While I don't think this is the strongest of the three I still really enjoyed it. I think there are certain aspects of the book that I wish were longer portions, if only to keep some of the excitement up. While I do think she could finish the series here, I do hope to get even some side character stories going (like the story of Callum and Taran). I've always really liked her writing and I'm glad I wasn't disappointed, I know it's hard to keep the momentum going and I think she's doing a really great job.

Heather Fawcett has written a wonderful finale to the Emily Wilde series. While I feel the book started off a bit slow, it does pick up and leads us to a satisfying conclusion. We get to meet a whole slew of new characters to love and hate and the return of some of our favorites. We also get to experience more of Wendell’s kingdom, which the author gives us an extensive introduction too. All in all an highly enjoyable read!
Now my only question is when does a companion book for the series get written with the stories that Emily has collected? Or how about a book written like a journal with descriptions and drawings? I would be all in on those as well.

Thank you to Random House, Ballantine/Del Rey and NetGalley for the digital ARC!

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Reading about Emily and Wendell is always such a delight, and I’m thrilled that I loved Compendium of Lost Tales just as much as the other two installments. I thought it was a very satisfying ending for the trilogy and I loved seeing characters from the previous two books make appearances. I appreciated the focus on stories and their importance in Faerie, and it was fun to see Emily puzzle out how to get out of the mess she and Wendell are in. As always, Emily’s voice is wonderful, though I do think the pacing/plotting of this installment wasn’t as tight as in the other two. Still, the ending felt fitting and on some level comforting, and I will undoubtedly revisit this world in the future.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review!

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5 stars - a delightful conclusion to what has become one of my all time favourite series, filled with warmth and whimsy

“Hand you the right storybook, and you are capable of anything.”

This book was a wonderful return to and continuation of the story, picking up right where the last book left off and jumping headfirst into the wonderful magical atmosphere. It was a reunion with beloved characters, as well as a more in-depth introduction to the newer cast and world of Faerie. Emily gets to put her knowledge to the test as she navigates Faerie court politics, and the whole book feels like a love letter to the magic of stories.

“For it is in writing that I will discover a way out. A door within the story.”

I loved reading about Emily trying to adapt and come to terms with the changes in her life, while still remaining true to herself and her goals. Wendell also remains a top tier fictional man for me, and I loved seeing him continue to be so supportive and encouraging of Emily and her interests and pursuits.
I’m sad to see the series go, but I’m so grateful and happy to have found it and the conclusion felt satisfying if a little bittersweet. It’s brought me so much comfort, joy and excitement and I can’t wait to tell everyone I know that they absolutely need to read this!

“Yet I suppose that one cannot spend one’s life half in love with Faerie without wishing to be part of it, to wonder if it might feel like home in a way no mortal place ever had.”

Vibes:
- Whimsical light academia
- Neurodivergent coded heroine
- The best magical pets
- Fairy tales, folklore and the power of stories
- Faerie court politics
- Winter weather outside, cozy cup of tea inside
- Nerds infodumping about their special interest at each other
- Academia/research as a love language

Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales is the third installment of one of my absolute favorite series - and it surpassed my already quite high expectations! 😍

📖 The Premise:

Renowned dryadologist Emily Wilde and her academic rival-turned-fiancé Wendell Bambleby journey to his Faerie homeland Silva Lupi (aka The Place Where the Trees Have Eyes) to reclaim his throne.

However, upon arriving, they discover that Wendell’s stepmother, the former Queen, has cursed the land itself, poisoning the kingdom from its very roots.

What I Loved:

✨ I've been obsessed with Emily since the first book! I find her very engaging, with her characteristic bravery, sharp intelligence, academic curiosity, and endearing irritability!

✨ There are several appearances from beloved and not-so-beloved personalities from the previous two books!

✨ Emily and Wendell's new kingdom is magnificent and we get to meet a slew of new magical creatures including but not limited to a butter faerie, a boggart, and shockingly sentient & resentful snails.

✨ This is the academia x faerie crossover of my dreams! I love following Emily and Wendell as they unravel faerie mysteries on their adventures. Together, they employ a fascinating combination of Emily’s quick thinking and academic props - tracking patterns through the stories that form the very essence of faerie - and Wendell’s magical talents, tailoring expertise, and combat skills!

