Whimsical and comforting, this book ends the main arc of the Emily Wilde series, but leaves enough of an open ending that we might revisit this world again.

Emily is her usual scholarly-minded self, but now she and Wendell are in love and together they must face her biggest adventure yet - to be the King and Queen of Faerie. This does not come easy to our Emily, who is much more comfortable noting down details in her journal and investigating new species, but she is determined to do her best even with all her self doubt, for how can someone who didn't quite fit in with everyone else in the mortal world be the queen of an entirely different realm?

Wendell is so delightful and protective of Emily, and I wish we had heard more from him, as I think it would have added a spark to the narrative. Shadow remains my favorite and I was very glad for the ending.

I cannot describe the emotions I have at finishing this series. One of my favorites of all time, forever. This series means everything to me. From Encyclopedia, when all we knew was our awkward, yet lovable professor Wilde and her suspicious, yet charming colleague, to now—with two very in love Faerie monarchs. The series has expanded, but in a way that still holds true to its core.

With Emily and Wendell returned to Faerie, we finally get to see the world, not through misty enchantment, but through Emily’s full scholarly eye. Heather Fawcett has crafted a world of fantastical whimsy and charm, but one bookended with very real human emotion. This makes the Emily Wilde series one that is so unique—a cozy faerie story, with excitement, drama, and just a bit of realistic exasperation. There were some heartwarming appearances and some surprising (very, very surprising) appearances, and they all came together to make such a satisfying conclusion to such a beautiful story.

Without diving into spoiler territory (only three months to publication!!!) I’ll give a few very vague thoughts:
Wendell, my LOVE. You are everything to me and more. Keep writing letters and ordering books, lover boy.
Emily. You are everything inside of me and everything I hope to be. She becomes even braver and stronger in this book. And, of course, is still always right about everything and has never done anything wrong ever.
Shadow. Shadow!! You made me cry so much my sweet little boy I love you so much (Why? I guess you’ll have to read to find out!).

I don’t want to say goodbye to this world and, really, I’m not. I’ll be back, guaranteed.

Five stars

Heather Fawcett does it again—another 5/5 stars, officially making this one of my favorite series of all time! This final installment picks up right where Book 2 left off, seamlessly continuing the adventure with a plot and structure that feel as strong and captivating as ever.

One thing I absolutely loved about the first two books was the playful banter between Emily and Wendell, and while it was less present in this one (for understandable reasons—no spoilers!), I did miss it a little. That being said, their relationship remains as heartwarming as ever, and keeps me invested in their story.

The beloved animal companions make a return, and while their presence felt a little different this time around, it wasn’t in a bad way—just another small shift that adds to the evolution of the story.

Overall, this book is a super strong and satisfying conclusion to the series. I already can’t wait to hold the physical copy in my hands when it releases and do a full reread of this magical, cozy, and utterly enchanting trilogy!

It's hard to review a final book in a series without giving anything away, but this is exactly what I think people wanted from the end of this series. Emily and Wendell head to Faerie and it was such a delight to follow them on this adventure.

A great end to a fantastic trilogy! I truly fell in love with the world throughout this entire series, but this one especially so. I hope we can see more of this world in the future.

Fawcett saves the best for last with this thrilling conclusion to her Emily Wilde series!

Picking up where book two left off, “Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales” follows Emily Wilde and Wendell Bambleby as they seize the throne to Wendell’s long-lost kingdom and free it from its curse.

I absolutely adored watching Emily flourish in this final installment! With pressure mounting at the thought of becoming Faerie’s first mortal queen in centuries and a deadly curse threatening the realm, Emily, being the brilliant scholar she is, rises to the challenge and uses her skill-set to her advantage. I loved further immersing myself in Faerie and its lore through the tales Emily includes in her journal alongside her musings and research. As she draws upon faerie storybooks to find a solution (this time with the help of new friends and old), Emily makes one of her greatest discoveries yet—there is power in embracing yourself fully.

I was captivated by the story and the way it calls back to previous books in the series. Fawcett masterfully raises the stakes, thereby quickening the pace, all while maintaining the cozy atmosphere readers know and love. To my delight, she also ups the romance in this one! I cannot get over how perfect Emily and Wendell are as a couple! I seriously am head over heels for them. Even when the two were separated, they still managed to fuss over each other, Wendell doing so via letter correspondence. I adored reading his messages, as they are filled with heartfelt yearning. Their good-natured banter, black cat / golden retriever dynamic, and their deep understanding of one another remain a highlight for me.

