This book is so magical! I love all the twists and turns that I can't see coming, and the ones I can too! I enjoy the grumpy-sunshine dynamic and the fact that she is the grump, which I feel isn't typical. The book is written as a journal, same as the first, and I need more of Wendell's POV in the next book!

Solid 4 Stars:
To begin I loved Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries so I was very excited to receive this book! That being said you would really have to have read the first book in order to understand this one so my review will have aspects of the first one (so if you haven't read it yet I wouldn't read this review!). This review is spoiler free of this book. Also, I will edit my review to exclude spoilers of the first one when I post to Amazon and such.

Wendell is one of my favorite characters of 2023 with his witty comebacks and unique personality. Emily herself… not bad but not great. The polar opposite of characters do make for a very interesting book and twist of perspective. Though it is kind of hard to believe that Wendell would seek out someone like Emily. But we do know what they say about opposites, am I right?? OH and Shadow is just the perfection of a dog in a book. Loyal to a fault!

The atmosphere is really great and it puts me right into an Autumn/Winter mindset (which is great for this time of year, September, and the month it comes out in January. The descriptions are cozy and therefore make you feel cozy (crackling fires, hot chocolate over said fire, fluffy blankets, etc).

I enjoyed this book because it was light and nothing really seemed to make that much of a difference for the characters. Such as a certain someone getting injured but meh it's ok! I definitely had trouble connecting to the characters as I did not think they had much depth, however for a light book it is to be expected. We learned in the first one that Wendell was faerie royalty and that his stepmother is after him. This book continues that story with little rehashing.

I really enjoyed the story and the continuation. However, the ending was not wrapped up in a nice bow and it definitely feels like it was leading to another book. So I feel like there's a lot more of the story to be had.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the first one but be prepared for an open ending! It’s so close to the first one it feels that it was a nice addition. I hope the next edition ties the story up with a nice bow.

The Emily Wilde books are some of the best, most fun fantasy, cozy/mystery books in a while. The world is incredibly immersive and vibrant, with just the right mix of suspense and coziness. This book is an incredible continuation from the first book, one that expands the world of Faerie, Emily's personal life, and her relationship with Bambleby. This book continues the story through Emily's journal, which is an incredible insight to her mind and the mystery that we are following. I do wish this story had focused a bit more on the mystery of de Gray and Eichorn, but there was plenty else going on for me to enjoy. I cannot wait for the next book in this series, to find out more about Emily and Bambleby especially.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Del Rey for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest review. (Publish Date: 16 Jan 2024)

As the second book in the Emily Wilde series, I was absolutely surprised to find that I possibly loved “Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherworld” more than the previous book!

Like the first book, it’s gorgeously written, the characters were well layered and very likable, and it contained more realistic information about faeries than I’ve read in any other book. However, unlike the last book, the action begins very early on when Wendell is poisoned at his birthday party and faerie assassins sent by his stepmother invade the university to find him.

This story takes place about seven months after the last book ends. Emily and Wendell are back at Cambridge, and now that Emily has completed her encyclopedia of faeries, she has started working on a book of maps of all the known faerie realms – as well as their mysterious, magical doors. After Wendell’s assassination attempt, Emily and Wendell depart on an expedition to the Austrian Alps to locate a secret backdoor to Wendell’s realm to help cure and save his realm from his stepmother’s evil plot.

I loved how Wendell and Emily’s relationship evolved throughout the story – which is probably why I liked this book a bit more than the first. The new characters along for the adventure were a magnificent addition, and I hope they return in the third book!

Overall, I would undeniably recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy-meets-reality faerie stories with some slow burn romance, loads of magical and adventure, and some dark twists. This one will definitely find a home on my bookshelf once it’s released! It’s one of the best adult fantasy fiction books I’ve read this year.

Absolutely loved it. I think it was just as good as the last book if not better. The story line was a tiny bit more cohesive but overall I just thought Heather Fawcett knocked it out of the park. It felt more genuine not being a scientific journal but at the same time I missed it. Not sure if this was formatting on the ARC but there weren't nearly as many footnotes. I'm honestly team Orla now.

