I am not always one to gravitate towards the friends to lovers trope but this book may have changed my opinion on that

I absolutely ate this shit up. I am so here for the fiery lady knights

I must also make mention of how well written this is, and how naturally queer normative this world was executed.

One thing that I think books these days need more of is yearning - and The Second Death of Locke delivered on this aspect and I couldn't be more obsessed with that fact. I really enjoyed this book and I think that fantasy lovers and romantasy lovers (there is a difference, at least in my opinion) will all find things that they really enjoy about this book.

The good: The magic system here was really interesting in my opinion, and something I feel like I haven't seen before, which I think is hard to come by in this space, especially recently. All of the characters were really well-rounded, and I felt like I understood everyone's motivations really well. I also think the battle scenes were really well-written, and not repetitive, which tends to happen in these sorts of books. I was hooked onto every word. In terms of the romance, I loved the yearning that was obvious between our two main characters, Grey and Kier. They both obviously wanted each other so badly, and would do anything for one another, and reading their scenes together was such a heart-wrenching (in a good way) experience.

What took away a star for me was two things: one, I think the emotional payoff of Kier and Grey getting together was slightly dulled by the fact that they were both so obvious with their affections from the start (I know it was obvious to everyone but them, but when they were already professing they'd die for each other and touching and kissing before they admit their feelings, it stunted the payoff for me). And the conclusion of Kier's arc was not my favorite - I won't spoil anything here, but I thought his ending was unsatisfying.

Overall, I highly recommend this book and am so grateful to NetGalley, the author, and Forever publishing for the eARC!

The Second Death of Locke was an engaging romantic fantasy focusing on Grey, a well, and her mage, Kier, who draws on Grey’s power to enact feats of magic on the battlefield.

Set in a quasi-medieval setting, the world is grimy, wet, and bloody. After the mysterious disappearance of the Island of Locke, magic has changed, with fewer wells being born each year. Once held in check by Locke’s control of magic over their land, the four remaining kingdoms are now waging war for supremacy. When the heir of an enemy kingdom comes across their path, Grey, Kier, and a small band of friends set off on a quest to return her.

This is heavily character driven; though the world-building is lovely it is relatively sparse. I found a lot of the marketing for this book to be off-base, namely in the comparison to Gideon the Ninth and Six Deaths of the Saint. SDotS quite literally focuses on recurring death and sacrifice - despite the title that does not occur here. GtN is a science fiction/fantasy mashup with necromancy and queer mcs - while in a queer-normative world, the main relationship is m/f. While being described as a knight, Grey doesn’t quite fit the expectations that come from that description. She functions more as a body-guard and battlefield healer, while providing access to her magic.

The magic system is interesting, but there are some logical gaps. The basics: a person born with power they can’t access - a well; a person born with no power but can draw from others - a mage. The two have to be paired to be useful. A pair can become bonded but then they can’t function with any other mage/well outside of their pairing, as that bonding is banned during the war as a result. Grey demonstrates abilities that aren’t ever really explained by the magic system, just that she’s super special and overpowered because of it. Magic also ONLY functions like this on their island kingdom while the continent has other types of magic. (Think British Isles versus Europe).

The romantic aspect is exceptionally dominant, and employs one of my least favorite tropes, the miscommunication trope, made all the more insufferable by the fact that the FMC is supposed to be in her 30s and is instead acting like a 20 year old mooning around a crush they just can’t ever bring themselves to admit to. As a woman in my 30s, this kind of structure yoinks me out of the story so fast it hurts. Kier doesn’t really show much of a personality either, which makes it all the more confusing. They do the whole “two ships passing in the night” unrequited love bit until the end quarter of the book when reveals are revealed and grand declarations of love are made. I really didn’t enjoy the pairing of Grey and Kier, both of who do absolutely asinine things in relation to each other. I spent a good chunk of the book just irritated by them.

There are twists and reveals that are supposed to be shocking but were extremely predictable. I wasn’t caught out by any of them and I didn’t find the right reactionary value in them. Like it becomes extremely evident quite early that Grey is the missing heir of Locke and that Grey and Kier have a forbidden bond. Grey acquires more and more power as it goes and there’s tension over some of her more surprising capabilities but nothing earth-shattering.

