If you're anything like me then what drew you to this novel aside from the beautiful cover was the fact this story is about Anastasia. I grew up in the '90s and Anastasia was so big that I remembered buying book covers with Bartok on it and getting him in Happy Meals.

Nostalgia aside, while this is historical fiction it also possesses magical realism that changes the course of history, and Brandes offers insight as to where she pulled inspiration from at the end of the novel.

The tone of the novel is dark, even though clever Anastasia seeks to find good and joy in every situation, focusing on what her father would expect from her. She is a rambunctious, mischievous girl who adores her family and even in their imprisonment finds ways to harness goodness.

I honestly had a pit in my stomach the entire time because I knew what happened and it is one of those stories in history that has always perplexed me and made me quite sad. Brandes did a magnificent job ensuring that the reader connected to not just one but all of the characters. You felt for the soldiers, the family, the men that were forced to partake in this 'or else'.

It was a slower read that really didn't pick up until the last 3/4 and those left me dizzy, but I enjoyed it.

Overall, a 4/5 savvy crowns from me. :)

I have loved Anastasia's story since I was a small girl, reading a fictionalized version of her diary under the covers with a flashlight. I am such a sucker for a Romanov retelling, and this did not let me down. Like Captain Crunch on your tongue, it's bright and sweet with a little dagger edge to keep things interesting.

To put it simply, I loved this book!

To put it less simply...

Nadine takes her readers on a wild, romantic, mysterious, and magical ride through the pages of Romanov. I have though of Anastasia in the past - you can't get away from the animated version of course, but the fact that it's a real story is also intriguing. When I found out that Nadine was writing about her story, I couldn't wait.

The story itself never stops moving. I wouldn't call all of it 'fast paced' but when it's not fast, it's like a dangerous river, always rushing past to the next section of rapids. In that way, this book will gain (and hold) your attention. The characters, while there are many of them, are well fleshed out to the point that they need to be, and create a true sense of familiarity with Nastya.

As for the magical aspect of this story - it is excellent! I won't go into much detail here (no spoilers, thank you) but Nadine builds it so seamlessly into the book that it's not only believable but surprising in the BEST way.

Lastly, the romance. Just wonderful! As always, Nadine writes it so sweetly but yet the passion is not missed. I was convinced of everything in the end and that left me so satisfied.

Overall - 5 stars doesn't seem like enough for this wonderful book! I enjoyed every minute of it and can recommend it to anyone who enjoys magical realism or fantasy with in the context of history!

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I received this book for free but was under no obligation to post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.

I was super excited when I got access to Romanov by Nadine Brandes. I haven't read this author before, but I was kind of obsessed with the Russian Royal Family in high school, so I thought this was a perfect book for me. I am fascinated by the Romanovs and all the secrets they hold, and I was kind of obsessed with the idea that Anastasia escaped and lived her life on her terms. Even though know we know that her and Alexei were just buried somewhere else. This book seemed like a perfect fit for me, but in the end I felt just "okay" about it.

To be perfectly honest, the reason why I didn't rate this book high is that I was bored for most of it. It takes a bit to setup up the story, and for the first half of the novel it's just about them being in exile. I found these parts to be such a snooze-fest that I thought about DNFing the book. I think what kept me going was the idea that something magical was going to happen and like Anastasia I had to wait on it. The exile part does setup the tension between Anastasia and Zash, but I'm still not really sold on their relationship.

At the half-way mark in the book that is where all the action is at, so I started getting more interested in the story again. I still don't think there was enough magic or fantasy elements in this for me, but the concept of spells being in the Matroyshka nesting dolls was a cool one to me. I do also like that the Romanovs sewing jewels into their dresses was in this book too (this is a real thing that happened!).

I am glad that at least in this story Anastasia and Alexei get a happy for now ending. I wasn't completely sold on this one, but I think if you like Evelyn Skye's The Crown Game or if you just have an interest in The Fall of The Romanovs, this is a book for you.

