5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC to review. All thoughts are my own.

As an avid fan of Emily and Wendell in book one, I anticipated this read so much that I was over the moon to receive early access, and am pleased to state that Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands not only is worth the wait, but it became my favourite read of 2023 - pushing book 1 off the pedestal.

I loved the return to the journal entry style of this world. Emily, now back in her scholarly domain, is fulfilling her promise to Wendell to find the fae door to his court. This leads the pair - along with an opinionated senior professor and Emily's niece - to the Swiss Alps. If you enjoyed the dangerously whimsy atmosphere of book 1, then you'll find Fawcett has taken it further this time. Whilst darker in some aspects, I absolutely loved the adventure Emily embarks on, and just how far her character grows and shines. She will never lose her prickly behaviour, which I adored in the first book, but I appreciated getting to see other sides to her, through her strained relationship with her niece Ariadne, her combative reactions with Professor Rose, how she interacted with the fae and her companion Shadow, and her deepening affections for Wendell. Emily is a force to reckon with and I love how bold she became when the situation required it of her, or how whiny and annoyed she easily was provoked in becoming by all of her travelling companions.

I adored the enchanting world in book one, yet this time both spent in and out of Faerie showcased the skill Fawcett possesses with world-building. I was immersed immediately into the locations - both at the university and the mountainous township. I felt as if the world had come to life within my mind and I was travelling alongside Emily into the dangers she uncovered. I also loved the return of the old through some familiar faces, and how that compared with the differences of the fae we meet in this book. I was smitten with Snowbell a great deal - nothing like how much I was obsessed with Poe in the first read - and the continuation of learning about new fae and how that adds to the world was so exciting for me.

The romance subplot comes further to the forefront in this read, and I relished both the continuation of Emily and Wendell's banter and how it evolves into something more the longer you read Map of the Otherlands. I could read Emily and Wendell all the time and never bore of them, they truly have become my favourite fictional characters. The romantic elements are tasteful and fulfilling, and I'm so impressed with how Fawcett balances the world around Emily and her heart. It's beautifully written and has me eager for the third installment of this series.

This book had all the cozy fantasy vibes that I was looking for. I really enjoyed the plot and the character development throughout and I thought that Ariadne was a great addition to the story.

My one issue with these books is that the action on really seems to happen at the end of each book which is the resolved pretty quickly so I would have like more tension or action throughout the book instead of in the last few chapters.

I think the fact that I read as an ebook compared to a physical book meant having the footnotes and reading them was more streamlined compared to having to stop each time and find the footnote which was my main issue when I read the first book as I kept finding myself being taken out of the flow of the story as my reading was disrupted. Therefore, I would highly recommend reading this as an ebook, especially if you had a similar problem with the style of writing in the first book.

I am excited to see where the plot will go in book three as I enjoyed this one more than the first one.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands' by Heather Fawcett.

'Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands' is the sequel to the renowned 'Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries' and my goodness it was just as good as book 1. Fawcett has this beautiful writing style that just flows through the pages and just brings you joy and intrigue no matter what's occurring.
There is, of course, more to Emily Wilde's story coming soon and I am excited to see what happens next for Emily.

Well, I was thoroughly charmed by this. Having enjoyed the first book in the series a great deal, I was really looking forward to this instalment and it did not disappoint. Encyclopaedia of Faeries did the heavy lifting with regard to world-building, so Map of the Otherlands is able to jump right into the action and get the story going; people who felt the first book was slow might enjoy this book more, as the pacing is quicker and more consistent this time around. Emily remains a delightfully prickly yet self-aware heroine and her banter / bickering with Wendell is top-notch. The new secondary characters have lots to add to the mix and old favourites like Shadow and Poe play key roles. It’s an engaging fantasy/adventure story with some romance, but the latter is not often foregrounded so readers wanting romance as a primary focus may need to adjust their expectations or look elsewhere.

Typically I will finish a book within 48 hours, but I managed to eke this one out over five days so I could enjoy it for longer. It was a wonderful way to finish off 2023!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.

The first book in this series was one of my favourite books from last year so I was both excited and nervous to see if this could live up to my expectations. It follows on from Emily and Wendell’s adventures in Hrafnsvik and all the fall out that brought.

