Tag Archives: Inspiration

Review: Opening My Eyes Underwater by Ashley Woodfolk

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Opening My Eyes Underwater: Essays on Hope, Humanity, and Our Hero Michelle Obama by Ashley Woodfolk cover shows cartoon layers of water in pink, orange, yellow, purple, dark blue, light blue, and dark green.

Opening My Eyes Underwater: Essays on Hope, Humanity, and Our Hero Michelle Obama
Ashley Woodfolk
Feiwel & Friends
Published September 27, 2022

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About Opening My Eyes Underwater

Inspired by the life and quotations of former first lady Michelle Obama, OPENING MY EYES UNDERWATER is a collection of essays penned by bestselling author Ashley Woodfolk.

In essays about bullying, heartbreak, racism, and confidence, Woodfolk taps into her past to share those stories that made her who she is today. She seamlessly weaves in parallel experiences that both she and Mrs. Obama have faced in their separate childhoods as well as their adult lives. Open, searing, and honest, these are stories that will help readers feel seen. Readers who are growing and learning as they move forward through life’s triumphs and pitfalls will undoubtedly gravitate to and find comfort within its pages.

My Review

Ashley Woodfolk is an author whose books I’ve been wanting to read. When I came across this book, the concept of it really hooked me. Essays on hope? Michelle Obama, you say? Yes, please. I’m in.

I always forget that reading a collection of shorter pieces, whether essays or short stories, is something I really enjoy. It’s nice to be able to read a chunk of something and pause in the reading to think about that piece as a whole. It’s so different than consuming an entire novel or nonfiction book and then reflecting on the entire thing.

These essays are loosely connected– several talk about the author’s experiences with panic attacks and anxiety, especially about school and college. At the start of each essay is a page with a quote from Michelle Obama. The quotes are well-chosen and inspirational just on their own. In the essay that follows, the author explores some of her own life experiences and reflects on experiences Michelle Obama has described about her own life, expanding on the ideas from the quote.

The essays are thoughtful and encouraging, but also pretty real. Ashley Woodfolk wrote the book during the days of the Covid-19 pandemic, and she isn’t shy about how hard that process or those experiences were. But she also calls us toward hope again and again. She reminds readers of their value as human beings and members of the same world in which people like Michelle Obama live and thrive.

I really enjoyed the book and found it to be a really easy read. I think readers looking for some encouraging words, especially as they transition from high school to college, will find a lot of inspiration for life in these pages.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Michelle Obama is a Black woman and the former First Lady of the US. The book includes some biographical information about her as well as quotes from speeches she’s given and things posted to her social media accounts. Ashley Woodfolk is also a Black woman and identifies as Queer.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to romantic relationships that the author was in. At one point she describes a boyfriend who continually pushed past her boundaries. She reflects back on that now as an unhealthy and unsafe relationship.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
The author describes what it’s like when she has a panic attack. She also references George Floyd’s murder by police. She discusses a job at a clothing store at which many of the employees stole merchandise. Though she herself did not steal, she uses this as an example of having personal values and sticking to them even when others aren’t doing what you have committed to do for yourself.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of OPENING MY EYES UNDERWATER in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Review: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

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Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
Elizabeth Gilbert
Riverhead Books
September 22, 2015

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Big Magic

Readers of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilbert’s books for years. Gilbert offers insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. And she discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives.

Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within each of us. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, BIG MAGIC cracks open a world of wonder and joy.

My Review

I saw this book on a list of great nonfiction for women. Years ago, I read EAT, PRAY, LOVE by Elizabeth Gilbert, and I love her TedTalk about creative genius, but this is the first book of hers that I’ve read since those things.

I feel like the best, shortest description of this book is that it’s basically her TedTalk on creative genius, but deeper, wider, and filled with even more wild and amazing stories. Every time I thought, well, “I can’t possibly love this book any more than I currently do,” she would open a new topic that resonated with me or begin talking about an author I deeply admire. (She talks about Harper Lee, Robin Wall Kimmerer, and Brené Brown in the book, just to name a few.)

