This is one of those fantasy worlds that I'd like to live in (but maybe not as a human), complete with quaint villages, enchanted libraries, and dingy taverns. It is familiar and sometimes cozy, if not particularly groundbreaking.

Lore, a human caught up in the schemes of the fae, is just trying to survive and protect those she loves. To do that, she makes a deal with a fae lord and soon finds herself in over her head.

While there is a lot I enjoyed about this book, I wasn't the biggest fan of the love triangle (but am I ever?) and the ending was frustrating for reasons I won't spoil. Not sure I will read the next book, but I'm not mad at the time I spent reading this one. There's definitely a lot of potential!

*actual rating 3.5*

This was a fun read, but I think I went in with too high expectations and that's my fault. But I mean, a book about a magical adventure and a magical library with 2 handsome fae men? It had the potential to be a new favorite as that's some of the things included in my favorite books.
I'm not sure what exactly didn't work with me with this one, I just wasn't as attached to the plot or the characters. However, I can definitely see myself getting very attached to a certain fae in the following book iykyk.

The touch her and die vibes were STRONG with Finnadryl and oh boy was I eating that up.
I think this series has the potential to be really great, depending on the rest of the series. Let's not forget that some of my all time favorite series only had a 3-4 star rating for the first books!

The magic in this got a little bit confusing in parts surrounding a magic book but the main character is learning about how this all works at the same time we are so it makes sense to be a little confused about it.

And can we talk about that ending?! What did I just read?! I know this book isn't even out yet but I need the next one tomorrow please

*Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the arc copy in exchange for an honest review.*

This is one of my favorite arcs I've read this year. I honestly did not know what it was about, I requested a copy for NetGalley because of thought the cover was beautiful. I was stunned to find out this is the author's debut! I will be impatiently waiting for the sequel.

This book revolves around fae, humans, and magic. Books about fae are one of my favorite things on this earth so I was pleasantly surprised when I started reading. Add in an enchanted library and magical books and I am instantly in love.

I really liked the characters. Lore was selfless and brave and maybe a little too trusting. But being isolated as she was, I don't blame her for falling for the one person who showed her kindness.

Asher was the attractive and moody fae man that we all love to love. He showed Lore kindness when all she had experienced from fae was disgust and abuse.

Later on, we meet Finn and he is the dark and broody, "I don't care about anything" fae. I switched from Team Asher to Team Finn so fast it's not even funny.

Even the side characters in this book were written so well. I hope in the next book we get to see more of Isla because she is so sweet. And anytime Lore's two little helpers came around (don't hate me, I forgot their names) I involuntarily smiled. It goes to show that children are not born to hate, they are taught to.

The magic system and the world building in this book was sooo good; I definitely don't expect that from a debut author. Everything was described so clearly and vividly that I didn't have to question anything; I could be right there with the characters.

This book also did not lack plot. I was never bored. I went from organizing a library with Lore, to running for my life, to falling in love, to saving my friends and family.

There is a huge plot twist at the end that I definitely did not see coming and it ends on a huge cliffhanger so I need the next book like soon. I can't wait to reread this when the sequel comes out.

I wanted to like this one, I really really did, but it just fell flat for me. It has such a unique concept but sadly that was where my enjoyment of it ended. I found the prose to be almost childlike in its simplicity which didn't fit with the overall setting and plot of the story. The plot meander and at times lost its way as well which made it hard to continue reading.
Overall, I think this book was great in theory but failed in its execution.

3 Stars
I am so conflicted on how to rate this one. There were parts I LOVED to the point of couldn’t put the book down. But then there were parts that I - I just didn’t love. I loved the vibe, the magical library, and the overall world. It was very cottagecore and that was right up my alley. However, the pacing felt all over the place and very inconsistent. It felt very chaotic and made it hard to get into the story. I felt like there was also too much going on like the story wasn’t quite sure what it wanted to be. There was so much happening and we only ever got bits and pieces of things before we moved on to the next thing. It felt like everything was surface-level (the magic system, the fae, the library, Lore's magic, the book, etc.) I think we needed more to really connect to the story.

The romance aspect of this book is honestly the biggest thing I didn’t love. It was very very sudden and very physical. Personally, when I am reading YA books I don’t love explicit spice scenes since these books are marketed towards children. It made me a bit uncomfy and felt unnecessary ???? It felt like it was just randomly put in when it didn’t add anything to the relationship between the characters or the plot. It also wasn’t believable I feel like we needed more of an emotional connection.

