First Thoughts
I am now fully invested in the story that Anastasia “Nastya” Romanov and Alexei Romanov survived the brutal killing of their entire family. Now normally I am not really into conspiracy theories and all that, but damn, this book has me convinced. Even if it is slightly unrealistic.

Moving on to my first thoughts on the actual book (by the way, let me know if you guys like this new layout for reviews!), I fully enjoyed it. I was fully invested in Natasya's story from page one. Having the story being written in first person helped to feel every feeling Natasya felt and become fully immersed in the book. I felt this dull ache in my heart because I know what happens to this family and it just breaks my heart into a million pieces. I felt her frustration at being imprisoned and the lies that she had to listen to everyday about her family and Rasputin (although I’m not entirely sold on Rasputin and I don’t think I’ll ever be).

The Characters
As I mentioned about, Natasya was the main character and her story was told in first person. We experienced everything through her eyes. I loved Natasya, simply put. She was just like every teenager with a love for books and mischief. She sometimes acted snotty and selfish but most of the time, she had a good heart. She just wanted to save her family and that is something I can get behind in a character. I appreciated the fact that she doesn't use her royalty status as an excuse to act like a brat. I feel like Natsya and I could have been great friends.

I liked the added twist that she was interested in spellwork, which is not something I have seen in various “Anastasia is alive” interpretations. This little twist made the book stand out ot me in a interesting way. I wasn’t super sure if I liked it or not but regardless, I enjoyed it. It brought something new to the table.

The Plot
Okay, so the plot veered in a direction that I wasn’t expecting. I am not entirely sure if I was on board with it. To me, it felt very rushed toward the end. The big event, which if you know what happens to the Romanov family, you could probably guess, happened 70% into the book. Which mean the book only had 30% to get wrapped up nicely. As far as I know, there is no sequel to this book. Don’t get me wrong, I liked (well as much as one can like reading about prisoners) reading about the Romanovs being held prisoner but after a while, I just wanted the story to really start progressing.
After the event, things happened so rapidly, it made my head spin. Everything had been slow and methodical up until that point. Then just turbo drive. Things also happened a bit too conveniently. There was so much angst and question in the beginning, I wanted that to continue. I guess I am just a sucker for struggle.

The Writing
The writing was beautiful but simplistic. It was very easy to read which, at times, I dont think is a bad thing. Sometimes I just want to get invested in the story and not try to decipher was is being said. That is really all to say about the writing.

Trigger Warnings
There are two main trigger warnings with this book. They are death and severe illness. The author kept Alexei's hemophilia, which I appreciated. The death comes from a soldier getting shot and of course the Romanov massacre.

Final Thoughts
Overall, this was a great book, despite the rather rushed ending. It reignited my interest in Russian history again. I have a book about Nicholas and Alexandra (written by my favorite biographer, Robert K Massie) that I will be reading soon. This was a perfect taster into the Romanov world.

As for recommendations, I recommend this very highly. You don’t have to know Russian history or the history of the Romanovs to enjoy this book. I think those who enjoy a well written story would enjoy this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing! My arc request was initially declined on Netgalley, but a couple of months later I received an email from the author giving me access to it (??), so either way I am grateful. Thank you!

Any time I can find a retelling of Anastasia I am all for it. Nadine definitely did her homework as she mixed real, historical facts with this added layer of fiction that was absolutely engrossing. I have always been fascinated with the story of The Grand Duchess and her family and knowing all the actual facts that I've researched myself, you can't help, but feel this sadness when you're reading it because in the back of your mind you know what's coming and you can't stop it or warn them. So you just sit there helplessly, waiting for the other shoe to drop. And there are SO many ironic statements and foreshadowing that it just breaks your heart. But even with the heavy plot, it reads so smooth...which is always appreciated! And then this added magical element comes into play that turns the entire story on its head and with it comes a renewed sense of hope and happiness that is so very much needed in a story like this.

I loved Anastasia and according to all accounts, I'm sure this version was as close to the real person that we've seen yet. Anastasia - while not only compliant, proud, and brave, was also said to be mischievous, a thrill seeker, and a prankster. I think Nadine nailed her personality and the way she lived during that time. Her relationship with her entire family is heartwarming. She loved her family with everything in her being and it came across on every page.

