Thank you to the publisher for the ARC. I wanted to reread the first two before diving into the last. This world can be very overwhelming. I have to say the last book in the trilogy was my favorite. I loved seeing Emily shed her academic skin and embrace a new role. That is completely different from anything she’s done. Wendell as always was as selfless and love sick as ever. Shadow stole my heart and never returned it. All of the characters were so fun, and added so much to the storyline. They didn’t just blend into the background. I loved the plot of this book and all the twists it held. This trilogy is one of a kind and just so comforting. I can’t recommend it enough.

If there isn't a sub-genre for Cozy Academia, then there should be. "Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales" would fit right in. The entire series has all the things I love about cozy fantasy, and yet, it's filled scholarly research and the quest for knowledge of all things Fae. Old Fae tales like the ones I heard as a child. All the whimsy and fantastical things that make this genre great. I loved Heather Fawcett's writing and the world she created. This is the perfect seasonal read. All you need is a comfy seat, a hot drink and time. The series remained consistent throughout. I loved Wendell from the very beginning and Emily's passion and intelligence. I'd definitely recommend this book and series to those who love autumnal, cottage core vibes. Or those looking for a lighter fantasy with low stakes.

I may have been avoiding this review so that I didn’t have to acknowledge that the series was over 😭

The Emily Wilde series has been a favorite for the past couple of years, and I am thrilled that our last story in the series was everything I hoped for and more. In The Compendium of Lost Tales, we follow Emily and Wendell as they seek to reclaim his fairy kingdom from his wicked stepmother, who still lurks in the shadows. As Emily adjusts to life in faerie and the new expectations of her as Wendell’s queen, she can’t shake the feeling that their story isn’t quite finished yet. These fears are confirmed with the discovery of a blight on Wendell’s kingdom, a curse enacted by the evil former queen. It’s up to Wendell’s power and Emily’s academic abilities to track down the story that might save them all before it’s too late.

I loved everything about this finale in the series—Wendell coming into his power while acknowledging his limitations, Emily’s trust in herself and her own abilities, and their faith in one another despite the odds make this series a favorite. I think Heather Fawcett did an excellent job of remaining true to the story and characters she’s built while giving readers an exciting final adventure to conclude the story. For me, the ending was the perfect way to wrap up the series in a way that was both satisfying and felt authentic to the characters.
I highly recommend this book and series to fans of fantasy, emotional and funny characters, nerdy and academic ways of seeing the world, and those who believe in the innate power in all of us to make a difference.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Acknowledgments & Disclaimers ✨ Thank you to NetGalley, Heather Fawcett, and Random House Publishing/Ballentine/Del Rey, for providing an ARC and the opportunity to share an honest review of this book. ✨ All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. ✨ My reviews and ratings strive to evaluate books within their own age-demographic and genre.

In Book three of the Emily Wilde series, Heather Fawcett has continued her charming and full of wonder narrative surrounding Emily Wilde, as Emily comes to terms with the immortal world, her place beside Wendell and the mystery of a deadly curse. Once again Emily’s knowledge of fairy tales must help unravel the curse before it is too late.
One of the aspects I like the most is the research that is obvious in the telling of the series. Just as in the previous two books, the mingling of fairytales and romance is a charming mix, inviting the reader into Emily’s world. I love that Emily is nothing as we expect but is a force to be reckoned with, both in her knowledge and her ability to love.
This novel in particular focuses as much on the politics of Faerie and Wendell regaining his kingdom. In the process, we learn more about his background as well as Emily’s but the focus on stories is the key to the curse and to the beautiful ending.
If you like stories that are charming and full of wonder, this one is the one for you. With this being a strong continuation of the previous novel, I do suggest you read the previous two books in the series. At least the previous book is required to fully enjoy this one, the third in the series. I love the whimsy, the fairy tales and most of all the romance between Wendell and Emily.

