This was one of the most enjoyable sequels I have ever read!

There is an extremely likely chance that if you loved the first book in this series, you would continue to adore this one- perhaps even more than the first. Heather Fawcett does a marvelous job of continuing the same tone and humor from book one, and the transition between the ending of book one and the beginning of book two is seamless; jumping right into the story instead of taking too much time to ramble and explain things that just, don't really need explaining.

The plot of this book is addictive, the characters are as charming as always and I am utterly obsessed with their relationship dynamics to one another. The writing as well is so sarcastic, matter of fact and fun to read and that combination was very easy for me to get lost in. I cannot wait to read more books in this series as they come out, and I will be RUNNING to get a physical copy of this as soon as it is published. I've heard people describe this series as something written for the kids who grew up loving The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, that are now adults, and I cannot agree more!

A perfect escapist novel that takes you by the hand and whisks you into the field of faeries and romance and adventure. Devilishly dark at times without losing it's light humor and cozy atmosphere, this sequel is not one to miss.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this early! I read the first book in the series early as well, and was so sad knowing it was going to be an ETERNITY before book two came out, that when I got approved for this, I moved it tot the top of my TBR and now I can't believe that it'll be another year or so before I get the next book.

Because this is the second book in a series, I am not going to go over the synopsis because I don't want to spoil anything, but this is such a sweet, well thought out, feel good story and I am so invested in the lives and quests of these characters at this point. This is the perfect cozy fantasy that is so atmospheric and engaging that you can't help but finish it quickly upon picking it up.

I am in love with these characters, this universe as a whole, and I honestly can't wait for the third book because I need more Wendell, Emily, and Shadow in my life immediately. Pick up this book if you get the chance. You won't regret it.

This is the second book in the Emily Wilde series! In the first book, Emily Wilde, a slightly prickly and definitely socially awkward dryadologist (fairy scientist) studies the fairies in an Iceland-esque place. In this second book Emily continues her adventures and tries to rescue a fellow academic from the land of Faerie alongside her nice and Wendell Brambleby who is another colleague of hers with a secret of why he's so interested in studying fairies.

Emily is just as charming, sweet, and endearing as the first book. Both of these books have been such cozy, fun, clean reads which I've much appreciated. The character development is masterfully balanced by descriptions of faeries and Emily's ability to find friends amongst the fairies.

Good grief — this book is just as wildly entertaining as the 1st one, if not more so, because we know and love the characters already and get to know some glorious new ones. Absolutely brimming with faery mischief and adventure, Wendel’s wildness equalizes Emily’s true to character tyrannical scholarly ways. But she’s straight up rule-breaker leaning this time, like a female Indian Jones-ish way in the world of faery 🤣✨🧚‍♂️ over and over again, I’m rooting for Em.

Omg I LOVED this. I honestly thought I would be a little let down because I loved the first book so much, but this one was just as good, if not better! It’s not often a sequel holds up as well against the first book, but this sure does.

I haven’t been reading fantasy recently but it felt so welcoming jumping back in this world. I loved getting to see more of Emily and Wendell’s relationship. There were so many moments of cuteness and their little quips towards each other were endearing and funny. Wendell as a character is just hysterical and Emily’s responses to him are even better. I also loved learning more about his kingdom and faerie realms as a whole. There was so much to learn and absorb, but Heather Fawcett is just phenomenal at her world-building. Despite the amount you learn, it’s easy understand and become invested in. The faeries feel uniquely written and the vivid imagery of both them and the environment paint the picture well.

This one does have more action than the first, which I liked, but still felt pretty cozy. It’s like a low-to-medium stakes. This book is so addicting and I just didn’t want to put it down. I absolutely love this world and these characters. I highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this eARC. Opinions are my own and given freely.

This second book in the Emily Wilde series was phenomenal. There was so much growth from book one and book one for me was 5 stars. If it was possible I'd give more than 5 stars for book 2.

This was so beautiful and fun and cozy all at the same time. I'm a huge fan of these books and can't wait to buy this in physical copy for my shelf.

Second in the Emily Wilde series, this book follows Emily and Wendell as they set off on another adventure, this time heading to the Austrian Alps. As they try to discover the whereabouts of the door to Wendell's kingdom, they face perilous threats and new discoveries in the Faerie Realm -- while also looking for the long-lost scholars Emily once revered. Will Emily and company survive long enough in Faerie to get answers to their questions?

