Thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for an arc of Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales! Publishing date 11th Feb 2025!

What can I say about this final installment in this magical series? Like all the other Emily Wilde books this was a fun, whimsy and cosy read. Without giving too much away, I adored how Emily retraced her steps from previous books and past characters reappeared- it felt like all loose ends were addressed. I'm also one for the found family troupe and this definitely delivered that.

Overall, I wouldn't say this was the best one in the series (the first book will always be my favourite) however I adored the story and the usual whimsy element in these books. Would recommend to anyone who loves a cosy fantasy read!

Cannot wait to see where the author goes next- she will always be on my autobuy list!

An enjoyable end to one of my favourite trilogies of recent years! Though this book is probably the weakest of the 3, it still contains the heart and warmth that made me fall in love with the books from the first page.

I would have loved to have read this but there was a technical glitch with the kindle download and I cannot read via the app as the writing is too small.

4.5⭐️
I have put off writing this review for so long because I am struggling with what to say. I am honestly unsure if it is my least favourite in the series (but still amazing guys!!) because the pacing is off somehow and I can't quite pinpoint where or how exactly, or if it is because that reading this book was bittersweet as I knew it was the last book and didn't want my time with Emily and Wendell to end.

I struggle with endings so much - to the point that I have not watched the last season of many many shows I am obsessed with because then I can keep pretending they haven't ended. I know, I'm strange and delusional.

I was so so so excited for this book and I adored my time with these characters, getting to see Wendell's kingdom and watching the relationship between Emily and Wendell continue and flourish in the faerie lands! It was a brilliant instalment to the Emily Wilde series!

But whilst I truly did love this book so so so much (although book 2 is still my fav, then book 1, then this one last but by no means least), there was just something about it that didn't hold the same magic as the first two books for me. Again, I am still trying to work out if that is something in the book, or if it is entirely my fault and because I was aware it was the end and mourning the end even whilst reading it, which very likely could have coloured my view of the book.

I do also listen to the audiobooks after publication as well (I read this as a netgalley arc ahead of publication), so I will see if that feeling lingers after listening to it and absorbing the story twice. If it doesn't then I know it was my own emotions and sadness at this beloved series ending that caused the "issue" for me and nothing to do with the book's pacing (or whatever else it might have been). So I will update this later on after I listen to the audiobook!

Let me start by saying that while this third installment wasn’t my favorite in the series, it still delivered a delightful journey worth diving into for fans of Emily and Wendell.

Picking up right where the second book left off, the story sets out with promise but initially stumbles. For the first 30-40%, the pace dragged, and I found myself questioning whether anything was actually *happening*. Emily herself felt a bit off—too shy and self-conscious as she faced the Silva Lupi court. It was a far cry from the passionate, pragmatic scholar I’ve grown to love.

But fear not! Once you push past that slow start, things *finally* pick up. Emily reclaims her spark, diving back into her role as the determined academic, unraveling folklore and forgotten tales to tackle the curse plaguing Wendell’s kingdom. That’s when the magic really comes alive again.

Now, let’s talk about Emily and Wendell. I missed their signature banter, which is such a hallmark of this series. Wendell, ever the gloriously vainglorious beam of sunlight (with a side of chaos), felt almost sidelined in the first half, and the two didn’t spend much time together. But the final quarter of the book more than made up for it, bringing back their delightful dynamic. Wendell’s letters to Emily were an absolute highlight—adorable, heartwarming, and so very *him*. His unwavering affection for Emily, mixed with his charm and occasional flair for drama, reminded me why he’s one of my favorite characters in fiction.

And can we take a moment to appreciate Orga and Shadow? Whether you’re a cat or dog lover, their distinct and endless love for their humans/fae will absolutely melt your heart. They’re the unsung heroes of this series.

While *Compendium of Lost Tales* didn’t quite reach the heights of the first two books for me, it still offered an engaging, cozy adventure. The fairytale vibes and light academia aesthetic remain as enchanting as ever, and I wholeheartedly recommend this series to anyone looking for a whimsical escape.

Absolutely fantastic! Great characters that I adored. What a great 3rd book in the series. Emily holds a special place in my heart and is easily one of my fav FMCS. It’s not quite as special as the first two books but nonetheless I adored this. Thank you so much for the ARC!

