What an adventure! Wendell and Emily continue to be some of my favorite characters. Their story is the sweetest! If you're looking for a cozy time with a sprinkle of mystery, dark faeries, and suspense, this is the read for you. A perfect follow-up to the first two books in the series. I'm a huge fan!!

How I love cozy fantasy.

Not much can be told in this third part as it may be spoilers.

Emily and Wandell are a beautiful couple who have evolved greatly.

The setting has been the touch for me, I loved how the author creates all this magical background and all that academic mood (I wanted to immerse myself in this world) I just wanted to know more about the fairies as well as Emily.

The whole cast of secondary characters and in general everything Emily goes through has fascinated me, I just want more and more of her.

It has been phenomenal.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this amazing ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Ahh! I just love the relationship between Wendell and Emily. I love the relationship they have with shadow and I love the adventures they have as a couple and as scholars. Emily continues to be pragmatic and shows her love in unconventional ways and I just feel so warm reading this series. 5 stars, chefs kiss 😘 thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

With the Emily Wilde series, Fawcett managed to craft multiple worlds and a seemingly never-ending cast of unique, creepy and adorable Folk who bought the stories within these novels to life.

In ‘Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales’, we get thrown right into Wendell’s faerie realm, Silva Lupi, AKA. ‘The Place Where The Trees Have Eyes’. Brambleby is here to take the throne, following the death of his Stepmother at Emily’s hands, and he’s brought Em to sit beside him as his queen. He’s excited to show her all the things he loves about his home, and give her time to do what she does best; study the fae. There’s just one small hiccup. His Stepmother is poisoning the kingdom, and it appears Wendell and Emily are the only ones who can put a stop to it. There must be some stories out there to help them on their quest though, right?

"What a mess! And I am to deal with all this today? It is not possible. For one thing, I was planning to take Emily to the Broken Meadows for a picnic."

“With a kingdom to rule, and a vengeful rival on the loose, our queen is occupying herself with trivial matters of scholarship?”

The finale to this trilogy had just as much richness and atmosphere as the first two books. Fawcett’s imagination, and the way she’s able to convey the nature of these reals on page is an absolute marvel. I am, by my own admission, pretty rubbish at picturing things I read about, but when I read these books I can see everything, from the creepy trees watching me, to the blushing brownies with buttercups hats and the courtly fae perpetually dripping in blood.

"I understand that stories are an important part of Faerie, but-",
"Not part," Niamh said, pausing at her typing. "They are the very foundations of this world, and all others. As such, they may be used as compasses. Guiding stars. Choose whatever analogy you like."

Despite being thrown right into the faerie world with this instalment, it still felt like the plot took a bit of time to get rolling. There were relatively new characters that we needed to meet, and we spent a bit of time establishing what the dynamics were between everyone. When the action did kick in, there were plenty of twists and turns to keep me engaged, and I appreciated that we didn’t lament on one path for too long before a new hurdle arose. The respites of Emily’s research in the mortal realm, peppered with appearances from old friendly faces and hilarious letters from Wendell were brilliant.

I am sure you are happily ensconced in your natural habitat, that dreary monument to mortal rumination that is the library.

Relationships are where the series shines for me, and they really reached their pique in this book. Emily and Wendell’s love story especially is like nothing I’ve ever read before. Anyone would think she hates him and it’s hilarious how utterly obsessed he is with her, but when you’ve spent so much time reading them together, you see that Emily, while appearing to be the moodiest bitch in all the realms, is actually full of warmth and love. The pair have an unmatched respect for one another below the surface, and seeing Emily maintain her independence as a scholar, a friend, and an Aunt, outside of the being Wendell’s fiancé or the queen of Silva Lupi was the perfect conclusion.

“I know your heart by now Em; it is not all stone and pencil shavings, as you are wont to pretend.”

I’m devastated that I’ve stepped through one of Fawcett’s doors for the final time; I don’t know if I’d ever have been fully prepared to say goodbye to the faerie realms.

Thank you to Little, Brown and Netgalley for the chance to read this early. I’ve purchased my copy already!

In "Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales," Heather Fawcett delivers a masterful conclusion to her beloved trilogy that began with "Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries" and continued through "Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands." This third volume maintains the series' signature blend of academic precision and magical wonder while pushing its protagonist into her most challenging role yet: becoming a queen of Faerie alongside her former academic rival and now-fiancé, Wendell Bambleby.

Series Evolution: From Scholar to Sovereign

The Emily Wilde series has shown remarkable growth from its origins. The first book introduced us to Emily's meticulous documentation of faerie species in the remote village of Hrafnsvik, where she first encountered Wendell's true nature. The second book expanded her horizons through dangerous cartographic adventures. Now, in this third installment, Emily must navigate the treacherous waters of faerie politics while maintaining her scholarly pursuits - a challenge that proves both daunting and illuminating.

Writing Style and Narrative Structure

Fawcett's prose continues to shine through Emily's journal entries, maintaining the academic tone while allowing for moments of personal vulnerability and wry humor. The author masterfully balances scholarly observations with emotional depth, creating a narrative that feels both intellectually stimulating and deeply personal. The journal format, which has been a cornerstone of the series, takes on new significance as Emily documents her transition from observer to participant in faerie politics.

Plot Analysis: Strength and Challenges

Core Storyline

The narrative follows Emily and Wendell as they claim his rightful throne in the Silva Lupi, only to face the devastating consequences of his stepmother's curse upon the land. The plot weaves together political intrigue, scholarly research, and personal growth in a way that mostly succeeds, though occasionally stumbles under its own complexity.

Strong Elements

- The integration of academic research with political maneuvering
- Emily's growing confidence in her unconventional approach to queenship
- The exploration of faerie folklore through a scholarly lens
- The development of supporting characters, particularly the common fae

Areas for Improvement

- Some plot resolutions feel too convenient
- The pacing occasionally slows during political discussions
- Certain character motivations, particularly those of minor antagonists, could be better developed

Character Development

Emily's evolution from reluctant scholar to confident queen while maintaining her essential nature is particularly well-handled. Her relationship with Wendell deepens convincingly, though their dynamic occasionally feels overshadowed by political matters. Secondary characters, especially the oíche sidhe and Lord Taran, are complex and compelling additions to the cast.

World-Building Excellence

The Silva Lupi comes alive through Emily's detailed observations and Fawcett's rich imagination. The author excels at creating a faerie realm that feels both magical and academically documented, with clear rules and fascinating exceptions. The political structure and social dynamics between different types of fae are particularly well-realized.

Thematic Depth

The novel explores several compelling themes:

- The tension between observation and participation
- The power of stories in shaping reality
- The importance of challenging traditional power structures
- The value of academic knowledge in practical situations

Style and Technical Elements

Fawcett's attention to detail shines in her treatment of academic conventions and faerie lore. The footnotes and scholarly references add authenticity while often providing moments of humor. The pacing generally maintains a good balance between academic exposition and action, though it occasionally gets bogged down in political minutiae.

Critical Assessment

Strengths

- Rich world-building that seamlessly blends academic study with magical reality
- Strong character development, particularly for Emily
- Clever integration of scholarly elements with narrative flow
- Satisfying evolution of relationships and political dynamics

Weaknesses

- Some plot resolutions feel rushed or overly convenient
- Political elements occasionally overshadow personal storylines
- Certain supporting character arcs could be more fully developed
- Some passages get bogged down in political detail

Impact and Significance

The book successfully concludes the series while expanding our understanding of faerie realms through an academic lens. It makes a unique contribution to the fantasy genre by maintaining its scholarly framework while delivering an emotionally satisfying story.

Final Verdict

While it occasionally stumbles under the weight of its political plotting, "Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales" succeeds in delivering a satisfying conclusion to the series while maintaining the unique charm and academic rigor that made the first two books so engaging.

