4 Stars!

Synopsis: Emily Wilde is a researcher of the Hidden Ones. As she sets out on a new expedition, she encounters more malevolent fae and deadly stories than she may have bargained for.

CW/TW: Fae trickery, death, torment, kidnapping (others may be present)

Rep: Side sapphic characters.

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Fairies by Heather Fawcett, is a delightfully academic and charming read. Written in the form of an academic journal detailing Emily’s encounters and experiences, this book is a charming and intriguing read! I quite enjoyed the academic format that leant into emotional elements at times – it felt like quite an interesting way to tell a story about species we are familiar with and somehow managed to capture them in a new and interesting light.

The plot is quite intriguing as we follow Emily as she attempts to explore and document the fae in a lesser known, and very cold, area of the world. Interestingly, through this we get accounts of the local perspectives, local stories and tales of the fae, and we get to encounter many different species of fae over the course of the expedition. It was a charming read that kept me engaged from start to finish, the footnotes and context of the ‘dryadology’ theories dedicated to exploring and explaining the fae was rather cleverly done and immersive. Despite the very academic focus, it also felt very natural and easy to read, and we get to know our characters surprisingly well!

Emily, our main character, is a researcher through and through driven by curiosity. However, she lacks the skills to connect with people. I though Emily was quite charming, she is determined and ambitious, and her socially awkward behaviour made it more worthwhile when she did begin to form bonds with characters. It also made for some amusing interactions that I loved! I also really enjoyed that Emily was the pure ‘good’ character driven by empathy and desire. While she does help people and some of that stems from wanting to help, it was interesting to see how much of it was also driven by her academic curiosity.

Similarly, I quite enjoyed her relationship with her co-worker. The two could not be more different and so we get some fantastic interactions between them and we grow to love their relationship!

Similarly, I also really loved all the townsfolk we meet – while some had more page time than others, they were all intriguing characters whose interactions i enjoyed, both with each others and with Emily. I haven’t said too much about the characters because I think it’s best to experience them through the book – I also don’t want to spoil anything! But I did love the cast, both fae and human alike!

Overall, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett, is a charming and delightful read that had me intrigued and engaged from start to finish!

*Thank you to Orbit books for the Netgalley eARC in exchange for an honest review!*

Such a warm-hearted beautiful book. I recommend this story to anybody who wants a pick me up book. Emily Wilde was such a great character funny smart and the description writing. I felt like I was in the story at times. I can't wait for the sequel now.

I won't lie, this cozy, low stakes fantasy novel didn't grab me instantly : indeed the first half and I were *not* friends—it wasn't that I hated it, but I kept stopping my read every 10 pages and it was super frustrating. If I'm being completely fair, though, I am not and never have been *that* fond of fairies stories, so for the longest time I thought that I simply wasn't the right reader for this book. It happens, you know? You'll start a book so many friends of yours adore only to realize that it doesn't work for you at all (yes, I hate when that happens 🥹). Not to mention that the narrative structure—it's told through journal entries—has never been one of my favorites, either : as a rule I tend to feel less immersed in a story when it's told this way (or through letters). So even though the premise was interesting and I liked Emily as a character (how could I not, when I have a soft spot for scholarly women with unwavering focus?), I might have dnf-ed it if I didn't have an arc. Now, I'm not averse to dnf-ing arcs when they're *terrible*, but Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Fairies was never terrible, only a bit boring.

The second half was a game changer however. The pacing quickened, the story got way more interesting and suddenly I couldn't stop reading. Moreover, if this book is pretty low on romance, the relationship between Emily and Bambleby is undoubtedly a highlight : when they were together, I had SO MUCH FUN, and his antics made me smile a lot, I have to admit. Before learning it was the first book of a series (it wasn't mentioned in the arc), I thought the ending rather abrupt but considering what awaits us in the sequel, I'm happy with it as it is.