Zash, while a fictional, Bolshevik soldier hired to guard and watch over the family in captivity, was never truly an enemy and like Anastasia who was carrying around so many little secrets of her own, he had his secrets as well. What started out as misunderstandings on both their parts eventually evolves into affection and protectiveness. You just wanted happiness for them and I was there for it!

The magical elements I really enjoyed. There is always that possibility of "what if..?" and in cases like this you want to believe that something like that is possible because you don't want to think about what the alternative was.

Romanov is as much historical as it is magical with key points of happiness, anger, and sadness mixed with family, love, and the value of forgiveness. Don't miss it this May!

“That was how we sisters worked. When one was weak, another picked up the strength.”

First, can we take a moment to appreciate the cover? If that's not the most beautiful cover of 2019, I don't know what is.

Romanovs. Historical Fiction. Re-telling. That's all I needed to want this book. But then combine those two things with Nadine Brandes, I was sold. I went in to this book with so high expectations that I half expected it to fail me and end up with me not liking it at all.
But let me tell you everyone, Romanov did not fail me. I LOVED this book.

When I was little, I was obsessed about the Romanovs. I still am and when I saw that there was a book being published, a re-telling, about them, I just needed it. And this book, it's fantastic, capturing, beautiful, just beautiful.
It captures you to you sofa, never letting you go until you've finished the whole book. During that time you will live through a bunch of emotions. You will be crying but you will be filled with such a joy.

The family dynamics. Gosh, that's something everyone should learn from. They stayed together no matter what was thrown in their way. They never wavered from each others, they always had their backs. When someone was feeling like giving up all hope, another one would stand up and be that person's hope. I just, uhh.
But I think Nikolai had the most important lesson to teach to all of us: forgiveness.

Anastasia's journey was not easy, not saying that none of theirs was. She went through some real tough things that you would never wish anyone to go through. But she grew. She grew up so much throughout this story. That's what I love to see in the characters of every book, to see them actually learn and grow.

Even though Romanov being historical fiction, it still managed to keep the devastating facts from the true story. I will adore this book, I will be re-reading it in the future. I will be recommending this to everyone who likes historical fiction, or Romanov's history.

I just couldn't separate fact from fiction with this novel. Too close to reality while being quite distant from reality meant I was saying "What?" quite often. Ultimately not for a history buff.

I received this copy of Romanov from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this book fairly certain I knew how it was going to go but I'm a sucker for all things Romanov, so cool beans!
I was wrong.
This book was beautifully written and the mixture of heartbreak and joy while the Romanovs were in exile was written so well.
They had their faith and each other so things couldn't be that bad, right?
Yes, this is a tragedy. It is also a hope (if that makes sense) and absolutely a celebration of life in the face of extreme despair.

I received an arc from Thomas Nelson through Netgalley for my honest opinion. Overall I did like this Anastasia retelling. However, at times the book seemed to get weird in a way I can't seem to explain. I really got into the magic concept however and it kept the story interesting. The book can get dark at times, and has a slight romance feel involved. I am very grateful to the publisher for getting this arc.

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

lots of spoilers ahead, everything is a spoiler, even if you are familiar with the historical events, spoilers spoilers spoilers !!!!

“You find joy in so many little things. For once... I want to see joy find you. Surprise you. You deserve it.”

and i deserve joy, too! i deserve to love a fantasy novel about the time period that i am so passionate about, right?
while i might think that i do, "Romanov" is certainly not the book to give me the satisfaction. 3 stars, could not bring myself to giving it more, no matter how much i would love to.

but let’s start off with some language trivia! good things first! besides, it seems like the thing people enjoy reading about.

valenki boots - it would be just valenki [валенки], because it is a type of winter boots made of thick, usually grey felt. points for correct spelling though!
opyata mushrooms - same thing, opyata [опята] is a type of tiny mushroom that usually grows on tree bark.
fortochka - [форточка], a small window. i smiled when i saw the word. it’s one of my favourites in the russian language for some reason, and yes, they really are common in our houses.
sidyet - [сидеть], sit down. while the word is spelled and generally used correctly, in the case where it is mentioned it would be better to use syat’ [сядь], as a direct request to sit the person down. the form used here is harsh, bordering on rude, and is normally used to train an animal, a synonym to “sit!”
shvibzik - Nastya’s nickname, is actually not Russian for “imp”, which would be “чертик” or “бес”. it is a German word that the family is using.
there were a few more, but they were used and spelled properly, so i didn’t mark them up. so, yeah, the language part of this book certainly provided.

now let’s get to the good stuff, the real Tea, the, as the kids say, Beef that i have with this book, which is pretty much everything else. the biggest issue that Romanov has is, in my eyes, confused tone and subsequent misleading marketing. the story never feels immersive, because it struggles with the feeling of the world that it tries to convey.

