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Emily Wilde #1
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Fantasy (2023)A curmudgeonly professor journeys to a small town in the far north to study faerie folklore and discovers dark fae magic, friendship, and love in the start of a heartwarming and enchanting new fantasy series.
Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party--or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people.
So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.
But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries--lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all--her own heart.
Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party--or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people.
So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.
But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries--lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all--her own heart.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 10, 2023
13.7k people are currently reading
447k people want to read
About the author
Heather Fawcett
17 books8,348 followersHello! Welcome to my page.
I'm the author of books for adults and children, including Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, Even the Darkest Stars, Ember and the Ice Dragons, The School Between Winter and Fairyland, and more.
I'm only occasionally on Goodreads, so if you want a more reliable way to get in contact with me, I'd recommend using social media (I'm on Instagram and Facebook) or the contact form on my website.
Review policy: I only review books that I love, which is why you'll only see 4 and 5 star reviews here. Because readers often ask me about my favourite books and authors, I'm aiming to use this page as a place to collect all of my recommendations.
Also, I am NOT the author of More Than a Mom: Living a Full And Balanced Life When Your Child Has Special Needs. I've asked Goodreads to remove it from my page several times but it keeps getting re-added. If you have questions about this title, please direct them to the other Heather Fawcett!
I'm the author of books for adults and children, including Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, Even the Darkest Stars, Ember and the Ice Dragons, The School Between Winter and Fairyland, and more.
I'm only occasionally on Goodreads, so if you want a more reliable way to get in contact with me, I'd recommend using social media (I'm on Instagram and Facebook) or the contact form on my website.
Review policy: I only review books that I love, which is why you'll only see 4 and 5 star reviews here. Because readers often ask me about my favourite books and authors, I'm aiming to use this page as a place to collect all of my recommendations.
Also, I am NOT the author of More Than a Mom: Living a Full And Balanced Life When Your Child Has Special Needs. I've asked Goodreads to remove it from my page several times but it keeps getting re-added. If you have questions about this title, please direct them to the other Heather Fawcett!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30,801 reviews
February 14, 2025
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries is the perfect, snuggled-under-a-blanket, Winter read.
A Cozy Fantasy with low-stakes, light romance, enchanting atmosphere and easy-to-love characters. This was exactly what I needed for January!!
This book follows Miss Emily Wilde. Emily is a Cambridge Professor, who specializes in the study of faeries. In fact, when we meet her, Emily is fastidiously researching her latest project, the first ever encyclopaedia of fairy lore.
Emily has traveled all over the world studying various culture's magical beings and the legends and lore surrounding them. She has one destination left, a remote village in the Scandinavian country of Ljosland.
Emily is used to field work, so she's not put off at all by the stark, isolated village life. However, she wasn't aware that it would be so rustic that she would need to chop her own wood to keep warm.
Needless to say, Emily, along with her trusty companion, her dog, Shadow, have a bit of a learning curve to overcome in Ljosland.
As they're settling in, Emily receives a letter from one of her Cambridge colleagues, Wendell Bambleby, that he's planning to join her. He can't be serious? Emily works best alone.
Alas, arriving as unexpectedly as his earlier correspondence, there he is. Wendell Bambleby on her doorstop, two student research aides in tow. Good grief.
As days pass, and Emily's research deepens, she begins to suspect that Bambleby knows more about the fae than he is letting on and there may be an unconventional reason for that. Will Emily's research be a success? Will she figure out the mystery of the Hidden Ones near her cottage?
Most importantly, will she figure out the mystery of the man residing within?
Emily Wilde's was such a lovely, cozy, warm hug of a read. I'll be honest, I teared up at the end. I just didn't want to part from these characters. I'm so happy this is just the start of our journey with Emily.
There's a lot to love about Emily as a character. She's a true academic. Not one for small talk, she struggles a bit interacting with other humans. It's not her favorite thing.
I loved the whole idea of her setting off into the great unknown, Shadow by her side, to complete her research. She is fearless. In fact, her life is in jeopardy more than once over the course of this story, yet she seems to navigate it all so well.
Emily has her ups-and-downs over the course of this story and I felt for her every step of the way. She's definitely the type of character you would want to be friends with. I found it so easy to connect with her.
Wendell was so fun too. He's handsome, charming and has a natural ease with people that instantly gets under Emily's skin. Everything seems to come so easily for him and if you're struggling, as Emily is with some of the villagers, that can definitely be frustrating.
I loved their sort of love-hate relationship. All love on his side, a little less so on hers. I wouldn't say hate, but she definitely rolled her eyes at him more than once.
I really enjoyed the cold, barren setting with the backdrop of the magical faerie realms as well. There were quite a few whimsical scenes that I thought were done really well.
Additionally, I liked how Fawcett chose to format this. It reads like you are reading Emily's journal entries. It felt intimate and real-time with her adventures.
There are footnotes though, just a warning, I know not everyone is crazy about those. I felt they worked here though by adding to the vibe of the story.
Overall, I think this is a fantastic start to a series. I am definitely attached to these characters and look forward to reading more about them in the future.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Del Rey, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I had a lot of fun with this one and definitely recommend it to fans of Cozy Fantasy and stories involving the Fae!
A Cozy Fantasy with low-stakes, light romance, enchanting atmosphere and easy-to-love characters. This was exactly what I needed for January!!
This book follows Miss Emily Wilde. Emily is a Cambridge Professor, who specializes in the study of faeries. In fact, when we meet her, Emily is fastidiously researching her latest project, the first ever encyclopaedia of fairy lore.
Emily has traveled all over the world studying various culture's magical beings and the legends and lore surrounding them. She has one destination left, a remote village in the Scandinavian country of Ljosland.
Emily is used to field work, so she's not put off at all by the stark, isolated village life. However, she wasn't aware that it would be so rustic that she would need to chop her own wood to keep warm.
Needless to say, Emily, along with her trusty companion, her dog, Shadow, have a bit of a learning curve to overcome in Ljosland.
As they're settling in, Emily receives a letter from one of her Cambridge colleagues, Wendell Bambleby, that he's planning to join her. He can't be serious? Emily works best alone.
Alas, arriving as unexpectedly as his earlier correspondence, there he is. Wendell Bambleby on her doorstop, two student research aides in tow. Good grief.
As days pass, and Emily's research deepens, she begins to suspect that Bambleby knows more about the fae than he is letting on and there may be an unconventional reason for that. Will Emily's research be a success? Will she figure out the mystery of the Hidden Ones near her cottage?
Most importantly, will she figure out the mystery of the man residing within?
