In all my efforts to discover what actually is it that I like to read, I am thinking about books I have loved in the past. I have started to try to read more traditional fantasy coded (and just straight-up fantasy). I read Mistborn. It took me weeks. No shade to Sanderstans, I will almost certainly read more in future, but as someone trying to build up my tolerance to longer books, Mistborn was perhaps not the best place to start.

Fantasy does seem to be hitting though. But what else do I like… well I love an interesting FMC, a bit of romance and spice, an interesting magic system. LORE. One of my favourites from last year was "When Among Crows" by Veronica Roth. I ADORE "Juniper and Thorn" by Ava Reid.

I feel terrible that I can't remember who recommended this to me- I'll credit when I figure it out, but something about the way it was described took me right to Netgalley (Thankyou for the ARC). Let. Me. Tell. You…

High fantasy has a tendency to absolutely bewilder by undiagnosed ADHD brain. I crave complexity in relationships and history etc, but often have to completely re-read who sections going "who!?". I just want, like any girl to be whisked away. TSDOL took my hand and led me on a gorgeous adventure with tortured loves, tragic backstories, found family, betrayal and redemption, and every time I put it down, I was excited to pick it up again the next day. I looked forward to turning the page and honestly for a reader who loses interest if I am not grabbed and satisfied in 200 pages, that was a truly magical experience.

The Beginning is a little slow but honestly that is very brief and my only critique. The romantic element felt genuine and though it did not completely buck all tropes (I mean why would you want it to really?), I was fully invested from the beginning.

I also just want to say that the cover of this is absolutely STUNNING. It's shamelessly giving Chappell Roan in armour but I simply do not care.

Read if you love fantasy, romance (weirdly I would not call this a romantasy but I'll leave that to the Booktokkers to decide) really just thrilling worldbuilding. My most confident 5 stars I think this year.

This book hooked me from the very beginning. It has all the essential ingredients of a great fantasy novel: political intrigue, fierce friendships, and powerful magical bonds.

The world-building is rich without being overwhelming. I especially appreciated the queer-normative setting - it felt natural, never forced, and seamlessly integrated into the narrative. The magic system was both unique and intricate, adding real depth to the story without getting weighed down in exposition.

I loved the dynamic between Grey and Keir. The friends-to-lovers trope can be tricky to get right, but here it's executed beautifully. The yearning, the pining, the unwavering devotion - they had a chemistry that was palpable on every page. Each shared moment felt so intimate, it was like I was intruding on something deeply personal. Their relationship carried the weight of shared history, love, and fear, and it made their bond all the more compelling.

V.L. Bovalino’s depiction of grief and guilt is magnetic. You can feel Grey’s internal conflict as she struggles to choose the right path - often at great personal cost. Her pain, her sense of duty, and her sacrifice all feel heartbreakingly real.

This book is raw, intense, and devastatingly heartfelt. It’s a love letter to the power of sacrifice and the lengths we go to for the people we love - and for the causes we believe in.

2025 is the year of the Lady Knight
Welcome to Medieval Girl Summer 🗡️

Thanks to Netgalley and to the Publisher for the chance of reading this ARC.

Having been declared part of the “girl knight” subgenre, my expectation was to find an epic story within the pages of "The Second Death of Locke", and to some extent these expectations were met.
We follow Grey (a powerful well of power) and her mage, Kier, as they are set to complete a quest that would or would not restore magic in the land of Idistra - because you see, years ago the Island of Locke was drowned, and with it was the source of all power for the mainland. Because of this, the five nations of Idistra have been engaging in an endless war between each other, and Grey and Kier have been fighting in the Scaelan army for years - at least until they are entrusted with escorting the lost princess of Locke to their lord before the other nations can find her.
Except that the girl is an imposer, because Grey herself is the lost daughter of Locke.

It is difficult to give an encompassing opinion on "The Second Death of Locke": the novel is enjoyable, the writing style flows well enough, but the story itself feels like two different books patched together.
In the first half, we are presented with a complex political situation and a knight-esque kind of vibe: camps, sword-fighting, lost princesses, and, of course, a quest. We are taught to watch out for spies of other nations, to rest at lonely inns by the roadside, to learn the power dynamics of a magical army - and that works! The first 50% of The Second Death of Locke is filled with action, you never know what to expect, and every turn of the plot - however small - is unexpected. Grey is a compelling narrator, bitter, scared, completely focused on herself and on Kier, and Kier himself is charming, kind, the kind of MC you rarely see these days. The magical ties between the two of them are deep and thicker than blood, in a way that calls to mind the cavalier-necromancer bond of "The Locked Tomb".
And of course there’s the slow-burn romance, a pining so heart-wrenching that manages to give even more flavour to the grand scheme of things. That’s easily a four star rating for me, with many tears involved.