The Historical Part of Fiction

the first thing that caught my eye when i opened this book’s description was the very first line on the top: a magical take on the story of Anastasia Romanov. the story that is as heartbreaking as it is mysterious and controversial, the tale of Nastya Romanov’s alleged escape and survival is something that has been interesting to me for a while now, so i went into this book with some knowledge on the subject. my understanding was that the author would be trying to weave the magical elements into her own theory of Nastya’s escape. which, admittedly, was what "Romanov" was about overall; my main complaint in this section is everything that precedes the events described in the book.

now, forgive me for the pettiness that is about to follow! but i was under the impression that "Romanov" was a piece of historical fiction. and i like my historical fiction books to be a nod to real history, i like to read and feel immersed into the time period, i like to feel like me and the author are on the same page. the thrill, for me, is in knowing that i know the same things as the author does. "Romanov" was not entirely like it.

there were lots of little things that were handled carefully, which of course i appreciated. i would even go as far as to say that the first 20% of the book felt like a russian to english translation: the character’s speech and behaviour was organic and reminiscent of those i’m used to seeing in russian literature. however, it all started going downhill from there, and my excitement slowly dwindled. as the characters unfolded, i started doubting the book. in historical fiction, it is hard to portray real people the way they truly were, as there is no concrete proof of what these people were like, and i understand that i’m entering the murky waters now. in the end, "Romanov" depicted the royal family in a completely different way from what i know and think of them.

for example, same facts which, i am sure, the author is familiar with, could be interpreted differently, and that is all it takes to change the course of the story like this. the Romanovs truly were a loving family, and their love was what helped them survive the terror and madness that they experienced in the year of their imprisonment and execution, but Nikolai II was not the tsar that cared for the nation. not in the way that mattered, at least: it is a fact that he deemed his reign a burden and would much rather lead a much simpler life. he knew he was a weak leader. "Romanov" never addresses this issue, and while i understand that Nastya’s constant assurance that her father tried to do everything in his power to help Russia is likely her actual perception and the focus of the story is the family relationship, to me, it still felt wrong. with so many facts got right, with the author’s obvious attention to historical accuracy in those first 20%, i guess, i expected the trend to follow.

but that is more of an annoyance than an actual complaint, i admit. it didn’t spoil the story for me entirely, just rubbed me the wrong way. what i could not get behind at all though was the figure of the spell master. Rasputin was not a kind-hearted man with pure intentions to help the royal family, and while it is true that his figure is still controversial, it is a known fact that he was a peculiar figure, almost a madman. although his presence allegedly helped the tsarevich’s health, he held the tsarina and the whole royal family by extension under his thumb. it was his tremendous influence on the state politics that concerned those close to the Romanovs the most, which resulted in Rasputin’s assassination. the tsar wasn’t just “wary” of him; he outright protested Rasputin’s presence. i thought it was worth mentioning, because the story would’ve been completely different had it followed the more historically accurate path.

Alexei’s hemophilia is another thing that was just not a strong point of this story. no 13 year old would be capable of surviving the extensive and numerous wounds and bullets sent into their body, much less a 13 year old with hemophilia. reading about the pools of blood that the poor boy had lost and then proceeded to walk on his own with the help of magical pain-reliever only was frustrating at best.

there were more little things that i will not be listing, because they all pretty much boil down to my 18 years spent in Russia, reading the literature and history and being directly involved with the culture. lots of things that the characters did and said would just not be said and done, because that is not what Russian people would have said and done in 1918. one thing on that front, though, that kind of made me smile was Nastya’s remark on how Russian people are reluctant to show their emotions unless absolutely needed/around the people they absolutely trust like friends and family. that, yes, that part is true. we would not be smiley and friendly to a retail worker, for example, it’s just not what we do.

