I foolishly requested this sequel knowing full-well that I hadn't yet picked up the first book, but it had been one of my most anticipated releases of the past year and I was sure I would love it. I was wrong. I had so many issues with Lore of the Wilds that I was crossing my fingers, hoping for some improvement in the second half of the duology.

Now, going into book number two, I see nothing has changed. The stilted, abrupt writing style. The lack of character depth. The strangely young tone of Lore's internal dialogue. The pacing that seems to somehow drag for a million years and yet skip out on any kind of detail. The first book felt like a side-quest, and this sequel was a spin-off to a side-quest. Unnecessary, boring, and difficult to even skim through.

I deeply wished to support a duology authored by and starring a cast full of magical Black main characters. We deserve a fantasy romance that is just as deep, thought-provoking, lush, and inspiring as other epic stories being published nowadays. I believe with more preparation and attuned skill, it would have been possible with this series.

I ate this book up and left no crumbs. It's a perfect duet and I can't say enough good things about it!

I have been looking forward to this so when I received the is arc I was so excited!! Thank you!

Sbrana’s world-building is both expansive and immersive. The inclusion of diverse characters and cultures adds depth and authenticity to the fantasy setting.  
Lore’s character development is a standout aspect of the novel. Transformed by grief and betrayal, she evolves into a formidable protagonist whose journey is both heart-wrenching and inspiring.


It's going to be hard to write a review without naming specifics or giving anything away. Lore continues to be a well-written and relatable character, which is something I loved most about the first book. Is she perfect? No, but that's what makes her human (literally). There were a couple of moments and events that felt rushed, but considering its the second book of a duology, I'm not upset by it. Overall, the pacing was well timed and I was locked in from moment to moment during my read. I appreciate when sequels pick things up right where we left them and didn't suffer the whiplash of a huge time skip. Lore of the Tides is the perfect sequel to Wilds and it made me wish there were more adult duologies. If you loved or even liked Wilds, then please make sure you pick up Tides. You won't be disappointed!

I loved Lore of the Wilds and was so absolutely feral to get my hands on the sequel. It more than exceeded my expectations. I started reading this after work and blinked and I was 60% in to the book and had to go to bed and k wasn’t happy about it.
Immersive, world expanding, immense character growth and new characters to love. This book absolutely blew me away at every turn. The writing is astounding with some of the most beautiful mental images just burned in to my mind. The relationships between the MCs are insanely compelling and complex and even the one off characters consistently being something amazing to the table that make me go HEY WAIT, COME BACK.
I am totally obsessed with Sbrana’s style and this just cemented why she will be an autobuy author for me from here on out … just stellar.

I read Lore of the Wilds in early 2024. I described it as a middle-of-the-road experience, but I felt hopeful that the story under this debut author would improve with experience. Unfortunately, this did not prove to be the case. Lore of the Tides felt very rushed to me. Who knows how many years it took the author to sculpt their debut; it is evident that enough time was not given to develop this sequel.

Pacing
The pacing was abysmal for the first third of this novel. Lore's internal monologue felt incredibly cyclic. It often took a page to describe emotions that she had described just ten pages earlier. I understand this was an attempt to represent a push and pull in her relationship with Syrelle. Unfortunately, it had the consequence of making Lore appear petulant and uninquisitive.

Romance
After the betrayal of Asher/Syrelle in the previous novel, I wasn't shocked that Finn moved to the forefront as the romantic lead. What I was surprised by was his complete loss of personality. He seemed to have become an opinionless puppet whose only purpose in the plot was to flirt with Lore. There was no deep conversation, no disagreements, and no chemistry. Frankly, for a romantsy novel, this is such an important aspect to be so woefully underwritten. To develop sexual chemistry, it seemed that they would flirt in the most inappropriate situations, undercutting the seriousness of the moment. A half-hearted conflict about leaving him behind was created. I didn't feel worried or invested as it was obvious that Finnadryl would agree to whatever Lore wanted and follow her anywhere. There was the tantalizing suggestion that she could have had both Syrelle and Finnadryl. But, besides an acknowledgment of some feelings for both, this didn't go anywhere (understandably).

The Plot
The Lavender Lark
The first portion of the book is related to Lore's captivity on the ship. There is no good reason or explanation for why Syrelle also kidnaps Finnadryl, except that he is involved in the rest of the story and is the primary love interest. There were some bright spots here. The scene where Lore scryed for the second book was fascinating and almost disturbing. Learning about Syrelle's family, and the crafting of the persona of Asher, was more interesting than anything else that happened to a character in this novel. It almost made me wish that the novel was about his backstory and how he got so twisted trying to get revenge and do what was right. The scene where the crew attempts to murder Lore was excellent. I especially enjoyed the moments where she used the life around her to fuel her magic. It had the same grounding in nature that I loved in the first novel. Unfortunately, this is the last time I can remember enjoying how her magic was described.

The Sunken Garden
The titular tides; I suppose. I am a huge fan of mermaids, sirens, and underwater fantasy, but, this section was underwritten. After they received a magical water-breathing kiss, they might as well have been on land. Almost no effort was made to relate the differences in the setting. They moved, breathed, ate, and acted as though it was land with, very few exceptions. There was even a sex scene where I was almost intrigued to see how being deep underwater would change the writing. Alas, it felt exactly like the scenes before and after it.

The conflict of reigniting the pearl to save the Siren Kingdom felt utterly without stakes and, I had no doubt for even a moment that they would be successful. It honestly felt more like a plumbing issue than a magical one. Lore uses this access to the Source to break Finnadryl's curse without his permission and without any consequence. I almost wished he could have woken up without magic. How disappointing and interesting and moving that might have been.

The Book of Sunbeams
Briefly, they go to another continent to find the Aurodel and through a series of riddles pretty much find a book lost for millennia in under a week. Boring.

Duskmere and the King
By this point, I was thoroughly fed up. The book lacked urgency and it was obvious that good would triumph with no losses, Syrelle would be king, and Lore and Finn would sail off into the sunset together. And so it was. The King's powerful magic being drawn from the humans that he had brought there for that explicit purpose was so interesting yet undercut by the rushed pacing.

Lines that made me cringe
"Fuck-ass ship"
"Unveil your mosaic wings for me."
"You've turned bitter, Syrelle, and I've just gotten better."

I felt like I could see the buds of so many interesting ideas. Unfortunately, they weren't allowed to flourish and, it is to this novel's detriment.

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

DNF 50%
I honestly didn't love the first book. Which really disappointed me because there was so much hype for the first book. I requested an arc for this second book and still did not like the series. I found it to be very underwhelming at times. The FMC was not much better than she was in the first book. I'm very disappointed I really wanted to like this but everything was all over the place for me.

From the author of Lore of the Wilds comes the exciting and passionate conclusion, as Lore navigates Fae magic amid looming dangers that threaten to destroy her world.

Lore of The Tides is the sequel to Lore of The Wilds, in this book, Lore is tasked with finding Auroradel which is the sister book of Deeping Lune.

The pacing was the biggest issue for me. It felt slow for too long, and by the time things picked up, I was already kind of checked out. The writing style just didn’t pull me in, which made it hard to stay engaged.

Overall, Lore of the Tides had some great ideas and characters, but the execution didn’t quite work for me. I liked the concept, but the uneven pacing and lack of a satisfying ending left me feeling a bit let down. If there’s ever a follow-up to truly wrap things up, I’d consider giving it a shot.

Excellent conclusion to an already amazing story. I am devastated that my time with Lore is over. 😭 I loved my experience with this story.

This was a very beautiful, very emotional, and very intense read. I absolutely love this book, even more so than the first book. In Lord of the Wild, the world is being built, we see the disparity between how humans are treated and regarded by all other races in this realm, and how Lore is trying to make things better for her people. By the end of the book, we deal with truths being revealed, betrayal, and trying to figure out where to go from there. In Lore of the Tides, we go right into the thick of things. There’s no time to figure out. “What do I do?” “I can’t believe he hurt me.” And during that journey, we see a re-definition of trust and forgiveness. We see Lore rallying around her people and the people having to find strength where there was none and find courage where the well has run dry. By the end of this book, I legit cried. It was so enjoyable, yet impactful. It was such a ride and to go through all of the things that Lore and the rest of her people in Duskmere went through, it was just a release I needed. I ended up crying in the end. I definitely recommend everyone reading, reviewing, and buying this duology. It is something that needs to be in everyone’s personal library.

I want to thank NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this book!


Lori wakes up on a ship, to discover that they want her to find the sun book. She is drawn to a fae make that she discovers and could possibly fall in love with. The story was action packed good world and character building. I love how Lori was determined to do exactly what needed to be done and sacrificed herself to make things and do things that needed to be done. This was a great conclusion to a two book story would highly recommend.

I loved Lore of the Wilds, but Lore of the Tides fell short for me. The ocean setting and high-stakes quest had promise, but the pacing was uneven and Lore’s journey often felt too easy.

Finn’s character lost much of his charm, while the tension with Syrelle was far more compelling. The romance felt rushed, and the ending lacked the satisfying payoff I wanted.

Overall, a sequel with some great ideas, but it didn’t capture the magic that made the first book so special.

