The formatting for the ebook is so broken that I can't read it without frustration. The title and date paragraph will just show up randomly in the middle of the page, constantly interrupting my reading. Sadly can't even resort to reading it on my phone since it doesn't seem to be a pdf and so suffers from the same formatting issues that the kindle version has. I will just buy this when it comes out so I can enjoy the competent formatting.

Heather Fawcett’s *Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales* is a delightful conclusion to a series that masterfully blends fae lore, academia, and heartfelt romance. Stepping into Wendell’s faerie realm was both magical and unsettling, with the stakes raised higher than ever as Emily navigates deadly court politics and her own insecurities about becoming a queen. The lush world-building and dark, intricate magic make this installment feel richer, while Emily and Wendell’s relationship remains the beating heart of the story.

Emily and Wendell are as charming as ever, their love evolving into something quietly profound. It was particularly rewarding to see Emily’s feelings become clearer and deeper. Their dynamic—a mix of humor, understanding, and devotion—shines brightest here, with some of the series’ most memorable moments between them. And let’s not forget Shadow, whose bond with Emily adds another layer of emotional depth to the story.

While the book delivers on its enchanting world and captivating characters, there are moments where the pacing lulls, and the encyclopedic asides can disrupt immersion. The conclusion, while satisfying in many ways, felt a touch rushed, leaving me wanting more closure for characters I’ve grown to adore.

Despite these minor flaws, *Compendium of Lost Tales* is a beautiful farewell to a cozy fantasy series that has enchanted me from the start. Fawcett’s prose is vivid, her world immersive, and her characters unforgettable. I’ll miss Emily and Wendell dearly, but their journey was absolutely worth it. A must-read for fans of whimsical, romantic fantasy.

A wonderful book in the series, definitely living up to the expectations of the first two. I particularly enjoyed the exploration of the importance of story, and the recurring cast of characters. Emily and Wendell's relationship, as always, was a high point. I'll absolutely read more!

I have loved all of the books in this trilogy. Emily and Wendell are really likeable characters individually and as a couple. Emily is definitely my kind of person and it’s been really nice to see her character develop over the trilogy. One of my favourite things about this series is the footnotes. I’m a bit of a research nerd so these are paradise to me. I enjoyed the settings of the first 2 books slightly more then this one but I think that’s because stepping into Wendell’s realm put me on edge (which I guess is what you want for a reader).
I’m looking forward to reading more from Heather Fawcett.

I loved the hell out of this book. It's not a 5-star book because, as is the case with the rest of the series, they're not perfect to me. They can be slow and they often fall flat in certain aspects, so there's a bit of wasted potential in some corners, but they're an amazing time.

For example, I feel like this one could've been darker and pushed harder to make me suffer a little more as a reader. Also, the last chapter didn't feel substantial or 100% satisfying as an ending to the story of these characters I've grown to love so much. It hurts me that there aren't more books in the series, I'm going to miss them no matter what, but that last chapter was a flat closure.

All that said, I really, really enjoyed this. There was more of the Faerie world, more magic, more lore, and more romance. Also, the stakes felt higher, and it even made me well up a couple of times and cry once. It was such a good time! I just love being in this world and this book was no exception.

I'm so happy to have spent so much time in Wendell's realm, it was delightful and distressing in equal measure. I understood why he loved his world so much and also why Emily needed some time to adjust to it. I was a bit annoyed whenever she left the realm to do other stuff because I immediately missed Wendell, but it made sense that she had to do that. And I guess, in a way, that's very immersive, missing Wendell like Emily does even if she's not overly expressive about it.

It's also a testament to how much I fucking loved him. Heather Fawcett did a great job with his character! I wish she had a spin-off series in store following Wendell's POV or some short stories or something because I love his voice so much. The few times he writes in Emily's journal in previous books and the letters in this one make me want more of him. So much more.

Overall, this had more of the things that I already loved about the series while also having the same issues I found with the rest of the books, but a little toned down. Like, this is probably the fastest-paced book in the series by comparison but it still had a few lulls and pacing issues. So it was consistent but also an improvement, you know?