Then we get to the second half. Suddenly the pacing slows down, a single plot point spans a full 10% of the narration, and the romance becomes the focus of it all, except that there is no conflict to account for that - Grey and Kier are such green flags that reading of them feels almost like reading about a domestic slice-of-lice. Which would be amazing, if not for the fact that there is half a book left to be read and that the *most important event* that happens between them is but barely considered because they *talk through it*. I won’t make any spoiler, but trust me when I say that kind of thing is not something you can simply talk through.

As my excitement faded and disappointment took its place, I started to notice the little things I had brushed off before: "The Second Death of Locke" lacks descriptions, we get thorough summaries of Grey’s feelings and her mourning process (amazing!), but we know little about the world that surrounds her (a little less amazing); side-characters like Ola and Brit are archetypes with the sole function of being a supporting cast to the main duo; and the magic system is just… there. We are told how it works, but we are not really explained why, in a sense that feels less like “it will be explained better in the next book”, and more like “something is missing here”.

"The Second Death of Locke" is the first book of a trilogy, that wants to behave like a standalone but ends up changing its mind halfway through the process. Apart from that, it was still quite enjoyable, and hopefully the next novels will fix these problems.
3.25 stars.

What a beautiful book! Grey’s story is so well written and the plot is paced in a way that allows you to feel the depths of the world and her place in it, but still get whisked away in the action.




Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

The second death of Locke
🗡 lady knight x mage
🗡 childhood friends to JUST KISS ALREADY
🗡 found family
🗡 lost heir trope
🗡 quests

It's been a few days since I finished this book and I'm still thinking about it, unable to write a review cause nothing I say will do justice to how much I loved it and how good this story is.

Firstly, let's talk about the setting: IM ALL IN with this "revival" of medieval type of fantasy that reads like a classic tale but at the same time, has a modern touch with some of the tropes we know and love (with a twist). I really loved the high stakes, the quests filled with danger and the different political problems that the characters were often involved.

The magic system was so unique and interesting, with both, wells and mages, being equally necessary to make magic work and through that, every interaction was post it worthy, especially with the main characters, the intimacy levels and the deep understanding of each other, even without the romantic aspect, was of the charts.

And speaking of romance, OMG!!!!!! We readers asked for real yearning and intense slow burn back and it was certainly delivered with this book. Every glimpse, every little touch, the TENSION! Perfect in every way, no notes.

I'm so captivated with how the author writes! Beautiful and inmersive. It made me experience every single situation and I got so emotional, especially towards the end. I want more, even tho this is, in almost every way, a standalone, I can see how the world can expand and I'm so ready for the next installment of the story, like now please.

One of my top reads of 2025 so far.

A devastatingly romantic fantasy about the undying bond between a knight and their mage in a gloriously haunting story with a searing chivalric romance that burns bright and bittersweet. A masterfully crafted world of warring knights, fierce friendships and breathtaking romance. 

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞, 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐔𝐊 | 𝐎𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐕.𝐋. 𝐁𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐨

Beautiful in ways I can't describe. I absolutely loved this story.

What I liked most was it drip feeds you information about Grey and her history throughout the story. It's not some big reveal and then the fallout (don't get me wrong there are big reveals but they keep coming!).

This book is longing personified. I could feel the yearning and longing in my chest. The depth of her feelings and how long she had felt these things it's beautiful and it's sad.

The magic system is so good. A mage needs a well and their relationship and dependency upon each other is so complex. It's described and portrayed so vividly throughout the book. The action scenes were fantastic!

I loved that each chapter starts with a little excerpt of history, insight into previous rulers of Locke and snippets of letters from characters in the book. The history that we learn along the way is so good.

Grey is such a great character. I loved her. She's brave even though she bears a huge weight on her shoulders. It's not just the horrible things that happened in her past it's the burden of power she is hiding in her present and her feelings for Keir. Keir is a fantastic MMC and his loyalty is a breath of fresh air.

The plot is so well paced. There's always something going on either politically or romantically. The romantic plot had me on the edge of my seat. Will they / won't they? The longing, the tension, and the yearning amongst a brutal realm at war with each other. Its just so well put together

I cried at a pivotal moment in this book. I honestly felt like chucking my kindle because I was devastated. This story made me feel warm, fuzzy, sad, angry and hopeful. I just love a book that makes me feel all the feels.

There's humour, action and side characters you will absolutely love. There's queer representation which I absolutely loved!

I highly recommend this book. Ive preordered the hardback and I can't wait for book two!

Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group and the fantastic author V.L. Bovalino for the arc. This is my own honest review of this book.

There’s a lot to love about this title. The worldbuilding, in particular, gave us a strong and compelling start—it was gritty, dark, and hopeless in a way that immediately pulled me in. By the first half of the book, I was fully intrigued and quickly turning the pages. The author’s writing style is impressive, and the atmosphere she created feels truly unique. While I didn’t end up loving this book, I would still recommend it and am definitely interested in reading her future works.

The plot itself was solid, and certain story elements showed great promise. I appreciated the magic system and devotion shared between the two main characters—it was touching and central to the story. However, this is where the book began to fall short for me. The characters had barely any personality, I found myself wishing for more depth and insight into their backgrounds and relationships.


Kier, the male lead, felt especially underdeveloped. Beyond his devotion to the protagonist, there wasn’t much else to him. It felt like his entire personality was to serve as her love interest, rather than a fully realised character in his own right.


While this story will certainly hit the spot for many romantasy fans, I found it lacking in character development and emotional depth. I wanted to love it. But for me, the characters just fell a bit flat.

V.L Bovalino's debut novel surprised me in all the best ways. The Second Death of Locke blends slow burn, magical bonds, found family and emotionally grounded characters into a refreshingly engaging fantasy - and I found myself flying through it.

The worldbuilding is solid and clear without it being overwhelming to the reader. Massive appreciation to having a queer normative world with such compelling characters. Absolutely loved that the main protagonists were also in their mid-twenties.
The friends-to-lovers dynamic was unexpectedly one of my favourite parts. I usually don't gravitate toward this trope, but the slow burn, the yearning, the DEVOTION and Kier's soft, golden-retriever energy had me fully invested. What I would give to read from Kier's POV.

That said, the pacing did however noticeably slow down between the 60-80% mark. I don’t usually mind a slower pace, but this stretch lost some narrative tension and became harder to stay engaged with — especially when one of the key characters was off-page for a while. Thankfully, the momentum picks up again near the end.

One of my favourite reads this year! Cannot wait to read more from this author.
Thank you to Little Brown Book Group, and NetGalley for this ARC.

how do I even begin to review this book? Bovalino brings her lush prose and her skill for scene-building to the adult fantasy genre. Her stints in horror YA have honed her ability to ramp up tension and have characters play off each other, and oh, she’s making good use of it. But now it’s a ROMANCE!

I don’t want to spoil any of this emotional rollercoaster for anyone, but let me give you some highlights: magical bonds and oaths; ride-and-die partnerships (iykyk); political drama; yearning, romance, yearning, tragedy, quests, yearning

Also featuring
- lady knights! LADY KNIGHTS LET’S GOOOO
- Bi4bi
- Hot nurse
- Lore and worldbuilding for days
- Did I mention the yearning? Not just for your beloved but for your family and your homeland and the past you can never recover or change

Thank you, Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC!

"The Second Death of Locke" by V.L. Bovalino is the first book in a trilogy steeped in blood and betrayal, where the theme of magic is reimagined as an intriguing magic system entirely focused on the characters and the magical bonds that bind them.
Grey Flynn is a well, and her whole life has been dedicated to her mage: Kier. Both healer and bestower of power, Grey must embark on a perilous quest to protect a dangerous secret and the life she so desperately tries to preserve.
As the reader is drawn into the world-building, following Grey and Kier into the battlefield and their daily lives, the story unfolds at a slow pace — sometimes even too slow to maintain interest — and we delve into Grey's feelings, prompting speculation. Even though we start comprehending and caring for our main characters, the background remains fuzzy and poorly described, preventing the reader from being captivated and interested in the war raging between the different sovereigns. This story could have happened anywhere and anytime; it would have made no difference. The lack of an inspired writing style made the plot rather dull and predictable, unengaging even (especially during the second half of the book).

Even though I was hooked while reading the first half of the novel—captivated by the friends-to-lovers vibes flowing from Grey and Kier's relationship. However, excitement slipped from my grasp when the romance overshadowed every other theme, such as the actual plot, and became the most important aspect of the book. I always enjoy a good romance subplot, but when it remains merely a subplot and doesn't develop so fast. I expected so much more from the magic system, the wells as the source of the mages' powers is an interesting concept that deserved further exploration. Still, much of what happens after the middle of the book is either taken for granted or poorly explained, starting with Locke's first death. I anticipated learning more about the magic's use or the reason behind the war that rips the country apart. These essential elements were sacrificed for the romance plot.

As I stated before, the relationship between Kier and Grey was so heartbreaking--or I hoped it would have been. There were grounds for a harrowing romance that could have justified the significance of their love story, but it was all sacrificed for the sake of a happy ending (and sequels). Since the book is narrated from Grey's point of view, the reader gets to know her page after page. The same thing can't be said for the other characters.
Though Kier is pictured as the perfect book boyfriend, he mostly remains two-dimensional. I saw him as totally and utterly obsessed with Grey; his entire personality reflects Grey's choices and actions. He doesn't seem to have the final say in what happens. As for the rest of the cast of characters, Eron, Ola, and Bri are... rather dull. I didn't get the chance to know them as I wanted to.

All in all, "The Second Death of Locke" is an enthralling book, especially if you're searching for an easy-to-read novel with medieval vibes and women in armour! I highly recommend it for fans of Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher and Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare.

Oh this book! I was so grateful when I got approved for the ARC as it was one of my anticipated reads for the year and the world and relationship did not disappoint.

V. L. Bovalino’s Fantasy Romance epic marks the first in a new series from what every site seems to imply. Set in a rather typical medieval fantasy world, magic in this area requires two people to perform - the magician and the well that they draw from. Kier and Grey are each of these respective parts and have known each other since childhood and both hide the secret that she is the heir to the isle of Locke: the source of the wells which was destroyed 16 years ago. I won’t spoil anything further than that but their relationship was a delicious combination of yearning and flirting, that had me highlighting on my kindle every few pages for parts that made my heart swoon or ache.

The book is a ride from the beginning and left me wondering every few pages where we’d be going next as the ‘main quest’ was resolved around the 50% mark. But what really made me rate this so highly is the relationship between the main leads. It’s not normally a series of tropes I love, where they’re already mostly in love with each other before the book starts and they’re childhood friends but Bovalino sells it all so well!

It did take me a few chapters to get into the groove of the writing style but then I absorbed about 70% of the book in one day once I was there.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC copy, these thoughts are my own honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for the e-ARC.

This book grabbed me so much more than I expected. This is exactly how I like my fantasy romance - a strong fantasy story with great lore and world building alongside a prominent but not overpowering romantic subplot. I feel that romances should be there to season the story rather than being used in service of an intriguing plot.

Regarding the romance, I really loved Grey and Kier’s dynamic. I love when a trope is reversed - give me female warriors and MMCs being the more affectionate, devoted one. The pining and chemistry just bled through the page. I was quite surprised how much I enjoyed the romance as friends to lovers is a trope that I tend to be quite picky about.

I really can’t find anything I disliked about this book. The world was rich but not overly complicated, I also appreciated how queer normative it was. The magic system was pretty interesting, especially with how it links to the overarching plot goals. The characters themselves were definitely my favourite - Grey was a great POV character, she had so much depth and she felt very vivid. I loved the predominant side characters as well, I could easily distinguish them from each other and they impacted the story in different ways. No one felt redundant or an archetype for the sake of plot. I also appreciate how hard decisions were made and they had repercussions to them, showing the complexity of the characters instead of neatly tying a bow over complex issues.

I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy (hopefully in a sub box) and book 2, though you could definitely read this as a standalone if you wanted.

I love love love friends to lovers!!! And powerful fmcs who are understood and loved by the mmc without underestimating her!! The Second Death of Locke features a beautiful and effectively done queer-normative world. Pretty much the whole main cast of characters were all queer which I LOVED. Trans, non-binary, pansexual, bisexual, etc etc!

The world was interesting and the magic system I really enjoyed. For the most part I found this book well paced, but it did lose me a little in the second half. Not that it was bad, but just a bit less engaging for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for sending me this ebook. All thoughts are my own.

✨️𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 & 🍵𝗧𝗲𝗮 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
Grey Flynn is a knight whose only purpose is to protect Kier, the mage whose power—and survival—is tethered to her life. But when they are sent to escort a so-called heir through a kingdom torn by war, Grey’s buried secret claws to the surface: she is the true heir, and if she dies, all magic will vanish with her.

Let me just scream into the void for a second because this book absolutely destroyed me in the best way. The tension between Grey and Kier is so thick you could slice it with a blade. Every glance, every quiet moment, is laced with years of history, fear, loyalty, and longing. You feel their bond like a heartbeat. And the world? It's dark, blood-soaked, and raw with magic that's both a weapon and a curse.

There's something hauntingly romantic about loving someone whose entire existence depends on your survival, and this story doesn’t shy away from that heartbreak. The prose is lush but brutal, the pacing sharp, and the emotional payoff? Devastating. I didn’t just read this. I felt every wound, every secret, every unspoken promise.