This was an intriguing and dramatic continuation of the Emily Wilde series. I adored the development of Emily and Wendell's relationship, although how she managed him and his capriciousness was still as entertaining as ever.

In this book, Emily has to navigate curses, an entire faerie kingdom, and a fiance whose life may be at the whims of the realm.

The journal format of these novels took a while to immerse myself in, but once there, I found the academic nature, the fantastical descriptions and the cast of characters sublime. It was a unique read and one I enjoyed immensely!

I love this series. Just love. This book was no exception! Characters feel like themselves, even though I feel I haven't seen as much of Wandell as I thought I would in this book. Regardless, it provided magic, adventure, friendship, kindness, stunning new settings and dreadful new creatures, court intrigue and politics, more fairy lore, and a brilliant appreciation for academic research. What more can you ask for?!

If you've read the first two books and enjoy them, I'm certain you'll enjoy this one as well. Emily stays her delightful self all while trying to balance this new world and the role that has been sprung on her. I loved the dynamic of the two of them here. Without any spoilers, but brilliant example for loving someone for who they are and even part of them, being aware what makes them unique, good or bad and taking them as such. I really enjoyed it.

If anything felt a bit off for me here it was that somehow it felt a little less cosy than previous books, and I think it's because we have some battles, some scenes with huge amounts of people... but that would be the only thing I can fault!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

4.5 stars

After reading the first two books in this series last year I was incredibly eager to read the final installment. I adore Fawcett’s use of footnotes and how they are used to expand on in-world faerie lore and found myself wanting more of them! The academic nature of this series is one that I don’t ever see myself tiring of.

While the plot starts almost immediately, I found that it was fairly slow at the start, but I was engaged and interested throughout. The story as a whole was engaging and left me wanting more. In my opinion the book's biggest strength lies with the atmosphere that Fawcett creates around each realm or area the characters find themselves in. I felt unease when the characters felt unease, and I felt comfort when they did. I could read a whole book simply describing each realm in detail and not get bored.

I adore the characters in this series and found that this book helped solidify that. While the cast of supporting characters (with a few old favourites returning) are fantastic, Emily and Wendell (and of course Shadow and Orga) hold a special place in my heart. Watching their relationship develop over the series has been joyous, and their interactions in this book really show how they’ve grown as individuals and as a couple.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and can’t quite believe that's the end of the series! I would recommend the series to someone who wants a cosy fantasy that has some level of threat, an interesting plot, and a fantastic romance.

The third in the Emily Wilde series has charm, wit and adventure. It’s a gentle read that feels very familiar and comforting to readers who loved Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. It even has footnotes and describes other fae legends that pertain to the situation.

I’ve really enjoyed every book in the Emily Wilde series and Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales is no exception. I can’t quite decide if this or Emily Wilde’s Map of the Other Lands is my favourite (maybe a tie?). I absolutely adore Emily. I just love her dry wit, deadpan delivery and hyperfocus on her research/goals. The scholarly writing style has been one of my favourite aspects of the whole series, along with all the little digs at academic culture and politics. I also love to see a strong, competent woman being amazing at her job, and Emily is absolutely that. Wendell is her biggest fan, obviously, but I love that Emily’s established as not only having the knowledge but also the guts and intuition to take insane risks and embrace Faerie on its terms. She’s an absolute madwoman, but she understands Faerie and that knowledge and experience has been earned throughout the series, so she can get away with it, both in-story and as a character. So we get to enjoy Emily being the Best There Ever Was, constantly shocking and impressing Wendell (naturally) but also the other Fae and mortals. Which feels mythic and is its own plot-armour, when you think about it, per fairytale rules. Considering she started the series feeling like a socially awkward misfit (and she still is by the end), that was so satisfying to read. I loved that Emily is still blunt, single-minded and a little abrasive, but she’s also grown enough to foster a strong community around her and, of course, an adorable romance with Wendell. I think that’s why I enjoyed the second two books in the series more than the first; I just loved to see Emily thriving and being loved for being her cranky but well-meaning and single-minded self.

