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

Good Morning!

Today 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 with Anastasia “Nastya” Romanov and her family living in exile from their home in St. Petersburg, after the Bolshevik rebellion. Her father, mother, and sister are being relocated to Ekaterinburg to face trial and Nastya stays behind 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 down by the Bolsheviks, being told they can either join the Red Army or die. 

The story follows Nastya 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.

“The Bond of our hearts, spans miles, memory, and time” – Nadine Brandes

I don’t usually read Historical Fiction but this book made me appreciate the genre more. Nadine did a wonderful job combining fantasy with Historical fiction.

I found the first part of the story interesting but it was a lot of the same thing. The book really picks up the pace and raises the stakes in the second half. I found myself at the edge of my bed reading it.
Overall I really enjoyed Nadine’s take on this classic tale and I look forward to reading more of her work soon!

I give this book

Romanov is now available for preorder and will be released on May 7th, 2019!

XOXO Shelby Grace