I am thoroughly satisfied with how this series wraps up, but also leaves the door open for more adventures! I sincerely hope more books set in Faerie are on the horizon, because I don’t want to say goodbye just yet!

Heat Factor: Emily would never write about her sexual exploits in her *journal*
Character Chemistry: They continue to be so exactly themselves and balance each other
Plot: Emily and Wendell retake Wendell’s throne without too much trouble…and then face some complications, because nothing in fairy is simple
Overall: I thought it was the weakest of the trilogy, but if you’re already invested, you should definitely still read it. (If you haven’t read the first two Emily Wilde books, you should start there. I do not recommend chaos reading this particular series.)

First thing’s first. Ingrid and I had a detailed discussion about the whole Emily Wilde trilogy back in November, so head on over there if you want our thoughts on such burning questions as: How does the journal structure impact the narrative? Are these books satisfying romances? Is Wendell a himbo?

Ok, so we open with Emily and Wendell at the doorway that Emily discovered in Greece, about to head off to Wendell’s kingdom and retake the throne. Shouldn’t be too hard, right? After all, Emily poisoned Wendell’s wicked stepmother back in Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands. Plus, this is such a great opportunity for Emily to advance her scholarship! A win–win if there ever was one. And honestly, getting on to the throne isn’t that hard, but that doesn’t mean that Wendell’s position is secure. His wicked stepmother is not *quite* dead, and she’s doing something to poison the kingdom.

To me, the plot in this particular story felt very “one damn thing after the next.” In Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Fairies, the story arc was clearly building to what happened, and I didn’t get that sense here. However, one could argue that most fairy stories are also one damn thing after the next, and sometimes they build and sometimes they just don’t.

I still found the voice delightful. I found Wendell delightful (and terrifying). I found the other fairy characters delightful (and unsettling). I appreciated Emily showing that she’s learned and grown over the course of the trilogy—at least now she has friends and knows to ask for help when she needs it, unlike when we started off.

And in the end, Wendell and Emily get the ending that works for them. It might not be a traditional HEA, but they’re happy right now, and they’ve got plans for next week, and that’s enough for them.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

From the moment I started reading Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales, I knew I was going on an adventure. The world of the fae is captivating and being able to accompany Emily and Wendell for a third time was so much fun. I especially love Wendell (he'll forever be one of my top MMCs) and his dynamic with Emily throughout this story. From start to finish, I had a grand time! Heather Fawcett is truly the queen of whimsy.

Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this story in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars for the 3rd book in the Emily Wilde series! This time, Emily and Wendell are actually in Faerie, reclaiming his lost kingdom. Emily is finding all this fascinating and wonderous. However, there seems to be a blight on the land, a curse placed by Wendell's displaced stepmother, the former queen. Figuring out how to defeat her and save the land is right up Emily's alley and she does some serious studying of the old faerie tales in order to figure out how to save, Wendell and his realm.
This is darling and wonderful and Emily is full of determination and spirit. I love this series!

I have enjoyed every installment of Emily Wilde, and this one was no different. This book followed along with Wendell and Emily’s quest to retake his kingdom.

As usual, I find Emily an endearing character (and she has certainly softened as a character over the series - a good thing, I think!). She is always thinking of scholarship, writing papers, and finding the pattern in Faerie stories. She uses her considerable knowledge to help Wendell out yet again, but the new challenges and situations keep the formula fresh. Very enjoyable!

I’ve started the past three years with one of Heather Fawcett’s Emily Wilde books, and I always look forward to my yearly meet-up with the fae. The new year arrived, and shortly after, book three in the series followed. Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales is a beautiful culmination of all of Emily’s previous adventures. It’s my favorite story in the series by far. We’ve reached book three, so there are slight spoilers that cannot be avoided ahead.

Now that a door to Wendell’s faerie realm has been located, there’s nothing to stop the exiled prince from returning home and reclaiming his throne from his stepmother. Emily Wilde steps through the faerie door with her former academic rival, now fianceé, to meet the oncoming obstacles and hopefully write an academic paper or two. It does not take long for the pair to realize something is off in the faerie realm, and they soon discover the former queen has cursed the land and gone into hiding. As Emily navigates increasingly unfamiliar territory among the fae, she will rely on her research and experts to find a way to heal Wendell’s realm and create an auspicious future for the faerie king.

