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hdabru's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The story in this book is excellent. It has all the elements of a great fantasy plus a lot of originality. I love found family, cozy settings like libraries and pubs and enchanted woods. I love heroines coming into their power and fighting for those they love.
The reason I gave it three stars was purely on technique. This was however given to me as an ARC so I am hopeful that the incorrect words and clunky writing are corrected prior to publishing. I know writing is hard, and I struggle with the same issues when writing descriptive sentences, especially action. But they were often so clunky that it would take me out of the immersion of the story, and I would struggle to get through passages because I had to reread to figure out what was going on. I also had issues with minor plot holes as well as pacing. For a large portion of the book I couldn’t figure out where it was going and even by halfway I was waiting for it to get really good. Eventually it did, and I became very invested in the characters and the story, and loved the magical elements. But the writing style definitely came across as YA to the point that I thought the book was YA until some f bombs and a spicy scene jarred me right out of that. Those things are fine—it was just that the writing style felt so much younger that it caught me off guard.
I also would have liked the book to have passed the bechdel test prior to the halfway point, aside from an exchange with a cranky maidservant. But that I guess is getting a little pendantic. Overall I think this has the potential to be an amazing series and a great adventure. And with nary a white character in sight, which we all know is a much needed perspective in the fantasy genre. I would definitely recommend, but be prepared for a book in need of polish, unless the ARC has been heavily edited prior to final release.
The reason I gave it three stars was purely on technique. This was however given to me as an ARC so I am hopeful that the incorrect words and clunky writing are corrected prior to publishing. I know writing is hard, and I struggle with the same issues when writing descriptive sentences, especially action. But they were often so clunky that it would take me out of the immersion of the story, and I would struggle to get through passages because I had to reread to figure out what was going on. I also had issues with minor plot holes as well as pacing. For a large portion of the book I couldn’t figure out where it was going and even by halfway I was waiting for it to get really good. Eventually it did, and I became very invested in the characters and the story, and loved the magical elements. But the writing style definitely came across as YA to the point that I thought the book was YA until some f bombs and a spicy scene jarred me right out of that. Those things are fine—it was just that the writing style felt so much younger that it caught me off guard.
I also would have liked the book to have passed the bechdel test prior to the halfway point, aside from an exchange with a cranky maidservant. But that I guess is getting a little pendantic. Overall I think this has the potential to be an amazing series and a great adventure. And with nary a white character in sight, which we all know is a much needed perspective in the fantasy genre. I would definitely recommend, but be prepared for a book in need of polish, unless the ARC has been heavily edited prior to final release.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, and Death of parent
justinekorson's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an e-Arc!
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW.
Also, for those curious, this novel leaves off on a MAJOR cliffhanger.
This is definitely a story I think I need to re-read when the book comes out. There's an author I follow on Twitter who recently said that e-ARC's are a bad depiction of the final book because sometimes the e-ARC's are old drafts of the story before line edits were done on it. I only started reading e-ARC's a lot recently and in this book I think I can see how correct that author was. There were some plot points in this novel that were never finished or touched upon again (i.e Lore's mini dagger training session. You'd think she'd need more than one??) and some plot points that were never discussed (i.e Lore mentions toward the end of the book that the word 'clanless' is a slur against Finn butI don't remember it ever being mentioned before that moment). The chapters also felt weirdly short like there was meant to be more to it but there wasn't. My e-ARC even says that it's 288 pages but Storygraph says it's 352 pages.
So, after saying all of that, I've decided not to pick apart the details that weren't refined and instead talk about the story as a whole.
And, as a whole, I adored this story. Lore and Finn were so stubborn and it reminded me a lot of myself actually. Which is why, from the moment I met Finn, I knew he was the one she was meant to be with. Asher was cute and sounded very genuine but... when Finn immediately showed a distaste for him, I knew that I should trust the grumpy fae boy. AND IT TURNS OUT I WAS RIGHT. I don't think I necessarily saw that Asher wasn't who he said he was but I definitely knew something was up with him. He seemed almost TOO genuine at times, like he was faking it to get close to Lore.
Isla was a character I wish I had more of. She was brilliant and I was enamored with her from the moment she appeared. Grey too seemed like a really cool character that could have been utilized more in the beginning of the novel. His appearance in the fae realm was a little startling when Lore saw him with her magic though. I hadn't expected to see Grey back in the story until possibly the next installment. He fit in seamlessly with the rest of the group though and I enjoyed reading about him again.
