I adored Lore of the Wilds and could not wait to read Lore of the Tides, as it was one of my most anticipated reads for this year.

That being said, I don't think yall understand how devastated I am to not have loved this. I was so excited to see how Lore's story would come to a close, especially after how Wilds ended.

I think the pacing of this is what really tanked it for me. The plot was repetitive and dragged on for so long only to rush the conclusion—which left a lot to be desired.

I see Sbrana's vision, but the execution let me down.

Thank you to NetGalley, Analeigh Sbrana, Harper Audio, and Harper Voyager for an eARC and ALC of Lore of the Tides in exchange for an honest review.

Okay I read Lore of the Wilds and I was not wowed but I did enjoy it and the cliffhanger left me wanting to keep reading. However, I had a lot of issues that affected my enjoyment of this book. I felt like even though Lore was 21 a lot of the dialogue and her inner monologue was incredibly juvenile. I feel like a prime example of this was when she referred to her toes as “toesies” a word I have only ever used when playing with my toddlers. That honestly made it impossible for me to overlook any of the other shortcomings. I realize it is one word and seems nit-picky, but Lore is an adult with intimate scenes in this story. It seems wildly inappropriate and infantilizing. On top of that very minimal plot development occurs in the first 40% of the book. This led to a lot of boredom and disinterest on my end. I then felt like too much happened in the last 60% that none of it had enough information and was very rushed. I don’t know, give it a read if those things don’t bother you?

As far as the audio goes I thought the narrator, Marcella Cox, did a fantastic job!

I’m really glad I read book one first because I absolutely fell in love with it—it completely stole my heart. That’s probably why book two felt like a bit of a letdown in comparison. Throughout the story, I kept waiting for those intense, emotional highs or challenges that would shake the characters to their core, but they just never came. There were several moments where I thought, “Wait… that’s it?” It felt like everything wrapped up a little too neatly. Fights were resolved quickly, problems were handled almost effortlessly, and the stakes I was expecting never fully materialized. The journey to get from point A to point B was long, sure, but the payoff didn’t feel worth the buildup.

Don’t get me wrong—this author still has a beautiful writing style, and I genuinely enjoy how she tells a story. She's firmly on my auto-buy list. But I really wanted more from this book: more tension, more depth, more emotional investment. I ended up giving this one four stars, mostly because of how much I adored the first book. If this had been my introduction to the series, though, it might’ve landed closer to three stars. I’m still hopeful for what comes next, but I’m crossing my fingers that the magic of book one returns in full force.

I really enjoyed Lore of the Tides and felt like this duology hit the perfect sweet spot. It didn’t drag out over three or four books, it gave me everything I wanted in two perfect length books.

There were a few moments where the pacing slowed a bit in this one and some of Lore’s inner monologue got repetitive, but overall, the story kept me interested.

The magic system continues to be interesting, and I loved getting to see more of Lore’s power unfold. There’s betrayal, found family, and a love triangle that’s very done well, to the point where I was rooting for them both to be honest.

The new setting and magical creatures we meet in this one were a fun expansion of the world, and I liked how the stakes felt high, especially toward the end, without losing the heart of the characters.

Also, I switched between reading and listening to the audiobook, and the narrator, Marcella Cox, was amazing as always. I’ve listened to her narrate a few books now and she consistently nails the emotion and pacing. If you’re into romantasy with heart, magic, and love triangles, I think you’ll enjoy this duology as much as I did.

Also want to add this book compared to the first is 🌶️🌶️🌶️.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio for sending this ALC for review consideration. And thank you to Harper Voyager for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

This book is a storm: magic, betrayal, found family, and a love triangle that emotionally body-slammed me.

Lore? She's the powerful, soft-hearted heroine of my dreams. Strong. Kind. Protective of her peace. And the men in this book?? Analeigh, you did that.

“He called you a witch, so I broke his jaw.”
Yes. Just… yes.
It’s romantic. It’s angry. It’s beautiful. It talks about trust. It’s fantasy, but it feels like healing.

And the writing??

“Some women are more moth than butterfly… Unveil your mosaic wings.”
I’m unwell.
Read it. Cry. Scream. DM the author. Heal. Repeat.
✨10/10 duology, no notes (except one, which I already messaged her about 😅).

I received the e book as well but I could not wait to get the audio of this one. As a blind reader I really utilize audiobooks as my main source of readings and this book had been high on my priority list!

I really loved the narration. The 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.

I really can’t wait for everyone to read this one! What a great Duology!


Lore of the Wilds (book 1 in this duology) was cute and somewhat unique, but I liked this second one better. I liked the atmosphere in both of them, but the at-sea swashbuckling aspect of this one was a lot of fun and felt more unique than its predecessor. Great duology!

Thank you to NetGalley for this gifted audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review. I appreciate it!

I absolutely LOVE a good duology. This was the perfect conclusion. I am obsessed with Analeigh Sbrana! Marcella did an amazing job narrating Lore of Tides!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio for this advanced copy! You can pick up Lore of the Tides on July 8, 2025.

What a fantastic ending to an incredible duology! I really loved the direction Analeigh Sbrana took with this book, as Lore and her companions explored new regions of the world and made some wonderful new friends. The side characters (such as the siren Queen and Prince Hazen) really stole the show whenever they appeared on page, and I appreciated how these relationships showcased that Lore being human shouldn't differentiate her treatment from other creatures. They liked Lore for her own merits, including her ingenuity and bravery.

This might be one of my favorite adult love triangles I've read thus far. As the story went on, the reader really flip-flopped with Lore between Syrelle and Finndryl. Each of them showed up for her in different ways, but I'm not upset about the choice she made (okay maybe a little bit). We see her handling the betrayal from the end of Book 1 throughout the first third of Lore of the Tides, and despite seeing how this male shows up for her and tries to protect her, it's impossible to forget the role he played in all the hurt that she endured. Plus, the offhand mention of how they could have all been together... Analeigh, polyamorous epilogue WHEN.

All in all, if you enjoyed the first book, I think you'll eat this one up just as much (if not more)!

A quick, engaging read that, while enjoyable, didn't quite reach its full potential. The characters were intriguing, but the plot felt a bit rushed in places, leaving some threads untied. Very cringe in a lot of parts.

I AM UNHINGED. 🐉🌊

This book dragged me to the ocean floor, crushed my ribs with pressure, and then resurrected me with vengeance and magic. I need therapy. I need book three. I need to scream into the void.

Lore wakes up chained to a ship, magic suppressed, betrayed and bruised—but not broken. Not even close. She’s clawing her way back from devastation with vengeance in her veins and justice burning in her throat.

The quest? Unhinged. We’ve got sea monsters, enchanted islands, ancient grimoires, creepy kings, and high seas tension so thick I could TASTE the salt. The pacing is wild, the stakes are brutal, and the plot twists? Oh, they bite.

Lore isn’t a victim—she’s a storm in human form. Watching her rise, rage, and take back power had me on the floor. She’s not just surviving anymore—she’s hunting.

And let’s talk about the romantic chaos. The tension? Feral. The yearning? Screaming. The betrayal? UNFORGIVABLE. I trust no one. I love everyone. I am deeply unwell.

The worldbuilding is lush and violent—volcanic islands, mythical beasts, underwater kingdoms. It’s folklore meets fury, and it does not let you breathe. The prose is lyrical and sharp, soaked in saltwater and emotion.

This isn’t a cozy read. This is a revenge arc with teeth, and Lore is finally wielding the blade.
🖤 If you want:
A heroine who says “not today, fae scum” and means it

A love triangle that feels like drowning in longing

Political scheming, magical peril, and righteous fury

A dark, feminist fantasy that rips you open

Then Lore of the Tides will absolutely wreck you.

⚠️ CW: kidnapping, trauma, betrayal, implied SA, emotional manipulation, explicit scenes, and violence.

Fantastic conclusion to the duology, though I would love more books about these characters (obviously) or even just books set in the same world. Analeigh Sbrana has created a lush richly developed world and I am excited to read her next books!

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up

Definitely make sure you look at the map for this book, there was so much travel and adventure I wish I had access to it while listening to this ALC (definitely going to have it when I reread).

There was so much character movement in this book, plus new characters, plus new magical elements that happened the series could easily have been made into a trilogy. That being said, I'm glad it had that YA feel, concise and no fluff, with a little spice sprinkled throughout.

I loved book 1, and I wish I loved book 2 as much but it just had a different feel and was kind of disjointed in connecting all the points. The focus of the writing shifted from Lore observing and figuring out WTF was going on to her driving the movement/story/travel forward (If I can figure out a better way to articulate it, I'll come back and edit - right now it's eluding me). Don't get me wrong, I love the story Analeigh Sbrana told (this book will be added to my literal bookshelf), the type of story felt like a massive pivot from book 1.

I did love the few asides about managing curly hair and painful periods while traveling - I felt that.

> The POV from the king after we've only been in Lore's 3rd person limited POV was kinda odd

>> This duology would make a great miniseries to stream

ARC and ALC review

4.25 stars

"Lore of the Tides" by Analeigh Sbrana is the sequel to "Lore of the Wilds".

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for the advance review copy and HarperAudio for the advance listener copy.
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

"Lore of the Wilds" ended with a revelation about one of the characters and I am glad that I could continue the story immediatly after finishing it.
Lore is held prisoner on ship and she has to face a lot of danger.

Compared to the first book, now there is more action, new characters, places and more spice.
Lore is a powerful character and has a good development.
The fantasy world is beautiful and colorful, especially the part underwater.

I also listend to the audiobook narrated by Marcella Cox. She also narrated the first book and did a great job.
It is not easy to narrated many characters and make them sound different, but it was well done in this case.
Also, you could fell Lore's personality through Marcella's voice.

Overall I liked this book more that the first one, but I would have liked a different ending for Syrelle.
I kept hoping there was something more.

If you like fantasy with a slow burn romance, strong characters and magical oceans, you will like this book.

This was a delightful read. While I really enjoyed Lore of the Wilds- I found its strengths to be in the vibes and individual characters. In this sequel, the action and storytelling are really taken to the next notch. I found Lore to be an even more interesting character, and the plot was compelling from start to finish! I thought the duology was concluded really well!

I'm so glad I got to listen to the audiobook version of this text- particularly during a scene at the end where another character is very involved. (I don't want to spoil anything!)

I was really looking forward to this because I was intrigued with where the story was headed after the ending of the first book. I like that this is a duology and isn't dragged out. Unfortunately, I did not like this. The plot was boring. The romance fizzled out dramatically. There was no tension with either of the MMCs. I was cringing pretty hard at the dialogue. I also was not a fan of the writing. Please note that this is just my opinion. You might love it. I hope you do! Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an e-arc.

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.

Lore of the Tides by Analeigh Shara

Release date July 8th
Book 2 of The Lore of the Wilds duology
Audiobook read by Marcella Cox
Listened at 3x speed

I really enjoyed book 1 so I was excited to get an ALC of book 2.

This book suffers from a pacing problem. It’s still a fine story but the pacing was weird to me. I also will admit I didn’t vibe with the narrator. I rolled my eyes way too much while listening to this. The whole Syrelle/Asher thing in Lore’s mind I didn’t like. I didn’t like Lore in this book she became more self righteous and full of herself.

The ending of the duology was inevitable. Lore ending up with Finn and Syrelle ending up king.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for my ALC.

Lore of the tides is the second book in a duology and the much anticipated second book in the Lore of the Wilds series. Lore starts the story betrayed and kidnapped. She has to find The second grimoire and it takes her on many adventures.
The adventures the characters go on are very well developed and enjoyable to read. As I was reading this story, I found that I wished it was written as a YA story. I found the characters felt very young and the spice scenes felt unnecessary and would have been better suited to that demographic. The love triangle did not feel finished or well developed in this story. I enjoyed a lot of this story but it definitely could have used some editing.
I enjoyed the audiobook very much. The narration by Marcella Cox was very well done and helped bring the story to life.

Thank you, Harper Audio, for a gifted copy of this audiobook!

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.

Audiobook Commentary:
Marcella Cox effortlessly draws listeners into Lore’s world. She perfectly captures the emotional beats of the story, from Lore’s quiet fears to her moments of fiery determination. Cox’s pacing and modulation are spot on, showcasing Sbrana’s words with nuance and care.
Her ability to shift between Lore’s internal struggles and outward strength made me feel deeply connected to the character; I was rooting for Lore every step of the way. If you're an audiobook fan, this performance is absolutely worth a listen.

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