Final rating : 3.5⭐

This is a wow book. I would probably have left it on the shelf if I hadn’t decided to push my boundaries. What a great decision that was. There was no gentle entry into the world of mythical creatures as we join Emily on her journey to Hrafnsvik. I decided that it was somewhere in the region of Iceland, but it could be anywhere in the Scandinavian world.
Emily is studying the lives of the Hidden Ones, those most elusive members of the faerie world. As I turned the pages, I was transported back to my childhood, reading the works of Enid Blyton. My older self had forgotten how enchanted I once was by tales from the faerie kingdoms. But this is not a book aimed at children; the stories are significantly darker and there’s plenty to unsettle even the most stoic of readers.
What I hadn’t expected was that at the very heart of the story, buried deep within this magical world, would be a love story. Nothing over the top with hearts and flowers, just a simple connection that would strengthen as the story picked up the tempo.
Emily is a singularly studious type who is determined to be recognised amongst her peers as a respected knowledge on the faerie world. To achieve this, she is convinced that she should have no dealings with the rather odd, Wendell Bambleby. In fact, she doesn’t quite understand how he’s become so respected when he does little more than over-indulge in food, alcohol, and women.
This is definitely a book that I hadn’t realised that I needed to read. I was gently pulled into a different dimension where magical happenings were the norm. Where changelings could live in a human household and faerie kings could be trapped inside a tree.
Despite the setting in the mythical realm, the messages remained the same as in our world, and it all came down to good triumphing over evil. Despite making a rather poor first impression, Emily’s kind yet determined nature created friendships that would help and support her when she most needed it most.
Take a leap of faith, like I did, and escape to a land of faeries where magic is just a wish away.

A thrilling adventure that will let you venture in every corner of fairie world. It is mysterious and atmospheric and magical. Three qualities you'll be greeted with once you open this book. The prose was amazing it felt like I'm actually reading a real diary account of a professor. The only problem I've encountered is that it felt dragging in the first few pages, but just keep going, and you'll be instantly immersed in this world.

"I am an explorer, Wendell. I might call myself a scientist, but that is the heart of it. I wish to know the unknowable. To se what no mortal has ever seen (...). To peel back the carpeting of the world and tumble into the stars."

Oh how I enjoyed this book! I requested it on @netgalley and was beyond happy to get the chance to read it 🙌 and now it's on my to-buy list, I need it my shelf 😍

The concept of this book is not very often - it's a private diary of a scientist, Emily Wilde, she uses to track her progress on the field, studying and looking for the Fae. Which would be a lot easier if her nemesis/only friend/collegue wouldn't be thwarting her.

I don't want to spoil anything but I have to say I absolutely loved Emily. She reminds me of Temperance Brennan or Sheldon Cooper 😂 she is so oblivious to social norms and is only focusting on her work. She is batshit crazy at moments, too 😂


⚠️SPOILER⚠️
Wendell is a very unique fairy peince, not a warrior but a tailor who get's a runny nose, gets very cold, dishevelled and can be very lazy. Quite a different type than the one we're used to and I loved that!
⚠️SPOILER DONE⚠️


I also enjoyed the writing style and all the stories about the Fae.

It was a delightful read and it desrves the hype it's been getting 🙌

A solid 4.6🌟 and I can't wait for the sequel!

We follow Emily Wilde, the foremost expert on the study of faeries, as she writes the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. Journeying to the village of Hrafnsvik, it’s clear she prefers the company of her canine companion & the faeries to people. The grumpy scholar is soon tested further when her insufferably charming academic rival Wendell Bambleby unexpectedly appears.

As she seeks to find the answers to the secrets of the Hidden Ones, the most elusive of the faeries, she soon finds herself learning more about her infamous colleague and her self in the process.

If you haven’t read this yet, you simply must!

This was the most perfect, cosy and enchanting book to curl up with this winter and I loved it! Full of adventures, magical and dangerous creatures and a grumpy/sunshine slow-burn romance you are captivated from the first page.

A grumpy, curious and often stubborn heroine, Emily was a character that I instantly loved! Her social awkwardness and single-mindedness when it came to her studies, made her a real and flawed person who had to navigate the world of very dangerous magical creatures and humans alike.

Her interactions with the burst of sunshine that is Bambley brought banter and often heartwarming moments. Their contrary natures and different motivations keeps you on your toes throughout and I loved how their relationship grows.

