Heather Fawcett has a refreshing way with words I had a great time reading this book and look forward to the next adventure with Emily and Wendell.
Highly entertaining, wonderful characters, enchanting magic and beautiful setting - only world I can think of to describe this is delightful.
Recommend to all readers.

When I was reading another Fae book a friend of mine was reading this book and we were both gushing over how nice it was that for once the Fae weren't romantic and kind creatures, but actually the dangerous Faeries folklore and legends teach us about. So, of course I got a little curious about the book and when I saw on Netgalley that the book was available to request because of the paperback release I didn't know how fast to request a copy. I'm really glad Orbit granted me one.

As a non native English speaker this book was a challenge at times. It's both the strength of the book and its weakness. Since Emily is quite clearly a scholar working on an Encyclopaedia on faeries, and we're reading her working on her first draft, the language is quite scientific and the vocabulary is clearly that of a highly educated lady. It's been a while since I've encountered this many words I hadn't read before.

And yet, yet I really enjoyed reading this book. The diary style of the book, although the entries are quite long and detailed and one can wonder if the heroine even had the time to really write those, works amazingly well and I loved how quite soon the plot evolved from only observing Faeries and interviewing them into getting heavily involved with the Faerie world and putting all the gathered knowledge to good use.

I also think it's almost impossible not to start liking the main characters of the story. Since it's Emily's diary the book is quite biased and yet I really understood why Emily messed up sometimes in social situations. Luckily she has Bambleby. Who is both the most annoying and the most charming and galant man I've ever met in fiction. While reading this story I've grown quite attached to them and I can't wait to read the next installment starring them!

This book is definitely for lovers of cosy fantasy with a hint of romance, which is perfect for the cooler weather of autumn and winter and best accompanied with a hot drink and a warm fireplace. Set in Norway, the novel follows Emily Wilde as she compiles research for her academic project, which, as the title suggests, is an encyclopaedia of Faeries. Emily's academic rival, Wendell, also shows up to help with the project, from which ensues a hint of romantic tension between the two. The book is fairly low stakes with some elements of found family, as the inhabitants of Ljosland become fairly close with Emily.
Whilst the academic focus and footnotes may appeal to many people as a good characteristic of well researched worldbuilding, I found myself quite confused and bogged down with the amount of information I was receiving. I also felt that the romance was not developed enough, felt out of place at times, and I personally did not feel particularly interested in whether the couple ended up together or not.

This was a deep dive into an exploration for Faeries. Instantly we landed in Hrafnsvik, a wintery place in the middle of nowhere. It was fascinating to learn the world provided within the pages, with its rich culture of all different types of Faerie species. I usually don't like footnotes in books as it pulls me out of the story, but in this book the footnotes were placed in appropriate ways so that didn't happen which I very much appreciated. Learning a new culture is always something I adore in a book and this had exactly this. There was some good shocks and heartfelt moments that made it an enjoyable read.

Emily was so intelligent. I loved her little random tangents about different species of Faerie, and what she knows of Faerie lore. Even when she was confused, she always seemed to use what she knows from her days as a scholar to pull through. She was funny, sometimes unpredictable and wreckless, but it was all the charm. I loved Emily's determined nature that meant she didn't care if she was in the face of danger, she'd do what she wants. Then Bambley, I loved Bambley even more than Emily, at first he seemed snobby and I hated him but once I sank into his character he became an extremely well liked part of the book. Bambley was just as unpredictable as Emily, his whitty comments were hilarious, I loved his POV's and he's just a great guy.

However, I found this did read like a textbook at times (kind of obvious given the title). And it was very slow in parts for my personal liking, it just dragged the story on and I sometimes lost interest. It was mostly Bambley's charms that kept me going back for more.

I recommend this book if you love Faerie stories. I would have preferred if there was a pronunciation guide because some parts were extremely difficult to figure out how to pronounce, I still don't know if I'm pronouncing them correctly. But overall, this was a great read.

Re-read. Thanks again for the eARC, NetGalley (although I already own this gorgeous book, but not in electronic format). Please please please can I get the 2nd book? 🥹

Loved it just as much as the first time I read it. Atmospheric, endearing characters, captivating folklore, and quite a few adventures!