I will admit that the first third of the book is a totally different vibe from the other two thirds. The beginning reads very cute cottage core as she cleans up the library. I honestly thought we'd spend more time in the library/castle setting than we did. the other 2/3 feel more like an adventure novel as she's trying to escape and as her companions keep dropping other fae around her.
Overall, I'm excited for the next installment and I'm going to be sure to read the final version when it comes out!
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW.
Also, for those curious, this novel leaves off on a MAJOR cliffhanger.
This is definitely a story I think I need to re-read when the book comes out. There's an author I follow on Twitter who recently said that e-ARC's are a bad depiction of the final book because sometimes the e-ARC's are old drafts of the story before line edits were done on it. I only started reading e-ARC's a lot recently and in this book I think I can see how correct that author was. There were some plot points in this novel that were never finished or touched upon again (i.e Lore's mini dagger training session. You'd think she'd need more than one??) and some plot points that were never discussed (i.e Lore mentions toward the end of the book that the word 'clanless' is a slur against Finn butI don't remember it ever being mentioned before that moment). The chapters also felt weirdly short like there was meant to be more to it but there wasn't. My e-ARC even says that it's 288 pages but Storygraph says it's 352 pages.
So, after saying all of that, I've decided not to pick apart the details that weren't refined and instead talk about the story as a whole.
And, as a whole, I adored this story. Lore and Finn were so stubborn and it reminded me a lot of myself actually. Which is why, from the moment I met Finn, I knew he was the one she was meant to be with. Asher was cute and sounded very genuine but... when Finn immediately showed a distaste for him, I knew that I should trust the grumpy fae boy. AND IT TURNS OUT I WAS RIGHT. I don't think I necessarily saw that Asher wasn't who he said he was but I definitely knew something was up with him. He seemed almost TOO genuine at times, like he was faking it to get close to Lore.
Isla was a character I wish I had more of. She was brilliant and I was enamored with her from the moment she appeared. Grey too seemed like a really cool character that could have been utilized more in the beginning of the novel. His appearance in the fae realm was a little startling when Lore saw him with her magic though. I hadn't expected to see Grey back in the story until possibly the next installment. He fit in seamlessly with the rest of the group though and I enjoyed reading about him again.
I will admit that the first third of the book is a totally different vibe from the other two thirds. The beginning reads very cute cottage core as she cleans up the library. I honestly thought we'd spend more time in the library/castle setting than we did. the other 2/3 feel more like an adventure novel as she's trying to escape and as her companions keep dropping other fae around her.
Overall, I'm excited for the next installment and I'm going to be sure to read the final version when it comes out!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Classism, Alcohol, Blood, Body shaming, Confinement, Sexual content, Violence, and Pregnancy
thebookishatelier's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I really enjoyed the beginning of this book! The world building was interesting and the pacing was good. However, around halfway through the pacing was all over the place and just kept getting worse. For the final 30% of the book, I had to check to make sure I wasn't missing a chapter. Everything became extremely rushed, the dialogue felt odd, and overall it made me dislike the reading experience. Near the ending, there was a weird plot twist that also made me feel pretty uncomfortable.
Overall, the book had a solid beginning and the second book does have potential. I think lengthening the ending combined with some more edits could have made this first book much better.
Overall, the book had a solid beginning and the second book does have potential. I think lengthening the ending combined with some more edits could have made this first book much better.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Sexual content
Minor: Alcoholism, Torture, Addiction, and Rape
blewballoon's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!
I will start with the positives, of which there are many! The story is gripping, with fairly high stakes at every turn and a deft handling of worldbuilding as you go, so that you are never bogged down with too much exposition at any given time but always have the information you need to understand the significance of what's happening in a scene. The book never stagnates, either. Just when our main character Lore settles into one location, she finds she has to move onto the next. I never felt like we were in one situation for too little or too long. Lore herself is established in her introduction as someone who is hard working, quick thinking, and highly compassionate, and she carries these traits throughout the story. The other characters she knows and comes across are also compelling and intriguing, some more mysterious than others.I absolutely loved the twist at the end! It's the perfect kind of twist where I knew something was up, but didn't expect THAT, and yet it does fit in with the rest of the story and make sense looking back.
Now for the negatives, of which there's really only one. I would be swept along with the prose of the book, really immersed in the story, and every now and then there would be a little speed bump where it felt like a character (usually Lore) said or did something that didn't fit the context/setting. Usually it was some phrasing that felt too modern or crass compared to the rest of the text. If I had to guess, I would say these were moments to establish Lore as "sassy" or "feisty" but I think the way it was done feels anachronistic. I do hope this book gets another round of editing to address some typos I found as well as these passages that feel a little out of place.