This is the kind of book that I need to read again and again and let its lessons kind of soak in my brain. I want to be able to highlight sections or use some of the quotes from the book as journal prompts.

The book explores a lot of the heartaches and roadblocks of pursuing a creative life. As a writer, a LOT of what she said resonated with me in terms of my own processes and experiences. I feel like there are some great tools here that can help me move forward with my writing with more confidence and purpose. I’m really excited about that.

BIG MAGIC is a great book for creative people of all types, not just writers and not just people who are trying to pay the bills with their art. Pretty much, my advice is watch the TedTalk. If it speaks to you, and you’re interested in going deeper about those topics and your creativity, definitely check out BIG MAGIC.

Content Notes

Brief mentions of suicide or alcoholism.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Elizabeth Gilbert is a white woman. She tells the stories of a lot of other writers and artists, but I’m not sure how diverse that crowd is. At least a few are BIPOC.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to moving overseas with her boyfriend.

Spiritual Content
So the basic premise is about approaching creativity or inspiration as if it arrives from an external source. Gilbert isn’t specific about what that source is, so readers have lots of room to fill in the blanks with their own spirituality. She talks about her beliefs about a soul versus her ego and how experiences affect each.

Violent Content
Gilbert mentions briefly that a number of artists have died by suicide or addiction to alcohol.

Drug Content
Mentions of alcoholism.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Author Q&A with Bookerlunds Taya and Nathan Okerlund

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Author Q&A with Bookerlunds Taya and Nathan Okerlund

I knew from the moment that I first read about this book that I would request to review it. The book description and email from the author were so cleverly worded and in such a great voice! I couldn’t resist. So, I was even more thrilled when the authors offered to let me host them for a Q&A post.

If you haven’t checked out my review of NEVER LORE, please pop over there either before or after reading this post because if you like fantasy adventure middle grade books, you do NOT want to miss this one.

Let’s get to the Q&A with the Bookerlunds!

1. I find that a story was often inspired by a question. Was there a question that inspired you?

Never Lore is a spy story and spy stories are full of deceit. Early on in my career, after receiving my security clearance, I learned about people who could avoid detection in their lies by being strictly factual, without a hint of honesty. Honesty is a nuanced thing and the way adults typically model it for children, it can be kind of hard to crack. I raised a number of questions for kids to think about in this story. I hope I used enough restraint in not answering all of them for the reader. It’s a fact, I come down on the side of truth, but a story won’t really resonate when it lies to you. And I wouldn’t do that.

2. Who is your favorite character? Are there things about your favorite character which couldn’t be included in NEVER LORE?

Annabelle was partly inspired by my fearless niece. In fact, her name is Annabelle. She’s pretty grown up now, but wow was she a firecracker when she was nine! So many stories about that kid! So many broken bones! Is she up to eight or nine? I’m not sure I captured her with quite the same spirit, but I gave it a go!

3. What was the most difficult thing about writing NEVER LORE?

This book was at least six years in the making. While it is crucial to follow the rules of story craft and to accept feedback, an author can lose her way by caring too much about what someone else thinks of her book. This one took me time to find the all-important-element that no story expert can give a writer—Voice. 

4. Is there a scene or moment in your novel that really sticks with you? Can you tell us a little bit about it?

I still love the night hyena scene. My daughter was only four when I began writing Never. At the time, we watched quite a few nature documentaries together, and there was this episode where an injured mother hyena was turned out of her pack with her babies. The little exiles didn’t make it, and it gutted my little girl to see this, so she asked me to put hyenas in the story. I wrote up the scene, and thought it was pretty good, until my husband got hold of it and proceeded to set it on fire! It’s still my favorite scene, mostly because it’s the product of our whole family collaborating together.

5. What was the most challenging thing you had to overcome as a writing team in order to finish NEVER LORE?

I don’t like to talk about this, because it’s still tender to me, but I went through years of painful disability and a slow and painful healing process before I was able to both finish and see Never through to publication.