If you want feel wrapped up, cozy under a heavy blanket next to a crackling fire, smelling the faint scent of the forest just outside your door - but with a dash of adventure - then this is the series for you. Absolutely heartwarming and steeped in folklore and academia, the third installment in the series - Compendium - comes out on February 11, and I definitely recommend adding it to your TBR because the hype is real

I read the entire series over the holiday break and was fortunate enough to be granted this review copy by LL O N prior to its publication date, and I’m so grateful. Due to it’s inherently cozy nature, I’ll always associate Emily with the winter season. Truthfully, I’ll likely end up rereading it every winter - it’s that comforting yet compelling simultaneously.

Compendium starts off slow but in a cozy way, sprinkling in a familiar cast of characters in Emily’s world that I have come to love like my own family. Curses, familial rifts, and fighting for a realm - all whilst recording events as a scholar - make this a compulsive read.

This is the perfect whimsical story with a streak of dark, bloody fantasy. I’d definitely classify this as “light academia,” starring faeries of all sorts and charming characters. Compendium continues the current of romance that’s blossomed from pure respect and time running underneath. The serious / sunshine character trope is executed here almost effortlessly but also realistically.

I am ever so grateful for this review copy and can’t wait to buy the finished book to add to my shelves upon release.

I have to admit, I was initially drawn to this series by the irresistibly adorable covers—but the story inside did not disappoint! If you’ve already fallen in love with the first two books, you’ll be delighted to dive back into Emily and Wendell’s witty banter and the richly crafted world.

In this third installment, I especially enjoyed exploring the intricacies of Wendell’s fairy court through Emily’s scholarly perspective. The worldbuilding continues to be top-notch, offering new layers to this enchanting universe. While the pace of the adventure starts off a bit slower compared to the previous books, it still unfolds in a satisfying and engaging way that kept me hooked until the end.

A big thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown for granting me an arc in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Deep down I knew wasn't ready to say goodbye to Emily and dear old Wendell, but the (at this point we could even call it visceral) need to read more about them was stronger than ever.

The start of this book wasn't as gripping as the other two for me, but still after passing the first 20-ish percent I was immersed back into the amazing fantasy of Fawcett, never wanting to leave. Wendell's realm literally comes out of a dream. From mesmerizing forests, passing through viridian plains and ending towards the border. I loved the comebacks that certain characters had, to have old faces reappear made me infinitely happily.

As always there wasn't a single character that I actually hate like the last times, while the only thing I would have truly wanted was having like in the last two books a couple (even one, I would have loved having only one) chapter from Wendell's perspective. Orga and Shadow still being at odds with each other (well if it's not Wendell Orga will have beef with anyone) made me both smile and grumble for poor Shadow.

The book was medium paced, which I liked. The story perse was cute, but I adored as always how Emily's knowledge was proven vital once more and now I can only imagine how those two will try and rule over the kingdom together.

4.3⭐️ 0🌶️

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group for providing me with an eARC of this book!

This series has genuinely been such a favorite for me since I read the first 2 books a year ago. Emily and Wendell are truly peak grumpy/sunshine and I love them together so much. Their interactions were by far the best part of this book.

This book, while I still loved it, didn’t quite hit the highs of the previous 2 for me. I think that largely had to do with the plot/setting. The first 2 books took place in a human village that had great casts (including faeries) and a sense of discovery and development. They were so charming and warm and the peak of cozy fantasy.

I think because this book took place mostly in Faerie, it lost a bit of the charm. The characters we met in Faerie didn’t get huge amounts of development like the humans in past books. Therefore, I didn’t quite care about them as much. The plot was interesting and had lots of fun throwbacks. But again just didn’t hit the same heights.

I still loved this book and this whole series and would 100% recommend them to anyone. Emily and Wendell will forever have my heart.

This final installment in the Emily Wilde series can leave a bittersweet feeling behind. While I'm sad to say goodbye to this charming world and its delightful characters, I'm also incredibly grateful for the journey. Heather's writing is consistently witty and engaging, and this book is no exception. The humor throughout, from the witty banter between Emily and Wendell to the quirky observations about the faerie world, kept me thoroughly entertained. I particularly enjoyed seeing how much Emily has grown since the first book, blossoming into a confident and capable young woman. It was heartwarming to witness her friendships deepen and to see her navigate the challenges of her new role with grace and humor. Wendell, ever the charming and supportive partner, remains a beloved character. The ending, while bittersweet, felt appropriate for this series. It was open-ended enough to leave room for imagination, allowing readers to envision their own happy endings for Emily and Wendell, while also providing a satisfying sense of closure.


Little, Brown Book Group UK | Orbit, NetGalley, and the editorial team - thanks for giving me the opportunity to review an audiobook ARC of this publication!