While the rest of the book felt very YA there were just little moments that felt very out of place and just not needed in terms of plot. Overall the ending was not as satisfying as I hoped it would be. I think there is so much potential here, and it wasn’t bad but I just wanted more.

If I have to hear one more time about Lore falling asleep as soon as her head hits the pillow, I am going to lose my mind.

I was so excited to read this - strong BIPOC FMC, young adult, slow burn romance, fantasy, magical book, political intrigue, etc. Unfortunately, I DNFd this one around 50%. There isn't much really happening in this book. While there are multiple locations Lore travels to, it doesn't really add much to the overall plot. For example, she is in a library for about 75 pages. She also develops a crush on her guard, which we do not know much about and who randomly decides he likes her, as well, with zero explanation as to why. There is just not much character development, and there are too many plot holes. At 50%, some of my questions should have been answered at this point.

Overall, I think this book and author has a lot of potential. There just needs to be more excitement, more AH-HA moments, more dialogue that takes your breath away. In its current state, it is somewhat boring.

A gorgeous new debut fae fantasy. This is an interesting world, spicy love triangle and a strong heroine you root for; but be warned for a CLIFFHANGER!

Thank you for the ARC!

Love the BIPOC representation in a fantasy setting. I wanted more world building but I feel like this will be great for a YA audience. Spicy scenes were spicy! You really can’t go wrong with fantasy with me.

Lore of the Wilds had a lot of promise. A magic library, fae and humans, BIPOC representation - all things that should've made this a hit. Unfortunately the narrative was oddly paced with plot twists that felt unearned.

Book Review
Lore of the Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana

Thoughts and Tropes
📚New to me debut author
📚Romantasy - the book is marketed as YA - our MC has 2 potential love interests and while the intimate scenes were a bit spicy (maybe more New Adult??) her character development still felt a bit juvenile (to me anyway)- think girl crush/lust- Lore tends to act immediately on her feelings whereas her would be suitors felt more mature
📚Fae, magic, castles and curses
📚Grumpy / sunshine
📚Amazing side characters - the younglings in the castle, grumpy maid, bar owner, friends, and friends of friends
📚I think I wanted more- more background, more character backstory, more history of this magical realm- the book could have been a bit longer and a bit more detailed- this is probably just me- I like my fantasy to have in depth world building - more pages are better

Overall a solid read and Debut. It ends on a cliffhanger so I am thinking at least a Duology and possibly a series in the making! I look forward to seeing what comes next!

Thanks to @netgalley and Avon And Harper Voyager for my digital ARC in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.

I'd first heard about Lore of the Wilds on social media. The cover, then the premise, drew me in. I am so glad I picked up this book! Lore of the Wilds is a richly imaginative story with memorable characters and a plot that kept me hooked from start to finish. I personally liked how well-rounded each character was and how intricate their relationships were to each other, especially in the context of how each one's arc influenced the other. Lore is by far my favorite character and I couldn't help but to relate to her. The magic system, too, was well-developed and I liked the undertone of humans reclaiming their magic. While I'm not usually a fan of love triangles, I hope to see more of both Asher and Finn in the sequel. Perhaps my only critique is that the pacing, at times, was uneven. Sometimes, the plot inched forward at a snail's pace while other times we jumped ahead in time so fast that it almost drew me out of the story. As for other people's critiques that this story is written in too much of a "YA voice," the tone didn't at all bother me. Lore is young, this is what I'd classify as a New Adult romantasy, and despite its tone, it took on serious themes while crafting a marvelous narrative. I can't wait for the sequel!

Thanks to the publisher for the electronic advance reader's copy. I was a bit nervous starting this because I heard this was YA, and I'm no longer interested in that genre. Everyone, this is not YA lol, believe me. I really loved the magic in this story and Lore's beautiful spirit. After that ending, I needed to know what's going to happen next because, wow, I didn't see that coming.