The Fiction Part, Then

history facts aside, this book is about what happened after the impeachment and execution. and, well, magic.

see, even if i were to brush off the historical part of fiction here, it would’t benefit the book as much as i would love it to. "Romanov" starts on the day the family is separated, with Nikolai II and his daughter Maria leaving for the supposed trial but being transported to another place of captivity instead. there is little to no exposition throughout the book, and i would dare to assume that the reader is expected to know at least a little bit about the historical figures behind the author’s characters. which is unhelpful, as we’ve established above already. some characters just don’t seem fleshed out at all (my biggest issue is with basically everyone except for Nastya and Alexei). even going into Romanov with no knowledge of what there people were really like, the reader is likely to be disappointed. most of them are just cardboard cutouts of real people.

but, well, i quite liked the first half of the book, which focused mostly on the Romanovs’ time in the Ipatiev house. i felt the tension, the stress, the monotony and anxiety in the air, and i thought that this was one of the best parts of the book. if i were to recommend it for any reason at all, it would be for the atmosphere in the house in the months following up to the execution.

but what is with the magic, then? it was pretty simple, and i wouldn’t say i was disappointed with it. on the last pages it actually even made me hopeful: Nastya brings back to life some of the characters, and the way the spells worked reminded me of the fairy tale magic that i know most western-european cultures mention in their folklore. i don’t know if it was dine intentionally or not, but it certainly earned half a star in my heart.

the romance was just. really inappropriate, taking up most of the narrative while somehow being underdeveloped and shallow. Nastya’s infatuation with Zash felt forced, and to be honest, most of the time it read like Nastya was constantly trying to convince herself she was in love with her guard and executioner. i couldn’t get on board with that, i felt like there should have been more development aside from Nastya’s jumbled and random thoughts about him.

"Romanov" was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and it left me disappointed. a lot of my friends are interested in the Romanov dynasty, and i could not wait to recommend this book to them, but that surely won’t be happening now that i've actually read it. with that said, 3 stars is not a bad rating for me: disappointing, but still enjoyable and readable. there were a few redeeming qualities that allow me to admit that i did not hate this book, i just simply did not like it. it wasn’t for me, and i think that it was, partly, on me: i expected this book to be more serious than young adult, apparently, allows for.

in conclusion, i would like to highlight my main point here: "Romanov"’s biggest enemy is itself. having finished the book, i am still unsure what the tone was. was it a historically accurate retelling with a bit of magic? too many factual gaps for that. was it an Anastasia retelling? then i missed the memo (note: i see people calling it that in the reviews, but the description says nothing of the sort). was it a romance story? then it was a bad one. a story of the family tragedy? well, that, maybe. but the romance got in the way a lot.

i wanted to love it, but i didn’t. although, i will be immensely happy if the people who read and liked it then went and researched the real history after. if this book accomplishes that, i would say it’s a success.

Romanov is a wonderful read! Nadine Brandes is a storyteller whose prose borders on magical. Brandes weaves a beautiful tale about a princess desperate to save her family at any cost. She brings the historical figure Anastasia Romanov to life – “Nastya” isn’t just a princess; she is a girl who loves her family, loves her people, is full of faith, and fights to hold onto the light while living in so much darkness. Nastya lives and breathes on the page.

Historical fiction is a new genre for me. I love YA fantasy, so I expected a little bit more from Romanov – more action, more of a fast-pace. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful book. However, the Romanov family was kept isolated in a house for much of their exile, which slowed the pacing down a lot for me. The last part of the book picks up the pace – I won’t spoil it by telling you why, though.

Romanov reminds me a lot of All But My Life by Gerda Weissmann Klein, a memoir that tells the story of Gerda’s experience living as a Jew in Poland during the Holocaust. Nadine Brandes successfully tells a story that sounds as real as it does fanciful. Much of the story is historically accurate, in fact. Romanov is a must-read for any historical fiction fan. Readers will feel as if Nastya is a friend by the end. Expect to feel all the feels when it comes to her family and friends (and the dogs!).

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Nadine Brandes has done it again! Romanov is an amazing retelling of the Romanov family that is told in Anastasia’s point of view. This book is filled full of love, lost, family, and magic and it is the perfect book to anyone who loves the movie Anastasia. Romanov is definitely one of those books that you can’t put down until the end! I can’t wait to read whatever Brandes comes up with next!

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

I’ve always loved reading about the family of the last Russian tsar because a) I love historical fiction and anything about royalty, b) it’s the only unit my 9th grade history teacher actually enjoyed teaching, and c) I married a man with hemophilia. I haven’t read much historical fantasy fiction yet — mostly just Shanna Swendson’s Rebel Mechanics series and Cynthia Hand’s My Lady Jane — but after reading Romanov, I’ll be adding Brandes to my list of authors to follow and keeping up with whatever she writes!

