What's the opposite of dark academia? Light academia? Fairytale academia? Well, whatever it is, this book IS IT.

This was so delightful and charming. I really loved the characters of Emily and Wendell (who reminded me of Howell from Howell's moving castle.) And I especially loved the vibes. Autumn/winter in full force, studying, wanting to be in a Cambridge library but actually arguing with your sort of rival as he makes heart eyes at you? What more could you want?

The last 20 percent sort of lost be a little bit, I'm not going to lie. And there were one or two Americanisms that took me out of the moment a little bit (I'm sorry I just refuse to believe two 1900's Cambridge scholars are saying the word restroom instead of toilet or loo, or even Fall instead of Autumn.)

But It was just super cozy and fun. (This is marketed as a romance as well, and whilst that's definitely got en element of that which I loved, it's quite low key in it's nature.)

I would definitely read a sequel if and when that comes out!

How I love a new and unique take on a genre and Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries takes the well trodden fantasy faerie genre makes it fresh and new in this delightful book which - looking at the 'Emily Wilde 1' in the title is hopefully the first in the series.

Emily Wilde is a Cambridge academic, single minded, dogged and uncaring of social convention, dedicated to her career path of understanding and cataloguing the world's different faeries. Her studies have brought her north to a small arctic village where she immediately alienates her host, befriends a brownie and antagonises a changeling. She is also followed by her only friend and rival Wendall Bambleby who she suspects of falsifying work, using students to do his research - and possibly being faery himself. What follows is an inventive adventure narrated by our spirited heroine and occasionally by Bambleby.

Emily is a delightful heroine, knowledgeable, clever, determined and stubborn, while Fawcett knows her subject intimately, bringing her alternate world vividly alive. A fabulous read, highly recommended.

What an adorable cover, such a different read.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this book in exchange for my review.

This is an absolutely riveting read right from the very first page and it will grip you right until the end. The writing is engaging and is full of vivid descriptions and rich imagery of the wintery weather and the world around them, I felt like I could jump into the pages and I cannot tell you how much I wanted too. I loved it.

If you've somehow gotten entangled in academia before, Emily Wilde will feel like a very familiar protagonist. You've probably met an Emily before. Or maybe you've been Emily, focusing single mindedly on your research and not knowing how talking to humans outside of seminars works (I've definitely been Emily).

Overall, this is a pleasant wintry story, with a nice, even pace to it. Emily is a dryadologist (in other words, someone who studies the fae) and travels to a fake Scandinavian country modelled after Iceland to complete her magnum opus, the first complete encyclopedia of faeries in Europe. She struggles to get along with the locals who she needs to gather information from and ends up getting help from her academic rival / only friend who unexpectedly joins her because he needs something impressive to present at an upcoming conference in order to secure more funding for his research. Again, if you haven't managed to avoid involvement in academia, these character motivations will feel completely natural.

Despite some gory acts of violence committed by the fae (not described in too much gruesome detail), this is mostly a cosy story, perfect for reading under a pile of blankets and with a mug of tea. The characters grow and change in little but satisfying ways throughout the book, and if you're from a Nordic country, some familiar names and words will make you feel at home here.

3.5
Utterly charmed by this delightful novel. Written in a diary form this book contains some of Prof. Emily Wilde's adventures in search of a new kind of fairy and her delightful quips that were mostly directed to her extremely charming colleague Wendell Bambleby whom I liked very much as he has such Howl energy from Howl's Moving Castle. I wish the later half were a bit less formulatic and the ending did leave me with a desire to wanting more, which, of course, will be rectified by a sequel and if the birds are truthful then it might already be in the making!!

Ooo where to start with this book! I think we may have a contender for my new favourite book of the year folks..!!

Right from the beginnings of the first page, I was enchanted by the story and hooked into wondering what direction it was going to go. I was intrigued by the premise of the story and I loved the plot (and the characters too!)

The concept of the dedicated researcher setting out on a field research trip to gather information on the local fae population in the area of some remote (and very cold sounding) location immediately had me eager to start reading. This did appeal to me also as I’m a scientist and could relate to her pursuits of academia and field work. The book gave great vibes and her constant determination for observations and data as material for her publications was one I could definitely identify with!

Em’s character was likeable, especially paired with Bambleby’s opposing persona; the two worked so well! And as they tried to yocal with the locals and tease out stories of the local faeries, I definitely think they both got more than they bargained for…

Seriously from start to the very finish, I loved it and didn’t want it to end. I even purposefully slowed down my reading of the book so I could make it last just a little bit longer. My only caveat was the ending, as I was so left wanting more and now I need the next one stat! I hope there’s more. I also need this beautifully designed book for my bookshelf although the ebook was a brilliant read, you can’t beat the gorgeous design of this book in person.

All in all, awesome book. Great story, lovely community of characters. I loved it!

Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown Book for the eARC!

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries is the titular Emily Wilde's journal from her research expedition to the cold north, where she's hoping to uncover enough about the local faeries to distinguish herself back in Cambridge.

I absolutely loved the wintery atmosphere, the whimsical world and gorgeous writing. It made me think of a cosier Bear and the Nightingale or Spinning Silver, with a hint of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell.

Emily was a wonderfully rounded character. A bit socially awkward, very focused on her research, quite stubborn, but extremely clever. I loved her interactions with her rival and reluctant (on her side) friend, Wendell. They were so entertaining and endearing.

It starts off slow, with Emily settling in and getting acquainted with the locals (human and faery alike), which I really enjoyed, it was so cosy! But it builds up to bigger and bigger adventures in the second half, so it's quite gripping.

I just wasn't sold on the ending. It felt a bit rushed and too summarised, just a little bit off compared to the rest of the book. Or maybe it was just because I had to take a break from reading for a few days (go away, real life! :P), so I didn't get back into it?

So 4.5 stars, but rounding it up because I really loved most of it and can't wait for the sequel!

An unconventional romance in a world of the Folk.

I simply adored this book. Emily is an unconventional heroine for a romance who is a wonderful juxtaposition to Wendell. Their relationship is fresh, heart-warming and, at times, hilarious. The darker edges to the story emphasis the dangers within fairy tales making this an excellent homage to folklore from around the UK and Europe. Fawcett uses these tales to push the boundaries of the fairy tale genre, moulding it into something that is unique.

I could go on about how much I loved this book but don’t want to reveal any spoilers. I will say that, if this appeals to you, you must read it so you can bask in the beauty of the writing, the gorgeous characters and compelling narrative in the dark evenings of January. I cannot wait for this to be published!

A delightfully unique fantasy novel unlike anything I’ve read before. This was beautifully written and although the romance was a small part of this book, I absolutely loved how the author wrote the chemistry between the 2 main characters. Highly recommend if you like cozy fantasy books!