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

So I love magical realism, and I love historical fiction, but I did not love this book. This book is set in the last days of the Romanov family and basically how magic saved Anastasia. Good things: the characters were well developed and I love how fully fleshed out everyone in the family was, although it did bother me from a historical standpoint how biased the representation was. I mean, of course this teenage girl thinks her father is the best and that he can do no wrong and the Bolsheviks are wrong, but historically Tsar Nicholas was a pretty terrible leader. If you’re going to do historical fiction about such a well known family, I’d like to see some nuance. The magic was also pretty cool and a nice element to add. Bad things: The first half of the book was so boring that it was nearly unreadable. Once I pushed through it, the end was fast paced and compelling, but are teens really going to push through nearly 150 pages of ‘we were under house arrest, we went to the garden then back to our rooms, nothing of any import is happening’? If the whole book had been as great as the last half then it would be a plus, but the first half being what it is, I have to give this one a minus.

I've always loved the story of Anastasia, and YA fantasy is my go-to genre, so when I read this description, I had high hopes. Perhaps a little too high. Overall, it was an okay read possibly better suited for an older MG audience than the YA audience toward which it's marketed. Good for fans of Fawkes or lovers of Anastasia or historical fantasy.

Pros: The story was interesting, and the magical take on Anastasia was unique.

Cons: I didn't love any of the characters, and there were too many similes and adjectives for my liking. It wasn't that the language was flowery, but a lot of the simple metaphors felt unnecessary, forced, or over the top which made it hard to read at times.

It's difficult to review this book. The best way to describe my feelings as I read the story is to say that didn't let me forget the actual Romanov demise and what as people, not royals, they must have felt and went through during that time. By adding a magical element to the story, Brandes manages to provide an alternative to the depressing truth while also keeping some historical accuracy (a couple exceptions, obviously). I appreciated that this allowed me to experience this history as I'd want to see it play out and not as it was.

'Romanov' by Nadine Brandes is a standalone YA historical fiction novel that has a fantastical twist.
Brandes' take on fate of Anastasia Romanov and her family certainly has an intriguing premise, and while it has it's faults as a novel of it's own merit, I can't help but feel compelled by the subject matter and the humanity of it's characters.
Based on the writing style I'd personally say that 'Romanov' is probably better suited to the younger end of the teen market.

~ Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this title. ~

Damn. What a book. If possible, I would give it 3.75 stars. It didn't even matter if it wasn't historically accurate, honestly.

The premise of ROMANOV is everything one could ask for: it is the untold (fictional) tale of Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov, spun through webs of tragedy and bloodshed and magic woven into the fabric of Russian revolutionary history. "Nastya," in the final fleeting hours before her family's collective fate, clings to hope for survival pinned in a single Matryoshka doll containing a final spell that will save them all.

Or, rather: an Anastasia retelling? I was hooked instantly.

Here's a rundown...
WHAT I LIKED: A lot, actually.
<blockquote>- the writing is elegant, quiet, playful and easy to read. The likable characters, the lovely descriptions of beauty in the smallest of crevices.
- Nastya's voice was portrayed very well—look! a well-developed female protagonist! how rare!
- after the first half, the plot kicked off much faster. Engaging to the finish. A page-turner.
- the concept of the spells and spell masters, and how they were portrayed—very magical and fitting to the era.
- the Romanovs. It was incredible reading how their lives fell apart, piece by piece, but their resilience remained in their unwavering love for one another. How they relied on another for silent, grim hope and optimism in escape. Fantastic.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE SO MUCH: Also a lot.
- I found the relationship between Zash and Nastya quite forced. One moment, Nastya feels nothing, and then out of the blue she can't live without him. Where was the slow burn development?
- Aside from Alexei, the other Romanov family members were relatively flat. Understandable, but it would have been nice to flesh them out a little more.
- Worldbuilding. Most locale descriptions were a little convoluted and drab. I wanted to know more about the magic of the world, about the Revolution itself tearing the nation apart (that they literally were in the center of). Instead, I couldn't even picture what the Apietev house looked like, even though they were there for a hundred-some pages.
- The shift from the slowness of the first half to the second didn't really match up. Everything started happening at once. I like fast things, but the connection between the two halves was a little flimsy at best. Many things were relatively underwhelming, given the gravity of the premise itself. Oh well.

