This isn’t typically the book genre that I gravitate towards but I loved this enchanting book! It was a quick, delightful read that I adored!

This book was absolutely fantastic! I am so sad that I will never get to read this book for the first time again. This was such a comfy, cozy, snuggly story!

I just fell in love with the characters and the setting! They were all written and developed just beautifully. The world building was too notch. I literally could not put the book down because I was so invested in the story.

Wendell…oh, Wendell! How I adore you!! Wendell Bambleby is my new favorite character! He was hysterical without even trying to be. He was charming, and spoiled, and just overall completely lovable.

I loved the way everything was wrapped up in this book, but I am dying to read more adventures with Emily and Wendell!

The cover for this book really drew me in! It’s beautiful and gives off the perfect vibe for those looking for a cozy and whimsical read.

This gave me the same feelings about that some V.E. Schwab books did: it’s extremely atmospheric, the prose is eloquent and descriptive in nature, and it made for a perfect rainy day book!

There were times where I felt the pacing slow due to the focus on the prose being almost poetic. Overall though, I felt that this delivered what it was meant to and was pleased by reading all the way through!

4.5 rounded up!

This book was amazingly fun, with a fresh concept that could easily carry a longer series. Emily's cantankerous professor archetype and her struggles with socialization made her a deeply entertaining protagonist, and Bambleby made for an excellent foil as well. Their dynamic and witty banter made this book a breeze to read, and the top-tier worldbuilding from a researcher's point of view? Chef's kiss. I usually am not a huge fan of long form epistolary works, but framing it in this way was honestly genius. The appendices and research-brain ramblings were all too relatable, and the author clearly put a lot of thought into the world, because the level of detail was amazing. It made me want to run off and become a faerie researcher, too.

In summary: super fun, delightfully fresh, and already one of my favorite reads of the year. Can't wait to see more from this series!

I'd go 3.5 stars if Goodreads would let me.

This was a sweet book, and it's perfect for the cozy fantasy movement that seems to be going on right now. While there are some dark, scary moments, it's mostly light, sweet, and funny. I love the book taking the format of a field notebook. I've seen a few comments that call Emily, the main character, unlikable, but I really enjoyed that she wasn't the kind of warm, fuzzy, nurturer. She had her own interests and ambitions and they were her priority at all times. I'll definitely order a copy of this for my library branch.

This was a delightful read. This book charmed me and had me laughing all throughout reading it.

The relationship that Emily and Wendell have is really what makes this book. Their opposite personalities and banter are such fun to read. Wendell especially had many a comedic moment and thought that would leave you laughing. Also, the story and world that the author has created is a mix of real world and fantasy set in the early 1900's that just makes it unique and interesting to read.

Thank you to the publisher for an ARC of this book.

REVIEW: Emily Wilde’s Encylopaedia of Faeries

Author: Heather Fawcett
Genre: Fantasy Fiction

💬 “I suppose most children fall in love with faeries at some point, but my fascination was never about magic or the granting of wishes. The Folk were of another world, with its own rules and customs–and to a child who always felt ill-suited to her own world, the lure was irresistible.”

Content Warning(s): Injury/injury detail, Blood, Violence

About the Book: In the early 1900s, Emily Wilde, a professor at Cambridge, travels to Scandinavian Islands to study faeries and complete her encyclopaedia. She’s soon joined by fellow professor Wendell Bambleby and soon the two are face-to-face with the enchantments and dangers of the local fae.

💭 I enjoyed the academia vibes and loved the banter between Emily and Wendell! Also a big fan of Poe and wished he were included more in the second half of the book. I loved the whimsical and enchanting descriptions of the fae world throughout the book. I also appreciated that the romance took a backseat but was still cute and a bit goofy.

Read this if you like… light academia, faeries, passive-aggressive banter, snowy landscapes, and whimsy!

Many thanks to Net Galley for the advanced ebook :)

If you go into this expecting an encyclopaedia, do not be alarmed and do not close the book! Following Professor and faerie expert Emily Wilde is an adventure no matter what she's doing--what she lacks in social expertise she well makes up for in humor and wit, and seeing her differing interactions with the people and creatures of Hrafnsvik was endlessly entertaining. Once Wendell Bambleby (a distinctly faerie name if I've ever seen one) enters stage left, the story isn't just a socially inept researcher trying to make a break in the mostly undocumented Ljosland Folk--it's an adventure filled with rescuing kidnapped villagers, solving problems, and maybe causing a few, too!

All in all, I'd definitely read the second book when it comes out, even if it's the encyclopaedia--there's probably nothing Fawcett or Wilde could do to make that any kind of boring!

