I really wanted to like Lore of the Wilds but found myself often losing interest of being annoyed. Lore's magic never really makes sense and the romances felt forced. But I loved that there was so much diversity and Lore's struggles with caring for her curls was addressed. If this had been marketed as a YA or even cozy fantasy, I think it would have been a 4 star book but I expected more from Lore's character and she ultimately did a lot of nothing. This story had great bones but was unfortunately lacking consistent pacing and character/plot development.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc!

Posted on Goodreads:

4.25/5⭐️

This is a great romantasy ya novel with all the bells and whistles.

Love triangle ✅
Unique magic system ✅
Great side characters ✅
A FMC I care about ✅
A need to read book 2 right meow ✅

Lord is a human who lives in a human prison village held by the Dark Fae. Her presence is requested to help catalogue a fascinating library that only a human can enter. There she finds a magical book that at first seems blank but later reveals to be a myth come to life. Knowing the dark fae should not have it, she runs away with the help of her guardian soldier. However, she learns her human friends and family have been taken and back she goes to the castle. But this time she has friends.

This was a smooth read that is very well written and has left me wanting to know how it ends.

Thank you netgalley, Harper Collin’s, and Ana Leigh sbrana for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

A perfect cottagecore, romantasy, a bit gothic as well IMO, but also cozy read. With an enchanted library and two worlds colliding as humans and fae, say no more, you have found an audience in me!

I just wanted to be in that library, in the fae market eating delicious dumplings, and glad that Lore could find hair products so she could take care of her hair, bad hair days are the worst!

I'm so ready for the sequel already, I cannot wait!!!

This fantastic cozy cottagecore romantasy book comes out today and I think you should check it out! I was lucky enough to read an early copy and I absolutely adored it. 🖤 it’s about a human girl living in a world of ruthless fae who is tasked with cataloging the contents of a magical library! 📚

Lore was a fantastic main character. She’s passionate and cares so much for the people she loves. I also loved the characters we met along the way! There’s some found family aspects I really enjoyed 💕

The plot was fast paced and the book itself was a quick read, which I really enjoyed. A different vibe than a lot of the high fantasy books I usually read—very refreshing! The romance was fun too. If you like love triangles, you’ll definitely enjoy this. And if you DON’T like love triangles, this one is so well done I think you’ll love it regardless! I know I did! 😍

And the plot twist at the end?? Caught me by such surprise! I have so many thoughts and theories about the sequel already…👀

Huge thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me a digital arc copy!

Thank you netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. A special thank you to the publisher for sending me a physical copy to read and review.

I loved this so much, it captured me in immediately and I loved the FMC. As a reader, I felt we watched her composed nature unravel and we got to know the true and more comfortable her as we hear her thoughts on everything. This has so many wonderful things, fae, a magical library, a strong FMC doing what is best to protect the people she loves, and a love triangle well done.

Highly recommend.

I hear about a book involving an enchanted library and I've teleported to wherever I need to be to get the book in my hands. Lore of the Wilds caught my attention immediately. I love the cover, the concept, everything. It did not disappoint! I couldn't put this book down and I am so excited for the next one.

Full review posted on my Instagram page.

Thank you Netgalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for a digital arc!

This book makes me want to read more "cottagecore" fantasy; it was cozy and had low stakes. It was immersive and atmospheric, and the pacing was done very well.

I especially loved an all-black cast of characters. I love to see it and need more fantasy books written by BIPOC authors with a diverse cast. Sbrana builds beautiful characters with depth to them. I knew enough about each one of the characters to care and feel connected to them.

The ending had me feeling like I couldn't turn the page fast enough and left me wanting more, and luckily for us, there will be a second book!

I adored this story! I love a love triangle, an interesting magic system, anything involving fae, and a bold twist in the story! That cliffhanger has me so amped for the next book!!

In this enthralling debut, I was swept away into a world where Lore, a young human woman, embarks on a perilous journey within an enchanted library, seeking forbidden magic amidst the captivating yet treacherous Fae. Her quest intertwines her fate with two enigmatic Fae men, sparking a tumultuous blend of desire and distrust. The novel's rich tapestry of magic, loyalty, and power struggle mesmerized me with its intricate world-building and profound character arcs. Brimming with secrets and political intrigue, the suspenseful plot culminated in a cliffhanger that left me yearning for more. This tale of enchantment and courage is a testament to the allure of forbidden knowledge and the complexities of the heart.

This new adult romantasy debut will captivate y0u and leave you breathless as the main character Lore navigates the world of the fae after she is taken from her home among the humans.

I loved Lore from the first page and how despite her circumstances as an exploited human stuck inside a community cutoff from the outside world, she retains her gentleness and love of helping others. While I know a lot of people might find her too trusting considering her upbringing and current situation, I think it shows that regardless of circumstance, you can still be soft and gentle. It fit Lore's character well, especially since she wants to see the good in everyone. It's a part of her humanity and helped her stay true to herself even once she was taken away from everything she knew.

