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misslovelylayla 's review for:
The Second Death of Locke
by V.L. Bovalino
DID NOT FINISH: 47%
This is going to have to be a DNF at 47%. Maybe a soft DNF where I’ll come back later? I’m trying so hard to give this a chance, but the story isn’t working for me.
First and foremost, I think this book and I started off on the wrong foot as it has a very similar Magic system to a very popular fanfic-turned-original story that has to do with roses and chains and I apparently still have trauma from how dark that book is and I couldn’t get over that similarity. That is the first of a few problems that I have with this story. Additionally, you the reader are just thrown into the action and it’s very confusing to just roll with. This is typical for fantasy books, but it still bothers me nonetheless especially as it concedes with another point which I will further explain.
My second biggest issue, is that the author wanted to make the FMC this really badass heir to a defeated kingdom with this seemingly endless well of power. Sound familiar? The only difference between this plot point and that one is that the reader comes in knowing exactly who she is instead of learning through the books and it being revealed later. However with that being said, I feel like this FMC didn’t have the personality or charisma to make me like her. She’s just cold and moody and I couldn’t find myself caring what happened. One of the biggest things that caused me to put this book down was that she suddenly reveals this huge power to her mage aka unrequited love/childhood best friend out of nowhere that she possesses whereas there are other points previously in the story that she could’ve done something similar/the need was just as dire but didn’t and it’s made to seem she has limited power in the previous moments. I just didn’t buy her having this insane power as it makes no sense which I can only chalk up to the author being lazy with their storytelling which was the point I alluded to earlier; the magic system and plot don’t appear well planned and it feels like a lot was left gray/in-concise so that big shockers and reveals could be made but when they happen, it’s just annoying.
I really truly wanted to like this as the premise sounded so interesting, but alas, not all stories can be for me I suppose and ultimately, I’d rather spend my time on a book I do enjoy.
First and foremost, I think this book and I started off on the wrong foot as it has a very similar Magic system to a very popular fanfic-turned-original story that has to do with roses and chains and I apparently still have trauma from how dark that book is and I couldn’t get over that similarity. That is the first of a few problems that I have with this story. Additionally, you the reader are just thrown into the action and it’s very confusing to just roll with. This is typical for fantasy books, but it still bothers me nonetheless especially as it concedes with another point which I will further explain.
My second biggest issue, is that the author wanted to make the FMC this really badass heir to a defeated kingdom with this seemingly endless well of power. Sound familiar? The only difference between this plot point and that one is that the reader comes in knowing exactly who she is instead of learning through the books and it being revealed later. However with that being said, I feel like this FMC didn’t have the personality or charisma to make me like her. She’s just cold and moody and I couldn’t find myself caring what happened. One of the biggest things that caused me to put this book down was that she suddenly reveals this huge power to her mage aka unrequited love/childhood best friend out of nowhere that she possesses whereas there are other points previously in the story that she could’ve done something similar/the need was just as dire but didn’t and it’s made to seem she has limited power in the previous moments. I just didn’t buy her having this insane power as it makes no sense which I can only chalk up to the author being lazy with their storytelling which was the point I alluded to earlier; the magic system and plot don’t appear well planned and it feels like a lot was left gray/in-concise so that big shockers and reveals could be made but when they happen, it’s just annoying.
I really truly wanted to like this as the premise sounded so interesting, but alas, not all stories can be for me I suppose and ultimately, I’d rather spend my time on a book I do enjoy.