3.5 stars

When I heard about Lore of the Wilds, I was sold when I read that this book had an enchanted library! How could I not want to read that? Lore of the Wilds is a fast read and I read it in just about one sitting. Analeigh Sbrana definitely pulls you in with her writing style. I became invested in Lore's story and needed to know how it would continue.

In this world the fae have basically banished the humans into a certain part of the world. When Lore makes a deal with the fae to take the place of her aunt, a whole new world opens up to her. She definitely discovers things aren't all that they seem. The library had me wishing I was the one there organizing everything. Asher definitely has some vibes and her connection with him was very interesting.

While I did really enjoy Lore of the Wilds, there were a few things that bugged me. I really wish we got a bit more of the magic in this world and what Lore could do. We only get glimpses and to me it goes a bit quickly at times. Also, the pacing felt off at times. Some things went so quickly or happened suddenly that I couldn't really fit them into the story at that moment. I also felt the character development lacked a bit, but I definitely see why this book has gotten so much hype.

Lore of the Wilds has found family, magic, an enchanted library, secrets, betrayal, amazing side characters (Finn and Isla), romance, and more. There were some twists I didn't see coming and the ending left me wanting more. I'll definitely be picking up the sequel and hope that the questions this one left me with will be answered! This was a promising debut.

My review will be live on https://thebookdutchesses.com on March 16th.

Plot:
Lore of the Wilds is a fantasy that was all sweet cottage core vibes with maintaining libraries and playing with a fox until the love interests start murdering people and have a concerningly thick amount of blood on them.
For a large amount of this book, it was a sweet YA book with sweet moments, has a protagonist that is a bearable amount of clumsy (pushing pull doors and what not), and a cute slow burn romance between friends. Then it hit you with spice and I was pretty surprised because this felt YA (In a good way). The pace was slow in the first half of the book and didn’t really pique my interest until the action started. The end was incredibly rushed, which I love because I love fast paced books, but it can be very jarring. I did love that this is more plot than romance. The ending, although on a cliff hanger, gave me the ick. Not a big fan of that trope reveal.
Definitely for ACOTAR fans.
Thank you to #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of #LoreoftheWilds. 4/5 The book was approximately 300 pages, so it was a very quick read.

Characters:
Lore - Lore is taken from her home in Duskmere to become a librarian in search of a book. She is definitely adorable in the beginning with little humorous moments like searching for hair oil. But towards the middle/end when she is faced with problems, her plans are flawless. I did like that she did learn to fight a bit, but it was never “I trained for a week on the run, now I can kill the antagonist instantly.”

Asher – The dude with the antlers on the book who had his cute moments. I was just getting “He’s a really good friend” vibes him for a while. While he did spend months with Lore, their intimacy hits pretty quickly. I always did have a weakness for guard romances.

Finndryll- I’m mad he’s marketed as a “grumpy fae barkeep.” This man is a nerd with a sword.

Isla – Beautiful like a sunset, basically made of gold, but we barely get to see her. She’s introduced, then disappears, comes back, and disappears in the climax. I really hope to see more of her in the next book because she’s kinda just an introduction to her twin brother, Finndryll at like 50% of the way into the book.

I enjoyed this book. I did think the pacing was off but not so much that I wanted to DNF or wouldn’t buy the next book in the series.

This was a really promising debut, and while it wasn't a perfect book for me I still really enjoyed my time. The cottagecore vibes and the magic were fun! And I did like the romance.

The plot was chaotic, and I found it hard to follow the character motivations or to be invested in the stakes. Some of the world building and magic were a bit too convenient, when they could have caused challenges or setbacks that would have made me more attached to the character and her aspirations.

All that said, I did still have a good time with this book. The tone and the vibes were really refreshing in the fantasy space. I want more cozy environments that still have high stakes.

I will definitely be autobuying this author's next book! I can't wait to see where the story goes, and I'm hoping that book 2 will get a little more editing time to sharpen it to a 4 or 5 star for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC copy!

First the cover of this book is gorgeous. It was nice to have a fantasy book that has characters that look like me. More importantly I loved the story. The book follows our main character Lore who live in a world where humans are not the norm. Humans are in a fae worold with no real idea of how they came to be there. Lore is curious about humanities history and whether or not that can have access to magic. In her world humans are not seen as people and are ruled by the fae. The one day an earthquake rocks there village and the Fae come to the village looking for someone that can read their language to go into a library. Oh but I forgot to mention that its a magic library. However, there is more to the request than meets the eye. There is a bit of romance, some mystery, a quest, found family and maybe a poly romance. I had to buy a finished copy of this book. Thank you Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the E-arc of this book.

I adored Lore of the Wilds. This was such a rich world and I can’t wait to see more of it as the author continues the series.

I did not finish this because of the space my own brain was stuck in, but what I did read was lovely and cozy and compelling!

Lore of the Wilds follow a young woman who lives in a poverty stricken, human town. Duskmere is surrounded by an enchanted woods that traps the humans within the town. The Fae in the nearby city make sure there are no chances of escape. One fateful day Lore’s apothecary shop is visited by a wealthy fae couple. When Lore sells them a book from her shop, she is given an offer she cannot refuse; come to the castle and help clean the library. The library is cursed and no fae has stepped foot inside for a thousand years. Lore is set to the task of cleaning and organizing but also to be on the lookout for anything on the topic of magic. With her interest in magic being strong, she sets out on the task in hopes to finding magic for herself as well. Will she accomplish the task?

WHAT JUST HAPPENED?! Throughout this book I’m just on a cozy little adventure with a few twists and turns. Next thing I know, I’m THROWING MY KINDLE!! The ending of this book can be akin the things like One Dark Window or Book of Night. You think you’re getting answer and then you’re DROPPED OFF A CLIFF!! I was in prepared for the whiplash.

Needless to say, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I loved the story and all of the characters. The only true issue I have is how many things that have been left open for the next book(s?). I have a lot of questions and very few answers. I’m hoping to see a lot of loose ends tied up but hate that I have to wait for it. Having a lot of pieces left undone in a first book isn’t inherently bad, but it’s remembering to capture them all by the end that’s important!

Overall, the story was great and it definitely has me INVESTED. I’ve decided on a 4/5 stars partly because I wanted to see some pieces answered in this book. It’s a lot of fun and a good start for sure though!

I was very excited to receive an advanced copy of Lore of the Wilds! This cover is so enchanting and the vibes were immaculate! I enjoy a darker romantasy, and on the outside it looks like this book delivers.

However, a solid book cannot rely on the vibes alone. There were key elements (pacing, details, character depth) that just didn’t meet what I was expecting.

I struggled to get into the story and felt myself wanting to put the book down multiple times, which is a big turn off for me in a new read.

Overall, this concept was solid but was not at all what I expected. With a little more support in the pacing and details, this could’ve rated a bit higher for me.

While this book held so much promise I found both the tone of the novel and the pacing off. The writing of the book felt as though it was meant to be YA but then was changed to adult with the spicy scenes that were thrown into the last 75 percent of the book. Overall I am hopefully the rest of the series will not suffer from the tone and pacing issue as the ending of the book excellently sets up book two.

Single POV, Spicy, Love Triangle, Magic Library, Elemental Abilities, Found Family

"Lore of the Wilds" was a fantastic fantasy debut that felt familiar yet fresh at the same time. I'm so excited to read the conclusion of this duology. I cannot stop thinking about the ending of this book. Every time I thought I had this book all figured out it totally threw me for a loop. I loved every second of it.

Normally I'm not a fan of having two romantic interests that the protagonist has to juggle, but I think Sbrana handled this very well. I adored Lore (as well as the other characters) and appreciated that she was too busy saving her community to spend time pondering which eligible man she should choose. Yet, this book had plenty of romance and I'm very very excited to see the romance progress in the next book. The plot was very engaging and lots of unexpected shifts in the narrative kept me on my toes.

I genuinely cannot figure out if this book is meant to be YA or not. Goodreads says it's YA, Storygraph does not. The spicy content in the book as well as Lore's age suggest adult. However, my biggest qualm with the book was Lore naivety and proclivity to think without acting or give her trust a little inconsistently, which frustrated me at times. This character trait felt very YA to me, and it's possible it's a feature, not a bug. Either way, I'm very excited to see how her character develops.

I thought the worldbuilding could have been more fleshed out, but this is part one of a duology and the groundwork is laid well. I also would love to spend more time with the other humans and hope we see more of them in Book 2!

Also ... with a protagonist named "Lore Alemeyu" whose biggest desire is to understand the stars and potentially find a world different than her own, I have to wonder if the author took some inspiration from "Parable of the Sower" (one of my favorite books). :)

4 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Harper Voyager for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

I will always love a determined FMC who loves her people. Along with Lore’s story being relatable there were so many things I did enjoy. I mean who wouldn’t want to spend their time in an enchanted library with an attractive bodyguard?

I enjoyed the descriptions of food, and the silly things about coffee because yes we humans need it to survive (at least me). I loved that the book had a way of talking about addiction, alcoholism, anxiety, and other societal issues. The world, setting, and races were intriguing. The ending has me curious and I know who I'm rooting for.

It took awhile to hook me, I'd say I wasn't intrigued until around the 65% mark. Don't get me wrong it does have interesting concepts but I think the pacing made it hard for me to be fully immersed.

