bestmessever
Written on Apr 16, 2020
The ending was okay but it did wrap up rather quickly and with in a nice bow too. I gave it a 3.5 and would be interested to see what else this author puts out.
My name is Anastasia. 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.
Nastya’s only chances of saving herself and her family are either to release the spell and deal with the consequences, or to enlist help from Zash, the handsome soldier who doesn’t act like the average Bolshevik. Nastya has only dabbled in magic, but it doesn’t frighten her half as much as her growing attraction to Zash. She likes him. She thinks he might even like her.
That is, until she’s on one side of a firing squad . . . and he’s on the other.
Praise for Romanov:
"I am obsessed with this book! A magical twist on history that will have Anastasia fans wishing for more. I loved every detail Brandes wrote. If you love magic and Imperial Russia, you want Romanov on your shelf!" —Evelyn Skye
"Romanov will cast a spell on readers and immerse them in a history anyone would long to be a part of." —Sasha Alsberg
"If you think you know the story behind Anastasia Romanov, think again! The perfect blend of history and fantasy, Romanov takes a deeper look at the days leading up to the family’s tragedy, while also exploring the possibilities behind the mysteries that have long intrigued history buffs everywhere. Brandes weaves a brilliant and intricate saga of love, loss, and the power of forgiveness. Prepare to have your breath stolen by this gorgeous novel of brilliant prose and epic enchantment." —Sara Ella
- Full-length historical fantasy
- Includes discussion questions for book clubs
- Paperback contains special bonus chapter
- ISBN10 078521724X
- ISBN13 9780785217244
- Publish Date 30 May 2019 (first published 7 May 2019)
- Publish Status Out of Stock
- Out of Print 16 August 2023
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Thomas Nelson Publishers
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 352
- Language English
Reviews
The ending was okay but it did wrap up rather quickly and with in a nice bow too. I gave it a 3.5 and would be interested to see what else this author puts out.
Terri M. LeBlanc
Written on Dec 27, 2019
I received this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
duchessofdiscord
Written on Nov 15, 2019
Honestly, it lacked quite a bit in the character development. The characters, especially anyone who isn’t Anastasia or Zash, come off as flat and stoic. Even the Anastasia and Zash lack munched needed growth, and friendship/relationship they have seems so unbelievably rushed.
As for the world building/setting, meh, at best. So much wasted potential. Unfortunately the important things got lost in the vague and relatively confusing information that was presented.
Then there’s the plot. Which, honestly, felt a bit disjointed, and did quite make it whole. It started slow, which was nice at first, but then the first half dragged on, to a point where I considered DNF-ing the book. And the second half takes off crazy fast, and rushes through so much of, honestly, the most important plot and character development; which was kind of unreal. My other issue, some of the plot just seemed so contrived to me.
What I did enjoy was how the author portrayed how the Imperial family’s daily lives more of less unravelled at the seams before their very eyes. As heart breaking as it was, the fact that it wasn’t sugar coated, worked, and worked well. I enjoyed Anastasia’s spirit, and tenacity; her love and loyalty to her family.
reveriesociety_
Written on Sep 8, 2019
For starters, I was so excited to have received a galley of this book since the premise sounded amazing and I couldn’t wait to read this Anastasia story with magic. But I couldn’t get past the first few chapters. I think it was another case of what happened with Nevernight. It may just not have been the right time for me.
I had problems with the pacing
Life has gotten super busy lately, so I want to be able to read on the go and for the stories I read to be read quickly. So when I realize it’s taking too long to read a story… It tends to get drawn out while I read other books. I liked the characters and was really looking forward to seeing the conflict develop, but for me it was taking a bit too long, so I had to pause it.
For example, at first there was so much tension going on, what with the Romanov’s confined in one place and then the announcement that her father was being taken somewhere else. I knew there was so much at stake and that it wouldn’t end well, but I just wasn’t feeling it as much as I should have to keep going.
I loved the siblings
Specially the relationship between Anastasia and her brother. She was so concerned for him, and even I got really scared for him, being vulnerable in such an already difficult situation. I wanted them to succeed and for him to feel better and be happy. His character was one of the high points of what I read.
Coincidentally, I also started watching the Netflix documentary about the Romanovs and I loved seeing the parallels between the story and the real lives of these people. It breaks my heart how things ended, and I might just pick this book up in the future again just to see how the author ends it.
This is a book that while I didn’t finish it, I don’t feel like discouraging people from reading. I completely feel like it was a case of ‘it’s me, not you’.
jeannamichel
Written on Jun 30, 2019
Nastya is a strong willed, incredible character. Romanov is told in first person perspective which lets readers in on Nastya’s inner thoughts and feelings. She’s adventurous which is shown through the amount of mischief she is able to get into even during exile. The setting of Romanov primarily takes place while the royal family is cooped up in a house together. Nastya’s mischief and little games are able to lighten the mood at times. Romaov, however, is a heavy novel.