It’s written in the same diary format (along with footnotes) which help to give a sense of comfort, as we know that no matter what Emily encounters, she’s well enough to still be documenting her thoughts. This time the action is set in the Austrian Alps and involves Emily, Wendell and some slightly unwanted guests trying to find a nexus; a fairy door which link several realms, including Wendell’s own realm in the hope of him returning home.

The relationship between Emily and Wendell was the highlight of the first book and it continues in the same vein here. There may be more affection between them but that doesn’t stop the witty retorts and the sarcastic asides. Shadow the loyal hound is ever present and we also have more of Poe which I was very happy about.

Although this is still a cosy fantasy there are some genuinely dark moments and we’re constantly reminded that the Folk are dangerous, sly creatures who see humans as mere playthings.

I enjoyed this even more than the first book which is really saying something as I felt plot wise it had more purpose and direction, and I’m so happy that they’ll be a book three and even more of this magical, enchanting world.

A second book as good as the previous one !

I was really looking forward to reading this second book and I must admit that I was not disappointed at all ! It’s still so well written and I almost regret having read it too quickly ><

What I particularly liked :

- the writing style which is just perfect ! I love the almost diary format with the different footnotes ! Special mention for the part with Wendell's point of view =D

- the universe is just awesome ! I loved the trip to the Austrian Alps this time and discovering new creatures and new legends =) And of course I am super curious about the kingdom of Wendell that we see (and in particular the mysterious trees =D)

- the plot around the famous door that Wendell must find to regain access to his kingdom but also all the assassination attempts !! It was exciting and it gave the book a more sustained pace than the previous book !

- the characters !! I am of course a huge fan of Emily who is such a complex character : very intelligent (I won't spoil it but the wine =)), socially very awkward (with her niece xD), courageous and terribly endearing =) Wendell is a little more difficult to pin down because of course he's a Fae but it's always fascinating to see his nonchalant human side coexist with his super powerful Fae side =) The other characters are just as endearing because they are terribly human and imperfect (special mention for Professor Rose who I didn't think I would like so much !)

- the romance !! I was curious after the first book to know how their relationship would evolve and I loved it !! The grumpy/sunshine romance works so well and here they take a new step in their relationship and I can't wait to see how it develops further !

- the end !! I can’t say anything but it made me want to read the next book right away ><

In short, a very well written fantasy book that I read with great pleasure ! For fans of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell and fantasy books with universes as complex as fascinating, I recommend it !

Review contains spoilers for Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries. Proceed at own risk.

As I loved the first book, I was a bit worried about my expectations for the second one. They were quite high and I usually enjoy the first book of a series the most. And while so far that remains true for this series and this one doesn’t quite reach the first one, it was still pretty great.

The story is very similar in some aspects. Emily and Wendell go on a quest, and she documents her research in form of a diary. Things go wrong, things go right, and there is lots of faerie creatures and magic.
However, in other aspects it’s very different. Setting is the Austrian alps and while those can be quite the winter wonderland, this instalment isn’t the winter fairytale the first one was. It’s more autumn. The stakes are also way higher – Wendell is trying to find a door to his realm, while being hunted by faerie assassins sent by his stepmother.
There is much more action and excitement in this instalment. In fact, I’m unsure if it can still be called cozy fantasy. There are many cozy aspects, but overall, it’s way more “normal” fantasy. Some readers may enjoy this, but it was a bit disappointing to me. I do love my usual fantasy, but the first one was very cozy, and I expected the series to continue like that. At the same time however, the story shied away from writing down the climax. While this seemed fitting in the first book, it simply seemed as if this one couldn’t decide on whether to be cozy fantasy or not.

I also felt like there was less romance in this one, even though the existing parts were more intense than what we had in the Encyclopaedia. A reason for that might be that there was way less Wendell in this book than I would’ve expected. While it is of course Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands, I still missed him a lot.
In fact, even when he was on page, he kind of annoyed me. Of course, his character is simply a bit annoying sometimes, but compared to the first one, he was so much more whiny and so much less charming. While there are good reasons for this in the novel, it seemed to me as if the romance aspect had simply been checked of as solved in the first one and there was no need for it anymore, so lets make room for more plot. Generally a good idea, but this book lives of characterization and taking that away leaves the book a bit more empty, even though it’s actually more filled up.
Apart from that, Emily and Wendell are as great as always. The friendship, the bickering, the taking care of each other? I love them. It was also very interesting to see Wendell’s true self – now that Emily knows his nature, he has no need of hiding it anymore and to see his casual use of magic was fascinating.

