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chellyfishing's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death
dogoodwithbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Somehow, I felt more drawn to the second book of the Emily Wilde series despite giving them both the same ratings. With the same familiar feel from the last book, Fawcett does a great job with going deeper into the world of dryadology as Emily and Wendell head out to the Alps in search for Wendell’s realm.
One thing that I really liked about the book is how Fawcett goes deeper in exploring the relationship between Emily and Wendell, especially as Emily considers the repercussions of marrying Wendell. It leans a bit into the romantasy side of things, but I think it added a lot of value to the plot as well as Emily and Wendell’s overall character development, respectively.
There is a bit more at stake compared to the action in the first book, so I would say that this is more cozy-adjacent. Additionally, if you’re not a fan of the macabre and/or a bit of gore, even if it is of the fantasy variety, this might not be the book for you. However, if you want to continue that same feeling from Emily Wilde’s Enclyclopaedia of Faeries or are looking for a light academia historical fantasy with a bit more dashes of romance, you come to the right place with this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Animal death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Murder, Blood, and Gore
theintrovertsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Sexual content, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Violence, Murder, Blood, Toxic relationship, Death, Alcohol, War, Trafficking, Cursing, Grief, Death of parent, Stalking, Infidelity, Animal death, Torture, and Gore
trips's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
A wonderful sequel that adds new elements to the story of Emily and Wendell while still maintaining the charm from the first. I liked all of the various new fairies, many were a fun combo of creepy and charming. While I can see this being an issue for other readers, I actually appreciated that Emily really keeps her stubborn and at times unfriendly, even cold personality towards others and only comes to realize the error in her ways till later on.
Excited for the next book in the series to see what is next in store for Emily and Wendell!
Excited for the next book in the series to see what is next in store for Emily and Wendell!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, and Blood
Moderate: Violence and Body horror
Minor: Chronic illness
craftysnailtail's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
While I think I liked the first book just a bit more, I still was very happy with this sequel. I enjoyed the new characters, but the villagers (and the village itself, really) weren't a focus for this one, and I think that's mostly what I missed. The attention centered more on Emily and Wendell, which was also nice because I do love them both. They strongly remind me of Howl and Sophie from HMC, especially with how they tease one another.
The plot was a bit trickier for me to follow on audiobook and I felt like a few too many climactic points were settled with vague fae magic. But overall, it was a very fun and adventurous read.
I'm still head over heels for the uniqueness of a fantasy novel written in 1st person diary entries. And Fawcett continues to mesmerize me in the same way Barker does with Abarat. Descriptions of things that are clearly supposed to be horrific and disturbing are so artfully done, that I instead find myself fascinated and morbidly curious. I normally avoid anything close to horror, but Fawcett manages to make it... cozy? It's hard to explain, but it's masterful and paints such a vivid fae world, where beauty and horror exist hand in hand.
Both books are wonderful and I highly recommend them! Can't wait for the next!
The plot was a bit trickier for me to follow on audiobook and I felt like a few too many climactic points were settled with vague fae magic. But overall, it was a very fun and adventurous read.
I'm still head over heels for the uniqueness of a fantasy novel written in 1st person diary entries. And Fawcett continues to mesmerize me in the same way Barker does with Abarat. Descriptions of things that are clearly supposed to be horrific and disturbing are so artfully done, that I instead find myself fascinated and morbidly curious. I normally avoid anything close to horror, but Fawcett manages to make it... cozy? It's hard to explain, but it's masterful and paints such a vivid fae world, where beauty and horror exist hand in hand.
Both books are wonderful and I highly recommend them! Can't wait for the next!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Animal death, and Death
Minor: Body horror and Gore
chrisljm's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Emily is sooooo cool. I wish I had even half the tenacity, love, passion, and knowledge for anything the way she does for dryadology. This was such a good continuation of the first book and, while I hate that I'll now have to wait for the third installment to come out, I'm very happy to have something to look forward to as I know Heather Fawcett will release another novel that's on par to the previous two. I adore the cozy sort of magic she's able to soak these stories in, while providing adventure against such vivid and expansive backdrops. I loved getting to know Emily and Wendell in the first book, and now the loveliness of seeing more of them and watching their relationship develop. A great romance (and book) to me is when you can enjoy the characters separately as well as together, and Emily and Wendell are equally as strong and charming together as they are individually. It's so sweet seeing how far their relationship has come and how much care they have for each other, and of course I must include how strongly it warms my heart whenever we see a journal entry from Wendell and to witness the way he views Emily.
I'm also very happy, and relieved, to conclude this novel without seeing any deaths from our beloved characters, and instead were able to see even more of Shadow and Poe. They are two of the most sweetest companions, and what a treasure it is to be claimed as their fjölskylda.
I'm also very happy, and relieved, to conclude this novel without seeing any deaths from our beloved characters, and instead were able to see even more of Shadow and Poe. They are two of the most sweetest companions, and what a treasure it is to be claimed as their fjölskylda.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Stalking
Moderate: Infidelity, Murder, Animal death, Alcohol, and Blood
Minor: Sexual content
dananana's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Animal death
Minor: Blood
aileron's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Gore, Blood, and Violence
Minor: Animal death
katievallin's review
adventurous
funny
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Liked overall but not as much as the first one. Emily is a bit annoying and overconfident (more so than in the last book, I thought). Wendell is sick for the whole book. The romance isn’t making a lot of sense to me. Wendell is carrying this series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Violence, Animal death, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol, Body horror, and Sexual content
adancewithbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to Del Rey and Netgalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.
Finally the second book of the Emily Wilde series has arrived! It took the book world over by storm last year and for good reason. But is the second book just as good? I say yes.
In this installment Emily is back at the university with Wendell. She is trying to find a way back for Wendell and work on her new project: a map of the Otherlands. After an assasination attempt on Wendell's life and having a good enough lead on a door to his realm, they head off to the Austrian Alps. This time followed by Emily's cousin and another staff member of the academy.
While the plot itself didn't quite stand out in any special way, the characters do. What I love about these books is the tone that Emily writes in. These books are diary entries by Emily and it is a joy to follow her around. Even more so it is great fun to read about her interactions with Wendell. Emily is a very focused woman and isn't always very in tune with her surroundings or the people around her.
'And if you are going to be an old hen about it and waste your time clucking over every scrap of clutter you should know in advance, I won't be assisting.'
'Old hen!' he exclaimed. 'Well of course you won't help. You'll spend the evening in your preferred manner, hunched over in some dark corner like a troll.'
That makes the relationships she has complicated. She struggles with how she feels about Bambleby and with how he feels about her. He is fairly obvious. The relationships with her co-worker and family member both weren't very deep at the start of this book. It was good to see her have more relationships and interactions with people that aren't Wendell or faeries to be honest. Though it was a joy to see a faerie from book 1 return.
Mostly this book is heartwarming and funny, taking you along a rollercoaster among all things faerie.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Animal death
Amputation | Attempted Murder | Poisoning | Animal Injury