You can find the first book in this series on my list of Best Adult Fantasy Novels. It is a breath of fresh air, as is the second book in the series. Emily Wilde is embarking on her greatest challenge yet as a dryadologist. She will be studying the faerie realm from the inside as the new queen.

Wendell is now her fiancé and is taking his rightful place as king, but his stepmother placed a deadly curse on the realm before disappearing. Wendell and Emily must use their combined magic and knowledge to save everything they love before the kingdom falls to ruin.

Every book in the series gets better. I am not sure if there are plans for more, but I will read every book. Emily Wilde keeps developing as a character, and I love her relationship with Wendell. This book, like all the books in the series, reads more like historical fiction and sometimes like nonfiction! Emily writes in her journals, and her notes feel real!

A lovely finale to the Emily Wilde series! This is definitely the most romantic of the three and I think the most fairytale like. I loved the focus on stories being the answer to the mystery Emily and Wendell face. It just feels right as an ending. I think there's room for more definitely but I'm so incredibly pleased with how this has turned out. an all time favorite series for sure.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the eARc in exchange for an honest review.

The third installment of the Emily Wilde series brings readers deeper into the faerie realm, shifting the tone slightly from its predecessors while still maintaining the charm and scholarly intrigue that define the series. With much of the story unfolding in the faerie world, the whimsical chaos of Fawcett’s signature tone remains ever-present, offering an immersive journey filled with exploration and discovery.

Emily and Wendell’s relationship continues to be one of the highlights of the series, their dynamic as endearing and sweet as ever. However, the found family element, which played a significant role in previous books, feels a bit thinner here. While familiar friends make appearances, their presence is more for comfort than active involvement in the story.

The stakes in this installment feel notably higher, as Emily and Wendell face a formidable villain and the dire consequences of failure. The academic aspect of the series remains intact, but with a fresh tone that leans slightly more into hands-on discovery than purely academic research.

While Compendium of Lost Tales may be my least favorite of the trilogy, it is still a fantastic read that effectively expands the world and magic of the series while staying true to its heart. Fawcett successfully balances the beloved elements of the first two books with new challenges and settings, making this a satisfying—if slightly different—conclusion.

An excellent finale to the trilogy. I love how strong Emily's voice is and how even during the darkest moments, she remained the Emily we know and love. I also liked seeing Wendell in his element. Overall, a great book!

I have very much enjoyed this series. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed the first book, I loved the second book even more, and I think this was a nice conclusion to Emily's story. We revisit a lot of places, catch up with a lot of familiar characters, and settle into the future of Emily and Wendell's lives together. There were also some new characters that I loved meeting - particularly Wendell's overly dramatic sister and their perpetually bored uncle.

I wish we got a little more show of growth from Emily. While she has her own ways of showing she cares about people, a lot of her reactions to problems remains going off on her own and isolating herself with books. I wouldn't want her to change too drastically as I think she is a wonderful character, but I would have loved to see her reach out to the people in this network she has built and embrace collaboration a bit more.

The relationship between Wendell and Emily is so sweet with the lengths he goes to in ensuring she feels happy and safe in Faerie, and the lengths Emily goes to in ensuring he survives to the end of their story without devolving into madness. We learn new stories and information, visit new places, see more strange Fae magic and curses. Emily has quite the adventure in this installment, one that I enjoyed going on with her, and I thought it was a lovely conclusion to her story.

EMILY WILDE'S COMPENDIUM OF LOST TALES by Heather Fawcett (see others in this series) received starred reviews from Booklist and from Library Journal. Both continue to praise Fawcett's world-building as she once again crafts dangerous adventures for dryadologist (one who studies fairies) Emily and Wendell, a fairy King. They finally venture together into Wendell's realm, only to discover that his stepmother has cursed the kingdom, a curse that can be lifted with Wendell's death. Determined and pragmatic, yet often impulsive, Emily refuses to accept that result and tries to find a solution through her research and scholarship. Once again, she seeks to help Wendell where "everything about the place revolves around stories. Stories shape the realms and the actions of those who dwell there." Readers will enjoy Fawcett's latest (February 2025 LibraryReads Hall of Fame selection) and undoubtedly look forward to more adventures.

I love Emily Wilde. If she was a real person, we’d be besties- the scholarly researcher and the librarian.

I have loved this series from the beginning - it’s cozy fantasy with a dash of suspenseful action and danger.

This time we followed Emily and Wendell back to his home to see if he can save the land and take the throne- which means, yes, Emily may become a queen. Did you just shriek with happiness? I did when I read that synopsis.

This is a 5 star for me, but I realized there may be the curmudgeonly reader who doesn’t dig faerie land like I do. We won’t dwell on that.

Thank you @heather_fawcett @delreybooks for allowing me to once again live in the wonderful world of Emily Wilde. This is out on 2/11, so get your last minute preorder in now, cozy fantasy lovers!