Actually, I think I liked it even more this time around, definitely a 5 star read for me.

Audiobook is great, too. I would definitely recommend it!

Original review:
Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown Book for the eARC!

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries is the titular Emily Wilde's journal from her research expedition to the cold north, where she's hoping to uncover enough about the local faeries to distinguish herself back in Cambridge.

I absolutely loved the wintery atmosphere, the whimsical world and gorgeous writing. It made me think of a cosier Bear and the Nightingale or Spinning Silver, with a hint of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell.

Emily was a wonderfully rounded character. A bit socially awkward, very focused on her research, quite stubborn, but extremely clever. I loved her interactions with her rival and reluctant (on her side) friend, Wendell. They were so entertaining and endearing.

It starts off slow, with Emily settling in and getting acquainted with the locals (human and faery alike), which I really enjoyed, it was so cosy! But it builds up to bigger and bigger adventures in the second half, so it's quite gripping.

I just wasn't sold on the ending. It felt a bit rushed and too summarised, just a little bit off compared to the rest of the book. Or maybe it was just because I had to take a break from reading for a few days (go away, real life! :P), so I didn't get back into it?

So 4.5 stars, but rounding it up because I really loved most of it and can't wait for the sequel!

This was really good and so different from everything that's out there!

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries focuses on a Cambridge professor, an anthropologist really, who studies faeries, but the faeries in this book are completely different from everything I've read so far. Emily, our protagonist, is writing an encyclopaedia on them and is on a field trip to a remote village and, of course, her (perhaps not human) coworker, Bambleby is about to invite himself on this trip. Emily is very good with faeries and with her books and notes, but not so good with people, so will also be a journey of self-discovery for her.

I really liked this book! It kept me gripped and I couldn't stop reading it. I loved that the writing style really reflected Emily and her journey. We are essentially reading her journal and, while it starts completely academic (footnotes and all), it turns into something else as she gets involved with these people's lives. I did think that the second half felt a bit rushed, but overall it was amazingly written and I can't wait for the second book.

Thank you very much to Orbit/Little, Brown Book Group UK for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a lovely read- a bit darker than I
had anticipated but gripping and easy yo read. Emily is a scholar, and mortal, on a journey to complete her encyclopedia of the faerie world. She doesn't do well with other mortals and she is fiercely independent. Her journey takes some interesting turns and sees her make friends in unlikely places.

[ARC provided by NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK, Orbit. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries.]

Rating: 5/5

There’s a good chance that if a book has ‘faeries’ in the title, I’m probably going to love it. I was also fairly confident that I’d enjoy this because I’ve loved other books from this author such as ‘Even the Darkest Stars’, and although it’s been years since I’ve read anything by Heather Fawcett, I remember how beautifully atmospheric and magical her stories can be. Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries is no different, and it didn’t take me long to fall in love with this whimsical tale of faeries set in beautiful Hrafnsvik.

This book follows Emily Wilde, a genius scholar and meticulous researcher who is an expert on faerie lore. It’s her goal to create the first encyclopaedia on the world of faeries and as she nears the end of this project, her research takes her to the village Hrafnsvik where she hopes to find out more about the incredibly elusive ‘Hidden Ones’. Although she has no intention of befriending the townsfolk thanks to her aversion of working with people in general, it quickly becomes clear that she may need their help in finding out more about the faeries in this region. But when her insufferably handsome academic rival, Wendell Bambleby, arrives, she is reminded of another mystery that has lurked in her mind for a while and Emily finds herself trying to unravel the greatest mystery of all – her own heart.

I absolutely loved this book and it’s reminded me that academia doesn’t have to be dark for me to have a good time. Heather Fawcett has crafted an incredibly enchanting tale and I loved the wintery backdrop that I’ve come to associate with her books. I also loved the characters in this book, the townsfolk had their own quirks and the various faeries (Poe is my absolute favourite) followed a more traditional interpretation of faerie lore. Most of all, I loved Emily and Wendell and the rivalry between them. Emily is a strong and fierce woman who would rather dedicate her life to books and learning and Wendell is much more animated and roughish in his approach to life. They make a hilarious pair and although everyone else is weak to Wendell’s charms, Emily has no interest in being distracted.

