Contains spoilers.

While I still loved the characters in this story, this sequel fell short of my expectations. It seemed as if the author didn't have a clear cut idea of who she wanted Lore to end up with so it felt rushed and out of place adding in a "I love both versions of you now, but I'm still with this other guy who doesn't know I just told you I love you".

Also, the battle we were leading up to for both books was rushed and didn't make a lot of sense. There were pacing issues throughout. I feel like this would have been better as a trilogy to help with the pacing issues and character/relationship development.

This was a very highly anticipated read after the excitement of the first one, but unfortunately it didn't live up to the bar that the first book set.

Thank you to Net Galley for the early copy of Lore of the Tides on audio. This was a fabulous conclusion to the duology. After the shock at the end of book one, I was confident in the love story, but in this book the love triangle continues. Highly recommend!

This just couldn’t keep my interest.
I feel like we jumped into a whole new plot w/ sirens. I’m not against it, but I’m also not… Super into it.
It’s like we lost everything book 1 built up & thrown into something I couldn’t care less about.

The romance just wasn’t for me. It just felt forced and awkward? Homegirl fr drank some water and he gave her a “good girl”.
Sir, pls lmfao. We love a hydrated queen, but ☠️
Idk. It was just so weird to me.
*I didn’t particularly like the spice in book 1 either.

Overall, I’ll probably pick this back up again in the future. Marcella Cox did amazing narrating!!

3 stars | arc | audiobook

thank you so much net galley and harper collins for this arc! there were many beautiful parts to this story and atmospheric writing that i really enjoyed. however, like book one, i just felt like there was too much story at times, almost like there was 3-4 unfinished stories in one book. it would've benefited more from showing than telling. overall, i wish i connected to the characters more and was more invested in their story. this has a great foundation, but it just fell a little flat for me.

DNF @ 50%
i tried to get into this book but honestly just couldn’t. i couldn’t care about the characters or the plot or really anything going on, i kept dozing off, i even tried switching between audio and ebook and still no luck. the plot for this duology is interesting and had a lot of potential but it’s rushed and poorly edited, better than the first book but still has some flaws.

I made it to 23% and finally had to give up. I thought I would love this duology but it wasn’t for me. The writing style was too juvenile for this adult fantasy book and it was too much telling, not showing. I received an audio ARC from NetGalley, otherwise I probably would have given up on these books after the first one.

The writing style is very poor and the dynamics of the characters didn’t make sense. Lore is a prisoner, yet she’s calling the shots and stepping out of line.

This could’ve been a really cool duology, but unfortunately it didn’t work for me.

The narrator did a fine job, I think her voice worked for the character and the story.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book so much. I was so excited to read it after I finished the first one. Thank you for allowing me to read it. Definitely ended up getting a physical copy.

3.5✨ Overall I felt like this was a solid conclusion to the duology and a great debut for the author. I loved that it was kept at just 2 books and not overly drawn out.

The high points for me were the time in Lapis Deep, which painted a vivid picture of this realm under the sea and Lore’s time back in Duskmere with her people. And Finn 😍 everything about Finn.

Where I feel like it fell flat was in supporting details. If a character wasn’t needed they just disappeared until later and if a journey was too arduous it was just skipped and by the next chapter we were there. The ending battle was also convenient and could have used more details. So overall not a bad book at all if you want an adventure and perfect to pick up if you want fantasy without too much weighing it down.

This was an excellent end to this lovely duology. While sometimes I felt like it was busier than needed and other times slower than needed I still enjoyed it. The romance was a big piece but was very lackluster to me. I continued the story for the plot and not for the “love triangle.” But I enjoyed the overall story and genuinely do love Lore.

This was such a good listen! Th narrator did a really good job bringing the characters to life and painting a vivid picture of the story.

Lore of the Tides by Analeigh Sbrana is a strong sequel to Lore of the Wilds, filled with high-stakes tension, magical intrigue, and rich worldbuilding. Lore Alemeyu awakens aboard a ship in the middle of the ocean, held prisoner with no escape in sight. Distrusted for her magic, betrayed by a Fae she once trusted, and forced into a dangerous race for the powerful sun book, Lore must navigate both the treacherous crew and the ocean’s mysterious depths. Along the way, she encounters breathtaking undersea kingdoms, faces threats that could doom humanity, and wrestles with the pull of a Fae ally whose intentions, and heart, may be as dangerous as the quest itself.

Marcella Cox is a fantastic narrator and brought every character to life inside my head while listening, especially with Lore. I look forward to listening to more of her narration in future books.

I enjoyed seeing Lore grow into her powers while exploring new and vividly imagined Fae realms, with the underwater kingdom being a particular highlight. Sbrana balances action and romance well, keeping the story moving while deepening the emotional stakes. As the second book in her debut YA duology, it builds nicely on the first and leaves me eager to see where she takes her storytelling next.

This was just okay for me. It just felt vastly different in tone from Wilds to me. Lore of the Wilds was cottage core. Whereas Lore of the Tides felt like it lost that trying to be an epic adventure but falling juuust short of that, if that makes sense?

Let’s start by shouting from the rooftops how much I love the representation in this duology!!! I especially love that the color of their skin isn’t a plot point or device. They’re just brown people who exist in a fantasy world. Groundbreaking.

I also loved (but also struggled with) the world building in Tides. Learning more of the lore about the grimoires, the magic, the legacy/curse. I ate it UP.

And seeing Lore grow into her powers and role as a leader? Get it girl. She didn’t need a man to save her. She was too busy saving them.

All that said, I struggled with how swiftly Lore shifts from loving Asher/Syrelle to being head over heels for Finndryl. I mean, I get that Asher/Syrelle betrayed her. And I saw the attraction to Finndryl in Wilds. But the shift was so fast it almost felt like a rebound. It also made their spicy scenes feel a bit forced.

!!!SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

I also felt like some things came too easy:
• Restoring the magic to the Mother Pearl without any fight or failure
• Getting the second grimoire because she asked nicely?
• Syrelle and Finndryl are dead. Just kidding! It was just an illusion from the king. Shake it off.

OKAY IT’S SAFE TO KEEP READING

Finally, I really struggled with Marcella Cox’s narration. I usually listen at 1.0x but I had to speed it up to 1.5x to stay engaged. There were a lot of awkward pauses that jolted me out of the story. I mean, mid-sentence pauses that had me imagining her being unsure of what to say next until she physically turned the page. I did love her vocal range and will probably check out some of her other work. But it was really hard to find a rhythm with her in Wilds and in Tides.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the advanced listener copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

Even more stunning than the first book, Lyrical in all of the best ways. The love triangle blended with the emotions of betrayal is so heart-wrenching in this book. The prose and world-building is glorious as is the lore of Lore! One of my best reads this year, by far. Epic adventure. Hard choices. Love. Magic. Mythical beings. This book has everything a fantasy lover needs. Such a satisfying end to a wonderful duology.

As prior, the narrator really embraces the inner thoughts and evolution of the FMC. As always, I wish there was a male or secondary voice in there, but honestly, you forget after a while. That how good of a job she did.

I really loved the first book, so was so excited to read this one. Unfortunately it fell really flat for me. Overall I enjoyed the story and found some of the new characters really intriguing, but I felt like Lore’s time with them was a bit rushed over and they were gone before we got a chance to know them. I also felt the romance/“spice” thrown in felt very forced and a bit disjointed. Nobody is more disappointed than me that I didn’t love this book. I do think the author is really talented and I hope to see more from her in the future!

I was so excited for this sequel. I tried so hard to like it. I love the themes, but found the main character had become annoying. I like this author and I want to see more from her.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: .5 🌶️
Format: tandem ebook & audiobook

The plot in this duology is very unique and interesting, I loved the epic quest to find these magical grimoires and I loved how AS created a different take on woodland fae and oceanic fae (sirens). And y’all know I love a little animal sidekick, even though the fox didn’t show up a lot in this book.

The audio was a little too slow paced for me, though the narrator did really well at injecting emotion into the scenes. I did have to adjust the speed to 2.5x to keep my attention on the situation, which I seem to have to do to narrators who speak slower than average. I don’t usually like to speed up the audio for fear of missing emotional impact.

