Review: Lore of the Wilds (Lore of the Wilds #1) by Analeigh Sbrana

*I received an advance reading copy of this book from Frenzy Books in exchange for an honest review.

Lore of the Wilds

(Lore of the Wilds #1)

by Analeigh Sbrana 

February 27, 2024

Goodreads Summary:

A stunning Romantasy debut about an enchanted library, two handsome Fae, and one human who brings them all together.

A library with a deadly enchantment.

A Fae lord who wants in.

A human woman willing to risk it all for a taste of power.

In a land ruled by ruthless Fae, twenty-one-year-old Lore Alemeyu’s village is trapped in a forested prison. Lore knows that any escape attempt is futile—her scars are a testament to her past failures. But when her village is threatened, Lore makes a desperate deal with a Fae lord. She will leave her home to catalog/organize an enchanted library that hasn’t been touched in a thousand years. No Fae may enter the library, but there is a chance a human might be able to breach the cursed doors.

She convinces him that she will risk her life for wealth, but really she’s after the one thing the Fae covet above all: magic of her own.

As Lore navigates the hostile world outside, she’s forced to rely on two Fae males to survive. Two very different, very dangerous, very attractive Fae males. When undeniable chemistry ignites, she’s not just in danger of losing her life, but her heart to the very creatures she can never trust.

Review

Lore of the Wilds was quite different from what I imagined. I enjoyed parts of the story but the voice felt young and the plot was all over the place. More often than not I found myself skeptical of how the characters acted.

I liked Lore for her bravery. She was deathly afraid of the Fae but to protect her loved ones, she marched into the unknown. Far from her home, danger and pain molded Lore into a more confident person. With the grimoire, she achieved quite a bit- most notably rescuing Grey all by herself. The only thing I wasn't quite comfortable with when it came to Lore was how she kept calling the grimoire hers. Yes, the magic called out to her but ultimately she did steal it from Lord Syrelle's library?

Lore's romantic entanglements made me cringe. Both love interests displayed hostility toward her but then studiously protected her. Why? Their quick change in attitude confused me. And don't even get me started on how fast Lore developed feelings for both males. I was especially not impressed with how wishy-washy she treated one of the guys. In the end the love triangle didn't even matter. It resolved in a too convenient way.

So my biggest disappointment with Lore of the Wilds came at the end of the book. The major reveal that Asher is Lord Syrelle. The idea actually crossed my mind when I was forming theories but I dismissed it because it was just too easy. I'm sad the author chose this route. It diminished the whole storyline for me and cheapened the romance.

Despite my mixed feelings, Lore of the Wilds was an entertaining story from beginning to end. I might pick up the next book if the writing gets some fine-tuning and the romance starts to make more sense.

*I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. Any quotes included in my review were taken from the ARC I received.