Wendell is also a superb male lead! I can’t get enough of a devoted male love interest and Wendell is peak Devotion. He loves and admires and respects Emily so much, to the point that even throughout shocking, cataclysmic plot twists, she’s his number one priority at all times. Even after searching for a way home for years (and the last two books) and finally getting his triumphant homecoming, their relationship is his main source of joy. We need more fictional men like Wendell! I also love how well-matched they are; even their insecurities mirror each other. Emily worries that being in Faerie will change Wendell, or that power will corrupt him (as it usually does in Faerie stories), and Wendell agonises over Emily being unhappy in Faerie and leaving him for her old mundane life. They both struggle to adjust to their new living situation in his realm. And that’s all beside the main plot of breaking the old queen’s curse on the kingdom. Obvious fantasy elements aside, I really like that the drama of Lost Tales feels grounded in relatable conflicts. Emily and Wendell must defeat the evil queen, but they also need to navigate their relationship through a major lifestyle change and professional/personal upheavals, while also worrying about the health of their beloved and ageing dog. Too real, Heather Fawcett!

I’ve already mentioned Emily’s strong found family, and I’ve got to say, I appreciated Lost Tale’s supporting characters so much! Needless to say, Shadow and Orga continue to be the MVPs and I love them both. They are truly the Platonic ideal of Dog and Cat, respectively, and I respect them so much for that. Even though they don’t appear as much in this one, I loved to see Ariadne, Farris, Margret, Lilja and Poe popping up to give Emily moral support and research assistance. And some of the Courtly Fae were delightfully creepy, especially Wendell’s sinister uncle, Lord Taran. I also enjoyed seeing names and references Fawcett seeded in the last two books appearing, like Niamh, a long-missing dryadologist, who’s mentioned as another casualty of Faerie in Other Lands and gets to be a major supporting character here.

Plotwise, the story whisks along apace and the stakes feel much higher – I was genuinely shocked by a plot twist about two thirds of the way in. I will say, there was a bit of build up in the first few chapters about Emily and Wendell’s “army” of allied Fae from other realms, which fizzles out quite quickly as Wendell is accepted as king almost immediately, and then their new allies fade into the background. It might have been interesting to hear about them integrating into Silva Lupi. That’s a minor complaint, though, as generally, the story was gripping. Be aware, there are some dashes of horror throughout, beyond the usual casual references to horrific fairytale violence and scholarly mishaps. Queen Arna’s curse is suitably disturbing, though we only see it in action briefly, and we even get to see a Faerie Hell Dimension! As ever, the lore in these books is brilliant. I wish dryadology was a real academic discipline and I could read all the citations in the footnotes. I will settle for more Emily Wilde books! I’ve heard this is the last in the series and, though I hope Fawcett will continue it one day, Lost Tales is certainly a strong note to end it on!

The story:
Having narrowly escaped her last adventure with her life, Professor of Dryadology Emily Wilde could have retreated to a life of safe academia at Cambridge University. But as the fiancée of the new King (former Cambridge colleague Wendell), and of course a dedicated scholar, she is determined to embrace her new role as a Queen of the Faerie.

But the previous Queen may not be as dead as Emily and Wendell hoped… A curse is sweeping across their kingdom, destroying everything it touches. Emily believes the answer may lie in one of the many folk stories that lie hidden in the dusty shelves of academia. But will she be able to locate the right tale in time to save not only the kingdom, but the one she loves?

My thoughts:
I’m so pleased to be back in the company of Emily and Wendell! The first two books in this series (“Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries” and “Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands”) were a delight, and and I enjoyed this third instalment just as much!

Emily and Wendell are once again thrown into danger, this time trying to overcome a curse placed on Wendell’s newly reclaimed kingdom by his stepmother – the previous Queen who Emily outwitted in the last book.

This book is described on the cover as an ‘academic fairy tale’, and I love all the scholarly elements; working in the scholarly publishing industry myself, I particularly appreciate the references to all the dryadology journals!