Right away, I'm not sure if this is a good conclusion as a whole because that last chapter left a lot to be desired, but this book is no less than 4.5 stars. One of my favorite cozy fantasy Faerie series.

a beautiful and fitting end for a great trilogy.
while this book had a bit more romance, it never once became to much and unbelievable. we always stayed true to Emily’s character.
it was did not turn as dark as expected but kept you hooked till the very end.
while the book wrapped up everything i hoped it would it kept a open end should the author ever decide to return to this world.

This book was the perfect continuation to the series and I loved how the ending was left open for a potential continuation of the story.

Although at times the pace was a bit slow, I found myself going back to the story as the characters are truly endearing. It was more romantic than the other two books, which I thought was quite interesting, as this way we can see how the author explores different angles and points of view.

If you have read the other two books, this is definitely a must read!

Thank you so much Orbit and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC!

(Rounded up from 4.75 stars)

Oh how I wish I could read about Emily's adventures forever! What a great conclusion to such a fantastic series.

We follow Emily and Wendel as they set out to reclaim his throne in Faerie. What starts as a simple quest to track down Wendel's evil step-mother evolves into a greater tale when Emily discovers that Wendel's story is following the path of an old faerie tale that'll lead him to his death.
In the adventure to save Wendel, Emily reuintes with old friends, visits new libraires, and even returns back to where it all started.

I will admit I was slightly worried when reading this book that it was going to have a bit of a meh ending. There's a section in the middle where I couldn't figure out what was going to happen next and was midly concerned it was going to be rather boring, but it had an exciting ending!
I loved that characters from previous books made a return, it's like the finale of a tv show and they bring back your favourite guests. The world building, as always, was fantastic - it was really nice to spend an extended period of time in faerie and learn more about Wendel's realm and those that live there.

Emily and Wendel are one of my favourite fictional couples, but I appreciated how much time they spent apart in this book as we got to see strike out on her own. Wendel has spent a lot of time saving Emily, but now it was her turn to save him, and you're reminded how brilliant she is. We got to see how she had grown as a character! It also made the moments that Emily and Wendel were together that much sweeter - saying that they still spend a lot of time together!

While I don't want to leave these characters behind, I'd genuinely love to follow another scholar in the same world. Some time and care has been put into developing this world (look at the footnotes!) that I'd be a shame to simply leave it all behind.

A great ending to the series but maybe my least favorite of the three.
First of all this one is just not as whimsical as the other two. With how things ended in the second books and how they develeped more in the beginning of this one, we spend a lot of time in Emilys head while she's thinking about how she couldn't possibly be a good fairy queen. Therefor the whim that I love isn't as prominent in the first half. Also there are just way less opportunities to swoon about Wendell and Emily, again because of Emily's inner conflicts.
Another point that I didn't enjoy as much is that there were again new characters added to the story. But compared to the first two books these new characters didn't get as much time to make me really care about them.
Overall the plot and goal seemed much more defined compared to the first two books. This again resulted in some loss of the fantastical, romantic and academic aspects thats I enjoyed before.

But much of this was luckily resolved in the second half. We were finally back to all the things that made me fall in love with the series. Wendell and Emily and also their animal companions became great as always. There was one little entrepreneur brownie selling nuts at every opportunity which I found to be such a great little detail, combined with all the other lovely details that enriched the whole trilogy.

Overall I can say nothing else besides that I'm glad that I read these books and I can't wait for what Heather Fawcett comes up with next.

A wonderful ending to the trilogy!

I throughly enjoyed seeing Emily and Wendell still being themselves and having some of the most best and silly conversations. The humour is so much fun. I was worried we wouldn’t get the same level as book 1 and 2 as sometimes this spark can get lost when the characters confess their love to each other BUT not in this case! In fact, I loved how this gave Wendell more opportunity to praise and tell Emily how wonderful she is.

Favourite quote -
He gave me an odd look. “And have you ever needed anything else? Have you not shaken a kingdom to its foundations, found a door to a distant otherland, overthrown a queen? Hand you the right storybook, and you are capable of anything.”

The plot is still very cosy but it’s definitely the most action packed of the three. I was genuinely very worried and tense in many moments of this book.

