This book is truly the epitome of comfort fantasy, perhaps one of the superior genres particularly in the colder months.
Whilsy I have read another duology by this author, it is lovely to see her work grow and improve with time and craft, this is truly a standout gem of a story. I can see myself coming back to this as a comfort read, and am eagerly anticipating the next book, so much so that I am even considering buying the finished copy because I just need this story on my shelves to delve back into.
Its a relatively slow paced, character driven story, which although not for everyone, reminds me of being wrapped in a cozy blanket, I really took my time with this book, not because it was hard to get into but because I didn't want it to end.
The way this is formated as a field diary is a genius idea, and Emily's character is so well thought out, of course there would be scientists studying fae, why have I not come across this before? Its fantasy for the girls who grew up with fairy stories but now work in STEM and I live for it.
Highly highly recommend.

I absolutely loved this book! It definitely deserves all the hype I’ve been seeing.
The cover is beautiful and draws you in too.
This is such a nice and cozy fantasy book with some romance too.
The world building is fantastic and I absolutely loved all the different types of fae / creatures and their descriptions.
The authors writing style has such a nice flow to it and so easy to follow along. I’ll definitely be looking at other books from this author.

I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.

"One doesn't need magic if one knows enough stories".

I simply adored Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett - it is delightful, atmospheric and utterly charming.

Emily is a strong, independent and yet socially awkward scholar who is putting the finishing touches to her groundbreaking encyclopaedia of faeries. She journeys to the snowy Northern island of Ljosland in order to research the local faeries for her final entry and the book is written as if it is Emily's field journal, complete with stories and amazing footnotes which works really well. Despite being an expert in her field, her rather abrupt nature does not endear her to the locals which proves to be a stumbling block to her research as well as her well being.

Enter the enigmatic and charming Wendell Bambleby, her colleague, sort of academic rival and her only real friend, who arrives in Hrafnsvik to help. He charms the locals, drives Emily crazy and the two of them find themselves embroiled in several adventures involving the elusive Hidden Ones, who are dangerous, self-absorbed faeries, always with their own agendas.

Both are very endearing characters with a great dynamic - their banter is witty, humorous and endlessly entertaining. Emily repeatedly uses her amazing knowledge of folklore to cleverly think her way out of several complex situations and it was lovely to see her gradually warm to the villagers and indeed want to help them, as well as to finally solve the mystery of Bambleby himself.

This book was thoroughly enchanting, enjoyable throughout and beautifully written. The characters were delightful and the setting full of winter beauty and dark, dangerous magic. I highly recommend this book - particularly to fans of Margaret Rogerson or Naomi Novik's Uprooted and Spinning Silver.

I had been wanting to read this book since it first came out, so I jumped at the chance to read an arc of the newly released paperback in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown. I am greatly looking forward to the sequel.

I absolutely adored this book and cannot wait for the next book to come out.

It’s a cosy fantasy with a romantic subplot that is just perfect for this time of year. The writing is beautiful and I get fully immersed in the world.

The perfect book to escape into while curled up with a blanket and hot drink. Highly recommend!

This book is the epitome of cute and cozy.

I loved the little pieces of academic rivals between Emily and Wendell and i fell in love with all the creatures that are showed in this book. Emily and Wendell are just perfectly developed and I loved their relationship!

I can't say this enough, but Heather Fawcett's writing style is one of my favorites, she is able to depict different worlds and create just the perfect atmospheres.

Can't wait for the sequel!

This book was everything I wanted and needed to soothe my disordered and stressed out soul, whilst simultaneously giving me the smallest and coziest of thrills and scares. Add in a bonus romantic subplot that you have to pretty much squint to see and I was entirely entranced by this tale of a Cambridge scholar hunting faeries on a remote Arctic island.
I can see how some people would struggle with the format - the ostensibly (but not really) academic journal of a faerie-researcher, committed to the scientific study of the mysterious and misunderstood fae and the rigorous field investigations required of such a career. I found that the way the author had unfolded so much of the story in the gaps between the factual journal record quite charming, and I loved filling in those holes in the narrative with my own imaginings.
The setting of a fictional Iceland on the verge of winter was enough to make me shiver, and encounters with faeries nice and nasty the same. The cruelty and capriciousness of the Folk were closer to real-world cautionary tales than you are wont to find in fiction these days.
And can we discuss Bambleby? I could wax lyrical for a long time about that man. Infuriating, beautiful, frustratingly capable in a crisis and ready to tear a hole in the world to rescue someone he loves... SIGH.
Waiting with baited breath for the next in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautiful magical fairytale of a book. I adored this!

4.5 stars
It is a book that has surprised me for the better.
It doesn't have as cozy elements as I expected, but the story is very interesting, mixed with folkloric stories from different parts of Europe, a very funny love story and a wonderful dog.
I don't know why, but the vast majority of the book gave me Narnia vibes, especially the part where Edmun meets the witch, even though they are two completely different stories.
I would recommend it to people who like adventurous naturalist stories, strong and intelligent if slightly disastrous female protagonists, funny and cheerful male characters and fairy tales.

This was such an incredible joy to read! I've heard nothing but praise for Fawcett's fae fantasy, and all of that praise is warranted.
"Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries" tells the story of the titular Emily, a professor specialized in researching the many kinds of faeries around the world. Her most recent research takes her to a remote island, and the book lets us accompany her through its epistolary writing style. It's, basically, Emily's research notes, her notebook full of things that have nothing to do with her research as well. Like her personal relationship with her colleague and kind-of-rival who she suspects of being fae to boot.
It's a very cozy story full of scholarly intrigue about fairies and quirky loveable characters, and Emily herself is just a joy. Not as a person per se - let's just say she's not the best with people. But as a character she's just great, complex, deeply flawed but also very strong in her own right. And her budding romance with said colleague-rival-maybefae Wendell, who is the chaotic sunshine labrador to her orderly grumpy cat, is just the subtle kind of swoonworthy I enjoy.
Not everything in here is perfect, but it's at all times perfectly enjoyable. Just don't expect a firework of action. This is more of a slice of life, slow-paced little scholarly adventure, but I love those so I love this.

4,5 stars, easily and gladly rounding up to 5 because reading this made me feel just so happy and comfortable.

Step into a magical world with "Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries" by Heather Fawcett. This enchanting tale weaves together fantasy, mystery, history, and romance in a way that's truly one-of-a-kind. If you're looking for a cozy, otherworldly adventure, look no further.

Emily Wilde, our introverted scholar, embarks on a journey to write the ultimate encyclopaedia on faerie folk. Her only missing pieces are the elusive creatures from the remote Scandinavian land of Ljosland. With her faithful companion dog, Shadow, by her side, Emily faces the challenge of her life. The only catch? She's not great at talking to people or making friends, and the locals aren't exactly forthcoming.

Enter Wendell Bambleby, a charismatic fellow scholar who joins Emily on her quest. Together, they stumble into all sorts of trouble, uncover shocking secrets, confront ancient trees, and form lasting bonds. But what truly shines is the way their relationship unfolds - it's beautifully portrayed.

What sets this book apart is Fawcett's exquisite writing. Her vivid descriptions transport you into a world of ancient faeries, from the tiny and friendly to the downright menacing. The inclusion of fairy tales within the narrative adds an extra layer of depth. And the epistolary format, chronicling Emily and Wendell's adventures, keeps the story engaging and full of whimsy.

In short, "Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries" is a spellbinding tale that warms the heart. If you're in the mood for a charming and beautifully detailed read, look no further. Highly recommended!

Hrafnsvik, Ljosland, 20th October 1909, Professor Emily Wilde aged 30 has just arrived. Emily is here to research the final piece and chapters for her book.
Emily has spent nine years researching, taking notes, observing and perfecting her book draft.
Wendell Bambleby who she shares an office with decides to join her, to conduct some of his own studies on the same subject.

The book introduces various characters throughout. Some nice, some not so. There is a dark side of some of the characters and faeries, and what they do.
Emily is a loner, socially awkward, I wondered at times where this was leading, whether there is more to Emily than we have been told? But this is the first book of the series I believe, so maybe it’ll come out in a further book.
A different book genre for myself, but it kept my interest.
I would give this book a 3.5 star rating.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own.

I desperately wanted to fall in love with this book (as much as I did with the cover) but unfortunately neither the characters nor the plot properly engaged me for long. Regardless, I appreciated the whimsically imagined world the author created.

Emily wasn’t particularly charismatic but I did like her passion and determination. She definitely erred on the side of curmudgeonly but she did show some kindness when trying to help the villagers – she wasn’t entirely motivated by the chance to further her research. Wendell on the other hand, while not as moral as Emily, was much more fun to read about on the page. He was entitled and pompous, yet the village, along with myself, couldn’t help but be slightly charmed by him. He brought a much welcome energy to the story. Wendell was definitely the sunshine to Emily’s grumpy.

Even though stuff technically happened, none of it felt high-stakes, nor that interesting or exciting. There was potential for intrigue but Emily herself drained all the possibility of surprise from this particular reveal. While, I liked the fact that Emily went on mini missions to help the village, the narrative would often take tangents. This would slow the pace down and therefore, again, lessen my interest.

Hints of a potential romance between Emily and Wendell were peppered in throughout the first two thirds of the novel. I was fully expecting their relationship to take a slowburn trajectory, but unfortunately I felt robbed of a satisfying romance.

OVERALL: While set in a whimsical world and including some memorable characters, the plot wasn’t as compelling as I hoped it would be and I wasn’t truly invested in the characters’ journey.

I had heard so many good things about Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett that I was really excited to get my hands on a copy to review.
The book is written almost like a series of entries in a journal or diary , and follow Emily on her quest to learn more about the rarest of the Faeries, the Hidden Ones, as she works on what she hopes will be the seminal piece of literature in the field, dreaming as she does of a career in academia. She is a genius scholar and meticulous researcher but her people skills leave a lot to be desired and shortly after arriving in the remote village of Hrafnsvik she has managed to alienate most of the locals. To make matters even worse, her former mentor turned academic rival Wendell Brambelby has followed her, ostensibly in order to help with her research, but she suspects that the truth is he intends to take credit for her work and try to publish it under his own name instead. Forced together, Emily begins to suspect that there is something a little off about Wendell , it seems that he is hiding a secret or two of his own.
The academic rivalry between Emily and Wendell was a lot of fun, I really enjoyed their often barbed exchanges, before Wendell arrived I was finding the book something of a struggle, I just was not motivated to pick it up. I normally enjoy books with a diary or epistolary format, but this one just was not doing it for me. I know some people hate footnotes ,especially in fictional reads, but done well they can add a lot to the story, for example Terry Pratchett and Jay Kristoff spring to mind as authors who use footnotes to their advantage. Here they seemed to be used simply to increase the resemblance of the book to an academic publication, a stylistic choice that added nothing to the substance of the book.
The characters were what kept me reading this book, and if you enjoy character driven stories you may want to check this one out.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries is a whimsical tale about a scholars exploits into cataloguing a large range of Faeries. It is written as if you are reading her day-to-day journal and you follow her through to a small village in Arctic Norway. The story is heartwarming as you see her study the Folk (both human and faerie) and grow as a person and a scholar.

I found it a little difficult to get into the story at the beginning of the book, however, as it progressed I became much more engaged. If you are looking for a cozy fantasy to read with a nice cup of tea, then this is the book for you. I read it as a pallette cleanser in between some more serious books and it was perfect for this. I look forward to reading the second installmant in the future.

Thank you to the publisher for the e-ARC of this book.

This one fell very flat for me. For such a good looking cover, I was hoping for a story to match but alas I was quite bored. I don’t know if the fact it was in journal form played a part, but it felt like a story of no action or excitement. The romance was flat too. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

If you are looking for a cosy read while hiding from this stormy weather we’re having, why not join Emily Wilde and her discoveries. Much like Emily with the local townsfolk, the characters grew on me, and I wished to know more about the land and the history of the Fae. I would much rather be sitting in the cosy cottages or tavern of Ljosland right now. The academic notes were an interesting touch, though I don’t believe always needed. Although they do provide an interesting background to a whole world which I am sure will be expanded on. Like a lot of journals this is a slow burn story which builds up to not a conclusion but some chaos.
Not a usual read for me but it is nice to have something light and fun to read for a change and it has certainly set the stage for the next instalment, which I will look out for.

“It sounds odd to admit that I find the company of such a boisterous person restful, but perhaps it is always restful to be around someone who does not expect anything from you beyond what is in your nature.”

After a pretty slow start, I ended up devouring the last 1/3 and enjoyed every second of it.
I loved all of the characters, but Emily and Wendell especially. This book was witty and full of little shocks I didn’t see coming. The pace of the book was slow and relaxed, the very definition of a cosy fantasy read. A true delight! I can’t wait for the next in the series.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

This is a book that I have been wanting to read for ages and it did not disappoint. The story follows that of Emily Wilde who is a cambridge professor and an expert on the study of faeries, who endures on a journey with her academic rival Wendell Bambleby who turns out to be a mystery himself.

Beautifully written and I enjoyed it from start to finish. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries was Fairyloot’s Adult book pick for December 2022 and having the opportunity to review it was exciting!
Emily Wilde is a highly successful scholar determined to be recognised on her own merit and decides to travel to rural village Hrafnsvik, a place known for the Little Folk but also the Hidden One’s, a mystery to most but a challenge to Emily.
Although she’s very intelligent and good at her job, she is not the most socially intelligent woman and doesn’t connect very well with the locals, something important in providing information and leads as to where to find the faeries.
Emily informs the reader of an infuriating academic rival of hers: Wendell Bambleby who is not supposed to be near Hrafnsvik, turns up, unwittingly threatening Emily’s progress with not just the locals but also the faeries.
I think whimsical is a suited adjective for this book. I know it was probably intended but physically reading the book made it feel like you were actually reading the work of a successful scholar and you were going along on the journey Emily and Wendell were facing.
I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I felt in parts of the book nothing much was happening but still felt obligated to finish the book.
I look forward to seeing what happens in the second book. Thank you for the eARC!

I was given an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have heard lots of people praising this book before I read it but was still unsure of that to expect. I was surprised with the genre of this book but also how quickly it roped me in.

I loved the writing style of this book and found it so easy to read, with the academic style of the book I was worried it would feel like work reading it but I felt the opposite. The main character Emily (as you can guess from the title) is a young professor on a research journey to documents all the types of fae into one encyclopaedia as it has never been done before.

I enjoyed learning about the different types of fae and how to interact with them without causing offence and how cruel some of them can be.

(Side note I'd love to own Shadow)

The main character of this book is coded as autistic she is pragmatic and singularly focused and doesn't always understand where she has gone wrong with conversations with humans. Her academic sort of rival Brambley however has no problem charming people and seeming to always come off better from conversations.

I won't spoil it anymore than that but I loved it and was the perfect autumn/winter read and cannot wait for the next book!!

Ket features: Fae, Academic setting, kind of grump/sunshine, animal companion, Fantasy