An interesting change was that this time, the two of them are also being accompanied by their grim boss Dr. Rose and Emily’s niece Ariadne, a chipper girl. At first, I was a bit sceptical about that. I’d rather simply have Emily and Wendell, who needs anyone else? But both of them kind of grew on me and I can’t argue that they brought some excitement to the story.

I’m still split about the ending. The whole storyline evolved into something way more suited to normal fantasy and I would’ve loved to read a novel with all the action. While I do like the format of the diary entries, it did take away from the excitement in this one. Technically, the ending was very dramatic, but the way it was written seemed quite anticlimactic. I’m quite curious how the third book will balance it out and I’m hopeful that it will do a better job than this one. I’m really looking forward to it!

Thank you, NetGalley and the Little Brown Book Group UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group for providing me with an eARC of this book! I read and thoroughly enjoyed Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries and was thrilled to read the sequel! The book takes us to another cold and somewhat distant location, this time to the Alps. Wendell Bambleby is searching for a way back to his realm, with Emily Wilde taking the lead as both a scholar and potential wife. These two continue to be hilarious and are such a fun pairing. Their chemistry and understanding of each other work really well, and I definitely rooted for them throughout the book. In Otherlands, the main supporting characters are two additional members of the expedition, rather than members of the local community. I think that this was a nice contrast to Encyclopaedia, whilst still offering chances for both warmth and humor. And the additional assortment of faeries, both benign and wicked, were as much of a delight as they were in the first book. I was particularly attached to a certain faerie with the appearance of an animal and an appropriately silly nickname from Emily. And of course, the writing style must be mentioned as the diary format continues to work perfectly for this book. Emily is a hilarious and compelling narrator, and I always love seeing the little footnotes that flesh out the world and her thinking. This is an excellent sequel to Encyclopaedia and I look forward to what is next! 4.5/5

This was such a delightful read. I absolutely loved this book (even more than the first book which I already loved so much). It was everything I adored in the first installment (folklore, romance, academia, mystery, the historical setting and the relative lightheartedness and whimsy) and so much more. Much like the first book it had all the magic of fairytales and children’s stories that first introduced me the joys of reading. The Map of Otherlands had me enchanted with every word from the beginning when compared to the Encyclopaedia… which picked up from about the half way through (probably because it was establishing the lore of world and it was my first time reading epistolary format in a while).
The writing was very smooth and the journal format really works to add more to the academic feel. The story itself was cozy, whimsical and light-hearted despite the darker tendencies of the Fae. I found setting itself to be fitting to the vibe of the story - village on the edge of both Farie and the human world and the time period that feels in between the modern and the historic.
Emily and Wendell were charming (in their own special ways) as always. Emily is my spirit animal and Wendell is definitely top of my list of love interests. I loved their fun, familiar and banter-filled relationship so much. This time with a cast of side characters who bring their special flavors to the party.

4.5/5 Stars

I want to thank Little Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am happy to announce that this book is every bit as spellbinding and atmospheric as the first. Reading the story was a breeze, and I felt like I blew rather than tore through the pages. It felt effortless.

Surprising to me, I liked this book a tad more than the first, even if I generally felt the same way reading it. The development of the characters and story as a whole felt more fulfilling in the second book, which is a feat in and of itself as there will be a book 3, which I will definitely pick up once its time has come!

4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Thank you to the author, Little Brown Book, and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. I was absolutely honour to be provided with an ARC of this title!

A perfect slightly dark/slightly cosy and romantic adventure for the lifelong bookworms! Better than the first in my opinion.

“Meanwhile, I would be sleeping more soundly without a marriage proposal from a faerie king dangling over my head.” “It would cease to dangle if you accepted.” He rested his hand over mine and teasingly ran his thumb over my knuckles. “Shall I write you an essay on the subject? I can provide an extensive list of reasons to acquiesce.”


