I loved this second installment in Emily and Wendell’s adventures!! Emily is still just as stubborn and smart and Wendell is just as charming and nonchalant. I loved the progression of their relationship and the story in relation to Wendell taking back what is his. However, the overall structure was a little too similar to the first book for me, so some of it felt a little repetitive. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel. Can’t wait for the next one!

I cannot imagine a better book to start the year with! Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands earned every single star! It was charming, fun, and cozy, a perfect combination of romance, magic, and dryadology.
It takes place several months after Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries at Cambridge. Soon you follow Emily, Wendell, and new characters Dr. Rose and Ariadne as they search the Alps for Wendell’s door.
I was happy to see a shift from the more academic writing style to prose as Emily shifts from writing her field journal in the first book to writing a personal diary in the second book (still expect footnotes—“You’re the only person I know who includes footnotes in a diary”). This one also kept a more even pace this time around, with more dialogue and action, there were less slow bits like what we saw in the first book.
Expect more action and more shenanigans this time around. More faeries from downright adorable to downright deadly. But there’s still that same cozy feeling to the magic of the story. This series reminds me of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, starting with this quiet kind of magic before expanding into this extraordinary adventure.
Now to patiently await book 3…

Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands is exactly what a reader wants from a sequel - a great continuation of the story and your favorite characters that also leaves you hungry for the next installment. A new cast of characters joins our adventuring, faerie researching dynamic duo in their quest to find Wendell's enigmatic door. Fans of the first book will enjoy this continuation!

The second in the Emily Wilde series, Map of the Otherlands picks up Emily and Wendell's story several months after the events of the first book as they shift their focus to finding the door to exiled faerie king Wendell's kingdom. This installment introduces two new secondary characters, Emily's niece Ariadne and her department head Professor Rose, fellow dryadologists and companions on her and Wendell's expedition to the Alps as they follow new evidence that suggests the existence of a nexus, a faerie door that opens into many realms instead of just one.

I love prickly Emily and charming Wendell as her foil, and the addition of Professor Rose and Ariadne provides additional insight into Emily's relationships with others as well as the world of dryadology research. The Alps introduce new faeries in forms different from what has been introduced in the first book while also welcoming back Poe, a common fae befriended by Emily in the first book. Though there are two bigger mysteries being unravelled throughout the book, it is the glimpses into the mechanics of Faerie and the different kinds of fae that fascinated me. Fawcett is a genius at creating a rich and detailed world that feels authentic at the same time it is built out of fantasy. Most of the central conflicts get resolved by the end of the book while others are still up in the air, laying ground for a third book that I am already impatiently looking forward to reading.

Thank you to Random House - Ballantine Del Rey and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands early in exchange for an honest review.

If you enjoyed Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, you will probably like its sequel Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands. While I enjoyed both books, I didn't love them. I found them both a little slow. However, the atmospheric descriptions in both were great for cozy winter reading.

In this second book in the series, Emily and her faerie king (sort of) boyfriend Wendell venture to the Austrian Alps in search of the door to Wendell's realm.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey, and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.

Emily Wilde’s Encylcopaedia of Faeries was one of my top reads of 2023, so I was really excited to get an e-arc of Map of the Otherlands. Fans of the first book will find plenty to love in the sequel. We get lots of Emily and Wendell, adventures in the faerie realms, and feisty faerie companions. It didn't quite live up to the first book for me, but it was still an enjoyable read.

Map suffers a little from middle book syndrome. The character arcs and relationships feel stagnant and lack depth throughout this installment but leave a clear path for where they are headed as we go into the final book. In particular, Emily’s relationship with her niece Ariadne feels underexplored. This could have been a very interesting dynamic after Emily’s experiences in the previous book, but she seems to have learned nothing from making friends in Ljosland and barely gives Ariadne the time of day. Her relationship with the other new character, Professor Rose, is explored a little more deeply, and I like seeing how they went from academic adversaries to a grudging understanding.

The setting is beautifully described, and I could picture myself alongside Emily as she wanders the mountainsides. However, the new town they visit doesn’t come alive like it did in the first book. They don’t spend as much time (at least on page) interacting with the townspeople, which leads to a missing sense of place.

The standout scenes for me were the appearances of Poe and the time spent in Faerie. I love Fawcett’s portrayal of the Faerie lands and people, and I can’t wait to (presumably) explore that more in the next book. I like the direction the plot took, and Map gets us to where we need to be for what is sure to be an exciting conclusion.

Overall, Map of the Otherlands is an enjoyable read that I think will be even better on reread and in service to the concluding volume. I am very much looking forward to book three and seeing how everything wraps up.