I always tell myself that I need to read more fantasy because every time I do, the book turns out to be fantastic. Romanov is no exception. It wasn’t exactly what I expected. The book tells the story of the Romanov family as it was in actual history with a hint of magic. If you’re looking for a retelling of Anastasia, the animated film—with the quest of a lost grandmother, a romance between a princess and a kitchen boy, and an evil master of the magical arts—Romanov is not that book.
This is the first book I've read by Brandes. You can bet I will be reading Fawkes, her other book, soon. Her writing is whimsical, dramatic, and downright amazing. She morphed the story of the Romanov family from history and turned it into something unique. It was a masterful take on the story.
Romanov is so compelling. It wasn’t a page in and I was already hooked, demanding to know how Nastya was going to get out of this mess she found herself in. However, I must admit that the plot doesn’t progress much. It relies on routine and small moments of Nastya’s life to carry the story forward. This is more of a character-driven plot than an action-packed one. And as much as I love my action-packed plots, Romanov is a story filled with magic, secrets, and spies that is still able to keep readers on their toes. Despite the plot being a bit slow, it was slow in the best way possible.
The Romanov family are incredibly close. Their family dynamic remained a light in the darkness. When all seemed lost, they could still look to each other for hope. It was great to see one character lift up the others and vice versa. Nastya has several sisters and one brother. Brandes only gives us small glimpses of the older sisters, while the brother, Alexei, and the younger sister, Maria, are more prominent in the story. Also, the bond Nastya shares with her father is so sweet. Familial relations like this are rarely seen in YA today so I definitely cherished those moments in Romanov.
Maria needs a spinoff. Her romance was so riveting and enchanting. And as much as I loved Nastya and her strategic mind, I wouldn't mind if Brandes gives us more on what Maria was thinking during her time in exile.
Since the family was in exile, there were several guards that watched them around the clock. My favorite, of course, was Zash. I only wished we got more of his thoughts as well. His story was intriguing, as he seemed to be at war with himself for most of the book. Brandes explored some fantastic feelings, tackling Stockholm Syndrome and even the captors becoming sympathetic to their prisoners. The dynamic was complex and seemed to increase the stakes tenfold.
The stakes are high in Romanov. The royal family is put under arrest, essentially in exile, where just the act of breathing too loudly is an indiscretion. The pace may be slow but the high stakes and terrifying ante is sure to get readers’ blood pumping.
The light use of magic was great. I adore magic in books but it doesn’t always need to be a magic boarding school, complete with magic wands every time. Romanov delivered a small dose of magic, giving us just enough to take Brandes’ world to the next level. It was truly superb!
Overall, Romanov by Nadine Brandes was heavy, yet beautiful. Brandes weaves history with magic that brings a compelling story to light. It was masterfully written and I can’t wait to read more from her in the future.
Steph L
Written on May 26, 2019
Overall- 5 stars
Overall this was a fantastic Historical Fiction with a dash of fantasy to make it a new story the author wanted to tell. This is the first Anastasia Retelling that I have read where it was set in the time period, and I loved that.
Characters- 5 stars
Everyone from the Romanov family you know to Zash, the Bolshevik who was their guard was a delight. They all had so much live and so much heart and I loved hearing their story. Each character had their own personality, and they had had their own flaws which was great. From what I've read, The Romanov's in terms of personality, were very much like how the family was back in the day. You can tell how much research went into creating these characters, and I was so happy about that.
Plot 5 stars
So the plot of this book takes a new direction about halfway thorough the book, and this is great because otherwise it would be like a rehash of what you already know, and would have no original story paired with it. I loved the story because it took me a on a journey, and I felt like I was on a journey with these characters. The fantasy and historical elements work in tandem to create a great story.
Pace 5 stars
The was of this book was excellent. The long and emotional scenes pulled you in and pulled on your heart strings. The light scenes were fun and a break from the dramatic plotline in the story.
readingwithwrin
Written on May 14, 2019
tweetybugshouse
Written on May 9, 2019
What made this story for me was it was so close to truth but it gave you heart with the dash of fantastical magic that is woven into the story. The desperate hope that you cling to that this magic will heal and will fix all the heartache that is inflicted on this family life. I really loved the solution towards the end that Anastasia really stuck to her family belief that you have to forgive those who done you harm in order to move on.
The ending was as beautiful as it could be in the trenches of all that had transpired. I almost which their were more story to tell that we get too see Anastasia fulfill her dreams of becoming a Spell Magister. That we get to see Alexei become the solider for the people that he truly wanted to be. I really enjoyed this historical fiction tale mixed with just a bit of fantasy.
katie
Written on May 4, 2019
Eve1972
Written on Apr 27, 2019
The first 30% of this book was fantastic. It sucked me into the story. It intrigued me. Then from 30%-60% It lost steam. It bored me. It felt repetitive. I tired of reading about the same things. The windows. The food. The guards. The (maybe or maybe not) rescue. I came close to throwing in the towel. However, at 60% the story picked up again. In fact, from 60% onwards the story moves at the speed of light which left me wishing we had gotten less page space devoted to them being prisoners and more story development after the "escape."
So yea, this one ended up being a mixed bag for me. It wasn't a bad story, but I think it could have been better.