I loved the first book in this series. I also enjoyed this one. While I was an Asher fan, I understand his betrayal, but it's something about the wings LOL

I think the story between our love birds was sweet, and she deserves some happiness. I love the cover of this book, it is just simply gorgeous.

This book is the thrilling continuation of Lore Alemeyu's story. She is torn between head and heart as she navigates between what she needs to do for her people and what she wants to do for her heart.

This story was captivating from start to finish with more magic, more heartbreak, more world-building than what we saw in the first book. Diving deeper into the characters was so thrilling, gaining a better understanding of their motivations and intentions throughout their tumultuous journey.

Overall, I enjoyed the content of this book and I can't wait to see more from this author!

Lore of the Tides was such a stunning conclusion of this duology. I am absolutely in love with every single page of this book. The character additions, specifically from the Siren world (im specifically looking at Hazen) had me by the neck. I adored them all. The writing in this book is so much more vivid and rich and I feel as though Analeigh Sbrana has truly found her footing and niche as an author. This was such a perfect duology & I cannot wait to see what she writes next!

Lore of the tides is an epic fantasy sequel with devastatingly handsome fae, merfolk, grimoires, and revolution!! I didn't not read the first book, but the tale had enough nuance to catch up without feeling lost. Analeigh has a fresh perspective on magic with many twists, challenges and a brilliant reckoning to provide much needed closure. The characters grow and morph before us abd you are left bewildered at transformations. A much overdue introduction, a long oending reunion brings the tale back to a full circle. I'd highly recommend this for readers who liked Daughter of the Pirate King and Skin of the Sea.
Waiting to see what new tales Analeigh brings to life next!!
Many thank yous to Netgalley and Avon & Harper Voyager for the opportunity!!

I absolutely DEVOURED this sequel. This was book has it all, fantasy, intrigue, plot, suspense, and love not just romance but found family and friends. I loved that it took us to a new realm and added more adventure even if it wasn’t part of the original plot. I think adding it in made it that more interesting and only added to the story. I also enjoyed the love triangle even if at times it tore at my heart just like it did for Lore. Honestly I wish I could say more but I won’t dare spoil the book for you. I honestly couldn’t put this book down and hope you don’t either because we need more romantasy authors who include things that make readers felt seen like Analeigh did.

After the way Lore of the Wilds left off, I was anxious to see what would become of my favorite characters. This book was filled with character development and hard-won battles. If you thought Lore couldn’t be put through more strife, buckle up. She claws her way through horrible circumstances to save her people. I admire how she picked herself up after going through many nightmare inducing scenarios.

This book highlighted how fear can turn into a dangerous weapon against yourself or others. Fear of those different to what you believe in led to Lore facing such horrible discrimination and hardship. Fear imprisoned the humans. Being afraid and doing it anyway was a big theme in this book. Lore and the humans especially had a tough journey in this. I liked that the healing that came after hardship was focused on by the people. It was a beautiful message.

I enjoyed the romance in this book as well. I like how Lore handled and untangled her feelings before jumping in. She’s stronger than me, that’s all I’ll say. I love how supportive the relationship was. They made each other stronger while also being a safe place to show weakness. I love them so much!

Jumping in this second book in the duology picks right up from the cliffhanger in book one. My excitement to see the story unfold in this conclusion installment helped propel me through the story. I appreciated the expanded world this time moving beyond the forest to the desert and the sea. With these new locations come new characters that help drive the story forward and continue to highlight the different cultures in the world Ms. Sbrana created. The beautifully described details paint a rich backdrop for the continuing adventure for freedom, hope, and love.

Lore our main character continues to grow and step into her power throughout the story. While I love an inner monologue and can relate to spiral thinking at times these moments felt a bit repetitive. Lore’s journey is broken into three parts which ultimately wrapped in a satisfying conclusion even with the occasional slowing in plot. Adventure, love triangles, and inner determination are at the heart of this book and create a blend between cozy and epic fantasy.
Analeigh Sbrana has created a unique and valuable story allowing black readers to see themselves in characters. Job well done and I can’t wait to see what this author will next.
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC. Can’t wait to get my physical copy on publication day!!

Analeigh Sbrana’s Lore of the Tides sweeps readers into a world where salt and spellcraft entwine, delivering a lyrical and adventurous fantasy set on the high seas. At the heart of the story is Lore, a determined human girl aboard a ship that is anything but safe. Between navigating treacherous alliances and unraveling secrets beneath the ocean’s surface, Lore’s mission to find the elusive Sun Book and free her people is gripping from start to finish. The narrative is rich with atmosphere—Sbrana conjures lush, haunting imagery of deep waters, forgotten magic, and shifting loyalties. The stakes rise with every chapter, especially as Lore is drawn to a mysterious Fae male whose intentions may not be entirely pure. Their chemistry crackles, adding emotional depth to a plot already brimming with tension and wonder. But the heart of the story lies in Lore’s inner struggle: can she trust again, especially when the fate of humanity is on the line? Sbrana masterfully balances romance, peril, and self-discovery, all while crafting a heroine who is both fierce and vulnerable. Lore of the Tides is a vivid, emotionally resonant tale that will appeal to fans of oceanic fantasy, forbidden romance, and stories of hope in the face of betrayal.

We return to Lore’s world adrift-literally.
Waking up as a prisoner on a ship in the middle of the ocean wasn’t exactly part of Lore Alemeyu’s grand plan, but that’s where we dive into this sweeping conclusion to the Lore of the Wilds duology. Surrounded by suspicious Fae, haunted by betrayal, and tangled in a race to find the elusive sun book, Lore is forced to navigate both the perilous seas and the murky depths of trust, magic, and heartache.

While Lore of the Wilds still holds my heart a little tighter, this sequel stands strong with new stakes, a changed world, and a deeper exploration of who Lore is becoming. The adventure expands, the risks deepen, and the ocean adds a new kind of magic. Mysterious, vast, and ever-changing.

There were moments where the pacing felt a bit rushed, like we were speeding through scenes that deserved more space to breathe. But the emotional pull remains steady. The tension with a certain Fae male? Still delicious. The danger of trusting the wrong hands with the right magic? Still razor-sharp.

Read this if you love:
🌊 Human x Fae dynamics that toe the line between longing and betrayal
🌊 Magical oceans hiding secrets
🌊 Found courage, reclaimed power, and heroines who don’t back down
🌊 Slow-burn romance simmering under high-stakes fantasy

This duology is exactly the kind of fantasy romance we need more of. Bold, heartfelt, and enchanted with just the right amount of danger. Analeigh Sbrana has created a world I’d happily drown in again and again. Thank you to NetGalley, the Publisher and Author.

First, thank you HarperCollins for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I am heartbroken to say that I didn’t love this book the way I loved Lore of the Wilds. Book one was so darkly whimsical and enchanting, and while this book was fully of magic and adventure, I feel it was disjointed and unbalanced as a whole. My criticisms are all based in the writing and technique, not the content of the story.

1. What I Enjoyed:

“I am not free until we are all free.”

* I really loved the messages about strength in humanity, coming together, defeating oppression, and holding on to hope. It is not hard to see the parallels between this world and ours.
* I love the dark cottage core vibes of the world, the different enchanted elements, elemental magic, and various paranormal / fantasy creatures.
* Lore is a really great FMC and I adored her and her journey, overall. Seeing Black FMCs in fantasy is ALWAYS a good thing. Finndryl remains my fave. I won’t speak on Asher as to avoid any major spoilers.
* There were several very humorous passages that I quite enjoyed.

2. What I Didn’t Like;
* There is no balance between the two books in terms of pacing or plot load. Book one was decently balanced, with a pace that I enjoyed. It felt like a decent amount of action happened without being under or overwhelming. Book two was extremely unbalanced. The pacing was inconsistent, large chunks of the plot could have honestly been removed and the story would have worked. Large portions of the book were spent on things that didn’t need extensive explanations and not enough time on plot points and loose ends. There was also a lot of repetitive inner monologue.
* Many things that I was looking for closure on from book one felt like afterthoughts. Loose ends were hastily resolved with random, underwhelming conclusions [ember the fox, Syrelle ancestor, the skyglass, Lore’s friend Grey].
* The spice scenes are so inconsistent. Sometimes they are so vague that the author doesn’t even name body parts, other times they are more detailed and use words like “cum.” I think it would have worked better if the author had picked one style of writing sex scenes and stayed consistent. Certain things were overly repetitive, such as “good girl.”
* Random, out of the blue pet name that I didn’t think fit.
Odd dialogue during scenes that are meant to be sexy, such as: “You taste like marigolds and honey, honey,”
* Maybe I read into it more than I should have in book one, but the conclusion about the humans’ obsession with the sky, stars, and their skyglass Ziara, was so underwhelming.
* Lastly, the love triangle was ultimately unnecessary for the plot. I don’t mind love triangles, but I have to say, this one served little purpose. Lore and one of the MCs could have just as easily been best friends instead of lovers and the plot would have worked the same.