What to expect:

Book 2 of the Emily Wilde series

Historical/academia fantasy- set in early 1900s

Grumpy x sunshine couple

Epistolary (written as a journal)

Folk both big and small - including devious fox fae

Banter-filled, slow burn romantic relationship

Set in Austrian Alps

More of the beloved Shadow (& Poe)


Trigger warnings : violent fae characters, slight gore including amputation, attempted murder, murder


*Do NOT read past this point if you want to avoid spoilers*

In this book, Emily, the grumpy scholar, and Wendall, the sunshine-y exiled faerie king, search for a hidden door to find a way back into Wendell’s lands. This search starts a few months after the first book with the attempted assassination and poisoning of Wendall. Dr Rose, the dryadology depart head, and Ariadne, a new dryadology student and Emily’s niece, join them as they rush to leave for St Liesl following the attack. This town was chosen by Emily due to the local disappearance of a dryadologist, Dr De Grey, and faun remains which should have only been able to have been found in the area of Wendall’s kingdom.

I was glad that there wasn’t the same slow start until I was able to feel immersed into the story; I can’t say whether this was due to being more used to the writing style, already having the world building in place, or Wendall being a part of the story from the beginning. Regardless, I was immediately happy to be immersed in reading the swoon worthy banter between Emily and Wendall. Wendall gives me strong Howl vibes and Emily fits into the Sophie vibes - something that I am not mad about at all.

Beautiful, lovely, perfect Shadow is still the very best boy. He can do no wrong and I will accept no criticism of him. In regard to other loveable creatures, I was so pleasantly surprised by the Poe cameo! And, once again, Heather Fawcett has somehow forced me to feel affection for a small creature that by normal accounts should not be considered very loveable - I’m looking at you, Snowdrop.

I cannot imagine a better read for the winter months; It’s whimsical and it feels like a bright, crisp winter morning where one could find magic in the frozen dew if looking hard enough.

I don’t know why but this book has the same vibes as a Famous Five novel to me. It has the ragtag found family, cozy cottage, dangerous mysteries, and a remote windswept town.

Emily Wilde is a top scholar is her field - Dryadology. She embarks on possibly the last field research of her magnum opus. An Encyclopaedia of Fairies - a truly ambitious endeavour, one which she has nearly completed. She is followed by her rival and only friend Wendell.

The remote village of Hrafnsvik has many secrets, and many fae. Perfect for Emily. But the world is not just fae and Emily begins to see another side of herself, the village, and Wendell before her research is done. After all Dryadology is not without its danger.

I’m so glad I read this in winter. It was a perfect cozy read for the snow we were having. To me Emily is an autistic coded character which is great rep to see. But I wish there could be more of the struggle of being autistic as well, while there was some it was almost brushed over to me.

Oh, how I ADORE the world of Miss Emily Wilde - frolicking fae, adventure around every corner and that irresistible grouchy/sunshine romance, Heather Fawcett's imagination is tremendously good fun! 🧚🏻‍♀️✨

In Map of the Otherlands, we see Emily and Wendell continue their search for the hidden faerie door to Wendell's rightful realm, come face to face with his wicked stepmother and escape plenty of terrible dangers - so buckle up for a fantastically thrilling quest! Chaotic yet cosy, it's plot is full of mishaps and magic, characters old and new (yay, more little Poe!) and an adventure you just won't be able to say no to... 🧭🍄

I'm so pleased to say it lived up to ALL my expectations. I can not wait for book three - PERFECT, PERFECT, PERFECT! 💫

In a Nutshell: A worthy sequel in the Emily Wilde series. Retains most of the feels. Enjoyed it almost as much as Book One. Good for cosy fantasy readers. Can’t be read as a standalone. The series doesn’t end here!

Story Synopsis:
1910. Set about a year after the events of the first book, Emily is on the quest to find the hidden door to Wendell’s faerie realm, while still avoiding a commitment to him by agreeing to his marriage proposal, and also working on a new project: a map of the various faerie realms known to humans. But all plans go askew when some mysterious assassins invade Cambridge to attack Wendell. Emily decides that they need to travel to Austria immediately, not just to evade the dangerous attackers but also because she believes that the door to Wendell’s realm lies somewhere in the Austrian Alps. Will Emily be able to figure out the faerie doors in the Alps and find the right one before the danger to Wendell’s life looms even larger?
The story comes to us through the first-person journal entries written by Emily as a part of her research.