The format of this story is like an academic diary and I liked the footnotes that told us more about the faerie world. I also loved how the romance fit into this style because although Emily is trying her best to remain professional throughout the book, she’s also growing closer to the very charming Wendell. This makes their relationship even sweeter and it made me love Wendell even more.

This book had everything I could possibly want from a faerie story and I couldn’t be more excited for the next book in the series. I can’t wait to see more of the faerie world and also can’t wait to see how the relationship between Emily and Wendell will develop. If you love magical books with a cosy feel, this is the one for you.

I read this expecting a cute and cozy read, but i have to say i am unsure why it gets this description! Its more of an adventure than i expected. The fae in this book are not of the popular ACOTAR style court, rather the old school fairy tales the brothers Grimm wrote and it was refreshing to see this.

This book follows Emily, our intrepid professor who is making a trip to a cold frozen country to learn more about their unknown fae. Followed by her friend/rival Wendell Bambleby (fantastic name!) Who drives her absolutely mad with his arrogance and laziness, the plot follows them uncovering several different secrets surrounding the fae and how they help to solve them.

Emily - she is some ways unlikeable but what i loved is she knows this. She is a scholar through and through, and is honest that alot of her decisions are made around scientific discovery rather than helping others. She is a strong, fierce character who embraces her social awkwardness and flaws whole heartedly, being unapologetic the entire time. I loved this about her, many lead characters get too hung up on other people's opinions but she just doesnt care!

Wendell is an interesting and mostly irritating man, but there is a roguish charm there that works well with Emily's fierceness. The romance is slow and even towards the end its only really hinted at rather than full blown explored which i really loved.

The actual plot ia written like a diary, and most chapters are almost like short stories of things that have occurred during their expedition. Don't let this fool you though as all these small stories lead into the main plot and by the end you will be amazed how it comes together.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and cannot wait for the next installment!

A charming but definitely not ordinary book. Such a novel way to write, detailing discoveries about the fae alongside discoveries about herself and her companion, the book tells Ems story. It was very slow to start but build as it went on.

This was such a fun read! The writing style is EXACTLY the kind of old english cozy fantasy kind of writing that get my little adhd rat brain tingling, and the story was well thought out, even though *slightly* predicting. I really enjoyed the eesearch part of it, the fact that the FMC was such a smart badass, the absolutely smitten fairy, and of course all the horrible Folk stories. Finally a story where fairies are evil, Im tired of ACOTAR-esque remakes.
I cannot wait to read the sequel tbh.

3.5 stars.

i loved this! a perfect fall read <3

the writing gave a very academic sense to the story, and honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed that. i had never read a book in the form of a journal, and this was an extremely fun one to pick up. i adored the characters, the dialogue was witty and funny, and the whole atmosphere of the book was beautiful.

overall, it was a beautifully written, wholesome story that took me (for some read) far too long to read 🫶

Emily Wilde is the foremost expert on the study of faeries, she is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world’s first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. Emily Wilde is not good at people. When she arrives at the hardscrabble village, she has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferable handsome academic rival.

As she gets closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones, the most elusive of all faeries, she finds herself on the trail of another mystery. Who is Wendell Bambleby? And what does he want from her? She has to use all of her wit and academic merit to find the answer and unlock the greatest secret of all, her very own heart. A beautiful novel that is as whimsical and charming as it is dark and mysterious. A novel written in an epistolary fashion, that refers to a literary work that is written in the style of letters an journal entries. A very clever style of writing that keeps the reader engaged and in the dark until the right moment.

This novel is filled with witty prose and stories of ancient magic and dark fantasy beings. We all know deep down that not all the faerie are as innocent as the stories we were told at a young age. Some of these beings are malevolent and vicious which created quite a situation for our dear protagonist. Emily Wilde may be a genius scholar and meticulous researcher who understands the intricacies of the faerie realms but she is not good at people. Who else can relate about not being good with people?