ROMANOV is an unflinching, fantastical spin on one of history's greatest mysteries. A tale of suffering and tragedy, death and loss. Of survival and compassion, and forgiveness. Of someone so full of compassion she found love in all, friend and foe alike.

A tale as triumphant as it is tragic. A myth in the making.

I thought this book was a very interesting take on the Romanov family. As soon as i started reading this book i could not put it down until the end! I think i read this book in about 6 hours. I would recommend this book to anyone who like's history, magic, and twist you don't see coming! Loved this book!

With Romanov, Nadine offers us a precise take on Russian history.
I always obsessed over the myth of Anastasia, but never reseached it, so I blingly thought the animated movie version was the right one.
Oh, how wrong I was. I realized it halfway through the book, when I had to google something Romanov related.
In the first part of the book, Nadine tells us exactly what we know of the last days of the Romanov. I was (still am) impressed by the exactitude of the events. She even had some stuff the soldier said in real life to the Tsar in the book.
This book is the magic and adventure book you’re waiting for. All throughout the book, we are waiting for something to happen. For Anastasia to use magic. And when she does, it does not disapoint.
If you are an history nerd like me, this is the book you need.

I was so excited to be approved for this book. I have always had a fascination with the Romanov family and the events that led to their family being killed. The cover was beautiful and eye catching as well. This would be a book that if I saw it on the shelf at my local book store or in Walmart I would find myself picking up to see what it was about.

I liked the pacing in the first half of the book, it drew me in and swaddled me in a soft fuzzy blanket of words. However that pacing soon became tiresome as it came to the middle.

I loved the magical elements the author added to the retelling, it gave a unique spin on things. I was a little bummed out that I did not really connect with any of the characters or the love interest but overall this was a good re-telling.

This is my first Nadine Brandes book and I liked it. I have read about The Romanovs many times and I loved the magical twist in this tale.

I felt that the magic wasn't explained in greater detail but I liked it nevertheless. I also loved the Author's note in the end.

If you are a Romanov fan or want to read a Historical fiction/fantasy book, then I would recommend Romanov to you!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC.

4.5 One of the greatest things about Brandes' style is her commitment to authenticity. As you read, you feel the research and history pouring through the pages, even the clearly fictionalized parts. "Romanov" carries her love of the family, and she treats their story with dignity. I marked three quotes, and only two are spoiler free, but I think they speak to the novel over all in its incredible story.

"No on could outshout a revolution."

"That was what positive moments were for- to help heal the wounds of the future."

The rating: the romance scene at the end felt in some ways forced and sudden, especially in light of the nearly unbelievable tragedy [nearly b/c it actually happened]. Additionally, while I respect Brandes decision to include her faith and write stories of faith, in some ways it was a bit too much. However, she does make note that her research showed her an insight into the Romanov beliefs, and she incorporated that accordingly. I was intrigued to hear about their faith. So really, the half is just the romance at the end. 4.5 But I would do injustice to her novel to rate it at 4, so 5 it is.

This book blended too many things together and created mish mash. I am not sure of several of the historical "facts" and I had a hard time believing much of it. Writing was pretty good, so I would definitely try the author's other books.

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

Anyone who knows me knows that I have loved Anastasia since I was a child. They also know that I really want to see Anastasia the Musical (even though my dreams have been crushed because it closes on Broadway next month and it’ll likely never come to the West End). So of course, when I heard about Romanov, I was super excited to read it. I knew it wasn’t specifically related to the Anastasia story we know and love, and Brandes does leave an author’s note at the end of the novel outlining what was true and what elements she added in to make it historical fiction. I’ve seen quite a few reviews that have had issues with how this book is being marketed as historical fiction, but I don’t agree with them. Yes, there are fantasy elements and fictional elements, but I can still see the historical basis for the novel.