6. What do you most hope readers take away from your novel?

I hope readers have a great adventure! As a bonus, I hope they will sometimes think about hard questions like: what is a lie? What is the truth? And in either case—what happens next?

7. What is one question about your novel you are often asked by readers?

As I mentioned, Never was a bit of a family project, and so people might wonder what or who BOOKERLUNDS is. Our family name is Okerlund. So we added a couple of letters and thought we were being clever. In any case, we are definitely bookish people.

About Bookerlunds Taya and Nathan Okerlund

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The Bookerlunds are an author team composed of Taya and Nathan Okerlund and their daughter Mimi. (Mimi made meaningful contributions to this book by insisting that hyenas make it into the manuscript.) And we’re glad she did.

Nathan is a neuroscientist who works in a laboratory at the University of Utah, studying model organisms such as nematodes to try to unlock the mysteries of neuro degeneration, or declines in the functioning of the brain. He has published a lot of papers before in peer reviewed journals, but this is his first work of fiction.

Taya is a multi award-winning author of SHIN and other novels. NEVER LORE is her first middle-grade novel.

About Never Lore: Journey to Mt. Smolder

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NOTICE: Explosive content contained within. (Rebel boys and indomitable girls have always been a combustible combination.)

All the signs of Fairy’s unraveling were there: a strict rationing of pixie dust; the disappearance of a magical species; a reckless reliance on spies plucked from human orphanages. Annabelle was no orphan. Her father was perhaps the most infamous man in Childerbridge-and she’d never live down the shame of it, though she’d also never accept that the charges against him were true-not most of the time. 

She’ll have to go to the end of Never to prove what is true…about Never itself, about her father, and her own work-worn self.

Author Q&A with Samara Shanker

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Author Q&A with Samara Shanker

I recently read NAOMI TEITELBAUM ENDS THE WORLD. It was such a fun book that I wanted to find out more about the inspiration behind it. So today I’m super excited to share my Q&A with author Samara Shanker. She’ll tell us a bit about what inspired her gloriously fun debut novel and drop a few hints about what’s coming next. First, here’s a little bit about the book…

About Naomi Teitelbaum Ends the World by Samara Shanker

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A magical Bat Mitzvah gift gets out of control and thrusts a girl into a supernatural quest with the fate of the world at stake in this spooky middle grade adventure that’s perfect for fans of Aru Shah.

Naomi Teitelbaum is so ready for her Bat Mitzvah. Her prayers are memorized and she’s definitely got a handle on her Torah portion (well, almost). Then she gets a mysterious gift: a tiny clay Golem. To Naomi’s shock, it comes to life—and obeys her every command.

At first, this small magical helper seems like the best Bat Mitzvah gift ever. But with each command, the Golem grows…and gets harder to hide. And creepy, unnatural creatures like dybbuks, demons, and a congregation of ghosts have started following Naomi around. To keep herself out of trouble and the Golem out of harm’s way, Naomi gives the Golem well-intended instructions: save the world.

Unfortunately, this leaves more room for interpretation than Naomi thought. Before long, the Golem is wreaking havoc all over Los Angeles, and only Naomi and her friends can stop it.

Author Q&A with Samara Shanker

Q: I find that a story was often inspired by a question. Was there a question that inspired you to write Naomi Teitelbaum Ends the World?

Sort of. I’ve always been really interested in golem stories, and I guess the question that stuck with me was “what would this idea of a worker with no nuance but endless energy look like in the hands of a kid with strong convictions but no strong sense of how to apply them?” So Naomi was born.

Q: Who is your favorite character in the book? Were there things about them which couldn’t be included in the story?

I adore all the kids, but I think my favorite character is Becca. All the kids are unapologetically themselves, but Becca doesn’t really have a choice. She has to wear her experiences on her sleeve because she feels everything so strongly. It’s no wonder she ended up best friends with Naomi. I wrote Becca for my nephew, who is still too little to read, but is on a similar trajectory to Becca’s particular struggles, so I hope I did her justice. I’m so lucky and excited that I get to spend more time exploring the world from Becca’s point of view in the second book.