That all being said, it was well-paced, and I finished the book in one sitting, being very engaged by the style of prose. The book was all around enjoyable, and I think fans of romantasy will enjoy it for what it is.

I am surprised to hear that this is a planned trilogy, as the ending was quite satisfying and works well as a standalone. The main drama is concluded, the HFN is achieved, peace is enacted, etc. I honestly have no urge to read further in the series because of how well all the threads were wrapped up. I enjoyed the story overall and will likely read further entries, but there wasn’t anything particularly earth-shattering about it and I am unlikely to reread.

In the Second Death of Locke you follow Grey, a dedicated knight serving her mage Kier. This is a romantic epic fantasy compared to Gideon the Ninth. Bovalino did a great job with the worldbuilding, delving into some deeper politics with a war raging in the background. She created a unique magic system, one that I did find myself enjoying throughout the book. This book was good but unfortunately I found myself a little disappointed, I did not connect much with the characters and I went in with really high expectations due to the Gideon the Ninth comparison. The pacing of the romance was also a bit lackluster for me, I tend to enjoy more of a slow burn, enemies to lovers vibe and this was not that. Despite that, Bovalino has created an interesting world, one that I think a lot of people would really love. I think fans of Rachel Gillig would really enjoy this!

I love this book. Friends-to-lovers usually don’t interest me, but the yearning and the banter between them was sooo good! The dedication, loyalty and humor in their small group/found family was so endearing. The magic system was unique and interesting. It’s a great cozy read but at the same time gripping. Love this book. One of my favorite reads this year.

I really enjoyed my time with The Second Death of Locke. In some ways, it is a very traditional fantasy book: a long-lost heir to a small but powerful nation who is forced to confront the responsibility of her heritage. At the same time, this book is special: its magic system, in which the power of mages is drawn from wells who can fuel magic but cannot harness it themselves, is incredibly fresh and unique. The sheer longing and love between the two protagonists are incredible and heart-wrenching all at once. While there are some flaws to the pacing and characterization, I recommend this book to anyone looking for a compelling take on some classic fantasy archetypes and a poignant exploration of love and sacrifice.

Grey is a Hand—a person whom a soldier mage draws magic from, who acts as both their power source and knight protector during battle. She and her mage, Kier, share a deep; having grown up the closest of friends and endured their country’s war for many years. They are pulled from the front lines, however, and tasked with escorting the young heir to Locke, a fallen kingdom which is the source of all magic, who has been captured by their nation. The only problem is that Grey is the heir and only survivor of Locke, a secret she has held for the many years since Locke fell. What follows is an exploration of love and sacrifice, of responsibility and power in the face of dire odds.

There was a lot about this book that really worked for me. The relationship between Kier and Grey is the driving force of the book: their loyalty and closeness, the longing between them. I especially enjoyed how the magic system interplayed with their relationship: as mage, Kier draws from Grey’s limited power, at risk of harming her if he uses too much. While his magic is reliant on her, he is given all the social power of the position; while Grey shares his rank, it is clear that Hands are second to their mages. The multifaceted dynamics of their relationship, bridging magic, history, and fierce loyalty, were a really strong core for the book. I also really enjoyed the background characters, especially within the book’s queernormative setting. Even the supporting cast were complex, flawed people in interesting and compelling ways. Furthermore, author V.L. Bovalino encompasses a lot of representation into the cast in a way that was incredibly well handled. While I sometimes find queernormative backgrounds of books with ostensibly opposite-gender couples tokenistic, this book handles the complicated identities and histories of its characters with respect and integrates said identities into the story. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book.

I did feel that there were a few flaws to this book. The main issue is pacing: though I was always interested in what was happening on the page, I felt that this book dragged in some sections and raced through others. Even though I enjoyed the story, there were parts where I struggled to find the motivation to keep reading. I thought the slow parts were more of a problem than the parts that raced by, though both definitely affected the book. I also felt that the character of Kier was a bit lacking; I have a hard time coming up with words to describe him separately to his relationship with Grey. Finally, there were a few aspects of convenience in the plot that broke my immersion. In some spots, I could feel how things were unfolding in a certain way because the author needed it to happen rather than because the logic of the story made it happen. Obviously, events in a book happen because the author has chosen to write them that way, but I did feel that there were some areas where I could see the construction lines.

