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hiashleynine's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
ashley_mrose530's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I wanted to love this book. The premise sounded so interesting and social media was saying how this book was so good, but it didn't live up to the hype for me. I liked it. But I didn't love it.
I liked Lore as a character. I thought she was sarcastic and funny and independent. But the romance really tried to ruin her to be honest. I thought her romance with Asher was way too fast and didn't work for me very well. They had one kiss and then didn't talk about it for weeks and then he left for months and when he came back she was acting like she was absolutely in love with him the whole time and they should never be separated again. And then the whole time he was gone, she was developing feelings for Fynn. That one I actually can get behind. It's more of a slow burn which I like and it actually felt like a genuine connection.And after reading the end of the book I know that he's probably the end-game love interest which makes me happy.
Besides the shotty romance, I felt like the plot was really choppy. Things would get exciting and good and then the danger would just disappear and it would be a waiting game. She's getting kidnapped by the fae but now it's months of just sitting in a library looking at old books. Oh, now she's finally running away from the fae and suddenly they're biding their time with some of his old friends where nothing really happens. And then it suddenly jumped to her rescuing her friend from the fae queen and then suddenly they were all at the other kingdom's palace to save all the humans. It was just really choppy and I felt like some of it didn't fit with the parts that came before it sometimes.
That being said, I did still enjoy the book and the plot twist at the end was good so I do want to read the next book when it comes out, I just hope it doesn't feel as choppy as this one did.
I liked Lore as a character. I thought she was sarcastic and funny and independent. But the romance really tried to ruin her to be honest. I thought her romance with Asher was way too fast and didn't work for me very well. They had one kiss and then didn't talk about it for weeks and then he left for months and when he came back she was acting like she was absolutely in love with him the whole time and they should never be separated again. And then the whole time he was gone, she was developing feelings for Fynn. That one I actually can get behind. It's more of a slow burn which I like and it actually felt like a genuine connection.
Besides the shotty romance, I felt like the plot was really choppy. Things would get exciting and good and then the danger would just disappear and it would be a waiting game. She's getting kidnapped by the fae but now it's months of just sitting in a library looking at old books. Oh, now she's finally running away from the fae and suddenly they're biding their time with some of his old friends where nothing really happens. And then it suddenly jumped to her rescuing her friend from the fae queen and then suddenly they were all at the other kingdom's palace to save all the humans. It was just really choppy and I felt like some of it didn't fit with the parts that came before it sometimes.
That being said, I did still enjoy the book and the plot twist at the end was good so I do want to read the next book when it comes out, I just hope it doesn't feel as choppy as this one did.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault and Rape
natlren's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Lore of the Wilds, on paper, is my perfect book. It has dark cottagecore elements, a diverse cast of characters, a cursed library, and the fae. But despite all of those things, this novel still fell horribly flat for me. I think my biggest issue with Lore is that its pacing does it a massive disservice. There were so many scenes that I wish could have been expanded, but we moved almost too rapidly from place to place and that caused a general disconnect from me and the characters/plot. And with a blurb promising time in a cursed library, I had hoped that we would spend a good portion of the book there exploring its secrets. Instead, the library portion of this novel wrapped up before the 50% mark.
On top of that, this book is marketed as an adult novel but reads as incredibly YA. The one spicy scene in this book was unexpected and almost nonconsensual, given the twist. And while we're on the topic, the romance felt rushed and unbelievable. One moment they were simply acquaintances and the next, they were madly in love. It didn't make sense to me at all. I also could not, in good conscience, get behind them making out after discovering that the women from Lore's village had been forcibly impregnated and assaulted either. That scene was truly what lowered the rating of this book the most, as it was completely unexpected and totally at odds with the rest of the novel.
That said, I did enjoy some parts of this novel. Isla and Lore's friendship was wonderful to me, as was Grey and Lore's friendship. The latter was especially refreshing because I always find myself wanting more positive, nonromantic relationships portrayed in books like theirs was. The ambiance and general aesthetic of this novel and its world was also wonderful.
Overall, Lore of the Wilds had a lot of potential but unfortunately did not live up to the expectations I had for it. I think that another round of editing and some purging of repetitive phrases (and there were so many) would do this book a lot of good. I do think lovers of romantasy and fae will eat this one up though!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
On top of that, this book is marketed as an adult novel but reads as incredibly YA. The one spicy scene in this book was unexpected and almost nonconsensual, given the twist. And while we're on the topic, the romance felt rushed and unbelievable. One moment they were simply acquaintances and the next, they were madly in love. It didn't make sense to me at all. I also could not, in good conscience, get behind them making out after discovering that the women from Lore's village had been forcibly impregnated and assaulted either. That scene was truly what lowered the rating of this book the most, as it was completely unexpected and totally at odds with the rest of the novel.
That said, I did enjoy some parts of this novel. Isla and Lore's friendship was wonderful to me, as was Grey and Lore's friendship. The latter was especially refreshing because I always find myself wanting more positive, nonromantic relationships portrayed in books like theirs was. The ambiance and general aesthetic of this novel and its world was also wonderful.
Overall, Lore of the Wilds had a lot of potential but unfortunately did not live up to the expectations I had for it. I think that another round of editing and some purging of repetitive phrases (and there were so many) would do this book a lot of good. I do think lovers of romantasy and fae will eat this one up though!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Pregnancy
Minor: Alcoholism
camiclarkbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I think this might be the next big fantasy series!
