Queen of Someday (Stolen Empire #1)

Wow, what a thrilling ride!  Who can resist a royally good story?!  Laced with slight history but packed with a punch of adventure, heartbreak, drama and political games Queen of Someday by Sherry Ficklin is sure to have you falling in love!

Summary courtesy of Goodreads:

ONE GIRL WILL BRING AN EMPIRE TO ITS KNEES...

Before she can become the greatest empress in history, fifteen-year-old Sophie will have to survive her social-climbing mother’s quest to put her on the throne of Russia—at any cost.

Imperial Court holds dangers like nothing Sophie has ever faced before. In the heart of St. Petersburg, surviving means navigating the political, romantic, and religious demands of the bitter Empress Elizabeth and her handsome, but sadistic nephew, Peter. Determined to save her impoverished family—and herself—Sophie vows to do whatever is necessary to thrive in her new surroundings. But an attempt on her life and an unexpected attraction threatens to derail her plans.

Alone in a new and dangerous world, learning who to trust and who to charm may mean the difference between becoming queen and being sent home in shame to marry her lecherous uncle. With traitors and murderers lurking around every corner, her very life hangs in the balance. Betrothed to one man but falling in love with another, Sophie will need to decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice in order to become the empress she is destined to be.

In a battle for the soul of a nation, will love or destiny reign supreme?

I really had to take a step back from this one because O-M-G this book really has it all!  From the get-go the world building absolutely took my breath away.  From her idyllic childhood to the thrilling journey to Russia, Ficklin really does an outstanding job setting the scene and fully immersing the reader.

I’m not sure what’s going on but recently all of my favorite books or rather most YA books in general are featuring a kick ass heroine who is faced of course with adversity and tough choices that affect not only her but those that surround her.  This one does not fail me on that front.  Sophie really has her set of enemies throughout and one of her greatest enemies is herself.  Will she find the courage to take destiny by the horns?  She definitely is one spit-fire of a girl destined to be a queen! 

Without giving too much away, I can honestly say that I FULLY recommend this one!  Filled with so much good that will have you on the edge of your seat until the very last page…and even then I secretly was wishing the final pages would start to fill themselves in with more!  I can’t wait for #2! 

For the Love of Books!

I may be late to the party by saying this but it seems a whole MONTH has escaped me!  I do promise more reviews to come!  Seriously this time!  To be upfront, it's not the reading that has lapsed...I have been reading so many EXCELLENT books that are slated to come either this fall/winter/spring!  We really do live in such an amazing world where there are such creative and imaginative writers at our disposal!  I truly am so THANKFUL for all these amazing writers/publishers/agents/etc. 

Lately (especially since it is the month of November) I have given some thought to those things that we really are so luck to have.  I challenge you all to think of one thing a day for the rest of this month that you are thankful for.  This is nothing hard or challenging but it is something that I think in our busy lives we often overlook or don't reflect on.  

So for today, let me say that beyond living in a world where we are spoiled with creativity and imagination, I am also deeply thankful for my family.  Now I don't have kids and my actual family is quite small, but I want to say beyond my immediate family I am thankful for my urban family (i.e. girlfriends, classmates, those that aren't blood related but that I honestly do consider family) and my bookish family (that's YOU)!  Thank you to you all, whether you are a fellow blogger, writer, publicist or a lover of YA that has somehow stumbled upon my little blog!  

Here's to a November filled with reflection of THANKS!