This was such a cool book! Like Fawkes, it was a mixture of historical fact and magical fiction. The writing is beyond beautiful and so many lines took my breath away. I will definitely be recommending this book.

I’ve always found the lore and history around Rasputin and the Romanov family crazy interesting and I really enjoyed Brandes take on integrating spells and magic while keeping to the historical fiction genre. It made the story fantastical without making it fantasy.

I enjoyed Nastya immensely; her courage and drive are something to look up to. I enjoyed how she’s able to handle herself and confident in her abilities, while at the same time having moments of weakness and failure. Her struggle with forgiveness was a great theme for the book. I anxiously turned the pages wanting to know what happens next. Now I gotta go pick up Fawkes.

First, let me get this out of the way - I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
So - I was super excited about this book especially because of my fascination with anything remotely related to Anastasia. The disappearance makes me squirm with excitement of the unknown. I went into this super intrigued. This was a good spin with a magical element unfolding with Anastasia's tale and I enjoyed Zash a lot and could empathize with the Bolshevik times. But, somewhere along the way, it fell flat. I wasn't invested in the story or the characters. The middle was a little too draggy for me and I didnt feel any suspense or chills as i would have expected too.
I loved the ending and the little tidbits at the end around the actual story and how the author had incorporated fictional elements into the actuality of the Romanov family was wonderful though!

I was very excited to read this book, but unfortunately it just fell flat for me. As someone who has always been interested in the last Tsar of Russia and the assassination of his family, this retelling of their last days sounded like a great read. Focusing on Anastasia and her brother, the plot seemed to drag right out of the gate. The book began long before the family's assassination, which to me created a pall and feeling of impending doom over everything. It caused me to not want to invest to much in Anastasia's family, knowing what would soon happen to them. That was not really much of a problem, however, because most of the secondary characters felt very one-dimensional and uninteresting.
The magical aspect of the story was not well-explained, and I never got a good grasp of it. It was barely brushed upon through most of the book and then at the end all of the plot elements completely revolved around magic, so it seemed uneven and tacked on. The conclusion felt very rushed and too much like the author was trying to give everyone a happy ending. This book disappointed me and I considered not finishing it, but ended up skimming most of it.

We know the story. Anastasia Romanov as well as the rest of her family--father Tsar Nickolas, Tsarina Alexandra, and her siblings Olga, Maria, Tatiana and Alexei, were brutally executed by the Bolsheviks after being forced to abdicate the Russian throne in 1918. Romanov supposes that the story we know took a mystical turn. Anastasia “Nastya” Romanov is given a mission: to smuggle an ancient spell into her suitcase on her way to exile in Siberia. It might be her family’s only salvation. But the leader of the Bolshevik army is after them . . . and he’s hunted Romanov before.

Nastya’s only chances of saving herself and her family are either to release the spell and deal with the consequences, or to enlist help from Zash, the handsome soldier who doesn’t act like the average Bolshevik. Nastya’s only dabbled in magic, but it doesn’t frighten her half as much as her growing attraction for Zash. She likes him. She thinks he might even like her . . .that is, until she’s on one side of a firing squad . . . and he’s on the other.

Honestly, I could not put the book down. The fascination with the Romanov's and their horrific downfall remains today over 100 years later. The storytelling and characterization are well balanced with the historical facts as well as artistic license.

I must say that I have never been particularly interested in history when it was a subject in school. Pushing through historical facts was something I found rather boring. Historical books were also something I never wanted to read and ignored most of the time. But there is a niche that definitely interests me – historical fiction. I just love reading historical stories with a fantasy twist! So, when I heard that Nadine Brandes was re-writing the story of Anastasia Romanov, I was extremely hyped. And I was lucky enough to be part of Nadine’s Street Team and an organised ARC World Tour for Romanov.

Romanov is such a great re-telling. This book is full of magic, historical facts and undying love between family members. It follows the story of Anastasia Romanov, also known as Nastya – youngest daughter of the last tsar of Russia – and brings it to life. It covers everything from historical facts, intrigue and political schemes but also shows the loving atmosphere between the members of the Romanov family. It is easy to fall in love with Nastya – all of her emotions and flaws are openly written on her sleeve and as a reader, I felt incredibly connected to her as a character.