What I liked:
- This fate of this family has been a subject of debate, speculation, and research for 100 years now. What better way to get teenagers interested in historical mysteries than with a novel to make them become attached to the characters? Definitely more engaging than a textbook!
- Anastasia battles serious hatred and unforgiveness, with motives that any of us would justify with our human natures alone. Ultimately, the decisions she makes convey powerful themes about the importance of loving others and sacrificing for them, even when it isn’t the easy path to take.
- The pacing is done well throughout the story. It’s a bit slow in parts during the middle of their long imprisonment, but it echoes the pace of their daily lives without being painful to read. Brandes keeps the slow, repetitive daily routine moving with the shaping of Anastasia’s character and the development of her interactions with their Bolshevik guards.
- I liked so much more about this book, but I can’t write more without giving away the twists on history that Brandes adds!

What I didn’t love:
- Ummmm…what do I say here? I gave it a 5-star rating on Goodreads! Characters other than Anastasia could’ve been developed more, but then it wouldn’t be as appealing to YA readers. It’s not adult historical fiction meant to immerse the readers in 1918 Russia and allow them to analyze Tsar Nicholas II’s deep inner turmoil; it’s a YA novel about a teenage girl learning about love and forgiveness, set in 1918 Russia to paint context and conflict for her to battle.

I received this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

So when I started this book it was slow moving, but I was hoping that it would pick up eventually....it did not. About 3/4ths of the novel took place in the same location and it was bland and over repetitive. At the very end it picked up, and the plot took off, but it took a very long time for it to get there and at that point I had almost given up reading it.

The characters in this book were the worst part of the book for me. All of the characters were two dimensional and there was no substance to the characters. The protagonist was boring and whiny and she was not really an interesting or particularly unique individual. The relationship in the book was very insta-lovey, and I didn't see any reason as to why the two of them were together. They barely interacted and when they did the interactions were about five minutes, I don't see how anyone could fall in love with such limited contact.

What I did enjoy about this book was the magical ink mentioned. Though I do wish that it was a facet in the book that was explored more as it could've really improved the novel, I still thought it was a good part of the book. I also thought that the close knit Romanov family was well-written, and I think the writing showed the love the characters had their families. I also thought the writing was very well done, because even though there wasn't an overuse of flowery words I think it was very beautifully written and Nadine Brandes has true talent in writing.

I gave this book 3/5 simply because I wasn't a big fan of the character development, world building, and I feel like the plot could've been a bit faster, but I was still hooked on the story and enjoyed the writing.

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

Where do I start my review of this book? A lot of things in this book are done right. The story is gripping from the start. It never gets boring and the pacing is excellent. It takes the time for calm moments and emotional reflection and combines it with action and political games of chess. The characters in the book are easy to like and to relate to and the writing style is really nice. The sentences flow perfectly and it's a quick read.

But, there is one big thing very very wrong with this story, especially because of the potential. It's very black and white, good versus bad. There is literally NO nuance in the book. The Romanovs are portrayed as saints and angels, the good side. The rebels are portrayed as monsters and barbarians, the bad side. It's literally impossible to understand where the rebels come from, why they started their revolution, why they hate the Romanovs so much. The sole argument this book gives for their revolution is simply too weak to spark a revolution this big.

In this case it doesn't matter whether or not the story is historically accurate. I'm not picking sides in a war I can never fully understand or grasp and I understand the appeal of the Romanov princess and the mythe surrounding her. But I just generally dislike stories that lack nuance and this was a very great example of it. I don't want good versus bad or white versus red.

And especially with the Romanovs, I think there was a lot of room for nuance without making us love the Romanovs any less. Making them nuanced and acknowledging that not everything they did was great and not everything they did benefitted all the people in the country would have made them only human. And I personally prefer human characters over saints and angels.

So, I enjoyed the read, but I don't think it was as brilliant as I had hoped it would be. It was not layered enough for that.

(This review will also be published on my instagram once I have daylight to take a nice picture to go with it)

I really loved this book. The writing truly captured the time without losing readability and the characters and relationships were so well developed.

Definitely a must read and a wonderful addition to any middle school classroom!!! This story kept me captivated and I definitely fan girled because I LOVE ANASTASIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It had everything! Courage, hope and definitely a story worth reading, sharing and reading again!