If you’ve made it to book three in the Emily Wilde series, you know by now that each book sends Emily on some incredible research trip to study the fae. This book is no different, except that the adventure is not primarily fueled by scholarship, although Emily certainly has ideas for papers along the way. The previous books have been building up to this moment, and Emily not only has a wealth of faerie knowledge to lean on but connections and experience throughout Faerie that she can use to help her save Wendell’s realm. There are nice callbacks to previous characters, both human and fae, and big events from book one that are critical to Emily’s mission. Compendium does a great job bringing the reader in on an exciting (and terrifying) new exploration of Faerie while rooting them in the familiar to keep some hope alive in Emily’s desperate attempt to save the realm.

Compendium also breaks the mold of the previous two books, with its setting mostly taking place in Faerie. This was my favorite part of this story because we leave the mortal world behind to become fully enmeshed in the chaos of Faerie. Instead of interacting with them in the human realm in brief encounters, Emily now calls Faerie home. Despite being obsessed and fascinated by the fae, she is now in an in-human realm completely unfamiliar to her, and it’s jarring and exciting at the same time. Emily wars between slight discomfort, fear, and utter awe of the incredible world around her. And for those who shy away from change, Emily’s experience in this book is a lesson that can inspire you to take the next step. Whether you’re moving to a faerie realm or starting a new hobby, new experiences are hard and challenging but bring about great growth and change. Emily is fearful, but she still moves forward, evolving not only herself but her relationship with Wendell and his subjects.

And for all of us readers out there, I think you’ll appreciate Compendium for the way it honors and celebrates the power of stories. Emily relies on faerie lore and the stories shared through time to guide her through the events unfolding in Wendell’s realm. The stories remind Emily of the lessons that need to be learned to keep bad history from repeating itself. In analyzing stories that met unfortunate ends, Emily advocates for a different approach in a world doomed to repeat its worst tragedies. She shows mercy when fear and hatred originally reigned, and she influences the characters around her to see new perspectives. Her only guidance is the stories that may have different plots but all showcase the same character pitfalls and decisions that led to heartbreak. With a desire to have a much happier ending, Emily decides to re-write the story happening around her.

Emily Wilde has outwitted faerie kings, held her own against haughty professors, and won the heart of her biggest rival. But she’s met her greatest challenge in the Compendium of Lost Tales, and she must risk it all or lose everything. Bewitch yourself with Emily’s latest and greatest adventure, you won’t be sorry you stepped through the faerie door.

Rating: Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales - 8.0/10

A satisfying conclusion to one of my all-time favourite series! There would have to be a lot wrong with this book for me to give it a low rating, just because Heather writes characters so well I’d genuinely read about them sitting around doing nothing and enjoy it. And frankly, that’s not the smallest part of this series, I’d say. The EW series as a whole is slower paced, and this book is no exception. I found that Emily’s driving unease at the story she has found herself in mostly sufficient tension to sustain me. It’s perhaps not as perfect as I felt the other two books in this series are, but it is one I’m thrilled to share with friends and customers anyway.

It was great being back with the grumpy-sunshine duo that are Emily and Wendell in this third installment of their adventures. While it was great getting a deeper look into Wendell’s kingdom and a small dive into Irish folklore (my FAVORITE!!), I won’t lie that of the three books, this one felt the least impactful plot wise. 😔

I don’t want to get into too much detail in case there are some people who haven’t read the series, but I’ll just that the pacing felt much slower than the other two and while I don’t mind a slow plot, this book just kind of felt like an overall plot filler for what will come in the future (which I’m assuming there’s more to come). 👑

As much as I LOVED the inclusion of Irish folklore into the mix of Emily’s adventures, as someone who spent the majority on their MA research on Ireland and its tumultuous relationship with Britain, specifically during the 1880’s-1910’s, this just gave me a weird vibe. For one, while I get this is supposed to be a cozy fantasy, Emily’s time in Dublin felt incredibly glossed over to me. Sure, I get that maybe the historical period might not be the most important aspect of the plot, but I just felt that Fawcett missed a huge opportunity to at least acknowledge the growing tensions between the British and Irish, and the latter’s abysmal treatment and representation by the British. This might be the historian in me coming out to complain, but it’s something that I just couldn’t get out of my head when I read this. 😮‍💨

Overall, still had a good time (when Emily wasn’t in Ireland itself), and I do look forward to seeing if there’s more to these goofballs’ adventures! Big thank you goes to Del Rey and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review, and to Fawcett for continuing to make Emily’s adventures wild. 💚

Publication date: February 11!