I should have reread book 2 before I read this [the wait was 2 months long at the library when this thought finally jumped into my brain and I went looking, so that ended up being a no-go], but I am not sure that would have helped me actually enjoy this more; I have a feeling it would have just made me feel even more let down by this book and then I would have been even more disappointed. It just didn't fully work for me [what on EARTH happened to Wendell? I loved Wendell and he is just a shadow of his former self in this one], even with my love for Emily [she felt strangely flat and constantly anticlimactic all of the time]. I DID love that we had a lot of Shadow [and what Wendell does there was truly a huge GREEN flag {IYKYK} ], we get to see some old friends of Emily and Wendell's [though not nearly enough IMO], and Poe. Oh how I love Poe. Even if it was only for maybe 4 pages total [which was sad. Poe is so lovely]. And for what the story was about, I expected something on a MUCH grander scale, and got a teeny miniature instead and it felt so flat by the time it is all over.

For a series I have truly loved, this was pretty disappointing end.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine/Del Ray for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t know how she did it, but Heather Fawcett managed to build upon the setting of the first and second books and finished this trilogy on a high note. It was a beautiful and cozy read throughout with a satisfying end to Emily & Wendell’s story. This book cements the series as a favorite for me.

Thank you to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am OBSESSED with these Emily Wilde books, and I have told everyone I know to drop everything and read them so we can discuss. Wendell is the best book boyfriend who has ever book boyfriended and Emily’s wry, tongue in cheek academic tone is the perfect backdrop for the charms of their relationship and the perils of fae culture. I find the magic system thoroughly fascinating and swoony and every book has delighted me more than the last. For me, Fawcett is right up there with Naomi Novik as one of the very best writers of folklore.

Emily is truly the heart of this series, and one of the brightest points is her relationship with Wendell. Without giving much away, I love the growth I've seen in their relationship. I did find the pacing lagging at parts, but all in all, a satisfying conclusion to such a whimsical and cozy series. Definitely getting for our collection.

A fantastic finale to a fantastic trilogy! The start of the story picks up where we left off, with Emily and Wendell taking back his faerie kingdom, but there is a curse they must defeat before they can live in happiness. The story moves back and forth between the "real" world and faerie as Emily uses her academic knowledge to save Wendell's life. There are moments of shock when the story doesn't go quite how you expect. Fawcett does an excellent job of imbuing the qualities of traditional faeries from Irish folklore into the story. I've very much enjoyed this trilogy and the final book is a satisfying end to the story.

I feel like I'm the minority for this one, but I found it a bit difficult to get through! I loved the first Emily Wilde book and the second was just okay for me. The third one feels like much of the same and I really needed a bit more life/growth from the characters. It was much faster-paced than the second book, which I preferred, but I just needed a bit 'more' from it. I think I'd also love to see a bit more diversity, especially in a historical setting.

Another lovely addition to this series! I just adore these characters and our stubborn scholar. While I think this is the weakest out of all three books, it was still a wonderful bit of escapism and I'll for sure be returning to this series anytime I need a pick-me-up!

Somehow Fawcett continues to outdo herself with every book in this series. I fall more in love with the characters and how she crafts these stories. I feel like the series gets better and better with each book and this is something I didn't know was possible. I haven't been disappointed.

Just as delightful as the previous two entries. This series has filled the light hearted cozy niche so perfectly for me and I will happily recommend this series to anyone. I love the main and side characters and would happily read several more books involving them. The Compendium of Lost Tales is less of a standalone than the previous 2 and I would recommend reading at least one of the previous books before this one. If your looking for a cozy fantasy with a light hearted romance and just a dash of trouble then this book/series is for you! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced copy.

This the last take of Emily and Wendell was the most fraught, and perhaps the most romantic. Here we really see their love take center stage. Wendell is at last freed of any sort of human pretense and we see him grow into the Fae he is meant to be. We are thrust into the world of Faerie in a way we haven’t been before. Though slower to start than the other books of the trilogy, it does eventually build up its usual steam with lots of twists and turns along the way. We see the return of all our old friends, the closing of any last little leftover story plots, and ends exactly as we would hope for Emily and Wendell. This series is always highly recommended by me for anyone who wants a cozy fantasy with lots of lore. While this isn’t my favorite of the trilogy, it is a satisfying ending for our friends.

Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales captures everything I've loved about the Emily Wilde Fairy world. It's so cozy yet adventurous and has the perfect level of academics and whimsy.

There is definitely more romance in this story and I've grown to love Wendell so much. I also really enjoyed diving deep into fairy world this time and the element of fairy tales and how they were interwoven with the narrative.

Tropes:
* Cozy Fantasy
* Faeries
* Journal
* Academic vibes
* Banter

4 stars

Emily Wilde and her fiancé Wendell Brambleby are finally going through the door to his faerie realm and seizing the throne to his long lost kingdom. But once making the move Wendell senses illness in the land he has never felt before which leads Emily in search of stories to help solve the mystery and guiding her towards a new idea for her research, a compendium of stories.
I loved this series and all of the imaginative imagery. And I love Shadow.

Review originally posted on FYA blog on 2/25/25.

Spoiler warning! If you haven’t read the first or second books in the series, some plot points will be spoiled in the review below. Go read them, though, they’re fantastic!

Cover Story: Montell Jordan

This is my least favorite of the three covers, but I have only seen the online version, which looks more…cartoony, maybe?, than the others. So maybe when I finally get the hardcover to round out my set, it won’t look as goofy. But aside from that, I appreciate the tiny details that correlate directly with the story, especially the creepy eye-trees (and the snails, omg)!

The Deal:

Over the last two novels, Emily has recognized that she, improbably, fell in love with a whimsy-loving faerie and has agreed to marry him, which also means that she’s participating in a coup for Wendell’s stolen kingdom and, if successful, will become its queen.

The fight for the crown is actually relatively straightforward, but what comes next most assuredly is not: stories and tales have weight in the faerie world, and though Wendell’s evil stepmother may be deposed, her curse could be his downfall.

Now Emily needs to navigate trying to lead a notoriously capricious people while also ensuring that Wendell lives to take his next breath.

BFF Charm: Platinum

Emily is so dear to me as a character by now. She’s a dragon with a soft heart for the ones she loves, a lover of stories, order, and knowledge, and has an acerbic wit that makes her pretty good at insulting comebacks. She can also be a smug know-it-all, and it’s impossible for her to pretend to be what she isn’t for too long, even to her detriment. She isn’t always good at it, but she craves connection with others, which, as an introvert, I totally understand. This book tests and stretches her as a person, and she comes out all the better for it. I reread the first two book in anticipation of this one, and what struck me is how vivid of a character Emily is compared to so many self-insert or bland, “strong” main characters we get in fantasy and romance settings. She is truly unique, and I would gladly follow her into a magical realm without hesitation.

Swoonworthy Scale: 9

Wendell and Emily are so perfectly matched for each other—and Fawcett writes it so well—that this is one of those books where finally getting to see them together, like really together, is as much of a delight as the build-up. It’s not constant banging to prove their love, but the little moments of domesticity and deep understanding of what the other person needs from you, or what quirky parts of them that you appreciate like no one else. It’s the mental sparring that ends in a toe-curling moment that gets me going. And yes, there’s also some traveling into the depths of terrifying nothingness to prove devotion that has me alternately tearing up and kicking my feet. In short, this relationship was my catnip and I was high as a kite for its entirety.

I probably highlighted more than 30% of the book to a point that slogging through said highlights was a study in frustration, so enjoy these somewhat random samplings that illustrate the moments I mean:

He rose, shaking the dew from his cloak. “You have that look.”
He had mirrored my own train of thought, which made me scowl at him irrationally. “Which?”
“The one you wear whenever you outsmart me in some area,” he said.
“Well,” I began with a shrug, then stopped. My magnanimity was wearing thin, I’m afraid. “Haven’t I?”
He laughed, a clear, bright sound, and then, before I knew what was happening, he had lifted me off my feet and spun me through the air, the greenery and shadow of the forest a whirl all around me.
“My beloved Emily,” he murmured in my ear.
“Yes, yes, all right,” I said, though I did not pull away. My smugness was back, together with a warm sort of satisfaction. It was pleasing to see him this happy.

