Love the air of mystery and magic that surrounds the Romanov family in this delightful tale. It is a new twist on a tale that has been told many times, but the originality in the world building is what makes this a true pleasure read.

I did not know what to expect from this novel. My only expectations were that I love Anastasia, and I was excited to read some kind of retelling of this story.

Since this novel is so far away from coming out, I want to keep this review informative and non-spoilery. So I will leave you with 3 things I liked and a few that I didn’t like. Then you can compare them to what you like in novels and see if you would be interested.

First, what I didn’t like, so we can end with a positive.

1. The beginning was very clunky. I think a lot of this comes from how true to history the author was trying to be. So there wasn’t much room for creative license in the first half of this novel.

2. Next, the magic system was so confusing to me. It had to do with eating a spell and speaking its name. The user of the magic rarely knew what was going to even happen when the spell would be released. It was just all over the place and I still don’t know how we were able to use it to help. The spells were not explained well enough for me.

3. Finally, this is very raw and painful. Which is truthful but hard to stomach. In the middle I almost lost heart to even continue reading. This was a VERY true story is some aspects, and if you know anything about the Romanovs, I think you know what I mean. This isn’t completely a detriment, because it is accurate, but I just wanted to tell you.


Next, I’ll share some things I loved, because I did like a lot!

1. Spending time with the Romanovs! They were such a sweet family in this novel, and they did have subjects and countrymen who loved them. Seeing how much they just wanted their people to love them and watching them struggle to never please anyone was so heartbreaking.

2. The way history is changed. Obviously, the whole premise of this novel is about a Romanov surviving. Which, if you love Anastasia, was always your dream as child. Hoping she was out there and living, even though you know it never could be. So, getting to see her escape and possible still be alive out there with a whole line of her own is very exciting to me.

3. The adventure, danger, and survival action is very high. Though the first half of this novel drug by a little bit for me, the 2nd half was non stop. Nastya is going going going and there is no slowing down. It was a thrill ride.

So, I really enjoyed this novel, it was hard in a lot of places, but mostly because it was so raw and real. Nadine really tried to make it so accurate up to the point where the magic takes over. That makes for heartache and sadness lots of the time. The Romanovs were gone too soon.

One final note, the romance in this novel was a slooooooooow burn. I disliked that a lot, but some people will like that, so I didn’t want to make it a bad thing.
All in all, I gave this a 3.5 stars. The beginning really dragged it down for me. But I would still recommend it, especially if you like revisionist history with a bit of fantasy dropped in.

*I received an eARC from NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.*

I really wanted to love this one. The premise was brilliant and the cover is stunning but unfortunately it just fell flat for me.

I couldn't connect to the story or the characters and this took away from my enjoyment. It was a solid read but I just didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would.

I'd be willing to read more of this author's work however

As a note, a copy of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

Am I really reviewing a book that won't be out for half a year? Yes. I couldn't help myself! Tell me the truth: can you, take a moment to look at that cover, really say no to its beauty? I couldn't. I was all, "Oh, I'll wait a couple of months to read and review, so I can post this closer to the release date." and literally five minutes later I was a few pages in and couldn't stop myself. Romanov is a high-stakes historical fiction fantasy novel that takes upon itself to weave magic into the all too real, all too tragic tale of the final imperial family of Russia.

Romanov, like most historical fiction novels, is not going to be a source of factual information on the historical events. I try not to ridicule it, although sometimes when reading about fictionalized accounts of the Romanov's I can't help but feel a little weird. While I grew up loving the animated film Anastasia (and as an adult have become reacquainted with its score in Broadway's Anastasia) and harbored that sense of hope that at least one of the children had miraculously escaped for most of my childhood, I can't help but to circle back down to two things.