QOTD: What is one of your favorite book series? It can be any genre!

This is one of my faves, but I have many romance, fantasy and mystery series I enjoy.

#fantasy #emilywildescompendiumoflosttales #emilywilde #newbooks #arcreading #bookreview #bookstagram #nicmedia

I have been in love with this series since the first page of book one. This third installment is by far my favorite. Wendell has had so much growth throughout the series and it was lovely to see how that came to fruition in Compendium. The relationship between Wendell and Emily is one of my favorites. It was fun to once again be back in Faerie and see some new and familiar characters. I enjoyed this story line and the adventure. There was a sub story line that was kinda hidden when it comes to Shadow and it had me all in my feels for most of the book. By the end there is a scene that addressees this and it had me sobbing. I am sad to see this series come to an end and can't help by try to hold on to Emily and this world and cast of characters for a bit longer.

This book was fantastic. I look forward to sharing it with library patrons looking for reading materials like this.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC.

What a wonderful conclusion to an excellent trilogy. I think it's a trilogy? It feels final, and while I am sad that it has to end, I'm also glad it's not getting dragged out until it's a husk of its former self. The whole series has an interest in examining our stories to guide our future. This one especially takes you through not only the folklore of Ireland but through Emily's past adventures. The story is so well plotted, all the pieces coming together are so satisfying! The romance between Emily and Wendell is so sweet. They are willing to do so much for each other, and they're so happy with the other in all their flaws. And I love Shadow, he's one of the best dogs in fiction. No spoilers, but I did nearly cry at the ending because of the damn dog.

Thanks to Ballantine and NetGalley for this eARC (though I didn't get to this one until after the pub date).

This was a great final entry into the Emily Wilde series! Fascinating world building and excellent characters. I like the ideas about how story impacts the Faerie realms. I'd be in for future installments, but I'm happy with how we've ended up here!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett! One of my best of the year so far, can't wait to see where else Fawcett takes Emily!

I received this as an ARC and was absolutely ecstatic to read this during my winter holiday between semesters. On the first day of holiday, I received a phone call that my father had unexpectedly died. I found myself on a 24-hour plane journey from my home in Southeast Asia to the east coast of the USA. A handful of those hours were spent reading this book from beginning to end. I really cannot give this book higher praise that in some of my darkest hours, I found solace within its story. I experienced the gambit of emotions, especially chuckling, as Emily continues to wade through unknown lands with her wit and wicked sense of researcher duty. This series has become a favorite of mine and I will always be grateful that it was a mental sanctuary during an emotionally difficult trip.

Another beautiful escapade into the realm of the fae with Emilie Wilde! A perfect 3rd book. I can not wait for additional stories to come. If you like an adventure take a trip with Emile.

Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett is a captivating and whimsical adventure that introduces readers to Emily Wilde, a charming and brilliant scholar of magical creatures. The world-building is rich and full of enchanting details that make it easy to immerse yourself in Emily’s journey. I loved the quirky characters, the magic system, and the overall lighthearted yet mysterious tone of the story.

Though I gave it 3.5 stars, it’s important to note that I haven’t yet read the first two books in the series, which may have provided additional context and background to the characters and world. I’m sure I’ll appreciate the story even more once I catch up, but even as a standalone, it offers a delightful blend of humor, magic, and intrigue.

If you’re a fan of whimsical fantasy with strong, witty protagonists, this book is definitely worth checking out! I’m looking forward to diving into the rest of the series.

What if telling a story affects how the story ends?
Emily, Wendell, Shadow, and the rest of the gang reappear from beyond The Veil to give us another look into Faerie politics, love, and the definition of reality! With Wendell recovering from his assassination attempts and his stepmother off the throne of the faerie kingdom, Emily must find her place within a world where the rules aren't specific but the smallest details may result in life or death. Backstabbing, treason, loopholes and research combine to create a story with just the right amount of cozy fantasy academia! While I certainly don't want to be left alone in a room with Lord Taran, I am beyond thrilled to spend a few hundred pages learning all about him and the rest of the faerie population in this latest edition to the Emily Wilde saga. A satisfying conclusion (if the series ends here) with just enough left unknown to allow for more in the future.

The strong and determined personality of Emily, her witty writing, and interest in learning stand out throughout this series, along with the contrast of Wendell's easygoing personality. Our familiar formula changes a bit as Emily shifts gears from researching the fae to saving Wendell's kingdom from his wicked stepmother -- though Emily still finds time to take careful field notes. I found this a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, but not my favorite of the bunch. The pacing is a bit odd, certain plots end on a somewhat anti-climactic note, and some conflicts are a bit too easily resolved. There are also a LOT of different new types of fae introduced that get a bit difficult to keep track of. Still, I kept reading both to find out what happens and to continue enjoying Emily's dry observations.

