Queen of Tomorrow by Sherry D. Ficklin Series: Stolen Empire #2
Genres: Historical, Young Adult
Published by Clean Teen Publishing Publication Date: July 14, 2015
Pages: 280
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Sophie—now Catherine, Grand Duchess of Russia—had a tough first year at Imperial Court. Married at sixteen to Grand Duke Peter, heir to the throne, and settled in their own palace, things are finally looking up. As a new day dawns, she thinks only of securing her future, and the future of their country, during one of the greatest political upheavals of her time. Fighting desperately against forces trying to depose the Empress Elizabeth and put the young Prince Ivan on her throne, Sophie soon finds herself in the middle of a war brewing between her beloved Prussia, and her new empire. But even as she navigates the fragile political landscape, she quickly realizes that she has only begun to discover the tangled web of deceit and infidelity woven over the lavish court of Oranienbaum Palace.
When a strange and delicate alliance forms between the young couple, she glimpses a future of happiness, only to see it lost in a moment at the hands of those who still seek to end her life—and prevent her reign. Out of favor with the empress and running out of options, Sophie will have to sacrifice her own innocence on the altar of Russia if she is to save the nation, and herself. To survive, she will have to do the unthinkable, betray those closest to her and become something greater and more dangerous than she ever imagined she could be… a queen.
Most of you know that I previously read and reviewed Queen of Someday by Sherry D. Ficklin last year. And how much I absolutely loved it. When I hopped on Goodreads to see if book two had been released I was thrilled that Sherry herself left the email address to her publishing company so fans of Book One in the Stolen Empire series could ask for an AEC of book two. And email I did! I deliberately waited about a week, a long and agonizing week, until I knew I would have the time it would take to devour Queen of Tomorrow.
Picking up exactly where book one leaves off we have Sophie, the newly named Catherine the Great, still very much loathing her new husband yet completely eager to wear the crown. She is pleasing to look at and has a personality that makes everyone around her eager to bask in her glow. Yet she is absolutely humble and rules her little piece of land justly and with honor. Shortly after the book begins we find Catherine and her husband summoned to the queen’s side. Naturally, her husband’s mistress tags along irking both Catherine and the queen herself. Upon arriving Catherine is rushed to the queen’s physician due to her having been ill. Although she believes it is simply due to stress and overexertion it is discovered that Sophie is pregnant. Leaving his mistress completely in the lurch, Prince Peter now acts as a doting husband to his “little mother”, however Sophie cannot wait to share her wonderful news with the true love of her life.
After an unfortunate accident sends Princess Sophie defending a stone staircase face first and suffering a miscarriage, the queen demands she and Peter try again. Tragically Peter instead develops an illness that threatens everything Sophie has worked so hard for and she is sent back to the Winter Palace to try to produce an heir “by any means necessary”.
To accurately review this book I have to first describe the incredible writing style Ms. Ficklin possesses. With each word she draws you in to her oh so believable characters and their development. Sophie is no longer the sweet and innocent girl from book one. Court politics now demand that she become as ruthless as the Empress and even more cunning. It is so easy to see Sophie as she walks through the halls or mingles with guests at parties thrown specifically to enhance her status as future Queen. Without graphic detail Ficklin creates a romance that is tasteful and achingly beautiful proving that you do not need a million sexual adjectives to accurately portray what love is.
I’m eagerly awaiting book three “Queen of Always” when Sherry will bring the story if Catherine the Great to a close and most likely bring me to tears.
*NOTE: I received the book as an ARC from Clean Teen Publishing in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
