by Sherry D. Ficklin
(Stolen
Empire #3)
Published
by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication
date: September 15th 2015
Genres: Historical, Young
Adult
Synopsis
LONG
LIVE THE QUEEN
If
her time at court has taught Catherine anything, it’s that there is no room for
weakness in Imperial Russia. With the Empress’ health failing and rumors of a
change in the line of succession, her place in the royal line is once more in
jeopardy. Tormented by her sadistic husband and his venomous mistress,
Catherine must once more walk the fine line between pleasure and
politics—between scandal and survival.
When
her young son becomes the target of those rebelling against Peter’s reign,
Catherine will have to rise up to protect herself, her child, and her nation
from his unstable and potentially catastrophic rule. This means putting herself
at odds with the most dangerous man she’s ever known, trusting those who once
proved to be her enemies, and turning a nation against its sovereign. In the
ultimate battle for the crown, new alliances will be forged, loyalties will be
tested, and blood will be shed.
Don’t
miss this breathtaking conclusion to the Stolen Empire series!
Queen
of Always is a YA historical fiction based on the life of young Catherine the
Great. Fans of the hit TV show REIGN will devour this scandalous glimpse into
the life of one of the most dynamic women in history.
Excerpt
“I
have done dreadful things, Dash. I have made mistakes that I will never be able
to atone for, and I have allowed myself to be selfish in ways you might never
understand.” The bitter memory of sprinkling the poison in the Empress’ tea floats
into my mind. I think of every lie I’ve told, of every misstep I’ve made. “I’m
not proud of my choices, but neither would I retract a single one,” I say
finally.
“Sometimes,
the only choices you have are horrible choices,” she says. “But you must still
choose.”
I
glance at her, admiring her quiet fortitude. She is, in so many ways, like
Rina. So wise for her years. Wise and kind and good.
“You
are a good soul, Dashka. I wish I were as good.”
She
shakes her head, “Don’t say that, Your Grace. You are a good soul as well. Not
innocent as or naive as I, but nevertheless good. You will be a good queen.”
“I
hope so,” I mutter around another bite. There’s a cup of what looks like pitch
black tea. I pick it up, examining the contents. It smells burnt somehow. “What
on earth is this?”
She
nods to it, “That’s a new drink the cook thought you might enjoy. It’s called
coffee. It can be bitter so there is cream you can add to it. She says it’s all
the rage at French Court.”
“Coffee?
Odd.” I take a sip and nearly gag. It’s strong, so much more bitter and heavy
than tea, but, still…
I
take another sip.
“It’s
quite good, I think.” I say, admiring the warmth of the cup in my hand.
Dashka
beams. “I thought you’d enjoy it.”
As
we begin the tedious process of dressing and grooming, I sip on the beverage,
asking for a second cup soon after the first. Soon I feel my heart speed up, my
face flushes, and I feel more awake and alive than I’ve felt in weeks. I let my
mind drift. Someday, sooner than later, I will be queen. What sort of queen do
I want to be? I know I will have to decide. Will I be loyal? Faithful? Will I
be kind or courageous? Will I be content sitting quietly, or will I stand
boldly against those who oppose me?
Suddenly,
things seem very clear.
“It’s
the coffee,” Dashka smirks.
Somehow,
I think it’s more than just that.
Purchase
AUTHOR BIO
Sherry
D. Ficklin is a full time writer from Colorado. She can often be found
browsing her local bookstore with a large white hot chocolate in one hand
and a towering stack of books in the other. That is, unless she's on
deadline at which time she, like the Loch Ness monster, is only seen in
blurry photographs. She is the author of over a dozen novels ranging
from contemporary romance to science fiction. In her spare time she
co-hosts the Pop Lit Divas radio show and is a contributor for Fangirlish.com.
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