A decadent look at one of the most intriguing monarchs in history… “A must read romance!”~ Serena Chase, Special for USA TODAY                                                                                       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? Don’t miss the series dubbed a “must-read romance” by the USA Today and “An entertaining and racy read” by School Library Journal. Fans of the hit TV show REIGN will devour this scandalous glimpse into the life of one of the most vibrant women in history. This series is complete with all three books available to read today. Novels inThe Stolen Empire Series by Sherry D. Ficklin: Queen of Someday Queen of Tomorrow Queen of Always Also, check out Sherry D. Ficklin’s new Historical Romance Series The Canary Club Fresh out of jail, "Bad Luck" Benny is desperate to care for his struggling family, even if that means once again landing on the wrong side of the law. Masie, the daughter of a wealthy gangster, has the voice of an angel and gun smoke in her veins. A pawn in her family’s bid for control of the city, she turns to an unlikely ally who might be the only person able to spring her from her gilded cage. Two worlds collide in this compelling story of star-crossed lovers in gritty prohibition-era New York. The Canary Club (Available October 2, 2017) Glitter and Gold: A Canary Club Anthology (Available Now)

Lovely, enchanting, and dangerous, sirens of Greek mythology lured countless numbers of sailors to their deaths with their beautiful appearances and melodious voices. Seventeen-year-old Kalista guards a dark secret that has never allowed her to fit in. She is a siren.Instead of luring men to shipwreck, Kalista sucks the very life force from their souls. From day to day she never knows from where her next meal will come, but resists the urge to feed for as long as possible. Having a boyfriend is no help–a single human has never been able to sustain her–and the guy she is dating possesses a darkness within him that stains her soul, filling Kalista with evil urges whenever she feeds from him. And then Kalista meets Rhane. Strange and familiar all at once, she immediately forms a smoldering connection to this handsome young man with otherworldly eyes, and feeding from his life force begins to change her in unexpected ways. Soon, Kalista learns that Rhane is guarding terrible secrets of his own. Secrets tied to a long forgotten past. Secrets that could lead to the undoing of them both. And yet, somehow they must save each other.

In 2015, a race of alien Others conquered Earth. They enslaved humanity not by force, but through an aggressive mind control that turned people into contented, unquestioning robots. Except sixteen-year-old Althea isn’t content at all, and she doesn’t need the mysterious note inside her locket to tell her she’s Something Else. It also warns her to trust no one, so she hides the pieces that make her different, even though it means being alone. The autumn she meets Lucas, everything changes. Althea and Lucas are immune to the alien mind control, and together they search for the reason why. What they uncover is a stunning truth the Others never anticipated, one with the potential to free the brainwashed human race. It’s not who they are that makes them special, but what. And what they are is a threat. One the Others are determined to eliminate for good.

From the #1 Bestselling Norse Fantasy Author, comes The Light Keepers, a short story prequel to the ShadowLight Saga Isolated because of what she is—because of the power she holds inside—Astrid longs for contact with another human being. Her well-intentioned mother locks her away from society in order to protect her from an evil that seeks to use Astrid’s abilities for his own means. But the resulting loneliness drives Astrid deeper into the shadowwalk—a power she is forbidden to use, a magic that lands her directly into the arms of the Shadow. This short prequel to the ShadowLight Saga offers a revealing glimpse into the history of the beautiful and mysterious warrior maiden known as Swan, called Astrid in this prequel. It takes place a few moons before Bonded begins and is a self-contained novelette of approximately 10,000 words. PRAISE FOR THE LIGHT KEEPERSYou’ve never seen dark versus light like this before! Matthews expertly twists good and bad until the lines are blurred and your heart is racing. Astrid (Swan) is such an amazing heroine – she’s so tough, yet emotionally rich. Since Astrid can’t speak, I loved how Matthews weaved in her internal thoughts throughout the action – it gave me an extra layer of insight to her cool personality. I loved her! It’s sexy, intriguing and fast paced…The Light Keepers hurls you right into the action…leaving you begging for more…

When it’s time for a story, there’s no better place to find one than in this wonderful collection of original tales, written especially for two year olds. Told in a gentle and humorous way, the stories are beautifully illustrated and full of adorable characters that children will love. Meet the bear who can’t find his teddy, a tiger who doesn’t like the postman and a hippo who loves jumping in puddles! Come and join in the fun and make story time a special time for your two year old.