Overall, I definitely recommend this book. I am excited to see where the author goes with this series, as it looks like there are two more books planned! I believe that any fantasy reader interested in a unique magic system and a central relationship of loyalty and longing should consider picking up The Second Death of Locke.

Thank you to Forever and Grand Central Publishing for providing a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

To start, the revelation at the end of chapter 5 was already sooooo good. What a great start to the book. From that point on I didnt want to put it down.

I loved to see the non-binary and trans representation in this book! It is subtle but the fact that it is considered the norm in this world was refreshing to read about. Grey and Kier's romance was so refreshing to read about, that friendship and longing for so long and finally being able to admit it and let it out. It felt so pure and true.

Some of my favorite parts of the book were the flashbacks talking about the Isle of Locke before it was destroyed and learning about the backstory there. Near the end of the book, the decision that Grey is forced to make is really emotional and I loved the way they added in that extra magic element with the isle and what is needed to bring it back and keep magic.

This started off extremely strong, but around the halfway point (mostly for plot reasons) it fell off. There was a major plot point around here that made me roll my eyes, and I did not enjoy it at all. It's unfortunate that it soured my perception of the book. I was enjoying Bovalino's prose and the story setting up until that spot. Perhaps the other books in this series will be more to my taste.

Additionally, this is being marketed as "romantic epic fantasy" not romantasy as it should be, so please adjust your expectations accordingly.

oh BABYYYYYYYYY!!!!! i truly don't know how to review this. it honestly has been a while since i've felt OBSESSED over a book, but goddamn this book did it. i love it so completely. Grey and Kier's dynamic is so consuming and i ate it up. i loved seeing how the magic played out, i think it made for interesting power dynamics in the world at large and in interpersonal relationships, and how people view one another. also queernorm world!! we love to see it. the side characters were also so great!! obviously the focus is on Grey/Kier, but actually i loved the other character and am so glad they played such a large part as well. but anyway yeah Grey and Kier are obsessed with each other and i'm obsessed with them and this book. PREORDER IT NOWWWWWWW

REP: queer (pansexual?) main character and love interest; nonbinary side character; trans man side character; sapphic side character; other queer side characters

Definitely a compelling premise with great potential. I do wish that a little more care had been given in explaining the world building, as certain areas of it left me feeling confused more often than not. But all in all an enjoyable read that I will be recommending to others.

Thank you to Forever for the advance reading copy! 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘦 is perfect for romantasy readers interested in an epic fantasy vibe.

Grey is the heir to the lost Isle of Locke, and she hides her identity as a warrior on the battlefield alongside her mage, Kier, who she has secretly loved for years. She's a powerful well for Kier, and their strength lands them on a quest to earn their departure from military service - if they can deliver a girl, claiming to be the Locke heir, to another kingdom alive.

My feelings are very mixed, and I struggled to settle on my rating and review for 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘦. While it checks many boxes for an engaging fantasy read, including warring nations, a hiding heir, and a complicated friendship with mutual pining, all of it is undercooked. I was intrigued by the magic system requiring mage and well pairs to perform magical affinities, and the mideval setting should have provided a high stakes backdrop for the story to unfold. I was left wanting more from the world building as readers are meant to just accept the conflicts without much of an understanding as to why these nations are at war.

I was mostly engaged in the adventure of the quest, and I enjoyed aspects of Grey and Kier's relationship development. I rooted for them, but I did ultimately feel that readers never really get to know Kier at all beneath the surface. The execution just wasn't quite where I had hoped it would be.

Grey's inner dialogue was also a bit tiring, and the book was longer than it needed to be as a result. I related to her grief, and I admired her strength and resilience despite her backstory, but I thought I'd feel for her more than I did.

This book is more unique in its queernormative world, but many other aspects felt a bit forumalic and underdeveloped. I'm not sure if I'll continue the series!