Their adventures take unexpected turns as they soon find themselves woven into the fabric of the village and adventures soon ensue.

A darkly magical fantasy that sparkles with snow, banter, faeries and magic this book enchanted me and I can’t wait to see what Heather Fawcett brings next!

This was a 5 star read for me ✨

Huge thank you to @orbitbooks_uk for sending a copy my way!

Inizia piano, anzi pianissimo, con Emily che dice tutto invece che mostrare, ma con il tempo ci si abitua al suo modo di riportare tutto da vera scolara quale è e BOOM si viene catapultatx in intrighi di fate e un tenero amore che sboccia. Devo dire che la "penna" di Wendell è più ritmata e apprezzabile, ma Emily ha comunque un buon pacing nella seconda parte del libro, dove abbandona la sua accademicità in favore di tante emozioni confuse.

Ps Emily è forse una rappresentazione ace e/o autistica? In ogni caso, ci piace

One of the blurbs on the cover says a charmingly whimsical delight and really this is the perfect description for this book. It really is as charming as everyone out there is saying, and it’s delightful and whimsical. And you are in for such a good time!
Emily is a genius in her field, and she is also quite ambitious: she is compiling the first complete encyclopaedia of faeries, and she won’t be stopped or deterred. She is a woman on a mission, and nothing could intrude between her and her goal. Or this is the idea, at least.
At the beginning of the book, she reaches a really secluded town in the cold and unforgiving north, to study the elusive faeries that live in these places. She knows she would face hardship, because of the climate, the weather, and the rural and secluded nature of the place, but she is on a mission and she is ready. But… she is more of a city dweller, she has no idea of the hows of rural life, and she miscalculated about the people too. She would need their cooperation because she needs them to tell her their stories, especially the ones linked to the folklore, and she knows that, she is aware that she needs the people’s cooperation but… she is not really a people-person, to put it kindly. So pretty soon things start to not be looking up for her and her loyal companion, Shadow, an adorable giant dog.

Lucky for her, that’s the cue for the other MC to appear on the scene. Wendell Bambleby is another folklorist, and her rival (even if, to be honest, this rivalry is more on her part than not a real thing. I am not saying that she is inventing things, because on paper they have a rivalry here: they are both academics in the same field and for the same institution, but he is not really behaving as a rival, and he does not really see the rivalry here), but all and foremost he is a people-person. So while our grumpy and socially awkward but really competent researcher could do some field work, Bambleby can help her on the people part of the work.
And let me tell you that they make an amazing pair. And I am not talking about the romance, I am talking about them as a team. They complemented each other, they are both brilliant and competent in their field (and even if Wendell has an advantage here, we can say that Em is amazingly adept at her work, and she has a really deep understanding of all things faerie) but their best features are quite different, and between the two they cover a lot of ground.
And they are a pleasure to read. Their dialogues are funny and entertaining, and you will find yourself warming toward both of them in no time!

But the picture would not be completed without mentioning the other characters. Sure, Em and Bambleby have the scene and won’t let that go, mind me, but we have some really interesting characters moving around them, and even if I would have appreciated maybe a bit more of them around (not more characters, but a bit more of development or screen presence, as to speak), they were great all the same. Shadow the giant dog, Poe the small faeries, and all the inhabitant of the little town.
And the plot was interesting, it moves along nicely and the pace is just the right one for it. We have some darker part, and some funnier ones, too, with some action and all you can ask for this kind of book. It really was a charming and delightful read, and it is also a well balanced book all around. There is a lot to like it, but to me the best parts were Em and Bambleby (but I think you guessed this!) and the way in wich the story is told, since it is written as entry in Emily’s journal (with some contribution from Wendell, even if they were sparce, and I would have loved for more!).

If you are in need of something not too demanding, charming, with good characters and good dialogues, and if you want to take a trip into fairyland well… you can’t go wrong with this one!

