About the Book
Book: Common
Author: Laurie Lucking
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: February 14, 2018
Only one person knows of the plot against the royal family and cares enough to try to stop it—the servant girl they banished.
Leah spends her days scrubbing floors, polishing silver, and meekly curtsying to nobility. Nothing distinguishes her from the other commoners serving at the palace, except her red hair.
And her secret friendship with Rafe, the Crown Prince of Imperia.
But Leah’s safe, ordinary world begins to splinter. Rafe’s parents announce his betrothal to a foreign princess, and she unearths a plot to overthrow the royal family. When she reports it without proof, her life shatters completely when the queen banishes her for treason.
Harbored by an unusual group of nuns, Leah must secure Rafe’s safety before it’s too late. But her quest reveals a villain far more sinister than an ambitious nobleman with his eye on the throne.
Can a common maidservant summon the courage to fight for her dearest friend?
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About the Author
An avid reader practically since birth, Laurie Lucking discovered her passion for writing after leaving her career as an attorney to become a stay-at-home mom. When she gets a break from playing board games and finding lost toys, she writes young adult fantasy with a strong thread of fairy tale romance. Her debut novel, Common, won the Christian Editor Connection’s Excellence in Editing Award, placed third in the Christian Women Reader’s Club Literary Lighthouse Awards, and is a finalist in the ACFW Carol Awards. She has short stories published in Mythical Doorways, Encircled, and the upcoming Christmas Fiction off the Beaten Path. Laurie is the Secretary of her local ACFW chapter and a co-founder of Lands Uncharted, a blog for fans of clean young adult speculative fiction. A Midwestern girl through and through, she currently lives in Minnesota with her husband and three children. Find out more by visiting www.laurielucking.com.More from Laurie
Common started with the simple premise that I wanted to write a friendship-first romance that would be innocent enough for pre-teen readers, but complex enough for teens and adults to enjoy it, too! My love for fairy tales soon kicked in, inspiring a Cinderella-type dynamic of a secret friendship between a maid and a prince. Then came the “what if” questions. What if the king and queen arranged a betrothal between the prince and a foreign princess? What if the maid tried to help the prince find happiness with his new fiancée, but accidentally made things worse? What if she then discovered a plot against the royal family and was the only one who could stop it?
Looking back, it’s fascinating to see how my story expanded from a sweet romance to so much more. The romance is still there, prominent enough to satisfy any reader who loves rooting for a fun couple. But there’s also so much personal growth for my main character, who learns though her journey that even a lowly maid is anything but common and that the biggest challenges and disappointments we must overcome are preparing us for something better. I didn’t set out to include a spiritual thread, but my protagonist kept contemplating and reaching out to God until I finally realized her story wouldn’t work without a faith component. And that faith component led to an entire group of characters – spunky, mysterious nuns who now form the backbone of my entire Tales of the Mystics series.
The end result is an inspirational, romantic fantasy adventure perfect for fans of Melanie Dickerson, Anne Elisabeth Stengl, and Jody Hedlund’s new Lost Princesses series. Book Two is in progress, and I can’t wait to see how much it will change and develop along the way!
The author is new to me and I am indeed happy to say I have found a new author to follow. The story is nothing short of enchanting with Kings, Queens and a handsome prince. The Prince Rafe is charming, humble and happens to have feelings for Leah. I loved how the author shows readers that just because we think of our ourselves as common, we are definitely more than that.
Leah is a chambermaid with hair that shines and a heart that is filled with hope. When I think about the title I remembered what someone said to me once. I was a teacher for the Children's ministry and was asked to step into the role of Children's Pastor. The elders of the church saw something in me that I didn't. I explained to them that I was just a teacher and couldn't possibly take a position like that. One of the elders looked at me and said, " Never say you are just a teacher or mother etc. You are a child of God and He sees your heart for children. He laid your name on our hearts and called you to lead children to Christ. You are more than to Him."
In this book Leah and others think of themselves as just common. They don't consider themselves worthy to be in the presence of royalty. Leah was not afraid to work hard and took on any responsibility given to her. Her humbleness gets her a new position that will change her life. What would you do if you overheard a plot to kill someone? I loved how brave Leah was and her willingness to put her life in danger in order to protect the Royal family of Imperia. The story follows Leah on her journey to get evidence of the evil plot to destroy the leaders of Imperia.
I loved how the author gave us twists in the story and interesting characters that became very important on Leah's journey to find the truth. There is danger, intrigue , romance and an ending that will please everyone. I do look forward to the next book in the series and hope the author publishes it soon.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
Blog Stops
Among the Reads, December 31
Books, Life, and Christ, December 31
My Devotional Thoughts, January 1
For the Love of Literature, January 2
Rory Lemond, January 2
Pause for Tales, January 3
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 3
Through the Fire Blogs, January 4
Texas Book-aholic, January 5
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, January 6
Rebecca Tews, January 6
Blossoms and Blessings, January 7
Emily Yager, January 7
Reading Is My SuperPower, January 8
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 9
Avid Reader Nurse, January 9
janicesbookreviews, January 10
Locks, Hooks and Books, January 11
For Him and My Family, January 11
Inklings and notions, January 12
A Reader’s Brain, January 13
Mary Hake, January 13
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Laurie is giving away a themed basket with a signed paperback copy of Common, a beaded velvet bookmark, a handmade book sleeve, and a wooden “Have courage & be kind” sign!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Wonderful review! "Common" sounds like a delight to read.
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