I hate to say it, but this book did not do it for me. I really enjoyed the quirky prose and academic discourse in the first book, but in Map of the Otherlands, I often found myself very confused about what I was reading. The history and lore bored me, and there were too many footnotes for my liking. Emily's emotions also felt very stilted at times, but when she got annoyed with her traveling companions, it stressed me out. I honestly don't remember what happened in this book, even though I just read it.

The only redeeming factor of this book was the Emily/Wendell romance. THEY WERE SO CUTE! I loved the way Emily was more open with him and was willing to consider their relationship in the decisions she was making. Wendell was just so sweet with her, and I treasured his scenes with Emily. (The only sad thing is that these scenes were merely sprinkled in with the rest of the plot. I wish the romance was a bigger part of the book!)

Overall, I think this book was worth the read. However, it disappointed me, especially since I loved the first book so much. Thanks, NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine, for this digital ARC!

Heather has done it again!!! I loved this one maybe even more than the first one. While I missed some of the characters we met in the first book, the new characters were extremely fleshed out and fit well in the story. I love that we got to see Poe again as I felt like he was a really important part of Emily’s story. One thing I really appreciate about Heather’s writing is that you can really tell when a journal entry is written by Emily vs Wendell. Even though it is explicitly mentioned who is writing which entry, the points of view are so different and the language feels unique to each character. I need 100 more books in this series!!!!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for this arc!

This was everything I hoped it would be! The banter between Emily and Wendell was perfect, I loved the subtle character development. I can’t wait till this book is released so I can add it to my shelf of favorites!

Thank you, Random House Publishing, Heather Fawcett, and Netgalley, for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love this series! This one is even better than the first, and I can't wait to read more about Emily & Wendell!

Cozy and adorable are two words that sum up this sequel fittingly. While I can’t say I adored it as much as the first, it was a sweet ride from start to finish.

<i>Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands</i> recommences roughly where the first novel left off; Emily and Wendell have returned to Cambridge, with Emily still deciding whether she will agree to Dr. Bambleby’s proposal.

This time, Emily’s fieldwork laid out in her journals whisks us away to the picturesque Austrian Alps. A whole new host of characters and creatures await to thwart and liven up her search for the mysterious Faerie nexus rumored to exist by a famously-missing dryadologist.

The strengths from the first installment carry over to this one; the main cast of characters is endearing all around. Emily is her consistently lovable, socially awkward, curmudgeonly self; Wendell is her delightful foil, overflowing with charm and hilarious dualities—he’s lazy, but he won’t hesitate to turn one of Emily’s pens into a sword at a moment’s notice and gut anyone who threatens him or his woman, complaining all the way about interrupted birthdays or being attacked on an empty stomach. These two have a beguiling magnetism to behold on the page, and it makes it so difficult not to love them as much as I’ve come to do.

Because of this, what small scraps of romance this book does give us made me kick my feet in delight and giggle like a little girl. This certainly isn’t a romance heavy book; in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Romance takes quite a back seat to the field work Emily and Wendell do in both installments in this series. However, the scarcity of the fluff induced me to turn the pages even faster, crying out for more. This book definitely delivers in this regard, in however understated the manner. Suffice it to say that I was extremely pleased with where this book went in the romance department.

In addition to our two main characters, we saw the return of our good grim-doggo, Shadow, and the adorable little brownie, Poe. Both of these side characters had rather prominent background roles in this sequel, but stole the show in some of their respective scenes. Shadow’s loyalty and protectiveness is a consistent support for Emily to lean on, while Poe appears intermittently to offer his unwavering fealty to help Emily and Wendell in times of need. The more heartfelt scenes between Emily and these two were written so well that I felt as endeared and emotional toward them as Emily had.

Where this book started to falter for me, though, was in the wordier journal entries. The epistolary nature of this novel definitely lends itself to moments of stream-of-consciousness, however, a lot of that should have been toned down to alleviate the wordier passages’ inhibition on the pacing of the narrative. While these long-winded sections occurred in the first book, they seemed more frequent here. For that reason, I really think this book would have benefited from some more cutthroat editing. Fawcett was definitely having fun writing these verbose entries, but when it starts to bog down the story, you’ll begin to lose even the most enthusiastic of readers.

All in all, this was still such a charming installment in the Emily Wilde series and I can’t wait for the next book! I also already can’t wait to buy this on audiobook when it releases so I can be extra-immersed by the narrator’s accents.


<b>Overall Rating:</b> 4 stars!

<i>A big thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, for providing me with an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review!</i>

I absolutely LOVED Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries. When I received an email that I could request an ARC of the second book: Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands, I immediately responded and downloaded it from Net Galley. The book does not release until January of 2024.

It's always hard to start that next book in a series--when you're still trapped in the wiles of the first one. I began reading with trepidation, quickly got pulled into Emily's world again and loved this novel just as much. Because the novel won't be released for six months from this writing, I shall be brief and avoid all spoilers.

Emily basks in solving puzzles, especially involving the various worlds of faeries. She constantly thinks and studies on finding a door to Bambleby's kingdom so that he can be reinstated to his faery throne, de-throning his step-mother. Emily's fairly convinced she knows where a door could be. Her new project becomes mapping faery world. Bambleby finds Emily delightful. He loves how focused she can be, letting her mostly take care of herself. He recognizes her brilliance and loves her for all her oddities and passion. He radiates a more lazy--let it by--attitude, although his powers are extraordinary and always a bit surprising in contrast to his perceived laid back manner; he desires returning home and believes Emily will discover the needed door. We meet new characters in this novel as well. Ariadne, Emily's niece, devours all information her aunt can provide, loving this new life of scholarship---and danger. Dr. Rose becomes an interesting companion in this novel, as his knowledge can help at times--even though he is not a fan of faeries.

The novel begins in Cambridge. The catalyst for leaving England happens when assassins appear to kill Wendell in plain view of people, jeopardizing Wendell's supposed human identity. Emily does not appreciate this act at all--no one should hurt or try to hurt Wendell--that is NOT okay. She takes a scientific approach and determines what paths they should take. It may be time to find Wendell's door. As they travel to the Alps, you meet new faeries, get reacquainted with one or two old friends and see Emily's abilities shine once again as she navigates her relationship with Wendell.

As I said, I loved the book. I think what I like the most is the humor. Wendell's character appeals to me--his dry humor, his clear abilities despite appearing to not have many, and his acceptance of Emily. He doesn't coddle Emily; he believes she can mostly take care of herself and doesn't try to change her. He's often amused by her, but he doesn't make fun of her. Emily intrigues me because of her clear brilliance and courage that can overwhelm societal niceties, which creates humor as well. She willingly sacrifices herself to gain knowledge and/or to defend someone for whom she cares. I love both characters, and I love their banter within their relationship--reminds me, in a way, of Nick and Nora Charles. If you don't know who they are--look it up and watch the movies. Once again, I highly recommend this novel to people who enjoy humor, fantasy, and clever plots.

I loved Olivia Atwater's Half a Soul, and so I thought I would try another authors attempt at writing a faerie story...and I'm so glad I did! Wendell is fae, living in the mortal world as a professor of dryadology. Emily Wilde is a mortal, but she is powerful and bold and at the end of this book, even Wendell admits to being a little bit afraid of her! They are working together to find the door to Wendell's home when all kinds of adventures befall them! If you love a good faerie story, including a mortal/faerie romance, you might love this book!

The book itself has an almost academic tone, as it is told by the no-nonsense professor, Emily Wilde, as a series of journal entries. Her dry tone is humorous and enjoyable! But throw in a few entries by Wendell (who occassionally hijacks her diary) for some heart-warming contrast!

The language is clean, romantic moments are implied (not described!) and overall, this was one of my most anticipated arcs this year, and it did not disappoint! DEFINITELY read book one, Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, first!

I recieved a free eARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion!

A thank you to the publishers for an advance galley!

This sequel was in fact, actually better than the first book. This series reminds of those Fairyology books for children - but for adults.

I truly can’t wait for the next one!

Are you kidding me? It has been a full week since I finished this second book in the “Emily Wilde” series by Heather Fawcett, and I still think about it every. dang. day. One thing that I think makes Fawcett’s books so special is the element of realism. …Maybe realism isn't the right word here, but what I mean is, while it is a historical fiction (early 1900’s) and a fantasy novel, it feels… REAL. I believe her when she describes where to find a fairy door. I believe her when she says to ward off enchantments you clutch tightly to the coin in your pocket. I find myself looking for perfect circular patches of mushrooms or poppy flowers and imagining what Folk live just past the invisible door. I find myself “believing” a number of these fairytales because she writes so well and creates such a magical space where anything feels possible in the pages.

This is a warm and cozy read that will have you falling totally in love with Wendell. And Emily? I just cannot get over how much I love her quirky character.

There is not much else to say other than: perfection. I am looking forward to the next book!

5/5 stars!!!