Another note, this is meant to be YA, but I feel like some language and events might push the book more into adult territory.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book for fans of romantasy, especially if they like fae romances and diverse representation.
This was my first time reading an ARC, and now I can see the drawback because I am so eager for the next book in the series and the first book isn't even out yet!
I will start with the positives, of which there are many! The story is gripping, with fairly high stakes at every turn and a deft handling of worldbuilding as you go, so that you are never bogged down with too much exposition at any given time but always have the information you need to understand the significance of what's happening in a scene. The book never stagnates, either. Just when our main character Lore settles into one location, she finds she has to move onto the next. I never felt like we were in one situation for too little or too long. Lore herself is established in her introduction as someone who is hard working, quick thinking, and highly compassionate, and she carries these traits throughout the story. The other characters she knows and comes across are also compelling and intriguing, some more mysterious than others.
Now for the negatives, of which there's really only one. I would be swept along with the prose of the book, really immersed in the story, and every now and then there would be a little speed bump where it felt like a character (usually Lore) said or did something that didn't fit the context/setting. Usually it was some phrasing that felt too modern or crass compared to the rest of the text. If I had to guess, I would say these were moments to establish Lore as "sassy" or "feisty" but I think the way it was done feels anachronistic. I do hope this book gets another round of editing to address some typos I found as well as these passages that feel a little out of place.
Another note, this is meant to be YA, but I feel like some language and events might push the book more into adult territory.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book for fans of romantasy, especially if they like fae romances and diverse representation.
This was my first time reading an ARC, and now I can see the drawback because I am so eager for the next book in the series and the first book isn't even out yet!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Blood
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent, Rape, Pregnancy, Slavery, and War
shorty_jess_the_mess's review
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book has so much vibe and aesthetic appeal, the characters are interesting and Lore in particular is incredibly relatable. The world building is so much fun I enjoyed learning about it and can’t wait to learn more. The twists and turns of the story telling really keeps you on your toes and I could never predict what would happen next. Lore of the Wilds is a must read in my opinion! Also the cover and characters are gorgeous.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Violence, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Addiction
stardust_heidi's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Thanks for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book!
Okay! Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I think it has a very cozy "cottage core" magic vibe filled with great characters, magical forests, and lots of lore. (LOL...so bad, I know.) I'll definitely get my hands on the next book, because I'd love to see where the author takes this story. I think it was a creative blend of humans and fae with some obviously dark and unspecified thing keeping Lore's village hidden from the world.
At times I felt like the plot was a bit formulaic and predictable, in a way that made me not terribly surprised by the plot twists. I think by the last few pages the reason for some of my issues got explained, but it didn't keep me from questioning things in the moment. There were some moments that felt awkward and stilted, and some scenes/plot points that were resolved too easily. Examples of some of these things listed:I think that even though the main characters had some hurdles during their adventures, some of the tense moments got resolved too quickly. For me one of these moments was when Lore rescued Grey from the queen and how easy it was. I also guessed the plot twist with Asher as soon as Lore and Finn started getting close; something told me that there was either going to be an annoying triangle (not my first guess) or that Asher was going to be the dark fae lord in disguise. And I was right. I think it was a good twist, to be honest, but once Asher returned back from his journey's with Isla, the way he and Lore interacted was really uncomfortable. I didn't trust him at all, and I think Lore had some of the ssame instincts despite the fact that she listened to her hormones over anything else (including any feelings she might have had for Finn) in the moment. In some ways, I was bummed with how quickly she returned to Asher -- some of those moments felt really awkward and stilted.
I think this story is a fresh take on a lot of beloved tropes, and I hope many readers find joy not only in the story but also the POC cast! I love how the author focused her own joy into some of the fine details of Lore and the others. A great read!
Okay! Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I think it has a very cozy "cottage core" magic vibe filled with great characters, magical forests, and lots of lore. (LOL...so bad, I know.) I'll definitely get my hands on the next book, because I'd love to see where the author takes this story. I think it was a creative blend of humans and fae with some obviously dark and unspecified thing keeping Lore's village hidden from the world.
At times I felt like the plot was a bit formulaic and predictable, in a way that made me not terribly surprised by the plot twists. I think by the last few pages the reason for some of my issues got explained, but it didn't keep me from questioning things in the moment. There were some moments that felt awkward and stilted, and some scenes/plot points that were resolved too easily. Examples of some of these things listed:
I think this story is a fresh take on a lot of beloved tropes, and I hope many readers find joy not only in the story but also the POC cast! I love how the author focused her own joy into some of the fine details of Lore and the others. A great read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
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