Without wanting to fill this review with spoilers, Romanov is definitely a rollercoaster of emotions – in the best way possible. Hope and fear, love and loss, excitement and helplessness. All of this is covered by the story and it takes you on an incredible journey. The book was able to really make me crave to get to know the Romanov family even more and more often than not, I wished this story to be the true one – complete with the magic and the ending of the book, which I won’t tell you here.

While most of the first half of the book follows the true story of the Romanov’s – of course with some stretches on the story’s behalf – the second half of the book is what came from Nadine’s imagination. She fills the books with a magical touch and a joy that you can’t find in the original story. It is easy to be swept away in this beautiful retelling and I am in awe of Nadine’s writing skills.

As someone who loves fiction books/novels based on historical events I found Romanovs utterly fascinating!! I LOVE show the book was pretty accurate on a lot of points but still made you think “what if”? I think a lot of people who are fascinated with the Romanovs and especially the Anastasia twist will love this book!! I sure did!!

Since I was a child I loved the movie Anastasia so when I saw the announcement for this book I knew I have to read it. Then I saw it on here and was so happy to be able to read it before it even comes out.
I love the take Nadine Brandes takes on the story and can't wait to get a physical copy and live through the magical story of Anastasia again.

"Yes. With all of my broken Romanov heart"

* *
2 / 5

I'm not particularly familiar with Russian history, but I am a sucker for magical realism and I enjoyed Brandes' other book, Fawkes, so I decided to give Romanov a shot. The spells and magic aspect of the book is awesome, but the story itself was so incredibly slow. Perhaps this was my fault, not knowing that Anastasia Romanov spent most of her life under lock and key in a house, but I do feel like the book needed a much faster pace.

"Spells from the old artists of Russia were now forbidden. I liked forbidden things"

I haven't seen Anastasia and I'm not particularly familiar with Russian history, but I decided to give Romanov a shot. I love magical realism and the spells bit of this was awesome, but the story itself was incredibly slow (which I suppose I would have known if I knew anything about the Romanovs!), The Romanov family was the ruling dynasty in Russia, until Tsar Nicholas II abdicated under pressure from the Bolsheviks. The family is separated and placed under house arrest.

The main character is Anastasia "Nastya" Romanov, a young woman who idolises her father and loves her younger brother, Alexei, who is in ill health and has haemophilia. They're stressed, anxious, and wondering if they're all about to die. It's a pretty dark storyline, but to be honest it bored me. There was only so much worrying that I could put up with without anything more exciting happening that Nastya's sister flirting with some guard. 

Romanov will probably be of much more interest for someone familiar with Russian history. I'm not entirely sure how factual it was, but even the addition of magic and some bad romance couldn't make the book more exciting for me.

My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of Romanov

This e-book was given in exchange for an honest review.

I was very excited when I saw this book here at NetGalley and made a point of asking for it. I like a lot about the mystery surrounding Anastacia's story and the premise also seemed very interesting.

I really liked the idea of ​​including magic in the story, it gave a touch of originality to it. The characters also brought a wide range of emotions throughout story and got me involved with it from beginning to end.

I was expecting a little more action, but it took me a little while to find the rhythm of reading, which was a bit slower than I'd like. But the originality of the story and the immutable historical facts kept me stuck with it 'til the end.

Overall, it is a very interesting book, especially for young adult readers and for those who enjoy urban fantasy, with a historical twist.

I was pleased with the story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
First the cover is amazing it is what drew me in to this story. It doesn't hurt that I love the story of Anastasia.
The story started off very slow for me. I grew bored with the main character and her constant describing of herself as being a trouble maker. The first half was nothing but Nastya whining of the way her life has changed. She was made to appear strong but in the face of her love interest she didn't seem so to me.