I want to start by saying Emily Wilde's world is one of the most immersive, unique lands I've expereinced in a good while! You can't help but let your imagination run wild while still feeling like you are in a nice warm, safe place. I love the world of faeries and the new little beings we are introduced to and thrououghly enjoyed every moment of the follow up novel.

If you really liked the first book, you will definitely enjoy this sweet follow up!

i loved this book more than the first one! and i absolutely adored the first one!

i enjoyed how things are more explained and more in depth in this book. a lot of answered questions from the first book. and new characters that i loved!

highly recommend and cannot wait to get my hands on a published copy!

thank you to netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC of this book!

Like the first book in the series, Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands draws readers in to a wild world full of magic and mischief, all with a touch of coziness. I absolutely adore the journal format of these books. Fawcett expertly builds so many different settings and makes you feel as though you are on an expedition or adventure with all of the characters no matter what they are doing. And the twists in this book! I can honestly say that I was surprised many times while reading in the best way possible. I recommend these books to anyone I can -- whether they are fans of fantasy, or just looking for a cozy book full of a wide variety of characters that you can't help but love (even though they may be a liiiittle terrifying).

I loved the second installment of the Emily Wilde series. I said it with the first but I will say it again, Heather Fawcett is really skilled at building a world where I feel like I am equal parts reading a story and reading an actual encyclopedia. It is so fascinating how she does that. She has really fleshed out Emily and Wendell and really made be enjoy those characters even more. I cannot wait to own the actual book, as I also believe the covers are some of the most beautiful out there. I can't wait to tell others about this!

The only gripe I have is the same one I had with the first one but it's so minor I don't know even know if it is worth mentioning. But the beginning always feels just a touch slower than the rest and it took me rereading it a couple times to jump back into the world. I think this is partially because she writes as though we already know everything about the characters. Again, not a bad thing, just a little jarring at the start and then I immediately jump in once I'm oriented.

I love this series. Enchanting and exciting. The perfect blend of adventurer and romance in a fantasy type setting.

Love Emily's books and the whimsical storyline. Hunting fairies sounds like a thrilling experience and this book is indeed that. Highly recommend..

I didn’t think I could possibly love this book more than the first but I truly think I do. After reading the sequel I do feel like the first of the series where I felt some aspects were slower really just added to the world building that was fleshed out in this book. I LOVED the new characters in this and I’m already ready for a 3rd oops lol

This second book in the Emily Wilde series absolutely did not disappoint! Just like the first book, Fawcett did an amazing job of balancing the cozy fantasy aesthetic with the darker elements of the world. I also really enjoyed seeing even more of the Faerie realms and more species of Fae. I love how a lot of the Fae can be likened to things we know of like foxes and owls and wolves, but a tad to the left. It really taps into the whole "uncanny valley" feeling and helps to create a sense of eeriness exactly when it is needed.

We also get a couple of new characters joining Emily and Wendell this book! Dr. Rose may be even more prickly than Emily, but by the end of the book I felt like I really understood him and couldn't help but like him despite his initial faults. Additionally, Emily's niece, Ariadne, provides a sort of innocence to the group's dynamic that you can't help but love from the get-go.

I also really enjoyed the mystery in the b-plot of who this mysterious man with the ribbons is, what is he looking for, and how does it relate to Emily's own search? It really helped to tie in a bit of the in-world lore with the rest of the plot and also to help show off a bit more of the world without it feeling too much like a bunch of needless exposition or like it was out-of-place.

If you're looking for a cozy fantasy with hints of murderous plots and an underlying mystery throughout, I suggest giving Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands a read!

Loved it! Heather Fawcett has written a 5 star follow up to Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries. Great characters, delightful and dour. Great story, with very interesting plot twists and suprises - and the perfect dash of humor. This book truly kept my attention from page 1. Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey for the free e-arc. One of my top 5 books of the year. Can't wait for the next one in this series!

The queen has returned.
Emily Wilde that is.

The story picks up with Emily and Wendell making progress on their plan to discover Nexus - portals connecting realms.
Well, I say making progress, but it all Emily of course with some enchantments and lovely encouragements from His Highness.

Also great news on that front... they're engaged!!!! I love the romance between them. It doesn't hinder with the story but defo adds that subtle sparkle and happiness.

