I recieved an e-arc through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion of the book. Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher.

Fun exciting adventure. The world building is great and the backstory has a solid foundation. the book is fast paced but seems rushed and the events are to convenient. The characters are well made. The main character Lore is the independent but borders on the cliche naive human who just magically has everything fall into place which isnt for me. The side characters there are few but the few are very diverse but it pretty cliche arrangement. The book kind of gives me the vibe of These Hollow Vows book. Overall good story will continue on very curious to see how this goes especially after the ending.

The entire time I read this book, I was thinking about Palestine. The titular Lore is a human girl who lives in a village none of her people can leave due to the fae sentries who will shoot and kill them if they try. Lore herself bears scars from when one of these sentries carved into her during a previous attempt to leave the village. She watched her own father get murdered by them. This is just the status quo in Lore's village as they aren't allowed a militia.

"Lore had grown up surrounded by sentries. One of them had murdered her father in front of her and laughed when he realized that his sharp jab to her father's temple hadn't just shut him up—it had killed him."

When an earthshake strikes her village, causing many buildings to collapse, these fae soldiers come to town and take Lore away, knocking a child into a pile of stones as they do so for good measure.

"Lore kept seeing flashes of Duskmere every time she blinked: the crumpled ceiling in the shop, the Burgs' tavern on fire, the kids' terrified faces as they tried so hard to be brave. Less than a full day's walk from here, her entire world had fallen apart because of an earth-shattering force. Life as they knew it was gone forever.
Yet in this city, there wasn't a single brick out of place. Every beautiful house was intact and the fae in them were living a life untouched by the desolation that had shaken her town."

This all happens within the first thirty pages of the book, and it was impossible to miss just how similar it is to what is happening in Gaza, and the parallels continued on through the rest of the book.

"She wished that she was wearing her Starday best. She wished that her hair was combed and smoothed into shining ringlets.
Instead, she looked exactly like what she imagined their false, preconceived notions of humans would look. She wanted to stop and tell them that her world had just fallen apart once again, that the rip in her tunic and the dust in her hair were from helping children not so unlike them."

Lore ends up making a bargain with a fae lord: she will go into a deadly enchanted library in exchange for aid to her people, but she later learns that no aid was provided, and in fact things only got worse.

"Half of the town had burned to the ground. In the other half, buildings were still toppled and she saw people sleeping in the streets. They were dirty. Hungry. Freezing in the icy autumnal night."

At this point she also comes to suspect that the earthshake was no mere natural disaster but something the fae caused for the purpose of keeping the humans subjugated, even though they already are at a disadvantage, lacking the magic, the power the fae have been using to mistreat and murder the humans for so many years.

Do you see the parallels here? If you like this book, if the treatment of Lore and the rest of the humans angers you, you should care about Palestine. You should speak up about Palestine and demand a ceasefire, an end to the occupation, and a free Palestine.

Lore of the Wilds ARC review

I really enjoyed reading this book. The descriptions of the characters, library and enchanted landscapes of duskmere. It really gave cottage core vibes in the beginning. The descriptions of the world and day turning to night were the strongest imo.

Lore and a well developed FMC, who guides us through the story and unfolds the magic system for readers. She is passionate and headstrong. While her character was very well established I did have a hard time discerning between the two lover interests in the beginning of the story.

While I really enjoyed the writing style. felt the pacing of this book was a bit slow. It wasn’t until around 40% that the main storyline was fully unveiled to the reader. And I also thought it was strange to introduce a second love interest at 60%?? I think I would’ve actually preferred to just stick with one and develop their relationship more. But then of course we wouldn’t get that twist ending 😏😏😏

“My favorite stories are the ones I can escape into. The ones I can leave behind this bleak existence and be somebody else, even if just for a little while. Someone braver than me. Someone with the power to change their circumstances.”

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for the advanced reader copy

3.5 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 I was so lucky to get an e-ARC of this book and I really enjoyed it! The premise was so magical and I absolutely loved Lore and her determination to take care of her town and her people. The story didn’t go where I thought it would at all which was so exciting and I loved how much of this fantasy world we got to explore! I also loved getting to read a cast of such diverse characters.

One thing that threw me off a little was the pacing of the story! It sometimes felt like big moments happened quick and little moments were drawn out.

In the end I enjoyed the story and I expected & hoped for the twist at the end because it gives us the chance to explore the complexity and relationship of a certain character.

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 —
Lore of the Wilds
By Analeigh Sbrana
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Shoutout to @avonbooks @harpervoyager, and @netgalley for allowing me to access the ARC, read, and review!

I loved the premise of this book. Black fae, black human FMC, and many more Black characters. It was a magical blackity Black fantasy world 🥰

I never thought I would say this about a book, but I wished it were longer. There are some parts in the book that I felt needed more detail and could have been drawn out. I also felt like some scenes were moving too quickly; we didn’t get to spend a lot of time with certain characters or in certain places.

There’s a nice little plot twist at the end of the book that caught me off guard, then she hit us with the “To be continued” like the end of a Pokémon episode. I’m ok with it though, because I’ll be reading the next book

Loved the mythical Wonderland imagery and the tale being spun kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. Would definitely recommend.

A fun read! This book def plays on some popular fae books, so if you enjoy romantasy this is the book for you. I do wish we had more romance and the book was longer, but I did enjoy the story overall.

This book was amazing. I loved the world and the lore so much. Humans get thrust into a magical world and they don't even know why. It created such a cool mystery. I loved the characters so much. I love how strong Lore is. She figures things out herself and saves people with no help. She isn't a helpless damsel in distress which I love. The end twist was insane. I did sense something was a bit off, but I didn't expect what happened. I need the sequel right now. I hate that I'm going to have to wait for it.

3.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the premise of a cursed library and thought it was fascinating how the humans were pulled into this world causing a divide between them and the fae.

The pacing was a bit off in the second half of the book, especially with Lore's rescue of Gray from the Queen. I wasn't a fan of the love triangle, even though I liked both Asher and Finndryl. Usually, I tend to favor one over the other.

The dialogue between the characters tended to be stiff and formal at times. Isla was a ray of sunshine and I loved Finn's grumpyness. Though I thought Finn's personality did a 180 flip when, out of nowhere, he decides to help Lore with her research after shutting her out the moments leading up to it.

The ending was a bit predictable and had some plot holes but it still had me at the edge of my seat! There was mystery, magic, romance, and adventure all throughout and I can't wait for Book 2, especially with that cliffhanger!

I couldn't put this down! Though many of the elements of this book will be quite familiar to most fantasy readers, the author was able to create a world where it all felt fresh and enticing. Some of the pacing took me out a little bit, but I loved the characters and their growth throughout the progression of the story. The twist wasn't too surprising for me, but still set up a great bit of anticipation for the rest of the series. Can't wait to see what comes next in this world and from this author!

Lore is a human who has been summoned to work for the fae in their library (say less, I’m there!). The books are magic (again, say less!). To save her town she must learn to harness and learn to use her magic. Also of course there’s a love triangle.

This book was definitely something unique to a lot of tropes and themes that have been published in the last few years. I loved Lore's character. Her curiosity and determination were my favorite traits.

Now about the plot, it was interesting. There were some good twists, especially the ending. I did not expect that at all, which is hard to do nowadays with many tropes that follow the same formula. At first, I thought they made Lore and Asher's relationship move too quickly, but with the plot twist at the end, I understood that it was for Asher to earn Lore's trust and affection. I loved Lore and Finn's relationship and how it progressed while Asher and Isla were away. I am excited and curious to see how all three are affected by Asher's betrayal and deceit.

The world building was done lightly and easy to understand, and I prefer it that way many times in novels. When the world building gets too heavy, it distracts from the plot and characters. I wish though that Lore's time at the castle and the library was much longer. I wanted to explore more about the spell book, but I feel as if we will learn more about that in the second book, and how it is affecting her and turning her fingers black. I have my theories on that. I felt as though some scenes were rushed and others were a little long. I wish we could have seen a little more of what Asher and Isla were doing when they were out for weeks.

The writing was so lovely and I love the use of third person POV. Hopefully we will get maybe Asher's POV now that he's transformed back into Syrelle. The representation was done very naturally. I loved how Analeigh also expressed the love and care of Lore's hair. It shows that no matter what realm, time, dimension, etc., hair care is an essential part of black identity. And not only was this novel BIPOC, but it also naturally featured the LGBT+ community.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I am dying for the second one!

If this isn't the next big read, I don't know what's going on.
Thanks to the folk over at Net Galley for an digital ARC of this book.

Lore of the Wilds is great for fans of an Enchantment of Ravens with a bit more spice. I have to say it was one of my highly anticipated reads for 2024, and to say I screamed in delight to see I was approved is an understatement. I plowed through the story, ensnared by an adventure that traverse through a beautiful setting with complicated rules and history. It leans heavily into the Love Triangle trope and crafts conflict around the circumstances of their relationships; Lore is often "sidetracked" by kisses, at the detriment of her mission. Yet, determined to make a name for herself, we pushed forwards.

I'd say the only thing holding me back form a full five stars is the promise that these two mmc's would be dramatically different from one another-- and they were, in the sense that they filled specific arch types. But there were times when the love triangle fell short and I found myself longing for more distinction. I had a hard time seeing the appeal of one over the other, and not in a "difficult to choose" way. More like, they blended over time and their differences crafted one flawed person.

I think I need to give it another go when it's been thoroughly edited and I'm EXCITED to see more after an ending like that. The world was gorgeous and I'll be crawling back.

I unfortunately did not finish this book, but stopped reading at about 25% in. The story had potential, and could be interesting, I liked the magic library and the fae world. Lore had a purpose, with saving her town and organizing the library. Asher was an interesting character, being the kind guard. However, the plot seemed to be progressing a bit too slow for me and I wasn't interested in continuing the book further. I think there are others who will like this book, but it wasn't for me.

What a wild romp! I really enjoyed this book. The author did an amazing job of world building, with subtle statements that help build the mystery and setting. They were soooo good at describing scenes in a way that immersed me in the story instead of just inundating with statements. The writing is very accessible for someone new to the fantasy genre but also perfect for big fans of it. I loved her characters, and Lore's journey as she works to save her people and learn as much as she can is absolutely enthralling. The entire book has you wondering what's going to happen next! And the twist at the end?! ROCKED me!! I can't wait for the sequel! I need to know what happens!!!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

"If you hate me so much, why are you still here?"

It's a good question. I found myself wondering the same thing nearly every page of this book.

I know a lot of people are looking forward to this book's release. Why wouldn't they—a story that revolves around an enchanted library, cunning fae, and a forbidden romance sounds like a 5-star read. Unfortunately, this ended up being one of my least favorite reads of the year. I hate giving books low ratings, especially if they haven't been published yet. That said, I don't want to lie and say I recommend this book.

"I bet you didn't know a lady could curse like that, huh?"

It's been a while since I've read a book with such unlikable characters. It felt like the main protagonist, Lore, was trying to make the WORST decisions possible. She agreed to organize the library in hopes of finding magic for her people, but she failed to consider that her deceit could be the very thing that gets her people killed. She also made several brash, stupid decisions. *MINOR SPOILER* I mean, what kind of person runs away with a magical book they have no idea how to use? Did she think the fae wouldn't look for her at her village or that they'd leave her village unscathed for her defiance? And why would she reveal important information in front of an assassin sent to kill her? An assassin she plans to let go, no less? Did she WANT to make it easier for him to kill her in the future? *END SPOILER* The book blurb promises a cunning protagonist who plans to trick the fae and steal magic from their library. What I got was a dull, irritating main character that I could care less about.

"She had never felt such an instantaneous connection with anyone."

I thought it'd be hard to dislike the love interest more than the main character. I was wrong. Asher seemed flatter than a pancake without baking soda. What were his hobbies? Interests? Dreams for the future? I couldn't tell you. Aside from his insta-love with Lore and the twist near the end, he was another prop in the aimless plot. The other love interest had more layers, but his connection with Lore fell even flatter than Asher's non-existent character development. I couldn't tell why he liked Lore, and I thought they made better study buddies/friends than they did love interests.

"The King and Queen were ancient and childless, and when they finally succumbed to old age, they would leave no traditional heirs to the throne... Alytheria’s stability would be threatened for the first time in hundreds of years due to the monarchs’ lack of a natural heir."

That brings me to my next problem: this book TELLS you everything to the NTH DEGREE. There's no pretty prose, complex world-building, or interesting backstory. Instead, it's info-dumpy paragraphs in the beginning, unanswered questions in the end (we STILL don't know why the fae hate humans), and awkward dialogue sprinkled throughout. And don't get me started on the plot twist near the end. I'm trying to be vague because of spoilers, but this book should have trigger warnings for the abduction and rape of side characters. As if this book needed more fuel for this dumpster fire of a plot.

I like that this story has diverse characters. I think it's important for readers to have books where the characters look like them. That being said, I think there are better diverse books out there. I feel bad for giving this book a low rating, but it was not a good fit for me. I don't think YA is the right market for this book, and the plot, dialogue, and characters didn't read at the level of a polished book. I think this could be a 5-star read with another round of content edits. As it is, I'm rating it 2/5 stars.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and Netgalley; all opinions are my own.

3.5⭐️

An enchanting debut filled with danger, magic, mystery, and secrets. I was initially drawn in by the gorgeous cover and the intrigued by this premise of a mystical library with spelled tomes and one human’s quest to discover her own power and magic. The story was quite captivating and I’m a sucker for a fantasy with a found family that embarks on a quest. While I enjoyed the story, I had issues with the overall world building and pacing.

The world building was a bit murky and left me with a multitude of questions. This magical world with its secrets and dangers was fascinating, but the inhabitants of this land were never fully explained - what made the dark fae superior, why were light fae inferior, and why were they all so disgusted with humans? We are given morsels of information at the VERY end (the last few pages of the last chapter) but more history surrounding this world could have been helpful. As for magic, I wish we had been given a rundown on different magical abilities of the characters and fae.

The other thing that hurt the storytelling was the pacing. The beginning moved quickly as we were introduced to these characters and world, but then it meandered for a while when Lore was cleaning the library and then got lost in the woods… a few times. I appreciated the attention to detail, but don’t think we needed to know Lore everything was cooking. So after a lengthy walk in the woods and a rescue mission, we’re then slammed at the 93% mark with a big twist and rather dark reveal only then to be handed a doozy of a cliffhanger. It needed to be smoothed out.

A solid, unique concept, but the story needed some tweaking to help with the flow and I wish there had been a better explanation of the inhabitants and magic of this world. That being said, I really liked the found family piece and how this was a story of fighting traditions of discrimination. I’m definitely interested in picking up the sequel and look forward to seeing what the author writes in the future.

This book was so good. I had some pacing issues near the end of the book, but that aside I really enjoyed this book. It's in my top ten of the year for sure.

Lore is a fantastic protagonist. She's smart, caring, and the kind of character that's easy to root for. She is a little naive at times, but she's also in a situation she'd never thought she'd be in, and doesn't know who to trust so she just ends up trusting the Fae she encounters who are kind. Something she didn't expect to see from the Fae.

I liked Asher as a character. It's really hard to talk about this character without spoiling anything. I have a lot to say, but I can't say any of it.

Finndryl. Oh, Finndryl. He became a favorite character. He started as the typical grumpy character. He stayed grumpy but started to have a charm to it. I hope he has a larger role in the next book.

One thing that I wish is that the cursed/enchanted library was in more of the book. It was kind of forgotten at one point. I wanted to learn how and why it was cursed. Maybe that's for the next book? I hope to understand that aspect of it and to learn more about the world as a whole. I also hope to learn how the humans got to that world as well, and if there's some connection of some kind.

I don't know how many books are going to be in this series, but I am excited to read them.

I really enjoyed the author's writing style, how face-paced the story was, and the way the story flowed together. There were some hints of interesting world building but not as much as I hoped - it definitely leaves room to be expanded on in sequels (which I'll be excited to read!). The magic system is fun and interesting.

Lore is a bit too trusting and jumps into things without too much thought, but I still found her an enchanting character to read. Some of the struggles are resolved a bit to cleanly so the stakes never really felt that high.

Overall this was a fun book to read and a great new adult, romantic fantasy debut.

Rated 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC ebook.

This review was made possible via an ARC through NetGalley

Lore of the Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana is a romantasy about Lore, a young human woman who can’t leave her village because of the tyrannical fae in the surrounding forest. After a disaster hits, she is taken to the fae homebase and is tasked with organizing their library in exchange for the fae helping repair her village. The library has been sealed off by magic so no fae can enter, providing Lore not only the chance to look at rare books, but to also look for information regarding how humans came to the realm in the first place without someone looking over her shoulder.

I love elves and fae with unique features, such as horns, so the deer horns on Asher, the love interest, was a nice touch that sets it apart from other fae books.

Lore loves books and the written word and learning, which makes her quite relatable to many readers who also devour book after book if they can. Another key feature of her POV and worldbuilding is Lore’s love of food.

Lore is guarded by Asher, a young man who volunteers to watch after her because of the treatment of humans at the hands of elves in this world. Humans are looked down upon and essentially prisoners, but many think that humans are living in a utopia. Asher and Lore’s relationship steadily builds in terms of sexual tension, starting when Asher take Lore out to see the fae town and they get dumplings. Their relationship is complicated by Lore stealing a book from the library and two guards catching her, forcing the pair to flee further into fae lands.

I would recommend this to readers looking for books with fae with deer horns, readers who want POV characters or FMCs who are more relatable, and readers considering dipping their toes into romantic fantasy/fantasy romance.