Review: Once Every Never by Lesley Livingston

                                                              
Title: Once Every Never (Once Every Never #1)
Author: Lesley Livingston
Pages: 312
Publisher: Penguin Canada
Genre: Historical / Time Traveling
Release: July 14th 2011
Buy the Book: Book Depository / Chapters.Indigo / Barnes & Noble / Amazon

Clarinet Reid is a pretty typical teenager. On the surface. She’s smart, but a bit of slacker; outgoing, but just a little insecure; not exactly a mischief-maker… but trouble tends to find her wherever she goes. Also? She unwittingly carries a centuries-old Druid Blood Curse running through her veins.

Now, with a single thoughtless act, what started off as the Summer Vacation in Dullsville suddenly spirals into a deadly race to find a stolen artifact, avert an explosive catastrophe, save a Celtic warrior princess, right a dreadful wrong that happened centuries before Clare was even born, and if there’s still time—literally—maybe even get a date.

This is the kind of adventure that happens to a girl once every… never.

My Thoughts

Canadian Author ❤

Once Every Never is the first book I read by Lesley Livingston. I know, I haven't read her best selling trilogy Wondrous Strange. Shame on me! But when I read what this book was about, I found myself absolutely intrigued by its summary. I am a huge fan of Celtic mythology/culture/history and when I knew that this book's setting was in Boudica's time (at least part of it), I got even more excited!. Once Every Never is hilarious, enjoyable, interesting and fast-paced, but some people may enjoy it more than others.

Once Every Never is definitely a book you can swallow in an day. It is really interesting and I am really glad that finally an author is giving some attention to historical facts that date from a thousands years ago. Livingston introduces her new world where time traveling, history, romance, friendship and action intertwine in a chain of solid enjoyment. I love druids! I love all the information Livingstone provided me in this book. I love how Clare jumps into the Iron Age facing a total different reality filled with Druids and Roman invasions. I am totally grateful to have read something that interest me so much but that, sadly, it is not very common in YA literature. The book contains a lot of action and drama due to the Roman invasion that was going on during Queen Boudica's time. However, Clare is a hilarious character and her sens of humor easily broke the tension in my shoulders when things got pretty bad. This relief from my shoulder, somehow, turned me off sometimes. I love that Clare is a funny character. I love the jokes and the sarcasm in this book, but sometimes it was a little bit too much for me. For example, if I had a gun pointed at my head, I wouldn't make a joke in a moment like that. I think that this, somehow, disconnected me from Clare. Regardless the sarcasm in this book, I had a great time reading it. The love interests are irresistible and oh GOD! now thanks to Lesley Livingston I am fantasying nerds! Yes! Milo (Clare's best friend's cousin) is absolutely delicious BUT! there is also a Druid that just stole my heart. Sorry Milo, I am Team Connal!

Once Every Never is absolutely an interesting read. I really recommend it for its historical content, fun plot, smart heroine and yummy heroes. Although, as I said before, I think I would have personally enjoyed it even more if there would have been less sarcasm during the dramatic moments. But regardless this, I am really excited to see what's coming next!

Visit Lesley Livingston's website at http://www.lesleylivingston.com/