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries is a journal collection of Emily Wilde, a Cambridge professor when she visited Ljosland, Norway for her upcoming book research (there will be a couple of Wendell's (her colleague) entries in this journal.
I'm astonished how detailed this book describes the nature, the Folk they encountered, and how various the folklore's Emily's attached in her journal. I appreciate how author came up with the Ljosland foods which resulted nothing on Google (so, I assume they're fictional foods) and a bunch of references Emily mentioned in her journal related to the Folk study.
I love Emily's interactions with Wendell and Ljoslanders which are wholesome and sweet.
I recommend this book for everyone who wants to read a slow, cozy, wintery but has academic voice in it.

I really enjoyed this cozy heartwarming fantasy. It takes place during a cold winter on a small Norwegian island, so it was the perfect read for this time of year. The main character Emily is a Cambridge professor, who is a little awkward and more comfortable in academic settings then social ones. The book is told through Emily’s journal as she does research for her encyclopaedia of faeries she’s writing. I really liked that the author formatted the book this way because it was a great way to create world building and teach us about the faeries as Emily is writing her findings. Wendell Bambleby is the second main character, who I didn’t initially expect to like because at first he came across as a little arrogant and entitled. However as the book went on he was more charming and likeable. This book was entertaining and full of adventure with a little bit of romance. I can’t wait to read more books by this author!

Well, if my first tour of the year is any indication of what is to come, then 2023 is going to be a brilliant year for books. From the outset, Emily had such a distinctive voice that I found myself presented with the clearest image of a highly intelligent, yet somewhat socially awkward and eccentric young lady that stayed with me throughout the book. She is a delightful character and I found the style of the novel as her journal to be particularly endearing.

Although we, thankfully, didn’t have the extreme weather of Hrafnsvik, this book was the perfect read for the cold winter evenings of January, and is definitely best read with a soft blanket and a warm drink.

I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this book, from the warmth of the villagers of Hrafnsvik to watching Emily’s heart begin to thaw, in spite of the frozen conditions that she finds herself in. It is beautifully written and made me wish that Emily’s Encyclopaedia was a real book. That would make for some fascinating reading.

3.75 stars
I kept seeing this book all over booktok and bookstagram and I thought it was pretty interesting. So of course, I had to read it. I quite love the premise of the story; and how there's also another story (the story of the fae) within it. But maybe because it was in the title, it felt like I was reading an encyclopedia and not a book. The writing style was more "tell" than "show" I would say. This dragged down the pacing by a lot, which made for a not-so-fun reading experience. I liked the characters, but again it is the writing style that made me decide this rating.

I will say though, there is a certain charm in the way Heather Fawcett writes and I will definitely be reading more of her books!

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK, Orbit for giving this ARC, here my honest review!

Actual rating 3.5⭐

This book didn't meet my expectation. So many good review given to this book and it makes me want to read this book soon. But after I read this book, I feel like the book is all over the places. First thing I know we will follow Emily who want to make an encyclopedia about fairy so I wish to know several one that she already noted but we follow her into a journey that create several conflicts for her to solve with the biggest conflict is for herself "trapped" by this fairy. I didn't really find the story engage me to the story, I know very little about the fairies. And I don't really like the legend that suddenly appear in the middle of story, I can't remember whether the legend will help the conflict or not.

But I love the characters here. I love Emily and her friendship with Bambleby. Wish to see more of them and knowing her answer, well I want to more romance! Their relationship with the villagers also great and warm. Despite what happen at first I love how they grow into a family of their own!

This book was so entertaining and well crafted - I had a great time reading it and I can't wait for Book 2.
Through her diary, we follow the footsteps of introverted academic Emily Wilde and her dog as she studies fairies in a fictional Nordic island, soon to be joined by her flamboyant colleague and friend (although describing him as a frenemy might be more appropriate at the beginning... no spoilers about the end!) Wendell Bambleby.
The language, archaic-ish, precise and witty at the same time, made me smile several times, and the banter between the two researchers even more. I loved all the details about the lore and fairy academia, the villagers personalities, and all the secrets that we progressively uncover.
It's unique and delightful.

I want to thank NetGalley and Little Brown Book for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

This was one of those lovely, cosy books that just make you smile as you read! It's fantasy and romance and it's quirky and it was just an extremely enjoyable story that I'm already itching to read more of to see where the story takes us next!