Bookish Yays:
😍 This book works excellently as a sequel. It continues from the end of the first book and offers hints, wherever needed, of what happened earlier. There’s no wastage of time with extensive character build-up or plot recaps. It also doesn’t rush things to an end but brings the current arc to a proper close, while setting up the foundation for what’s next in store. I love it when sequels don’t just rehash events from the earlier book, but take the plot as well as the characters ahead. (For all these reasons, this book shouldn’t be read as a standalone.)
😍 Emily begins the same as before – an obstinate organiser who finds it tough to let go of her sterner side even in relaxed moments. It is a treat to see her let go of her grim façade and give in to her emotions as the story progresses. Wendell is as amazing as in the first book, probably even better. We get to see a lot more of his fae side in this sequel, and what a delight it is!
😍 The banter between Emily and Wendell is as strong as ever. Their repartee offered the perfect light relief in the first book, and the same continues in this book as well. I love their individual character development, but as a pair, they truly shine.
😍 I remember asking for MORE romance in my review for the first book. (If you know me, you will know that I NEVER ask for MORE romance!) The sequel satisfied me by upping the couple-connect but not letting the romance overrule the core storyline. You might be disappointed if you were looking for more spicy stuff, but as we hear the story only through Emily’s journal, she obviously keeps things clean, which is perfectly fine by me.
😍 There are a couple of new major characters in this sequel, of whom Emily’s young niece Ariadne leaves the strongest mark. Her bubbly and youthful enthusiasm offers the perfect counterfoil to curmudgeonly Emily.
😍 The first book showed the presence of several magical creatures, but those were nothing in comparison to the beings of this sequel. The magic becomes much darker, and the creatures also get more dangerous, but I’m not complaining! Shadow’s name deserves a mention in this comment because he is the best of them all!

Bookish Mixed Bags:
😐 The initial 25-30% doesn’t feel like journal entries. The language is too descriptive, and every conversation is in detailed direct speech, both of which make it appear like a typical first-person narration than like journal writing. It is only afterwards that the content feels more journal-like in its tone.
😐 The book begins at a great pace and maintains this until about 40% or so. Then the going becomes somewhat tedious. The final 25-30% gets the speedometer back up. So you need to have much patience in between, because not much happens and what little happens, happens slowly.

Bookish Nays:
😒 The human characters other than Emily and Ariadne don’t have much to do. Emily’s fellow professor Farris Rose has a stronger role, but not as developed as it could have been. The Austrian villagers are barely present, unlike in the first book where we had many memorable locals. I’d have loved for more local interactions to vary the monotonous plotline in between.
(On an aside, the professor’s being referred to as ‘Rose’ often confused me as I kept picturing a woman on seeing that name.)
😒 Emily has a tendency to add extended footnotes to her journal entries. This is much better than her modus operandi in the first book, where she diverged into lengthy appendices containing faerie stories. But the footnotes are still distracting, and mostly unused in the plot. After a point, I just stopped reading them, and don’t feel like I missed out on anything essential.


All in all, I had had high expectations from this book after enjoying the first book to a great extent. Despite the somewhat sluggish pace in between, the sequel managed to keep me mostly happy. I can’t wait to see what awaits Emily and Wendell in the third book of this series. Fingers crossed that it will be the final one!

Strongly recommended to those who have read and loved the first book of this series. If you are a cosy-fantasy-with-quirky-characters fan, make sure you read both books!

4 stars.

My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK, Orbit, and NetGalley for the DRC of “Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

The second book in the Emily Wilde series.

This time Emily, Wendell, Emily's niece Ariadne, and a colleague from Cambridge are off to find doors into Fairie in the Alps. Wendell is not up to scratch. Ariadne, Emily's assistant, might also not be up to scratch for the job. The colleague seems to be a hindrance, more than a help on this research trip. And all of that makes Emily feel a bit rattled.

The remote village in the Alps they visit has doors into the Otherworld at every corner, it seems. Emily and her companions encounter a lot of different fairie folk, some helpful, some definitely out to draw blood.

I enjoyed every page in the book and am looking forward to what Emily and Wendell are up to next.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC o this book in exchange for my honest review!

Well. I didn't think anything would knock the first book in this series off the top spot for 2023 but this incredible sequel managed it!

I was lucky enough to have two friends also receive an ARC so we did a buddy read and it was SO FUN.

We were back with Emily and Wendell on another academic romp through a stunning landscape - this time the Swiss Alps - in search of a door back to Wendell's kingdom. New characters along for the ride were perfectly placed to bring out new sides of Emily - the competitive scholar and the awkwardly nurturing aunt - and familiar faces were also most welcome! The dynamic between former rivals to lovers Emily and Wendell was just perfect and I could read like 10 books in this series and never be bored.

