The cover of this book is absolutely stunning. It's one of those books I probably would have picked up just for the cover alone. And then I find out it's by Nadine Brandes, author of Fawkes, and an Anastasia re-telling and it became the easiest decision. Romanov is a book about magic and family. At the same time it's a book about forbidden romance, finding your own courage, and forgiveness. At the heart of Romanov is a story about loyalty, seeing beyond the binary of enemy and ally, and giving people second chances.
Anastasia

At the beginning, Nastya still sees the world in black and white. As her family versus the guards who took her away from her home. It isn't about animosity, in fact her family makes friends with the guards, but it's still about two sides. Throughout Romanov Nastya begins to see the shades in between. The question the facts she thinks she knows about her life, and to see beyond the soldier's faces. Into their hearts, especially as she begins to fall in love with one of them. All while seeing, first hand, the destruction forbidden love can bring.

Before I start my review I don’t want to give away to much since this book isn’t going to be out until next year, if you haven’t been following my reviews or if this is the first one of mine that you have stumbled on, I just wanted to say that I don’t normally read historical books because I usually find them to be a snooze fest but if there are more like this one out there then I would defiantly read them.

I know that this being a re telling not many people will read this because there not a fan of them but this one is one is one to look out for when it comes out in a few months. Here is a little back story of the book if you don’t already know. The infamous Romanov family. As we all know, it was believed for a time that Anastasia, fourth daughter of Russian Tsar Nikolai Romanov, and her younger brother Alexei had survived the rebellious revolution to overthrow the family's reign. In the years following the Romanovs' murders, speculation arose as to whether Anastasia and her brother might have survived the execution.

I found this book to be truly compelling, I didn’t want to stop reading until the book was finished, but then when I was done reading it, I wanted more. I didn’t want it to end. I loved the YA twist that was added into the book.

Have you watched the Anastasia movie? Even if you have this is different. Its much darker with violence in it, so I wouldn’t compare this to the movie, but it at least gives you an idea of what you want is in store when you read it.

This was an amazing journey through part of Russian history with an added bit of magic.
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the plot lines. Following the story of Anastasia Romanov and her family as they were being held captive by the Bolsheviks was a very interesting premise. I haven’t read much on Russian history but fell in love with this family and the setting in which their story was told. This book has definitely made me want to learn more.

This book was provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review.
#netgalley

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

Many people are familiar with the story of the Romanov family. Most famous are the ones about the youngest Romanov daughter, Anastasia, who in some stories, escaped the same ill-fated death as the rest of her family.

In Romanov, Nadine Brandes fills the gaps in Anastasia’s history with her own unique and magical interpretation of the story. A story which is both tragic but beautiful, and entrances the reader from page one.

Brandes has become a go-to author for me, and I can’t wait to see what she what she creates next!

Romanov by Nadine Brandes is a work of historical fiction that will leave you clinging onto hope into the final pages of the text. It is a retelling of the Romanov family and Anastasia which is far more closely aligned to the real story than previous adaptations. Therefore, if you know history, you will know what to expect, to a degree. Regardless of this, Brandes is a magnificent story teller who has the power to weave a magical, cohesive narrative which is raw and emotive.

In this retelling, Antastasia (otherwise known as Nastya) is focused upon attempting to smuggle a spell, in the form of a Russian doll, into her suitcase while travelling on her way to exile in Siberia. But she has the head of the Bolshevik army on her tails and he is determined to see the back of herself, her family and all magic in Russia. Nastya, over time, has to make a big decision, whether to release the spell (which is a mystery to her) or come to terms with the consequences of her actions if she does not use it.

This book is full of action and magic, which keeps the reader occupied until the very last page. I thoroughly enjoyed how the author tried to keep as true to the real life events as possible, excluding the inclusion of magic, as it allows the reader to imagine life in Russia in 1918 and witness firsthand, the events which unfolded. While it is still a work of fiction, so many previous adaptations have twisted the story completely and I admire the author and how she aimed to keep it true with some new elements in between. One of those inclusions was the use of magic. By including magic, Brandes was able to add another layer to the plot which turned the narrative into not only a survival narrative, but one with the spirit of hope as well. Magic gave Nastya and the rest of the Romanov’s the hope they needed to get through the torturous exile they were subjected to. They all know that magic was well and truly alive in Russia and remained optimistic that it would have the ability to save them (as well as the white army).

The descriptions in this book were also extremely well done. The descriptions of setting made the reader feel as though they were there, in 1918 in Siberia/Russia. They were so detailed and vivid, giving further depth to the story. The characters were also very complex and well thought out. They each had their own personalities, strengths and weaknesses were made evident throughout the book. By having such detailed characters, the reader is able to understand them better and what may trigger their actions.

Another aspect of the book which really stood out was the strong bond that the Romanov family had. Despite being a large family and being royalty, the parents and siblings stuck together to ensure that they would have the emotional strength to overcome the Bolshevik’s. Though they were subjected to harsh living conditions and even stricter company, they remained optimistic that they would ultimately survive. The love that each of them had for one another was admirable, especially how they each doted on Alexei due to his disability. The development of the relationship between Nastya and Alexei was heart warming as she did everything she could for the tsarevitch.

