Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries – Review

Synopsis

Enter the world of the hidden folk – and discover the most whimsical, enchanting and heart-warming tale you’ll read this year, featuring the intrepid Emily Wilde. . .

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 encylopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at 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

But as Emily gets closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones – the most elusive of all faeries – 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.

💭 My Thoughts 💭

This book was such a delightful surprise! It’s part cozy fantasy, part academic adventure, and all-around magical. Emily Wilde is a socially awkward, hyper-focused scholar documenting faeries, and her no-nonsense personality is the perfect foil to Wendell Bambleby, her charming and infuriatingly enigmatic colleague.

The banter between these two is chef’s kiss. Wendell’s smooth charm and Emily’s blunt practicality make for some of the funniest, most endearing exchanges I’ve read in a long time. Their relationship starts out full of snark and eye-rolls but grows into something so heartfelt and genuine. Watching them navigate their differences (and their growing connection) is just as compelling as the faerie lore itself.

Speaking of faeries, the world-building is absolutely magical—rich, detailed, and just a little eerie. It’s the kind of story that feels like curling up with a blanket on a cold day, completely lost in another world.

If you love a slow-burn relationship with sharp humour, quirky characters, and a sprinkle of magic, you’ll adore this book. Highly recommend!