It was okay, I am not fully into a lot of YA books. It did have some historial accuracies - like her brother's illness. For me it dragged ad was okay in other parts. If you do like anything relating to Anastasia, this can be a book to look into.

«Romanov» was a perfectly balanced book with on-point historical events, a splash of magic ink, touching characters and immersive plot line.
Nadine Brandes writing transported me right into the midst of the horrifying events of the Romanov family, making me laugh and cry with the characters, and wish for the injustice to never happen.

The author did a great job at staying as true to the actual historical facts as possible. We are told how the girls and the Empress sew jewels in their corsets and clothes to hide from the Bolsheviks. The window incident, the timed walks, the feelings of the common folk and Bolshevik soldiers, these and more were based on the real events.

At first, the love interest of Romanov sisters didn’t bother me and I actually found it to only be natural that the young girls would fall in love with the only “available” men, who showed some kindness to their family during these devastating for them time. However, as the story progressed, I felt like the romance overpowered and took attention away from other more interesting narratives. So instead of two infatuated Romanov sisters, I would have preferred to see strong and independent young women.

A very interesting and well blended take on the story of the Romanovs! I particularly enjoyed the characterisation of the main characters and then onwards to the magic woven into the story.

Whoa. Whooooooaaaa. 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

I have not been this googley-eyed over a book in quite awhile. I don't even often read YA books...or fantasies! BUT I could not resist the premise of this one. I've been fascinated by Russian history since fourth grade and am always so intrigued by anything relating to the Romanovs...especially (of course!) Anastasia.

And oh my goodness, I loooooved this book. I read it in less than 24 hours...I actually stayed up late last night reading, which, anymore is a mega feat for this morning person.

Things I loved most:

-The history!! I really, really loved how the author wove in the actual events—and harsh realities—of the Romanovs' exile...right down to Joy the spaniel. :) I wondered how she'd tie in Rasputin and the rumors surrounding him and the tsarina...I love how she chose to frame those characters (in such a perfectly bittersweet, heart-tugging way, too!) and other pieces of the Romanov story that we can only guess at now.

-The character of Nastya. She felt so true to her age—a perfect mix of impish and vulnerable, strength and uncertainty. Her journey toward forgiveness was so well-done, too. (I especially appreciated one spot where she acknowledges that forgiveness has to be a daily choice.)

-Zash! Loved watching his struggle to pick a side...I won't say anymore than that. Other than, wow, talk about a great romantic obstacle between a hero and heroine.

-The whole Romanov family...all their interactions...Alexei Papa most of all! 💗

-And ohhhh such a roller coaster ride of emotions! The plot was jam packed—particularly in the latter half—but I tend to be a reader who needs great dialogue and above all, characters that climb inside my heart, in order to really care about the action. This book satisfied on all counts. And I just love how this story made me feel. so. much. My heart could barely handle a couple of the saddest moments in the book...even when I knew they were coming...TEARS.

-THE ENDING! Loved, loved, LOVED how this ended.

And now I'm just over here like, uh, hello, Melissa...why have you never read a Nadine Brandes book before now?!

I super loved it and I super recommend it! (And I am super heading over to Amazon right now to check out Fawkes!)

*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I have always been intrigued by the Romanov story, an entire royal family wiped from the playing board like chess pieces to make way for the modern Russian history we know today. This story gave a wonderful voice to remaining months of the Romanov lives before the family was executed. I really enjoyed the small adventures of this story; for most of the first half of the book, the setting doesn’t change much, but I was enthralled nonetheless. Things that would normally seem small are large and intriguing events told from the perspective of Nastya (Anastasia). Great historical fiction with a little bit of magic.

To be completely honest, I mainly requested this review copy off of the cover but after realising it is based on the Romanov family (you would think the clue was in the title but sometimes it takes a while for me to put 2+2 together!) my interest intensified.
I didn't really know what to expect going in because I don't read too much historical fiction but this completely exceeded and expectation I had and I absolutely loved this tale. It was the perfect blend of fact and fiction woven together beautifully.
Several times I had to put the book down and a have a little breather, it's very intense in places. I also think the pacing of the book is great, during the prison parts you could really feel the slow down of time and the despair the Romanov family were experiencing.
I enjoyed this book so much and I definitely recommend it to everyone, this was my first 2019 release that I have read and it's set the bar seriously high.