One part of the book I thought was extremely well done was the slow development of the relationship between Nastya and Zash. Due to the circumstances that both characters were placed in, the pacing of this relationship was extremely important. Brandes created this relationship in such a way that it seemed incredibly natural which is rare in many books these days.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Romanov and the way it was beautifully written while it focused upon some of the darkest days of Russia’s history. It captured the raw, true events of the Romanov family, while intertwining some fictional elements as well. I would highly recommend for anyone who enjoys historical fiction or stories of survival, love and family.


4 Stars

Romanov will be released on the 7th of May 2019 in the United States and the 13th of June 2019 in Australia

*I was kindly provided with a copy for review from the publishers, Thomas Nelson, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

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

I must have been reading a different book to everyone else I think. This book is a historical fiction retelling of the events of the Romanov family's incarceration and execution from the viewpoint of Anastasia Romanov. There are some magical elements woven in too.

Maybe the events of the Russian Revolution are too recent historically for me to be entirely comfortable with this story or perhaps I personally know too much about the real events to be able to immerse myself fully in the story but it just struck me as rather... tasteless?

The cover is really eye catching and the author has clearly done a great deal of research and the factual aspects of the Romanov's incarceration are largely correct but with my History teacher hat on, some aspects still jar e.g.

'Zash believed the propaganda about Papa- that Papa was a weak ruler, that he cared not for the people, that he threw parties while peasants starved, that his wife ruled over him'

This is not propaganda so much as historical fact. Nicholas is accepted by historians as being a horribly weak ruler. They did throw parties while peasants starved and Alexandra absolutely had a malign influence on Nicholas and her stubbornness played a huge part in their eventual downfall.

The romance elements of the book seemed completely inappropriate and Anastasia's attitude towards the family's incarceration seemed far too cavalier to be believable. The magic elements were confusing and the constant switcheroo between being dead and alive and back again was quite frankly weird.

I really hate to be so negative and it's not in my nature to not give something a chance but this book was completely out of my comfort zone. I've been asked to give an honest review based on my personal perspective and that's what I have to do.

I just spent my afternoon gorging on ROMANAV by Nadine Brandes and utterly adored every moment of it--even the sad ones. As a near fanatic of all things to do with the Grand Duchesses, I snapped the title up and was entranced by the way the main characters sprang to life. The Tsarevich has never felt as alive to me as he did in this story.
The way Brandes wove the magic into a setting and story I knew fairly well was well-thought out and interesting. Her descriptions of the spells were so lovely and so contrasted with the grimness of the life the family endured in captivity. The love the family shared was unshakable and even though there was a strong theme of forgiveness, it was practical and heartfelt, not preachy. I enjoyed the ending and feel that the entire pace was just right; heart-pounding at times, sentimental at others.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I will be buying a copy of this book for my class shelf when it comes out, and know I will spend the next days still thinking about it.

I’ve read and attempted to read dozens of books on the Romanov family. I find that it is nearly impossible to tell a fictional tale staring these characters, perhaps because the true story is so fascinating itself... but I have to say this is one of the best, if not the best fictional version I’ve read. The author excelles at capturing your attention and keeping it. Her character development is what really carries the story forward and keeps you invested in Anastasia and Zash long after she’s killed. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and other YA lovers. History buffs however, may enjoy it slightly less as the author does take some small liberties, plus magic!

If you didn't know... I'm a real big junkie for Anastasia Romanov stories. Middle grade YA, and historical fiction the list goes on but I READ IT UP!!! (Might have to do with the 1997 film which made a smol black hearted child so happy).
Anyways onto the book: it was pretty good! I really enjoyed the magical aspect on it and how the author put her own little spin on the story. Appreciated how much research went into the book also. Just felt like there was two halves to this story and they really didn't mesh well.

I am not actually going to spoil anything regarding this story, but feel that I need to give a “spoiler alert”, just because the nature of this story reimagines what we all know about the Romanov family story.

Becky and I struggle to describe our favorite genre, but this book fits perfectly… historical fiction + fantasy + a heroin. Almost like a fairy tale fantasy, in the modern age.

Nadine Brandes found a really magical way to tell this story, using the character of Anastasia to make us fall in love with the the family all over again. The fresh connection and telling also makes what we know to be true even more heartbreaking. Romanov is a refreshing fantasy that I couldn’t put down.

I think I'm probably an outlier here but I was disappointed in this book. I love the idea of it, and the writing was good, but it fell short for me. I love the magic system she's created and used here, but I had a hard time with the characters. For example, sometimes one would just pop up in conversation that had apparently been with the family the whole time but had never really been mentioned. The relationships seemed a bit unrealistic and rushed, and I came close to not being able to finish the book at all.

"Because I have a story I was meant to live, and not even you can unwrite it."

The tragedy of the Romanov's has always fascinated me. Rumor says that Anastasia Romanov and her younger brother Alexei had survived the rebellious revolution to overthrow the family's reign when their remains were never found with the rest of the family. (only just discovered in 2007)

Well Nadine Brandes makes up their own fates with a twist of magic.