What is a curmudgeonly professor meant to do when she travels to a small town so far in the north to study folklore and discovers the trails of another mystery. She investigates of course. These leads to a heartwarming and enchanting love story, with tales of friendship all in a beautifully written way that is both cosy and mysterious. I guess this was my first foray into light academia and I think I might have to explore the genre a little more.

Thank you to Little Brown Book Group for a reader copy of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett on NetGalley

ARC review; I got this through NetGalley and I'm very grateful.

Adorable! Though the writing is not the kind of style I usually enjoy (very academic and kind of formal), the characters, the setting, and the faeries were so interesting that I couldn't put this down and I connected with it. Very atmospheric and lovely. I wish the plot was a bit better executed, but I was still into it.

Overall, I enjoyed this a lot and I loved stepping into this world. I recommend it to anyone who likes faeries, introverted yet brave and capable FMCs with a warm heart underneath, found family, and adventures.

As a not native English speaker I had trouble with some words, I needed to look them up while I was reading. This got me out of the story quite some times. The book starts out really slow, that did not help with that either.

Nonetheless, I did enjoy the premise of the story. I loved the tention between Emily and Bambelby, their little "enemies"/colleague to lovers trope is what kept me reading.

The folklore throughout the book and the townsflok were well written.

I'm excited for book 2!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for this honest review.

Honestly one of the best takes on the fae I’ve read in a while. I loved how mischievous they were, and powerful too, and the almost academic take on them and the folklore that surrounds them. I really enjoyed the characters too, but I would have liked just a tad more buildup for the romance. But it was cute, so I’ll let that slide. Overall I really enjoyed it, especially towards the end.

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries is the perfect cozy book to read on a cold rainy day while your snuggled up with a warm blanket and your favourite hot beverage.

I loved the inclusion of the different formats of writing and the different stories tied in together.

I felt connected in a way to the main character and how she struggles socially and watching her grow as a person really resonated with me.

The footnotes however, did slow down the pacing of the story and it felt like reading this was going to take a very long time to get through the story.

It’s a low stakes adventure with a cozy atmosphere that makes you want to stay in that world forever.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a e-copy of this book for an honest review

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries had been on my TBR for a while so thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

Emily Wilde screams coziness. The story, the atmosphere, the characters, ... it's all perfect for a fall or winter read, really. I really enjoyed getting to know the different characters and going on their journeys. I also quite enjoyed the diary style in which the book is written, even though it did not always make sense (some things Emily wouldn't have written down or wouldn't have known).

The book also read very fluently and the world-building was done really well. However, I felt like the plot wasn't really that interesting and the pace of the book was sometimes too slow. For a book that's only 300ish pages long, I would've hoped for more tempo. I'm usually a fan of slow-burn romances but this was not it for me ( even though, like I mentioned, I did like the characters themselves).

Overall, this book was a good, but not great, time and I am curious to see what the sequel will bring!

This was such a great cosy read, felt like being wrapped up in a big hug. Humour, adventure, slither of romance and a found family, whats not to love?

The plot was something Ive never read before in a book. Emily is off to a snowy rural village to investigate Faeries for the encyclopeadia she's due to publish. Theres a lot of imagination in this book and its refreshing to see a different outlook on what Faeries are, how they appear, what their world is like.

Emily is also incrediably relatable. She's driven by her research and studies that she's unaware how to actually speak to people. Family, friendships, being kind just to be kind, its all new to her and the village really help bring her out of her shell. It was lovely to see her crack and open up to some new feelings without changing her personality completely.

As for Wendell.. i think we all need a Wendell in our lives.

Very very excited to read book 2! This is up there on my 'go to cosy reads'!

Thank you Netgalley for gifting me a copy of this book.

This book tells the story of a scholar who studies the Folk and wishes to create something that has never done before: an encyclopaedia about the faeries.

It was very entertaining and lovely to read. The book is not too long for a fantasy book and whilst some of the names would be hard to pronounce or unusual, it felt nice to read something unique.

I loved how dedicated Emily was in her desire to create this encyclopaedia, and the little stories that were in the book.

The only part I thought was a little weird and very unexpected was with Wendell. I won’t say more to not spoil anyone but you probably know which moment I am referring to.

I would recommend it!