⤷ 4.5✩

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing me with the E-ARC via NetGalley.

I thoroughly enjoyed the last instalment in this series and I am going to miss these characters a lot.

Everything seems to come together in this last book. New characters are introduced with previous characters we know and love still being involved. I love Fawcett’s writing style and how she portrays the world through the eyes of Emily.

The only small annoyance(?) I have is how the problems almost immediately are solved. Why not get into more hot water while trying to get the problems solved? Now the very first attempt seems to always provide the solution, which I would have liked to see handled differently.

The book fitted right in after the second one, loved how Emily ever changed who she was in each of the books, fell in love with Emily and Wendell all over again but my favourite where shadow and orga.

In this third (and potentially final) installment to the Emily Wilde series, we follow the titular scholar as she follows had fiancé Wendell to Faerie where he intends to take up his throne.

First off, this cannot be read as a standalone, you need to have read the first two books in the series, preferably recently as the events from the second book directly impact this one.

The same charm and whimsy from the other books are back as are many of the characters. There is a quest that can only be resolved by delving further into scholarly lore. And of course there are footnotes!

A recommended read for fans of Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries, Katherine Arden, and books that blend fantasy, folklore, and academic research with a touch of whimsy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A lovely end to the most comforting series. This book had all the same charms of the first two books with even more faerie whimsy.

Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales is a delightful conclusion of Emily and Wendell's thrilling adventure. The entire series is filled with magic, mystery and academic exploration, in this book more so than the others! We get to see Emily become the hero we all wanted to see, using her bookish knowledge to save the kingdom.

I loved reading about the kingdom with the various little creatures that reside there - I would love a spinoff series where we just go through each of the creates alone!

I love the whimsy in these stories and Fawcett's ability to make these characters seem alive, a beautifully magical fairy tale book with a quirky relationship between shy, academic Emily and charismatic (royal) Wendell!

I would love to read more about these two in the future or tales from the creatures that live there (Emily Wilde's illustrated collection of creatures maybe?)

Overall, a beautiful book full of whimsy and magic, a joyful and heart-warming story which perfectly captures the fairy tale world of Emily and Wendell.

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me an early copy of this book

The third thrilling instalment of Emily Wilde’s story, and this one does not disappoint!

We follow Emily and Wendell as they try rule in Wendell’s kingdom. Emily is unsure of how to be a faerie queen, which allows us to see her be a bit more vulnerable than in the previous two books. Thankfully there are also plenty of opportunities for Emily to be her confident scholarly self!

I loved the emphasis on stories and folklore in this book, and the examination of how stories can give us direction but also lead us astray.

I loved the new characters introduced in the book, as well as the return of old beloved characters as well. The development of the romance between Emily and Wendell was very well handled for their personalities!

This was a great read, and a great finish to the trilogy. Things are left open ended (maybe we’ll get more books…??) but without leaving plot points unanswered. I’m excited to see what the author does next!

The final instalment of Emily Wilde series is just as lovely and magical as the 1st two books. However, I felt it was less darker than those books. My theory for this is the Fae are portrayed more terrifyingly in the mortal realm compared to their own realm as the Fae's don't really belong here.

In this book we get to see how Wendell fits in as a reigning monarch and taking responsibility of his now poisoned realm. I just wish we had more domesticity between Wendell and Emily because there was so much at stake and wasn't much opportunity for it. However, the few adorable moments we did get was so so sweet.

Overall, this series has become one of my favourite series. It has cosy academia, faeries, pathetic love interest like Howl and a female character that uses her knowledge to get out of dangerous situations.

Thank you Little Brown Book Group for the eARC via NetGalley.

This is the third book in the Emily Wilde series and ties up the loose ends from previous stories (although it’s open-ended enough that I hope Fawcett will revisit the series in the future). In light of this I don’t think it can be easily read as a stand-alone but would recommend reading the other stories in the series first (in addition they’re both brilliant so it won’t be a hardship!!!)

Emily and Wendell return to his kingdom to reclaim it from his evil stepmother and find it under a curse. Emily put her intelligence and knowledge of the Faie to work to try to break the curse and get her happy ending.

This was a brilliant book and reintroduced several of my favourite characters from previous stories, as well as introducing some entertaining new ones. The story is riddled with humour and adventure, Emily remains a character whose sensibilities are modern enough for me to empathise with but not jarring to the approximate time period the story is set in (I say approximate as it is sort of an alternate history with dryadology being an acknowledged field of study).

The plot was brilliant and kept me engaged from beginning until end. I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone interested in reading entertaining cosy fantasy as this series is amongst the best I’ve ever read!

*** Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher ***

What an incredible conclusion to the Emily Wilde series! I’ve loved these books from the start, and this third installment did not disappoint. While it retains the cosy, journal-style charm of the earlier books, the stakes are higher than ever as Emily and Wendell venture into his world. Court politics, treacherous family dynamics, and plenty of magical peril kept me hooked from start to finish.

Fawcett’s world-building is as lush and immersive as ever, and the balance between cosy and high-stakes storytelling is spot on. I loved seeing Emily and Wendell’s relationship develop further, complete with all the tension and realism that makes them feel so authentic.

If this is truly the end of the trilogy, I’m sad to say goodbye, but it’s a perfect send-off. Highly recommend this series to fans of magical, character-driven fantasy.

Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales is the third book in the Emily Wilde series. In this installment, Emily and Wendell return to Silva Lupi, but the queen has cursed the kingdom, causing everything to descend into a nightmare. Emily attempts to save both the kingdom and Wendell using her knowledge of stories. I love this series so much, and I’m sad that this is the final book. The books are character-driven, and I particularly enjoy Emily as the main character. The banter between Emily and Wendell is delightful to read. Also, Orga and Shadow always manage to steal the show, at least for me. Overall, this series is such a comfort for me. I'll gladly read more. I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a cozy and whimsical light academia novel with charming characters. Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

An amazing conclusion to the series, the ending feels well deserved! Getting to go on whimsical adventures with Emily through the books has been a delight and this is a perfect way to end it!

10/10

Thank you Netgallery, Heather Fawcett and (Little Brow Book Group) Orbit publishing for providing me with an e-book ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love Emily Wilde's tales and through it we get to see her and Wendall blossom. Finally got the romance I was aching for in this book as we get a conclusion to their story. This one focuses mainly on Emily and her fears surrounding becoming queen and the emergence of a curse that sends them off on another adventure.

The first book will always hold a special place in my heart, but I think this one wrapped things up nicely though I was hoping for a bit more of a-something- at the end. It lacked the shine that the others had. The stakes felt a touch lower and the pacing more meandering but coming off the back of a high octane action I just finished, I actually quite enjoyed the change. A perfect book to curl up in this weather.

PS: Still team cat. 😼

I loved the world and how its written the second book of it was ebven more fun to read. I loved it and im happy that netgalley gave it free to read for me.

Read this book for:
🍄Magical Realm
🍄Opposites attract
🍄Faerie Politics
🍄Mortal vs. Faerie
🍄Found family

Synopsis
Emily Wilde has always been a scholar first and foremost, devoting her life to the study of faeries and chronicling their mysterious ways. But when she and her once-rival-turned-fiancé, Wendell Bambleby, claim the throne of Wendell’s long-lost faerie kingdom, Where The Trees Have Eyes/ Silva Lupi, Emily finds herself navigating a realm of peril and beauty she’s only dreamed of. With a deadly curse threatening to destroy their newfound kingdom and an enemy lurking in the shadows. Together, Emily and Wendell must untangle centuries-old mysteries and confront deadly enemies before their dream of a faerie kingdom becomes a nightmare.

My Thoughts
Out of all three books, this one was my favorite. I absolutely loved the quest that Emily and Wendell embarked on to save the kingdom. Their journey began with uncovering where Wendell’s stepmother might have hidden after placing a curse on the realm. To find her, they had to unravel an old piece of folklore about King Macan and the bees, which added a layer of mystery and magic that I found fascinating.

I also really appreciated how most of the characters from the first and second books made appearances in this final installment, including the Hidden King, Lilja, Margaret, Rose, Ariadne, Snowball, and Poe. Their presence tied the series together beautifully, and it was satisfying to see their individual arcs contribute to the greater story.

The part I didn’t enjoy as much was the scene where Wendell sacrificed himself. It wasn’t the sacrifice itself that was the issue, but the way it was written. I had to reread the scene three times to fully grasp what was happening. The description of what took place in Anne’s hideaway felt too vague and disjointed, making it difficult to follow. While the story later clarified what had occurred, I think the buildup to that moment could have been handled more effectively to help readers understand the stakes and events as they unfolded, rather than leaving it feeling so abrupt.

Even after lifting the curse, Emily and Wendell’s quest was far from over. Emily not only had to figure out how to save Wendell from death, but she also had to find a way to protect him in the long term. This involved taking the King Macan story in an entirely new direction, where she required the assistance of her first fiancé, the Hidden King. This twist added another layer of complexity to the plot that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Overall, it was a really fun read. I loved the dynamics between all the characters and how Emily’s personality shone through—always a scholar first and a queen second. It made for a deeply engaging and satisfying conclusion to the series!