If you haven't picked up the first book please do so IMMEDIATELY - this is the light academia, cozy fantasy, dangerous fae series you need in your life. Everything about it is utterly delightful, whimsical and gorgeous.

Delightful.

Book 2 in the Emily Wilde Series, Map of the Otherlands takes what was great about the first book and expands upon it. More mischief, more adventures, more charm. This was a fantastic continuation and I’m really glad to hear there will be a third — potentially more perhaps, since it has been called a ‘series’ and I’ve not seen the next novel advertised as a ‘conclusion’.

Fawcett did a job well done, picking up the loose ends and plot from book 1. We got to see some storylines carrying out, finding answers and conclusions, while also seeing the, change shape and morph into something that will carry on to the next instalment. I think the pacing of this one was good, if slightly better than the first one. I think with this one, having read the first, I expected the sort of tonal shift/time shift that happened towards the end of the first. I maintain that the first book sort of felt like two different books in one, and this one gave me similar vibes, although felt more cohesive. (And that’s not even a complaint about the first one, I think it was great and I loved it all, it all just descended in to ‘madness’ rather quickly).

I really enjoyed the addition of the new characters, and how we got to see some return (even if it were only small cameos or mentions) from the first book. I really loved Ariadne, Emily’s niece, and seeing that familial bond (what there is if one) play out. I thought Rose was also a great add to the cast of characters, and how he added a contrasting view. Emily and him certainly have a complicated, messy relationship, and I liked seeing how it played out and developed.

I do think some things came too easily in the novel. Wendell was able to fix decades long problems like that. But then, I suppose, he is a courtly fae and some things do just come easier to him. The build up to these moments was worthwhile and well executed.

The settings, as with the first, were stunning. I enjoy Fawcett's descriptions, and getting to imagine all these places. However, I particularly loved the absence of some description, such as when Emily finds things too hideous and too horrifying to be able to put in to words. It allows your mind to conjure up just about anything given the minimal, basic description. I love how the current two books in the series have moved around and showcased different locales. Knowing the setting of the next book, I’m excited to see more.

I found the footnotes harder to read in this one and that was simply a formatting thing due to my e-arc. However, I did think (and I will actually have to open up the first book at some point and compare) that there weren’t as many footnotes in this one, which is a shame, as I had grown to like them. But again this is just conjecture, I don’t actually know the number comparisons! I will at some point look!

I continue to love Emily. My favourite part might be when she calls someone a tosser. I think she’s a complicated character, who doesn’t always say the right things and can be seen as quite harsh, but I enjoy that about her. She’s confident in herself and her abilities, and won’t feel ashamed about it. We need more of that.

Wendell continues to be Wendell and I love him and his murderous moments. I love his love for Emily. I like that we got to see more of his vulnerabilities and fears in this one. Also, he’s a cat person and I love it.

Overall, I think this was an incredibly successful and well done sequel and novel in its own right. It was adventurous, witty, charming.

4.75⭐️
thank you netgalley and little brown book group for a review copy
I adored this book even more than the first one (which was amazing!). The writing style is incredible and I love how it is told through diary entries. The characters are brilliant and form a perfect group. The journey that they go on any mystery they are trying to solve is so interesting and adds more to the plot than just discovering more about Faerie. This was a fantastic sequel and I am desperate to read more about them!!

A charming sequel to the first book in the series, and I will definitely be back for the third. In this outing the mismatched - yet perfectly suited - academic Emily, and her feckless faerie suitor for the Alps in search for a way back to his realm. The tone is the same wry, light academic pastiche but I felt like the characters should have developed a little more, to move their stories forwards. Nonetheless enjoyable. 3.5 rounded up to 4

I enjoyed this second installment more than the first book.

Honestly, I wasn't very fond of Emily in the first book but she definitely grew on me by the end of this one. There where instances when some of her decisions still irked me but considering her circumstances, I think they made sense. She is definitely one of most clever, brave and smart heroines that I have read about in recent years and I love how she uses her intelligence to outsmart people who are much more powerful than her.

The setting of this book is equal part scenic and creepy - in short, absolutely immaculate. Wendel, in this book took a back foot and let Emily take the center stage but I thoroughly enjoyed whenever he was present. The romance progression between Emily and Wendel felt very organic and I loved every minute when they where together.

The one downside that I felt was the books rushed ending but other than that this was a fantastic sequel and I am already looking forward to reading the next installment.