Emily’s tales never disappoint! It is the perfect combination of adventure and whimsical coziness. A recommendation for all those who have enjoyed the previous instalments.

i thought this was a great way to end the series (or at least seems like its the end). i liked the reappearance of characters from the first two books and the dynamic between emily and wendell. some of the reasoning felt a bit weird or different to the other books but i did like that this went more of a stories route rather than the more scientific leaning of the earlier books.

3.5 stars
Thank you so much netgalley for the opportunity to read this book as an arc in exchange for an honest review To be completely honest I don't know it it was the writting style or the slower pacing of the story but over halfway through it was starting to feel a little bit dragged out and I wanted to be done with it, however it might also be that l'm not so used to cozy stories like this
Nonetheless, I've fallen in love with this world and how magic everything feels, I can't even begin to describe it. I like to read just so I can be with these characters, and I've also grown so fond of the relationship in this book! Emily and bumbleby are the cutest and made me want to go back and reread the first book

As soon as I saw this on my NetGalley shelf, I knew this had to be my first book of 2025!

In this we follow Emily and Wendell as they adventure through his realm, to reclaim his throne. I really enjoyed the exploration of more of the world and its creatures, which I find so interesting and fun. As usual I loved following Emily’s journey and train of thoughts. I also really enjoyed her dynamic with Wendell, although I was a bit annoyed by him at the end of the book.
The writing was amazing, but I didn’t expect anything less considering the last two books in the series.
I expected just a tad more from the plot, but still enjoyed my time reading this.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange of an honest review.

The first book in the Emily Wilde series was one of my favourite reads of last year, so even though I didn't love the second book as much as the first, I was super excited to see how the third instalment played out.

Unfortunately, it didn't really hit for me. I've been raving about the first book in the series to people by pitching it as "as if Holly Black wrote Spinning Silver", but the Black-esque worldbuilding of Faerie I expected never really appeared. I found myself underwhelmed and vaguely confused with the world, unengaged with any of the new characters, and baffled by all the set-up that wasn't followed by payoff. Characters like the Boggart, Lady East Wind, Delilah, the lady who turns into a crow, even Lord Taran and Callum and surely more I'm forgetting – all of them are introduced as if they'll become a greater part of the story later, and none of them really do, which (for me) meant even the more exciting final third of the book ended up being a bit underwhelming.

Even Wendell's mortal enemy, his step-mother, went out with much more of a whimper than a bang. The conclusion of (spoilers ahead) her rescue could have been done well if it had been tied into the thread from the first book of faeries needing to have an enemy left alive, but that seemed to have been forgotten entirely, overwritten by the story of the bees. And if she hadn't been entirely neutralised by the rescue, even just a little line to rouse suspicion, that might have tied that up in a more interesting way! Idk! Perhaps it was just that I read this over the busy xmas period, or the fact that the arc was poorly formatted, but I really was left v underwhelmed.

HOWEVER. The characters of Emily and Wendell (when he was around, which wasn't often!) were as delightful as ever. Going into this book, I was worried the conclusion would be "actually they decide Faerie isn't right for them after all and they go back to Cambridge", and I'm glad that didn't happen. And I always enjoy a good bit of an out-of-place character being accepted by communities, so the inhabitants of Faerie accepting Emily as their queen did have some emotional impact.

All in all, I'll def still be recommending this series to people – but I might also be gently suggesting that they treat the first book as a standalone.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the arc.

1.75 stars

The Emily Wilde series is a beautiful blend of cosy fantasy and light academia, but it could’ve and should’ve been a standalone. These books are told through the journals of a leading faerie scholar, and this format just didn’t work anymore for a third book. I think as the author tried to expand the world and draw in readers who want fantasy battles and action sequences, it wasn’t considered that if your whole book consists on telling the readers and not showing them, this will inevitably be a disappointment. I enjoyed the different narrative style up to a point, but this book quickly became repetitive and the limitations of journal-entry narrating showed.

I loved book 1, and I held onto that and was hoping book 2 was suffering from middle book syndrome when it didn’t live up to its predecessor, but I was wrong. I wouldn’t have finished this book if it wasn’t an ARC honestly.

The most enjoyable thing about this series was the opposites-attract-rivals-to-lovers dynamic between Emily and Wendell in book 1. Obviously they get together, it’s great, but ever since they seem to be spending less and less page time together? If it weren’t for *constant* wedding mentions, you would forget they are even together in this book for the most part. As a result there is a Wendell-shaped absence for much of this book, and as he’s my favourite character, I found that disappointing.