I loved the premise of the enchanted library and wish more was done with that plot point. It seemed like the book was giving multiple ideas at once which I think maybe hindered them from being executed well. At some points it felt cozy like when she was cleaning up the library, going to the market and eating food, then I thought we'd get into some big battle scenes for them to end abruptly and with little explanation on how she and her comrade escaped. The love triangle was so-so, and a certain scene seemed entirely out of place and plugged in, when besides that one part this book reads quite YA. I will keep in mind this a debut novel and in that aspect it it holds up against others I have read.

I may consider reading the next book to see how the writing improves as there is a lot of potential here.

(3.5 rounded up to 4)

Thank you, NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager , for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks to netgalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager. This is an honest review.

Lore is a young woman from a human village ensnared in a prison-like forest within a land ruled by dangerous Fae. After an earthquake that decimates her village, Lore is taken to the Fae kingdom in order to categorize a magical library that is spelled to do harm upon any Fae who seek its knowledge. In exchange for helping her village, Lore agrees to catalog and organize the untouched library, a task that requires breaching the cursed doors, something only a human can accomplish. Unbeknownst to the Fae lord, Lore's true motivation lies in acquiring magic for herself. Lore must navigate the hostile world beyond her village, forming uneasy alliances. The premise and magical library elements made me eager to read this.

There is a notable young adult voice and language in this book and the sudden shift to a more mature scene was surprising. The relationships between characters felt somewhat superficial. Nothing was really gradual and I really yearned for more emotional depth. The world-building, with its enchanting library and the cozy cottagecore setting, holds promise, offering a unique backdrop for the unfolding story. However, the narrative's potential may be overshadowed by its too-quick pacing and moments that could benefit from more exploration and resonance.

Readers seeking a cozy, enchanted world and relationships with a hint of spice may find enjoyment in this debut.

I had a little trouble getting into this one, but ultimately this was such a wonderful short and sweet book, full of magic and wonder. I loved the main character and the premise of the library, as well as the world that the author built. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an adult fantasy that is unique, full of wonder, and are fans of the fae.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

2.5 stars.

Lore of the Wilds started out strong—I really enjoyed the cozy cottagecore vibes, but while I thought this had a lot of promise, I was ultimately let down. I did love the library scenes and I think there are some interesting sparks here, but ultimately despite its lovely premise, it wasn’t for me. The plot was more uneven than I’d been anticipating and there were times where I was unsure as to why the things that were happening were happening. I’m also not the biggest fan of love triangles—I’m not wholly opposed to them, but it was certainly weird here. I felt a certain distance from the characters and the romance, but also I just didn’t resonate with the romance aspects.

I have a personal gripe with constantly using “male” and “female” as descriptors, which was something that came up here. I’m just not the biggest fan of it, and when it pops up it definitely sours my personal experience. I don’t actually think the writing itself is bad, though it definitely reads like a debut. It reads quickly but I definitely thought some parts were clunkier than others. It certainly reads as new adult—I thought a lot of the content felt appropriate for an older YA novel, but there were a few parts that read as adult. I do think this will be appealing to those who already love fae romantasy—it’s not reinventing the wheel, but it’s still bringing its own twists.

I did think the end was neat, if a bit wild, and I’ll eventually read the second one to see what was going on with that.

"Lore of the Wilds" holds the promise of whisking readers away to a cozy world brimming with potential. Right from the first page, I found myself entranced by its enchanting premise, especially drawn to the magical charm of the library scenes. The concept of the enchanted grimoire and the mysterious library added layers of depth to the story, hinting at a rich narrative waiting to unfold.

However, despite its promising start, I was left entirely disappointed. Two major issues soured my experience with this book. First, the writing. I couldn't shake the feeling that perhaps it was initially intended for a YA audience, but then, in response to the surge in popularity of more erotic romantasy, a few last-minute erotic scenes were shoehorned in. The pacing, in particular, felt lackluster and uneven, with the plot dragging in some sections and hurtling forward in others. It was clear that the book was in dire need of editing and a clearer sense of direction.

Next were the relationships, romance, and love triangle. None of the romantic elements resonated with me. The swift transition from acquaintanceship to physical intimacy felt forced and devoid of emotional depth. There was no gradual buildup, leaving me confused when a character who was once only reluctantly friendly with Lore suddenly sacrifices everything for her at the drop of a hat. The chemistry between the main characters fell flat for me, and the entire romantic subplot felt juvenile and superficial. Adding insult to injury was the last-minute introduction of a love triangle, seemingly included solely to maintain a semblance of "romance" on the page while our other love interest disappears for six chapters.

This is a book I should have abandoned, personally. However, I acknowledge that there will undoubtedly be readers who adore it. It pains me that I couldn't join their ranks; the description, cover art, and reputation of the author all hinted at something truly special. Unfortunately, "Lore of the Wilds" ended up feeling simultaneously dull and chaotic.

2.5 stars

A solid YA fantasy debut that brings diversity into a genre that often lacks it. Lore of the Wilds draws you in with a spunky and resourceful heroine whose love language is caring for others--her family, the orphan kids they look after, her struggling town. And when disaster strikes, Lore's quick thinking has her making not only a deal but demands as well from the fae overlords that rule the land.

Loved the touch of realness with the topics of being "othered" (I've been the token Latina (human Lore in elf city), the Latina who gets nasty looks for speaking Spanish in an English speaking country (human clothes/looks in elf city), etc.) and also with the heroine's curly hair struggles, needing creams and oils and not getting them from captors even though it's like a basic need.

The romance along with the second half of the story was a tad clunky and rushed, but it's something I expect from book 1 of any series, so that didn't stop me from finishing or enjoying some aspects of the finale. I will for sure be recommending this one and waiting for the next book.

[Netgalley ARC]

1.5 stars
I had faith in the first 15% of the book that this was going to be a worthy cover buy, but unfortunately it only went down from there.

Lore is a human who is picked to come organize a magical Fae library in exchange for sending resources to her town. She has to navigate not only the Fae world but this library that hasn't been touched in many years. She meets Asher, her guard in charge of making sure she is sticking to her task, and she starts to realize that maybe this world wasn't so bad. But everything flips on its head when she finds a magical book, and she has to decide for herself what she is to do next.

The premise of this book was very exciting to me-libraries, magic, fae, and of course I was drawn in by the cover. One thing I did love about this book was the POC rep, it was so rich and exciting. You can tell these characters were written with such care and authenticity. It made it all the more enjoyable to read. Unfortunately, thats where the applaudable character work ends. I found myself feeling disconnected from all of the characters because their actions didn't match up with their motivations, and a lot of the characters acted in a way that "told you" rather than "showed you". It made the romance(s) seem rushed and not believable. A lot of the plot felt very pointless, and the twist at the end was just for the sake of shock factor, it doesn't feel genuinely possible.
My biggest pet peeve however, was the repetitive descriptions. Every male character had long legs, and it was brought up on every page. Asher had a specific scent that was described with the same words every time Lore interacted with him. It got to a point where specific words would show up (like "long legs") and I would start searching the ebook to see how many times the word was said in the book. It kept taking me out of the book. There were also tropes for the sake of tropes, which is a pretty big pet peeve of mine.

These things all together almost made me DNF, but I pushed through to see where the story was going. In the end, I wasn't very satisfied. I so desperately wanted to love this but unfortunately it just fell short. I couldn't even enjoy the last 50% because I kept stopping to wonder, "Would the character actually say that?", "Why did that scene happen?", "Long legs was used again.". This had such potential but it could've used a good editor.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overall Rating: 4.5 Stars

Lore Alemeyu is born and raised as a human in the Fae land of Alytheria. Trapped in a small town surrounded by a deadly forest, Lore dreams of a life with magic and freedom, and to one day get back to the humans' home. In a strange turn of events, she is whisked away to a Fae Lord's castle to search an enchanted library that no Fae may enter.

There are many characters you come to know and love within Lore of the Wilds, but at its core this book is about Lore herself. Lore goes on an exciting adventure in the Fae lands, away from her small human town. She has a distinct strong willed personality, but we as the reader never forget about the anxiety and fear she feels in all of these unknown and dangerous places. She is written "human" in a way that is incredibly relatable, I've felt like I've been in many similar situations as Lore was throughout this story; without the magic, of course. She learns and grows so much as a character, taking risks even when they're dangerous and even when she's terrified. Those risks grow with each arc, eventually doing something so dangerous yet cunning you can't help but feel proud and a sense that "if Lore can do that, I could too!"

I did have a few issues with the book.

First, Lore of the Wilds is very much written in a way that FEELS like a YA novel, but there is a spicy scene or two. I love some spice in books personally, but it didn't feel like it belonged here and I actually would have preferred it to just be a YA novel. There is a few curse words thrown here and there, but they are so few and far between it also felt out of place.

Second, I didn't really enjoy Asher as a character. This might be personal preference, but his involvement in the story felt a little forced. He is stationed as Lore's personal guard, and is weirdly nice to her sometimes which has her questioning why exactly he's nice to her since he is a Fae and she is a human. As the reader, I wasn't really wondering WHY he was being nice to her, I was wondering WHEN he would tell her why.

Last but not least, I truly wish this book was longer. No, really! Even with the issues I had with it, I genuinely enjoyed my time in this world. I think there were moments that could've been touched upon for longer that I don't think were bad because they were short, but it would've been enjoyable to read more about it. Overall, I loved Lore of the wilds and I am so excited for book #2.

This was cool story and world building in a world of books! Loved the characters and the story kept me intrigued!