Once a King by Erin Summerill - ESSENTIAL

Once a King (Clash of Kingdoms #3) by Erin Summerill, 448 pages.  Houghton Mifflin, DECEMBER 2018.  $18.  

Language: PG (19 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (some blood)

MS, HS – ESSENTIAL

After saving her friend Orli from the clutches of the evil regent of Malam and helping King Aodren gain control of his throne from said regent, Lirra is ready to go back to Shaerden and work with her father as an information gatherer, or spy.  But her father is off on a highly sensitive assignment that involves Aodren, who is in Shaerden for the All Kingdom’s Summit, a once every five year’s meeting that involves shows of strength, displays of Channeler powers, and negotiations between kingdom’s.  But there is danger in Shaerden – someone has a created a counterfeit Sanguine oil, an oil which normally heals.  This oil makes the taker feel powerful for a time, but it then addicts and eventually kills them.  Malam and Aodren will be blamed if the evil plot isn’t stopped and Lirra can’t stop herself from becoming involved – both with the problem and with Aodren.

I think my summary skills escaped me in writing this review.  Feel free to comment if you want to help me do a better job explaining. But really, once you make the mental switch to the new characters and scene, you will love this book as much as I did.  Summerill’s writing keeps getting better; I hope she has many more tightly plotted and delightfully populated novels in her writing quiver. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian