"Lore of the Wilds" was my most eagerly anticipated read this year, and I'm deeply grateful to NetGalley, Avon Books, and HarperVoyagerUS for granting me the privilege of reading this eARC.

Lore Alemeyu found her place in the forest prison where she was born and raised but she wanted to find a way to escape with her people. However, when an earthquake ravaged her hometown, Duskmere, and a sinister fae lord demanded a human presence at Wyndlin Castle to delve into a cursed library, Lore courageously stepped in and offered herself in place of her aunt and uncle. Tasked with organizing ancient tomes and secretly finding out about fae magic, Lore embarks on a journey that not only leads her closer to the sexy Asher Glythrae, her guardian, but also unravels mysteries beyond her wildest imagination.

This story has the cottagecore vibes while having a gripping, high-stakes narrative. Lore, a 21-year-old woman, evolves and matures throughout the story, her character arc reflecting a profound journey of self-discovery and self confidence that I found highly entertaining. The cast of other characters in this book made this story even more loveable. Everyone had strengths and weaknesses that made me feel like they completed each other in this found family trope. The ending left me wanting more and I wish I had more information about the magic of this world but, the book concludes with a tantalizing cliffhanger, promising an eagerly anticipated sequel that will undoubtedly find its place atop my TBR pile.

Lore of the Wilds is an enchanting story that twines together cozy fantasy and high stakes simultaneously. A lot happens in this debut as we follow our heroine, Lore, on her quest to save and better understand her people. Because so much of the humans' history has been kept secret, we are learning the magic system of this world alongside Lore. It almost gives her a touch of innocence, making it feel like we're growing into womanhood alongside her as she makes difficult decisions for the good of her people.
There were some pacing issues, with some information divulging quickly while other moments were slow and drawn out, and I think that's why I never fully understood the connection between Lore and Asher. It seemed to turn into love suddenly but with nothing quite substantial enough to back it up. There were also moments when I felt like I was being told what was happening in the story rather than being shown it, and it slowed the plot down a bit.
But I absolutely loved the introduction of Isla and Finn, and the chemistry between him and Lore really flourished on the page, allowing for a sprinkle of found family to begin to be developed.
I didn't see the plot twist coming, so kudos to the author for that! But I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I'll have to wait until the next book in this series releases to see where the story takes me before I can make up my mind about it!
Overall, this is a solid debut and will be great for anyone who loves love triangles, an enchanting library, an FMC who is the only human to wield magic, and who isn't afraid to learn as she goes! There was never a doubt in my mind that Lore was capable of figuring out how to handle herself, even if she had to make a few mistakes at first.

First off, what a cliffhanger. Oof. In this book, humans are trapped in their own settlement thanks to the fae that rule the land. If they try to leave, the sentries stop them or the forest does..Lore is a human girl who gets summoned to the castle and cuts a deal with a fae lord to work in an enchanted library (one that only lets humans in), trying to find magic books that the noble fae want. In return, she can help her people out. She ends up finding a book that only opens to her and gives her magic. Lore also finds out that not everything is what it seems and with the help of the fae who’s guarding her, she makes the decision on what her next move will be.

I loved the whole enchanted library and magic book. I also really liked the nature magic that was throughout the book. Also, there’s children! I feel like so many fantasy worlds don’t really even mention so for some reason I really appreciate the fact that the MC interacted with children, it just made the world complete I guess 😂 but anyways, I did enjoy this book even though some of the pacing was off. I also really wanted to see Lore and Finn’s relationship develop, but felt like we didn’t get much of a chance to. She made some questionable decision but she’s a young adult under a ton of stress. Also, this book kind of teeters between the line of YA and NA. A lot of parts feel YA to me, but then there’s a spicy scene and some other parts that make it feel NA. Overall, I can’t wait to learn more about what Lore can do and see what happens now. I loved the cottage core vibes, but also it kinda had a dark side to it towards the end.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A very hesitant three stars. while the bare bones of this story is great (diverse cast, interesting concept, ect.) there were a few issues I couldn’t get past. First off, I really don’t understand how this is being marketed as an “adult romantasy”. I genuinely thought this was a YA book until about 40% through and I checked and saw our main character was supposed to be 21. The dialogue and pacing were a bit lacking, which I suppose could be why I chalked it up to being a YA novel…but it’s not. The romance was extremely lacking as well. I personally thought the love interests were undeveloped and didn’t interest me enough, nor drive the story, for this to be called a romantasy. Like I said, great bones but it just didn’t do it for me personally due to those issues. Would like to see more from this author in the future after developing their work more.

When an earthquake devastates Lore's town of Duskmere, she makes a deal to help her village. In exchange for resources and help rebuilding, Lore will clean and organize a cursed library within the walls of a fae castle. The enchantment on the library keeps out fae, but *should* let a human in. Lore has entered a world unlike her own, and is forced to rely on tentative allies.

The world-building was fun (if somewhat confusing), the diversity was awesome, and the premise was very cool. Yay enchanted library!

However, the dialog was a little immature and the character development was lacking. I was also very surprised when I re-read the description of the book and saw that Lore was supposed to be 21 - this felt like a YA book to me. That said, it was enjoyable, and I'd definitely recommend it for people looking for romantasy books that have gone through most of the big names already.

Loved the vibes of the first 3/4 of the book. The pace was perfect, the setup of the world, societal rules, magical elements and character dynamics were great.

We only get to know a couple characters well in the first part of the book, I wish some other characters had received more love and attention - hopefully they're more fleshed out in the next book.

Now that I know this is a series, the slow pace of the journey makes more sense. Wish we'd spent more time in the magical library, to be honest, crossing my fingers we get to go back and figure out what's up with humans, fae and magic in this world.

I truly did love the story setup and all of the characters. I hope for the next book the pacing stays consistent throughout. So readers can hang out with these characters for a little longer, enjoy the personalities and *the tension*.

DNF'ed at 47%, skimmed to the end

I love reading diverse fantasy, especially with black main characters so I was really excited to read this. It took me a while to get into it but once I got like 25% into it I got invested. The fae world setting was really interesting and paried with the secret magical library I was excited to see where the story was going to go. The concept of human torn through space and brought to this fairy world was also very unique, I had never seen that in a fantasy fae story before. Lore was a decent main character. She felt like a real person who had a penchant for caring for and taking care of everyone. She also wasn't perfect and made mistakes sometimes. Where the book failed for me was the romance. Asher and Lore's relationship didn't feel real. It was so shallow that I did not understand why she liked him or why they were in love so fast. I dislike when authors think five scenes of flirting and stating they find each other attractive can replace a well-developed love story. While some of this can be explained with the reveal at the end pf the book, someone who is a real romance reader like me won't get that far because of how poorly the romance was done in the beginning.

Thank you very much for this opportunity, as I’ve been following this author’s journey for years and was excited to get my hands on this work! Overall, I believe this is a debut that has good bones, but lacked in actually fleshing it out.

We have a fully BIPOC leading cast, a complex fantasy world, a magical library, and an enemies to lovers story. I wanted to love this so much, but sadly the pacing and writing style was what turned me off. From the beginning, the writing felt closer to middle grade level, which I thought was fine as this was YA and perhaps we were just aiming for a younger YA audience. When I discovered this book was actually marketed as adult I was incredibly surprised. Later in the book we do reach more adult content, but I feel like with the author’s writing style, the adult content could have been taken out in order to market it as YA and the book would have benefited.

Along with the oddity of the middle grade writing vs adult content, the pacing of this book was off for me as a reader. So many things happened in the blink of an eye (including the start of our romance) which made me feel disconnected or confused.

Overall, the idea, setting, and foundation of the characters was great, I just wish the execution was stronger. But I believe this is a very promising debut and I hope to see more of her work in the future!

Perfect for fans of The Serpent and Wings of Night and ACOTAR, this is a fast-paced fantasy romance with lush descriptive elements and an intriguing fantasy system. On top of it all, magical book and mysterious library - a recipe for perfection.

My favorite element of this book was the mystery of the magical book itself. The descriptions of the book were beautiful and alluring to me, and I could completely understand Lore's fascination with figuring out the history behind this strange journal she took from the library.

The romance was a bit too fast for me. At the beginning of the story, Lore seemed way too accepting that she would need to leave her family behind and possibly never see them again. She seemed to push thoughts of the people from her past away with suspicious ease. Her romance with the guard simply because he was the nicest of her captors bothered me and is a huge pet peeve of mine in fantasy romances, but for lovers of a captive instalovey story, this book will be eaten up!

Overall, the loved the writing and the fantasy plot line in this story. For me, it could have gone without the romance, but I would still recommend this book to others looking for a fun and intriguing fantasy romance.

The premise and vibes of the book were everything we needed it to be.