Estimated publication date: 11 Feb 2025

For more reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads!

#EmilyWildesCompendiumofLostTales #NetGalley #LifeLongLearning

Firstly, thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC!

I’m so sad that this trilogy is over. It’s been so nice coming back to this world for the last couple of years and I’m going to miss Emily and Wendell greatly, as well as the characters we’ve come to know along the way. It took me a while to read, partially because I didn’t want to say goodbye.

I really enjoyed the subtle romance in this book, especially when you consider how Emily has grown since book 1. It was also nice seeing her continuing friendships with old friends who made an appearance as well.

It was a nice ending to a lovely cozy series and I felt happy for Emily, Wendell and Shadow to be continuing their journey together, although sad that we are not going with them. Finally - thank you, Heather, for creating this world. ❤️

As with the previous two books, I absolutely flew through this. So fast paced, so hard to put down - even in ebook form. The characters are witty and real as always; especially Olga and Shadow my favs. Lots of unexpected moments and overall a very satisfying read!

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for my advanced copy, these are my thoughts:

This was the best way to conclude this trilogy!

I have no idea how so much was packed into 368 pages and at the same time, I didn’t feel like it was all crammed together.

I loved seeing characters from the previous books make an appearance. It was heartwarming to see how introverted and somewhat antisocial Emily from book 1, grew so much over these three books, making friends and bonds with people who truly cared about her and her well-being.

The humor in this book - like in the other two, was so good! I laughed so much!

Wendell - always the charmer and ever caring and loving of Emily, he tried his best to keep her happy, since she’d essentially uprooted her life for him. And Emily, even though she didn’t believe it, she was the perfect Queen for Wendell.

The ending was befitting of Emily and Wendell - not cliché and open in a way that you just knew they had the whole world at their disposal; with endless possibilities and adventures, but you didn’t feel the need to follow them. You just felt happy for them.

I read this together with a friend - the same one I’d read the other two books with, making this series all the more special.

I’m so sad I’ve finished this book 😓 Emily Wilde’s compendium of lost tales is the third, and final book, in this cozy fantasy series following Emily, a dryadologist at the university of Cambridge, and Wendell her former academic rival who turned out to be a faerie prince. Throughout this series we’ve seen Emily gather information and facts for her encyclopaedia of faeries, her mapbook and now her compendium of tales, whilst fighting of vindictive and cruel folk who wish them harm. We’ve visited far off places, and of course the otherlands, the faerie realms. I’ve loved exploring the world through Emilys eyes, my straight forward and non apologetic queen (definitely on the spectrum), and through my quirky, charming and utterly sarcastic fae prince, Wendell. They are such an unlikely pair, but fit so incredibly well together. If you loved The Cruel prince trilogy, this is definitely for you. The brutality and politics of that series, paired with light academia, and characters that are incredibly funny without being aware of it. In this third installment they faced of against the greatest threat of the trilogy, and it was truly a roller coaster of a journey. Definitely the highest stakes of the entire trilogy, so much happens that you’re left wondering how this will all end…Such a wonderful conclusion, and book. Thank you for having me on this journey Heather 🙏🏼

I’m not ready to say goodbye…💔

🍄 Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales • Heather Fawcett 🍄
★★★★

Read if you enjoy:
🍄 Romantasy
🍄 Cosy light academia
🍄 Fairytales
🍄 Epistolary writing

Emily and Wendell have found his kingdom, and now it’s time to take his throne. Which was much more easily done than they had prepared for. Until they realise that Wendell’s evil stepmother has placed a deadly curse on the land.

The first two books in this series gained an easy five stars from me. They were fun, action packed, and full of wit and canniness. This installment I award a generous four stars to. Despite its original and continuing charm, and the incredible writing, the actual plot of this book seems like it could have been extended onto book two rather than given its own book. A lot of this books sequencing felt like filler.

I had high expectations for this installment and I was not disappointed. I thoroughly enjoyed it and out of the three it might actually be my favourite. The coziness and cuteness will get me every time. Would highly recommend.

First of all: thank you NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for providing me with this ARC

Now on to the actual review.

I have to say I was a little disappointed. It’s weird but somehow I feel like the strongest book in this series was the second? That’s so rare I normally find the second to be the weakest but somehow in this case it was definitely my favourite.

The setting:
I think a large part of me disliking this book more than the previous two is the fact that is is largely set in faerie and while it still has a scholarly theme to it and Emily is very much still primarily a scholar it just wasn’t as fun having her in faerie full time, compared to her running around the human realm trying to prove her wild theories.
I did however love the whole aspect of the importance of stories in faerie and how they played a big part in the plot.