I am rating this 3 stars because ultimately I really loved book one and I genuinely believe that others will enjoy this book more than I did.

Last year I read the first book, Lore of The Wilds. I rated it 5 stars. Unfortunately I had a few issues with this book that led to me leaving a lesser rating. First and foremost, I loved the plot. Seeing Lore continue on her journey and grow in her magic was amazing. The pacing was all over the place though, which I found frustrating. The sex scenes also felt a bit forced, especially because this book reads as YA. Those 2 things really set a slight negative tone for me as I read, despite how much I really loved the story. Overall, I enjoyed this story and would like to see Lore’s story continued.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook arc for my honest review and honestly I don’t feel like my review will do this book justice. Beautifully written and more world building with love interest and betrayal.
The story continues after Asher betrays both Lore and Finn and takes them both aboard his ship heading for home. While keeping the prisoner he forces her to contour to use the moon grimoire to fine the sun grimoire. While traveling by sea their boat is overtaken by sirens and Lore, Finn adn Asher were taken prisoners. The siren queen requests that Lore helps them restore their pearl that gives them essence and powers their livelihood, she agrees and with the help of Finn they set out to help, she uses the source to help Finn break the curse on his powers, after that they are granted permission to keep their mark given to them by the sirens to visit when they want.
After returning to the surface Lore sets off with Finn and the Siren Prince to find the second grimoire and when they find the entrance in the middle of a griffins nest, and after multiple test she is able to acquire the grimoire and head home where she finds that all the fields have been salted and that her people live in such poverty they’re lucky to be alive.
She and her people make a plan and march for the castle to demand that they be able to leave the kingdom and go their own way.
When she meets with the king she realizes too late that they walked right into a trap and that he was waiting and pre-paired for them. After falling for his trap and he uses mind magic on her and that she believes that everyone is dead Asher rises up and steals the grimoires from his cousin and saves Lore by getting her out of prison and healing her. He then helps her rise up against his uncle and upsets his throne.
The only thing that I did not like is Lore and Finn’s relationship maybe it because I kept hoping deep down her and Asher would work it out but I felt their relationship was a little forces or moved too fast at times. This book is definitely spicier than the last and I’m sad that this is only a duology.

Thank you, HarperVoyager, for a gifted copy of this book!

Lore of the Tides by Analeigh Sbrana is a powerful and immersive conclusion to the Lore of the Wilds duology, an emotionally rich and action-packed finale that ties this saga together beautifully. Lore, the reluctant chosen one at the heart of the story, faces betrayal, uncovers new fantastical realms, and continues her fight for her people’s freedom. The stakes are higher, the world expands in incredible ways, and the magic becomes even more vivid and fully realized.

This installment dives deeper into the complexities of Lore’s world, introducing new creatures and characters who help shape her journey. What I loved most was the contrast between Lore’s heavy burden as a leader and the moments of vulnerability she allows herself, especially in her relationships. Her love interest brings a refreshing sense of balance and support, helping Lore not only feel seen and loved, but also more certain in her fight for what truly matters.

The emotional weight of this story is grounded in Lore’s growth, and I was completely swept away by her journey, both on land and in the ocean’s mysterious depths. I can’t wait to see what Analeigh Sbrana writes next.

If you enjoy fantasy stories with richly built worlds, emotional depth, and resilient heroines, Lore of the Tides is not to be missed.

Star Rating: 4.5

I absolutely LOVE a good duology. This was the perfect conclusion. I am obsessed with Analeigh Sbrana!

Thank you Harper Voyager for the free copy of the book, all thoughts are my own!

I read an ARC of Lore of the Wilds last year and remember having a good time but overall being underwhelmed. Unfortunately that experience held true for Lore of the Tides. If you are up for a fun queer-normative Black girl romantasy about a human with magic and her hot fae love triangle and you're okay with big fantasy plot points being solved way too easily, then I think you'll really enjoy this duology. For me, a lot of the big pivotal scenes felt contrived/wrapped up too quickly and neatly. But I'm a messy fantasy girlie and I tend to like my fantasy problems to be complicated and drawn out. (And I know that's not for everyone!)

Overall, super glad I read it, because I did have a good time, I just kept wanting more from it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reader's copy of the book. I liked this book. It wrapped things up well. I will say I think I preferred the first one more, but all in all, this one does the job. I do like the expansion of the world with the introduction of the Siren people. There were some parts that I feel took too long, and then the ending and final confrontation felt a little rushed so the pacing could have been a little better. Solid job.

5/5 stars!! A breathtaking conclusion I didn’t know I needed 😭

Y’all. When I say I devoured this book… whew. Just like Lore of the Wilds, this was an easy 5-star read for me. And can we talk about how refreshing it was that this was a duology?! Not every story gotta drag into a trilogy, and Analeigh wrapped this up perfectly. No loose threads, no filler, just pure adventure from start to finish.

The world-building had me in it again. I felt like I was right beside Lore and Finn on every part of their journey. The fae, the magic, the danger, the sorcery… this was true fantasy goodness and I was living for it.

And let’s get into Lore’s growth!! Shed went from figuring out who she was in Book 1 to being that powerful sorceress by the end of this one. Her arc was so satisfying. And Lore and Finn? The superior pairing. I liked Asher well enough, but the chemistry between Lore and Finn was undeniable in this book. Finn’s little “good girl” moments? 👀🔥 had me blushing like crazy 😭😂. The tension, the connection, the way it all built up, chef’s kiss 🤌🏽

I genuinely have no complaints. This was everything I wanted in a fantasy duology and more. If you’re craving fae, magic, slow-burn romance, and a heroine who fully comes into her own, go grab this series. Analeigh Sbrana did the damn thing!


Thank you to Analeigh Sbrana, NetGalley, and Harper Voyager for the ARC of Lore of the Tides in exchange for my honest review.

Without skipping a beat we dive straight into Lore’s next adventure. I loved exploring this new adventure! I truly enjoyed the world building and magic within! But I was a bit irritated with Lore and her attraction with someone else. I did feel like there were some pacing issues, as it slowed down incredibly for me in many parts. But I stuck with it because I wanted to see how it all ended, and that twist towards the end was well done.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC .

I loved book 1 and was so super excited about book 2 but I was sadly disappointed. This all felt very rushed to me. The pacing was horrible for the first third of this novel. Lore's internal monologue felt incredibly. It repetitive and it felt like it took a page to describe emotions that she had described earlier.
I wasn't shocked that Finn moved in as the romantic lead. What I was surprised by was his complete loss of personality. There was no conversation, no disagreements, and no chemistry at all. He has no opinions and just flirts with Lore continuously.
I felt just underwhelmed. The idea were there but lacking in completion.

I'll be honest, I read Lore of the Wild when it was published, and while I loved the idea and the overall plot, I felt that the book suffered from inconsistencies and many issues, particularly the story constantly jumping between scenes without a proper transition, and lack of proper info when it's needed. The plot twist ending was intriguing though, enough so that I requested the ARC of Lore of the Tides in hopes that the issues from book 1 were improved.

Lore of the Tides is split into 3 parts. Part 1 was really good, and definitely kept me interested while being mostly satisfying in the lack of issues from book 1, though I wasn't a fan of how frequently Lore got stuck in her own thoughts (which only gets worse as the book carries on) and her almost bipolar mood swings. She also has thoughts or breakthroughs, and then promptly forgets them only a few pages or chapters later, which is extremely frustrating for someone who is so determined to save her people from the Fae. It was also troublesome that the cast of characters are supposed to be young adults, but at times they act like immature children, especially when you have Lore, Finn, and Syrelle all together on the page.

Part 2 brings quite the plot twist to the original storyline, but this is where the book really fell apart for me as we add in yet another plotline for Lore to deal with, and because of how the characters handle this change, I really started to lose interest in the book in general. Especially as chapter 26, where the story jumps so wildly without any clearly explained reason, that I was immediately thrown mentally out of the book and struggled to enjoy it any further. There were also quite a few massive logically faults concerning the environment that we find the characters in, and that really bothered me a lot, especially the one issue that made their lives almost unnecessarily more difficult.

The first half of Part 2 is also apparently when Syrelle becomes barely a side character without any real good reason, and he just disappeared from the pages while the story focuses on Lore and Finn almost exclusively instead. And while I enjoyed their chemistry, it felt almost awkward since Syrelle is so involved in Part 1.

I really really wish I had enjoyed this series more, because again, I loved the idea of the plot, but the execution of the whole story fell short for me.