But as I've learned through other cozy-ish romantasy novels, we cannot persist on vibes alone. I believe if you like a more plot heavy type of fantasy then this is going to be right up your alley. But for us character loving types, we were left a little hungry. I would have loved to dig a little deeper and spent more time with the characters and seen more of them. I would have loved to stay in a location on page for a while as well. There was a lot of ground covered in this book, always on the move. And it felt like any time we were about to dig a little deeper into something, we immediately were wrenched somewhere else. The magic system was a little confusing and I don't think I still totally get what the magic does and why... so theres that too. And lastly, since we're always moving and grooving, the pacing is a little choppy in parts.

I am really happy that there is a lot of hype for this book coming out. It's a great addition to the cozy fantasy genre. Because there are definitely cozy parts to it. And as a debut, it is definitely promising to see that we have this name coming up in writing, and I look forward to reading future installments.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper for an e-copy.

A Beautifully Told Romantasy With a Strong Heart

Lore of the Wilds follows its titular character Lore Alemeyu as she’s taken from her human village and brought into a fae kingdom to search their cursed, “no fae allowed” library. This task becomes a magical, charming adventure as she tries to find the one thing within herself that she’s always longed for.

This novel is a gorgeous romantasy that has the legs to be a crown jewel of the subgenre. Sbrana tells a clear story about inequality, which in my opinion is the heart of this story. It lies in Lore’s navigation of being a human in a fae world; confronting stereotypes and prejudice, and coming face-to-face with how much her human village suffers in comparison to the rest of the continent.

The romance is wonderful and unexpected. Sbrana found a good balance between the romance and fantasy elements – neither overpower the other.

Charming and Masterfully Constructed

The world-building is seamless and the pacing keeps you on your toes. The writing itself is top-notch – a particular note is that Sbrana’s portrayal of youth is so nuanced and well done. Her character descriptions celebrate Black beauty at every available opportunity.

The world feels lived in and the main characters are people that you want to root for.

Final Thoughts

Y’all, I loved this book. Mark my words, Sbrana is going to be a star in the fantasy genre. This book was delectably written and constructed as well as immediately immersive. The novel impressively skips the usual slow crawl of worldbuilding that is almost a staple in first-in-series fantasy books.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

What an enchanting and exquisitely crafted debut in the Romantasy genre! This tale beautifully weaves themes of family, friendships, love, duty, and loyalty, presenting a captivating narrative enriched with forbidden romance, perilous encounters, whimsical forests, and the comforting allure of cozy cottages. The narrative is laced with suspense, adventure, tension, secrets, brooding fae, and an enchanted library with diverse characters adding depth to the story. Unexpected twists and a hint of spice elevate the reading experience. The atmospheric setting, meticulous character development, intricate magic system, and phenomenal world-building converge to create an incredible reading experience. The book introduces a unique and in-depth magical realm, initially challenging readers with a plunge into the unknown.

The supporting characters, particularly Isla and Finn, carve a place in my heart, becoming beloved figures within the story. Lore's character development is nothing short of remarkable—observing her transformation from powerlessness to utilizing her abilities to protect her loved ones evokes a heartwarming resonance. She emerges as a character worthy of unwavering protection.

Asher, a character that initially captures my affection, evolves through unexpected plot twists that left me in awe. The author, Miss Sbrana, masterfully manipulates the narrative, delivering an ending that defies all expectations and leaves readers emotionally floored. This book stands out as one of the most captivating fantasy reads of the year, leaving hearts both shattered and eager for the next installment.

I AM BOUGHT IN to these characters, this plot, this magic system! This was such a great and wonderfully done debut for a very relatable character. I can't tell you I wouldn't be like Lore: has no idea what's happening for most of the book but is doing her best.

This is a little less spicy than I was anticipating and the twist at the end was pretty industry standard. However, the biggest issue of the book was the pacing. We had a several chapter/day escape (and on the back of a cart!) and when Lore needed to rescue someone, she decided she needed to rescue that person at the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next was the implementation of the rescue plan despite the rescue location being VERY far away (to my understanding).

All in all, I'm excited for the next.

There are so many things to like about this book - the cottage-core vibes, an enchanted library, fae/human romance, sentient spell books… all great qualities. Unfortunately, the way these elements were executed was just not for me.

We follow our main character, Lore, as she is forcibly taken from her home and tasked with cataloguing the contents of an enchanted library that no fae can enter. After Lore is inexplicably drawn to one of the books in the library, she embarks on a dangerous journey to help her people, which requires her to rely on the help of two very different and very handsome fae males.