I'll be broadcasting my review on the radio during my next shift (Friday, the 27th) around 2:30 PM Central Time.

This was a fun read filled with fairies, lore, and quirky characters. The main character, Emily, and her dog Shadow, set off to try to discover the secrets of the Hidden Ones which are a different type of fairy and very elusive. I liked the style that this book was written in, but it dragged for me in many spots.

I'm honestly sad I finished this book because it was good. It had magic, romance, mystery, and of course Emily being so smart and yet so stupid.

Our main character Emily is an expert in faerie lore but terrible with people. She is grumpy and standoffish and after journeying to Hrafnsvik to study their fae, manages to alienate all the villagers in less than a week. Luckily she is quickly joined by her one friend (his opinion) or professional nemesis (her opinion), Wendell Bambleby. Ridiculous name aside he is smart and seems to actually care about Emily and their scenes together are adorable and hilarious. Emily is bad with people but inexplicably manages to charm all the fae she meets which both helps and hinders her research. The story is told through Emily's journal entries so for the most part we only get her perspective on events though there are two journal entries filled in by someone else but I'm keeping the vague because of spoilers.

I think my only criticism is that I was unclear about the world this book takes place in, besides the fantasy elements it seems pretty similar to "our" world with some interesting differences (for the 1900s). For example there's a relationship between two women, Emily and Wendell live together while staying in the village and Emily is a Cambridge professor. I liked all of that I just want to know more. I will definitely be checking Netgalley for future books in this series. I highly recommend.

I was provided a free copy of this book through NetGalley.

Let me tell you when I saw I devoured this book.. I devoured it! As much as a human can with a busy toddler lol. I enjoyed the plot, the characters, the very detailed story.

Emily Wilde is a professor who’s really good at everything she does, especially her studies of faerie’s. She’s a researcher and is writing her own book encyclopedia on the magic that’s all around. She much prefers the Fairy folk than her own kind. When she arrives to a village to explore more depth, she’s met with a fellow academic scholar, who she doesn’t really feel keen about. But when they start to uncover secrets together, they can’t help but grow closer.

I really loved the exploration into the magic of faeries. I also loved Emily as a character and how she’s on her own mission but finds herself as well in Wendell. This was definitely a cozy fantasy that will make you enjoy reading again.

This book had such an interesting blurb and promised all kinds of cozy vibes. It did start out as a cozy fantasy but it had darker undertones than I had expected. I loved Emily’s character sooo much and how her relationship with the villagers developed. Her equation with Bambleby was also fascinating. It did have a lot of elements I loved but somehow it still left me wanting. It needed something extra which I am unable to pinpoint at the moment. A little bit more development in the relationship between Emily and Bambleby perhaps? A bit more insight into Bambleby’s character mayhaps? I realise this is a trilogy and there’s space left for development in future instalments but I still needed a little extra something to say I loved this book and would continue with this series. For now this is a 3 star read but I would definitely recommend you checking this out if you like the blurb

This was the perfect cozy winter read! I picked this up on a whim without knowing much about it. I loved the banter between Emily and Wendell! A unique story with magic, history, and an extremely strong sense a place. A wonderful start to my 2023 reading.

Emily Wilde is a professor who travels the world studying faeries. She travels to Hrafnsvik to study the Hidden Ones, a special breed that resides there. While discovering and documenting, she encounters unfriendly locals and a charming academic rival.

This book was beautifully written and I really, really, wanted to love it. In the end, it wasn't for me.

Thank you #netgalley and #randomhousepublishing for this cARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Del Rey for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries is available now.

This book is absolutely delightful! If the premise wasn’t enough to interest me (it was), the many glowing reviews I’ve come across would have done the trick. I find myself in the difficult position of trying to find new ways to describe the wonder of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries. I don’t know how well I’ll do, but let me crack my knuckles and give it a go.

Emily is a headstrong, socially awkward introvert who is single-mindedly focused on her encyclopaedia. Hers is a little different from the usual book of knowledge: it focuses on faeries. She travels to the small close-knit town of Hrafnsvik in an effort to find information on the Hidden Ones, the last bit of her book. Unfortunately, her lack of people skills leaves her somewhat at odds with the villagers and she struggles to get the information she will need for her study. Equally unfortunately (or maybe fortunately, but she’d never admit it), Emily’s frustrating colleague Wendell Bambleby pops up to irritate- and possibly help- Emily. Soon, Emily’s scholarly distance from all things fae fails her, and she finds herself caught up in faerie mischief, Wendell joining in. Faerie mischief often turns dangerous and such is the case here. The ensuing adventure is enthralling.

