2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, the first book in the Emily Wilde series by Heather Fawcett.

Pages: 317 pages

Length: 1 month (November)

Participants: SarahKat, TerryJane

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

Hi TerryJane! When do you want to start this one? The library currently has a copy available so I should be able to get to it any time.

I have this one downloaded from the library already, so maybe sometime during the first week of November.

I'm going to get this from the library today

Through 28th October: (view spoiler)[I'm really liking this so far. I love the setting. It's very cozy which is good because I'm using it for the cozy fantasy prompt. The fairy she met already was fun. The sheep debacle was hilarious.
I wonder if Bambleby really is a fae like she thinks? He seems very... otherworldly, so he could be. Not really any conflict in the book so far but I'm enjoying the ride. (hide spoiler)]

Through 12th November: (view spoiler)[ So yes, Bambleby is really a courtly fae, and not only that but a prince!
Had a little issue with the ax to the hand, and now Aud knows his a fairy too. And their students are gone. There is still not too much conflict though. They just need to finish their work before they have to leave for this conference thing. I hope we get to meet more common fae. Poe is cute. (hide spoiler)]

I'm sorry, SarahKat. I've gotten bogged down with other stuff. I will get to this one later, but I missed my planned first week by a mile.

TerryJane wrote: "I'm sorry, SarahKat. I've gotten bogged down with other stuff. I will get to this one later, but I missed my planned first week by a mile."

No problem! I'm just reading the minimum number of pages per day to finish by the time it's due back at the library.

Through 19th November: (view spoiler)[We've found out a lot more about Bambleby and it seems like he and Emily are growing closer. Bambleby was actually coronated as king before he was exiled. The section of him killing all those bogles was disturbing.

I like how even though Emily knows for sure and Bambleby knows she knows, their relationship hasn't really changed. Although like she said after the bogles, she should maybe think harder about reconciling him as a Fae king.

Also, I really appreciate that Emily wasn't an idiot from the beginning of this book. Too many of these relationships it's like "oh this person has all the signs of being this otherworldly creature but that can't be!" And even when it's almost proven they're still in denial, until the person changes form or does some crazy magic or something. Emily from the beginning is pretty sure he's Fae, and she doesn't even wait to have that confirmed before acting on that assumption to save him. Yay for intelligent protagonists!

Anyway, I'm concerned about the ring on her finger from the tree, where there was another king? I loved the part with Poe and Bambleby and him fixing the tree and getting him to make them cakes. He probably could have made him do that without fixing his house being a king and all. (hide spoiler)]

I have finally begun this one and hope to catch up to you over the weekend.

Yay! I hope you like it

Through 26th November-- late: (view spoiler)[I'm really enjoying this. I'm not a big fluffy romance person but I really like this blooming romance between Bambleby and Emily. I do wish his declaration of love hadn't come so quickly. Slow burn it a little. I know they've been sort of dancing around the subject but I would have liked a kiss or something maybe. Of course I foresee one of them getting into some kind of mortal peril soon.
Something to do with the ring on Emily's finger from the tree king we haven't thought about in a while?

I like that they took the changeling back, though the reason they brought him was sad. (hide spoiler)]

I've read this one last month and am planning to read the next one possibly in December. If you do, I might join! :)

I've finished now. (view spoiler)[I wasn't at all fond of the tree king and his enchantments and castle, but, yes, I suppose we needed that conflict in order to end up where we did. I love how the people of the village, along with a disguised Bambleby, come to Emily's rescue. (hide spoiler)]

Fawcett's writing is gorgeous, and she did a terrific job of putting me in Norway, right there amongst the mortals and the fairy folk and the aurorae and the snow.

Michelle and SarahKat, I have book #2 available, and am open to reading it in December or January.

TerryJane wrote: "I've finished now. [spoilers removed]

Fawcett's writing is gorgeous, and she did a terrific job of putting me in Norway, right there amongst the mortals and the fairy folk and the aurorae and the ..."

I'll finish this today. I'm in for the second one! I think I'll buy the 2 and pre-order the third as a Christmas present to myself. Do we want to shoot for December?

SarahKat wrote: "Do we want to shoot for December?"

Works for me. 👍

Nice Christmas gift to yourself.

Finished! Really enjoyed it. The only issue I had was the one stated in my last spoiler. Otherwise this is the perfect comfort read.