I received an e-ARC from NetGalley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Wendell. We are here to conquer your kingdom. This will be difficult if you do not know the way to the bloody throne, Now, answer me one way or another - are we lost?"

I have always loved the relationship dynamic between Wendell and Emily. They've always maintained such a great balance to one another and really played into the cosy aspect of "cosy fantasy".

I think for me this was maybe not as well paced as the second book but I definitely enjoyed it and will be picking up my own physical copy to complete my set upon publication. Sad to see the series end but what a journey it's been!

"Emily Wilde's Compendium of the Lost Tales was the final chapter in Emily and Wendell's adventures. And what can I say? For me it was the best of the three! It picks up exactly where the previous chapter left off with a plot that runs its course in a linear, intriguing manner, full of research, action and predictable but satisfying twists and turns.

As in the other books, I loved the new setting of the story, which was immersive and fascinating with the descriptions of the environments and the capricious and cruel beings that inhabit them. But the part that fascinated me the most was the power given to myths and stories, from the most to the best known. In fact, here they are not treated as mere means of entertainment, but rather as a solid basis for world building, research and the solution of the protagonists' own problems.

"Emily Wilde's Compendium of the Lost Tales was the final chapter in Emily and Wendell's adventures and quests. And what can I say? For me it was the best of the three! It picks up exactly where the previous chapter left off with a plot that runs its course in a linear, intriguing manner, full of research, action and predictable but satisfying twists and turns.

As in the other books, I loved the new setting of the story, which was immersive and fascinating with the descriptions of the environments and the capricious and cruel beings that inhabit them. But the part that fascinated me the most was the power given to myths and stories, from the most to the best known. In fact, here they are not treated as mere means of entertainment, but rather as a solid basis for world building, research and the solution of the protagonists' own problems.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for the advanced reader copy - I have never been more excited to receive one in my life!

A wondrous 5 stars!
I must admit that reading the synopsis for this book, I was a little worried how it would stretch to a whole book while keeping the atmosphere of the past two, but I should never have worried. Heather Fawcett has hit it out of the park AGAIN! It is everything I hoped for and more for the conclusion to Emily & Wendell’s journey. I only wish I had the audiobook accompaniment so I could hear Wendell’s endless “oh, Em”. An amazing end to an amazing series, by far one of the best I have read in recent memory.

characters: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
plot: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
setting: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
prose/writing: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

final rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

p.s. surprisingly learnt a bit about the history of folklorists in this book with all the “lost tales”, so I’m counting this as educational for sure

Another cozy, heartfelt tale with our beloved cast of characters, a fun adventure in a new land and some mild peril thrown in. Heather Fawcett does not miss when it comes to cozy fantasy, so I expected nothing less when it came to the third instalment of Emily Wilde’s journals. I adore the world building and characters in these books, plus the dynamic between Emily and Wendell is one I love to shout about. This is probably my least favourite of the series, but in no way does that mean it’s not a brilliant story that’s written incredibly well.

It was SO GOOD to be back in this world. These characters are fantastic and the third instalment does not disappoint. All the things we love are here in abundance and these two fools are still deliriously in love.

“And what sort of Queen would that make me?” He looked perfectly earnest as he leaned in to kiss my cheek. “Mine”

This last book was a true roller coaster of feelings. I laughed a lot, cried a bit, had a lot of tension and fears. The story picks up just after the end of the previous one (and for that, I was tremendously happy to read the 3 books one after the other), yet, it felt a little different.
Emily has grown a lot in the first two books. This time it’s more about Wendell’s evolution, and their relationship, and I think that is what makes this book different. In this one, Wendell tries to reconquer his realm, but, mostly, they learn to live together (and OMG Wendell in this one, he’s so invested… I adored that). That makes the book a bit (just a bit) calmer and more political, but it remains as whimsical as the first two ones. All that said (and remaining true), I think the most emotional part for me was about Shadow. Last year, my life was a lot about my elder dogs, and everything that H.F. writes about the old Grimm carved something special in my heart (the end, OMG the end).
As you can tell, the Compendium of Lost Tales is just as likable as the two other books, and if you liked them, you’ll love the conclusion to the story (except the fact that… it is the conclusion… I would love more of them !!)

Thank you so muchHeather Fawcett, Little, Brown Book Group UK | Orbit and Netgalley for this ARC. My opinions are my own.