As usual, I’ll give you a breakdown of the characters, the plot and a general overview.

Nastya is our main character, the nickname for our beloved Anastasia. She’s 16 years old in this book – at the start, I couldn’t help but think she was around 10 or 11, as she was portrayed as quite childish. Her evolution was great, though – she wasn’t your typical female protagonist who suddenly becomes good at everything and saves the day. She had flaws which made her a lot more realistic.

Alexei, her brother, was slightly unrealistic for me, however. He’s slightly younger than Nastya, and struggles a lot with illness, in particular haemophilia. It was nice to see a disability written into a book that has been present from birth and not developed from a war situation, and one that is portrayed realistically. The book shows that it can’t truly be cured, which I loved, as most books nowadays tend to provide magical cures for disabilities for the convenience of plot.

Zash is a Bolshevik soldier. He is one of the elements of the story that is fictional – he’s constantly torn between serving as a soldier, and caring for the Romanov’s. He has a damaged moral compass in this book, which portrays him as quite vulnerable. Zash is very much a good character who simply struggles to choose between morality and survival.

The villain, Yurovsky was fictional too, I believe. He was honestly a decent villain in most parts, but on occasion, I found it hard to understand why he was doing certain things and what his vendetta was. Nonetheless, he was manipulative and ruthless, and I will always enjoy a villain who really aggravates me, as it means the author is most definitely doing their job right!

The plot itself started off a little bumpy. It felt a little like we were dropped into the middle of a plot and expected to just know exactly what was going on. I think it would have been slightly better to be given more history of the Romanovs, what they had done to be in this position, where they were, what everyone was like before the capture. But, once the fantasy elements came into play, the novel really picked up. I don’t think this novel would have worked purely as a historical fiction without fantasy. But the romances were very subtle, mostly existing as friendships, which is perfect. The magical elements were simply a backdrop to a beautiful (though cracked) domestic scene.

I did enjoy this book, and I have to say I cried at certain parts. This retelling was beautiful and was everything I expected from a historical fiction novel. I think I would definitely be happy to pick up another Brandes novel after this!

This is a great mix of historical fiction and magical realism. The story of Anastasia and her family has been told and retold—but this telling is the first I have read that gives a magical twist to the possible survival of the grand duchess. I thoroughly enjoyed the research and history that went in to this telling of the Romanov story. It was uplifting—though possibly at times a bit too preachy on forgiveness—but even that felt true to the characters Brandes created.

Nadine Brandes effortlessly blends history and fantasy in her latest book, Romanov.

At times heartbreaking, Romanov is an interesting look into an alternate story of what could have happened to Anastasia, had a little magic been present. I especially loved how Brandes touched on what was fact vs. what was fiction in the book. It was so interesting to see how she took elements of fact and added them to the fictional narrative.

Romanov is sweeping, historical, and magical, all rolled into one! I highly recommend this book!

I love retellings and historical fiction and glad to see more fantasies around this content. Romanovs also is an interest area for me, so I was really excited to read this.
Unfortunately, it fell on the average mark for me. I think the writer made a mix of a little bit of everything and it just didn't have any depth. Characters, magic, historical background, all were bland as it just remained on the surface.
Thanks to the publisher via NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This Anastasia retelling takes a new spin to the historical narrative. Nadine Brandes does her research so the story is rooted in history, At the same time, there is a strong magical element that fits the history. Just to make one thing clear: this is not a retelling of the animated movie: it focuses on history. It is also not a fast-paced book, which I assume some people will dislike. However, it worked, at least for this book.

Unfortunately, there are also things that do not work. I guess the ideological approach and author's opinion on the Revolution paint the story in an uncomfortable light at times. Basically: "Revolution bad, Tsar good". No. Also, the romance is not that of equals and it is problematic in many ways.

Still, there is a lot to unpack with this story. Those who know the history behind it should enjoy it more than those with only a passing knowledge of Disney's animated movie. There are many things to discuss. I can see myself including this novel in a course, and I can see it generating great discussions.

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