Emily Wilde's was such a lovely, cozy, warm hug of a read. I'll be honest, I teared up at the end. I just didn't want to part from these characters. I'm so happy this is just the start of our journey with Emily.
There's a lot to love about Emily as a character. She's a true academic. Not one for small talk, she struggles a bit interacting with other humans. It's not her favorite thing.
I loved the whole idea of her setting off into the great unknown, Shadow by her side, to complete her research. She is fearless. In fact, her life is in jeopardy more than once over the course of this story, yet she seems to navigate it all so well.
Emily has her ups-and-downs over the course of this story and I felt for her every step of the way. She's definitely the type of character you would want to be friends with. I found it so easy to connect with her.
Wendell was so fun too. He's handsome, charming and has a natural ease with people that instantly gets under Emily's skin. Everything seems to come so easily for him and if you're struggling, as Emily is with some of the villagers, that can definitely be frustrating.
I loved their sort of love-hate relationship. All love on his side, a little less so on hers. I wouldn't say hate, but she definitely rolled her eyes at him more than once.
I really enjoyed the cold, barren setting with the backdrop of the magical faerie realms as well. There were quite a few whimsical scenes that I thought were done really well.
Additionally, I liked how Fawcett chose to format this. It reads like you are reading Emily's journal entries. It felt intimate and real-time with her adventures.
There are footnotes though, just a warning, I know not everyone is crazy about those. I felt they worked here though by adding to the vibe of the story.
Overall, I think this is a fantastic start to a series. I am definitely attached to these characters and look forward to reading more about them in the future.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Del Rey, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I had a lot of fun with this one and definitely recommend it to fans of Cozy Fantasy and stories involving the Fae!
January 22, 2023
I was really close to DNFing this about halfway through and I honestly should have. This was pretty boring and *very* overwritten.
"Bambelby and I entertained ourselves at the cottage by coaxing a recalcitrant Shadow into his new raiment, which was patterned with flowers and equipped with a jaunty hood. The dog hung his head in abject embarrassment until his tormentors deigned to relieve him of this woolen pillory, and he spent the next hour pointedly ignoring me."
Imagine 300 pages of that. It...gets old. The plot moves at a glacial pace for a book that's only 300 pages long and I didn't care enough about the main characters for them to carry me along. Although shoutout to the best character in the book by far, Poe.
I also found the male main character to be completely insufferable. He's selfish, self-centered, and lazy where the female main character is driven and ambitious. This is all intentional in his character and I get that, I just didn't care for it. He shows some level of initiative toward the climax of the book but never enough for me to actually care about him or believe that he's capable of fully caring about anyone else. He pokes fun at the FMC for traits which I read as marking her as clearly autistic-coded (largely in not understanding the common social cues and rituals of those around her) and especially early in the book it gave me the distinct impression of laughing *at* her rather than *with* her. Curious if anyone else had a similar feeling? [Edit: I've spoken with someone else who DNFd the book for this exact reason so I'm glad to see I'm not alone in this.]
So it was boring, dry, overwritten, and I didn't like the characters. I gave it at a low 3 rating right now because I'm not sure it's low enough to warrant something in the 2 range, but I did not have a very good time with this and I'm glad it's over. Bummer.
Edit 1/22/23: updating my rating because it's definitely in the 2 range
"Bambelby and I entertained ourselves at the cottage by coaxing a recalcitrant Shadow into his new raiment, which was patterned with flowers and equipped with a jaunty hood. The dog hung his head in abject embarrassment until his tormentors deigned to relieve him of this woolen pillory, and he spent the next hour pointedly ignoring me."
Imagine 300 pages of that. It...gets old. The plot moves at a glacial pace for a book that's only 300 pages long and I didn't care enough about the main characters for them to carry me along. Although shoutout to the best character in the book by far, Poe.
I also found the male main character to be completely insufferable. He's selfish, self-centered, and lazy where the female main character is driven and ambitious. This is all intentional in his character and I get that, I just didn't care for it. He shows some level of initiative toward the climax of the book but never enough for me to actually care about him or believe that he's capable of fully caring about anyone else. He pokes fun at the FMC for traits which I read as marking her as clearly autistic-coded (largely in not understanding the common social cues and rituals of those around her) and especially early in the book it gave me the distinct impression of laughing *at* her rather than *with* her. Curious if anyone else had a similar feeling? [Edit: I've spoken with someone else who DNFd the book for this exact reason so I'm glad to see I'm not alone in this.]
So it was boring, dry, overwritten, and I didn't like the characters. I gave it at a low 3 rating right now because I'm not sure it's low enough to warrant something in the 2 range, but I did not have a very good time with this and I'm glad it's over. Bummer.
Edit 1/22/23: updating my rating because it's definitely in the 2 range
January 2, 2023
I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did but I found myself genuinely cackling with delight throughout :’)
February 17, 2025
the cutest most wholesome cosy book to ever exist (I loved it)
re-read: I still stand by what I said ^. definitely one of my comfort reads. I will hopefully re-read this many times 🧚🏻♀️📖✨
re-read: I still stand by what I said ^. definitely one of my comfort reads. I will hopefully re-read this many times 🧚🏻♀️📖✨
Read
December 22, 2023i've had a few teeth pulled and lemme tell ya, being in my dentist's chair was more fun than this
Want to read
January 29, 2024Couldn't make it to 100 pages... don't get the hype.
December 11, 2023
this book is if Holly Black wrote a romance between Veronica Speedwell and Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle
April 20, 2023
“If anyone were to claim greater happiness in their careers than I do in poking about sunlit wildwoods for faerie footprints, I should not believe it.”
A woman who has been in love with the fae all her life and is taking us along on her academic research with the encyclopedia she is currently writing about them and her experiences with them? Oh, what more could I possibly ask for friends? Actually the life i wish i could have if i was around in 1909. This is also told epistolary style, with a lot of field notes, but a lot of stories, and some unexpected entries as well. But this was just a book that really worked for me and my reading wheelhouse (and heart). There is a little romance too that is also very sweet and again… the field notes are just so good. We also get to travel to some fae realms to solve a mystery that did get a little dark - so please use caution. Like, there are a lot of cozy vibes and moments and settings (omg did i love the market too) in this, but, again, there are a lot of darker themes and the story takes showing the dark faery side of things!
