. Sadly, I had to force myself to read the first half of this...it was boring and downright depressing, and I get that it followed the actual history of the Romanov family so it was bound to be boring and depressing. The one good thing that came about from me reading this is I actually looked up and read about what exactly happened to the Romanov's because honestly I couldn't remember ever learning about it; if I ever did. The bad; is that half of the story read a lot like the wiki page did, almost verbatim. Added to that, the overall writing is kind of mediocre, so much so that I had to start skimming to get through the story.

The second half of the story is what saved it from a two-star rating. It was much easier to get through and the writing even improved some too. The romance was easier to believe by the last third of the story because it felt kind of off before that. Despite finding the fantasy elements easier to read, they still didn't make me feel like anything is possible...

Overall, I wanted to like this more than I actually did, but it just didn't pull me in enough for it to happen. Maybe, if the actual historical truths in this, like the time they spent under lock and key, had a smaller part of the story...than maybe I could embrace this a little more.

๏ ๏ ๏ MY RATING ๏ ๏ ๏

☆2.7☆STARS - GRADE=C-

๏ Breakdown of Ratings ๏
Plot⇝ 2.5/5
Main Characters⇝ 2.7/5
Secondary Characters⇝ 2.5/5
The Feels⇝ 2.5/5
Pacing⇝ 2/5
Addictiveness⇝ 2/5
Theme or Tone⇝ 2/5
Flow (Writing Style)⇝ 2.3/5
Backdrop (World Building)⇝ 3/5
Originality⇝ 3/5
Ending⇝ 3/5 Cliffhanger⇝ Nope.
๏ ๏ ๏
Book Cover⇝ It's quite compelling...it's what made me request it in the first place.
Setting⇝ Russia
Source⇝ I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
๏ ๏ ๏

Not quite what I was expecting.

I immediately gravitated toward this book because of its beautiful cover and because duh, it's an Anastasia retelling. I don't know why I find this Grand Duchess' story is so intriguing - most likely because the real story is quite sad but also so full of secrets. Why WERE Anastasia and Alexei buried separately from the rest of their family? Why did the rumors she was still alive persist for so long? And WHAT exactly was the deal with Rasputin?

Nadine Brandes attempts to answer some of these questions while adding her own fantastical spin on things. You can tell she conducted a lot of research for this...maybe too much. The first 60% of the book focuses on the Romanov's exile, and to be honest I found most of it pretty boring. While historically accurate, there's only so much you can do to make 200 pages of a family stuck in the same house interesting. And while she adds in this mystery with magic and spells, I could never quite grasp how the magic system works, so I was mostly just left confused whenever that was brought up.

The back half is where the action happens, after SPOILER ALERT - most of the family is executed (and yes, this was chilling to read). Anastasia's escape reminded me a bit of the musical, complete with Bolshevik train chase and all. The magic system is explained more in this section, but it felt rushed. Most of this book should have been their journey/life post-execution; the ending left me wanting to know more about their future.

Brandes' Anastasia is mischievous, smart, and compassionate. It was devastating to see her whittle away in exile and then experience the trauma of her family's murder. I was rooting for her every step of the way. However, the romance element was...fine. Zash is no Dmitri, that's for sure, but he was fine. I don't really have much to add there.

4.5 stars
I have loved this aspect of Russian history for many years. I've always been intrigued by the Anastasia legend and all of the dark and tragic aspects of the family and those around them.
Brandes takes this true historical story and adds her own magical, fantastical twists, as well as a swoony romance. I can't explain how many emotions this book took me through--I giggled, was happy, and there were definitely some tears. But all the best books give me those deep seated emotions and this one was up there with my favorites.
I have to say that fantasy is definitely not my go-to genre, I actually try to steer clear of it most of the time. Yet this book burrowed itself into my heart and made me breathless along for the ride.

This book fell a little flat for me, it played on all the information we know already about Anastasia and I'm pretty sure I have read a book pretty smiliar to this same plot before. I'm not really entirely certain I would recommend this book.