From the publisher:
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The third installment in the heartwarming and enchanting Emily Wilde series, about a curmudgeonly scholar of folklore and the fae prince she loves

Emily Wilde has spent her life studying faeries. A renowned dryadologist, she has documented hundreds of species of Folk in her Encyclopaedia of Faeries. Now she is about to embark on her most dangerous academic project yet: studying the inner workings of a faerie realm—as its queen.

Along with her former academic rival—now fiancé—the dashing and mercurial Wendell Bambleby, Emily is immediately thrust into the deadly intrigues of Faerie as the two of them seize the throne of Wendell’s long-lost kingdom, which Emily finds a beautiful nightmare filled with scholarly treasures.

Emily has been obsessed with faerie stories her entire life, but at first she feels as ill-suited to Faerie as she did to the mortal world: How can an unassuming scholar such as herself pass for a queen? Yet there is little time to settle in, for Wendell’s murderous stepmother has placed a deadly curse upon the land before vanishing without a trace. It will take all of Wendell’s magic—and Emily’s knowledge of stories—to unravel the mystery before they lose everything they hold dear.

Emily Wlde's Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett was released February 11th, 2025 from Del Rey.

My Thoughts: In this third book in the series, the story is told from Emily's point of view. We see her worries and her joys as she and Wendell claim his throne in Faerie. This is the perfect point of view for the book considering it is pretty much Emily and her adventures for a good portion of the book. Nothing wrong with that.

Former Queen Arna has put a curse on the land. It's harming groves of trees and killing both plants and Folk that happen to be within the area it strikes. Together Wendell and Emily must find a cure for the blight and a suitable punishment for the former Queen.

Wendell's assuming the throne and having to deal with such problems allows us to see how far he's grown since meeting Emily. And Emily consults her books to find the best path forward that will yield the best results.

There is some travelling around the kingdom with Emily and Wendell. Once the problem escalates though, it's mostly Emily and ever-faithful Shadow on the road together. I think she shows great bravery and strength of character.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a little slow in places, but it didn't stop me from wanting to know what was going to happen next. I would recommend reading the books in the series in order to get the most out of this one. There are previous characters who have parts in this book. And there are some references to previous adventures. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy a good fantasy based on the Folk.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my review. All opinions therein are my own.

“Stories are the architecture of Fairie, more powerful than magic, more powerful than kings.”

This is one of my all-time favorite series. I love the contrast between academic and reticent Emily with exuberant and fun-loving Wendell. I found this particular book interesting because Emily is forced into a more prominent role in Fairie than she ever intended, for almost the first time, she is unsure how to interact with the Folk and suddenly finds the mortal world a comforting place. She is also a lot more social this time around and is more willing to rely on the people she cares about. Meanwhile, we finally see Wendell in his own realm and how that might affect him moving forward.

Note: This is the third book in the Emily Wilde series and should be read in order.

Oh wow. Yeah, this one ended much like it began: cozily creepy! Heather Fawcett's fae are morally gray beings with almost entirely absent moral compasses. Throwing an endlessly practical, grumpy academic into the middle of them creates the best sort of chaos. If you've read the first two titles, this one is much the same, though it has a sleepier pace for the first 2/3 of the book. Fawcett wrapped up the series quite well. I was left feeling satisfied, with all my questions answered, and not hungry for more. The series doesn't feel overdone or excessive - just complete.

If you're planning to enter the Emily Wilde trilogy here, don't. Do not pass go. Turn around, seek out "Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries", and begin there. This is very much not a set of interconnected standalones. The stories each build on the previous, and you'd only be left (a) entirely lost, or (b) confused at why we care about 2/3 of the details.

Lastly, a warning: if you're reading The Compendium close to bedtime, DO NOT go beyond 65ish%. There WILL be lost sleep. Because yiiiiiiiiiiiiikes. This one was cozy ... until it wasn't. And then it made up for cozytime ... in a major way.

Content:
Violence: ...Yes. It's faerie. It's ruthless. It's pretty, but bloodthirsty. Upper mild to moderate levels of gore as well.

Sexual content: There are 1-2 allusions of sex prior to marriage, but nothing on-page or overt.

Language: Light, mild swears. Nothing significant.

Relationships: The previous titles had two sets of couples that were m/m and f/f, and they both have significant presences in the Compendium as well.

Other content: Unhealthy relationships and questionable morals are pretty much a given. Additionally, twisted familial relationships continue to play a role.

Would I continue with this series, if the author chose to release additional titles later on? Honestly .. probably not. As mentioned earlier, this is a solid stopping point. And I probably wouldn't have picked up the series to begin with, had I had a full view of what content to expect. But, here we are. And I did enjoy Wendel and Emily. They were delightful.

Thank you, author and publisher, for an advance copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.