But i am really and truly begging for a book two.
trigger + content warnings: mention of loss of a loved one in past, mention of suicide very briefly twice, talk of kidnapping + actual kidnapping, violence, blood, gore, vomit, animal violence + death, child abandonment, spider mentions
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February 11, 2024
soo you're saying if i can get a doctorate degree in all things fairy i can live my best like emily??!?
first read of 2024 and while this was great 3/4 in, the climax for this felt so unfinished i felt like it didn't end properly?? (i know there's a sequel coming out literally this month) but the last 50 pages annoyed me. it could have been so good!!!
anyways, emily is living her best life and living my dream.fairies totally exist btw.
Check out my wrap up here!
3.5 STARS
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first read of 2024 and while this was great 3/4 in, the climax for this felt so unfinished i felt like it didn't end properly?? (i know there's a sequel coming out literally this month) but the last 50 pages annoyed me. it could have been so good!!!
anyways, emily is living her best life and living my dream.
Check out my wrap up here!
3.5 STARS
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January 10, 2024
What happened? This was supposed to be actually good. You lied to me, book.
Oh, I know! What I read was a faerie changeling of a book, while the actual good book was abducted and is forlornly roaming the depths of Faerie kingdom, and we are never destined to meet. Nothing else explains these shenanigans.
The ingredients were fantastic. But the dish ended up unsalted, overboiled and generally a mush.
Take a remote cold Scandinavian island at the turn of the 20th century in a world where faeries are real yet ephemeral and set a grumpy misanthropic university professor on a search for them. Sounds like a wonderful set-up, doesn’t it? Think of the potential - the stark beauty of nature against the ruthless unforgiving cold, the contrast of the snow and dark tree silhouettes, the pristine remote landscapes contrasting with the suffocating feel of a small close-knit community not used to strangers and hostile to intruders, in too-close of a contact with the otherworldly cruel menace terrorizing them. The strong feeling of time and place and the enchantment of beautiful setting is what the period fantasy is about, and I was ready for it.
Obviously, that didn’t happen. And it was a disappointment, to put mildly.
Instead what we got was the equivalent of a gingerbread village where offering to pay for things is the biggest offense and the biggest revenge is a bit of a burnt toast and angry sheep messing up the chocolate and peppermint candies while our supposedly brilliant protagonist bitches about doing her job and ignores the interesting things happening right in front of her nose, missing proverbial forest for the trees or even metaphorical shrubbery. (Why are you thrilled about a random forest fairy when you have access to fairy royalty AND a changeling child?)
It’s needlessly fluffy and with any potentially sharp edges smoothed out and safely padded. And that’s like getting a burnt toast for breakfast.
Anachronisms upon anachronisms ensue, giving a whiplash feel of the time and absolute lack of the feel of the place. The depth of conflicts is at the level of a young novel, immature and naive, and the resolution of these is beyond lackluster. The romance is plain silly. And the worldbuilding is murky and vague, with no consequences stemming from adding real faeries as part of the reality. That’s just lazy.
And our ridiculous too-stupid-to-live protagonist who’s supposedly charmingly grumpy but actually is a rude oaf with baffling incuriosity about actually interesting things around her — yeah, it seems that the author at some point realized that this youngest professor in Cambridge history is a bit of an idiot and therefore decided to just tell us how great she is without actually bothering to show it:
Something about this book reminded me of the feel of A Discovery of Witches which coming from me is very much not a compliment.
Boring, frustrating and unsatisfying.
1.5 stars.
————
Buddyread suffering with Nastya.
Oh, I know! What I read was a faerie changeling of a book, while the actual good book was abducted and is forlornly roaming the depths of Faerie kingdom, and we are never destined to meet. Nothing else explains these shenanigans.
The ingredients were fantastic. But the dish ended up unsalted, overboiled and generally a mush.
Take a remote cold Scandinavian island at the turn of the 20th century in a world where faeries are real yet ephemeral and set a grumpy misanthropic university professor on a search for them. Sounds like a wonderful set-up, doesn’t it? Think of the potential - the stark beauty of nature against the ruthless unforgiving cold, the contrast of the snow and dark tree silhouettes, the pristine remote landscapes contrasting with the suffocating feel of a small close-knit community not used to strangers and hostile to intruders, in too-close of a contact with the otherworldly cruel menace terrorizing them. The strong feeling of time and place and the enchantment of beautiful setting is what the period fantasy is about, and I was ready for it.
Obviously, that didn’t happen. And it was a disappointment, to put mildly.
Instead what we got was the equivalent of a gingerbread village where offering to pay for things is the biggest offense and the biggest revenge is a bit of a burnt toast and angry sheep messing up the chocolate and peppermint candies while our supposedly brilliant protagonist bitches about doing her job and ignores the interesting things happening right in front of her nose, missing proverbial forest for the trees or even metaphorical shrubbery. (Why are you thrilled about a random forest fairy when you have access to fairy royalty AND a changeling child?)
It’s needlessly fluffy and with any potentially sharp edges smoothed out and safely padded. And that’s like getting a burnt toast for breakfast.
Anachronisms upon anachronisms ensue, giving a whiplash feel of the time and absolute lack of the feel of the place. The depth of conflicts is at the level of a young novel, immature and naive, and the resolution of these is beyond lackluster. The romance is plain silly. And the worldbuilding is murky and vague, with no consequences stemming from adding real faeries as part of the reality. That’s just lazy.
And our ridiculous too-stupid-to-live protagonist who’s supposedly charmingly grumpy but actually is a rude oaf with baffling incuriosity about actually interesting things around her — yeah, it seems that the author at some point realized that this youngest professor in Cambridge history is a bit of an idiot and therefore decided to just tell us how great she is without actually bothering to show it:
“Then you told me how you had tricked the boggart into thinking you a long-lost relative of his last master—a feat which had required extensive research into local lore—then bribed him with exotic seashells, for you remembered some obscure story about a boggart whose secret fantasy was to travel the world, boggarts being bound to their crumbling ruins, while I half listened in astonishment.”
Yeah, maybe next time tell me *that* story instead…
Something about this book reminded me of the feel of A Discovery of Witches which coming from me is very much not a compliment.
Boring, frustrating and unsatisfying.
1.5 stars.
————
Buddy
March 10, 2024
I think this book would've been a five out of five star read for me had it just remained in the place where Emily is out on the field researching Fae and dealing with Wendell, but it veered off track and sort of ditched the cozy vibes it presented in the first bit. I still really enjoyed it and I'm excited to keep going with this series.
January 30, 2023
This felt like it was 600 pages long and I still couldn’t tell you exactly what happened. This book definitely doesn’t know how to make a point. It’s boring, the character relationships seem unnatural, there’s no growth and the thing that bothered me most of all is how they kept describing every action in this book as ‘scientific research’ while it was anything but 😭 I expected cozy academia vibes but it was just one big dump of random scenes that did not form a coherent plot.