Beyond that, the main issues I found in this book were shaky or nonexistent transition between scenes. I spent so much of this book wondering where the characters were and how they got there. In the previous 2 books the characters have made great journeys without this problem so I really don’t know what happened there. I also expected the third instalment to be lighter on the folklore and world building (I do like the way these things are done in this series so I’m not complaining about them being in there) but it was HEAVIER. Just huge info dumps, my issue being that they weren’t delivered through Emily’s lens and used to teach the reader and the character as they were in the other books. This made a huge difference to the reading experience, and I ultimately felt like Emily’s personality (why we love her) was sucked out of 80% of this book.

There was course a few great moments of whimsy and banter, and I do enjoy this author’s prose. There was just A LOT that didn’t work for me.

After absolutely loving the first two books in this series, this one was high on my list of anticipated reads. Emily is such an enticing character - her dry humour, insatiable curiosity, and knack for finding trouble make her so much fun to follow. And the format, with its mix of diary entries and academic extracts about fantastical things, is just perfect for the series.

That said, it pains me to admit that I didn’t love this book as much as I’d hoped. Some of my thoughts:

- The pacing felt off, especially in the first part. I found myself drifting in and out of the story and struggling to stay engaged.

- I really missed seeing more of Emily’s relationship with Wendell. While I get that Emily is first and foremost an academic, and we’re seeing the story unfold through her diary, I wish there had been more focus on their sweet and understated romance.

- Shadow! He completely stole the show for me. His unconditional love for Emily and his role in the quest were highlights of the book (and maybe the series!). He’s the best boy, and I loved every moment with him 🥹

- It was wonderful seeing some of the side characters from earlier books—it felt like a fitting farewell to the series.

-Speaking of farewells, is this the end of the series? If so, the ending left me feeling a bit “meh.” It didn’t land for me as strongly as I wanted it to.

Overall, while this wasn’t my favourite book in the series, I’m still so glad I got to spend more time with Emily and the world Heather Fawcett has created. And if there’s ever another book, you can bet I’ll be reading it!

3.5/5 ⭐

Disclaimer: I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars. So obviously as the third and final instalment in this series you know what to expect by now; Emily and her friends uncover a faerie tale or some scrap of olde lore to enable them to fix any problem that may have arisen in the mortal world or that of Faerie. In this book though I really struggled to care as much as I had in The Encyclopaedia of Faeries or The Map of the Otherworld. There didn't feel to be any big pull to continue reading because no matter what occurred Emily would fix it in a flash. The continued references to fictional sources was getting on my nerves by the end of this series as well. I'm torn as I was such a fan of the first two parts and it's by no means a bad book, just VERY similar to the previous efforts, including bringing back old characters to join in Emily's study group. There were parts I did like - the further commitment of Wendell and Emily (yes I am a soppy romantic at heart), Shadow still being around as a loyal sidekick, the reveal of Emily's grandfather's journal (an amateur dryadologist in his day) and the repercussions of that. But overall it did take me a while to read it as it was the sort of book you can put down and wander away from rather than being on the edge of your seat eagerly awaiting the next chapter.

ARC read courtesy of NetGalley.

I enjoyed all three volumes, but honestly, the conclusion is the best. I was invested throughout, the imagery worked, the characters were charming, the relationships were wonderful. The focus was more on Emily and Wendell, and it served the story well. (Fewer academics and more fairies was honestly, also an improvement.) And finally, the shift from encyclopedia/map to tales as a way to interpret and predict - literary scholarship! - made for so much thematic resonance and lovely moments. I think everyone who liked the first two book will love this one.

Also, I loved getting to spend more time with Orga, and the meeting between Emily and the Fairy King from the north (the dialogue was particularly funny).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this title.

Another charming adventure with my favorite light academia characters. This time round we are seeing the trials of becoming a Faerie monarch as a mere mortal.

This book has delivered on everything I wanted from the final installation (although I hope more do come from this universe). Lots of adventure, Faerie law, loveable leads and interesting new personalities.

I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone!!!

So sad that I will never get to meet Emily, Wendell, Shadow or Poe :/

After I surprisingly enjoyed “Map of the Otherlands”, I was excited for the conclusion of the Emily Wilde series, because I thought we are finally on the same page.

Unfortunately for me, this book hit about as much as the first one, even though the plot itself was not bad. Not bad at all actually.
I had similar issues with the story and how it progressed as well as with the writing.
It was exhausting in some way? Slow in some parts, interesting in others.

What I did enjoy, however, was the relationship between Emily and Wendell. Super cute!
I also loved seeing all of the characters from book one and two making an appearance!
I even have a new favourite character: Lord Taran!

Final thoughts on the Emily Wilde series: I can definitely see the appeal and this is one of those series, where I can understand the higher and also the lower ratings. I will shelf this series as a potential reread, because I feel like we didn’t start off right and I didn’t give these books the mental attention they might need.

Another great installment in this series, I really enjoy the dynamic of Emily and Wendell's relationship, the same spark from the previous books was present but their love for each other grew and it was so lovely to read. This is up there with the cosiest of fantasy reads, and if happily read about their adventures forever. I understand this is the last installment and it rounded things up well but I still felt it was slightly open at the end if Heather Fawcett did decide to revisit them in the future (fingers crossed she does). Would definitely recommend for anyone who likes fantasy, fairies or a little adventure. Great writing as always, and really enjoyable.

I went into this book expecting to love it.

After all, the last two Emily Wilde books are engraved in my heart as 5 solid stars, and this was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025. Unfortunately, ‘love’ is a word I cannot bestow on Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales no matter how much I continue to love Emily and Wendall’s story.

Yes, I am wholly satisfied with this ‘finale’ of this trilogy. Was I enthralled by the journey to get there? Yes and no. The second half of this book is infinitely better than the first and once we got midway through the book, I finally felt truly invested in the plot. I also adored the way Heather Fawcett wove together characters and plotlines from the previous two stories to the resolution of the book. It made me feel like I was part of Emily’s personal growth as she seemed to have a better understanding of faeries and humans alike. So, what are the “lost” components of this tale which led to this book falling short of a five-star read?

The boring first half

Emily and Wendall traversing through Fae Kingdom to reclaim Wendall’s throne, what could be more exciting? The first and the second book. I felt like we were meandering through and while I was clear on what Wendall wanted (the reclamation of his kingdom and to live happily ever after with Emily), I was unclear of what future and set of expectations Emily had for herself. It felt like she was a stranger in her own narrative, alien to her own desires.

Emily and Wendall

We know Emily and Wendall love each other, but are they compatible for marriage? This is a question the first half of the book raises at an alarming rate in the first half yet fails to answer in the second half. Apparently, these questions are resolved by marriage and the chance that Wendall could die. While “love conquers all” is an ethos we can see Wendall adopting, it does not make sense for Emily. Indeed, when Wendall asks Emily in the end if she is happy in fae, and she answers that she is, I was just as surprised as Wendall with her answer. While we know that Emily is never been the most expressive of beings regarding feelings for Wendall, even for her this book lacked passion. She spent more time expressing that she missed Poe than her actual fiancé, who she spent a ungodly time apart from in this book.#

Not only does this book lack scenes between Emily and Wendall solving fae mysteries together, but it also strips away the playful banter between Emily and Wendall. Emily’s dry and sardonic tone needs Wendall’s cheerful and carefree nature to make the story more dynamic. We love to see them clash heads and hearts with one another. Instead, Wendall is relegated to the role of perpetual piner and book husband. After a while, it felt a tiny bit stagnant. I felt very distant from him throughout the entire story because, the most interesting parts of the story, he was nor actually around.

Emily never integrates into Wendall’s world in a meaningful way.

Again, this goes back to the compatibility question. The reason the second half of the book is so good is because we return to the classic formula employed in the first two books; Emily having specific questions about the fae and her exploring the human realm to speak to fae and solve her questions. We see Emily form connections with these fae folk, who at the onset are quite antagonist or dismissive of her. Yet, this does not happen in Wendall’s world. I did not expect her to be fully accepted in his kingdom by the end of the book, but I did expect her to gain a friend or two. She doesn’t seem to appreciate anything within fae only in how it can translate into an academic paper. Therefore, she continuously feels like a visitor in Wendall’s world who happens to be married to him, then someone who is trying to figure out if she can live among the fae. Her status in fae land seems wholly dependent on Wendall. There are rumours this is not the last book, so it could be Heather is leaving the door open for other books on this front.

The boggart

This is a personal gripe, but there was no payoff with the boggart. I expected him to come back into the story given the fact he asked for a feast and, like the first tale, the boggart tries to conspire against the king. But we never saw him again. Boo.

Conclusion

I want to end this review on a good note because I did overall like the book. Wendall’s caring and understanding nature was a highlight for me, as it was clear Wendall and Emily understand each other and accept one another for who they are. Their relationship overall is wholesome and for that alone I can give this book a million stars. The secondary characters introduced, such as Taran and Delilah, were fun characters to play around with, and I really enjoyed the world-building of Wendall’s kingdom. In fact, if it is revealed this book is a transitional book, it would make more sense to me, and I would continue to invest in Emily and Wendall’s journey!