One, the Romanov family had, in fact, been executed and their remains are, as of 2007, all accounted for. Two, this statement has always made my skin itch a little in guilt when I do indulge upon various tales involving Grand Duchess Anastasia: "Some of Anastasia's contemporary relatives also felt that the film was distasteful, but most Romanovs have come to accept the "repeated exploitation of Anastasia's romantic tale...with equanimity"

I think that the reason Anastasia, and the myths that have persisted about her and her family since their murders, continues to stay so relevant in historical fiction is that we always wish to rectify the darkest chapters of history. So, in fiction, we create this better world and this world, we hope to add just a little more light. Or hope.

That being said, though Brandes takes many creative liberties with Romanov within the first few pages one can already tell this: she is crafting an enthralling tale of love, loss and the magic within.

While she explores a more fantastical side of the Romanov family's final months, she does her best at keeping as many real events, phrases and facts front and center. Like all good historical fiction, real life weaves effortlessly with fiction. Brandes doesn't taint, or make light, of history. If anything, she still paints a grim--yet somehow hopeful--picture.

I truly enjoyed Romanov. I thought it was fast-paced, magical and heart-wrenching in all the ways I'd expected it to be. Brandes is a fantastic writer and I'm glad this was my first experience with her work because it often gave me goosebumps. I loved that she gave a list of resources and fact checking at the end of her work, to show the differences between her story and the real history--I feel like not enough historical fiction offers that for readers.

This may not be a must-read for historians, but it will certainly be popping up on "best of" lists upon its release next year.

Nadine Brandes keeps you on your the edge of your seat with the captivating way which she blends reality and fantasy in her book Romanov. It is very obvious that she has spent a lot of time reading about the Romanov family and their life. In her book, Anastasia, better known as Nastya takes the forefront and she is forced to make decisions that would determine how the future would unfold not just for her but for her family and for her country.

While Nadine weaves a tale through the facts that are known today, she also captures the emotions that the Romanov family felt during exile. She moves you through hope and sorrow to simple pleasures that bring on joy. Romanov was a book I just could not put down and there were times when my pulse raced. In my opinion, Romanov is nothing short of a masterpiece!

How excited are you to pick up this book? You wont be disappointed. A magical retelling of Anastasia based in historical facts, a wonderful twist to a story that has captivated the world for generations.

What I really loved about this book was the deep rooted plot in actual history. If there was no magic element at all I would still be drawn to the dark story of the Romanov's and the terrible last days they had to endure. The hope, the fear, the pain. It was all intertwined into a wonderful journey.

There was one thing that I didn't like, I know, just one. The first half of the book touched on the magical element, but didn't really dive into it. I waited and waited for something magical to happen, but really nothing spectacular occurred. The magic that was there, was slow and took forever to conjure.

Even without the magic, the story was still worth the read. I dove in with both feet and couldn't put the book down. Four out of Five stars.

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

My review will be posted to my blog on November 30th, 2018 on Confession of an ExBellerina Exballerina.com

Nadine Brandes has a gift for taking stories from history and retelling them in a way that makes them just a little bit magical without changing any of the meaning or significance of the actual story. She did this first with Fawkes, and now again with Romanov. Though I liked Fawkes, I found myself captivated by Romanov.

In this book, readers are introduced to the nearly-mythic Romanov family, the last tsarist family of Russia, who was murdered by the Bolsheviks, and who an air of mystery has surrounded for nearly a hundred years. One of the things I like about this book is how it humanizes both the Romanovs and their captors. It shows what a difficult time some of the guards had with their task of guarding the exiled royal family, the impact that the Romanovs had on the people around them, and the tenuous relationship the family built with the Bolsheviks who spent their days with them.

The story of the Romanovs doesn't end any less tragically than the historic account, but it does perpetuate the myth that Anastasia and Alexi escaped the firing squad, by magical means. This little bit of magic in the story allows Brandes to take some artistic license with the story of Grand Duchess Anastasia, that has so long fascinated people. In this book, she is brave and clever, and struggles with feelings of resentment and anger toward her captors. She is also a bit of a trickster - a fun character quirk about her.

Overall, I enjoyed this book immensely, and would recommend it to anyone who likes stories of history, with a little bit of a twist.

