This book was just delightful! I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this whimsical little story, the banter between Emily and Wendell left my cheeks sore from smiling so much.
I also really love the use of folklore throughout the story and the depictions of these creatures that we don't often see in modern fantasy any more!

I truly thought I would adore this book but I just didn’t. I am definitely in the minority though and think many people will love it. The first half was so slow but it did pick up somewhat in the second half. I enjoyed the bickering and banter between Emily and Wendell but felt their romance went from 0 to 100 so quick and would have loved to read more build up so I could really believe it, especially Emily’s feelings. I am interested in Wendell’s backstory though so I may pick up the sequel at some point.

Oh my god, why on earth did I take so long to read this book?
A perfectly fun, easy to read, cosy fantasy with loveable but flawed characters, a fantastically atmospheric winter setting and all the faeries and folk… I absolutely loved and devoured every single page of this book and I can’t wait to read the next one and see more of Emily and Wendell!

My first attempt with this book ended up in a did-not-finish situation.

However, I recently re-read the book and really loved it! Maybe I wasn't in the right mood when I first tried it but I'm now obsessed with it. The characters are incredible and top-notch: Emily Wilde is relatable with her preference for books, a cozy place and being an introvert. I loved that Wendell is the diva. It's rare to see in a novel a man who loves clothes, cleaning a house or sleeping late. Emily is the serious, grumpy one and I really liked that!

Can't wait for book 2!

Such a lovely book, I have gifted it to friends a few times since reading this ARC to my Faery Loving friends. That's how much I enjoyed it and I therefore definitely recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange of an honest review.

I'll start of by saying that I am a sucker for cosy fantasy books. This book hits the spot, with it's academia elements, vibrant characters and beautiful writing that transports your way right into the story. As an introvert myself, I thought that Emily was perfectly captured. From being uncomfortable in crowds and taverns to preferring to connect with the villagers over specific topic areas and deep conversations, it made it very relatable. I also absolutely loved Bambleby. It took a while, but he stole my heart.

The author creates a world that includes the wicked nature of faeries, the difference between the common folk and the courtly fae, and the peculiar characteristics of each. I absolutely loved how Emily used her wit instead of charisma or strength to get herself out of most situations.

5/5 stars

Super cosy, low stakes fantasy romance. A really wholesome read with fairytale themes.

I enjoyed this book! Just would have preferred the pacing to feel a little less rushed towards the end.

I was excited to read this book and really wanted to love it. In the end I found it ok, but a little slow.

What a cosy fantasy this is. I loved the wonderful setting of North Scandinavia. The villagers were deliciously mysterious. Just perfection.

This is for sure my new favourite cosy comfort read!

Firstly, what a beautifully written book. I loved the snippets of stories and journal entries spread throughout the book. It made me feel like I was right there with Emily.

The characters in this book stole my heart. There’s found family in this story and Heather Fawcett takes such a gentle and patient response to it, the way Emily gradually grew to love the town in the same way they gradually grew to love her made it all the more beautiful.

Let’s talk about Wendell Bambleby though… I LOVED him. From the moment he stepped on page his charisma and his gall to was exorbitant and I found him endlessly entertaining and charming.

Adored this book with every fibre of my being.

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries was such a stunningly beautiful book, both in terms of imagery and story. Fawcett painted such stunning visuals of ice-laden lands, cozy cottages, and boisterous village taverns, it was as if I was Emily living through all the adventures she experienced.

I will not bore you with the blurb once again but oh, I loved the way Wendell warmed his way into Emily’s heart. Both are multi-layered people. While Emily is a meticulous scholar devoted to her study of the Folk and bad at interactions with people, Wendell is a devastatingly handsome man who can charm the socks off any person, be it a woman or a man. He acts like an irresponsible, lazy man but as the story progresses, layer upon layer of his personality is revealed and I couldn’t help but fall in love with him (along with Emily, but she wouldn’t admit it, stubborn woman).

Though she arrives at the village of Hrafnsvik for a scholarly work, the village people and Wendell steadily transform her from a stand-offish person to a person who would risk her life to save them at all costs.

Keep in mind, the romance, the adventure, the village of Hrafnsvik, and the Fae stories are woven with equal love and measure into this wonderful book. Heather Fawcett has delivered a classic with this book. It will be devoured by generations of true fantasy fiction lovers.