I’ll be looking forward to seeing what new projects AS will be working on in the future!

Notable Tropes ——

📕 Intelligent FMC
🧜🏻‍♀️ Magical Books
📕 Oppressed Minority/Rebellion
🧜🏻‍♀️ Enemies to Lovers to Enemies
📕 Mulitple love interests
🧜🏻‍♀️ Hidden Identity
📕 Found Family
🧜🏻‍♀️ Unique Magic System


Thank you to Avon & Harper Voyager for the eARC and to HarperAudio Adult for the ALC! I appreciate the opportunity to read/listen and review and give my honest opinion.

I've been looking forward to reading this since the second I closed the page on Book 1 earlier this year. I fell in love with Analeigh's writing and the way she built this magical world. This story continued Lore's adventures from the first book. This time, she wakes up to discover she's being held prisoner on a ship in the middle of the ocean, and is on the hunt for the missing grimoire. The story that follows is full of action, adventure, and drama. Seeing our FMC and MMCs grow and develop throughout their challenges and trials was well done. Lore is one of my favourite FMCs that I've read. Her character is well-rounded and has strength and depth. This story was an excellent conclusion to the series, and Analeigh is on my must-read list now.

In Lore of the Tides, Lore is trying to find Auroradel (the matching grimoire to Deeping Loon). She needs both books to defeat the Fae King and set the people of Dustmer free. On her journey, she learns more about herself and the people around her. At the end, she thought she lost, but Sorrel, Fin, and her family/village were there to show and tell her that she still had the chance to win and free her people.

What you will find in this book:
💚 Fast Pace
💚 Adventure Packed
💚 Love Triangle
💚 Spice 🥵🔥
💚 “Good girl.”
💚 Tidy Ending

I reread Lore of the Wilds right before diving into Lore of the Tides and I am so glad I did. The story picks up right where the Wilds ends, and after all the surprises at the end of the Wilds I was so glad for that.

The Tides felt much faster paced to me. While we stayed at the library and other places for a bit in the Wilds, the Tides felt like it was always on the move. It was definitely an adventure (honestly multiple) and I loved it!

The love triangle triangled more for me in this book than the last one. I ended book 1 thinking “Asher” was it for sure - but then we all know what happened… In this one I genuinely did not know what was going to happen in the romance department. I fell for both MMCs harder. Up until the last few pages, I was still thinking maybe it would go in a “why choose” direction. However, I do understand why she ended up with the MMC that she did. I grew to love him so much more in this book. I highlighted so many of his quotes! Honestly, I highlighted so many of both of their quotes. Analeigh Sbrana knows how to make you fall for multiple fictional characters for sure!

Overall, I loved the book and the ending for Lore. She deserves some rest after all of this! I hope we get a peak into their lives in a future duology!

The voice actor, Marcella Cox, was also amazing. She brought Lore's story to life for me and I definitely recommend listening to this duology if you can!

Favorite quotes:

“He called you a witch, so I broke his jaw.”

“I try to live my life as if nothing is impossible.”

“You were this small yet mighty little star shine that walked in the door and never once left my thoughts. From the moment I met you, all that I was, all that I had been, was undone because all that mattered — was you.”

The fuck it will! “I have no intention of dying today.”

“Tell me what you desire, Lore. I want to hear you say it.” Lore bit her lip before admitting, “I want you to taste me.” He rumbled his satisfaction. “Good girl.”

“I’ve been lost for as long as I’ve been alive. It wasn’t until I met you that I realized where I was meant to be.”

“Remember, Lore. The grimoires did not give you their magic; they were simply the key that unlocked the magic within you. You are magic, Lore.”

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

“I will love you until they put me in the ground, and even then, my love will endure.”

Lore of the Tides was a whimsical, complex, romantic, and magical read. I loved that a portion of the story took place under water. The story picked up where is left off in LOTW with non-stop plot twists. It was a truly unique reading experience that was cozy & full of magical creatures. Reading this was like sipping spiced tea...it was cozy and yet spicceyyy with romance and adventure.

The ending of the novel was perfection. I felt happy with how the plot and other minor issues were resolved in the end. A great read!