This one has a bit of everything I like and is charmingly written to boot. Here you will find wild magic, misadventure, sweet friendships, and an amusingly practical heroine. Enjoy.

Emily Wilde's Ecyclopaedia of Faeries is a charming and enjoyable epistolary novel. In a world where the fae exist and are known, Emily Wilde wants nothing more than to write the definitive book on the fae and is determined to do it all on her own. But Emily isn't the friendliest with the locals and her intense academic focus often gets in the way of her common sense, leading to many mishaps and awkward social situations.
Highly descriptive and quickly paced, Emily Wilde's Encylopaedia of Faeries is a delightful romantic adventure.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries is an academic’s field notes, an elaborate fantasy tale, and a charming love story all at once. As the adventure unfolded, I fell in love with this story’s world and its characters more and more.

It took me a while to read this, but not because it wasn’t written well, because it was rather lovely once you get past the clinical style.

It’s told mostly in the POV of Emily, who is studying fae and accompanied by her (hardly a rival, I’d say a companion?) Wendell. Sometimes we switch to his POV via a journal entry and I LOVE it.

The style is unique but not the first of its kind that I’ve read. It’s mostly told in the perspective of a journal entry, keeping with the date. Along with the entries, there are stories linked to encounters dabbled in too.

Honestly, it just makes me think of Brian Froud and Amy Brown’s art come to life and made me happy. I didn’t WANT to rush through it.

Selfishly, I wanted more romance, so if that’s a deal breaker, be forewarned. But also, it didn’t really need it. The story stood by itself well enough.

I loved this. I loved the whole idea of this book. You kind of feel like you're learning as you read this. Highly recommend. I'll be waiting for the next one. A good read for sure.

This book isn't quite what I was expecting but definitely an enjoyable read. I wish the characters were a little bit more diverse but other then that, a solid read for anyone that likes this genre.

What a delight this was to read!

This ‘Encyclopaedia’ is such a fresh take on the urban fantasy/magical realism genre, and fae in general. It’s literally an academic scholar, intent on studying the fae, and then anything that can go wrong, does—with hilarious consequences. The academic flare was perfect, and the underlying accidental romance hilarious—big fan of idiots-to-lovers, grump + sunshine, here. The last quarter of the book had me laughing at some of the shenanigans Emily got herself into. This is definitely a comfort read I’ll be returning to again.

Highly recommend for lovers of magical realism.

Many thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this arc; I’ll be pre-ordering a copy!

-A

From the publisher: 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.

Don’t let this book’s unwieldy and somewhat misleading title put you off - it’s a ton of fun. The story is written (mostly) as Emily Wilde’s journal, not as the encyclopaedia she is writing. She is a very serious-minded scholar who knows more about the fae than members of the fae themselves. She has worked very hard to be taken seriously as a researcher. The closest person she has to a friend is another scholar, named Wendell Bambleby, who is popular and charming but seems to sail through life with a minimum of work. She is both fond of him and mildly resentful of how easy things seem to be for him.

With her somewhat unnatural dog in tow, she travels to a remote Scandinavian village to investigate the fae of the north. She makes some big mistakes with the locals, as she understands the fae much better than she understands human beings. When Wendell arrives unexpectedly, it becomes clear to the reader but not Emily herself that Wendell’s interest in Emily is not just scholarly.

This book is not particularly original, but the author puts some nice twists of her own on the stories and legends of faerie. Some perilous things happen – as they do in all good fairy tales - but this is a book that left me in a good mood. The author really painted pictures for me of the various places (both real and magical) that Emily visits, and of the human townsfolk and the various magical creatures and people. I very much enjoyed the “it takes a village” mentality that is needed to bring all right in the world by the end. It’s okay to be both a capable independent woman and someone who has friends she can rely on.

This book reminded me of Genevieve Cogman’s Invisible Library series. It’s an entertaining romp that needn’t be taken too seriously. I’ve seen some indication that this is book one in a series, and I will look forward to book two.

I read an advance reader copy of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries. It is scheduled to be published on January 10, and the Galesburg Public Library will own it in multiple formats.

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries is a fresh epistolary fantasy by Heather Fawcett. Set in an alternate reality where Folk are real, Emily is determined to complete her research on a little known group of Faeries located in a far north location that closely resembles Scandinavian culture. Along for the ride is her bombastic colleague, Wendell Bambleby - another arrogant researcher who has a mysterious past.

The character of Emily is an accurate take on the lengths researchers will go to publish their paper, including putting themselves in harms way for the sake of science. Bambleby was also a fascinating character and whose pomposity exposes the very real issues female scientists have in a male dominated industry. However, I had a difficult time following their romance and did not find it very believable. The ending felt flat and I am still unsure how the final folktale fit in with the overall story. The supporting characters in the village and their storylines remain delightful and I would have loved to learn more about their backgrounds.

Overall, a lighthearted and clean fantasy read. For fans of folktales and lovers of faeries.

Thank you to NetGalley, Heather Fawcett, and Del Rey Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love epistolary novels. This one is meant to be a published journal, written by the title character. It's set up like a scientific journal and there are footnotes included. I thought it was very well written. And creative. And all of the good things that make a book about fairies come to life and seem real. I thoroughly enjoyed it. And I definitely recommend it.