Overall: 4.25/5 ⭐️

In Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales, the third installment of the Emily Wilde series, Emily and Wendell return to Faerie for Wendell to take his throne. Emily finds herself shaped into a queen of faerie, but struggles reconciling the expectations of the role with her superseding interest in approaching Faerie as a dryadologist and a human. She is far from the only human living in Faerie, and finds kinship with Naimh, a fellow dryadologist, and Callum, another partner of one of the Folk. As with any contested transfer of power, however, Wendell must convince not only his subjects but the realm itself that he is their rightful ruler, and of course his stepmother doesn’t make it easy. Emily takes it upon herself, with the help of some familiar faces, to seek out lesser known and piecemeal stories of the Folk—the titular lost tales—to settle Wendell’s kingship and the kingdom itself, with lives (most importantly, to Emily, Wendell’s) at stake.

I went into Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales with great expectations for the resolution of Wendell’s assumption of the throne, and somehow this book still exceeded them. I thought Fawcett did an excellent job balancing Emily’s desire to perform her role well with her innate disinterest in performing it as expected, as well as her otherness in Faerie—Wendell had spent the previous two books as the fish out of water, though successful in the human realm; Lost Tales juxtaposes that with Emily’s familiarity with the rules of the Folk and the way it still manages to dismay her. I appreciated Wendell’s consideration in giving Emily an easily accessible space of her own in the human realm as a private escape from the caprice of Faerie. I love the balance of Emily and Wendell’s dynamic: the ways they support one another, their affection for each other, and their sureness about each other is so interesting and refreshing in this series, and I deeply appreciated how well it continued in this book, even through such an upheaval in setting and circumstance. Lost Tales beautifully maintained the themes I’ve loved this series for: Emily’s priority of her role as dryadologist over almost all else, her role as heroine and solver of puzzles and riddles, and ultimately the central rule that the Folk are governed by story and legend. And still, she’s allowed to be emotional and selfish and she does the right things for her own reasons. I was very impressed and pleased by Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales for its continuity of theme and character, as well as the stakes and construction of the plot. I’d recommend it to those who enjoyed the previous two books, readers of historical fantasy, and people who, like me, can’t pass up fantasy that reads like nonfiction.

Thank you to Del Rey for providing an advance copy through NetGalley in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.

Emily and Wendell is taking over his kingdom after his stepmother’s downfall. Taking over the palace was easy, but apparently Wendell’s stepmother refused to go down without a fight and poisoned the realm. Naturally Emily looked into Folk tales for solution, and even though the answer didn't give her any consolation.

More glimpses into the Otherland, this time without an immediate danger so we could appreciate the landscape more! it's interesting to finally see Wendell's courtly fae side, though his personality didn't change a bit. he and Emily were still being adorable as ever and I love them so much. there were several old side characters making appearances in this book and it's nice to see them again.

on the other hand, i also felt like some things were missing. the obvious one is that there's no "journal entry" written by Wendell, which is disappointing because it was one of the highlights on the first 2 books. the plot also felt too convenient? lacked the sheer chaos and unpredictability which were also the charm of this series.

i still enjoyed it though, and I miss Emily & Wendell already...

This was a fitting and cozy conclusion to a great trilogy. I didn’t love it as much as the first two, but I don’t begrudge it for that.

In this final installment, the fae world is finally front and center, rather than the somewhat menacing and hard-to-find subject of Emily’s research. We had higher stakes and more magic this time around.

I do think it was missing something on the pacing front. I found myself less engaged overall, especially in the second half.

But I love this trilogy, and will continue to recommend it.

Thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for the ARC!

**3.5/5 Stars, Rounded Up**

Emily Wilde and Wendell Bambleby are off on another adventure in Faerie in Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett. Fawcett’s “Emily Wilde” series is unique in the fantasy genre in that it is written as more of a research journal. A professor in dryadology, Emily Wilde has dedicated her academic life to studying Folk, and now she becomes fully immersed in the realm with Wendell by her side as her fiancé. I hesitate to go deeply into their relationship, as Compendium of Lost Tales is the third book in a series, and I don’t want to spoil anything from previous books. But let’s just say they’re an unlikely match. Wendell, though, believes in Emily and in her abilities—so much so that he asked her to marry him and become his queen.

I loved the first two books from the series. Wendall and Emily have entertaining, humorous conversations and camaraderie. And I appreciate the chapters’ footnotes. While they’re not necessary, they provide a little more insight into Fawcett’s world and how her mind—and Emily’s—works. Honestly, fits Emily. She is a professor, after all. Why would an academic not include footnotes? Instead of a glossary or “References” (even fictitious) at the end of the novel, Fawcett gives footnotes. They demonstrate the depth in Fawcett’s imagination. You can skip them if you want to, but if you’re curious about a certain story? Or a type of Folk? Read them.