And as always, I love any stories where the fae cannot lie and have to resort to trickery and when humans out trick them…? Honestly, my favourite.

This book gave me great satisfaction in knowing how Emily and Wendell’s story ends. It’s open ended enough so that I enjoy thinking about their future but closed enough that I’m contented with leaving them.

I buddy read this with my friend and we really enjoyed swapping our theories and feelings over every part of the book!

I received an ARC from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for sending me this ebook. All thoughts are my own.

“Shall we retake our kingdom, Em?”

This truly was a lovely ending to the Emily Wilde trilogy. I really loved the plot and setting of this book! One of my favourite things about the whole series are the little fairies and animal companions. The return of Poe, Shadow, Snowbell was everything I needed and more. Their presence adds so much to the world they live in and gives Emily a tremendous amount of humanity where she sometimes comes across cold with people. Also, I need to acknowledge here how much I like Wendell and Emily as characters. So well developed and fun and perfect for each other! Wendell in particular is one of my favourite kinds of male characters in fantasy books. To be honest, I was well and truly charmed from book one. Not to mention that he sort of pulls a Howl giving Sophie a flower field by gifting Emily with that cottage outside of Faerie. So perfect! The only thing I will say is that the novelty of the format (mainly the footnotes) sort of wore off in this book, simply because it slowed down the pacing at points where I didn’t want it to. However, I still really liked that it was written as if it was Emily writing in her journal.

I will miss this cute little world and characters a lot. Sad to say goodbye, but it really was a sweet ending.

There is something beautifully whimsical about this trilogy- they are the perfect cosy fantasy books that transport you to a different realm; one where you're sat next to an open fire with a hot chocolate and your favourite book, having left a little something for your homes resident fae.

Having utterly loved books one and two, I confess being worried about how Book 3 would play out. I needn't have. We have the adventure and mild peril we come to expect, and you just can't help but love all the characters- Emily and Wendell (and Shadow!!) especially. The trilogy is beautifully wrapped up in a satisfying way - with a glorious smile on your face.

Very nice book! If you enjoyed other books in this series, you will enjoy this one too.

Plot continues where the previous book left of, and in the same spirit. It concludes nicely, though it could easily have more books. I would enjoy to read more of Emily's adventures.

Emily Wilde is a great character and the world building is as beautiful and terrifying as always but my biggest gripe is that this is NOT a cozy fantasy. It is an adventure, romance, fantasy but the amount of danger disqualifies it from the cozy genre.

Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales was everything I expected from an Emily Wilde adventure. Wendell being lovely, Emily being Emily, the Fae being delightfully creepy, and Shadow being the best dog.

Rather than an expedition to find a faerie door, this instalment starts out right in front of one. The door to Wendell’s realm. Will he be accepted back in the place of rightful ruler? Or will there be a deadly battle for the throne? Emily now has to deal with the idea of being a faerie queen, in a land not always welcoming to mortals. She would just rather dress in simple clothes and bury herself in her books. But she loves Wendell and does her best to try a little bit.

Wendell goes out of his way to please Emily. Every single gift of his was so sweet or thoughtful, from a mortal cottage for Emily to escape to when she needs it, to a library full of beautifully made journals for her to fill. And the very best gift came at the end, I must admit to welling up over what he does for Shadow.

Even faerie dogs get old, and Shadow is starting to show the signs of old age. He is such an important part of this book, again and again showing his loyalty and bravery.

I absolutely loved that an important plot point rested on a character not bothering with the footnotes of the academic tomes they were studying. I always enjoy Emily’s footnotes—they add an extra layer of depth to the worldbuilding—but I can understand skimming over them if you’re eager to get on with the story.

I really hope this isn’t the end for Emily and her companions. These books strike just the right balance between cosy and danger, and I have come to look forward to a new one each year. There was even a mention of a faerie door opening into the New Forest. I would love a locally set Emily book so much!

Thank you for an advanced copy of this book.

I've just finished reading and wow this was the perfect ending to an amazing trilogy. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute I spent reading the conclusion to Emily and Wendell's story (give me more please I beg).