I have so enjoyed this series, I truly did not want it to end. I loved Emily and her tenaciousness and Wendell and his Wendellness and a sensibility about the fae that, for me, harkens back to Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. Dark and cozy at the same time, this series is heading to my re-read shelf.

The plot and story were exactly what I was hoping for—engaging and immersive. However, I did find myself wishing for more focus on the romance between Wendell and Emily, or perhaps another glimpse into Wendell’s POV, as seen in Map of the Otherlands. While I enjoyed the introduction of new characters from Wendell’s land, they didn’t seem to have the same depth as characters from previous books. That said, it was a treat to see Poe and Snowbell again, as they continue to bring charm and humor to the series. The ending left a tantalizing hint that there could be more to come, and I’d certainly welcome that!

This is the third and final installment in the Emily Wilde trilogy, and it’s just as wonderful as the other two. We get a lot more details about Faerie (especially Wendell’s realm) and as you might expect, it’s both enchanting and viscerally disturbing. We also get to meet some new fantastic side characters, and revisit some favorites from previous books. Wendell and Emily’s relationship remains delightful, and one of the best parts of the series. He’s so soppily devoted to her, and I adore it. Emily’s own expressions of love seem more understated, but she proves that she will go to extraordinary lengths to keep him safe. Overall this was a really excellent and satisfying conclusion to the trilogy (though if the author wanted to continue in this world, I certainly would not complain!)

Prepare for a vague review, as I do not want to offer up spoilers for new reads to the series.

While Encyclopedia read as a standalone, Maps and Compendium are neatly woven together.

Compendium picks up right where Maps leaves off and we follow Emily and Wendell on a new adventure.

I adored watching their relationship grow. The juxtaposition of Emily’s bluntness, despite her best attempt to lean into her feelings, and Wendell’s unabashed fawning was my favorite aspect of this read. And of course loved reading about one of my favorite animal companions, Shadow.

Fawcett’s prose continues to be lovely. The pacing is slower for the first half, but is still immersive. The high stakes were unexpected, but appreciated that the cozy atmosphere did not disappear.

If this is the end of this series, I was left feeling nothing but pleased.

I adored their Fawcett’s writing and will pick up anything that she writes.

If you enjoy:

Realism take on fantasy and classic folklore.

Quirky humor.

Fantastic fantasy elements with an academic perspective.

Cottage l-core, but with dark elements.

Do not hesitate to pick up this series.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group- Ballentine and the author for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date: 02-11-2025

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the preview. All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars

An absolutely perfect end to this delightful series. I never tire of Emily and Wendell and their adventures. This time it’s to reclaim his throne!

I loved how important stories are to this story. What we learn about a world, the truths we find, and what threads connect them all—it was a really beautiful exploration.

I loved seeing all our old friends like Poe, Margret, and Lildja, plus Rose and Ariadne. I loved how Emily remained above all, truly and authentically herself. She and Wendell just make me smile. I laughed at the two of them quite a bit too.

The mix of whimsy and adventure is just perfect. I will definitely recommend this series to anyone, and it will be one I revisit in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Compendium of Lost Tales picks up directly where we left off in Book 2, with Emily and Wendell opening the door into his faerie realm. Luckily I read all three of these in quick succession, because it really felt like this was a direct continuation of Map of the Otherlands.

Like with the other two books, I absolutely adored this installment. Overall, the world-building for the faerie realm wasn't overwhelming in any way, which made it easy to follow and very enjoyable to read. There were several more characters in this one, as well as all of my favorites from the first two books. It was a nice build-up for anyone who wants to start to read more fantasy, but has been intimidated by it in the past because of how the world itself and number of characters can get overwhelming. Fawcett does a great job of building on the foundation of the first book, and growing the world and characters at an enjoyable pace. I also really loved that this book focused even more on the actual fairytale aspect and included various tales from folklore as a way to explain how the world itself worked - I was constantly blown away by how Fawcett was able to incorporate these cultural aspects and create an entire world and book series off of it. It was so unique compared to other fantasy books I've read. I also loved that Emily is in her 30s and not making the same mistakes and falling into the same romantic tropes that are common in other romantacy stories.

I do wish there was more of a conclusive ending - unless we will be getting more installments, which I would definitely read and purchase as soon as they were published. It feels like we are just getting started with Emily and Wendell's adventures. Some plot points were still left unresolved, so I'm hoping we get at least one more novel for this series, if not more. This series is definitely something special.

A satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, although I did feel the love story was given rather short shrift in this one (lots of plot to get through!) and it did feel maybe a touch shaggier than the first two.

"I am bored most of the time. Bored of politics and adventure and feasting and quarreling. Of vengeance and loyalty. I have learned there is one thing a person never tires of, no matter how long they live. And that is being in love. All else is ash and ember."

Book 3 follows Emily and Wendell into the latter's own realm as they try to sort out the some things with the previous monarch. This installment of the series has a lot more emotion and a bit less in-depth faerie lore, but the adventure levels are top tier as always. I was even brought to tears at one or two points. Fawcett has perfectly weaved humor and intellect into a whimsical, dark tale of the Folk, that is all together massively clever. I've always loved how each book corresponds to the whatever project the Emily is working on. The series concludes in a satisfactory way that I will personally hold hope that it leaves the faerie door open for a future return, should the author take a fancy. Fawcett is genuinely such a fantastic author and world builder, with an astounding vocabulary (I learn so many new words reading her work). Every book is a literary treat. I'm sad to see the Emily Wilde series come to a close, since I believe this is a trilogy, but I am really excited to see what Fawcett comes out with next.

This book is the perfect way to end the trilogy. Delightful, gorgeously evocative, funny (I love Emily and her voice - her diary entries are the best way these stories could have been narrated), absorbing, imaginative. These are cosy grey academia stories that the author has managed to get just right, and I know I'll be returning to them, the world, and its characters in the future.

Series Info/Source: This is the 3rd book in the Emily Wilde series. I got this on eGalley from NetGalley for review.

Thoughts: I enjoyed this book just as much as the previous books in this series. We spend a lot more time in faerie in this book and learn a lot more about Wendell's past.

Emily and Wendell head into faerie to take back Wendell's throne. Sadly, this isn't as easy as expected as there seems to be a curse on the lands; a curse created by the apparently not-quite-dead former queen. Emily rushes to analyze various faerie stories and try to figure out the best way to break this curse. Wendell is healing the land as he can.

I really continue to enjoy both Emily and Wendell as characters; they have a sweet relationship and are very supportive of each other through some rather trying times. We meet some new and intriguing characters in this book as well and get to spend some time with some of Emily's friends from the first book too.

I enjoyed the crazy inhabitants of faeries, the detailed analysis of various faerie tales, and Emily's bravery in facing some tough situations. This is a well written and cozy, heart-warming fantasy. I hope there are additional books in this series.

My Summary (5/5): Overall I really love this series. I love Wendell and Emily and their relationship, and I enjoyed all the time we get to spend in faerie. This is a well-written fantasy with heavy faerie themes, a lot of humor, some adventure, and a cozy feel to it. I really hope there are additional books in this series.

Emily and Wendell's story ends in a satisfying conclusion with a return to the beginning. Emily navigates the challenges of being a human queen in the Faerie world by putting her scholarly knowledge to use. I loved the cast of characters in this book and seeing some familiar favorites. I had a slow time getting into the book, but once I was in the story I couldn't put it down.

Overall, I really enjoyed the third book in the Emily Wilde series. Compendium of Lost Tales has the same pacing as Encyclopedia where it really picks up about halfway through. We start right where Map of the Otherlands ends with Emily and Wendell looking for a door to Wendell’s realm and general exploration and politics begins from here. The mysterious curse placed by Wendell’s stepmother is a little slow to make itself known and didn’t really grab my attention. It wasn’t until things became life threatening for characters that I truly was on the edge of my seat to finish. I enjoyed having characters return from previous books and loved that Wendell wasn’t asleep for half the book. In all honesty, I love this series because of his complaints, magic, and general attitude. I felt the pivotal moment (I cried on a train in front of everyone) was resolved rather quickly and would have enjoyed more of Shadow showing off his powers.

I love this series and this entry is as lovely and whimsical as the last two. Emily and Wendell are a great pair to follow around, and their adventures in Wendell's realm are just serious enough to keep you entertained. I love the romance, the settings, the cozy nature and high stakes of it all. I would read just about anything involving these two. I hope this is not the last entry in the series, but if it is it's a lovely send off for these two.

Overall I enjoyed this series enough, but I am glad I am finished with it. While I did look forward to this book and am very thankful I got to read it early... I don't look back on any in the trilogy with especially incredible or memorable things to say.