Q: The Golem does some interesting things in the book as it tries to follow Naomi’s instructions. What’s your favorite moment or scene involving the Golem? What inspired you to create that moment?

I just love golems. I could talk about the incredible history and inspiration behind the creation of an entity like that forever, but I think in the story my favorite moment with the Golem has to be the last one. No spoilers, but I think that moment is where we really see Naomi understand what it means to take responsibility, rather than trying to just shoulder the problems of the world alone. For the Golem, it’s a little bittersweet. Golems have always raised questions of agency for me, and what it means to have been created for a singular purpose. I think in a sense Naomi’s Golem has achieved his purpose at the very end, it’s just not quite what Naomi thought it was.

Q: Is there a scene or moment in your novel that really sticks with you? Can you tell us a little bit about it?

There’s a moment where the kids are having a conversation with Rabbi Gershon in the temple in Santa Clarita. They’re tired, they’re scared, they’re incredibly out of their depth, and this ghost is teaching them Talmud, and discussing golems, and Naomi asks the question, “but what if we love it?” and I think that really is just the core of Naomi’s character. She’s intense and a little insufferable sometimes, but she’s entirely motivated by love, and that matters.

Q: Naomi’s relationships with her best friends Eitan and Becca are the central relationships in the story. What is your favorite thing about Becca or Eitan?

So I talked a little about Becca up above. But I think my favorite thing about her is the ways she extends trust. Emotional expressions aren’t really her thing, but handing Eitan her maps means something to both of them. It’s a concrete way of showing that she trusts and loves her friends. My favorite thing about Eitan is his unexpected complexity. I think it would be very easy for him to be just a nerd, or just the boy on the crew, but he’s the one who needs physical comfort more than anyone else, and he bakes well enough that he made a full-sized American Girl doll cake for his cousin, and he just DESPERATELY wants to go to space camp, which I relate to wholeheartedly.

Q: I feel like it used to be rarer to see a story set in Los Angeles, but now I tend to see that city as a setting more often. What made you choose Los Angeles as the setting for your story?

Honestly it was a strategic choice. I have a bit of a quirk of setting a lot of my writing in small town New England, but you don’t find so many Jews there, and it felt a little cliché to set a Jewish story in New York, but there is actually a really big Jewish community in L.A.. It’s also an area pretty immediately affected by climate change in particular, so it made sense for Naomi. Plus I had friends there I could consult on geography, and I desperately need help on all things geographical.

Q: What do you most hope that readers take away from your novel?

I am so proud of this generation of kids. All of them are so passionate about changing the world and making the future better. I wrote this book as kind of a love letter to them, and to remind them that it’s not all on them. “You are not obligated to complete the work.” Burnout doesn’t help anyone; it’s not only ok but necessary to stop and enjoy life without feeling guilty about work you’re not doing.

Q: What is one question about your novel you are often asked by readers?

Who sent the golem? And my answer is: There’s going to be a second book next year!

About Samara Shanker

Samara Shanker has been making up stories about magic and monsters since she was a kid sneaking in extra reading past her bedtime. By graduate school, she had moved on to writing stories that reimagined the folklore and mythology she had always loved as a kid (mostly still written after bedtime, once she finished all her sensible homework). She now works as a tutor and children’s literacy specialist and gets to do most of her writing during the day, which has done wonders for her sleep schedule. She lives in Virginia with her rescue puppy, Jack Kirby, and devotes most of her time not spent working or writing to spoiling her niece and nephew. NAOMI TEITELBAUM ENDS THE WORLD is her debut novel.

Author Q&A with Katherine Barger

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Author Q&A with Katherine Barger

A few weeks ago, I got an email about an intriguing book loosely inspired by the Bible stories of Daniel and Nehemiah in a contemporary setting. I’m super fascinated by this concept, so I jumped at the chance to interview Katherine Barger to learn more. I’m sharing that Q&A here today!

First, here’s a little bit about the book, FORTUNE’S FALL.