🛡️ Knight protecting mage
💔 Childhood friends to lovers
⚖️ Power tied to life and magic
🕳 Dangerous secret with world-ending stakes
🏰 War-torn quest & political intrigue
🤐 Codependent bond & emotional sacrifice

it sure is the year of the lady knight, and I’m so alive for it! Grey and Kier have taken up permanent residency in my mind, and they’re unlikely to leave anytime soon.



the fierce love, the friendship, the devotion, the yearning, the trust, the bonds, the sacrifices, the found family, the betrayals — I was living for it all. I was so captivated by this story that my heart knew it’d be five shining stars as it hammered in my chest.

the childhood friends to lovers trope was executed to perfection, and it was such a breath of fresh air! they were both amazing main characters — I didn’t feel frustrated with them at any point and the pining was delicious.

I clicked with the author’s writing immediately. she painted such a vivid picture, which helped me completely immerse myself in this world. I loved the system built on mage—well pairings and how they needed each other to create magic. it was unique and created interesting pairs. the characters had depth, and every side character really brought something to the story. I also liked how natural the queer-normative aspect of the book felt.

this book was everything I hoped it would be and then some. thank you so much to V. L. Bovalino, Little, Brown Book Group UK , Orbit Books UK and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I just love the shift in high fantasy novels towards more diverse characters. I mean, it#s fantasy! Why do we need to reinforce rigid gender norms in a world where magic reigns? This is a space to dream up a world that can be, so let's do it!

I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did.
The main characters are well developed and the relationship between them is gripping. Their is world building without it being too overpowering letting the reader use their imagination.
In all I really recommend this book and cant wait to get my physical copy!

I hereby proclaim 2025 as the year of the LADY KNIGHT 🗡️🫀🛡️

Easiest 5 stars I’ve given this year! I’m such a sucker for the friends to lovers trope, and don’t even get me started on the sheer amount of YERNING in this book. There’s just something about someone seeing the darkest parts of you, and choosing to love you anyway that gets me every time!

The romance definitely didn’t come at the expense of the worldbuilding and character development either. The magic system was wonderfully unique and was written in a way that kept me on the edge of my seat through every skirmish. And I was delightfully surprised with the side characters (my babies) and I love the quiet way queer normative world is presented (more please!). I loved how this didn’t shy away from the hard reality of what it takes to rule a kingdom, and how that is often at odds with the heart, its depiction of grief and guilt, and the sheer power of will it takes to keep going despite of everything. I couldn’t help but relating so much to Grey, and I can’t help but feel this book was written for me!

Favourite book of the year…? I think so!

Thank you Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for providing me with this arc 🧡

𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖘𝖊𝖈𝖔𝖓𝖉 𝖉𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍 𝖔𝖋 𝖑𝖔𝖈𝖐𝖊 𝖇𝖞 𝖛. 𝖑. 𝖇𝖔𝖛𝖆𝖑𝖎𝖓𝖔
~ 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔥𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔱 𝔱𝔯𝔦𝔩𝔬𝔤𝔶 𝔟𝔬𝔬𝔨 𝔬𝔫𝔢
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 𝖋𝖎𝖛𝖊 𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖗𝖘

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙛 𝙇𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙚 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮 𝗸𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝙂𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙝 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙞𝙭 𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩.

As someone who deeply enjoys reading the dynamics and trope of friends to lovers, this was a yearningly amazing read! V. L. Bovalino nailed this entire book, from romance, to adventure, to emotion and romance.

The magic system was unique. For a mage to be able to do magic, they would need a well — their Hand to be able to access magic. This system is deeply rooted to the book and the plot of 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙛 𝙇𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙚, both in it's past, present and future. The system is an important political aspect of the series and set the motion for this tale.

The romance is the most perfect part of the book. The intense yearning and pining was so beautiful. Kier and Grey's devotion and love to each other surpasses any couple I've ever read about. There are so many dynamics and relationships explored with them. Kier and Grey's romance is yearning and tender love, the friendship between them was the seed to their love and their positions as Captain and Hand in the military.

The side characters were truly a brilliant cast of characters. Everyone of them were so memorable and had an impact on the tale and me as a reader. The friendship between Grey, Kier, Ola, Brit, Sela and Eron was such an important and amazing things that unfolded out of their mission.

This was emotional tale. There's so much I would love to dissect and talk about when this book is released because it is such an amazing piece of craft — an unforgettable literary piece.

To all those who want to ride into battle in the year of Lady Knights, you cannot miss this tale of love and devotion!

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙑. 𝙇. 𝘽𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙤, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙊𝙧𝙗𝙞𝙩 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨 𝙐𝙆, 𝙇𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚, 𝘽𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙥 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮. 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙡𝙪𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮.