Duologies should definitely be more popular and written more often. Lore of the Wilds was such a good book that I knew to expect the same for the sequel. I really enjoyed the lore of the sea folk but could have used a faster paced book. I was distracted a bit and found this book didn’t keep my attention as much as Wilds but I truly enjoyed it. I did appreciate the ending so Yaii. This book gets a solid 3.75 stars for me. Thank you to Netgally for the opportunity to read this book.


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7691781944

4.75⭐️ 2🌶️

I started reading Lore of the Tides, knowing I would have an enjoyable read ahead after Lore of the Wilds. I didn't, however, expect to be blown away by the second part of this epic adventure.

After being epically betrayed by Asher, the fae guard she thought she was in love with at the end of Lore of the Wilds, Lore Alemeyu awakens to find herself held captive on a ship, with no sign of her friend Finndryl. Asher, who is now going by his real identity, Lord Syrelle, tasks Lore to find Aunoradel, the Book of Sunbeams. However, all is not as it seems, and Lore encounters new enemies as well as friends.

The characters in this duology are written incredibly well. Lore is a strong, smart, and capable young woman. Finndryal comes into his element, showing that though he may be reserved when those he loves are in danger or are hurt, he will step up and be the man they need him to be. Meanwhile, we learn that Syrelle is a complex character with outside forces impacting his decision-making. Between them, the love triangle formed in Lore of the Wilds continues to be well-written and comes to a logical conclusion.

🌊 Found Family
🌊 Love Triangle
🌊 Epic Adventure
🌊 Duty vs. Personal
🌊 Friend to Lover
🌊 New Kingdoms
🌶️ A few open-door scenes

Lore of the Tides by Analeigh Sbara brings the Lore of the Wilds duology to a perfect conclusion, solidifying her as an auto-read author for me. I look forward to discovering what future stories await!

I definitely think this story was an improvement on the first novel. I enjoyed the creatures, the love of books and libraries, and the mystical journeys. Lots of fun found family, dark history, and unknown intentions. It did still feel a bit rushed with more telling than showing. The spice is improved but not the yearning or slow burn. The novel feels like a YA novel where the spice feels unnecessary or inappropriate in context. Though it is fun, it just doesn't seem like it advances the plot at all and just feels like an afterthought. I did enjoy how many worlds we entered, but so much time was spent on side quests that the final battle could have used more time and attention. A solid novel and I'm interested to watch her craft grow.

I have mixed feelings about this book but overall I think it was good conclusion to the duology. Part 1 of the story dragged a bit for me. Part 2 was cool but very much felt like a ADHD side quest. I know we needed it to have the allies that we need for part 3 but it felt like it was bit rushed and the big problem was fixed very easliy. Part 3 which I feel should have been more of a focus the book was very quick. It was satifising to see what happens to our characters but it went quick.

The relationship between Lore and Finn was excellent. And I did like how the love triangle that was set up in book 1 was handled.

Overall I was happy with how the story played out and it was a fun and relatively quick read.

This is Black Girl Fantasy and even this white girl enjoyed it.

Do not try and read this book without reading the first in the duology. Sometimes, that works, it will not work in this case.

Lore has to face the ultimate betrayal from the Fae she thought she loved. Sirens, ships, adventures abound. There is an adorable love story but also the beginnings of friendships and lasting friendships.

The characters are well-rounded and feel very real. The world-building is excellent without being too drawn out.

There was very little drag in this book, it moved along at a clipped pace and kept my interest well.

Thank you to Net Galley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

First and foremost I received an eARC from the Nerd Fam and the publisher via NetGalley.


I am still processing this story. It’s very interesting and I love the diversity. It’s a decent sequel but falls flat in the end. There are longer unneeded scenes in this book that lasted longer than the final battle. I really think that it would have been much better if it was YA. The adult scenes come out of nowhere and feel awkward because they don’t fit the flow. However, this is just my opinion. Read it for yourself.

I was so excited to dive back into Lore’s world, and this sequel delivered on so many levels. Watching Lore evolve was one of my favorite parts—her journey isn’t just about uncovering ancient truths or confronting dark magic, but also about facing herself. That final realization, that she carries both dark and light and that true strength lies in balance? Chef’s kiss.

Lore still has that headstrong streak, throwing herself into danger solo, but her slow path toward trust—especially with Syrelle—felt earned and deeply satisfying. And can we talk about the settings? Each location was vibrant and steeped in unique mythos, painted so vividly I could practically feel the sea spray or hear the ancient whispers in forgotten ruins.

If I had one wish, it’s that the final showdown with the king had a bit more emotional heft and tension. Some side quests got more page time than the climax, and I wanted a bigger gut punch from that final confrontation. But the ending? Satisfying, hopeful, and full of promise.

Sbrana is officially on my must-watch list—I’ll be picking up whatever she writes next.

⭐️⭐️⭐️- released on 7/8/25!

Overall this was a solid sequel to the first book and an enjoyable duology! I often feel a duology is the perfect amount of story, and these set of books demonstrates this well! I enjoyed the primarily water based setting of the second novel and the pacing of the plot. I loved Lore’s character development, and always like when stories reflect the violence and rebellion that tends to come with overthrowing corruption. The writing felt a little bit more YA to me, so I was found myself not completely liking the adult parts of this novel. Overall, enjoyable romantasy duology, and a wonderful debut for the author!

Thank you to @netgalley and @avonbooks for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

#books #bookrecs #bookreviewer #bookreviews #advancedreaderscopy #newrelease

This is a really hard book to give feedback on. I think the world is interesting, and this book expands upon the first book and adds more to the world that makes it even more interesting. Nothing is especially new, but I continue to appreciate that the entire universe is Black. We need more fantasy books with an all Black and/or BIPOC universe that hit mainstream publishing.

Unfortunately, the main character in this book feels very immature, especially when it comes to dialogue. The internal monologues become long-winded and repetitive, and feel very hung up on her anger directed at a love interest, even if it's somewhat intertwined with the plot of trying to save her people.

Speaking of love interests, the love triangle feels like it's trying too hard, and the main character never really made a choice in the first book, but now she's still hung up on one man in this book while still vibing with the other one. But this is all within the first 40% of the story, and it is also super repetitive.

I decided to DNF at 40% of the way through. While there's some big positives to this book that I think we need to see more of in mainstream fantasy/romantasy, that doesn't redeem the overall quality of the story and repetition of angst and romance angles without any meaningful plot development over the first 40% of the story.

I was really excited for the conclusion to this duology, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. I fell asleep reading this four nights in a row. It couldn't hold my attention and I was disappointed about that.

I'll start with the good. Sbrana's writing is beautiful. She creates a beautiful imagery when she's describing scenes and emotions. When Lore was finding her way home and I found this passage particularly beautiful, "They need not steer or navigate, for Lore was as the sea turtle using instinct to travel to a nesting ground thousands of miles away. She was the salmon jumping up waterfalls, driving by instinct. Home, home, home. She felt the pull and knew the way."

While I found many of those passages beautiful, the dialogue was stunted, awkward, and disappointing. There was a lot of use of modern language and slang, like "kiddo" and "The camel doesn't mind, trust me; it's just living its best camel life..." It was jarring and pulled me from the story. The book also uses the term "fuck" 37 times but every spicy scene included a euphemism for body parts. "Bud", "member", "stiffness", etc, it's adult, say the body parts.

The adventure to the ocean felt like a weird side quest. Random things were explained away, like the library having an excellent filtration system and weights being sewn into garments to hold them down, but nothing about how they were able to stand at the bottom of the ocean and not float? Odd. Then pulling the Queen aside to ask for a favor and being SO SECRETIVE about it.... and it was for freaking weapons??? What was the point of secrecy??

The addition of Haven to the travelling party made it seems like Sbrana was trying to channel her inner Kimberly Lemming and unfortunately it failed for me. I felt the same way about the Orc and the "funny" adventures. They just missed the mark because is this cozy, funny, or a high stakes fantasy?

The final battle was a total bust. The way she treated Syrelle was so hot and cold. I was really, really rooting for him. I thought he was the better partner (which is why I don't like love triangles) but I could tell based on the cover who Lore would end up with.

I felt like this book read like it was a very rushed writing job (maybe it was made better in the final version). Sbrana needed a lot more time to develop the story and maybe an editor to really push her to flesh it out. Her imagery is there, but the plot and dialogue don't match up.

I will say I did enjoy this book much more than the first in the series. I'm giving this one a 3.5 mostly because as much as I like the overall plot and the magic system, the book still felt like it was lacking a home voice. The book is marketed as an adult romantasy but the characters (when not in explicit NSFW scenes) feel very YA. There is nothing wrong with a YA book. I love a lot of YA but because of explicit nature of the intimate scenes and the maturity of the characters, I didn't really believe their love nor did I root for them. It's still a good read, and if you're looking for a medium paced semi-romantasy duology, I would recommend this series!

I waited to read this book after I re-read its prequel, "Lore of the Wilds." While "Lore of the Tides" does start where "Wilds" left off, "Tides" does enough to jog your memory without a full re-read, but I do not recommend jumping into this series without reading "Wilds" beforehand- that is where the worldbuilding is established. "Tides" builds beautifully on that world and expands it meaningfully. I appreciated that this series is a proper duet with a satisfying conclusion: too often duets feel like a trilogy cut short-not so here. In terms of things of three, Lore has two love interests that would provide lots of debate about who should be trusted and who is worthy of Lore. And Lore has a righteous rage that I admire-even when situations are less than ideal. With so much nuance to discuss, this book (and series) is ideal for reading groups aged 16 and up. This is a romantasy, so there are so spicy scenes that are about at the Harlequin level of spice. Further, the cover is gorgeous and a work of art that one would enjoy showcasing in one's home and/or content creation.

I was cautiously optimistic when reading Lore of the Tides since the first book in this duology was not my favorite. I did enjoy the new settings in this book and how we got to know the characters better. I liked seeing more of an exploration of the love triangle because it was definitely more in the background of book one. I also loved that this was a fantasy duology because they are always fast paced and doesn't feel dragged out. Definitely pick this up to read the fun conclusion of this series!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for a review!

What an ending!

Lore of the Tides packs a lot of action and drama into its relatively short narrative, and so much of this was fun to read. Analeigh Sbrana is a skilled storyteller who is able to present colorful imagery, longing, and belonging in believable ways that feel realistic and exciting.

However, there were way too many characters in this book, and way too many things went down. I know that sounds crazy to say, but it was so incredibly difficult to keep track of everything and everyone, and it made me realize if I hadn't reread Lore of the Wilds earlier this month I would've been even more lost. Despite everything under the sun going wrong for Lore and her being in nonstop danger, things are relatively "easy" or low stakes in that they are very, very quickly resolved. The storyline with the new kingdom was confusing/a very long side quest, and I never understood the magic, how/why Lore had this magic, what it meant for her to have this magic, and why she needed to be killed for it. Like, in theory, yeah…she has powers typically only fae do, but why do these super powerful, oppressive fae give a damn about lil ol Lore? LOL.

I still feel like the love triangle wasn't believable. In this book, the dynamic shifts to the other MMC, Finn, and less away from Asher/Syrelle. Which would've been fine, except we're suddenly told that Finn was totally just putting on about hating Lore in Lore of the Wilds, and suddenly Asher is public enemy #1 because of his big, bad lie, and it just didn't feel organic. Finn was a more loving love interest than Asher to be sure, but I just did not buy his 180 pivot.

There are shaky world politics but very strong, very well-done commentary on oppressive forces and g*nocide, which are very important topics for present day. With that said, I really do feel like this would have shone more in the YA space. Lore is strong and takes up space and she is fueled by feminine rage, but her sheltered nature, lack of confidence, and desires for her own life felt very boxed-in and naive. The spice was a little uncomfy because of how young the characters read—at least it was for me. There was also a scene where Lore talks about being on her period—the topic largely ignored in the fantasies I've read, so I appreciated this—but something about the scene really cemented how young Lore felt for me. I don't necessarily think the characters being so young-coded is a bad thing, but it doesn't feel like what was marketed.

If you're into fast-paced, action-packed, cozy adult fantasy with library/book love and a FMC who shakes the table simply by existing, give this duology a try!

Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!

3 ⭐️s
2 🌶️

I couldn't believe how much I loved this one. It was even better than the first. Her writing is so enchanting and detailed, you really feel and see everything in the minds eye. The worldbuilding was phenomenal and I absolutely adore Lore. I was hesitant for the love triangle but it was fine.

I loved it was a duology. The magic within the pages was more than the magic in the worldbuilding. Very beautiful story.

Immediately 5 stars! One of my TOP reads of the YEAR! A beautiful ending to a complete duology, This is the book I needed to get out of my reading slump. I was immediately hooked from the 1st chapter. This author has such a way with words and it’s absolutely beautiful! Since I read the first book & loved it, I just knew this would be the same.! Highly recommend.

3.5 Stars
Lore of the Wilds was a 5 star read for me last year so I was so happy when I received approval for this eARC. While there is a lot I enjoyed about, I’m sad that I didn’t love it as much as I thought I would.
Lore of the Tides picks up right where Wilds left off. I found part one to be a little on the slower side but I loved seeing Lore begin exploring her magic while dealing with Syrelle’s betrayal. I really liked the expanded world and new characters Lore meets along the way. The writing is just as beautiful and vivid as it was in book one. I loved how descriptive it is.

As much as I Ioved Finn in Wilds (he was one of my favorites!) and was rooting for him and Lore to be together, I’m still unsure how I feel about the romance in this book. While I understand she can no longer trust Syrelle it just felt like she saw Finn and suddenly decided he’s the one she loved instead. It felt rushed and I wish it had taken a little longer before they actually got together.

I continue to love the magic system and enjoyed the slightly higher-stakes of Lore’s quest to find the sun book before it falls into dangerous hands. I did find that for all the buildup to the final showdown with the King, the actual battle was rushed.

Overall, this was a satisfying conclusion and I’m excited to see what Analeigh Sbrana writes next!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The final part of a fantasy duology, Lore of the Tides is a delightful adventure across land and sea to unite two grimoires and save a village.

I had such a great time with this book! Lore and Finn are wonderful leads, and being able to see their relationship develop more from Book 1 was a lot of what brought me back for Book 2. We love a grumpy MMC who hates everyone but her. The BANTER had me giggling and kicking my feet. When the main couple has the ability to joke and tease without fear of being misunderstood -ughhhh looooove it. It is so nice to see this kind of healthy communication.

And our side characters! I love how much time we got to spend with them. The siren Queen is one of my favorite secondary characters in a book in a while. She is what royalty SHOULD be, and I think her relationship with her prince consort is a mirror of what Lore and Finn will become.

The story became even more inspiring as we got closer to the end. Seeing people rise up to defeat a shared oppressor is ALWAYS a yes, and when you have a Black FMC leading the charge you just get chills thinking about how true the quotes from the chapters leading up to the final stand really are.

“We cannot be cynical when fighting for justice. When your cause is a worthy one, it is hope that will fuel the fires of change.”

“We deserve to be safe. We deserve to take up space. We will have that. We need only light our torches with her fire, hold them high, and fight.”

She’s back—and the stakes are higher than ever.

Lore Alemeyu returns and she’s not here to play. Waking up imprisoned on a ship in the middle of the ocean? Check. Surrounded by a crew who doesn’t trust her magic? Check. Betrayed by someone she thought she could trust? Double check. Lore’s diving deeper into the sea, into her power, and into a truth that could save or doom her entire world. 😮‍💨

This sequel brings everything we loved from the first book and cranks it all up:
🌀 shipboard tension
🔮 deeper magic
☀️ a deadly quest for the sun book
💔 that one Fae boy you can’t help but fall for
🔥 and Lore’s fierce, vulnerable, unapologetic strength.

But beyond the magic and romance, what makes this book hit is the representation. Lore is a dark-skinned Black girl at the center of her own epic. a story filled with danger, love, betrayal, and power. In a genre that has too often erased voices like hers, Lore’s presence feels like resistance and reclamation all in one. 🖤

This is for the girls with magic in their blood and fire in their hearts. The ones who’ve been burned before but still choose to fight and feel.

✨ So if you’ve been waiting to return to Lore’s world… it’s time.
She’s back. She’s rising. And she might just change everything. Happy belated release day to this beautiful story.

#LoreOfTheWilds #BookTwo #FantasySequels #BlackGirlMagic #FaeFantasy #QueerFantasy #OwnVoices #Bookstagram #FantasyReview #RepresentationMatters #SheIsMagic

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Analeigh Sbrana for the opportunity to read an eARC of this title. All thoughts are my own.

1.5/5⭐️

I was really hoping the second half of this duology would pull me in, but at no point did this story line grip me. I didn't ever truly feel a connection to any of the characters and while there were fun moments, overall, I was disappointed.

Finn was the silver lining in this story, but aside from that there isn't much I enjoyed. The story felt choppy, and I never felt like I couldn't put it down. In fact, I found myself putting it down frequently because the story wasn't intriguing enough for me.

It could be that this type of storytelling is just not for me. There were great elements to this book, but the overall story fell flat for me.