Fortune’s Fall
Katherine Barger
Anaiah Press
Published November 3, 2020

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While her classmates prepare for elite careers across America, Nyssa Ardelone trains for her secret job as the president’s dream interpreter. But when her mentor lies to the president about the prophecy in his latest dream, Nyssa must figure out why before the lie unravels. What she learns could destroy her own future.

Fearful of a rumored rebellion, the president has launched a gas attack on Nyssa’s hometown, and her mentor lied about the dream to protect the survivors from more harm. When Nyssa learns her parents were injured in the attack, she flees with a stranger sent to steal the antidote—a stranger who claims to know her.

Together, they race to deliver the cure as well as an interpretation of another prophetic dream only Nyssa can provide. But a devastating loss dulls her caution, and she learns too late that not everyone is trustworthy. To survive the president’s deadly pursuit, Nyssa must break every rule she’s ever followed, learning along the way that faith is the only thing that can save her.

Author Q&A with Katherine Barger

Q: What led you to write a story inspired by Daniel and Nehemiah, and why did you choose a modern setting?

A: I’ve always been fascinated with the stories in the Old Testament, and when our pastor did a sermon series on Nehemiah, I went down a million Googled rabbit-holes to learn about the Babylonian exile of the Jews. When I learned that only the elite Jews were exiled to Babylon and everyone else was left behind to fend for themselves, a story began to brew. What if the Jews who were left behind not only survived, but they thrived, waiting somewhere for their ultimate return to Jerusalem?  

My main character in FORTUNE’S FALL was born from that question. A character inspired by Nehemiah – an exile who led the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and Daniel – an exile and dream interpreter to the king. Fortune’s Fall is the futuristic tale of a people exiled to an unfamiliar place, the family and friends they left behind, and a girl’s determination to bring them all back together.

Now, to the question about why I put it in a modern setting. I originally had it set in a fantasy world. But something felt off about the whole thing. It just wasn’t giving me that punch in the gut I wanted. So, I thought “What if I set it in a future America?” I tried it. And it worked.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about Nyssa’s character?

A: I love that her faith journey takes time. I’m a very analytical person, and I definitely relate to her need to ask questions and consider all possible answers and outcomes before making a decision. I loved seeing her grow across the chapters into a more complete version of who she was meant to be.

Q: What do you most hope that readers take away from FORTUNE’S FALL?

A: The verse that pops up over and over throughout FORTUNE’S FALL is Hebrews 11:1. “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we don’t see.” I hope that readers see Nyssa’s journey to Fortune’s Fall as a testament to faith. It takes a strong woman to be a Christ follower, especially today. Be kind and generous. But also, be bold and follow Him in faith.

Q: Since you’ve written a story about dreams… do you remember your dreams? Are there any that stand out as odd or significant in some way?

I do remember my dreams! They’ve always been totally nuts and intense, which is why I’m so fascinated with dreaming in general. A few years ago, I started writing mine down, which coincided with the early brainstorming stages of FORTUNE’S FALL. Eventually, several of those dreams I’d written down made their way into the story.

Q: What was the hardest part of FORTUNE’S FALL to write? What made it so difficult?

A: The ending! (Smacking forehead). FORTUNE’S FALL is the first in a trilogy and I know how the trilogy ultimately ends, but knowing where to stop this book was h-a-a-a-r-d.

Q: What character or scene was the most fun to write? What made it so fun?

A: My favorite character to write was Greer. His personality is kind of a blend of a few guy friends I’ve had over the years with sarcastic senses of humor. I loved putting those pieces of them into his story and creating a character that made me laugh. My editor really helped me develop his relationship with Nyssa, and there are a few scenes between them that I love, love, love.

Q: Are there other YA books that inspired you to write? Or, what books have most inspired you as a writer?

A: I’m most inspired by Madeleine L’Engle’s YA books. I love her characters and her ability to create a setting that’s both cozy and eerie. Plus, she was so great at weaving Scripture into regular, every-day conversations without coming across as preachy.

About Katherine Barger

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Katherine Barger writes stories about characters of faith in a world where faith is challenged. When she’s not wrangling kids alongside her forever-forbearing husband, she’s writing, eating Mexican food, or snuggling with her family’s two rescue pets: a dog named Queen Elsa and a cat named Princess Jasmine.