Read if you like:
📜 Academia
*️⃣ Footnotes
☕ Cozy, whimsical fantasy
🧚 Impish faeries

Thanks to netgalley and Del Rey for an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I’m delighted to have read and enjoyed the second installment of this series! All of the elements I enjoyed so much from the first book — the way the story is told through journal entries, the glimpses of faerie lore and the faerie realms, interesting plots approached from a scholarly angle and colored with mischief, mystery and action - were still very much present. And, of course, I liked being back in Emily’s head, especially with her active need to ask and answer questions and use her knowledge to further it and help others; it was also interesting to watch her work through her feelings. I was charmed by this book, and found it cozy despite all the chaos; it’s certainly cemented my desire to keep reading on in the series.

A wonderfully cozy and fantastical read to start the year off. Following the first book I had high expectations and this lived up to the hype! Likeable characters and a good amount of whimsy.

This has quickly become one of my all time favorite series! It is the cutest, most charming, & coziest of reads!. The writing is in a first pov journaling format & I love how it feels like you are really reading Emily's academic thoughts. Not so academic as the first but just as serious about her research as ever, she reminds me of Jane from Tarzan with her curiosity. The whimsical world Heather has created is one that any person can get completely lost in (just like faerie). I love footnotes in any book but this perspective of fae and faerie is a unique take that hasn't been done in any other book regarding faeries. Wendell is the funniest MMC ever & so different from other fae mmc. His wittiness, dramatic self, and his banter is so wholesome and always a delight to read. I love Ariadne & how because of her Emily is more emotional. Reading this series elicits the same feeling as drinking hot chocolate, wrapped in a warm cosy blanket in a sunny/cold winter evening. It is magical and just perfection.

This was just as good if not better than the first one! I’m so in love with this world and the characters! Emily and Wendell have the best banter and I love that they are polar opposites, but still perfect for each other. The setting of this book was so cool with so many different doors and fairies. This was cozy but also had me in the edge of my seat at times and I loved the plot/adventure in this one. Definitely a new all time favorite! A perfect book.

Rating: 4.5/5

I enjoyed the first installment of this series, but I thought it was a bit overhyped (I gave it 3.5/5). After reading this book, this is now cemented as one of my favorite series! In book one, I absolutely loved the characters, but I thought the plot was a bit slow and not very captivating. In the sequel, I loved the characters even more and the emphasis on found family! This book in particular had very strong Howl’s Moving Castle vibes. The story is whimsical, magical, and adventurous, and the characters are quirky and lovable.

The romance is also one of my all-time favorites (possibly my favorite ever?)! Emily and Wendell have the most wholesome, slightly dysfunctional relationship. As a main character and narrator, I love Emily’s witty personality and intelligence. I had to stop and laugh a couple of times because the interactions between Emily and Wendell are so fun.

Overall, I highly recommend this series! It has a bit of a slow start, but it’s really grown on me and I’m excited to read the next installment in this world.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for an eARC in exchange for my honest review. This series is a joy to read and I fully support Emily Wilde’s rights (and wrongs).

⇢➤ Plot: The sequel builds off the intrigue of the first, complete with Emily’s academic pursuits, diary entries with footnotes, and exploration into Fae lore. With new additions to the crew, Emily and Wendell find themselves in the mountains, searching for the nexus to Faerie. While searching for the Fae, it seems some have already found them-- but are they friend or foe?

⇢➤ Pros: Fawcett’s writing is beautiful, eliciting Victorian prose of old. The descriptions of the Alps and spring landscape is a sharp contrast to the first novel and showcases the vastness of our world and the Otherlands. There is more action in the beginning of the book, leading to a goose chase through the rest of the novel.

I enjoyed seeing more of Emily and Wendell’s dynamic. Emily is reminiscent of a scowling Mr. Darcy while Wendell embodies the flippancy and charm of the Fae. Shadow, Rose, and Ariadne were all strong support characters, flushing out the strange world these scholars inhabit. Shadow shows the contradictory humanity in Fae; Rose represents the older subset of scholars stuck in their old ways; and Ariadne represents the gusto and naivety of younger students. Altogether, Fawcett puts together a unique crew that lends itself to the absurdity of their surroundings.

Also, I’m glad Shadow is getting the forehead kisses he deserves.

⇢➤ Cons: If you’re looking for explicit romance, Emily Wilde is not the girl for you. While I didn’t mind it (I honestly enjoyed seeing a female main character so focused and sharp-minded), this book is unique amongst other popular fantasy books, emphasizing worldbuilding rather than individual relationships.

⇢➤ Recommended for fans of: Holly Black and Adalyn Grace

A phenomenal sequel with none of the tedium I found starting book one. The journey was just as exciting and the more to love. Emily and Wendell are just as delightful!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!

This duology warmed my heart. It was such a cozy and witty adventure. I keep describing it as a little Mary Poppins meets The Hobbit.