With the introduction of certain new characters, Emily's niece - Ariadne and the Cambridge head, Rose, as well as Orga - Wendell's cat and Shadow's nightmare, we're in for a ride.

- ~ -

4.21 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘙𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

thanks to NetGalley for the eARC

⭐️=4.75 | 😘=3(🙅‍♀️) | 🤬=2 | ⚔️=3.5 | 14+

summary: sequel to Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries ; historical fantasy set in the 1910s where a Cambridge professor and her hot faerie colleague study fae and Quest Together and it's told in an epistolary format and it's just so good?????

thoughts: the absolutely unhinged feral obsession I have with these characters is borderline unhealthy!!!!!! I just love this so so so much. like. so much. still the same delightfully quirky diary entries and grumpy scholar girl/sunshine faerie boy dynamic and talented brilliant incredible animal and/or fae sidekicks and I also LOVED the new characters that were introduced!! I demand an Ariadne spinoff (or at least a set of novellas or something) because she's so charming and sweet. like I can imagine her starting a diary bc she looks up to Emily so much and it'd be so cute of her.

anyway.

I was giggling and kicking my feet with every Emily/Wendell interaction. like I won't spoil anything but it was very keyboard smash-inducing on my part. the whole vibes of these books are just so comfy and cozy and charming and I don't think I can emphasize enough how much I'm obsessed with this.

(I'll admit that the pace dragged a teensy bit around 40% of the way through, but honestly the rest of the book made up for it so I don't really care! it's so good!!!!!! go read book one and then preorder this one because I will absolutely be purchasing a physical copy)

Another fantastic book from Heather Fawcett! I am such a fan of the world and characters she's created here. It's so beautiful and scary and romantic and confusing, and I want to live inside her words.

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands (Emily Wilde Book 2) by Heather Fawcett

352 Pages
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey
Release Date: January 16, 2024

Fiction (Adult), General Fiction (Adult), Sci Fi, Fantasy, Faeries

Emily is helping Wendell find the doorway to his faerie world. They are travelling with her teenage niece, Ariadne, and Professor Rose, the head of their department of Dryadology. Emily is visited by an apparition of a man with ribbons. She realizes it is Professor Eichorn who has been missing for years. He tells her about Professor de Grey and her last sighting. Emily must do what she can to find de Gray since she knows the location of Wendell’s door and fast. Wendell has been poisoned by his stepmother, the Queen, since she sees the two of them as threats to her position. It is on Emily to find the doorway and get the cure to Wendell’s poisoning.

The book is fast paced, the characters are well developed, and it is written as a journal entries. The author has done another wonderful job of writing about mythical creatures as if they were real. This is the second book in the series, and I look forward to the next one. If you like fantasy. Books with faeries and fauns, you will love this one.

This series continues to be rather clever, but this follow-up isn't quite as unique and fun as the first installment. Maybe it isn't as focused, but I can't figure out exactly what is missing here.

In this, Emily and her band of misfits are off to Germany to look for a way into Wendell's homeland. But his stepmother is still out to prevent him from taking his throne. There are other creatures lurking around. And there is a missing professor and her paramour caught between the realms, trying to find each other, turning up at odd times.

I would still read a third book. I would recommend this to fantasy lovers, especially the first book. It mixes academia with mythical creatures in a creative way.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

I will start off my review by saying that I have already placed a preorder for this book, and was so nervous that I'd dislike this ARC and only end up disappointed whenever my copy of Map of the Otherlands came home.

Never have I been happier to have been wrong.

This book was nothing less than a joy to read. Again I was struck by the atmosphere of the novel - the setting is a character too! Although the previous book felt more homey with its setting, this one was still a cozy read in terms of location.

I adore the characters of Emily and Wendell. Adriene and Rose are a wonderful addition, but Emily and Wendell stay my absolute favs. Emily is such a unique character and a breath of fresh air from bubbley heroine archetypes. It makes her feel like a real person, which just makes her relationship with Wendell all the more endearing. And Wendell, of course, remains the funniest character in the series. I can't believe they did you like that on your birthday king.

I found myself making a cup of tea every time I sat down to read, just to let myself succumb to the warm faerie tale vibes, and I cannot wait to get my preorder in and do it all over again.

More Orga content in book 3 please!