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>

Outstanding. There’s really no other way to sum up how I feel about this book.

If you don’t know your history about the Romanov family, then facts mentioned in this review might be considered “spoilery”.

As Brandes mentioned in her Author’s Note at the end of the book, “When drafting this manuscript, I could only tackle it for a couple hours at a time because the true story was too heavy for my soul.” This really is exactly how the tragic events of the former Tsar and his family always made me feel. I remember learning about them in high school and I can do nothing but hope that one day “Romanov” will be part of the curriculum when learning about this time in Russia’s history.

The first half of the book is so well detailed and accurately told that it reads almost like non-fiction told in a first person POV. I know how much of the story actually happened.

I will say this is a lot less light-hearted and sweet than Brandes’ previous book “Fawkes”. But seeing that it’s a story about Anastasia Romanov, I knew it wasn’t going to be. The subject matter is not for the faint of heart. It’s heartbreaking and absolutely sob inducing.

Brandes wrote the characters so flawlessly; your heart gets completely caught up and falls completely in love with every member of the Romanov family.

The magic system that Brandes went with for her fantasy twist part of her story was incredible! It was clever and I never felt confused or lost. Just like how “Fawkes” made me feel; that I wished it were true. That this is how the world was.

Equal parts facts and magic, I will definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to read more about the Grand Duchess. Brandes really did a wonderful job at giving her a new voice.

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

It's YA, Anastasia, historical fiction, and has a dash of magic. What's not to love? I grew up loving the animated film about Anastasia - factual inaccuracies and all. I was excited to check out this take by Brandes on the Romanov family, and it did not disappoint. It's not a history book, but it's an engaging and interesting read.

I’ve been fascinated by the Romanov family since I was a child. (I'm older, so I predate the animated movie.) Anastasia lived in my imagination as a possible survivor of the murders of the Czar and his family. I spent most of my childhood holding the dream that she lived that night.

This story gives a non fiction approach to the lives of the Romanov Family once the Czar abdicated his throne. While I'm sure no one knows for certain how the family lived their final days, I hope they lived it with the grace portrayed in this novel.

This books combines history, magic, and possibilities to create a beautiful story of love, honor, and forgiveness.

Oh, this was GOOD! Romanov follows the royal family in their final months before the infamous execution at the hands of the Bolsheviks where the young Anastasia is desperate to save her family even if it means using magic to do it. I thoroughly enjoyed this book even with its flaws. The ending broke me to pieces as you would expect from a historically accurate novel. Nadine Brandes left me utterly intrigued about the Romanov family even more.

This book blew me away. I don't have words for this.

No, that's a lie. I do have words.

I have long had a love affair with the somewhat macabre. The mystery surrounding the Romanov family has been a fascination of mine since I was young. Right around the same time the 20th Century Fox film "Anastasia" came out. But I went on to look things up. (And it's a good thing I did. Love the movie but it was full of factual inaccuracies.) The story broke my heart and fired up my inner Nancy Drew. I loved everything I could get my hands on. And now with the new musical out, it seems people are getting interested in their story again.

And this story is something they definitely need to pick up.

"Romanov" by Nadine Brandes is amazing. It took actual factual evidence about what happened to the last tsar of Russia and twisted it slightly to bring the reader to an amazing world of intrigue, secrets and slight romance. Anastasia is the hero she should have been and Alexei is an amazing helper. Zash is a newcomer that plenty of people hoped had been real.

Most of the cast in the book were real and alive during the Russian revolution and that in and of itself is amazing to me. Nadine Brandes did her research and it paid off. I love the whole book and have already read it twice.

The look into the Romanov family is in-depth and so interesting. The little facts like how Alexei had hemophilia and Maria was the one everyone had their eyes on. The different family interactions and the way the officers viewed the Romanov family were so genuine and well-documented, it was so interesting to read.

In the end, I recommend absolutely everyone picks this up. Whether you like the Romanov family or not.

Romanov is a story about family, forgiveness, and hope.

I loved Fawkes, and I was so excited when Nadine announced she was writing an Anastasia retelling. I haven't watched the Anastasia movie but know the story and was  interested to see what Nadine's approach would be.

I'm going to be perfectly honest here... I liked Fawkes so much better than Romanov. There were things about Romanov that confused me or fell short. But overall, I enjoyed this book and love how Nadine added her own spin to the heartbreaking Romanov story.

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

Overall, I thought the plot was executed well. The first half of the story was focused on the Romanov family while they were in exile, while the second half was the fictional explanation of Anastasia's and Alexei's survival. The former was slower-paced and more focused on characters and themes, while the last half was exciting, tense, and resembled Fawkes. I don't mind the plot being slow or fast, but I don't think they worked as well together. It almost felt like it was two different stories smashed together, and it didn't feel 100% cohesive.

