I loved the other books in this series, but, unfortunately, this one fell a little flat for me. The endings of the book felt a little formulaic and I found my interest dipping in and out throughout the book, which made it take much longer to get through than previous ones. While I would still recommend this series, this one is not my favorite of the three.

Emily Wilde is a really fascinating protagonist, and these books are really fun, ever-so-slightly twisty fairy stories. This one saw usually intrepid-to-the-point-of-foolhardiness Emily frequently suffering from crises of self confidence, which wasn't really in character with the sort of single-minded pursuit of academic excellence (plus some romance, as a treat) I'd come to expect from this character. I also found these little episodes of, for lack of a better description, whinging, boring after the first couple times. Otherwise, an exciting and intriguing fairy story as the previous entries were!

Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales is the third and final book of the series. Emily Wilde has spent her lifetime studying the faerie realm. She is about to go on her most dangerous mission with her faerie fiancé Wendell Bamleby and join the faeries as their queen. Emily and Wendell must navigate the politics of Faerie including facing off with the curse left by his stepmother.

I have absolutely loved this series and it is going out on a high with this book. Emily and Wendell have been such a fun couple to follow. Both are great on their own but they just compliment each other so well. It was great getting to spend so much time in Faerie during this book. I can see this series being one that I continue to come back to on a regular basis. I'm already excited to do an audio reread of this book but may just start over from the beginning again. I will follow Heather Fawcett anywhere and can't wait to see what she does next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House et al, and Ms. Fawcett for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

I am completely shocked by how I upset I am, that this is purportedly the end of the series. SAY IT ISN'T SO!!!!!

If you're here for book 3 then you know what you're here for. Pragmatic, no-nonsense, scholarly, slightly curmudgeonly professor Emily Wilde, who almost against her will (I said ALMOST) is romantically linked to the glib and slightly frivolous faerie prince, now King, Wendell Brambleby. (Or King Liath, I suppose.)

Emily is full of trepidation about returning to Faerie as a permanent resident; studying there temporarily was thrilling but ruling as Queen both intimidates and stresses her out. As it turns out, the former Queen was deposed but not killed, and left behind a curse for her stepson. Emily, who was not comfortable with her new role as monarch, eagerly seizes upon the search for the former Queen and the opportunity to research what to do in this situation. Helpfully, Wendell opened a private door out of Faerie just for Emily, intended for her to have a respite from the zaniness of the Sylva Lupi, but she utilizes it to travel to the nearby university library. She feels that an answer could be found amongst the various written and oral stories of Faerie, the study of which is rapidly turning into her newest project in general.

I really liked the characters that people Sylva Lupi, particularly Niamh and Taran, and while I'm not excessively a cat person I found Orga's character very satisfying. And Shadow too *crying* ((((Wendell's last wedding present legit made me tear up; what a thoughtful thing to do, and why oh why is that not available in the real world 😥). I also felt that Emily has unbent a little bit more towards Wendell; in each successive book I feel like she softens towards him a little more but this is the first time I felt like she actually LIKED him, as opposed to just being worn down by him until she gives in.

I got the impression that Ms. Fawcett COULD end the series here, although it is certainly an open-ended ending. I would LOVE to revisit Emily and Wendell, and find out what becomes of Deilah, so here's hoping that we get to revisit Emily Wilde at some point. PRETTY PLEASE!!!!! If this is all we get, then I must admit it was a lovel, magical ride and one that I will most likely revisit periodically. Five stars, easily.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

DNF

This isn’t a bad series. It’s cute and cozy. Great for someone who wants an easy fantasy read….well except for the names (wish there was a pronunciation guide). I enjoyed the first two books, but they were a little hard to get through. Still was optimistic about this one, The beginning of this book was great, but unfortunately it failed to keep my attention shortly thereafter.

Again, I think this series is well written. It’s just not my cup of tea. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this title.

Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett is the third installment in the Emily Wilde series, and likely the last. This book picks up shortly after Map of the Otherlands and immerses the reader from the very beginning.