This book is incredible. It was well researched and well planned and you can tell that the author really knows what she’s talking about. This was a very tragic book and a wonderful story that was really executed very well.

I also like how this book wasn’t romance heavy. I feel like most YA authors have been writing books and then making them romance heavy instead of focusing on the actual plot of the story so I like that the romance wasn’t the main point of the novel.

The magic system was also very unique and interesting. It wasn’t confusing at all, very easy to understand which is something I like when reading fantasy. Probably why I haven’t read Lord of the Rings yet.

The only problem I had with this book was the pacing. It felt very slow in the beginning and it was hard to get into but then things started happening and the plot started to move a little bit faster.

All in all a very enjoyable read and I aould definitely recommend this if you stare a fan of Anastasia or just Historical Fantasy in general.

ROMANOV was my first leap in to a book classified (by the author) as historical fantasy. I have extensively read historical fiction that seemed fantastic, but this was another thing entirely.

It is possible that my lack of satisfaction with Nadine Brandes' novel is more a lack of enthusiasm for the genre than for this book in particular. I was eager to read about the Romanov family in exile but was not quite prepared for magic to play such a central role in the novel.

In the "afterward" the author comments on how difficult it was to tackle the subject of the imprisonment and execution of the Romanov family. Her "creative spin" (which presents an alternate reality) dispelled some of that darkness but this was a violent period in Russian history and even the altered "historical fantasy" does not escape it.

Ms. Brandes paints a very sympathetic portrait of the Imperial Family in exile. They are loving and forgiving and, in her version of history, totally worthy of our respect. If the sense of dignity and honor that she imbued her characters with is all that I take from the book, that is worthwhile in itself. Her Romanov story may be pure fantasy, but the nobility of her characters is memorable. I hope there that portrayal is more fact than fantasy.

NETGALLEY provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Romanov is not for the faint of heart. The true history of what happened to the Romanovs makes this a tragic story, and quite different from the other books Nadine Brandes has previously written. That being said, this is by far the best historical fiction fantasy I have read. It goes a step farther than just rewriting history, because it gives a reader hope.. Not just hope for the story of the Romanovs execution, but hope in the humanity of us all, no matter what side we fight on.
Brandes writing is so well-researched, rich with historical details as well as Russian words and phrases. While magic plays a large role in the book, it is not too hard to imagine everything in the book actually being true. Especially since the magic in the book could pretty easily be replaced with some other technology or medical ability. The true feeling of fantasy and magic comes from the hope that it brings and this declaration of survival: "Because I have a story I was meant to live. And not even you can unwrite it."

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

I read Fawkes, anothor book by this author, and enjoyed it enough to give this one a chance. I ended up loving this one even more than I did Fawkes! This book was well researched and written. I didn’t find any mistakes and thought the cover of the book was beautiful. Anastasia went through some very difficult things and I thought she handled them in a realistic way. I wish I had her level of forgiveness. Given her past thoughts and actions, it was relatively easy to predict how she was going to deal with the main antagonist. Still, she was a very selfless person that I came to care deeply for.

A book that kept me hooked until the very end and very hard to put down! Nadine Brandes has done a fantastic job telling the story of the Romanovs but from another perspective. I have been fascinated with the Romanovs since a young age and this book did not disappoint.

Romanov. Romanov. Romanov.

I highly recommend this book. Another one of Nadine Brandes's masterpieces.

It made me cry (three times). Sad tears, heartbroken tears, happy tears... but all of them good tears. The ending was perfect.

Setting
Like in Fawkes, Nadine did heaps of research for this to make it historically accurate but still something new. Obviously it is fantasy but she still stuck fairly close to the facts (but with a little twist of her own). You can tell that she loves the Russian people and culture.

About the Characters
Nastya was very real with real relationships and real struggles. I loved her relationship with her brother and sisters.
“That was how we sisters worked. When one was weak, another picked up the strength.”