More than half of the book takes place during the events of the Romanov family imprisonment at the Ipatiev House in Ekaterinburg, Russia by the Red Army. These were trying times for the family where circumstances were grim. They starved and dealt with severe punishments if acted out of term. The author adds in some romance to these scenes which added some flavor but I did find myself having a hard time picturing pretty much anything in this portion of the book. I couldn't picture the environment or even the layout of the house. I found the atmosphere to be very flat and Nastya (Anastasia) herself. I didn't like how her personality was portrayed. It felt a little overly theatrical.

The magic appears in the story as "spell masters" and the Red Army want them extinct. These magical characters use what is called ink and they paint it on themselves wherever they need healing, or they drink it to speak a spell for it to be used. In this case, Anastasia wants to become a spell master and she hides a magical artifact in her corset during her exile which she uses to heal her younger brother who has hemophilia.

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.

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

This is a retelling of the mysterious Romanov last few months on this earth, though not what you might expect. Told through the perspective of Anastasia as we see her go through breif, sorrow and learn not to forgive others, but forgive oneself. With both sides closing in and old magic brewing along with them. We might finally see a different view of what really happen that night all those years ago...

A fantastic, and gripping read one everyone will love.

The Russian Revolution and the fall of the Romanov family has always been a fascinating moment in history. This book is a historical fiction> fantasy, which almost seems impossible until you read it. The factual information about the era, family and events came alive in the story along with the sprinkling of spells and magic. The story is told by Anastasia, Nastya, Romanv and the author gives her a voice to they way her family lived after her father, Tsar Nicolas II, abdicated the throne. They lived in exile under constant watch of the Red Army. This family grew up knowing nothing but wealth and luxury, but ended their lives under almost prison conditions in Siberia. Even though their lives were miserable they were led to be optimistic and respectful to their guards by their father. The story shows the support and love of this family for each other and their country. They tried to make the best of their exile. Nastya and her father kept a secret from the family of forbidden secret magic that just might be the key of their escape. The life of the little Tsar, Alexis was portrayed accurately and added the element of urgency of their escape. I enjoy the personality the author gave to him and their sister Maria. She falls in love with one of the Bolshevik soldiers. It showed that Maria, along with this family shared everyone’s wants and needs, like a first love. The book did detail the executions of many Russians during this period. I particularly enjoyed the references to Lenin and was the Bolsheviks were doing during their time in exile. This book a beautiful magical look at Russian history and the end of the Romanov family.

Anastasia retelling? YES PLEASE! I was intrigued from the get go with this novel and could not put it down since i was approved to read it! This novel is beautifully written, compelling, and sensational. This novel throws you into the world of Anastasia and you see it through their eyes. Each character was exceptionally written and the plot was well paced!

I love a good retelling. This is fun, fantastical and what a gorgeous cover. my students will love this and it will fit well on our section about re-tellings

I am SO EXCITED cause I get to review ROMANOV by Nadine Brandes. Why am I so excited about this particular book? Well, its because I LOVE the story of Anastasia Romanov. The 20th Century Fox movie Anastasia is one of my favorite movies of all time and I have seen the Broadway Production not once, but twice, within the same year. Needless to say, I was so excited to receive this review copy from NetGalley.
This book begins the story when Anastasia “Nastya” and her family are exiled from St. Petersburg, after the Bolshevik rebellion. Her father, mother, and sister are being relocated to Ekaterinburg to face trial and she is left to care for her brother Alexei who is suffering from Hemophilia.
What makes this book a historical fiction/fantasy is that in this version of the past, there exist Spellcasters who by writing with a special ink, can heal, locate, and do a great deal many other things. These Spellcasters are being hunted by the Bolsheviks but the spells they provide is the only thing keeping Alexei alive.
The story follows Nastua through her family’s exile and her relationship with the Bolshevik soldier Zash.
At its core, this story is about family, loyalty, and how far you will go for the ones you love.
I am not really into Historical Fiction but this book honestly warmed me up to the genre a bit. I love how Nadine effortlessly combined fantasy with a Historical fiction. I found the first part of the book interesting but it really picks up the pace and raises the stakes in the second half.
Overall I really enjoyed Nadine’s take on this classic tale and I look forward to reading more of her work soon!

It was okay. The amount of effort put into this book is evident and I appreciate the lack of insta-love, but the pacing dragged a lot.

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

I may not have been the right audience for this book because I did not have any real attachment to Anastasia. I found this book to be a little slow and long with very little of the fantasy elements that should have made the book more exciting.

"Romanov" is about how far you would go to protect those you love. It's about family, forgiveness and hope.

I honestly don't have much knowledge of Russia's history, but I've heard about the Romanov family and I thought it would be interesting to read a fantasy book inspired by them. I was intrigued by how the author would combine real facts with magical elements, creating her own version of their lives.

I must say it's still not my favorite genre. The magical parts were a bit confusing and I couldn't really understand its rules, but I liked it. I believe the young readers will enjoy it a lot.