It wasn't until the last 100 pages that I felt the story really started moving. I felt I never really got to know any of the characters. With brief snippets of background, I never became invested in any of the characters. I still do not understand how spells came into play other than saving her family which we did not see developed until very later in the story. The world building was slim to none unless counting vague scenes of the garden and what little we were giving of the rest of the home. Details were giving that were vague I wished they had been explained further. I did not mind the violence, it really started making the story interesting. It was at the point when things really started moving. It took so much boring filler to get there. Overall the last half of the story really made up for the lack of plot in the beginning.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I watched the movie Anastasia as a child, and learned about the revolution in school, and it definitely was a very heavy topic. The jeweled corsets, the acid.... horrible.
This was a historical retelling with fantasy aspects. Magic and spellmasters in Russia. Despite the fantasy, it didn’t shy away from then aforementioned topic.
The first half of the novel consisted of the Romanov family confined to a house, so it wasn’t very... eventful. But the execution (I don’t think that counts as a spoiler since it’s a retelling of historical events) and the escape and the climax easily made up for it. The resolution was fitting, and MERCIFULLY the novel ended on a happier note. The message portrayed, of love and forgiveness especially, was significant and tied in with the resolution.

I am a huge fan of Romanov retellings so I was super excited when I came across ROMANOV by Nadine Brandes. I have read her previous works and enjoyed them to I figured that this was going to be a home run for me. Sadly I wasn't able to connect with any of the characters and the story really didn't have much that kept me interested and needing to know more.

Oh, gosh where to begin... I found myself absolutely loving this re-telling. From the very first page I was hooked! Granted, I generally love when a story is retold. There is so much creativity and imagination that has to go into them. Especially if it is a story that you already know and love. It can be hard to win hearts that were already won over by the original version.

Now, in regards to the characters. Quite a few of the main characters were so easy to like and relate to. I found myself enjoying the family dynamic and the amount of love that was present. My favorite was the relationship that Anastasia had with her Papa. Her Papa was an amazing father figure and left so many words of wisdom for her to follow. The amount of grace and forgiveness was incredible. The characters that you were meant to love were easy to love, while the ones you were meant to dislike were very easy to dislike.

As for the story, it went at a great pace and was easy to follow along. The bits of history seemed to be spot on. Not to mention, the different languages that were shared was neat to learn. Also, I enjoyed the magical aspects that were thrown in because they did not overshadow or take away from the story as a whole. The writing was great and I was able to paint a clear image in my head. While reading I felt hope, despair, joy, and loss. It was a whirlwind of genuine emotions.

This book was right up my alley. As a person with two degrees in history, an emphasis in European wars, and a fascination with conspiracy theories, I have long loved the truth, myth, fantasy, and reality of the end of the Romanov line.

My background knowledge made me hesitant, but very curious, to read Romanov by Nadine Brandes, worried if it would hold up to my expectations and how it would handle what was real.

As with most historical fiction, what’s happened has happened. We cannot change history, no matter how unfair, unjust, or messy it is. I found this book to do an excellent job honoring the past, while weaving a memorable and believable fiction throughout.

I have read another of Ms. Brandes books. As in that book, here she builds worlds so well – descriptive without getting lost in the details – and creates characters with such talent that the reader is loving this one, questioning that one, and feeling absolute terror for that one over there. Her words suck you in and make you want to race through the book to find out what happens, but also pause because you don’t want the end to come.

At one point I found myself internally screaming at the characters, “No! Don’t do that! Don’t you know what’s coming?!?!” But, no. They did. History remained as it was. But, what came next was also so well done I couldn’t put the book down, wanting to know the ultimate fate and end of the story.

I really did love this book.

Favorite Line(s):
- I have a story I was meant to live. And not even you can unwrite it.
- Until you provide me with a believable alternative, I will hold to my own opinions.

Favorite Chapter:
Chapter 15 -
It can be a little strange or difficult to pick a favorite chapter out of a fiction book, but it tends to happen for me. Before I even finished reading this chapter for the first time I knew it was my favorite. Now, once you read this chapter you might gasp and think, “What is she thinking?!?” Let me explain, without giving anything away. I love this chapter because it is the absolute turning point in the story. It is here that the author fully demonstrates her incredible talent for storytelling, character development, suspense. The raw emotions set forth on the page are so well handled that I felt each one along with the characters and both loved and hated Ms. Brandes for making me feel so much.

Would I Recommend?
Yes

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book! All opinions expressed are completely my own, and may not reflect the feelings of others who also read this book.

