I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity

Smart and mysterious.

I was so excited for Lore of the Wilds. The premise set up this suspenseful chase and then just flattened. There were moments I thought I was reading a YA novel and then suddenly there's instalove and sex scene. It just didn't flow for me.

Unfortunately, I just don't think that this book was for me. I tried to get into it and had a really hard time. The overall concept of the book sounded intriguing, but the execution didn't do it for me.

It's cliche doesn't mean it's not fun to read. Especially if it's cottage core because the aesthetics do win. A typical human woman in a world of evil fae, a library where only she can step through and search through, and a love triangle that ends with a twist setting up a sequel. You might know the story, the characters, and the themes of segregation and discrimination. But this dark yet cozy story is an enjoyable read if you're in the right mood for it.

3.5 Stars

This is a "it's me not you" kind of review for this book, so PLEASE PLEASE do yourself a favor and give this one a try, because I genuinely believe its a good book and most readers will absolutely enjoy it.

I started this book a while back and then paused to read some other book, and then found it hard for myself to pick it back up and get sucked back in, and for that alone, my review isn't higher.

This story is fast paced and unique in its storytelling. It gives the same vibes as Folk of the Air, but the grit and determination of The Gilded Ones and A Song of Wraiths and Ruin. The characters and world building are fascinating and honestly I plan to give this a reread in the future because it's a series I do plan on keeping up with! I'll probably give the audio a try!

Lore is a human trapped in her city thanks to fae magic. After a devastating earthquake, she is taken from her home in order to help the fae organize their library. The room is enchanted so no fae can enter and Lore has the unique ability to read their language so she accepts the job for coin and the safety of her family.
Over time she becomes friendly with her guard, which is a blessing because she gets in trouble when she tries to leave the castle with a magic book— One day while she was working, she found herself being called into a dark corner of the library. Behind beautiful tapestries was an equally beautiful book that was calling her name.

3.5
I thought this book was rather average up until the end — something happened that I didn’t expect and it made the story so much better. I think I’m just a little burnt out on the human/faerie romance stories right now.
But the idea of organizing a library a finding a book that gave me moon-magic is a dream come true!

Sadly this book just didn’t grab as much as I hoped it would. I put it down and picked it up multiple times but I just couldn’t connect with it. Super bummed.

I had really high hopes for this book, but, unfortunately, it let me down. This book is about Lore, who is a human living in a Fae dominated world. The humans in this world have been imprisoned in their town by magic and are living a life of poverty. When her village is threatened, Lore makes a deal with one of the Fae lords to come categorize and search this magical library in the fae realm that fae have not been able to access for thousands of years, but they think a human will be able to enter. He promises her money and to take care of her village, so she sacrifices her freedom and goes, with the hopes that she will make some magical discoveries of her own.

This book had everything going for it. The plot, the characters, the world concept, the magic system, and the ideas were all right and there, but everything was too surface level, especially the characters and their relationships. I had a hard time engaging in the story because I was not invested in the characters, so I didn’t really care what happened to them. Because of this, the plot felt like it moved too fast and wasn’t supported by the character’s actions. So even when the plot was exciting, especially the ending and the big twist, I almost didn’t care because there was not enough depth to justify the plot points. I also went into this book thinking it was a YA novel, until I got to a spicy scene. It is not quite “closed door”, but also not full blown erotica, though it was definitely leaning in that direction, and I think in future books might go there. As a whole, while I really enjoyed the plot itself, and I would love to know what happens going forward, I don’t know if I care enough about the characters to continue with the series.

This review is 3 months late :◦ but better late than never, right? Right! I rated #LoreoftheWilds ⭐️⭐️⭐️ A solid first entry for a new romantasy series.

What I enjoyed:
💜reading a fae series from the perspective of a Black character because it's not often (if ever) we get one, especially from a traditional publisher.
💜The lore, the magic system, and world building were done well, and l'm interested in learning more.
💜The ending!

Things I didn't love:
😑I love a love triangle, and if you advertise one, I want more than a crumb.
😑Be aware this is new adult
😑The narrator


l've seen a few negative things about this book, and I don't get it. Well, I do, but i'm going to leave people and their biases alone.

I really enjoyed this book! I found the premise to be engaging.
I just KNEW something was up with that one character, and was on pins and needles waiting for that shoe to drop.

While the pacing was perfect the first 3/4ths the book, it became choppy and rushed in the remaining quarter.

Overall, a decently solid read that I have recommended to friends

What can I say about this book other than how amazing it is? It was enthralling, thought provoking, inspiring!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for an EARC of this book in exchange for my honest review

I am sooooo sad I didn't love this as much as I wanted to. This story has a lot of potential and I will read book two when it comes out. The writing flows well and the characters are likeable and it’s overall a good read however I just wanted more. This read more like a YA novel then adult and the honestly the love interests just didn't work for me. I think with a little more editing and more character building this novel would be a 4 stars. I am excited to see what else this author comes out with though

Lore and the people of Duskmere are trapped in their village by a magical forest. After a natural disaster reeks havoc, Lore makes a deal with a Fae Lord in a desperate attempt to save her village. In exchange for rebuilding her village, she must catalogue his mysterious library that no fae has been able to enter. When she finds a magical grimoire, she harnesses its magic, and learns that her village is still suffering. She decides to take matters into her own hands, utilize her new found magic, and save her village on her own.

I was initially drawn to this book because I thought the cover was gorgeous. I think this story had so much potential, but fell a bit flat for me. The ending was by far the best part, I did not see the twist coming, so I am intrigued to see where it goes in the next book. Did it make sense...? no... but I'm just going to go along with it. I wasn't the biggest fan of either romances, they felt a bit forced in my opinion. Asher was major insta-love, which I very rarely enjoy. I did like Finn more than Asher, but I'm always a sucker for enemies to lovers. I wish there were more scenes of him showing affection towards her though, so it felt a bit more believable that he actually cared for her. I'm also a bit bummed about the fox companion... it was brought into the story then completely dismissed for the majority of the book and randomly brought back in at the end. The author could have done so much with it. This is marketed as an adult fantasy, but other then 1 spicy scene, I think this could have easily been targeted toward a YA audience. The enchanted library was my favourite part, and I wanted more time in there, but I understand why Lore had to get out of there. The magic system was intriguing, and I am interested to see how it develops more in the next book.

Loved the importance of knowledge as power in this world. It a very compulsive read and easily accessible for readers who are not familiar with fantasy. The romance felt a bit rushed; not a true love triangle. The twist at the end was quite stellar.

I don’t think there was one thing I enjoyed about this book.

I went in expecting a lush world, rich characters and a fantasy romance that was different than any other I had read, and this was the complete opposite.

We have a world that isn’t explained at all. Starting with humans secluded in a town because they’re “dangerous” even though the first scene in this book is their town getting wrecked by an earthquake that essentially destroys them. What is dangerous about them? Especially when they are surrounded by fae with powers?

These characters had no depth to them, and this writing read like a rough outline of who the characters should be. Our main character Lore was hypocritical in every decision and feeling she had that I had whiplash.

And finally, the plot. Where was it? Our character Lore just wants to help her town but also craves leaving her town but just wants to return? It was all over the place.

I would not recommend this book.

Analeigh Sbrana's "Lore of the Wilds" presents an enticing premise: a romantasy featuring black characters set in a fantastical world. However, while the novel holds potential, it ultimately falls short due to its juvenile writing style, leaving readers like myself feeling disconnected and ultimately disappointed.

From the outset, there's a sense of anticipation as the story promises to immerse readers in a richly imagined world filled with magic and adventure. Unfortunately, the novel's downfall lies in its execution. The writing style comes across as immature and lacking the depth and sophistication needed to fully engage readers. Instead of being drawn into the intricacies of the world and the lives of its characters, I found myself struggling to connect with the story, feeling as though I was reading a work better suited for a younger audience.

While I applaud Sbrana's efforts to introduce diversity into the genre, representation alone cannot carry a story if the writing fails to captivate and hold the reader's attention. In my experience, I reached a point after just 100 pages where I realized that "Lore of the Wilds" simply wasn't the book for me.

**Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 (4-4.5)**
When I saw enchanted libraries and deadly Fae in the description, I knew I had to read *Lore of the Wilds*!

❤️What I loved: I thought this was such ann exciting adventure! I’m definitely intrigued by the world Sbrana is creating, and I think it was a good balance of world-building in the fantasy with a romantic plot line throughout. I was personally a fan of the romance and enjoyed seeing Lore’s relationship with both potential love interests develop throughout the course of the story. I also always enjoy a portrayal of the Fae as darker and more deadly, which Sbrana leans into in here. The book is capped off with ann action-packed, cliffhanger ending that definitely has me excited for more in the series!
💔What I didn’t love: I was initially surprised when I saw the ratings for this book once I started it, because I was really enjoying it. As I went on, I did feel there was some tension between what this book was trying to be—at times, it felt like a cozy fantasy, then it felt like it was trying to be a sort of spicy romantasy, and then more of a high-stakes fantasy. I’m typically down for some spice, but while I was reading I actually found the inclusion of the “spicy” scenes sort of awkward—they didn’t feel like they fit with the tone of the book overall or contribute to the relationship development of the characters. This dissonance may be why I think the book’s reviews are lower, as I think people’s expectations might be all over the map and it may be trying to hit too many notes for people. However, I do think it would be cool to see this mix pulled off, and I hope they’re integrated a little more successfully in Book 2.

Lore of the Wilds has a lot to offer romantasy lovers, especially those who like a love triangle and an adventure. I would recommend giving this book a try if you’re a fan of books like the *Emily Wilde* series and *The Cruel Prince* series. Personally, I had a great time reading *Lore of the Wilds* and I’m looking forward to continuing the series!

**Acknowledgments & Disclaimers**
✨ Thank you to NetGalley, Analeigh Sbrana, and Avon and Harper Voyager, for providing an ARC and the opportunity to share an honest review of this book.
✨ All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
✨ My reviews and ratings strive to evaluate books within their own age-demographic and genre.

💬:Suddenly the page changed before her eyes, the ink bleeding together and reforming into new pictures, faster than she could register. Words appeared and disappeared in languages she couldn’t read. A ringing filled her ears, and she could hear her blood rushing in time with her heartbeat.

Sbrana, Analeigh. Lore of the Wilds: A Novel (pp. 165-166). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

📖Genres: fantasy, romance, fae, romantasy, adult, magic,

📚Page Count: 339

🎧Audiobook Length: 10:51

👩🏾‍🏫My Rating: ⭐️⭐️.5 - 2.5/5

Lore of the Wilds is the first in the series of the same title by Analeigh Sbrana. This story is about Lore, a human who lives in a society of fae. Her village falls on disaster and she has no choice but to surrenders herself to the dark fae Syrelle. Syrelle instructs her to tend to his library in the castle they're in. It's not long before Lore runs away with one of the castle guards, a fae named Asher. Later on Lore ends up meeting and becoming enthralled with another fae named Finn.

This book has so much potential but the pacing is off, there's little character development, there's close to no romance and very little chemistry between the romantic interests and the main character even though there are TWO romantic interests, and this fantasy crosses over from being a fantasy drama to being a cozy fantasy to wanting to be high fantasy, and the spicy scene at the end wasn't gotten to with build up or banter or any sort of romantic development.

Overall, the pacing felt off and there was very little character development when it came to Lore, herself. There was also very little romantic development despite this being marketed as a "romantasy" or romance fantasy. I'm giving this 2.5 stars out of 5.
⭐️⭐️.5 - 2.5/5 Stars

Thank you [NetGalley.com], the author, and publisher for the arc (advanced reader's copy.)

I was SO bored. There is so little explanation of the world building or of the magic that I truly felt like I wasn't even following the plot. She's taken by Fae who are hated to clean up their library...and she wants magic? But then at like 30% she leaves the library...? the romance felt stilted and confusing...not to mention the FMC was so immature for someone who was in her 20s. A big swing and a miss for me. DNF @ 51%.

A cute read! There were some parts that did disappoint me and I wish they were better built up but I appreciated the book for what it was! The fantasy aspect kept me captivated.