Review Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble

Title: Dreaming Anastasia

Author: Joy Preble

Published: September 1st, 2009 (Sourcebooks)

Pages: 310
Source: bought

Series: Dreaming Anastasia #1
Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads: What really happened to Anastasia Romanov?

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 gnarled 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...

One of the greatest things about visiting New York last year was the browsing in bookstores. I got to know some great new titles I wouldn't have discovered in a Dutch bookstore. Dreaming Anastasia was one of them! The title immediately got my attention, the cover is pretty and the synopsis sounded great. And reading it was even better! At first I was a bit afraid I wouldn't like it after all, because I have absolutely no knowledge of Russian folklore, but that didn't matter at all. That was one of the greatest things about this book, the way Joy Preble mixed the Russian folklore into the story. Gradually I learned more and more about Baby Yaga. 


The story is devided in chapters written from Anne's point of view, the others from Ethan's. And you get to know Anastasia from her diary entries. I could really relate to Anne. She gets dragged into a situation she never asked for, but it's the only way she can get away from the dreams. When Ethan comes to her and tries to explain everything at first she's scared, but in the end she's determined to help Anastasia. 
And there's Ethan. A great guy, who's pretty mysterious. I loved him! He really tries to help Anne, but he's also determined to rescue Anastasia at all costs. 


The style of writing was nice and I enjoyed reading this book, even more than I thought I would. I really liked learning new things about Russian folklore. Normally I choose my books after at least checking Goodreads, and it was a great experience to really pick a book by the synopsis and that it turned out to be great. If you want to try something different this is a great choice!