February 4, 2025
⤷4.5! This was the most fun time I've had in awhile!! The beginning was a teeny bit slow, but once you get into the story, it's so addicting!! I LOVED the journal ideas and seeing Emily's discoveries, the faerie lore was super interesting to me :) Emily's little friend Poe is so adorbs (in my head he's like Dobby LOL). My boy Wendell is so so funny, he made me laugh with every single line <3 His nicknames for her, the lighthearted teasing, and the fact that he sew her cloaks!! 🤭 The small bit of his POV written in her journal was such a charming treat <3 I really enjoyed the rivalry/bantery dynamic, but also the fact that they ARE friends before everything else!! Their love and support for each other was just everything (even if she's a bit oblivious - but it made their romance even more charming)!! The villagers are the cutest - even if they seem standoffish at first!! The found family has my whole heart 😌❤️ If you love cozy vibes, definitely give it a try!!
[“I prefer your company, Em."
He said it as if it were obvious. I snorted again, assuming he was teasing me. "Over the company of a tavern filled with a rapt and grateful audience? I'm sure you do."
"Over anyone else's company." Again, he said it with some amusement, as if wondering what I was doing speculating about something so evident.]
[“I prefer your company, Em."
He said it as if it were obvious. I snorted again, assuming he was teasing me. "Over the company of a tavern filled with a rapt and grateful audience? I'm sure you do."
"Over anyone else's company." Again, he said it with some amusement, as if wondering what I was doing speculating about something so evident.]
February 16, 2023
This was a cozy book about sometimes disturbingly violent faeries. I liked this overall, but at times the plot did drag a little slowly. The main character, Emily, could also be painfully unobservant for someone who is very scientifically minded. I am not sure if the author meant to make her seem like she was potentially neurodivergent but that's how she came across to me at times, especially in regards to social situations and her having a special interest in faeries.
October 18, 2024
:(((((((((
March 5, 2025
This was cute and cozy. But it also dragged a lot for me. Full review shortly.
I've had this on my TBR forever - it feels like the perfect read to start March with (tomorrow). Please! I hope I love this because I want all these gorgeous covers for my shelves!
I've had this on my TBR forever - it feels like the perfect read to start March with (tomorrow). Please! I hope I love this because I want all these gorgeous covers for my shelves!
May 26, 2023
learning the hard way that “cozy fantasy’s” are just not for me. it’s very rare that a book with a plot can be boring to me but somehow this book managed that. the plot moved at the pace of a snail which amazes me because it’s only 300 pages. i didn’t get the howls moving castle vibes from the book like everyone claimed and i didn’t find the love interest similar to howl at all either. the chemistry was terrible and this has to be the worst slow burn i’ve ever read. and that’s coming from someone who loves slow burn
June 23, 2023
“I wish to know the unknowable… To peel back the carpeting of the world and tumble into the stars.”
I can’t put to words how much I adored this book. A logical professor dealing with a whimsical plot? Sign me up. I loved her banter with Wendell, I loved the folklore, I loved the little frozen town. I loved everything. I don’t have any complaints.
I can’t put to words how much I adored this book. A logical professor dealing with a whimsical plot? Sign me up. I loved her banter with Wendell, I loved the folklore, I loved the little frozen town. I loved everything. I don’t have any complaints.
January 16, 2023
In a Nutshell: An entertaining and quirky read that will work well for fantasy readers. Well-carved characters, interesting writing. Gets a bit dark at times.
Story Synopsis:
Where the book worked for me:
😍 The story has appealing characters who are detailed out really well. Emily might be tough for some to like, but her introverted nature and her passion for organising and planning her work list made me feel rather close to her. Wendell is beyond description – he starts off as a self-obsessed snoot but his character starts peeling off its layers quite interestingly as the story progresses. Many of the village folk, while in small roles, have equally interesting character arcs. Can’t forget Emily’s pet canine Shadow – he’s adorable!
😍 Emily is a stubborn and demanding social recluse while Wendell is her exact opposite. Yet the two of them have a connection that is tough to resist. I loved their repartee and their easy camaraderie despite resistance from Emily’s side. I hope the next book in the series takes their arc ahead well without becoming clichéd.
😍 There are also plenty of lore characters in the story, not all of whom are commonly seen in this genre. They add a fabulous touch of magic to the proceedings. Mind you, things do get dark at times but not so much as would creep you out.
😍 I appreciate Emily’s journals being used as a narrative device. While this approach leads to some foreshadowing of what happened that day, it also ensures a focussed narration due to Emily’s very nature. There is not much focus on descriptions, but there is enough of it to make the little village come alive in our minds.
😍 As the first of a series, the book ends really well. The important arcs are closed, and yet we have an inclination of where the story might go next. No cliffhangers.
😍 Some plot developments caught me unawares but the author handled the unexpected nicely. It feels nice to be surprised when you aren’t expecting any deviations from the norm.
😍 The book is somewhat slow-paced, but the plot was such that I didn’t even feel like speed-reading. Every scene contributes to the story in some way or another.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
😑 There are a couple of folktales in between and at the end. These took away from the tempo of the main plot. (I did love the stories; I just wish they weren’t bang in the middle of the story we were invested in.)
😑 This is a complaint you will hardly ever hear me make. I wanted more of the romance! (Okay, okay, I know this isn’t marketed as a romance, but c’mon! It was like being offered a scrumptious cake but getting only one lick of it. I am hungry for more!)
All in all, despite the somewhat roundabout pacing, I loved the story for its characters and its writing approach. I’m definitely on board for the next in the series. Can’t wait to see where the author leads Emily and Wendell!
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for the DRC of “Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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Story Synopsis:
1909. Thirty-year-old Cambridge Professor Dr. Emily Wilde lives life with a single-minded purpose – she wishes to complete her encyclopaedia of Faerie Folk and does all she can to complete this goal, even if it means suffering the company of other people, the most irritating of whom is her colleague and rival Wendell Bambleby.
When she arrives in the remote village of Hrafnsvik, she has no desire to mingle with its denizens. However, soon she realises that Hrafnsvik is full of Fae mysteries and to unlock them, she needs the support of its residents. When the ever-charming Bambleby also turns up at the village, Emily knows she has to make some tough choices.
The story comes to use through Emily’s (first person) entries in the journal she maintains as a part of her research.