Personal thoughts: I’ve been awaiting this book as I loved the first two in the series, and I wasn’t disappointed. I love Emily and Wendell’s relationship! I also love the descriptive language used throughout the books, Heather Fawcett has a true talent for it. I don’t have as many thoughts on this book as I typically do in my reviews, but I did enjoy this read all the same.

I would recommend this book to anyone who read the first two books in the series and enjoyed them! Thank you very much to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine for allowing me to read this e-arc.

A much slower burn than the first two, but the second half of the book was SO well worth it. Loved all the Wendell drama and it was a nice tidy end to the series.

Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales is the third and likely final installment in the Emily Wilde series and it ended on a very satisfying note indeed. I absolutely adored the Encyclopaedia of Faeries and Map of the Otherlands, so I was naturally awaiting the final installment with much anticipation. This picks up very shortly after Map of the Otherlands and though it seems to dump the reader right in, it actually took me a while to get fully engaged in this latest tale of fae trickery and scholarly exploits.

Our favorite and foremost scholar of dryadology, Emily Wilde, has followed her new fiance into the realm of the Silva Lupi so that he may reclaim his throne from his wicked stepmother. Emily, though now somewhat familiar with the realm, is still unsettled by the numerous strange things - oak trees with eyes on every leaf, the multitude of deadly fae, and her new role as Queen. Plus, all those dresses are far too fancy for a scholar and they simply don’t have proper pockets for a journal and notebook. All this aside, Emily and Wendell must turn to saving this strange and deadly realm because Queen Arna placed a curse upon it and now the groves are dying and the fae within are being transformed into lifeless husks. It seems the most obvious course of action (for our scholar at least) is to begin researching similar tales of monarchical treachery and vengeance. 

Despite a somewhat slow start journeying through the forests of the Silva Lupi, this story managed to really capture my attention and once it had that, I finished the story quite quickly. I continue to love Emily and Wendell’s relationship, as the two are quite different but foil one another so well. Besides, how can you not love a guy who builds you an entire library, gifts you enchanted doors to other worlds, and then proceeds to not only treat you like a queen but make you one too? Emily of course remains practical and scholarly, seeing old patterns woven into new stories and trying to stop them to save her dearest Wendell from his own fae nature. The setting itself is a major factor in the feel of this installment and Heather Fawcett did a wonderful job of making it feel like a truly otherworldly place not meant for mortal kind. 

Overall, I thought this was a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy and didn’t stray too far from its roots, which I personally loved. The beginning’s perceived slowness did leave me feeling a bit frustrated, and it took me nearly a week to make myself sit down and just read through that part. Once I did I sped right along and loved the remaining 75-80% of it, particularly the ending which was sweet and left me feeling quite happy. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the entire trilogy to anyone looking for a somewhat cozy academic leaning, slow burn romance with the more traditional fae elements. The Emily Wilde series has cemented Heather Fawcett as a talented storyteller who I would love to read more from!

This is the third installment of the Emily Wilde Series and it has been a phenomenal journey. I am sad that this is the ending to the series but I can always pick it up again and wander through the cozy fantastical world.

In this installment, we see Emily and Wendell finally finding their way into the fae realm in order for Wendell to reclaim his throne. As with book number two, we see a good portion of the plot surrounding Emily while Wendell (though present)seems to take a bit of a backseat. I think I would have loved to see them share equal amounts of page time, but we do have to remember this is "Emily Wilde's Compendium", so it does make sense and keep continuity from the others in the series.

The romance is cute and continues to grow. I do not feel they have stalled or passed the honeymoon phase of being with each other, and its such a cozy, cute relationship .

I do have some critiques such as the ending and the plot being just a bit lacking in action. However, I have enjoyed this series thoroughly and was utterly entertained. It would be great to get a bit more but I suppose we shall see.

We're bringing it all the way back to the first book, here, because I read this one the same way I read that one: slowly, and then all at once. Seriously, I read 75% of this book in one day. I loved this final installment in the series so much. Emily and Wendell's relationship is so sweet and so them! I loved bringing elements back from the first book (POE!! My beloved!!) to tie the story in a bow very nicely. I did sort of feel like the old queen's change of heart was a bit convenient, but when the genre is cozy fantasy, yeah let's go with it.

