4.25 🌟 ngl I had my ups and downs with this one but overall I was so pleasantly surprised!! I absolutely adored Grey and Kier’s dynamic, at times it even vaguely reminded me of the whole parabatai vibe from the shadowhunter universe so obviously that ended up being one of my favorite parts of the story. I also really liked how the magic system works and the found family element totally won me over little by little, by the end I didn’t want to say goodbye to any of them 😭

for me the only flaw was that the story kinda lost me a bit around the 30–50% mark but other than that I was totally hooked the rest of the time.

This is a romantic fantasy with a unique magic system of wells and the mages who can draw energy from them. The source of this magic comes from Locke, who is currently in hiding as Grey, a well for her mage Kier. The bond between them is very strong, and I was fascinated by their love, as well as Grey's backstory of how she came to be here with him. There are moments of heartbreak and grief, but I was happy with the ending! I also really liked the side characters.

What a delightful romantasy! The slow burn, so drool worthy!!
If you like lady knights, magic, slow burn rolled into one, this book is for you!

The characters and the world are fantastic. Easily imagined. Kier is almost too perfect but Grey is a very real FMC.

Grey is the hand of Kier her mage. She possesses the power (a well) of magic and Kier turns that power into magic. Both are selected to go on a dangerous mission to take the heir of Locke to their leader. But Grey and Kier know that this girl isn’t the real heir, because Grey is. Grey must now figure out how to keep her friends safe, save magic, and bring back her homeland while trying to not fall (more) madly in love with Kier.

Only a few things to mention:
Grey is a little obsessive. It’s a lot at first.
The beginning is a huge info dump but hang on it’s worth it.
Kier (as I stated previously) is a little too perfect. He doesn’t have any real flaws.

But even with these, this story was amazing. It kept me hooked and I barely wanted to stop. 4.5 stars! I can’t wait to read more of this world.

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the arc.

The Second Death of Locke is what modern romantasy should aspire to.

The Island nation of Idistra is unveiled to the reader effortlessly, with a history and culture that is rich, but does not overshadow the main love story.

Our main couple, Grey and Keirn, are battle hardened warriors. I will always have a soft spot for Lady Knights, and Grey is the perfect embodiment of the archetype. Stubborn, protective, naturally anti-authority. Keirn is soft and rakish, uncomfortable with his command, but quick to use it in the defense of others. Their devotion and yearning for eachother is the absolute highlight of the story.

I commend this book for being a standalone. It would have been easy to drag this into two or three books. Instead it is one excellently-paced three-act book. Perfect.

With a non-traditional couple, a queer-normative world, and a unique and interesting magic system, I anticipate this book is going to be a big hit.

set in a queernormative world that feels as nostalgic as your old childhood fantasies, THE SECOND DEATH OF LOCKE consumed me entirely. a relentlessly romantic and devastatingly gorgeous story of love, devotion, and power, v.l. bovalino's adult debut is a haunting and intricate triumph, inviting you into a masterfully crafted world you wouldn't want to live in, yet will never want to leave. grey and kier are one of my favorite couples in recent memory, and the depthless nature of their love, sacrifices, and dedication to one another brought me to tears more than once. bovalino writes her characters with an astonishingly human touch, and while THE SECOND DEATH OF LOCKE never shies away from the darkest and most harrowing ways we can harm one another, it positively revels in the ways we can help and heal one another. it's an evergreen reminder that, even in the bleakest of times, we are all we have, and that alone is worth fighting for.

at once a refreshing take on magic and arthurian themes, a melancholy exploration of grief and loss, an altar itself to the power of love, and a wholehearted and charming celebration of what each of us is worth (no matter how inconsequential we may feel to the grand scheme of the world and its horrors), THE SECOND DEATH OF LOCKE stole me away from every other book i was reading and effortlessly took its spot as one of my favorite books of the year. from the bottom of my wrecked heart, i cannot recommend it enough.

This book had me shaking the bars of my enclosure, I need more! Bovalino knows how to write and how to write well.

this gave everything. it gave me the yearning, gave me the passion, gave me the found family and romance!!
This is a MUST read and anyone who isn't reading it is missing out.

Thank you so much Forever and Netgalley!

This book! This book was amazing, definitely one of my top books of the year! It is gritty, heartwarming and filled with so much yearning. I perish from the yearning!! 

Tori Bovalino is such a genius for crafting this queer normative world filled with a fascinating magic system, and it has female knights! To me, female knights are a draw all on their own! The pacing was so perfectly timed between intimate moments, political intrigue, character growth and brutal battles. Tori made me feel like I was already a part of this world and I loved the lore behind Locke! 

The magic system was so fascinating! Wells are like magical batteries. They are paired with mages who can perform magic by pulling from the Wells store of magic to do devastating magic of all kinds. And yet Wells are considered lower than mages and their opinions aren’t really taken into account, but the respect that Kier has for Grey was magical, he is a walking green flag! 

This is more of a plot-driven novel but the romance was so present and warm that I had to gush about it! Kier and Grey grew up together and are so devoted to each other’s well-being. The amount of yearning between these two was epic, and I couldn’t get enough of it. Their story is one of love, sacrifice and understanding. 

This world is raw and brutal. There is so much hate and violence passing between the nations, as they each try to gain more power. The battle scenes were rich in detail and so worrying at times. You really get to feel how much pressure everyone is under trying to get through it! But the love Grey’s little found family have for each other is so wonderful. They do everything they can to protect each other and build each other up, even if that includes pointing out each other’s shortcomings. I would do anything to sit at the fire with them and eat one of Eron’s meals. 

I could keep gushing forever. I had such a hard time limiting my words in this review. Just know, Tori Bovalino is an amazing writer who will destroy you and then heal you. Pick this book up right now!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Forever for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


Content warnings: gore, grief, loss of family members, violence

I loved everything about this book 😭😭 It was so well paced, so well written and had such a friends to lovers and found family that I made my heart ache 💙

✨What to expect✨
🌶️.5 /5
✔️Grumpy FMC & Sunshine MMF
✔️Female Knights
✔️ Magical Bonds
✔️ Friends to lovers with ✨YEARNIG 😭✨
✔️ Found Family
✔️ Interesting magic system