Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett. I was so excited to finally pick this one up. Emily and Wendell have my whole heart, and I was super curious to see how they would go about taking back his kingdom. Did this finale of the trilogy live up to my expectations? Read on to find out! Don’t forget to check out my thoughts on book two, as well, if you haven’t already.

The third installment in the heartwarming and enchanting Emily Wilde series, about a curmudgeonly scholar of folklore and the fae prince she loves.

Emily Wilde has spent her life studying faeries. A renowned dryadologist, she has documented hundreds of species of Folk in her Encyclopaedia of Faeries. Now she is about to embark on her most dangerous academic project studying the inner workings of a faerie realm—as its queen.

Along with her former academic rival—now fiancé—the dashing and mercurial Wendell Bambleby, Emily is immediately thrust into the deadly intrigues of Faerie as the two of them seize the throne of Wendell’s long-lost kingdom, which Emily finds a beautiful nightmare filled with scholarly treasures.

Emily has been obsessed with faerie stories her entire life, but at first she feels as ill-suited to Faerie as she did to the mortal. How can an unassuming scholar such as herself pass for a queen? Yet there is little time to settle in, for Wendell’s murderous stepmother has placed a deadly curse upon the land before vanishing without a trace. It will take all of Wendell’s magic—and Emily’s knowledge of stories—to unravel the mystery before they lose everything they hold dear.

***Thank you to Del Rey for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience with the finished hardcover and audio versions of the book, which I purchased.***

I think it’s safe to say that I adored this series. The writing was just so whimsical, and the characters had such distinct and lovable personalities. I loved the field journal format of the story and its focus on all of the faerie research. Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales thrust the characters into new, impossible scenarios. I had such a great time seeing how they reacted and worked through the new obstacles thrown at them.

Both Emily and Wendell grew a lot in Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales. It was so much fun to watch Wendell come into his own as king. He’s always been such a flighty, but passionate, character, and those characteristics made him such an interesting monarch. He truly cared about his realm and all of the creatures in it. It allowed his more serious side to shine through at times. Emily was still a curmudgeon, but she had grown so much since the first book, especially in relying on those around her. She struggled with fitting in as queen and trying to be someone she was not. She eventually found her footing, though, and learned that just being herself was all she needed to be successful.

I loved the focus on the importance of stories in Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales. Emily used the legends of faerie to try to decipher how Wendell could defeat his stepmother without losing himself along the way. The process of the research was fun to read, and I enjoyed getting to piece together the stories alongside the characters. However, I did think there were a couple of times that the logic of the answers felt a bit too easy or abrupt.

All of the research happening in Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales was also such a great way to broaden the world-building. The series has always done a great job of balancing the whimsical and horrifying aspects of the fae. That continued to be the case in this novel. The creatures and locales were all so fascinating. I particularly adored the animal companions in this story, even more than in the previous installments. I do wish we’d gotten to go on a full tour of Wendell’s realm, though. That felt like such a huge, missed opportunity for fun adventures.

I found the plot of the novel compelling, as well. It even had more than a few surprises that I didn’t expect, including some great connections to the previous stories. I will say, though, that it felt like the story had a bit too many climaxes. One major thing would get resolved only for something else to pop up seemingly out of nowhere. It made for engaging reading but also caused a bit of whiplash, especially in the last third of the book. The story also explored some great themes about governance, learning from the past, being true to oneself, and loving someone for who they are, among others. However, it did so in ways that were quite subtle. The messages never overpowered the plot, but they were integral, nonetheless.

Overall, Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales was a great conclusion to this trilogy. The depiction of the faerie world is possibly my favorite I’ve ever read, and I just came to love these characters so much. I really want to read more of their adventures one day. If it’s not meant to be, at least I can revisit these three books anytime. I can’t recommend the series enough! Therefore, I rate the book 4.75 out of 5 stars.

There you have it! My thoughts on the last Emily Wilde book. Have you read this series? Did you enjoy the finale? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments!