Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands is just as atmospheric, charming and well written as Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries. It has been an utter joy to be back in this world once again, and the main characters, Emily and Wendell, did not disappoint.

This time around Emily is working on a new book, a map of the realms of Faerie, and the intrepid duo head to the Austrian Alps as part of her research. But they have an ulterior motive - they are seeking a very specific Faerie door, one that may provide an unguarded back door into Wendell's own kingdom - for he is in fact a Faerie prince displaced by his own stepmother and now at risk from her assassins.

Emily, Wendell, Shadow and a great cast of new side characters find themselves involved in a series of new Alpine adventures and it was a joy to see both Emily's character and relationships develop in this book. I love that she is always true to herself and is such a strong, independent and uncompromising character. The banter between her and Wendell was once again on point and her interactions with the other characters were also excellent. The descriptions of the landscape and it's Otherworldly creatures were highly evocative.

This book is once again written in the form of Emily's field journal complete with footnotes which again works really well. I rated the first book 5 stars as I loved it, but I have enjoyed this one even more and cannot wait for the third installment. Without doubt the Emily Wilde books have been my favourite reads of the year.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing me with an arc copy to review.

I wasn't aware that this was a sequel when I requested it and, having not read the first book, I did not have the slightest idea what was happening.

I enjoyed the premise of the book but, until I have read the first book, this will be going back on the TBR pile!

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

Rating: 5/5

I’m not even a little surprised that I loved Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands as much as I did. With Emily as the main character I’d likely enjoy any story through her scholarly eyes, and much like the Encyclopaedia of Faeries, the latest instalment is a lovely cosy fantasy despite the frightful circumstances the characters sometimes find themselves in. When this series finally ends I’m certain it’ll be very bittersweet because I’ve come to love these characters and the world so much, but I’ve no doubt it’ll become a comfort read that I come back to again and again.

In this book, Emily and Wendell (and a couple of new faces) are on the hunt for a mysterious door that will help lead the pair back to Wendell’s home realm. This adventure takes them to the beautiful Austrian Alps where Emily can work on her new project which involves creating a map of the realms of faerie. Along the way we encounter new faerie creatures, new townsfolk to guide us and a new insight into the faerie realms. As Wendell’s mother begins to put more effort into her murderous plots, it’s up to Emily to find a way to navigate her way through the Otherlands and hopefully find the answers she needs.

I absolutely adore Emily and I enjoyed seeing her character develop in this book. Something that I especially love about this character is how unapologetically true to herself she is. In the first book Emily had little care for anything outside of her academic projects but we get to see a new side of her here where she is more open to the love and support that she receives from others. By the end of the book I felt that she understood herself far better than she ever has and that made me genuinely happy for her. She is wonderfully intelligent and independent, and although her actions can lead her into dangerous situations, I never doubt that she is fully capable of handling it.

Another highlight of this book is the developing relationship between Emily and Wendell. Wendell is everything you could want from a royal faerie love interest and following on from his proposal in the first book, I loved seeing Emily not only come to terms with his romantic attachment but also recognise her own growing fondness. This leads to Emily taking more risks as she accepts that there is now someone else in her life that she will seek answers for and watching her grow in this way was incredibly rewarding.

There’s, of course, some supporting characters that help make this book the gem that it is, but there’s also a few that we’ve already met that were a joy to see again. Most of all, I enjoyed reading any scene featuring Emily’s lovely companion, Shadow, and knowing that she can have difficulty connecting with people, there’s no doubt in how much she loves her canine friend, and the love and support she shares with him reminds us how important our furry friends are. And I can’t write this review without mentioning one of my favourite returning characters, Poe, who I would likely die for. All I want is to visit his lovely tree and tell him how brilliant it is.

I’m so happy to know that there will be another book coming our way and can’t wait to see what adventures await Emily and Wendell in the faerie realm. Heather Fawcett has created such a unique and relatable voice with Emily and I’d happily read many more books in her journalistic tone. I also welcome all Wendell POV chapters because, although I never doubt his love for Emily, it’s sweet being reminded when he lovingly notes down her brilliant qualities, and in his eyes especially, there are many.

I absolutely recommend this series to anyone who loves adventurous fairytales and beautiful, slow burn romances. I’ve had such a fun time following Emily’s brand of academia and can’t wait to see what she does next.

This is a beautifully complicated romp across human and faerie world and time. A magical mission for Wendell and Emily unsure who is friend, foe or out to poison them. A sprinkling of an evil step mother keeps the book trotting along and we end where we begin, with the protector of Shadow the dog.

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands follows Emily and Wendell on their next expedition, this time to the Austrian alps. I enjoyed it even more than Encyclopaedia of Faeries and it has made it onto my list of favourites of the year. We get more of everything I loved about book one, the fascinating history and lore, glimpses of Emily’s fieldwork, incredible unique characters and cosy domestic moments.

I adore both Emily and Wendell, they are so different from the typical couple in a fantasy book and their interactions are endlessly entertaining. The supporting characters are brilliant too, my favourites being Shadow, Poe and Snowbell for the way they manage to switch between adorable and terrifying moment to moment.

The plot sets this book apart from book one for me. Where the first one lost my interest in the conflict towards the end, I loved the direction this one took and stayed invested all the way. The ending has me so excited for book three. I can’t wait to see how Emily and Wendells next adventure plays out.