Sbrana wrote an engaging high fantasy tale that was loaded with everything a reader could want—and enchanted library, fantastical beings, a love triangle, and a shocking twist. “Lore of the Wild” also adds some desperately needed diversity to the genre.
The book had some pacing problems and I got a little lost on the timeline near the last quarter of the story, but this is probably more of a reviewer problem than a reader problem.
A few times in the book I got whiplash from the story swinging back and forth from YA to New Adult. The majority of the book felt more YA—in the best possible way—but there were definitely places tailored for older audiences. They felt shoehorned in, like Sbrana had intended to write a YA book but her team recommended New Adult instead.
Despite those two complaints, I loved the “Lore of the Wilds!” The titular character of Lore was absolutely sensational! She was so realistic for a high fantasy heroine. It was extremely refreshing to read a fantasy about a twenty-something year old heroine, instead of the usual sixteen or seventeen year old. Lore handled everything Sbrana threw at her with human ingenuity and determination, which was the perfect juxtaposition to her being trapped in the land of her enemies.
Overall, “Lore of the Wild” was a wonderful fantasy story about human resilience and am so excited for the sequel—I have to know what happens after the twist!
I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content, Trafficking, Slavery, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Sexual assault
s_holdthebus's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I really want to rate this book 4 stars but there are just too many things I didn’t click with. I really like the premise and the bones are there for a good story!
However, the pacing felt off, the book itself needed a bit more editing, and we didn’t spend enough time developing the characters with the plot. We also spent very little time in the magical library which I was sad about, and what I thought was going to be the main premise of the book! The twist I very much saw coming but it does lead to what I hope is an interesting sequel.
For a debut novel, I think it’s still a good book. I hope the second book improves and I look forward to reading it!
However, the pacing felt off, the book itself needed a bit more editing, and we didn’t spend enough time developing the characters with the plot. We also spent very little time in the magical library which I was sad about, and what I thought was going to be the main premise of the book! The twist I very much saw coming but it does lead to what I hope is an interesting sequel.
For a debut novel, I think it’s still a good book. I hope the second book improves and I look forward to reading it!
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault and Rape
chiiemmi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
First off, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how stunningly gorgeous this cover artwork is. It’s beautiful and enchanting, and made me eager to read this debut novel as a fan of the cozy fantasy genre. Unfortunately, I am so disappointed to share that I just didn’t fall in love with this book for a number of reasons.
1.) While I’m willing to overlook the patchy world-building and the attempt at instilling political intrigue (I accept that these aspects might be expanded in the second novel), the book almost seemed indecisive and couldn’t choose between modern and dated speech. In particular, the characters used the phrase, “thistles and sage!” to curse for maybe 40% of the book, then out of nowhere started using modern expletives. This really broke the immersion for me, and the novel just seemed disjointed in how it wanted to present the time period and vernacular.
2.) The book is marketed as a Young Adult/Fantasy Romance, but the ending seemed to take a much darker turn that I was expecting though it maintains a cozy fantasy vibe for 90% of the story. This seemed completely out of character. The cover, setting, and premise of the story all set up a cozy fantasy novel. But it veers dramatically darker in the last 10% of the book in a way that left me feeling uncomfortable.
3.) I wanted to see more character progression. I don’t know if this story endeared me to any of the main characters, which also made it hard to root for the romance and love triangle set up. I would’ve liked to see more time put into bringing these characters to life beyond one-dimensional descriptions.
4.) The plot twist. There’s a difference between executing a shocking plot twist and creating something out of nothing. (SPOILERS) If Asher was indeed Syrelle, I don’t think I fully understand why he would kill his guards, kill the people sent to kidnap Lore, hide her in this other town, and lead his own guards away from capturing her for a month, help her break into his own castle and save her people, and then turn on her as they’re leaving?? I don’t think that final reveal did enough work to convince me that all of this was part of some brilliant, nefarious scheme. I think a good plot twist needs to hold up to scrutiny—readers need to be able to look back and slowly piece together all the clues and breadcrumbs along the way. This did not do that. Never did this book set up the premise that shapeshifters even exist and it seems like a copout to establish this as the reveal was happening; it just doesn’t have enough to suspend my disbelief.
Though I have major issues with the story as is, I have heard that eARCs aren’t representative of the finished product and I am debating picking up the published copy. Regardless, I would consider reading future titles from this author.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault and Kidnapping
gillmomi's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Sexual assault, Racism, and Sexual harassment
dayofthetabi's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
I cannot overstate how much I loved this book. I was given the opportunity to read an arc from NetGalley and I will absolutely be buying this one for my personal collection.
It has fae. An enchanted library. The entire cast is people of color. You have high stakes and tense situations. It is beautiful. The only reason it isn’t a 5 is that some parts were distracting. A world of magic and horses with medieval style tech, but they know about adrenaline? Some of the dialogue was a little off, definitely a first novel.
But it was great and enjoyable. And I will read this one again and again.
It has fae. An enchanted library. The entire cast is people of color. You have high stakes and tense situations. It is beautiful. The only reason it isn’t a 5 is that some parts were distracting. A world of magic and horses with medieval style tech, but they know about adrenaline? Some of the dialogue was a little off, definitely a first novel.
But it was great and enjoyable. And I will read this one again and again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
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