After finally finding a door to Wendell's realm, Emily and Wendell return to find the old Queen has cast a curse poisoning their new kingdom. The book centers around them (mainly Emily) trying to find a cure for the poison and some insane story about bees that I loved and didn't fully understand. Maybe that's the point.

I did spend a lot of the book on edge every time Emily mentioned that Shadow is getting old- slight spoiler but the dog is fine!- but other than that it was the perfect read at the perfect time of year.

I was kindly given an advanced copy of this book by the publisher to review.

I absolutely adore the Emily Wilde series and her relationship with both Wendell and academia never fail to delight me. Lost tales, in a similar fashion to its predecessors, is fairly slow moving however has enough action to keep me interested and engaged.

Witnessing Emily’s assertion to a faerie throne was a joy and seeing how she uses her academic knowledge to ensure her and Wendell’s success fit so well into the story so far. I truly think that she is the ideal mortal queen of faerie.

I really did enjoy the book. It took me longer to read than most books, I think largely due to the long chapters and slow start, but by the end I couldn’t put it down and devoured the last 50% in just two days.

Another wonderful book. I'm sad it's the end but it was the perfect ending for Wendell and Emily.

Heather's writing is so magical and you feel transported to another realm. I was happy to see Poe! I would have liked more actually as I love him! All the dude characters are interesting and help with the flow of the story.

I can't wait to see what other series Heather comes up with in the future.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

It's with a heavy heart and a lot of thought that I've given this one 3.5 stars. I am a huge fan of the first 2 Emily Wilde books; I devoured them and rated them both 5 stars. I was so excited to be given the opportunity to read this one early and dive back into this world.

I'll get the negative bits over with first!
The pacing was a bit too slow! This is a pretty high stakes book! However, the first 40% or so just felt a bit slow and eeked out. Then when things did get going, the conclusion felt a bit rushed.
I didn't get the same reading experience with this one as I did with the others. I didn't connect with the plot lines or the stakes as much as previous.
It felt like there was this huge build up to finding Wendell's stepmother and defeating her, banishing the curse and restoring the land. But how that was actually achieved just felt a bit flat...

What I enjoyed:
-Heather Fawcett's writing continues to shine. It's poetic, to the point, whimsical and just adds that sprinkle of magic that I needed.
-Emily and Wendell's romance: it was nice to see Emily feel a bit more comfortable with the relationship, expressing her affections for Wendell and her friends. But it remained true to her character: still shy and reserved, but with a bit more confidence. It really showed her character growth and Wendell's influence. Wendell is also one of the most wonderful male protagonist to ever exist. He just got better and better.
-Shadow!!! My love for him is endless. He, and Orga and Poe (the snippets we got of him) were perfect and really added a bit of fun, drama and emotion to the storyline.
-The footnotes. I know they're not everyone's favourite but I think they add so much to the overall experience

Whilst it wasn't my favourite of the 3, I would definitely recommend it and purchase it for myself and others.

Thank you to Orbit UK and NetGalley for the eARC, I squealed when I was accepted as this is one of my most anticipated releases of the year. If you haven’t read this series, you may want to skip this review as there are slight spoilers for plot points over the trilogy.

At this point, in Heather Fawcett I trust and boy did she deliver with this finale! I’m really hoping we get more books in this world as I don’t think I’ll ever get bored of diving into the cosiness that Heather has created. The stakes up as the events from the prior 2 books have lead to Emily finally travelling with Wendell to his kingdom. It’s definitely the most romantic of the 3, honestly please can I have a Wendell because this man goes above and beyond and adores this woman in every way!

The writing is, as always, fantastic and Heather really took care to wrap up every aspect of this trilogy. We see some favourite characters make a reappearance and there are lots of full circle moments. I loved that Emily was still true to form and as awkward and academic as ever.

The plot definitely goes harder in this one which somehow made it feel longer than it is, I don’t think quite so much needed to happen but nevertheless I really appreciated that it shook things up a little - I felt that book 2 followed quite a similar formula plot-wise to book 1. I ended the book in tears and am missing these characters already! I think this is one I’ll definitely reread in the future and I’m so excited to see what Heather Fawcett does next!

Overall series rating 4.58 stars:
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries 5 stars
Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands 4.25 stars
Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales 4.5 stars