Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries, Heather Fawcett

About the Book

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world’s first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party—or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, muddle Emily’s research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones—the most elusive of all faeries—lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she’ll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all—her own heart.

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My Thoughts

For 3 seconds, I was salty that I got approved for an ARC 6 days before release day. How was I to read this in time? But I got over that quickly because I-got-approved! So, I tucked in and only put it down to sleep, then woke up and, after imbibing copious amounts of coffee, tucked in and promptly finished the book as the mundane world twirled around me, and I immersed myself in the world of Fair Folk.

As my new favorite, this book sets a precedent for all books to follow this year because how will any other book compete?

Historical fantasy, check

Emily- prefers to spend time alone and doesn’t people well, check (and utterly relatable)

Faeries, Scandinavia, small town community, coworker Wendell who just loves to irk Emily? Checks for everyone!

I loved how Wendell fed off Emily and her scowls. He was lazy and spoiled, but somehow, it made him endearing. I loved the small-town feel of Ljosland and how everyone banded together. And Poe? My heart, I loved him so much.

And the best part? We get a happy enough-for-now ending and know there will be more to come. More!! Now we’re all going to wander around ho-humming in sadness while we wait for book 2. My eternal thanks to Random House/Ballantine for sending over this absolute gem.

Read this review on Goodreads and Bookbub.