I think the storytelling might be difficult for some readers to get into. The FMC is compiling information for the first book into an Encyclopaedia of Faeries (hence the title) in the first book, and in Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands, she’s working on a book identifying the connections ot faerie lands. So, she does sort of have an intellectual and aloof POV, and her narrative is often footnoted as though this accounting was nonfiction.

The MMC, is her exact opposite. For those of you thatve read it, he reminded me a lot of Loki’s character in The Witch’s Heart (a top read of mine last year).

These are definitely two books I’ll keep on my shelves, and I have plans to look into @heather_fawcett’s middle grade work to read with my son.

Thanks @penguinrandomhouse @netgalley for the gifted ebook and @prhaudio for the enchanting audiobook. The characters’ voices and accents really added to the tone of the story. Pub Date 16 Jan 2024 🥳🥳

See previous post for review of book 1!

🖤 When do you take your holiday decor down? I usually wait until Jan 6, but just got around to it yesterday. I love how empty and tidy the house feels without all of the decorations after the Christmas chaos 😆

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In the heart of the Alps, with every forest and hollow hiding Folk and mysteries, Emily's journey unfolds, unraveling both faerie doors and the doors of her heart. Heather Fawcett's magical world is an immersive experience, and the second book in the Emily Wilde series is a testament to the author's ability to conjure worlds that linger in the mind long after the pages are turned. For anyone seeking an escape into a world of magic and intrigue, this series is unmissable. Also, should we talk about how gorgeous this series' covers are? WOW, I love having these on my shelf.

I love Wendell even more than I did after book one. This was such an adventurous story, and I loved it so much. These books are so cute and cozy. If you haven't read book one, do so now so you can get into this one! There were so many more of the folk introduced, and the adventuring went above and beyond. I was shocked at some parts, mostly the missing scholars, and I can't wait to see what comes next for Emily and Wendell now! I had no idea there would be another book, and I'm so ready for it! Highly recommend the read!

4.25 stars
I gave the first book 4 stars and I liked this one a little bit better. The first book we really get to know the characters and it's slow moving but lovely. In this one we already know the characters and pick up where we left off and go on another adventure.
Emily was still her awkward self which was (to me) very likable. Wendell was himself as well. We get a new character, Emily's niece Ariadne. She was so interested in what Emily was doing, but Emily being her awkward self and was not super accepting of Ariadne. I loved her though.
The plot in this one was also slow moving and whimsical like the first, but it was a little bit more exciting. We find out in the first one that Wendell's stepmother is trying to kill him because she stole his throne. And while this is going on, Emily, Wendell and Ariadne go to the Austrian Alps trying to find a door to Wendell's world by following another explorer who disappeared in the same place years ago. I really liked this mystery aspect of how and why and where did this explorer go. The same as the first book, the ending really picked up and was so fast and action packed. It was a fun contrast to the rest of the book.
The atmosphere of this book was fantastic just like the first one. It was so easy to get lost in the writing and the world. It was so cozy even though the ending was really exciting.
The narration of the audiobook was great. It was the same person as the first one, she had a British accent but I did not have any trouble following along at 2x speed. She brought the characters and the story to life.

This series is so fun! Truly one of the more unique styles of stories I’ve read before, and I really love the world building we continue to get through footnotes. I found the romance and characters a bit stronger in this book, though I missed some of the mystery plot elements of book 1. Overall a great sequel and I look forward to book 3!
Thank you to the publisher and author for an arc in exchange for my honest review.

WOW. I absolutely adored Emily Wilde and her adventures in book one, and as a result I went into the sequel with high expectations, which I am thrilled to say have all been surpassed. Emily is truly such a delightfully grumpy yet lovable and complex character to read, and her counterpart Wendell Bambleby balances her so perfectly with his flamboyant charm. The supporting characters, both fae and mortal alike, were equally endearing—my particular favorites being little Poe and Emily’s beloved animal companion, Shadow. This fantasy world is also one of the most interesting I have ever read. Whimsical is the word that comes to mind when I attempt to describe it, yet that fails to even begin to capture the whole of it. The way the land of Faerie weaves into the human world but is simultaneously separate and incomprehensible is so unique and mystifying. That fact coupled with Fawcett’s haunting descriptions of the fae and their realms makes this an unforgettable read. I intend to force everyone I know to read this series whilst I impatiently await any future installments.

I should have known after reading the first book that I wouldn't be into this one. Unfortunately, I had requested this before finishing book one. That's on me.

I find this series to be quite dull. It's cozy, but also high stakes and gory? I don't really like any of the characters and therefore have no interest in what happens to them or how anything ends up. Emily is too wishy-washy with Wendell, and he doesn't really seem all that into her either?

I wanted to like these books, but I just don't.