Now, let’s get to the actual plot of Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett. This addition to the series has been my least favorite so far. It moved slowly, and I found it to be a bit predictable. While I felt the last two books were about Wendell and Emily, this one focused far more on Emily alone, with Wendell more in the background. Wendell’s stepmother cursed the kingdom before disappearing; to save the realm, she must be found. Fawcett emphasizes throughout the novel how important stories are to the Folk—and the Compendium revolves around one particular tale. One tale, often mistranslated, and one with several possible endings. This story guides Emily and Wendell through their every action to restore the kingdom.

Which is…fine, I suppose. But if you figure out the story, you can almost anticipate how the story progresses. The relationship between Emily and Wendell is sweet and steady, despite the times they disagree. But I almost felt like the ending was…I don’t know, lazy? It all wrapped up, sure, but I found the “intense moments” falling flat and elicited no emotional reaction. They just…happened. Maybe that comes from Emily being a professor and providing mostly facts. But “X stabbed a sword into their chest,” and then you just keep moving forward? Give me more. And I wish there’d been more with the stepmother, though maybe I say that because I don’t remember her role(s) in the last book(s) all that clearly. Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales was enjoyable. I loved seeing Emily blossom into herself and her identity. But I wanted more. I hoped for more.

Reading all three Emily Wilde books in the span of two months has given me a slight book hangover and faerie fatigue. While it was probably my least favorite of the trilogy to date, it is nevertheless still a strong entry in the series.

The EMILY WILDE series is comforting in its consistency. Emily remains consistently meticulous about her research; despite the new challenges thrown her way of being a faerie monarch, her scholarly sensibilities always come first, to everyone’s advantage. It is, perhaps, Wendell who changes the most over the three books, as he becomes the unique monarch he could be thanks to his distinctive personality and his interactions/understanding of mortals.

This consistency sometimes has its drawbacks. In each of the books (and COMPENDIUM is no different), the main conflict comes from an external villain that, while potentially affecting our beloved characters and the setting physically, doesn’t really seem to have any psychological or emotional effect on them. And the fact that Emily and Wendell are largely unruffled and unchanged by their experiences with battling said bad things kind of sets me at an emotional distance away from the story, as well.

Finally: is it bad to say that my favorite parts of COMPENDIUM are when Book One characters and settings are involved? New characters don’t seem to be as fleshed out and lovable as the characters in and around Ljosland. I also thought it was a bit funny that my favorite bits of COMPENDIUM all took place in the human world, rather than in Faerie. I wish that Faerie had been more thoroughly explained and infused with the kind of magnetism that would keep me enthralled.

Overall, COMPENDIUM is a solid entry into Emily and Wendell’s story, and keeps the door open for further adventures should they happen. I did personally wish for some more growth and development across the trilogy, but as this is a cozy fantasy I understand it’s not a requirement.

The final journey in the trilogy featuring a professor of faeries and her former academic rival turned fiancee, a prince getting ready to take his fae throne. Emily Wilde and Wendell Brambleby have finally found the door to Wendell's kingdom. With his stepmother's curse to break and the fae kingdom dying from it... the only solution to the curse is Wendell's death but Emily will do anything to stop it and save him. As Emily adjust to the fae land and becoming the new Fae queen.... things only get more complicated as there are murder attempts on Wendell's life and its up to Emily to solve the puzzle of how to break the curse and save the man she's in love with. I loved how this entire series wrapped up. The romance and relationship between Emily and Wendell was a soft slow burn that felt adorable to watch. I love how sweet and caring they are to one another. Wendell and Emily just get each other. This series has been a wonderful cozy fantasy romance that has just felt so special to read. It's one I will absolutely be recommending to future readers! I can't wait to see where Heather Fawcett goes next with her books and what fantastic stories she comes up with. This series ends on a kind of open door ending and I hope that Heather comes back to this series one day because I could honestly read 10 more books of Wendell and Emily's cozy magical adventures.

Release Date: February 11, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

EMILY WILDE’S COMPENDIUM OF LOST TALES is such a fun, whimsical little series! Thank you for my early reading and listening copies, @orbitbooks_us & @prhaudio , it publishes February 11th!

I encourage you to start at the beginning of the Emily Wilde series, it is chock full of faeries, woodland creatures, magical realism and is just lovely!

In this the 3rd installment from the series, Emily is helping Wendell locate his banished stepmother before the power consumes him. She moves seamlessly between her world and the faeries’ worlds, researching and finding more and more about the lore of faeries, past stories, and how to sold Wendell’s problems.

The whole series has a “side of romance” and this one has even less of that, as Emily becomes stronger as a FMC and moves about without much help from Wendell.

Love it!