This is a heartwarming, funny and exciting story, and the perfect addition to this series. If you haven’t read the first books, I would highly recommend starting at the beginning – you’ve got a treat in store!

And so we come to the end of Emily and Wendell's journey. We've travelled to the wintry landscapes of Scandinavia, mountainous alps, and the world of the fae 🍃🧚‍♀️

Thank you so much to @orbitbooks_uk for the finished copy [PR/Gifted]!

This is one of my favourite series, in large part because the characters are so charming and loveable. Fawcett has such dry, witty sense of humour that I really enjoy.

Emily starts off the series as an antisocial scholar who prefers the company of books to people. And while that's still true by the end, she grows so much and learns to let people in and be vulnerable.

The romance between Emily and Wendell is so refreshing. Wendell would do anything for her and you can feel the love and respect between them. In a way, this book almost felt melancholy as it sees their relationship tested by the complexities of their conflicting backgrounds. It was also darker, and I loved that the fae in this world are similar to that of folklore - shifting, cunning and capricious creatures.

I love this series too much to be overly critical but I do think the book maybe tried to do one too many things. And although the stakes were technically higher, I never really felt truly worried.

But overall, I loved being back in this world and seeing old and new friends. For me, it's the perfect blend between whimsy and adventure and Emily and Wendell have my whole heart. I would read endless stories about their adventures.

These books will never not be pure magic to me, Exploring more of the Faerie Lands with a sprinkle of drama & character development is all I could’ve asked for from this final installment. Do I wish it wasn’t the end? Absolutely - such a comforting series, I recommend it to anyone and everyone.

𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝑬𝒎𝒐𝒋𝒊𝒔: 🍄🧌🧚🏻‍♀️👑📖🏔️
𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒕: The final book in whimsical, historical fantasy trilogy.

𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕:
🍄Light Academia
🍄(Faerie) Court Politics
🍄Reverse Grumpy x Sunshine
🍄Swoonworthy MMC and Hilarious Banter
🍄Historical Setting but Faeries are REAL
🍄 Wonder & Whimsy

𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘: Reading this book was, in many ways, a bittersweet experience because, while this book was wonderful, it also marks the end of Emily & Wendell's story and honestly I don't think I'm ready for it to be over! As far as conclusions go though, this was rather perfect and I will continue to recommend this series to everyone and anyone- it is seriously one of the most solid and well written fantasy series' I have read and deserves so much love. I absolutely adore the world that the author has created, drawing from folklore and faerie tales to creaty a whimsical, cozy, quirky and unique setting. The little touches such as academic footnotes and the fact the books are written as though they are Emily's research journal really adds to this. Emily & Wendell are some of my favourite fictional characters and I loved seeing how they adapted to life in a Faerie Court. As individuals they are fantastic but as a couple- they are perfection. (I still cannot stop myself seeing them as a Dramione AU pairing... anyone else?🤣😅)
Despite the fact that I didn't love this as much as the previous two books that's like me saying I don't like Wispas as much as Twirls... I still love and enjoy Wispas I just like Twirls slightly more 🤣and I still thoroughly enjoyed every page & it's still a 5 ⭐ read for me which is a testament to the quality of this series! I can't wait to read more of Heather Fawcett's books in the future and highly recommend you give this series a go!

𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to Orbit UK for sending me a review copy. This is my honest & unbiased review.

This book is yet another cozy installment to a very beloved series!
It still has those cozy, adventurous and delightful elements. Emily and Wendell are still one my favorite pairings in fiction. They're so cute and I loved how their romance was handled in this one.
I really hope this isn't the last we saw of them

So weird to say I’m happy and sad at the end of this wonderful series. Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales is a fantastic and fitting if slightly open ending for the books, these wonderful stories I have loved so much

In the third Emily Wilde book, it has come time for Emily and Wendell to claim back his kingdom in the faerie. The book picks up right where the previous ended, with the same journal entry, as the pair go through the door to faerie. They prepare for the worst, but everything goes well.

