This was one of the best books of 2023, and now I understand why. I also enjoyed this book a lot. I was immediately captivated by the descriptive writing, and I loved the fact that it was written in a journal format. My favorite character was definitely Wendell, but I also loved Emily too. I love the banter and romance between them. The plot of the book keeps you interested, and I really loved the all the fae information and stories. The author does a great job at using the footnotes to enhance the story, however, you don’t have to read them to understand the story, so if you don’t like footnotes, you can ignore them. I’m excited to see what kind of adventures the next book takes our two characters on. ( )

This book was exactly the slow burn I needed. I can't begin to talk about how many times I laughed out loud or put my hand over my heart because Fawcett wrote something I've thought for a long time. All of the reveals are wonderful, and the prose is gorgeous. I didn't know I needed a novel that was both dark and lovely at the same time. Can't wait for the sequel. ( )

This was so cute and cozy!

I liked the lore but found the footnotes to not be useful most of the time. The characters were great, and Emily was a breath of fresh air as far as how scientifically she thought. I'm so over grown women swooning at the first sign of an attractive man. ( )

This was a fun light read. Faries are mostly buttheads and jerks, that is what make this book so much fun. Reads like an old school adventure novel. ( )

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia Of Faeries is a fantastical, magical, wonderful book. Emily Wilde is an excellent protagonist, a disheveled academic pursuing her studies of the Folk into the snowy winter realm of Ljosland. She is accompanied by her dog Shadow and joined by fellow Cambridge academician Wendell Bambleby, a sort of Gilderoy Lockhart character, but much more interesting and magical. The people Emily meets during her stay in the village of Hrafnsvik are nicely rendered; I particularly liked Lilja and Margaret, two young women in love. Lilja is a helluva woodchopper.

Emily does encounter Faeries during the course of the book, and her purely intellectual pursuits become personal and philanthropic as she undertakes adventures that are perilous, potentially life-threatening.

I really liked the writing in Emily Wilde, which takes the form of Emily's field journal. Very much capturing the tone of a scholar, complete with footnotes, but one who has an eye for beauty and detail, and is able to render poetic descriptions of landscapes and winter skies, vivid descriptions of Faerie jewels and mortal meals, and Bambleby's impossibly golden hair. Sprinkled with discourses on the Fae, and a few Faerie tales as well, this was a gripping read, really providing Emily with a distinct voice.

Reading Emily Wilde over the course of a few chilly days in February was perfect. Author Heather Fawcett very expertly captured and described the wintry realm of Ljosland, the snows, the gray skies, the icy Fae, the gray-and-white trees. I was always very happy to return with Emily and Wendell to the fireplace in their cabin.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Heather Fawcett is a newly discovered writer for me and I will most certainly be reading more of her novels. ( )