Thank you PRH Audio for the gifted audio copy. Thank you Del Rey for the gifted digital copy.

Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales
Heather Fawcett
Publishing Date: February 11, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Narrator: Ell Potter & Michael Dodds 🎧

The third and final installment of the Emily Wilde series has arrived! If you read the first two books you are surely going to enjoy this one and Heather Fawcett leaves us with a satisfying conclusion.

Emily and Wendell are really couple goals. They are just so fun and cute together. Their banter and bickering is so entertaining. And their love for each other is unstoppable despite differing personalities and a wild faerie world that doesn’t always make things easy for them.

The fur characters, Shadow and Orga, are also the most lovable and often the stars of the show. A book that can deliver animal characters with such personality automatically gets love from me and it is done so so well in this series!

While not my favorite of the series, that honor goes to book two, I still very much enjoyed being back in this world with these quirky and lovable characters. Fans of cozy fantasy, faeries, cottage core vibes will absolutely adore this series as a whole. I’m sad to say goodbye to Emily, Wendell, and the gang but am so happy to have had this journey with them!

🎧 Ell Potter is the primary narrator here and she delivers Emily flawlessly. Michael Dodd pops in as Wendell and is also fantastic. You can’t go wrong reading this series with your ears, but also the books are gorgeous so I highly recommend adding them to your shelf! I may or may not have two different sets that I will be completing with this one 🥰

Cozy Fantasy • Cottage Core • Faerie Lore
Pub Day • 11 February 2025

Happy publication day to one of my most anticipated reads of the year! ‧₊˚🎧⊹ Thank you @prhaudio and @delreybooks for the free ALC & e-book.

In order to avoid spoilers for the first two books, let me just comment upon my favorite parts of Compendium:
❥ The banter between Emily and Wendell is top notch and in book 3 we see the softer side to Wendell
❥ Wendell is broody, moody, even capricious, but morphed from purely an academic rival
❥ I loved their sweet romance, which is closed door but still swoon-worthy
❥ Shadow, Emily’s grim is the best dog and companion out there 🥹🐾
❥ Orga, my feline favorite whose cantankerous swagger made me chortle with laughter

Although book 3 is my least favorite of the series, I still had a great time being back in this enchanted world and was sad for it to be over at the end. If I had complaint, it’s that I wanted more time with them together, as Emily and Wendell shine brightest whilst bickering, as opposed to when Emily is off gallivanting solo on quests to deliver Wendell from harm.

·˚ ༘₊·꒰➳: ̗̀➛ Final verdict: Fawcett delivers a satisfying conclusion to the series.I love the academic study of Dryadology [faerie folklore]. I highly recommend this series to any fans of cozy fantasy and cottage core faerie lore.

‧₊˚🎧⊹ Narration of the audiobook by Ell Potter brought so much life to Emily Wilde’s character. Michael Dodd only cameo’d for the voice of Wendell’s penned letters. I recommend the audio format, although I’ll be buying the physical book to complete my collection.

The much-anticipated final chapter for Emily Wilde, this book had everything - footnotes, Shadow, old friends and new, magic, an exploration of fairy tales, and a library or two. Knowing this is the last book of this series is so bittersweet. I will miss Emily, Wendell, Shadow, and the gang so much. This last installment takes place mostly in Faerie as Wendell navigates a kingdom inching closer to despair, and Emily investigates whether a story as old as time can be changed or if it’s doomed to repeat itself. In a race against time, Emily has to use all her wits to save the kingdom and her love to get the happy ending she’s always deserved.

Pub Date: 2/11/25
Review Published: 2/10/25
eARC received from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The third installment in the Emily Wilde series is such a cozy and satisfying way to end things. I’ve never really considered myself a faerie girlie but Emily’s enthusiasm and love of dryadology had me just as folk-obsessed as she was. Her nerdiness and Wendell’s charm work so surprisingly well together and I just love how much they respect each other.