I loved the elemental magic system, especially the incorporation of moonlight and how it ties into the instinct and upbringing of the characters. It was only fitting that Lore's love of the night sky lead to it being the source of a newfound magic for her. We get a magical library that only the ostracized humans like Lore can access. We get magical bargains, a grimoire that calls to the main character to awaken her possibilities, some cottagecore vibes, and a fast moving romance. While I'm not usually one for a fast romance and especially love triangles, I found myself enjoying the dynamic between Lore, Asher, and Finn and the grumpy and sunshine love interests. While it seemed like the romances were more based on physical attraction than anything, I still found myself enamored with the relationship dynamics. And for those wondering, yes, it brings a little spice to the table with an open door scene.

While I know the pacing of the story seems to be a detail many dislike, I actually liked the differing paces. It was nice to see Lore right in the middle of the action at times and taking it easy at others. It kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat as Lore was always quick to make a decision and act upon it. I do wish the little training class Lore took from Asher had a bigger role as her knowing how to properly wield a dagger after just one short training seemed like a one and done detail that needed more fleshing out.

While this book is certainly an enjoyable and fun fantasy first and foremost, at the heart of it is still a message regarding oppression and division between racial/social/species classes that is still relevant and essential in today's world. This is a fantastic BIPOC fantasy debut and the cliffhanger at the end has me ready for the next book. This series is definitely a new obsession of mine and I can't recommend it enough!

This book was a really good debut novel! Thank you NetGalley and Avon/Harper for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

In this book we have, Lore, a human girl, who is trapped in a forested prison along with her village. Escape is useless and she has the scars for prove it. But when her village is threatened, Lore makes a desperate deal with a Fae lord. She will leave her home to catalog/organize an enchanted library that hasn’t been touched in a thousand years. No Fae may enter the library, but there is a chance a human might be able to breach the cursed doors.

When I read the blurb for this book I immediately requested the ARC! Although I was captivated from the start, the pacing was a little slow from the beginning but it did pick up around the halfway mark. Because this book was in 3rd person it did make it hard for me to fully get into the story and to connect with the characters, but that could just be personal preference! But overall, very good for a debut novel and after that ending (iykyk) I will definitely be waiting for the next book!

Happy Publication Day!

Despite my initial excitement, this book fell short for me. While it appeared to offer everything I enjoy - a unique fantasy setting with a cottage-core atmosphere and even a library - I had three main issues:

The writing lacked maturity: Overused descriptions and shallow exploration of tropes detracted from the depth of the narrative. Unrealistic character and plot developments further hindered my immersion in the story.

Inconsistent pacing: Some sections feel rushed while others drag on, leading to a disjointed reading experience.

Unconvincing romance: The relationship between the main characters felt forced and more physical than emotional. Additionally, the sudden introduction of a potential love triangle felt unnecessary. I also should note that I don't love the 'insta-love' trope.

Furthermore, while the protagonist, Lore, exhibited compassion and a thirst for knowledge, her trusting nature seemed somewhat unrealistic, given the world's portrayal of the fae as cruel and monstrous. The incorporation of mature themes, including graphic violence and sexual sensations, alongside YA elements made the tone inconsistent and uncomfortable at times. I loved ACOTAR but was finding a lot of similarities to it.

Additionally, the predictable plot and underutilized plot twists, as well as the late introduction and minimal role of the fox companion, were disappointing.

Overall, while this book may appeal to some, particularly those seeking Romantasy, it didn't meet my expectations. I also believe it should be reconsidered for marketing as YA due to the inclusion of mature themes. Nevertheless, It was an easy read and I did enjoy some parts - I appreciate the opportunity to review an advance copy provided by NetGalley.

The cover? Gorgeous! The vibes? Beautifully epic cottagecore! The storyline? 100% captivating!

This was such a wild ride! My hopes were so high when Analeigh Sbrana revealed the cover for her debut novel and I was absolutely blown away by the magic within the pages! Full of fantastical magic, heart pounding adventure and all the bookish vibes this was such a great series debut and I cannot wait to see what happens next!

Method Read: 📖

Thank you Harper Voyager for the gifted copy!

A human whisked away to a fae world to work in a magical library? Sign me up! This debut had some of my favorite YA/NA fantasy elements: humans in fae worlds, love triangles, FMC overcoming obstacles, characters fighting against oppression, and intriguing magic systems.. I especially enjoyed an all-Black cast of characters and will be reading the sequel to see what comes next. My favorite character was Finn and I would simply love to read books with him in the library.

However, the pacing was challenging, and I wanted more world-building. The primary plot point of her being taken away to the library happened fairly quickly without the build-up I was expecting. I also found that the main character was not fully fleshed out. In some ways, she was smart and capable, and in other moments too reckless and getting herself into trouble that could've been avoided.

This is a great low-stakes cozy fantasy story. A good option for fans of These Hollow Vow wanting diversity in their romantasy.

3.75, rounded to 4 stars

Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager via NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

ARC Review
Actual Rating: 3.5

21 year-old Lore is a human living in a land ruled by ruthless fae, trapped in a forested prison. But when her town is threatened, she strikes a deal with a Fae lord: organize an enchanted library whose cursed doors no one has breached in a thousand years. The more she learns about the fae, the more complicated things become. When she starts to fall for two very different fae males, she's in danger of losing her heart and her life to the very creatures she can never trust.