Family was a strong part of the story. Because the Romanov family was exiled all they had left was each other. Nastya loved her family.
“No amount of age, pride, or maturity could stop me from loving my papa with the heart of a little girl.”

Nastya's impish spirit reminded me of my own younger sister which made me connect with her and understand her better. She just loved making people smile.
“They [laughed] and I soaked it in... At last, I felt useful. Like I was helping heal my family even if it was just their spirits.”

The Romanov family's love and forgiveness of the Bolsheviks had a huge impact on their guards. They did not treat them as enemies but understood that the soldiers were just doing their duty to their country. They were just obeying orders and were not necessarily bad people.
“Curse those Bolsheviks. I ought to poke holes in the soles of all their boots!”

I loved Ivan and Zash. Nadine did a good job at making the Bolshevik guards real people through them. They were not mindless and had reasons for everything they did. I loved finding out more about Zash as the story went on. It was scenes with these two that made me cry.
“Zash's face broke into a wide grin and he spread his arms wide. "Ivan!" He and Ivan crossed the garden to meet in a firm handshake.”

Faith elements
The Romanovs would read the bible together each night. When they were in the hardest times they turned to prayer.

Their faith brought them through some really tough times during their exile. It helped them to keep hoping and to keep forgiving.

Forgiveness was a huge theme in Romanov.
“We must show kindness to the soldiers... Every day, show them forgiveness. We are a reflection of Iisus, and he was rejected by his own people just as we are. Love. Forgive.”

Content
Romance:
- One kiss

Violence:
There is some violent content but the descriptions do not go into it in unnecessary depth (it is still YA though). There are murders/executions but you get that during a revolution.

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

You’ve heard of the Romanovs, but you’ve never heard this side of the story. Though the setting may seem familiar there is a magic in the air. Magic that is hunted, for magic is power. Anastasia herself has been hunted for her families power. What can she do to save her family from the death they all secretly know awaits them? Will help come in time? What form will it take? With a spark of magic, romance and hope this story comes alive. Special thanks Thomas Nelson through NetGalley for the complimentary copy of Romanov, told from Anastasia's view. Opinions in this review are my own, and as usual I am not giving away anything too big (because it's a good read and I don't want to ruin it).

I have always been intrigued by the Romanov story, and this story fleshes it out...with magic! I enjoyed the added intrigue of spell masters, and I thought the "rules" surrounding magic were clever and interesting.

This is a book about seeing another person's perspective. Our characters are neither all good nor all bad; they've lived a certain way, suffered a certain way, and have to work hard to empathize with each other. But most of all, this is a story about forgiveness. Nastya goes through quite the transformation - and while it does sometimes feel rushed, it is still very poignant.

My one complaint is that the romance seemed a bit rushed - perhaps even a little on the shallow side until the very end. I could have been more emotionally affected - maybe with another 30 pages.

All in all, a great read!

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

Having loved Fawkes, I was keen to see what magic Brandes would spin into the tale of Anastasia Romanov, and overall I wasn't disappointed. Romanov offers readers a fascinating alternate history of the events that befell the Romanov family after the revolution. The blending of history with magic and fantasy works well, though at the start it is less conspicuous than in Fawkes. I enjoyed the depiction of Anastasia, who came across as a well-developed character, as did Alexei. However, some other members of the family melted into the background a little. I also struggled now and then with the romance between Zash and Anastasia, as I couldn't see on what it was based, unlike the briefer love between Maria and Ivan, which felt natural and real. There was a slight dip in the pacing in the middle of the book, but it soon picked up again, and in general I was always keen to turn the page and discover what would happen next. I don't think Romanov quite had the magic of Fawkes for me. Nonetheless, it was a fun and engaging read that has a lot to offer as is certain to please the YA historical fantasy crowd. 4.5 stars.

I understand that a lot of people are quiet on the fence about re-tellings but I LOVE a good re-telling. I love the imagination and creativity it takes to be able to wield and capture an audience and entice them into making them fall in love with a story that they already know and love or in some cases know and hate. hahaha.

So, it’s suffice to say that I am always on the lookout for a re-telling. Ever since I started this blog exactly a year ago, I’ve been fortunate enough to read a couple of re-tellings that I absolutely enjoyed. When I read the synopsis for this book, I knew that I had to get my hands on this.

Romanov was such a riveting book filled with a fantastic, compelling story. It brought to life a story filled with a culmination of history, fantasy and intrigue.

One of the things I loved about this book was the ability of the author to use simplistic words yet she (the author) manages to create the perfect atmosphere for the readers to experience every feeling that the characters go through.

Before you judge me, hear me out. Considering the fact that this book IS a historical fiction its very easy to fall into the rabbit hole and use jargons to capture the ‘true essence’ of the time. Trust me when I say that I have come across a few re-tellings where I felt like I was reading up a thesis rather than leisurely reading.

Romanov is beautiful. It takes you on a journey of fear and doubt, hopelessness and loss, hope and excitement. I have to admit that there were times where I forgot that this is a work of fiction and not reality.
Romanov, written by Nadine Brandes has brought forth a new intrigue of mine towards a kingdom that ruled Russia. The story of the House of Romanov is fascinating and this book ensnares the readers into a spell that makes you crave for more information regarding every facet of this family.

Once again, at this point, I must remind you know that this book, thought a work of fiction, was based on TRUE Life events. A part of me was hoping that the magic was real… Who knows… It just might have been.

I loved every single thing about this book well except how they shortened the beautiful name, Anastasia to Nastya--just yuck. I couldn't get passed her name being Nasty--terrible.

Ok-on to the review. I have read many many books about the Romanav family. I have become a tad bit obsessed. I wasn't sure if the story could be retold and still captivate me. Brandes did just that! I loved her spin on the story and the love affair between Zash and Anastasia. The magic spells were so well done. Almost believable, almost.

I would definitely recommend this book to everyone of all ages. It might have been YA but I enjoyed it and I think older people as well as younger people would love it, too.

• Title: Romanov
• Author: Nadine Brandes
• Series: Stand-Alone
• Pages: 352
• Genre: Historical Fantasy Retelling
• Rating Out of 5 Stars: 4.5

“Why won’t you die?” ”Because I have a story I was meant to live. And not even you can unwrite it.”

My Thoughts:

Nadine has done it again; seamlessly blending magic and history into one beautiful narrative. While magic does not feature as predominantly throughout the whole story as it did in Fawkes, it is well placed and moved the story along smoothly. It isn’t until the last few chapters we see it take a main role.
Our main cast of characters are well developed without spending too much time on any one personality. One of the major things that I love about Nadine’s writing is how well she builds character relationships. In this story we get to see familial, romantic, friends and the differences between the types of relationships captives can have with their captors. She also has an uncanny ability to make the most of a conflicted mentality. The Romanov family did consider many of those that held them “captive” as friends and vice versa. Her ability to express that through some of the Bolsheviks we meet was very well done.
Like Fawkes, Romanov is well researched and much of the narrative is factual (save obvious creative elements.) The author provides us with a Fact vs Fiction at the end to let us know where her creative additions take place and how she came up with her use for them. The character names were the only thing that slowed me down a bit in the reading.
That aside this was a fantastic book and I could not put it down. I hope she continues to return to these magical historical retellings.

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

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

This book hooked me from the very start. It is a wonderful book for teenagers based on the true story of the Romanov family with a magical twist.

The story introduces us to the Romanov family and their captors in the exile. We see how they become friends and how the family learn to live without their freedom. There are numerous twists in this tale and we experience highs and lows along with the characters.

There is a shocking event that flips the whole story on its head and we hold out hope that magic can save everything. You are compelled to read on to find out what will happen. Thankfully, though through immense sadness, the characters find a way to make peace and build a future for themselves.

This is a beautifully written book and would make an excellent class reader for children in Key Stage 3.