A beautifully layered sequel full of magic, betrayal, and tangled emotions. Lore’s search for the second book of Sunbeams is intense, but it’s her heart that faces the greater trial. Though Syrelle betrayed her, Lore’s feelings haven’t faded—and now she has to trust him to find the book before his uncle the king. Syrelle, Finndryl and new allies challenge everything she thought she knew about loyalty, love, and trust. The emotional tension is as gripping as the magic, with a slow-burn romance and unresolved heartbreak that keeps you turning pages. A stunning continuation of Lore’s journey—raw, magical, and unforgettable. But also if you’re Team Finndryl, you will not be disappointed. You will see a great growth in his character.

Going into this book I was so excited for Lore of the Tides, but it didn't hit the same as Lore of the Wilds. I loved the story and the adventure and even the love triangle from book 1 (which I usually cannot stand). However. This one had a lot more spice (but not necessarily ROMANCE??! IDK I didn't love the love interests as much in book 2) that I didn't think the book necessarily needed, but I think my main issue was the pacing. Sometimes it felt like everything was moving in slow motion and I lost interest, before picking up and kind of skipping through scenes that I feel like should have taken longer?? Like the "struggles" she faced with the king and the ending?? After everything? That's it??! Still a highly entertaining duology, even if I wanted more from book 2. Thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC!

Lore of the tides was berthing I wanted and needed. I couldn’t put this book down for anything and I’m sure it drive my family crazy.

I’m so thankful I got to ARC read this book. I was obsessed with Lore of the Wilds and was devastated at the cliffhanger ending. Lore of the Tides DELIVERED. Sometimes book two doesn’t live up to expectations but Tides couldn’t be further from that. It was amazing. Analeigh’s writing is poetic and her world building is beautiful. I love the unique magic system of this story and I wish we could have more stories in this world. I can’t wait to listen to the audiobook when it comes out!

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Voyager for an advanced copy!

Lore of the Wilds: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lore of the Tides: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Can we take a moment for how beautiful the cover art is on both books in this series!!!! I was so excited for this arc, as I loved book 1, and am happy to say that Lore of the Tides blew me away. I’m glad I did a reread because I forgot how much of a cliffhanger Lore of the Wilds left off on! Lord Syrelle has taken Lore and Finn captive on his boat, and is trying to get Lore to work for him. He wants her to find the Auroradel, the companion grimoire to one Lore previously found in the library, the Deeping Lune. While he wants it for his uncle, the king, Lore wants to use it’s power to save her people and get them out from the fae king’s rule. There is so much tension at the beginning of the book between the damage done to Lore and Syrelle’s relationship, Lore trying to find Finn on the ship, as well as the ship’s crew thinking of Lore as a witch. Their hunt from the grimoire ends up taking them on an exciting adventure to an underwater kingdom and through a mountain range. I will admit that I had no idea how the love triangle was going to pan out, and at parts I was rooting for both mmcs. I thought the ending was a really nice wrap up to this duology. I think all of the characters had really good growth throughout this book. I also loved getting to see more of this world!

“I am yours until the seas run dry and the earth dissolves to dust.”

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

Read this series for:
Cottagecore vibes
Cozy fantasy mixed with action
Underwater adventure
Love triangle
Magical grimoires

Lore of the Tides was a great follow-up to Lore of the Wilds. Lore is a genuinely sweet and good FMC. Sbrana did a good job of having this story pick up from where the first book left off. I think she did a good job of adding elements to the story that may have been missing from the first book. The world building was well done and the author did a good job of expanding this complex world and magic system. I'm still not sold on the idea of this series being "adult" romantasy as it still reads more like young adult romantasy in my opinion.

5⭐ 2🌶️

There it IS! This was everything I hoped for after finishing book one and exceedingly better than its predecessor. I really enjoyed Lore of the Wilds but I LOVED Lore of the Tides. The angst, the adventure, the humor…perfection.

Lore really came into her own in this one and I was absolutely here for the feminine rage and badassery she brought while still showing us her compassionate and, at times, fragile heart. There was also definitely some more romance this time around and both Asher and Finn developed quite a bit throughout as well, becoming the best versions of themselves by the end. After the cliffhanger in book one, I was a bit nervous, but I devoured the final journey of and resolution to our angsty triangle and felt it came to the perfect conclusion.

I had so much fun reading about all of the new places the search for Auroradel took our friends. Each new location full of details and lore (pun intended) that were well thought out and engaging, while presenting dangers that had me on the edge of my seat and holding my breath.

I adored the ending–from taking down the villains to Lore finally accepting love and her place in the world with both her true and found family to our favorite site characters finding their own happy endings, my heart melted at the final pages of this duet and I’ll be thinking of it fondly for a long time to come.

**Thank you Avon and Netgalley for the eArc**

4.5 ⭐️

Let me start off by saying, I loved these characters. Lore was a great FMC, she had so much personality. We explored new places in this book. I really enjoyed those bits and how they were written.
There were parts that did feel a bit rushed but overall I loved this duology. Lore of the Tides was a great conclusion to the story.