The stakes in this final book feel a bit higher than they have in the previous two books but it still is cozy and warm with the most lovable cast. Heather Fawcett has done an incredible job of building these complex characters (even the pets - Shadow 4ever) over the course of the series and though I’m sad to say goodbye to them, this was the perfect way to do it.

Thank you so much Heather Fawcett, Random House Publishing- Ballantine, and NetGalley for the eARC of Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I always get a bit sad when starting the last installment of a beloved series. Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales is no exception. I’ve enjoyed reading about Emily and Wendell’s adventures in both the mortal and faeries realms so much that I most dreaded to get to the final chapter of the book. However, like Emily, I boldly traversed into the unknown and, much like our FMC, am happy to give you my field notes on what I’ve discovered (spoiler free, of course).

One of my favorite parts of the Emily Wilde series is the juxtaposition of both the familiar and the unexpected. Emily and Wendell are so quintessentially themselves throughout the tale that I couldn’t help but smile when they reacted to situations exactly as I expected them to. At the same time, the unexpected challenges that popped up throughout their adventures in the faeries realms kept me on my toes. I absolutely loved that I felt both immeasurably comfortable and unexpectedly delighted at the same time while reading the story.

I believe I’ve mentioned this before in past reviews, but it bares repeating: I adore not only how well Emily and Wendell understand each other, but how they respect each other. Although they have two very different personalities and worldviews, they just intrinsically get how the other thinks. It’s through this knowledge that they choose a course of action that shows both a loving regard for the other, while at the same time, gets the job done. It’s honestly such a refreshing, healthy take on a romantic relationship that I can’t help but admire.

Bottom line: Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales is a wonderful ending to a fantastic series.

In the pages, you will find:

🧚‍♂️FAIRY realms
📝Field notes
🤝Found family
🗡️Courtly scheming
🧭A hunt for someone lost
🛟A daring rescue attempt
🐾Magical pets
❤️Romance (light, but profound)
📖A satisfying ending to a wonderful cozy trilogy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I am always going to be here for Emily Wilde figuring out the unsolvable through scholarship and observation.

Having poisoned Wendell’s step-mother, Queen Arna, deposed her, and found the door to Wendell’s kingdom, Emily and Wendell are ready to claim his throne. And that’s just the start of the adventure. On her way out of the Silvia Lupi, Queen Arna has laid a curse on the kingdom that’s triggered by Wendell claiming the throne. In addition to trying to make herself into a queen the Courtly fae will respect, Emily must figure out how to lift the curse.

Remember how badly Emily flubbed things with the residents of Ljosland in Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries? She’s come a long way. Now she has friends and allies, humans in the court, the small fae, other scholars, and the humans she has helped along the way.

“The politics of Faerie—indeed, everything about the place—revolves around stories. Stories shape the realms and the actions of those who dwell there. Some of those stories are known to mortals, but many others have been lost, both to us and the Folk.”

Things get more interesting for Emily when her grandfather’s journal becomes a part of her research into the stories that shape the Kingdom and the likely future of her marriage to Wendell.

It took me a minute to get into the rhythm of this third installment. I love the journal entry format, but it puts me at a remove when I start reading. Once I settled in, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I love Emily’s competence and her belief in herself.

Shadow remains the best dog. I found Emily’s anxiety over Shadow’s aging so relatable. There is a painting of my former dog across from where I do most of my reading. When Shadow did his feats of bravery, I would look at the painting of Spike and be assured that Spike would never have exerted himself in that manner. Shadow is an excellent companion for a human queen of faerie who insists on doing the research herself.

I received this as an advance reader copy from Random House/Del Ray and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.

The Emily Wilde series by Heather Fawcett came to me right after I finished Kimberly Lemming’s Mead Mishaps series, and was looking for another low-stakes cozy romantasy. Stop laughing, I didn’t know Emily would willingly toss herself into danger repeatedly in the name of academia (and eventually for the love of Wendell). Her prickly, persnickety voice pulled me in. Shadow did too. Does anyone know where I might procure a companion like Shadow?

