Brad About Books: Tsarina by J. Nelle Patrick

TSARINA
Expected Publication Date: February 27, 2014
Publisher: Razorbill (Penguin)
Format: ARC
Page Count: 331 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Natalya knows a secret.

A magical Faberge egg glows within the walls of Russia's Winter Palace.

It holds a power rooted in the land and stolen from the mystics.

A power that promises a life of love for her and Alexei Romanov.

Power, that, in the right hands, can save her way of life.

But it's not in the right hands.

Tsarina is a fast-paced, marvelously crafted story of the true competition for power and the bonds of love severing eternally. I adored this book. 

Jackson Pearce (writing as J. Nelle Patrick) is one of my all-time favorite authors, and I was very excited to see how she would take on a historical magic novel! And, just as I expected, she did not disappoint. Tsarina is unlike anything I have ever read. Combing Russian fantasy with a world of possibilities inside Natalya's hands, Tsarina is the kind of book that kept me up late into the night, turning pages as fast as I could. I was swept away by Natalya's world and her dilemmas, and believe me, these dilemmas are insane. There is never a dull moment in this novel. From betrayal and backstabbing to torn-apart hearts in a country full of war and desire, Tsarina is ultimately a shining gem that shouldn't be missed!

I've always liked the phrase "a world of possibilities in your hands", but I never thought into what it could truly mean and the price it can cost you - I just loved how Tsarina actually took this idea, spun it around, and created such a beautiful, deceptive world that Natalya must keep a firm grip on. World-building is everything to me in a novel, and Tsarina has a one of a kind, dark, and awesome world. While being heartbreaking and epic all at the same time, Tsarina is also so unique. I can't get over how awesome this book was. Power and control clash together, and Patrick does a remarkable job with combing both love and deception. 

The best part about Tsarina? It's never predictable. If I even guessed for a second the direction it would take, it would completely flip my world upside down. Fast-paced, energetic, and highly addictive, Tsarina is a masterful, remarkable story that is both equally powerful and fantastic. Tsarina is sure to be a big hit! A new favorite of mine, for sure!

Overall, Tsarina is such a fast-paced ride, it's impossible to put down! Phenomenal in every sense of the word - Tsarina is one of the best fantasies I've ever read!

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