Where the book worked for me:
😍 The story has appealing characters who are detailed out really well. Emily might be tough for some to like, but her introverted nature and her passion for organising and planning her work list made me feel rather close to her. Wendell is beyond description – he starts off as a self-obsessed snoot but his character starts peeling off its layers quite interestingly as the story progresses. Many of the village folk, while in small roles, have equally interesting character arcs. Can’t forget Emily’s pet canine Shadow – he’s adorable!
😍 Emily is a stubborn and demanding social recluse while Wendell is her exact opposite. Yet the two of them have a connection that is tough to resist. I loved their repartee and their easy camaraderie despite resistance from Emily’s side. I hope the next book in the series takes their arc ahead well without becoming clichéd.
😍 There are also plenty of lore characters in the story, not all of whom are commonly seen in this genre. They add a fabulous touch of magic to the proceedings. Mind you, things do get dark at times but not so much as would creep you out.
😍 I appreciate Emily’s journals being used as a narrative device. While this approach leads to some foreshadowing of what happened that day, it also ensures a focussed narration due to Emily’s very nature. There is not much focus on descriptions, but there is enough of it to make the little village come alive in our minds.
😍 As the first of a series, the book ends really well. The important arcs are closed, and yet we have an inclination of where the story might go next. No cliffhangers.
😍 Some plot developments caught me unawares but the author handled the unexpected nicely. It feels nice to be surprised when you aren’t expecting any deviations from the norm.
😍 The book is somewhat slow-paced, but the plot was such that I didn’t even feel like speed-reading. Every scene contributes to the story in some way or another.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
😑 There are a couple of folktales in between and at the end. These took away from the tempo of the main plot. (I did love the stories; I just wish they weren’t bang in the middle of the story we were invested in.)
😑 This is a complaint you will hardly ever hear me make. I wanted more of the romance! (Okay, okay, I know this isn’t marketed as a romance, but c’mon! It was like being offered a scrumptious cake but getting only one lick of it. I am hungry for more!)
All in all, despite the somewhat roundabout pacing, I loved the story for its characters and its writing approach. I’m definitely on board for the next in the series. Can’t wait to see where the author leads Emily and Wendell!
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for the DRC of “Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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October 23, 2024
A grumpy woman who just wants to be left alone goes on a research trip to Fake Iceland and is joined by her uninvited co-worker, a blonde, Irish version of David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor. Wendell clearly adores Emily, who is fairly oblivious to emotions outside of her own, although even she is alarmed by the town’s contentious relationship with the fae that are constantly being huge pains in the ass. Written as a series of journal entries, the book records Emily and Wendell’s research, attempts at swapping out stolen children, and tavern visits that are met with various degrees of success. There are faerie-napped lesbians; a weird jerk in a tree; a bread-providing man made of needles; excellent sewing skills? And a good reminder that sentiment and practicality are not enemies - sometimes one needs the other to stay on track or, I don’t know, escape a doomed wedding to an ice king.
March 16, 2024
“Perhaps it is always restful to be around someone who does not expect anything from you beyond what is in your nature.”
This is as wholesome as you guys made it out to be. Such a cure for the soul. Not only that, but it is also clever, absolutely hilarious, and adorable. It even has its fair share of action. It's also narrated as a diary, which I like, but it always makes me wonder how a person could possibly remember their day-to-day in such detail. Although, Emily Wilde seems more than capable of that. Besides, what I particularly liked in this book are the folktales. I have no idea if they are real stories or not but they are amazing, though they would be even more impressive if the author had come up with them. They are rarely added in books which makes me love them even more whenever I find them.
Moreover, Emily is one of the most badass nerds I've ever read. She reminds me a lot of Evelyn from The Mummy. She likes books, research, and all that, but she is also a dedicated explorer. She likes adventure, discovering anything she can about the faeries, and tends to put herself in dangerous situations. She is also socially awkward, uptight, and prefers books to people. She's basically my spirit animal...except I'm not that smart. What I love most about her is how apathetic and absorbed in her work she can be, although this does not mean she lacks any emotions, only a few morals. It was really funny how she would only help people if it was beneficial to her research.
Furthermore, Wendell Bambleby is such a wonderfully hot mess of a person. He is such a spoiled brat, even though he is probably in his thirties. He is pretty terrible at his job too. He apparently fabricates a lot of his work and prefers to lounge around than do actual field work, but he makes up for it by being charming and unreasonably beautiful. Oh, and making clothes and shoes for Emily! Yeah, he literally makes clothes for her. I'd say that's a fair balance. He is also not the kind of person who would break a sweat for anyone, even if they are in danger unless, of course, that person is Emily. There's a whole lot he would do for her, which is why I love him so much. Also, because he is so unbelievably hilarious and he doesn't even have to try. Every scene with him had me in stitches, especially his contribution to Emily's journaling. That man is a keeper.
Lastly, I love the chemistry between Emily and Wendell. They are the epitome of 'opposites attract' and it fills my heart with joy every time they banter and argue with each other. They also have this rivals-to-lovers/frienemies dynamic that makes their interactions even more delightful. For all his faults, he is a total simp for Emily, who is not as oblivious to his emotions as one would've thought, and the way he goes from lazy kissass to a feral monster/storybook hero whenever she's in danger makes life worth living. I also love the terms of endearment he uses for her which are basically a variation of the word 'crazy'. How adorable is that? As for Emily, while she is apathetic and uninterested in helping others, she becomes a heaping mess if something happens to Wendell. There's still a long way to go when it comes to their relationship and the romance isn't exactly the main focus of the story, but I hope there's a lot more in the second book.
This is as wholesome as you guys made it out to be. Such a cure for the soul. Not only that, but it is also clever, absolutely hilarious, and adorable. It even has its fair share of action. It's also narrated as a diary, which I like, but it always makes me wonder how a person could possibly remember their day-to-day in such detail. Although, Emily Wilde seems more than capable of that. Besides, what I particularly liked in this book are the folktales. I have no idea if they are real stories or not but they are amazing, though they would be even more impressive if the author had come up with them. They are rarely added in books which makes me love them even more whenever I find them.
Moreover, Emily is one of the most badass nerds I've ever read. She reminds me a lot of Evelyn from The Mummy. She likes books, research, and all that, but she is also a dedicated explorer. She likes adventure, discovering anything she can about the faeries, and tends to put herself in dangerous situations. She is also socially awkward, uptight, and prefers books to people. She's basically my spirit animal...except I'm not that smart. What I love most about her is how apathetic and absorbed in her work she can be, although this does not mean she lacks any emotions, only a few morals. It was really funny how she would only help people if it was beneficial to her research.