I was very drawn in at the start of the novel. The premise is right up my alley and I was intrigued by the mystery surrounding the enmity between the humans and the fae. As it went on, though, my understanding of the characters remained too surface-level. Because of this, I had a hard time feeling fully invested in the cliffhanger ending (which is admittedly an action-packed sequence!) and I also struggled to see the romance (either one, as there’s a bit of a love triangle) as a connection deeper than lust.

Speaking of the romance, this book seems to oddly straddle the line between YA and NA to me. The romantic scenes seem a little more explicit than a typical YA, but the characters read younger than a typical NA.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for this eARC in exchange for my review!

I wanted to like this book so bad but this was not just for me. I want to start out by saying the way the story was told (though not the story itself) reminded me of The Cruel Prince series, which I absolutely hated but most people like. So its likely most people will like this.

I'm just going to list off everything that bothered me
- I don't understand how any of this plot worked out like it did. Nothing makes sense.
- I have some many questions. Why? How? What???
- it reads very young. I would think it was YA except for the on page sex scene.
- There are a lot of plot holes and contradictions in the story
- I'm not even vaguely sold on this romance. What do any of these people see in each other.
- Making out after discovering a lot of women have been SA'd gave me all the ick
- I could nitpick a lot of other issues (especially the MC) but I really just didn't enjoy this book.

There are good things
-Super fast paced --> always something happening
- Lore is super sweet. A Cinnamon role of a character.
- You get a bit of the grumpy sunshine trope
- Even with this being fae its a unique world and unique concept
- rep is great. All characters are black and some are queer.

I think this is still worth giving a try but f you don't like it 20% in it wont get better.

3.5 stars

This book had so much going for it. I loved Lore our FMC and her background, we had two potential love interest, a magical old library and potential fun magic system. My issues is that while this is supposed to be adult it felt more YA, the pacing was a little off and I just feel like with more editing and maybe marketing as YA this could be so much better. As is it was a fun lighthearted read. Thanks to netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and Analeigh Sbrana for the eARC!

This was a very cute cozy fantasy romance! At times I will say it didn't feel all that original/unique, but it was still a nice and fun time. I liked the bookish library vibes, the fae realm, the character descriptions, and the plot; once it got into it, more was intriguing.

I cannot stop talking about Lore of the Wilds. The gorgeous cover caught my eye, but the story kept me hooked. I wanted to speed through the book so fast to find out what would happen, but ended up slowing down to cherish this book and the world that Sbrana did such a fantastic job immersing readers in. I was truly able to get lost in this story, in the life of Lore and the ones she holds dear. I will never stop recommending this book to EVERYONE! I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy.

Lore and the others in her small village of Duskmere are the only humans in a world filled with fae and other magical beings. Duskmere is ultimately a prison, surrounded by woods guarded by ruthless Fae. Any attempt of leaving Duskmere would be a death sentence.

One day, Lore is approached by the Fae with a proposition, sort and catalog the enchanted library with a curse protecting it from Fae in exchange for money and resources for her village. Secretly, Lore wants more than that, she wants to find magic of her own to help protect herself and her village.

Thrust into the world outside of her small village, Lore must rely on the "enemy", two very attractive Fae men in order to stay alive.

Way to go, Analeigh Sbrana, I am OBSESSED!

Lore of the Wilds had many appealing elements for me in a fantasy romance. The fae, gorgeous world building, magic, cottagecore vibes and romance to name a few. It even had an enchanted library! Unfortunately this fell short for me in the way it was executed though.

The character development felt very shallow. I didn’t feel like I got to know any of the characters on an intimate level nor did I feel invested in what was happening for them. Their actions didn’t feel authentic or believable either.

The storyline felt mediocre at best and there were pacing issues throughout. It started off quick but then became a real slog to get through.

The romance was a big flop. I didn’t feel invested at all and their relationship didn’t hold any chemistry or substance.

All of this being said, the writing felt very YA so perhaps I wasn’t the right audience to pick this up. Younger readers may enjoy it more.

Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for my ARC!

I am grateful to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in return for a fair and Honest review!

This is a captivating and engaging debut novel. Lore is a spunky and strong heroine, who overcomes a lot. The world building and character development are well done! I am interested to see where this goes in relation to the humans not being of this world. Lore of the wilds has an intriguing and unique magic system that I can’t wait to see more of. There is a real sense of found family. And to be honest the description for this book had me at cursed library!! The twist/cliffhanger has me itching to have book two in my hands!!