alexandra_11's review against another edition
Super annoying main character and incredibly obvious romance
tnau7489's review against another edition
3.0
Nothing really special, political theories were pretty plainly laid out and the plot was so so
katherinecg's review against another edition
4.0
Okay, okay. When I said I loved King Aodren and wanted him to have a happy ending, this wasn’t particularly what I had in mind. Lirra and Aodren, an unexpected pairing, work together to end a dangerous new drug sweeping through Malam and neighboring kingdoms. Predictably, they fall in love along the way and are ultimately able to unite the Malamian people. This book was very predictable and feel-good. It gave you everything you expected with no huge challenges. A good, easy read, with even less romance than the prior books. I know it is YA, but at least have the same level of passion as book 2. Don’t go backwards. I still love the magic system in these books, and would have loved to see it have more of an impact beyond ‘these women have this power they rarely use in the books and people either honor or fear them for it and there is no in between’. I’m happy the characters got the happy ending I craved. I just wanted so much more. Also, if you liked the audio book version of the first two books, don’t listen to the audio book version of this. Many of the names are pronounced differently, and the way the voice actor depicts beloved characters (ie., Leaf and Aodren) will really get on your nerves. Stick to the written one instead.
brii_brii's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
kastuck413's review against another edition
4.0
Once a King is the third book in the Clash of Kingdoms Series, but you do not have to read the first two books in order to read this one. This book takes place sometime after the time period of the first two books, and other than a few minor references to events in the first two books, it is pretty well set up to be read as a standalone book! However, I personally thought it was fun to have read the other books prior to this book because some well loved characters are back in this one and it’s fun to see where their stories go!
This book has so much in it that I love about YA fantasy! The characters Aodren and Lirra are well written and feel very natural because they aren’t without flaws. These are both characters from the previous books and it was fun to learn more of their story! The story may have been a bit predictable at times, but it had a great romance and a mystery that kept you guessing about who the villain was until the very end! Overall, I would give this book a 4 out of 5 stars! Erin Summerill did some great world building and it was interesting to see how she was able to further develop some of the characters in a standalone third book!
This book has so much in it that I love about YA fantasy! The characters Aodren and Lirra are well written and feel very natural because they aren’t without flaws. These are both characters from the previous books and it was fun to learn more of their story! The story may have been a bit predictable at times, but it had a great romance and a mystery that kept you guessing about who the villain was until the very end! Overall, I would give this book a 4 out of 5 stars! Erin Summerill did some great world building and it was interesting to see how she was able to further develop some of the characters in a standalone third book!
raenovels's review against another edition
3.0
Once a King by Erin Summerill leaves off where Ever the Brave left off. With King Aodren in control of the kingdom, he works to fight off the reputation his father left behind. Lirra, a channeler with the power to control the wind, finds her life entangled with King Aodren's. They must work together to forge a new path in a divided nation.
Unfortunately I was woefully disappointed by this book. I really enjoyed Ever the Brave, but Once a King felt shallow and uninspired. I had a time engaging in the story, and I found myself clock-watching while reading it. The pacing was okay, but since the story felt so simple, I never got hooked.
The story concept was interesting. I like the idea of channelers and the divided nation. Aodren had a lot to overcome to put to rest his father's legacy, and he puts a lot on the line to win the faith and loyalty of both sides.
Lirra's role in the story and her job as an assistant to her father could have been developed further. It was an intriguing concept but lacked depth. I wanted to know more. I wanted more subterfuge, more mystery, more nefariousness. Her character could have been rich and interesting, but she came off as rather blah.
The ending was fine. It was a typical fairytale ending. It wasn't a knockout ending, but it wasn't bad either.
The characters in general were mediocre. I would label them as standard off-the-shelf characters. Nothing set them apart or made them unique. They were just kind of there.
Now, if you've read the other two books in the trilogy, of course I'm going to recommend you read this one. I like closure, and I can't not read the last book in a trilogy if I've already read the first two. If you've never picked up this trilogy, my recommendation is on the fence. It's not bad, but there are other (more exciting!) young adult fantasy trilogies out there.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing the Kindle version of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately I was woefully disappointed by this book. I really enjoyed Ever the Brave, but Once a King felt shallow and uninspired. I had a time engaging in the story, and I found myself clock-watching while reading it. The pacing was okay, but since the story felt so simple, I never got hooked.
The story concept was interesting. I like the idea of channelers and the divided nation. Aodren had a lot to overcome to put to rest his father's legacy, and he puts a lot on the line to win the faith and loyalty of both sides.
Lirra's role in the story and her job as an assistant to her father could have been developed further. It was an intriguing concept but lacked depth. I wanted to know more. I wanted more subterfuge, more mystery, more nefariousness. Her character could have been rich and interesting, but she came off as rather blah.
The ending was fine. It was a typical fairytale ending. It wasn't a knockout ending, but it wasn't bad either.
The characters in general were mediocre. I would label them as standard off-the-shelf characters. Nothing set them apart or made them unique. They were just kind of there.
Now, if you've read the other two books in the trilogy, of course I'm going to recommend you read this one. I like closure, and I can't not read the last book in a trilogy if I've already read the first two. If you've never picked up this trilogy, my recommendation is on the fence. It's not bad, but there are other (more exciting!) young adult fantasy trilogies out there.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing the Kindle version of this book in exchange for an honest review.
juliejanisbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Overall, this was enjoyable. The beginning was slow for me and it took a while to get into, but once Aodren and Lirra started getting to know each other I got hooked. I really enjoyed their growing relationship and appreciated how they helped each other and brought out the best in each other. That's something I love seeing in a relationship in a book. The story wrapped up exactly how I liked too.
melissasbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
Love this series! I was so disappointed in a way when the second book in the series ended the way it did. I really liked King Aodren and shipped him and a certain other character (if you've read the series you know who I'm talking about.). But, alas, it was not meant to be. Now enter Lirra. She is cute, feisty, resourceful, strong, and yet feminine all at the same time. She and Aodren work together to solve the mystery of a potion that is rumored to be a wonder drug, but is also deadly. As non-Channelers begin blaming Channelers for the deadly potion, the peace Aodren is trying so desperately to attain for Malam is threatened.
It took a little while for me to get into because there is a lot of tournament stuff which for me made the book drag a bit, but once the relationship between Aodren and Lirra begins to grow and the mystery picks up, the book is hard to put down. Great YA Fantasy with no sex, some violence, and very little if any mild profanity (no F-bombs and such).
It took a little while for me to get into because there is a lot of tournament stuff which for me made the book drag a bit, but once the relationship between Aodren and Lirra begins to grow and the mystery picks up, the book is hard to put down. Great YA Fantasy with no sex, some violence, and very little if any mild profanity (no F-bombs and such).