This is a little slow-paced but be patient and you’ll be rewarded with a richly woven story of faerie folklore, friendship, and true love. This was a highly original story, and I recommend it wholeheartedly to any fantasy fiction lover.

Many thanks to the publisher for a complimentary digital copy of the book. This doesn't affect my opinion on the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for providing me with a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, and I thought the academic approach of exploring the world of faeries was interesting to read. My favourite aspect of the story was definitely Emily and Wendell's relationship - their 'grumpy x sunshine' dynamic and how they play off of one another was very fun. I would've liked even more, but I'm hoping to see the romance and the faerie world explored further in the second book.

This book was so cute and like a breath of fresh air. It also somehow gave me throwbacks to my favourite childhood series, a dark fantasy called The Wardstone Chronicles. Emily's character was amazing to read from, her relationship with Wendell was so matter-of-fact, and they were both so true to themselves. I didn't get a lot of development with Emily but I really understood her

I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this book having heard mixed opinions lately. However, I DID enjoy it but it was not what I was expecting. I was expecting cosy fantasy and while some parts of this amazing fairy fantasy was completely cosy there were also some darker and more sinister moments such as the changeling kept in the attic and the way which Emily "shook off" the king fairy charm on her. I did enjoy being surprised by these parts!
So, Emily Wilde has spent her whole life to the world of faeries, and now spends her adult life as an academic in the field. Her passion is cataloguing all the different types of "folk" as a side project as well as the university projects she has to produce. Annoyingly, Mr Bambury is another lecturer at the university and he decides to tag along on her latest thesis of the discovery of the northern Fae. When she gets there she immediately upsets the locals and their old ways but luckily Bambury smoothes things over and before long they are the heroes in town when they bring peace to one family who have a terrible secret that might be the reason so many children have been stolen recently.
If the cosiness is putting you off this book then I suggest giving it a go!

I really loved this, and I’m glad to see it’s going to have a sequel! There were several points in the story where I said to myself “this would make a good sequel/spin off”, and, especially at the end, I was like “this needs a sequel”. So thank you Fawcett for delivering!

I’ve got to be honest with you, I had to double check the authors name as for a second I was absolutely stumped, so convinced was I that the author was Emily Wilde. This just goes to show how remarkable the writing is (or how dim I am).

I loved the narrative! I loved how the journal entries so seamlessly told the story, and I really enjoyed the footnotes. Although sometimes I’d go to the footnotes halfway through the sentence, and then have to reread the sentence again, and then reread the footnote again because my brain was having an absolute time trying to balance reading the two! You’d be surprised to know I’ve got two degrees that required reading a lot of footnotes.

I really loved how this book explored folklore and I enjoyed finding out more about all the different types of Faeries. Fawcett did a great job at describing them in vivid detail, building up the backstories, and constructing the world.

Perhaps my only issue with this is that I wish we got more of a building up of romance between Emily and Wendell. While it didn’t come out of nowhere, I wished we just had a bit more chemistry and development between them. Overall though, it wasn’t a big issue and I loved them both and their relationship.

All in all, really liked this and again: I’m excited for the sequel!

I've started to realise that Victorian Style novels - whether Gothic or Cottage core as is the case with this one - are just not for me. The prim and proper MC always falls a little flat for me, and I found it frustrating that the inner monologue of exploration and adventure was smothered by the need to find the right etiquette in the area she was studying. I didn't really believe the romance, the fairy prince just wasn't roguish enough for me, and I'd have preferred this as more of a stylised (women in STEM) type account than an overly narrative 1st person story. I'm glad this book found it's audience, it's just not me.

The perfect cosy fairy tale read with just the right amount of romance and academia. Emily Wilde is the perfect kind of heroine - prickly but also willing to have her mind changed. The adventure that she takes her readers on is nothing short of amazing and I cannot wait to see where she and Wendell go next!

i was so excited to read this and saw it getting hyped up everywhere, and then when I got it I was just... disappointed. I found it overwritten, and very slow paced. Maybe it just wasn't for me, or maybe I chose the wrong time to read it in amongst a lot of steamy romances. Disappointing first read through - but I'd say worth a revisit at some point for a second try.

I absolutely adored this book. I was nervous to go in to it because it's been really hyped up....but it's definitely worth the hype. Cannot wait for book 2! Would definitely recommend!

The most anticipated read, and it did not disappoint. The perfect amount of cosy vibes that I needed. This fantasy book well and truly captured my imagination. And you can never go wrong with a book that involves Faeries!