I really enjoyed this book as I have enjoyed this authors previous book in the series. Reading the series really makes me want to check out her middle grade writing as well. I look forward to this author’s future books as well.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this title.

Emily and Wendell have my heart. I would happily follow them into Fairie. This is another fun adventure with Emily and Wendell trying to find and solve a few mysteries including if there is a nexus to the fairie realm?

This is a cozy fantasy with some danger ⚠️ and I couldn’t love it more. I can’t wait for more from this series and I can’t wait for it to come out so I can share it with everyone.

Grab a copy of the first Emily Wilde now so you won’t miss
Out when this one is released 😍
If you don’t love Emily and Wendell - frankly you are wrong.

Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands had everything I wanted in a much-anticipated follow-up to the Encyclopaedia of Faeries. Heather Fawcett has written a story that pushes Emily Wilde's career and relationships forward, while still staying true to the awkward, introverted, unstoppable heroine I fell in love with in Book 1.

Returning to Cambridge after their last adventure, Emily and Wendell are settling back into academic life with two notable exceptions. Emily has found a faerie foot that she believes will help her with search for long-lost and under-respected academic Danielle de Grey, and Wendell is suddenly under attack. They quickly realize that his stepmother is seeking to assassinate him, and must quickly head to find a door to Wendell's kingdom. Emily believes her research into de Grey's work will help her not only find Wendell's door, but advance her own scholarship. This time, they have company - Emily, Wendell, and Shadow are joined by Emily's enthusiastic and exuberant niece Ariadne, and stuffy Dr. Farris Rose, the department head. Both Ariadne and Rose sort of force their way into the expedition, much to Emily's dismay.

From there, many adventures ensue. Many things that I loved about the first book made a return - Emily has not magically learned how to be a charming extrovert, but she is more willing to let Wendell build bridges for her this time. She is still headstrong and confident, and that gets her into trouble. Ariadne and Rose are fun mix-ups to the routine, and both challenge Emily in their own ways to make her re-evaluate her assumptions about collaboration and the reliability of the Folk. We get a few amazing surprise returns of other minor characters from Book 1, which made me so happy. And of course, the banter and vibes between Emily and Wendell are off the charts. If you're a fan of the first Emily Wilde book, I think you'll really love this one, it captures the spirit and moves the narrative without feeling like a complete copy of the first one.

I had a few small critiques. I don't think the subplots and side quests felt as important to the plot or wove together as satisfyingly as they did in the first book. Some bits and pieces felt very random, and things kept resolving so quickly that I wished we'd gotten more time on them. The different sections of the book felt a little disjointed as a result, and that made it a little hard to re-anchor myself every time I picked the book back up. The final resolution of the big bad conflict felt underdone, and a few things that were implied along the way had me re-reading the chapter to make sure I hadn't missed something. All in all, it brought more of the same energy from Book 1 so successfully that nothing quite blew me away.

In general, loved it, huge fan. 4.5/5 stars, rounded up to 5 gladly for this review. I know that Book 3 is in progress now, and I simply cannot wait to read another installment with these characters who are so near and dear to my heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin/Del Rey for a digital ARC. All opinions are my own.

Cozy fantasy with high enough stakes to keep you intrigued, but not high enough to be 'stressful,' grumpy/sunshine, slow-burn, told in journal entries such as book one.

Also, that cover!? AMAZING.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in return for my unbiased review!

Considering how much I loved the first Emily Wilde book, I had high expectations going into the sequel. And I wasn't disappointed! There were some places I felt fell short, but overall by the time we got to the true action of the story I was hooked.

To start with some of the shortcomings - the early will they, won't they between Emily and Wendell felt unneeded and detracted from the plot of the story. It was during these moments they felt out of character, which was disappointing because I really do adore this duo. By the end though they were back to the characters I knew and loved, The book was also very similar to its precursor, which is both good and bad. The structure of the book mimicked the first so it felt very familiar, but there were times. I wanted more deviation in the story because it was too formulaic.

I adored Emily as much as I did in the first book, and find her voice in the story to be very engaging. She maintains her sharp wit but develops like any complex character should. I also find the way Fawcett captures Faerie to be interesting, with Emily unable to fully grasp what occurs and giving us as readers only bits and pieces.

Overall, while the book does have some set backs similar to other 2nd books in a series, I throughly enjoyed my time with it. And I say series because it leaves off at a place that allows for a continuation of Emily's adventures which I will undoubtably pick up whenever the time comes! 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5!