I Was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon

Title: I Was Anastasia

Author: Ariel Lawhon

Genre: Historical Fiction

Anastasia Romanov was the youngest daughter to Nicholas II, the tsar of Russia in the early 1900s. At 17 years old, she, along with her family, was infamously murdered in 1918 after the Bolshevik Revolution. ...Or was she? In the years following the execution, many women came forward claiming to be Anastasia, stating that she had somehow survived the execution. The most prevailing of these women was known as Anna Anderson. In "I Was Anastasia," Ariel Lawhon presents two timelines: one moving forwards, which follows Anastasia and her life the few years before 1918; the other moving backwards, following Anna Anderson and her fight to be legally recognized as Anastasia Romanov. These two timelines converge on the execution of the Romanov family in 1918. The book reads as a suspense or mystery novel as you try to unravel what is happening and determine what is the truth.

While this book is a fictional retelling, many of the people, places, and major events are rooted in the facts and history. Lawhon did extensive research, using letters, journals, and other primary sources to craft conversations and other interactions. The book was a little slow to start, but I highly recommend sticking with it! It was an engrossing read! When I finished, I found myself researching more of the story to figure out what was true and what was fabricated. It is amazing to me that it actually took over 70 years for Anastasia's true fate to be conclusively determined! You will be fascinated.

- Sarah P.

Check out I Was Anastasia @ the library.

Need to Know by Karen Cleveland

Title: Need to Know

Author: Karen Cleveland

Genre: Spy Thriller

Vivian is a CIA analyst. She has been working on the Russia account, trying to find sleeper cells of Russian spies within U.S. communities. When she finds a picture of her husband included in a group of potential spies what should she do? Can she trust him anymore? What will it cost her to do the 'right' thing for her family of four young children? This page-turner will keep you wondering beyond the final page...

- Elizabeth

Check out Need to Know @ the library.

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Title: A Gentleman in Moscow

Author: Amor Towles

Genre: Historical Fiction

Looking for a deeply compelling read that will keep you hooked from the first page to the last? Consider A Gentleman in Moscow. You will follow the ins and outs, ups and downs, of the life of an aristocrat who is put under house arrest at his Moscow hotel at the beginning of the formation of the Soviet Union. What follows is the story of a man who thrives and lives a colorful and meaningful life in spite of his circumstances, or perhaps because of those same circumstances. Highly recommended if you enjoy historical fiction, following a longer life story, or if you enjoy Russian history.

- Elizabeth

Check out A Gentleman in Moscow @ the library.

Snowdrops by Andrew Miller

In the early 2000’s, the basis of Russian business was corruption and the basis of Russian entertainment was sleaze. Nicholas Platt, a British lawyer working in Moscow at the time, looks back and explains how he became ensnared in both. After meeting two beautiful sisters at a Russian train depot, he became involved in their lives and problems, including their efforts to help an elderly aunt. But things were not what they seemed and as Nick tells his story, he points out the warning signs he should have heeded but didn’t, and turns the story into a suspenseful page turner with a shocking conclusion.  For an intense read, check out Snowdrops @the library!