Many thanks to Netgallery and Hachette UK for the advanced copy of this book. I look forward to the audible version coming out in 2025, perhaps that can change my opinion on this book too.
1 like

3.25 rounded down for goodreads and netgalley.
It is my favorite of the series. I’ve gotten used to the cosiness and the absence of a action-packed plot and I can appreciate it for what it is now. The characters are still not to my liking, but they were better than in the previous books — especially Wendell, who’s a bit calmer in a way. What I preferred is the atmosphere, it is perfect for winter. It feels magical and whimsical.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Last book of the year of course it had to be the third book in the Emily Wilde series.

This series holds such a special place in my heart. I was incredibly lucky to receive an ARC, and I’m so glad this book was everything I was expecting and more. As always, reading this series made me feel as though I was truly in Faerie. Heather has an incredible talent for world building that amazes me every time.

In this book, With Emily’s help Wendell finally found the door to his realm, from which he was banished by his stepmother. but things are not as easy as they seem. His stepmother, though gravely injured after her encounter with Emily, isn’t going down without a fight. In fact, she places a curse on the entire realm, a curse that can only be broken by Wendell’s death.

So Emily uses her vast knowledge of old tales to search for a way to break the curse. At the same time, she navigates the weirdness of Wendell’s realm and her new role as its queen.

It’s always bittersweet to reach the end of an Emily Wilde novel, but this time the feeling is even stronger since it might be the last one. If it is, Heather has delivered a phenomenal conclusion. The bond between Emily and Wendell grows even deeper in this book, and we’re introduced to several new characters while revisiting a few familiar ones.

I’m really going to miss this world and its characters, but I’m holding out hope that there will be more stories in the future.

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review

This third instalment in the Emily Wilde series was everything I hoped it would be, and more. I loved the first two books and was thrilled that this story, which find Emily and Wendall attempting to reclaim his kingdom, was as delightful as ever.

The pacing of this book was steady, and is ideal for cosying up with of an evening. It was wonderful to return to this world, with friends new and familiar, and see where this adventure takes them.

I would highly recommend this book and series, and look forward to rereading in the future. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Emily and Wendell embark on their journey into Wendell's realm. Having previously defeated his step-mother, taking the throne should be a formality, yet it is not so easy. A dark curse is threatening the kingdom and Emily soon realises they are living in a "fairy tale" whose many versions don't seem to have a happy ending. Emily is determined to use all her scholarly powers to find the one iteration of the story that has a happy ending.

The third Emily Wilde novel is just as good as its predecessors. It's cosy and dark and sweet and funny, and the perfect read for an otherwise grey day.

4.75

My fav book of the series

I think the premise and plot were good and the romance really took an turn in this book (quite similarly to EWMOTO) but I think my one critique is the writing still needs a little bit of simplifying. I'm all for flowering writing however it just felt more dense than the other books but it still was my fav of the series.

This was not the book I expected it to be. The general tone is that of a travelogue that happens to be set in a fantasy land, rather than the sort of escalating and compounding problems that I'd expect to find in the final book of a fantasy series. I also thought it was less funny than the earlier books.

However, once I took it as the book it was rather than the book I expected, I did enjoy reading it. I'd hesitate to call it cosy fantasy, as there is far too much murder and destruction going on for it to count as 'low stakes', but it feels like a nearby genre. Slow fantasy, perhaps. I liked the descriptions of folklore and scenery, and the sequential nature of the problems encountered meant I could read it at a sedate pace rather than feeling that I needed to rush through it to the end.

Recommended, but be prepared for it to be a little different from the earlier books in the series.

First of all i’d like to thank netgalley and the publisher for granting me a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I CAN’T BELIEVE ITS OVER

Emily wilde’s was one of the series where from one of the very first chapters, the story managed to drag me right into it, and not let me go until I finally finished it. I mean how could it not? It seemed it have taken everything I love to see in stories and just sprinkled it right onto every single page of the entire series. So yeah, i’m a bit sad that it’s over now. But satisfied nonetheless. Managed to give me that bittersweet feeling where you have to fight your tears while closing the book at the end, not due to the ending being tragic, but simply cause it ended.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the romance between Emily and Wendell dialed up a bit in this book! Emily is definitely not a very emotionally driven character, so the romance has always been a bit more lowkey in the previous installments. That’s what made these moments of tenderness between them even more special to me (since I myself am a very romance driven person).

Emily herself will always be one of those characters I’ll hold close to my heart. Something about passionate scholars just hits the spot for me. She always stayed true to herself and yet managed to get out of her comfort zone quite a few times during the series, and it almost feels as if I’ve watched a long term friend blossom into their true self.

And last but not least, Wendell <33
Safe to say, he made the top spot on my (very short, yet very important) list of blonde men I admire.

While the story wrapped up quite nicely, i’ll still be praying the the fae gods for a new book (travel novella collection me thinks)