Emily is an expert in the study of faeries and she's determined to finish writing her book, the encyclopaedia, so has to travel for more research. Emily has a problem though as she can't really relate to people! She always shies away from them - I don't blame her!! But she needs the locals on her side to help her discover more about The Hidden Ones, and she resents having to be nice to her rival, Wendell (who's a people charmer!) as he travels to 'assist' her with her work.

There's a really good feel about this book - the characters are fun and quirky and I loved all the faerie talk, and there's a good mix of light and dark too which leaves things open to explore more in the rest of the series so that's got me hooked on this series!!

This book was so unique and the descriptions were beautiful, creating such immersive settings and interesting characters. The book definitely has a cozy feel to it and the main character was very likeable. There are plenty of plot twists and surprises making it very original and fun to read. The pace at the start felt slightly slow but once I got through it I flew through the rest. It was funny, lighthearted, and the folk lore was so detailed! Emily Widle’s encyclopaedia of faeries has definitely exceeded my expectations and I will be sure to check out the authors other works!

Let me start of by thanking Del Rey for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC! I absolutely enjoyed this book from start to finish.

This book was exactly what I wanted and needed, if not even more. It was such a cozy, heartwarming and funny(!) story. We follow Emily Wilde, who is a very intelligent, socially a bit awkward, and stubborn (in a good way) scholar travelling to a remote Scandinavian Island to study 'The Hidden Ones' as part of her last needed chapter for the Encyclopaedia on The Folk that she's publishing.

The book is written as journal entries, that Emily keeps writing on her journey to, and during her studies at Hrafnsvik - which is a very nice way of writing. The world building is fantastic and really gave me the idea and feeling of being in the surroundings of the forest and mountains myself, and also really let me get attached to the characters. Besides Emily being a very lovable character (with a facinating mind), there is Wendell Bambleby who is annoying yet funny at the same time. Both characters have traits that I would normally find very annoying, but it just kind of worked here.

Whereas there is a little romance in this book, it is definitely not the main plot. This book is perfect for any readers that are either new to reading fantasy, or are in the mood for a very cosy and easy read. If this was the first in a series, I cannot wait for what's to be told in any future books!

What a beautiful, whimsical story. The characters are lovely and well written and the story is interesting and sometimes a bit dark.
Really great.

*Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries* follows the eponymous Emily Wilde, a scholar of the Folk—AKA fairies, pixies, elves, etc.—as she travels to Ljosland, a remote Scandinavian country, to research the particular kind of Folk found there for the encyclopedia she is compiling. Much to her annoyance, she's abruptly joined by her fellow Cambridge professor, and, theoretically, friend, Wendell Bambleby. Bambleby is everything Emily is not: attractive, gregarious, popular with the locals, as well as lazy, feckless, and even more useless at surviving in the Arctic wilderness than she is. Together, they must contend with the bitter winter, the unique Folk of Ljosland, and each others' myriad flaws.

*Emily Wilde...* is a cosy fantasy romance that ambles through its plot as the main characters get on each others' nerves and grow closer throughout each trial they face. Both Emily and Bambleby felt refreshingly unlikeable—both of them are brutally honest with themselves and each other about their motivations, which are almost always almost entirely selfish in their own ways. Each of them felt unique as a character because of it.

When it came to their romance, however, the development felt a little less than romantic—while Bambleby's attraction to Emily comes rather out of the blue, Emily's to him feels rather as if it's because a) she doesn't have any other options, and b) he has nice hair. These might be realistic reasons to fall for somebody, but they're not necessarily the most compelling. As a result of this, the ending felt a little more like a HFN (Happily For Now) instead of a HEA (Happily Ever After).

The world in which it is set is closely related to our own, but different enough to feel safe in a way our own world doesn't—there appears to be no sexism in Fawcett's world, or colonialism, or homophobia. On top of this, the whole story takes place in such a remote setting that the world beyond Ljosland feels a bit thin, even given Emily's reflections on her past. Personally I'd have liked to see more of the history of this alternate world, maybe even delivered via the footnotes—another device that was enjoyable and which I'd have liked more of.

*Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries* is a light, fun story with memorable main characters and an enjoyable plot that's great for winter reading. Think Jules Verne with fairies and decent female characters.