Furthermore, Wendell Bambleby is such a wonderfully hot mess of a person. He is such a spoiled brat, even though he is probably in his thirties. He is pretty terrible at his job too. He apparently fabricates a lot of his work and prefers to lounge around than do actual field work, but he makes up for it by being charming and unreasonably beautiful. Oh, and making clothes and shoes for Emily! Yeah, he literally makes clothes for her. I'd say that's a fair balance. He is also not the kind of person who would break a sweat for anyone, even if they are in danger unless, of course, that person is Emily. There's a whole lot he would do for her, which is why I love him so much. Also, because he is so unbelievably hilarious and he doesn't even have to try. Every scene with him had me in stitches, especially his contribution to Emily's journaling. That man is a keeper.
Lastly, I love the chemistry between Emily and Wendell. They are the epitome of 'opposites attract' and it fills my heart with joy every time they banter and argue with each other. They also have this rivals-to-lovers/frienemies dynamic that makes their interactions even more delightful. For all his faults, he is a total simp for Emily, who is not as oblivious to his emotions as one would've thought, and the way he goes from lazy kissass to a feral monster/storybook hero whenever she's in danger makes life worth living. I also love the terms of endearment he uses for her which are basically a variation of the word 'crazy'. How adorable is that? As for Emily, while she is apathetic and uninterested in helping others, she becomes a heaping mess if something happens to Wendell. There's still a long way to go when it comes to their relationship and the romance isn't exactly the main focus of the story, but I hope there's a lot more in the second book.
August 4, 2023
1.5 Stars (rounding up bc there is a magic dog)
I feel like this review may ruffle some feathers but we all have to keep it real and this is just my opinion but if you loved this book I am genuinely happy for you but I suggest you keep scrolling bc I am going to go there.
This is easily my most hated read of the year so far. This book drew out all my rage, frustration and annoyance and then some. I feel like I was really mislead by the descriptions I have seen for this book and the comparisons to some other books that happen to be some of my favorites. So thankful to have read this with my bestie, Deema, bc we needed emotional support to get through this book.
Ok so what did I hate about it? Most everything.
The Writing- For starters, it's painfully overwritten, it's pretentious and feels exceedingly obnoxious. The pacing is torture throughout the book with the plot feeling entirely stagnant in favor of pages and pages of verbal posturing. It was just overkill, and had very little substance.
Emily Wilde-I don't even know where to start with my breakdown of this character bc I have so many issues with her. I do however want to address something right off the bat. I have seen it be suggested that Emily is neurodivergent or possibly has ASD. I soundly reject this idea as it is not mentioned or alluded to anywhere in the text or in the book descriptions. If that were actually the case, I would take serious issue with this entirely cliched and narrow representation of people who live with this condition. As a person who is an active advocate and has a personal attachment in the ASD and neurodivergent community for over a decade, I can tell you that these types of depictions are inaccurate and harmful. I will be proceeding with my breakdown as if she is a neurotypical woman with obvious social anxiety as the text suggests.
Emily is so robotic and self serving this entire book. She goes further than just being antisocial, she is rude, unkind and offensive to those around her. She borders on being a narcissist and everything she does for others is completely transactional. At a later stage in the book, there is an attempt to show her having actual feelings but in actuality it's just another transactional response. The way she dismisses, emotionally abuses, and is entirely ungrateful to Bambleby and his efforts to repeatedly aid her, usually when she gets herself into trouble is so infuriating. HE DESERVES BETTER! Her only redeeming quality is her love for her dog and I can respect her tenacity as an academic but other than that she is just an awful human being. As most of this book is in her first person POV, there is no escaping her endless monologue of totally self serving and snide commentary, we kept hanging in there hoping that she would have this miraculous character breakthrough and sadly it just never happened.
Was there anything I liked? Yes, and the reason why I rounded up.
Bambleby-He was charming, funny and interesting. Even as his nature is to be Fae and therefore cruel, vain and selfish, he was surprisingly caring and thoughtful. (especially when compared to Emily) The only thing I can't comprehend is why he would love Emily at all. I don't get it, she gives him nothing but insults and abuse. It seems so out of pocket. But anytime he was on the page it was like a breath of fresh air and the best part of the book was those few times we got his POV.
Shadow-He is a magic dog, enough said.
The villagers- they were interesting and gave some comic relief to the story and a reprieve from Emily's constant vitriol.
Thank you soo much to my bestie DEEMA! I told her early into reading that I was having trouble with this book and she so sweetly volunteered to read it with me and I am so grateful to have had someone to rant with! (even though I feel kinda bad at the same time bc this was not it!) Seriously, you are the platinum standard of besties and I ADORE YOU!
I feel like this review may ruffle some feathers but we all have to keep it real and this is just my opinion but if you loved this book I am genuinely happy for you but I suggest you keep scrolling bc I am going to go there.
This is easily my most hated read of the year so far. This book drew out all my rage, frustration and annoyance and then some. I feel like I was really mislead by the descriptions I have seen for this book and the comparisons to some other books that happen to be some of my favorites. So thankful to have read this with my bestie, Deema, bc we needed emotional support to get through this book.
Ok so what did I hate about it? Most everything.
The Writing- For starters, it's painfully overwritten, it's pretentious and feels exceedingly obnoxious. The pacing is torture throughout the book with the plot feeling entirely stagnant in favor of pages and pages of verbal posturing. It was just overkill, and had very little substance.
Emily Wilde-I don't even know where to start with my breakdown of this character bc I have so many issues with her. I do however want to address something right off the bat. I have seen it be suggested that Emily is neurodivergent or possibly has ASD. I soundly reject this idea as it is not mentioned or alluded to anywhere in the text or in the book descriptions. If that were actually the case, I would take serious issue with this entirely cliched and narrow representation of people who live with this condition. As a person who is an active advocate and has a personal attachment in the ASD and neurodivergent community for over a decade, I can tell you that these types of depictions are inaccurate and harmful. I will be proceeding with my breakdown as if she is a neurotypical woman with obvious social anxiety as the text suggests.
Emily is so robotic and self serving this entire book. She goes further than just being antisocial, she is rude, unkind and offensive to those around her. She borders on being a narcissist and everything she does for others is completely transactional. At a later stage in the book, there is an attempt to show her having actual feelings but in actuality it's just another transactional response. The way she dismisses, emotionally abuses, and is entirely ungrateful to Bambleby and his efforts to repeatedly aid her, usually when she gets herself into trouble is so infuriating. HE DESERVES BETTER! Her only redeeming quality is her love for her dog and I can respect her tenacity as an academic but other than that she is just an awful human being. As most of this book is in her first person POV, there is no escaping her endless monologue of totally self serving and snide commentary, we kept hanging in there hoping that she would have this miraculous character breakthrough and sadly it just never happened.