The Camilla/Palamedes <i>Locked Tomb</i> vibes are definitely strong, but don't worry, this does not feel like knockoff CamPal. Grey and Kier are very much their own people with their own dynamic, and I adored them both. I wish it had been dual POV (because I always wish for dual POV), but Grey rocks, so like, I was more than satisfied being in her head alone.

There was a portion of the book near the end when I was a bit frustrating with some of the choices being made, but I understood why, and I thought it was handled both believably and satisfyingly by the end. In fact, I found the ending overall incredibly strong.

I loved everyone in this book, and I'm very interested in the world as a whole, so I am desperate to know who the next book will follow, because I will definitely be reading it as soon as I can get my hands on it, whenever that may be.

Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for the arc!

In a world where magic requires the cooperation of two users to perform, we follow Grey, a well (the individual who stores magic), and Keir, a mage (the person who can wield magic) and a captain. Sixteen years ago, the Isle of Locke, the source of all magic, was destroyed, and the sole heir is presumed to still be alive. Grey and Keir, both knights, are tasked with delivering the supposed heir—a young girl—to another kingdom in hopes of resurrecting the isle. However, our protagonists know that this girl is not the true heir of Locke because they are aware of who that is.

What an incredible adventure! It took me some time to adjust to the writing style and fully understand how the magic system works, but after that, I flew through the story. The magic system is both unique and beautifully crafted. The stakes and tension consistently rise as the book progresses. The characters are well-developed, and the relationship between Grey and Keir is delicate and familiar—it’s tender and sweet, showcasing their willingness to sacrifice everything for each other. I loved watching Grey grow into herself throughout the story.

I am so honored to be one of the first people to read this stunning novel. I eagerly await the next installment!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for providing this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Dark, mysterious, and gritty as the mud of the battlefield, The Second Death of Locke weaves the tale of a world losing magic, a birthright yet to be claimed, and the incomparable depth of love between a knight and her mage. Sent on a mission she most likely will not survive, honorable soldier Grey Flynn must confront her dark past while escorting a young prisoner - who may hold the very fate of the world in her hands - into enemy territory while protecting her beloved friend and mage, Kier Seward. Duty, love, and the bonds of family are explored as Grey reconciles her place in a changing world with her deep, more than magical bond with Kier, and what lengths she is willing to go to to protect those she loves.

The political landscape of this medieval inspired novel is rich with history and legend; slowly pulling back the curtain on the machinations of several kingdoms at war. Fans of Brandon Sanderson will be thrilled with the epistolary excerpts found at the beginning of each chapter, that add a little more to the lore of the land of Idistra. While complex and deeply intriguing, the world sometimes feels hard to place in time due to certain technologies (such as medical equipment and weaponry) and vocabulary present in the narrative. This is a very mild issue, and not one that will detract from the reading experience. Grey’s world, while firmly in the grip of war and struggle, is refreshingly queer-normative, featuring a party of side characters that, while not overly developed, provide a counterpoint to Grey’s intense internal examinations, and fill in the role of a loving found family in an otherwise mournful narrative.

Readers should be aware that The Second Death of Locke is at its heart about grief, and the ways it can permeate a soul and isolate an individual who loves very deeply. Much of Grey’s story is told through her ruminations and anxiety surrounding her relationship with Kier, which at first glance may seem juvenile, but is in reality a well-plotted depiction of living and loving in the midst of fear and uncertainty. Grey and Kier’s relationship is certain to enchant readers who favor the pining lovers trope, with a dash of magic and duty bound devotion.

All in all, The Second Death of Locke is a beautiful entry into the Lady Knight genre, with the sweeping, lush romance of beloved Romantasy titles. I would recommend this work to adult readers looking for a dark fantasy with a warm, beating heart at its core. I would like to thank Forever for sharing this DRC through NetGalley for review, and look forward to bringing the published work to my library patrons and Lady Knight enthusiasts in the Fall.

'The Second Death of Locke' was my first V.L. Bovalino novel, but it certainly won't be my last. Grey, our main character, is paired with Kier, a mage that needs Grey's power to wield magic. I thought both of these characters were fleshed out and interesting to read, particularly once the story moved beyond world building and character set up, but I did not really feel like their romance was marketed correctly.