I loved all of the characters so much! The Romanovs were so close and their love for each other was so beautiful. While Anastasia, Alexei, and Nikolai were prominent characters, I feel like the other family members weren't as well developed. Anastasia herself also confused me. She smuggled her magic doll, hid belongings from the soldiers, and hated her captors. Yet she also was friendly to the Bolsheviks and valued their lives. I had trouble distinguishing between these two qualities and couldn't really figure out her personality.

The worldbuilding fell very short for me. I felt like Nadine expected readers to know all about the Romanov family before reading. I knew their story but not in much detail and haven't watched the movie. It gave little detail about the reason for their exile and their life in the palace. I was able to very clearly picture each scene in Fawkes, and in Romanov I had trouble imagining the house they lived in, places they traveled to, and landscape and layout of Russia.

Despite the other elements falling short, the themes were amazing. It's so heavy and dark, and Nadine an awesome job balancing that with positive themes. The book has messages of hope, family, and never getting up that I loved.

More at: http://charisrae.com/romanov-by-nadine-brandes

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

I loved loved loved this one! After Fawkes I was a bit hesitant (I liked it but was a bit dissapointed in the end), but there was not a single thing in this story that I disliked. The fact that real names and people are used (most of the time) correctly in this book is amazing. Nastya was written in a way that I immediately felt for her, and understood how she felt.

5/5 stars, no doubt about it. Now the quest to find a physical copy of this when it comes out starts! (got to love living in Belgium)

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

I really enjoyed this book as a whole. It makes the reader grow close to the Romanov family especially Anastasia who does the narrating. The book gives a history of the events that led up to July 16th, 1918 for the first 3/5 of the book and then goes on to give a story of what might have been through the author’s imagination. The historical part was well done and very interesting. The fantasy part at the end was slightly predictable but this is a YA book and it lived up to it in a good way. The fantasy part of the book is what makes this book different from other fictional books about the Romanovs. Lastly, the only complaint I’d have was that the book could be slow at times but fortunately not to the point where the book wasn’t still enjoyable. Thank you NetGalley once again!

This was an adventurous mix of historical events and fictionalized elements that kept me hovering over each page. I could not put this story down and found myself on the edge of my seat more than once. This was a thoughtfully crafted piece that will keep readers entertained. I appreciate the author’s note at the end because I love to share those insights with students. It was really interesting to see how Brandes wove the historical truths in with the fictionalized elements.

“I’d not mourn the lost good memories - I would apply them to my heart as a poultice every time it aches. That was what positive moments were for - to help heal the wounds of the future. As long as we chose to remember them.”

4.5 ⭐️I actually loved this book, in particular the first part when Nastya is with her family. It was heartbreaking to see how she loved her sibilings. Her emotions were described so well that I felt involved from the very first page. For once we have an heroine that would choose as family over her lover and it’s a thing that I can understand so well! It’s clear that the first half of the book is more historical than magical, whereas the second half is completely the opposite. Everything after 15-16 July happens very fast and I really felt worried when she was in danger! Not to mention Ivan and Zasch; I loved them and I really could picture myself falling in love with them as Nastya and Maria did.

This book has really everything you can ask: history, Magic, enemy to lovers, love for the family! It’s really worth!

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.” Anastasia “Nastya” Romanov was given a single 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.

Stories of Anastasia’s survival of her family’s murder haven’t stopped by the discovery of her body in 2007. In Nadine Brandes’ Romanov her death in the Ipatiev house and disposal of her body in the woods have even been added to this unusual story about the Russian royal family, but here that is not the end of Anastasia.

The historical setting of Imperial romance, opulence and mysticism and Bolshevik brutality, has been translated into an alternate Russia of 1917, one where magic exists, although strictly controlled, and enables her to survive the firing squad. I found it a well written and compelling story that was difficult to put down.

The author has taken what we know of the Imperial Family’s time in captivity and brings that time to life. She uses historical facts, where known, to graphically evoke the daily fears, uncertainty and hardship that the real Romanovs endured to build a suspenseful story. Knowing what we know will happen to the family adds to the sense of awful inevitability in the face of their optimism and disappointed hopes of help from the White Army. Her father’s gift to her of a mysterious set of spells contained in a series of matryoshka dolls that can save the royal family only increases the weight of expectation as the story builds and suggests a way out for them all.

It’s almost shocking when Anastasia is shot in the cellars along with the rest of her family – her magic saves her and Alexei, her brother, but her imperfect understanding of how it works means the other Romanovs don’t survive. After her revival in the woods we see her quest to escape the Bolshevik soldiers who are on her trail and her journey to find the spellmaster who created the doll for her family as he is the only one who can heal her brother Alexei of his wounds.

We know that the real Anastasia was strong willed and a prankster and Brandes has created an alternate Anastasia that embodies those characteristics and makes her into a credible heroine of this story. While we know now that Anastasia and Alexei died with the rest of their family – in the magical Russia created by Brandes, they lived and found a future.

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