Was there anything I liked? Yes, and the reason why I rounded up.
Bambleby-He was charming, funny and interesting. Even as his nature is to be Fae and therefore cruel, vain and selfish, he was surprisingly caring and thoughtful. (especially when compared to Emily) The only thing I can't comprehend is why he would love Emily at all. I don't get it, she gives him nothing but insults and abuse. It seems so out of pocket. But anytime he was on the page it was like a breath of fresh air and the best part of the book was those few times we got his POV.
Shadow-He is a magic dog, enough said.
The villagers- they were interesting and gave some comic relief to the story and a reprieve from Emily's constant vitriol.
Thank you soo much to my bestie DEEMA! I told her early into reading that I was having trouble with this book and she so sweetly volunteered to read it with me and I am so grateful to have had someone to rant with! (even though I feel kinda bad at the same time bc this was not it!) Seriously, you are the platinum standard of besties and I ADORE YOU!
June 22, 2022
4.5 stars.
I loved this so much and now I'm mad that I can't find another academia-centric faerie fantasy set in early 1900s Scandinavia. The diary format works so well, especially in tempering my anxiety since Emily had to be alive/relatively healthy to write the diary entry in the first place. 😅 The first 20% is decent as a standoffish Emily settles into a remote village with prickly locals, but then the book gets AMAZING when Wendell shows up. I know the blurb calls him an academic rival, but that's not really accurate. They're friends (while Emily is frequently irked by his presence, she still considers Wendell to be her only friend). I don't want to spoil anything more, but I highly recommend this novel (might bump it up to a 5 stars when I reread the audiobook).
These are not the best comps (struggling to come up with anything, tbh), but this book might appeal to fans of Naomi Novik and Olivia Atwater? I think??? Don't hate me if I'm completely off the mark. 😅 This book is very weird to review because the humor is sly and biting (even when Emily is anti-social and oblivious), but it's definitely not a fantasy rom-com. I don't think it's lighthearted or cozy like Howl's Moving Castle, even if some aspects gave me those vibes (Wendell, in particular, has Intense Howl Energy). The faerie kidnapping elements are terrifying and I shivered constantly during the latter half (admittedly I am easy to scare, especially when I'm reading at night). So... it's just a mix of all emotions. I'm sorry, I'm doing a terrible job describing the tone, but definitely check it out if the blurb intrigues you.
FYI for romance readers: this is a historical fantasy with (very enjoyable) romantic elements, not a romance. The ending feels like a plausible HFN (can't really go into detail without spoilers but you won't be unhappy).
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this so much and now I'm mad that I can't find another academia-centric faerie fantasy set in early 1900s Scandinavia. The diary format works so well, especially in tempering my anxiety since Emily had to be alive/relatively healthy to write the diary entry in the first place. 😅 The first 20% is decent as a standoffish Emily settles into a remote village with prickly locals, but then the book gets AMAZING when Wendell shows up. I know the blurb calls him an academic rival, but that's not really accurate. They're friends (while Emily is frequently irked by his presence, she still considers Wendell to be her only friend). I don't want to spoil anything more, but I highly recommend this novel (might bump it up to a 5 stars when I reread the audiobook).
These are not the best comps (struggling to come up with anything, tbh), but this book might appeal to fans of Naomi Novik and Olivia Atwater? I think??? Don't hate me if I'm completely off the mark. 😅 This book is very weird to review because the humor is sly and biting (even when Emily is anti-social and oblivious), but it's definitely not a fantasy rom-com. I don't think it's lighthearted or cozy like Howl's Moving Castle, even if some aspects gave me those vibes (Wendell, in particular, has Intense Howl Energy). The faerie kidnapping elements are terrifying and I shivered constantly during the latter half (admittedly I am easy to scare, especially when I'm reading at night). So... it's just a mix of all emotions. I'm sorry, I'm doing a terrible job describing the tone, but definitely check it out if the blurb intrigues you.
FYI for romance readers: this is a historical fantasy with (very enjoyable) romantic elements, not a romance. The ending feels like a plausible HFN (can't really go into detail without spoilers but you won't be unhappy).
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
February 18, 2025
I haven’t read a cozy fantasy in forever 🧚♀️✨
January 1, 2024
What I liked:
The characters. I wouldn't put Emily and Wendell in the 'love' category, but they were interesting characters to read about. I did really like the townsfolk, Emily's dog Shadow and Poe.
The setting. Everything about the village of Hrafnsvik and the little cottage felt cozy and whimsical. Great atmosphere.
What didn't entirely work for me:
The pacing. While I don't mind slower paced stories, this one dragged and I was a bit bored at times.
The plot. For the most part I enjoyed it, but I didn't like the direction the story took in the last 100 pages or so. I didn't see the reasoning behind certain decisions. Everything that happened felt nonsensical and 'unrealistic', including the resolution.
The romance. There wasn't much of it here and I didn't expect it to be, but I don't get why the author .
The characters. I wouldn't put Emily and Wendell in the 'love' category, but they were interesting characters to read about. I did really like the townsfolk, Emily's dog Shadow and Poe.
The setting. Everything about the village of Hrafnsvik and the little cottage felt cozy and whimsical. Great atmosphere.
What didn't entirely work for me:
The pacing. While I don't mind slower paced stories, this one dragged and I was a bit bored at times.
The plot. For the most part I enjoyed it, but I didn't like the direction the story took in the last 100 pages or so. I didn't see the reasoning behind certain decisions. Everything that happened felt nonsensical and 'unrealistic', including the resolution.
The romance. There wasn't much of it here and I didn't expect it to be, but I don't get why the author .
December 5, 2022
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries enchants with a cozy atmosphere and scholarly inquiry into the world of the fae. Combining fantasy, mystery, history, and romance elements, this is a one-of-a-kind story, unlike anything I've read concerning faerie so far. Fawcett debuts a delightful academic fantasy to cherish and revel in.
Review is up now on my blog!
Review is up now on my blog!
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October 16, 2024it’s cozy time y’all ✋🏻🤍
July 10, 2024
Ta książka jest jak jedzenie tostów z serem. Przypominacie sobie o nich raz w roku, jecie je codziennie przez tydzień i macie ich tak dosyć, że zapominacie na kolejny rok.