Emily is my favorite kind of character! Her flaws are believable and understandable. Her stubbornness comes from a lifetime spent alone and the necessity of being self-sufficient. She isn’t used to friendship or even friendly acquaintances which shows in her awkward and uncomfortable interactions with the villagers. She truly wants to win their trust but it’s a struggle for her. As an introvert myself, I completely understood her tendency to come across as prickly or standoffish. This unintentional defense mechanism was also balanced by something that can happen with introverts: she is fiercely loyal and protective of those who let her in despite her social awkwardness.

Wendell is a different story. He’s lazy yet ridiculously charismatic. He can talk people into all kinds of nonsense, although Emily has become immune (close proximity can do that, I suppose). He is the only one she feels at ease with since they have been colleagues for so long and they happily bicker. This relationship is what elevated the book from fun and unique to fantastic. As much as I love a good adventure, it’s the character dynamics that sell me on a story. Their relationship is never stagnant; instead, it shifts as they spend more time together and understand each other a little better.

The story itself is fantastic, of course. I’m always intrigued by books that contain faeries (I blame the artist Brian Froud for my fascination) and they are written incredibly well here. I would happily stand in line for the encyclopaedia that Emily works on throughout the book. Changelings, brownies, a faery high court, even the trees drip with magic and that lovely combination of real-life legend and fantasy book creation.

The danger of being drawn into a glittering faery world isn’t confined to the characters in the book. I was also sucked in. Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries trapped me with otherworldly ease, leaving me desperate to see what happens next. This book is magic.

"Emily Wilde's Encylopaedia of Faeries" is that warm, cozy fantasy I've been looking for my whole life.

Emily Wilde is a professor who is traveling to a remote village in the Scandinavian country of Ljosland. She is traveling to study faeries and finish up her encylopaedia. However, she finds the members of the community.... difficult, to say the least. She's managed to upset them but for the life of her, she can't figure out why.

Enter Wendell Bambleby, her esteemed colleague who shows up earlier than expected with two research assistants in tow. He's known for his revolving door of women and always manages to get on Emily's nerves but there's also something about him.... Together the two embark on research ripe with twists and turns.

"Emily Wilde's Encylopaedia of Faeries" is a fantasy with amazing, lovable characters and intricate world building. I cannot wait for the next novel in the series.

“there is something true in every story, even the false ones.”

I adored every moment of this book. The atmosphere was so enchanting and cozy, and I want to live in this universe. Emily is a magnificent main character, there's a giant dog sidekick, and an academic rivals to lovers subplot. This book has everything I need and I want everyone to read it.

Professor Emily Wilde is an expert on the study of faeries and is researching and writing the first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. She travels all over the world studying various types of faeries. Her last destination is a remote village in Scandinavia to write about the Hidden Ones. Unfortunately, Emily is an excellent researcher but has no people skills and alienates the village residents that she needs to interview about the local fae. Then her academic archrival and only friend Wendell Bambleby shows up and charms everyone in the village, much to Emily's frustration. As she gets closer to uncovering the mystery of the Hidden Ones, Emily finds herself with another mystery: who is Wendell and what does he want?

I will admit that after the first few entries (this book is written in diary format), I was not sure that I was going to like it. But Emily and Wendell really grew on me and their banter back and forth was very enjoyable and sometimes funny. The mousy researcher and the gregarious and outgoing Wendell make a great pair. File this book under cozy historical fantasy--it is an excellent comfort read with faerie lore and a little bit of romance sprinkled in. There is definitely room for more stories featuring Emily and Wendell so hoping for another adventure. If you need a light fantasy read, this is an excellent choice.

A delightful read! I didn’t want it to end.
Many thanks to Random House and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a super fun and quick read about a little introverted faerie-obsessed nerd who just wants to learn everything she can about faeries, unfortunately for her, that means her people skills are rusty and when she sets on to start your new research for her encyclopedia she immediately runs into trouble with the local folk, thankfully and unfortunately her fellow professor, fellow faerie lover and sole friend come barging into piggyback of her research and help her navigate human interaction. I loved Emily and Wendell's interactions and banter they were very cute. I also liked seeing this side of faerie and human stories we often get stories of characters being kidnapped or actually faeries and are told that faeries are evil so it was fun to see a character try to understand the myths of faeries. I also really like Wendell and his development I had a theory about him that prove correct but I loved that theory for him and it makes me more excited to see what happens next.