What a great premise for a book! Thought it was very well-executed too, especially once the competition heats up with her competitor. Enjoyed the journal-with-footnotes format. TBH a lot happens in the book. I’d say it was a slow start—as billed, she’s kind of a pill at the start—but once it picks up, it picks up. The world-building was a slow-burn but it was great when it’s all said and done.

One random thing, I feel like this could have had multiple right endings, but the book kept going? Not a problem necessarily, just more a comment on pacing. And a bit of an abrupt acutal ending. Otherwise really enjoyed.

Wasn't sure what I should expect but I was so happy I enjoyed it. The perfect book that wraps you in a blanket for hours. I

This is a story of unrequited love. Emily and Wendell are an item except Emily doesn’t know that. Emily is totally immersed in her definitive book on the realm of Faerie and its inhabitants, big and small. She has escaped to the north to avoid Wendell and concentrate on her work. Emily is not asocial as much as antisocial.

The story swirls around in bursts of ice and snow as well as stoic northern inhabitants who do not want to disturb the Fae. Emily is, herself, a walking encyclopedia. Her research is exhaustive and detailed. The book is primarily about the interplay between she and Wendell.

I enjoyed the book, the description of the terrain and weather quite literally chilled me it was so well done.

Emily Wilde studies fairies and plans to write the first ever encyclopaedia of Faerie lore, but she didn't plan on dealing with gruff townspeople and her handsome renemy Wendell when she moved to a new town to study.

If you are a reader of Naomi Novik, you will more than likely LOVE this novel. I loved the banter and romance and the richness of the setting. I kept chuckling when Emily and Wendell would banter, it felt very real and somehow as if a friend gave the reader their diary. This novel is a love note to all who have ever believed in fairies! It's a warm and cozy novel with a few slightly spookier or thrilling parts. An awesome book for any season, give it a read!

Not what I thought this book was gonna be. I wanted to like this book but sadly I don't think anything inside the book fit towards fairies. It honestly seems like it was more of a dairy than it being about fairies and showing different types.
No images inside of book.
Lost me at 15% in to it but I wasnt gonna give up on that. I still gave it a chance but I couldn't finish the book. I'm not even sure if I can reccomed this book.

An unexpected surprise. I absolutely devoured this story. The blend of cozy, mystery, and lore hit the spot. I loved the characters, the atmospheric setting that was both harsh and beautiful and the twists. I didn't want the story to end.

I have a confession to make… I am obsessed with faeries. They decorate my house, my body, and reside in my head in the form of books.

This book is easily one of my favorite faerie stories I have ever read. The main characters are absolutely incredible. Emily Wilde is the epitome of the scholar stereotype - intelligent, awkward, and introverted. Her coworker, Wendell Bambely, is the exact opposite - very handsome, outgoing, and charming, but boy does he have a secret. I also love all of the side characters. The townspeople are so quirky, while the various fae that are met are all… very fae like.

The story itself is really intriguing. It reads like a journal as Emily does fieldwork to create an encyclopedia of faerie kind. She has many misadventures, some just funny while others are very dangerous and gory.

I love this book so much. I can’t wait to read the next one in the series!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing as advanced copy to review. All opinions are my own.

This was so unique and delightful! It’s written as journal entries as Emily explores the world of the Fae in a remote Scandinavian village. Her college Wendell is the highlight of the book as they bicker and banter. My favorite chapter was the one narrated by Wendell; I was cracking up!
I love the whole cast of characters in the village, plus the little faerie Po. He was precious. I also loved watching Emily make connections with those around her and all her adventures as she kept getting into sticky situations.
Overall, a unique, easy to read, fun book.

I was ecstatic when I received notification that I was approved for this ARC. It not only met, but EXCEEDED my expectations. Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries feels somewhat different than your standard fairy or fantasy books as it has a vintagy/old-timey feeling in the beginning. This style of writing translates very well throughout the entire book. I have no complaints about this book but I would have enjoyed a little bit more of an explanation in the beginning for some of the terminology. I appreciated the footnotes and really enjoyed reading it as though it was a diary/journal. I also really loved the characters and the dynamic between Emily and Wendal. I will be buying this as soon as it is available in hard copy. 5/5 stars. Fantastic!

What a delight! This book had such a unique premise I was immediately interested but it started off slowly so I was worried it would not be worth reading but thankfully it didn’t take long to get going. If you have the same concern with the start wait for Wendell because that is when the story really starts to take off off. Emily is very dry and she takes socially awkward to new levels but Wendell is gregarious and charming so they make a great pair. In many ways the story is written in a dry way, as Emily is very much an academic, but that makes the magic and the fairies stand out even more. This book is set in a world where there is an academic study of faeries and Wendell is already well known in their field but Emily is still hard at work trying to make tenure at her beloved Cambridge. She has set out on a field study in the cold, small village to continue her research. What she finds is impossible to put down. Some of the creatures are a delight and others are the stuff of nightmares. It’s a very clean story except for those more gruesome creatures which are more out of a Grimm story but even then the violence is still very minimally described. If you enjoy magical creatures then this book will charm you. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.