Tak strasznie się cieszyłam na tę premierę. Nie pamiętam kiedy ostatnio pokładałam takie nadzieje w książce. Jest nudna jak flaki z olejem i to jest jej największym problemem.
Tak strasznie się cieszyłam na tę premierę. Nie pamiętam kiedy ostatnio pokładałam takie nadzieje w książce. Jest nudna jak flaki z olejem i to jest jej największym problemem.
April 26, 2023
This book was so good! This was a fun and heartwarming fantasy about friendship, family, love and making discoveries. Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries follows Emily Wilde who is a professor at Cambridge and she studies faeries. Emily is writing the first encyclopaedia of faeries and she is in the a village in the far north finishing her book. Then her colleague, Wendell arrives in the village and she finds herself in the heart of a surprising mystery.
The book started off a bit slow, but once it picked up I was transported to this intriguing and enchanting world that the author created. The plot was very interesting and engaging. The world building was great, I loved learning about the different faeries and the faerie customs.
The characters were very interesting and relatable. I really liked Emily, she is intelligent, brave, hard working and stubborn. I loved Wendell, he is funny, sweet, charming, very handsome, and smart. I loved how sweet and protective he was of Emily. I really liked the side characters as well especially Lijla, Finn, and Margaret. The character development was very good, I enjoyed learning about Emily and Wendell and seeing all sides of them. I do wish that Wendell's character development was explored a bit more.
The romance was a bit lacking. I loved the banter between Wendell and Emily, it made me laugh and smile so much. I didn't feel the chemistry between the main characters. I liked that the romance started off as academic rivals, but it wasn't executed well. I really liked the slow-burn feel of the romance, but it didn't lead up to much.
The writing was great, I really liked the personal feel of the writing and how easy it was to follow. I liked that the book read like a journal entry, it made me feel more connected to the characters. The footnotes at bottom of some of the pages distracted me from the story, although I did like that the footnotes provided more detail on faeries and unfamiliar terms. The ending was erupt, but I did like that most of the story was resolved. I'm so excited to read the next book!
I recommend this book to anyone who loves light fantasy, great characters, great world building and very good writing.
The book started off a bit slow, but once it picked up I was transported to this intriguing and enchanting world that the author created. The plot was very interesting and engaging. The world building was great, I loved learning about the different faeries and the faerie customs.
The characters were very interesting and relatable. I really liked Emily, she is intelligent, brave, hard working and stubborn. I loved Wendell, he is funny, sweet, charming, very handsome, and smart. I loved how sweet and protective he was of Emily. I really liked the side characters as well especially Lijla, Finn, and Margaret. The character development was very good, I enjoyed learning about Emily and Wendell and seeing all sides of them. I do wish that Wendell's character development was explored a bit more.
The romance was a bit lacking. I loved the banter between Wendell and Emily, it made me laugh and smile so much. I didn't feel the chemistry between the main characters. I liked that the romance started off as academic rivals, but it wasn't executed well. I really liked the slow-burn feel of the romance, but it didn't lead up to much.
The writing was great, I really liked the personal feel of the writing and how easy it was to follow. I liked that the book read like a journal entry, it made me feel more connected to the characters. The footnotes at bottom of some of the pages distracted me from the story, although I did like that the footnotes provided more detail on faeries and unfamiliar terms. The ending was erupt, but I did like that most of the story was resolved. I'm so excited to read the next book!
I recommend this book to anyone who loves light fantasy, great characters, great world building and very good writing.
January 8, 2023
A genius scholar and foremost expert on faeries, Emily Wilde is writing the world’s first encyclopedia of faerie lore. But for all her academic achievements, Emily has never been good at people, preferring the company of her dog, Shadow, and the strange Fair Folk to other humans.
When her research takes her to a rugged village in the far north with her insufferable, yet annoyingly handsome colleague, Wendell Bambleby, Emily quickly finds herself wrapped up in several mysteries: about the Hidden Ones, about who Wendell really is, and about the true desires of her heart.
Aesthetically, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries was gorgeous with a strong combination of faerie folklore, dark magic, and romance. Unfortunately, it had the downfall of being treacherously boring.
It’s formatted as a series of daily journal entries, and while it’s a creative idea, it didn’t translate to a gripping read. The action was always diminished to a summarization, eliminating a lot of the stakes, and the dialogue always seemed out of place.
I’m still not entirely sure what the main plot was. There are a few storylines that cropped up, but none of them seemed to pick up steam for very long, so I was bored for a good portion of the story and kept catching myself zoning out despite this being a relatively short book. The ending also left me feeling unsatisfied, especially with the addition of that random fairytale.
It’s obvious Emily and Wendell are meant to be each other’s love interests but the way the romance developed felt very strange. It’s supposed to be a slow burn, but throughout the first half of the book, Emily barely shows any romantic interest in Wendell while he’s off flirting and sleeping with other girls. I was a little blindsided and a lot confused when the love profession occurred.
Overall, I struggled to stay engaged with this one, which is a shame as Emily and Wendell were interesting characters and the story is quite unique. I would still recommend giving this a shot if you enjoy a cozier, slower fantasy with low stakes and light romance.
When her research takes her to a rugged village in the far north with her insufferable, yet annoyingly handsome colleague, Wendell Bambleby, Emily quickly finds herself wrapped up in several mysteries: about the Hidden Ones, about who Wendell really is, and about the true desires of her heart.
Aesthetically, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries was gorgeous with a strong combination of faerie folklore, dark magic, and romance. Unfortunately, it had the downfall of being treacherously boring.
It’s formatted as a series of daily journal entries, and while it’s a creative idea, it didn’t translate to a gripping read. The action was always diminished to a summarization, eliminating a lot of the stakes, and the dialogue always seemed out of place.
I’m still not entirely sure what the main plot was. There are a few storylines that cropped up, but none of them seemed to pick up steam for very long, so I was bored for a good portion of the story and kept catching myself zoning out despite this being a relatively short book. The ending also left me feeling unsatisfied, especially with the addition of that random fairytale.
It’s obvious Emily and Wendell are meant to be each other’s love interests but the way the romance developed felt very strange. It’s supposed to be a slow burn, but throughout the first half of the book, Emily barely shows any romantic interest in Wendell while he’s off flirting and sleeping with other girls. I was a little blindsided and a lot confused when the love profession occurred.
Overall, I struggled to stay engaged with this one, which is a shame as Emily and Wendell were interesting characters and the story is quite unique. I would still recommend giving this a shot if you enjoy a cozier, slower fantasy with low stakes and light romance.
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