The sequel to Encyclopaedia of Faeries throws you straight back into the world of Emily and Wendell as if you’ve never been away. While a short time has passed in their world, it flows beautifully on and continues their search for a door back to Wendell’s faerie realm so he can attempt to reclaim the throne which is rightfully his. Emily is still undecided following the proposal she received at the end of book 1, but you can see their relationship develop through the book. A new location for research and two new side characters keep the dynamic similar but evolved from the previous instalment, with new Folk (and old!) popping up to hinder and assist their investigation. I just felt this was an excellent follow on from book one, if you enjoyed the cosy vibes with moments of dark faerie magic mixed in you’ll love book two in this series.

4.5* ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💫

The first book in this series took me a little while to get into, but I loved this second book so much straight away! Returning to discover new Faerie worlds with Emily and Wendell is like being invited back to stay in a cosy cottage somewhere, and I enjoyed the addition of a new cast of characters who come along on the journey.

Emily and Wendell’s back and forth teasing and banter is my absolute favourite, and really enjoyed seeing Emily’s softer side come out with Wendell more in this book. I really feel kindred with Emily’s character, as an introvert who enjoys their own company, and I love that she knows who she is and doesn’t feel the need to apologise for it. And Wendell seeing her for who she is with all her eccentricities and loving her anyway…swoon!

Dark academia is one of my favourite genres to read, but this series has definitely converted me to cosy, light academia vibes. I really think the footnotes add to the whole feeling of reading something that is steeped in research.

A wholesome and whimsical series and I can’t wait to continue the story in book 3! I hope the publication date is released soon!

Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK, Orbit and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was afraid that this book would suffer from second-book-syndrome, but I’m happy to report it really did not. This one was as atmospheric as the first one and I had loved the first one so much that following Emily, Wendell and Shadow’s adventures again was an absolute delight.

Emily’s academic pursuits are this time mixed with more personal reasons for looking for a very specific door to Faerie. Her voice is still unique and the writing is incredible, I loved how relatable Emily’s way of thinking is for me and having such an amazing main female character with neurodivergent-coded thought patterns feels so refreshing. Not to mention her relationship to Shadow, which deeply resonates with me.

She’s funny and endearing and her quiet sort of fearlessness was still as entertaining as her rightful outbursts.
I adored Wendell’s antics and their relationship, their teasing and banter was everything I could hope for. I was ecstatic about seeing old friends of theirs and easily came to love the new cast of characters.
I could probably find less positive things to say about this second book if I thought about it for a minute, but I was so happy to go back to this world that I’m not going to bother with it. I hope we’ll soon get the news of a third book being in the works.

This book was as delightful as the first book, if not more. New characters introduced, while still having the notable characters from the first book. Emily & Wendell’s banter is winning as always. I felt like this book has loose Alice’s adventure in wonderland references, with the door business (especially the nexus) and following a creature through a strange realm. Loved it. I’ll be seated for the next book, as I believe that there’ll be the third book, for the Folks like things that came in three♥️

Emily's new scholar project - creating a map of the realms of faerie, will take her and Bambleby to the Austrian Alps where Emily hopes they will find the door to Bambleby's realm. All the while avoiding royal assassination attempts, an accompanying overly-enthusiastic niece, a fellow scholar fiend, and trying to restore Bambleby to his throne.

This is such a refreshing series - light and cozy academia, older characters, softer romance, introverted, focused characters, and an emphasis on educational ambition and passion.
I forgot about the footnotes! This adds such a dimension that makes it feel all the more immersive and provides world-building and history without feeling like info dumps.

Now that the shock had worn off she seemed to view the attack as a thrilling tale ripe for scholarly documentation, and was already making notes on the subject.
An entirely unhealthy response to attempted murder, of course; I have never been more convinced that she has the makings of a dryadologist.

There is more romance here compared to book one, but it is closed door and deals a lot with Emily trying to get her head around the idea of marrying a fae prince feared and revered.

“In fact, plenty of Folk are gentlemen. And plenty of mortal men are not.”

I preferred book one - the icy, yet cozy atmosphere Fawcett created filled with community, discovery, and hope flowed more naturally.
I also felt more endeared to Emily and her character and how I could relate to her.

There will be a book three and of course, I will be counting down the days for a cover reveal, and then a release date!

Thank you to Orbit for providing a physical arc in exchange for a review!

I didn't think it was possible to love the second book more than I loved the first - because wow did I love the first! I have been obsessed with Emily Wilde from the moment I picked it up and honestly didn't think anything could top it. I was wrong! So wrong! Book 2 is somehow so much better and I love it so much!

Emily and Wendell's relationship and banter increased tenfold and had me grinning, giggling, swooning, and so excited for every moment they had together on the page. The increased confidence and development of the characters is massive and just so beautiful and heart-warming to read - including with the two new central characters (to this book anyway) that were introduced: Ariadne, Emily's niece, and Rose, a fellow Cambridge professor that seeks to discredit Emily and Wendell's work.

I loved seeing the more personal nature of Emily's research in this book (she's seeking the door to Wendell's home realm). It is still very academically centered research, but Emily's character and relationship developments really shine through in her more personal determination to seek answers. She is willing to risk far more, trusts more blindly, and the hope, freedom, and love she experiences as a result is just so wonderful to read!

The autism representation in this book is just as incredible as the first. I wholeheartedly love how part of Emily's character development is accepting and understanding herself better. Now that she has someone who loves and embraces every part of her, she becomes more self-aware, embracing who she is, recognising where she needs some extra support, and never once talks (or even thinks) down on herself for those struggles (as she did at times in the first book). Who she is, is beautiful - she is intelligent, strong, independent, and beautiful, and she is finally able to accept and embrace that in this book. It was just so wonderful to read and made me feel so seen!

The ending of this book had me grinning so much and I cannot wait for book 3! The only downside to reading an early copy of this book is having to wait even longer for the next one - this book isn't even released and I am desperate for more! Please pick up Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands as soon as you are able!