Honestly, I was extremely disappointed. It sells itself very well! The story of the Romanovs, the historical accuracy that Brandes strove to emulate (as she says in her author's note), the slight tinge of magic that she adds to the world... I was excited to read it! And at the beginning of the book, I maintained that excitement. I loved the image of Nastya winking at Yurovsky on the train after stealing back the doll. Wonderful!
Then... absolutely nothing of interest or importance happened until page 192. I repeat, page 192. When her family is shot. As readers, we know the Romanovs do not survive. Having them stick around and repeat the same days of living in captivity does nothing for us. It took me three months to get through those 192 pages, and once her family was finally killed, I read the rest of the book that same night because it finally had regained my attention. (If not for this book being an ARC, I would not have finished it.)
Also, I didn't find Nastya and Zash's romance believable, compelling, or worthwhile. Her wondering if she "loves" him feels like it comes out of nowhere and makes me highly skeptical of the old Stockholm Syndrome question. Had they simply developed a friendship that the book hinted may lead to more at the end, I would have been a lot more on board. Instead, I closed the book feeling uneasy.
Overall, as much as I appreciate the author's commitment to her research and accuracy in portraying the Romanov family, perhaps she could have just stuck to non-fiction.

I have been on a brave adventure this year, diving into some YA books that are...gasp...historical fantasy.  Its not my typical romantic suspense or regency read, however the few that I have dared to crack open, I have loved!  After dipping my toe in the fantasy pond with To Best the Boys by Mary Weber, I decided on a whim to request a digital copy of Romanov by Nadine Brandes.  I concluded that if it was meant to be then I would get approved and if not then maybe my short trip into the world of fantasy reading was a one and done! I got approved!  I read it!  I really liked it!  Now, full disclosure that I knew practically nothing about Russian history or the Romanov family prior to reading this story, so it was all surprising to me.  The first half of the book was pretty straightforward as it followed the family and their time in exile.  I enjoyed getting to know the characters and their personalities.  There were several heart wrenching situations that I was not expecting.  I was so caught up in this story that I  literally felt angry at times and heart broken at others.  This book really picked up in pace and excitement a little over half way through.  It was tense, it was nerve wracking, it was unpredictable and I loved it!  The conclusion of this book was what made this book amazing in my opinion.  Wow.  Just so good!  I had to process this book for a few days and sort through my thoughts and feelings.  I really had a greater appreciation for the book as a whole after finishing it and really kind of letting it settle for a few days.  Does that sound weird?  I don't know!  Read it and I think you will see what I mean!  Definitely recommend picking this one up!  It will give you all the feels for sure!  Did I mention that I have Fawkes on hold at the Library now?

4.5 stars

Romanov was one of my most-anticipated reads for the beginning of 2019, and it didn’t disappoint!

This is a reimagining of the final Czar of Russia and his family, with a focus on the youngest daughter Nastya (Anastasia). I didn’t know a lot about the Romanov’s (short of the movie Anastasia), so I wasn’t totally sure what to expect. I loved the fantasy mixed with history mixed with a few facts. The book is well-researched, and Brandes points out in her notes just what is real and what information is stretched. This story shows the hardships the Romanov family endured. There was far more of a family focus to the story that I’d expected going into the book. Mystery and tragedy, and a bit of romance, combine to make this a truly engaging tale. I kept telling myself, “One more chapter,” and I was sad to see it end.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.

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

This book was seriously impressive! I’ve not seen the movie Anastasia, not read anything about her or anything Russian, pretty much. What can I say? Anna Karena traumatised me!
But this wasn’t the depressing mess that Russian stories usually leave me with.
I quite enjoyed this story. Nastya was gutsy and brave. Zash was seriously lovable. Alexi was a great light point and the story was so intriguing!
I like to think what happened here was what really happened, well the afterwards part anyway.
At times I felt like the story chugged along, but towards the end it did catch up and made for a compelling read.
Is this my usual type of book? No, but I’m not sad I read it through to conclusion. If you’re looking for a historical/fantasy/retelling cross, give this a go!

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

When I requested this book on NetGalley, I thought it would be a retelling of the 1997 movie Anastasia which I absolutely love. This book is, however, a retelling of the history of the Romanovs with some magic thrown in. And I really liked it for the first half.
However, after that, I just could not get into the romance anymore <spoiler> because he shoots her but she forgives him and they get together in the end and I just can't buy that. <spoiler>