It was so clear to me as the reader that Kier was in love with Grey from their very first interaction. Bovalino used many many many pages up inside Grey's mind warring over Kier's possible feelings, and I felt it was a waste of everyone's time. From the reader's perspective, we're in the middle of a huge, well-built magical world with a unique and interesting magic system, yet we have to spend page after page listening to Grey's inner dialogue of "He loves me, he loves me not", and it quite frankly made the entire plot for the final 1/3 of the book feel less tragic and unearned. This is what led me to rating it around a 3.75 rounded up, rather than a 5.

However, putting that aside, it seems like this is only the first installment in Grey's story, and I am eagerly awaiting the next. I just hope Bovalino uses her pages a little more wisely next time.

Actual rating is 4.5 stars. I will never say no to a lady knight! Knight and liege is already a delicious relationship dynamic, but add codependency fostered by magic into the mix and it becomes downright TASTY. The view of the world in this book is a tad bit narrow due to Grey's obsession with Kier, but the yearning of it all made me not mind to much. Overall I enjoyed this tremendously and can't wait for the next book!

Spice: Low
Romance: Medium
Friends to lovers
One love interest
Brown hair MMC
RATING: 5 out of 5

I have never read a friends to lovers book because I am an enemies to lovers girlie, but this book definitely swayed me to reconsider in the future. The romance between Grey and Kier was so sweet and tender while also still having that witty banter between them. I do not think I have ever read a book with such a thoughtful romance behind it like this book had. It was so raw and genuine the entire time.
But the best part of this wasn't even the phenomenally done romance, it was the storyline. It was so deep and rich that you wanted to throw up or cry every chapter. The concept and magic system was so unique but so easy to understand that you never felt lost with what was going on.

I can't wait to see what else this amazing author has to offer.

Dark, moody, and FILLED with longing. A TOP read of the year for me. I was engrossed from the jump. The magic system portrayed in this was exceptionally unique and I thought the world-building was developed well. I loved the politics at play and especially enjoyed the lyrical and poetic prose featured throughout. I thought the pacing was well-done, especially since there was an underlying presence of urgency throughout in order to remind the reader of what was truly at stake.

Grey Flynn, I am utterly enamored by you. She is the PERFECT embodiment of a morally grey character. Flynn is brutal. She is a force to be reckoned with who will do ANYTHING to protect her mage and also oh - so tortured. Underneath it all she is simply a girl who has lost far, far too much and wants to protect herself from losing more. The YEARNING? The LONGING between her and Kier? The fact that they were each other’s salvation, but could very well be each other’s destruction as well? Love love loved it.

The childhood friends to lovers trope is not a romance trope I lean towards often, but it was exceptionally done here. The lengths Kier and Grey would go to for each other depicts a love many people dream of. The ending felt a tad rushed, but honestly I’m only saying that because I could have read another 200 pages regarding those two. The portrayal of grief made my soul ache with how accurate it was. Overall, a fantastic read that will be in my constant thoughts for the next few weeks.

Will be updating review with links to socials closer to pub date!

3.5 stars! I went into this expecting more than I should. The magic system was really unique but I would’ve like to know what it looked like. There was definitely longing which I loved and the queer normal world was refreshing. I feel like the giant reveal at the beginning could’ve been a real jaw dropper at the end. Overall, it was great. I’ll definitely buy the physical copy when it comes out. Thank you NetGalley for the E-ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f romantasy
-childhood best friend to lovers
-YEARNING
-a lady knight
-anastasia vibes
-forbidden romance
-found family

I am obsessed with this book. Immacuately written. The slow build up of the story, the friends to lovers, this is just yearning at its finest. I wanted to savor this story, put it down only to pick it back up to devour it needing to know what would happen next. Part adventure, part family political drama, and so much romance it was an absolutely immersive reading experience. Everything i wanted in a romantasy. It gave Anastasia vibes in the best way. Leaving me swooning one moment and choking back tears the next and absolutely wondering how it was all going to end without entirely wrecking me. A must read.