Too well, it turns out. Because the former queen has put a curse on the land which kills the nature, and it’s spreading. Emily must head back to the human realm and search for suitable fairytales to find out what kind of curse it is and how it’s broken. She even has surprise help from Professor Rose and her niece Ariadne.

And they find the solution. Problem is, someone has to die for it. Back to research it is. And it turns out, you can cheat death and change the story. But the fairytales don’t like it. At all. To stop things from becoming even worse, Emily has to get help from someone who might want her dead to rescue someone who definitely does.

This was another great story. Stakes were high and academic research was on point. Emily had less trouble in faerie than she feared, but she was happy for a chance to stay in the human realm too. Wendell was as attentive of her as ever, even more so now that his magic is properly back. (Endless journals for Emily.) The ending was good, if this was the last book, but as it sent the pair on yet another research expedition, there’s room for more books of their adventures too. I’d definitely read them.

Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales is the third and final installment in the adventures of Emily Wilde. For now anyway. I think looking back over the series, this is probably my least favorite installment. Don't get me wrong, it is still a 4 star read like the others. It just struck my fancy slightly less.

I think this might have to do with this taking almost entirely place in the Fae realm of Wendell and it has such a stark contrast to the first two because of it. Emily visiting the fae realm in the second book was also my least favorite portion of the story in that one. I like seeing the mysteries of the fae in our world and how they traverse it. I don't nessecarly care about their world. This is a personal thing of course.

I still enjoyed reading this because I loved the characters. Emily Wilde is trying to find her footing in Wendells world. She's just not quite cut out for it, despiting knowing the stories, the lore and the theories. But actually being there is a different matter. And while she gains some footing by the end, I think there will be plenty of struggles on her horizon.

Wendell is still Wendell but shows his more violent tendencies fae side in this installment. Of course it was always there and he is still in no way as bad as other fae's. But it does give pause to look at his character a little different. In the previous two books he was the odd one out but very charming. Sometimes he wouldn't really feel fae though. Now in this book it is very clear that he is fae and has their nature. I think that sometimes puts Emily on edge as well. How will that affect their long term future?

I also enjoyed seeing characters from previous books appear and to see who supported Wendell truly. It is of course a mix of alliance of convenience. Even his own uncle isn't sure if he truly supports Wendell or that he is just doing it because his human partner wishes it off him. The uncle is very violently wired, but oddly I liked him a lot.

The ending felt a little lackluster and perhaps a bit too ideal from Emily's point of view. I get that she was trying to break something but this isn't just a story on paper anymore. You are living it and you have to deal with the emotions that other people's actions have caused. I just couldn't quite get behind her reasoning on this.

‘Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales’ is a gorgeous academic fantasy novel which excels in how vividly it paints a picture of its magical world and weaves textured lore. I found Emily to be a very likeable character and appreciated her scholarly nature as well as her unique voice - the novel really did read like a friend’s journal. I enjoyed the romance between her and Wendell and the heart-racing moments of adventure!

I must admit, I had intended to read the whole series but wanted to get to this one ahead of its release date and lost track of time, so I picked this one up fresh… Unfortunately, but totally validly, I don’t think it works very well as a standalone and I’m sure I would have felt much more connected to Emily and Wendell and noted more character development if I’d finished books one and two first! Despite me needing to read some recaps of the earlier instalments to get immersed in this one, it was absolutely charming. I’ve ordered the whole series on Audible and plan to get lost in the exquisite faerie world Heather Fawcett has created.

In the meanwhile, this gets four stars as it got me hooked and took me through a range of emotions, ultimately being a cosy way to spend a few days. Just read ‘Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries’ and ‘Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands’ first if you haven’t already…

I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Little Brown Book Group, UK via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

What a treat! This whole series feels like a cosy hug from your best friend and this book did not disappoint.

The world-building was just as enchanting as the previous books, and I loved that we (I say we as I fully want to be part of this world) delved deeper into the faerie realm and folklore. Seeing Emily and Wendell love develop was so wonderful!

Perfect cosy read!