If you like cozy fantasies, then this book is 100% for YOU, and you will ADORE it. It has all the perfect elements that make cozies what they are....a slow pace, with very whimsical writing and magical aspects, and a little bit of a romance. But maybe this genre is just not for me. I am at a point where I need a little bit more substance in my plots, and I rely more on intrigue to keep me going rather than vibes alone.

Wendell and Emily are great characters, and I love their interactions together. The relationship they have is so funny and peculiar but entertaining all the same. It is nice to watch their relationship grow and change throughout the three books and nice to see a more non-traditional relationship too. In the sense that Emily is a bit more of a shyer and less outwardly romantic person. Shadow (her dog) did have a larger arc in this novel, and I can't say I'm disappointed. The animal companions in this are great, and both dog and cat people will be appeased.

I was quite shocked by some developments of the story and twists along the way, but the ending conclusion was still a little predictable. It was still nice to have a little change of pace for a moment. And the mystery element and sleuthing was a bit of fun.

There is potential for a following series, and I could be tempted to read that...simply because the writing is so lovely here and the world is nice to dive into. When I was getting into the story more, it was in moments where the setting was being described vividly. The magical elements were done very well here and those are Heather's strongest pros. The descriptions are very vivid and her magical elements feel like they are coming out of a fairytale itself, and one I would want to visit.

Overall, I enjoyed it enough...but I never found myself truly wanting to pick this up and needing to know where it ended.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Emily Wilde's series has been a favorite of mine since I picked up the first book in early 2023. I was a new Netgalley member and had been requesting books based off of their descriptions. The synopsis for Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries sounded like all my childhood faerie obsessions come true in a book. I requested it, was approved, and loved it from the first page! I have been lucky enough to read each installment since as an advanced copy, and my love for the series has only grown.

Whereas the first book, Encyclopaedia could have been a standalone (although with several questions left), the second and third books, Map and Compendium, are closely tied together. The story picks up in Compendium right after the events in Map, with Emily finally bringing Wendell home to his kingdom. Not all is as it seems, though, and our dear heroes must find a way to overcome even more enemies.

As a result, the plot is more straightforward than previously. There's less tangents. While there are a couple turns and unexpected moments, the main goal of the book stays the same - heal the problems Wendell's stepmother left behind.

This book takes faerie stories a step further than the previous installments - where Emily would consult faerie stories previously, she relies heavily upon them here. And honestly, it does feel a bit convenient. However, Emily is reminded to look at the overall pattern of faerie stories rather than just one story. This formulaic aspect of the plot didn't dampen my enjoyment, but it was a consistent thought that niggled at my brain. I imagine some readers will not like it.

Overall, though, Compendium feels like the natural evolution of Emily and Wendell's story. Their relationship growth, Emily's increased confidence in her decisions, and even the way the plot unfurled effortlessly flowed from one book to the next. I think Compendium's increased focus on faerie stories and the formulaic nature of Faerie was a nod to everything we've learned with Emily since book one. As she says,

"The politics of Faerie - indeed, everything about the place - revolves around stories. Stories shape the realms and the actions of those who dwell there."

Speaking of, Wendell's realm is awful and lovely and dangerous. Sure, we got a look at it in Map, but it was rushed and not under the best circumstances. Emily goes through just about every feeling in regards to the Silva Lupi, and we get some vivid descriptions of things both terrible and beautiful. We spend so much time in Faerie!

Shadow, precious old dog that he is, had my whole entire heart. Orga even managed to steal into my affections a bit... but, I also enjoyed seeing her be a capricious, tricky cat. Haha. Poe makes a small appearance, and Snowbell is as vicious as ever. New common fae are met, and some disturbing courtly fae as well. But don't fear! Several mortals also feature (including some familiar faces!), giving Emily a reprieve from Faerie minds.

Moving onto the more gushy matters: Emily and Wendell! I love their relationship. Wendell is very much a faerie, and we see that even more in his actions in Compendium. But his love and care and observance of Emily is soft and wholesome. Emily, too, leans into her feelings as best she can and is open with Wendell. Her blunt manner and Wendell's frivolity mesh in an unexpected way, and I love to see it. They're perfect. I love seeing them together in Wendell's realm. That's all.

How does one end a review like this? I am sad to be leaving Emily and Wendell, but I know I'll revisit their story often. I am nothing but pleased with the ending of this series and where we leave them. Heather Fawcett has my full trust as an author, and I am so thankful to her for this world!