I firstly want to thank netgalley & the publisher for allowing me this arc in exchange for an honest review. The beginning of this book was action packed, and my attention was grabbed immediately. Some tropes are forced proximity, love triangle??, the guy is only nice to her.. It also has great Bipoc representation and I was really enjoying it, for the first 40% of the book. Then I went from “wow this is going to be the best arc I’ve ever read” to “what am I reading and what’s even the point of this plot….”
We follow Lore, a human, as she’s taken away to the fae land to go through a library that only humans can access. She’s to organize and clean it while giving important collections to the fae. There’s mystery as to why they want what they want. The books turn out to be magical and can talk, and one ends up calling her name. Then she runs away with the book and that’s when the story (to me) begins to have no real point? It’s a YA book but then at 85% we suddenly have a descriptive sex scene that came out of nowhere. The romance fell flat and I didn’t find myself caring about the characters, or believe in the romance, at all.
I will say the ending had a crazy plot twist I didn’t see coming, but overall I feel this book had a lot of potential but it just didn’t make it there. I’m giving this a 3 star just because I loved the beginning so much.

I have been following this authors journey online for a few months and I am so honored to get a arc of her novel. I really liked the worldbuilding and the overall plot of the book. However, it did read a little young adult but with adult themed scenes that were a little confusing. Overall I had a great time reading it and I would recommend it!

When I started this book, I was in love. However, as it went on it started to fall flat for me. It felt very much like any other generic YA fantasy, and nothing was very unique.
I was not a huge fan of the love triangle, either.

Overall, this was an okay read. It wasn’t horrible, but also nothing amazing.

This was a great book I enjoyed it a lot. If you like fantasy you will like this book. There is a lot of world building in this book and I have the feeling the next book is going to be epic! I have a lot of questions that need to be answered. I love the main character and so look forward to hear more of her story.

Lore of the Wilds is a thrilling romantasy debut! Lore makes a deal with the fae after her home is torn apart. Lore begins working in an enchanted library as a bargain to save her home and those she loves. Lore finds her magical destiny and faces dangers along the way with two male fae at her side. But in ruthless world, who can Lore trust?

I needed to read this book twice! There’s so much to love with this author’s debut novel. The characters and the vivid imagery really pulled me into Lore’s world. I found myself at the edge of my seat several times. It’s left me on the worst book hangover. I desperately need to know what happens next in Lore’s journey!

Also— as a BIPOC reader, seeing this type of representation in the world of fantasy was a breath of fresh air. Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this cozy romantasy!

this was such a fun YA fantasy to read, but it just didn't vibe with me. the premise was so intriguing and having a new fae centered romance fantasy is amazing to see! it was VERY much a YA read, so I wasn't expecting anything too grand or monumental so this was fun to pick up and see where this new fantasy series is starting off at!

Lore of the Wilds was one of my most anticipated reads for 2024 and i'm so incredibly happy for Analeigh Sbrana on her debut and publishing deal - as I've followed her on bookstagram for many years now. I think the vibes of this book definitely deliver as promised. I do wish we spent more time building connections between the characters especially since so much occured in this book (the destruction of Duskmere, the library search, the bar, saving grey and the ending as well). It would have been really lovely to know more about Lore and her powers (it's such a cool concept), more about "Archer", Finn, their dynamics etc. Diving deeper into the characters is something that helps me become more invested in the story. But since this is more plot focused and so much happened (and there was lack of answers about Archer until the very end) I felt like I was along for the ride instead of a part of the journey.

It's also marketed as YA(according to what I see on Goodreads) and it did read YA, all for the scene between Archer and Lore (when they reunite). I'm good with spice - minimal or not - but i'm not sure how to describe this to readers. Where does it fall?

I was heavily questioning Archer since he seemed all over the place to me, (he left his post as guard, he hated Lore and then was really into her) but the ending does explain this away, I just worry this confusion will lose readers along the way.

That aside, even though sadly this wasn't a new fave for me, aspects of this story really shine and i'll definitely read book 2 to learn more after that ending!

2.75/5

Thank you Net Galley and the Publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What I liked:

- The MFC was likeable to me. I enjoyed her throughout the story. She wasn't giving the annoying main female character vibes. She comes off driven and passionate.

- The world building was really interesting to me!

What I didn't like:

- The writing style was confusing- it read like YA, but there were scenes that were not very YA. So this could be problematic. It also was reading just very all over the place - some more organization would be good for the story.

- The romance was physical and no real emotional connection, which for YA I am really looking for that romance feel over the physical.

- I am sorry the pacing was really tough for me. I didn't get engaged much throughout the story. The story dragged alot during the middle.