Katherine loves hearing from readers! You can contact her at the links above.

Q&A with Author Laurie Lucking

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If you’re a fan of The Selection by Kiera Cass or Everless by Sara Holland like I am, you’ll really enjoy the servant-girl-must-save-the-kingdom story of Common by Laurie Lucking. Today I’m sharing the questions and answers session I had with Laurie where she talks more about what inspired her to write her book.

Q&A with Author Laurie Lucking

I find that a story was often inspired by a question. Was there a question that inspired you to write Common?

It was more like a series of questions 🙂 I wanted to write a friendship that turns into romance, but because I love fairy tales, I started thinking things like “What if he was a prince and she was a maid?” “What if his parents arranged his engagement to someone else?” “What if the maid uncovered a plot against the royal family and had to save the day?” From there, my story was off and running!

Who is your favorite character? Were there things about him/her which couldn’t be included in the novel?

I think my favorite character has to be the protagonist, Leah, because there are so many aspects of her that remind me of my own teenage self and I love that she’s a quiet, understated heroine. In my original draft, the opening chapters took place during Leah’s childhood as she meets and becomes friends with the prince. Sadly, those chapters had to be cut. The opening is much stronger for it, but I do think those scenes were a fun look at Leah as a young girl, working hard at the palace and in search of a quiet refuge from her boisterous fellow servants.

Is there a scene or moment in your novel that really sticks with you? Can you tell us a little bit about it?

One scene that comes to mind is when Leah has retreated to her broom closet hideout and is crying after being teased by the stable hands. Prince Raphael finds her there and comforts her.

This scene stands out to me first because it’s a rare moment of vulnerability for Leah. She tries so hard to be strong and logical, and this is one occasion where she lets her guard down. I also love this scene because it’s one of the first times where hints of romance creep into Leah’s friendship with the prince. One of my favorite aspects of friendship-turned-romance relationships are those key moments where the characters start to view each other in a different light, and the hug they share in this scene is definitely one of those turning points.

Where did your ideas for your antagonist come from?

My antagonist started out as a very murky concept because he stays behind-the-scenes for the majority of the book. But once he finally made an appearance, I drew a lot of inspiration from Rasputin in the 1997 film Anastasia and Jafar from Disney’s Aladdin. He’s a power-hungry, somewhat deranged yet oddly charismatic man who has been waiting a long time for revenge and has a twisted concept of justice.

What do you most hope that readers take away from your novel?

I hope readers first of all realize that no one, no matter how ordinary they may seem, is “common.” We are all UNcommon and capable of extraordinary things! I also hope readers take away the reminder that often the darkest, most challenging parts of our journey are preparing us for something much greater.

What is one question about your novel you are often asked by readers?

I’m often asked about my inspiration for the mystics, the group of unusual nuns my protagonist encounters in the second half of Common. The concept derived from the mystics of the early Christian church—holy men and women who lived in seclusion to achieve a greater union with God and would occasionally receive visions from God. I used my license as a fantasy writer to expand on that idea and ended up with a group of ladies who are in equal parts devout and powerful.

What have you read recently that you loved, or what’s one book on your reading list that you’re super excited about finally getting to read?

I’m in the middle of my advance review copy of A Dance of Shadows by Erica Marie Hogan, and it’s fantastic! I loved the first book in the series, Winter Queen, so I couldn’t wait to get started with this one! Her writing style is so lyrical, and her characters and fantasy world are increasingly deep and complex. I would highly recommend it for fans of Christian fantasy!

About Laurie Lucking

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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 superheroes and driving windup cars, she writes young adult fantasy with a strong thread of fairy tale romance. Her debut novel, Common, released in February from Love2ReadLove2Write Publishing, and her short story, “Threshold,” was published in a Fellowship of Fantasy anthology titled Mythical Doorways. 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 two young sons. Find out more by visiting www.laurielucking.com.

 

About Common by Laurie Lucking

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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?