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Quick Review: "Dreaming Anastasia" by Joy Preble

From Goodreads: Anastasia Romanov thought she would never feel more alone than when the gunfire started and her family began to fall around her. Surely the bullets would come for her next. But they didn't. Instead, two old hands reached for her. When she wakes up she discovers that she is in the ancient hut of the witch Baba Yaga, and that some things are worse than being dead.

In modern-day Chicago, Anne doesn't know much about Russian history. She is more concerned about getting into a good college--until the dreams start. She is somewhere else. She is someone else. And she is sharing a small room with a very old woman. The vivid dreams startle her, but not until a handsome stranger offers to explain them does she realize her life is going to change forever. She is the only one who can save Anastasia. But, Anastasia is having her own dreams...

My Thoughts:  I have been wanting to read this book for a long time and I'm so glad I finally got to it!  It was definitely a fast and fun read.  I loved how the author took the historical Anastasia and made her part of a really neat paranormal story.  I have always been incredibly fascinated by all of the stories surrounding Anastasia and  I think this one puts a really cool spin on it.  There isn't a lot of true history in the story but I still really enjoyed it.  I also enjoyed how she wove a lot of Russian folklore into the story.  I don't know much about Russian folklore so I don't know how true she stayed to the old stories but I still thought it resulted in a great mix of history and folklore with a paranormal twist.  

The author added some interesting aspects to the historical part of the story; she created an illegitimate son of Tsar Nicholas II and included a mysterious and magical Brotherhood whose goal was to protect Russia from the forces that were tearing it apart.  I thought these additions worked well and made the story even more interesting.  All of the characters were unique and made me love the story even more.  This is the first book in a trilogy and I really can't wait to read the next one!  4 stars. 

This book is part of my personal collection.

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