Which leads us to the next point.

The Plot:
It took me a while to get into. I wouldn’t say that any book in this series has been particularly high stakes and fast paced but this book just felt even slower than the previous books. The plot also came together a little too conveniently for my taste? Like there were high stakes but they were fixed before I even had the chance to get all worried about it and then there’s the fact that there were so many high stake moments that I tended to forget the previous one the second the next came. It just all felt a little too much. These moments drowned each other out in a way (sorry I’m trying really hard to write this review without any spoilers so this may sound a bit confusing).
One minor spoiler:
<spoiler> Wendell’s real name…I feel like this could have been such a great moment in the story giving it the needed extra emotions that seemed to be lacking a bit. There even was the perfect moment where he could have unveiled it for maximum emotions but no we never even got it at all. Which fair but like I said it would have served as a good emotionally charged moment <spoiler>
For this who didn’t want to read the spoiler all I said is that the emotions were lacking despite opportunities for drama.

The characters:
This was one of my biggest worries with the ending of book 2. That we wouldn’t see any of Emily’s human friends anymore. I really loved Ariadne and Farris and while they were back in this book I felt like we saw way too little of them. Especially Ariadne. She was mostly mentioned being there rather than actually having and active role which I found a little disappointing.
We did however meet old friends from book 1 again which I enjoyed greatly. Still overall it was largely a lot of new-ish characters being introduced that I never really came to care about (the exception being the little butter brownie she did steal my heart instantly)
There was also way too little Wendell and Emily interaction for my taste. It was usually (not surprising if we‘re honest) Emily running of alone to fix things.
I just hoped since they’re finally officially together they would you know…be together a bit more.
Safe to say I still adore Emily, Wendell and most of all Shadow.

The writing style:
It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but obviously I love it otherwise I don’t think I’d have made it past book 1.
And I do still love it, the footnotes aren’t my favorite but they aren’t in actual scholarly literature either so it’s very on brand for me to dislike them here too.

Overall:
Overall it just fell a little flat for me especially given how this is meant to be the ending of the series. Al felt a little too dragged out, almost as if this book was a bit of an after thought and then the author needed to find enough material to make it long enough. I still genuinely enjoyed it and it provided some closure but the ending felt very open-ish and I missed some of the emotions I felt in the previous two books.

I’d say this is really just for peilen who genuine loved the series and don’t want it to end just yet otherwise you might also just stop after book to which gives enough of an open ending to feel like a conclusion.

A massive thank you to the publisher, the author and Netgalley for gifting me an early copy of Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Fairy Tales.

I adored this book. I thought it would be difficult for me to remember what happened in the last book and not be familiar with the world but as soon as I started reading I was back!

Emily is such an amazing main character. She is kind, clever, and adventurous. I can only aspire to be like her!

I love the footnotes in this series, it really adds to the scientific aspect in the story.

It was also great to have flawed characters in the story and see their development through the book.

Lord Taran was such a great character, he made me smile/laugh many times and I LOVED that Poe made an appearance. He is one of my favourite characters in the series, he is just the cutest!

The relationship between Orga and Shadow also made me smile a lot!

And lastly, I want to say that the writing is incredible. It feels like these people actually exist and that this is part of our world. I don’t know if there will be another book but if it’s the case I will be 100% reading it!

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the arc!

🌟🌟🌟/5

The final installment in the Emily Wilde trilogy is decidedly less cozy as compared to the first two books. It's also my least favourite of the series.

I absolutely adore Emily as a protagonist. I love the way Heather Fawcett has created a unique, unforgettable voice. In an era where poorly written romantic relationships from romantasy books dominate the bookish community, it is Emily and Wendell's relationship that makes me giggle and kick my feet in the air. Their banter has been the highlight of the entire series for me. While there were some moments between them that were quite delightful, the banter felt conspicuously missing. Wendell was almost reduced to a side character. In book 3, the author tried to introduce a realm-threatening event to the plot, but couldn't craft the right stakes to support it. The way the conflict was handled was too convenient. While the footnotes added to the epistolary aesthetic of the book, they did not add much to the plot and ended up being distracting.

Overall, the tone of the book felt very...dry. The final chapter ended on a weird note and didn't feel like something the series should've been ended with. While I did not enjoy this very much, I do believe Heather Fawcett has a talent for spinning cozy tales and I cannot wait for Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter coming out in 2026!