I was excited to read this Black fae fantasy book that was described as cottagecore fantasy. Add in a magic library, and I was sold. I enjoyed the worldbuilding a bit more than the plot.

instagram post to come and I'll be discussing in my february wrap up video on my youtube page soon.

3.25 stars

I found Lore of the Wilds to be a fun and easy fantasy read. I liked our main character, Lore, and felt invested in her story and how it was progressing. I also felt invested in how she, as a character, was progressing.

There wasn’t very much world building or back story, but the way it ended makes me think that there will be a lot more of that in book 2 (hopefully!) The ending felt super rushed and it all happened so fast. The characters, plot, and world building did feel a bit too surface level for me and not as fleshed out as I’d like them to be. I’m hoping that book 2 will have a bit more to offer in that department.

In general, I found that this was a very basic but fun fantasy read and I’ll definitely be reading book 2!

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for my copy of this!

It’s a little disheartening to write this review because I was so excited for this one and it fell short for me.

Let’s start with the positives: I really enjoyed the story idea and the plot. I think the magic system was fun and original. I liked the writing style because it flowed nicely, although there was a little too much repetition and use of the same expressions over and over again, (taking this with a grain of salt since it’s not a finished copy!)

Now, as for what I didn’t enjoy…
The main character was… complicated. I don’t think she was well developed or well written for the kind of main character this story needed. She kept putting herself in dangerous situations that could totally be avoided.

The love interest was also confusing. The romance is giving enemies to lovers but it happens way too fast, there’s little to no development. The spice is awkward and totally unnecessary. It felt like hormonal teenagers could see a piece of skin without getting horny.

The story itself was paced weirdly. It jumped from months, to weeks, to an update every two weeks. I got lost. The tropes were kinda thrown in there and left at it. Lastly, the magic system, however original, lacked a lot of explanation and development. There was too much information dumping and most of it wouldn’t make sense with the pace of the story.

By the end of the book I was left very unsatisfied. There’s so many unanswered questions, but even with the cliffhanger, I don’t see myself jumping into book two.

For a debut romantasy novel, I went in with average expectations and overall wasn't disappointed.

What I enjoyed most was Lore. She's fun, spunky, caring, and driven--she reads relatable in many instances. And being whisked away to the land of the Fae to work in the library was a fun twist on the Beauty and the Beast theme.

I knew there was a love triangle dynamic, and while not my thing, the book does a good job of creating tension between everyone while keeping up the intrigue. Predictable? Sure. But I don't expect G.R.R. Martin level drama when reading a book in this genre.

My criticisms are plenty, but I tend to reign it back for new adult romantasy novels. I do think the plot could have used more development. Within five chapters we have Lore stolen away against her will, which seemed a little too soon for me to feel anything for her initially. I expected more time in Duskmere to flesh out history, culture, and family dynamics in a town under the boot of the Fae. Despite this, after she makes her deal and is able to access the library, the pacing is pretty average and predictable.

And I think that's what makes this book 3 stars. It gives you what you're looking for if you want a low-stakes romantasy. I think the plot could have been honed in more, the worldbuilding strengthened (never really felt connected to place), and some complex twists brought in to make it less vanilla. Also, to stand out amongst the increase of indie and self-published books, authors need to really push some creativity when it comes to the magical system of their books, even in a romantasy.

Analeigh Sbrana is definitely an author that will make a name for herself with the help of some additional editing and direction. I hope book two is less predictable.

Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager via NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

Overall I was captivated by this steller debut! I loved the big cliffhanger ending and I am so excited to read more by this author!

Lore of the Wilds was perfectly fine. There were a lot of things I liked and a lot of things I wasn't crazy about. So, reading it ended up being a very middle-of-the-road experience.

I enjoyed most of what happened in the Fae world but felt disconnected from the humans and their plight. However, I found their religion centering on astronomy to be quite interesting. Ultimately, because I felt so disengaged from most of the humans, the climax of this book hardly left me on the edge of my seat.

The Characters
Lore was fine. She felt very typically brash yet inquisitive. A stereotypical romantasy heroine.
Grey felt underdeveloped. When he finally returned to the page, I didn't know him well enough to be concerned with his personality changes.

Asher. Through personal preference, Asher did nothing for me. His initial interactions with Lore left much to be desired. I didn't feel as though I was seeing their chemistry but rather being told that it existed.

Finn
MY MAN, MY MAN, MY MAN
I'm very biased and loved him. Loved the academic romance. Loved how he was hard-won over.

Isla
The more Isla I can get, the better.

The Magic
I loved how Lore's magic felt based on the natural and material world and how it related to the moon, the forest, and the wilds. Those descriptions, I felt, had real magic to them. I felt the cold air and the stillness and the dew.

The plot hardly swept me away, but, ultimately, I feel intrigued enough by the magic and hope for future romances to pick up a sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC. This review contains my honest thoughts and opinions.