And:

Flowers dangled like fat purple lanterns, dewed petals limned by the hearthlight of the windows.
“Much better,” Wendell said.
I gazed at the place in silent awe. After wrestling with myself for a moment, I said, “You could add one or two more.”
He looked delighted. “That was exactly my own thought!”
I watched as he summoned more vines, taking his time with the placement. It was not so much the flowers themselves I appreciated, but the magic trick. I do not think I shall ever grow tired of that.

Talky Talk: That’s What I’m Talking About

This was a VERY satisfying conclusion to an absolute delight of a series. I have no objectivity when it comes to this world and these characters; I adore them and I would gladly read more of them just noodling away through their hopefully long lives, going on adventures to every mountain in the world and complaining all the way.

Endings are always a challenge, and getting to Wendell’s faerie court has been a two-book build-up. If I had to choose, this wasn’t my favorite of all three books (book one still holds my heart). I could’ve gladly spent more time in this new world without there being a big problem to solve that overshadows the exploration, but I want that for all my favorite media, so it’s not necessarily this book’s fault.

Bonus Factor: Faerie Court

Trying to lead or manage a group of immortal and self-involved faeries sounds exhausting, but it is fun to observe. There’s a lot of new and interesting faces in this book, including Taran, the full-fae half-brother to Wendell’s stepmother who has been alive for probably a thousand years and is completely Over-with-a-capital-o It. A few friends make cameos as well!

Bonus Factor: Loyal Pet Companions

Part of what made me tear up in this book is Shadow, Emily’s Grimm-in-the-guise-of-a-dog and constant companion, as Fawcett is evil and reminds us that Shadow is getting old and creaky. I was literally going to RIOT if she killed him off in this book because I CANNOT HANDLE THAT. What happened instead was beautiful and still made me cry because I will forever miss all of my babies who have crossed the rainbow bridge, but at least I was able to leave my riot gear in the closet.

Bonus Factor: Faerie Creatures

I love that Snowbell the murderous fox-creature is back continually trying to insert himself in things because he loves the drama of it all, and we see way more of the Trees With Eyes than I, like Emily, would ever want, but my favorite fae creatures are the snails, which are mentioned very briefly in book two and are hilariously deployed here in a way I won’t spoil.

Apparently, they [the snails] possess a crude intelligence and value their dignity above all things; as such, they spend most of their lives occupied with revenge quests. While their vengeance may be slow in coming, they always have it in the end.

Relationship Status: Mated For Life

I rarely ever buy physical books anymore, but I needed the complete set of you, Book, for my home library, so we can always be together.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received my free review copy from Random House. I received neither money nor peanut butter cups in exchange for this review. Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales is available now.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This review is coming a bit late because the first ~30% of the book is admittedly a bit of a slog and took me a very, very long time to get through. After that first third, things picked up quite a lot. Emily is such a wonderful character and her drive to discover and learn and succeed continues to shine through in this book, and what made that first part so slow to get through was that the goal of the book really hadn't become clear. Once it does, the rest of the book is fun, fantastical, and a blast to read. 4/5 stars.

The 3rd installment in this historical fantasy series follows professor Wilde on a deeper adventure into the world of Faerie. If you like suspenseful historical fantasy books with an informative diary style narration, you might like this one! People who have liked “The Bear and the Nightingale” should try the Emily Wilde series!

A satisfying conclusion to a charming trilogy! This installment is somehow less engaging than the first two, perhaps because of slower pacing, but taken as a whole, the trilogy is clever and original, and highly entertaining.