Now for Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales, the third and final book in the series. The story picks up with our new Queen of the faerie realm of Silva Lupi, but this time it’s personal. Emily, or course, is working on a new academic project: documenting the inner workings of the faerie world she now rules. She’s also working to fully restore Wendell to his throne and reclaim the fealty of his court. Silly, silly, girl. There’s no court more dangerous than the realm of faerie and none are as vicious as the nobles. To achieve her goals, Emily must navigate the complexities of her crown while staying true to her scholarly instincts—which will come in handy. The stakes are high as the kingdom is slowly consumed by a poisonous curse, and Emily’s research becomes the key to fighting their foes and saving her love.

While Encyclopaedia of Faeries remains my favorite—perhaps because there’s such a huge sense of discovery in that book—what sets Compendium of Lost Tales apart is its exploration of Emily’s growth. Not just as a scholar, but as a lover, an aunt, a friend, and for herself. Her grumpy ways are tempered by moments of vulnerability, humor, and uncertainty, particularly in her interactions with Wendell and her place in his new life. Their relationship—still filled with frothy banter and hidden tenderness—becomes the heart of the matter. Wendell, a charmingly foppish foil to Emily’s prickliness, is a true partner in every sense. Without each other, the pair might not have a chance at traversing the treachery of the faerie court and coming out alive.

Here, Fawcett brings her lovely characters full circle, offering a conclusion that is both satisfying and bittersweet, like the last sip of a perfectly aged spiced wine. The faerie realm is vividly rendered, a place of both wonder and menace, where every detail—from the creatures to the pitfalls—feels meticulously envisioned. Emily’s academic notes interspersed throughout, continue to provide the foundation for the storytelling, adding a layer of relatability as an anchor within the fantastical setting. Yet, for all its whimsy, the story doesn’t shy away from darker themes. The faerie lands serve as a metaphor for the fragility of power and the sacrifices required to maintain it. Meanwhile, the pacing rises and falls, bursting with heart-pounding exploits and warmed by reflective beats, inviting us to savor both the danger and the intimacy of the quest.

Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales is more than a farewell to a beloved series; it’s an adventure through the power of stories, the mysteries of love, and the timeless magic that resides at the crossroads of myth and the heart.

The final book in the Emily Wilde series is finally here! I have really had a wonderful time with this series and I was so excited to dive into this final installment. If you've loved the first two books, you'll also love this one--it's more of the same, in the best way.

Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales picks up almost immediately after the events of the previous book. I actually didn't expect things to pick up immediately and as seamlessly as they did, and I'll admit that it took me a little while to get back into the story and remember everything that happened in the previous book since I read it about a year ago. I certainly could've benefited from a recap, but that's really more of a "me" issue with my memory than anything to do with the book.

Like most fans of this series, I've really loved watching Emily and Wendell's dynamic evolve and their relationship grow over the course of these books. They are fantastic foils to one another, yet they seem to share a core trait that I think makes them perfect for each other, and that is their sort of steadfast determination and ability to see what needs to be done in a situation and to do it. Both display this quality in different ways, which we can see in Wendell's more "lazy" exterior personality, but both do have this and I think it's what really works for them. I have found Wendell's personality, which is rather indulgent and animated, complements Emily's more serious, no-nonsense and non-frilly nature, which makes them a great time. I also loved getting to see Emily immerse herself in the faerie realm and really grapple with her feelings about staying there for a more long-term time. It's a big change for her, and I appreciated how Wendell tried to make it more comfortable for her and how they tried to work things out together.

Despite how interesting the cast of characters in this book are--and we do get to meet a few new figures that bring a lot of interesting new developments with them--Shadow remains my favorite character of them all. He is simple one of the best book dogs. He plays a significant role in parts of this book, but I do wish he had had a bit more on-page time because I would always love more Shadow.

One of my favorite aspects of this series, which remains a strong element in this book, is how Fawcett depicts the Fae and the Fae world. Fae are known for being quite cruel, brutal, and enigmatic, and also often treat mortals as little more than playthings, if they notice them at all. Fawcett captures this concept incredibly well, highlighting each of the unique Fae types and their personalities, as well as the myriad of endless dangers that lurk when interacting with them. This is how I like my Fae lore and I'm so pleased that Fawcett has captured it so well and has been so consistent across this series.

I also always enjoy the scholarly aspect of this series and how Emily approaches with an academic mindset. I felt like I could really relate to her curiosity and how every new experience sparked a question rather than an emotional reaction, much as a true scholar does. She constantly analyzed her experiences and the faerie realm she is surrounded by, always considering the historical or folkloric significance of things. I especially loved how the folktales she studied played such a major role in this book's events, as well. No matter how dire a circumstance may be, Emily always had a researcher's perspective, and I appreciated that about her. In line with this, I also still do enjoy the journal format of this story, as I think it works well for Emily's personality. I'm still a fan of footnotes being included in fiction books, though since I read this as an eARC they are can be a bit tough to read since they tend to show up as endnotes rather than footnotes (and as we all know, footnotes are far superior to endnotes).

With all those positives being said, there was something about this book that made it harder for me to get through. I worked my way through this book for nearly a month, which is far longer than I expected and longer than it usually would for a book like this that I like and was looking forward to. I don't have that many specific criticisms, which makes it hard for me to pinpoint why it was so hard for me to stay engaged, but my assumption is that it was due to the slower pacing of this book. It really did move rather slowly, especially in the first half to two-thirds of this book, and I also felt like there were a lot of overall repetitive elements and plot beats. It was a lot of something happening, Wendell and Emily having some sort of discussion about it, Emily going off to research, Wendell missing her, and repeat. There were, of course, many other things happening during all of this, but that's just one example of an area that felt a bit repetitive.

The plot also felt a bit lacking at times. When interesting things happened, they were really interesting. But when there wasn't something immediately compelling happening, my interest waned. This stood out to me only because I tend to really like books that are "boring" and where "not much happens," so it was a bit of a surprise that I wasn't as hooked as I usually am. I would also say that anytime an issue of any kind arose, the resolution often felt a bit too... easy? Solutions were a little too convenient, which therefore lowered the stakes and probably then lowers the compulsion to keep reading about find out what would happen. I don't think the stakes are meant to really be that high in this series, so I think that works for it, but I thought it was worth noting. This is one of those books where I actually want things to work out well for everyone, so I'm not mad about things working out overall.

Overall, I've really enjoyed this series and think it's the perfect "cozy" Fae fantasy story to get lost in during the winter months. There is a perfect balance of warmth and some slightly more serious/darker elements at times given the Fae subject matter, and I think Fawcett excellently captures all of those elements. I know this if the final book in the series, but I do feel like there was a bit of a setup for more books if she wanted to continue, maybe even as a novella or something here or there--I certainly wouldn't say no! If you haven't started this series yet, then you probably shouldn't have read this entire review, but even if you did I'd still recommend checking it out. If you have started this series and have liked what you've read so far, then be sure to pick up this final installment that makes a wonderful conclusion to well-loved series.

Another cute installment to the Emily Wilde series. I really have been enjoying this look at fae and faerie and all of the more "academic" writings on it. Emily Wilde is also an extremely fun character to read from, her journal entries are a bit quirky and awkward, and I can really picture her at this point 3 books in.

This one releases tomorrow, don't forget to grab your copy!

How bittersweet. You don’t need me to tell you this trilogy is so magical - full of academia, magical creatures, stories within stories, and lovable characters.

One aspect I LOVED was getting to see all the faerie creatures from new courtly fae to the smallest brownies. Introducing them adds necessary and welcome world building and intrigue. We got to meet many in the previous books (Poe is my favorite character!) but Emily actually living in Faerie offered many more opportunities to introduce new species.

I enjoyed the “full circle” aspect present. Returning to places Emily traveled in the past as a mere mortal dryadologist again as a queen of the Silva Lupi was lovely.