Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands Review (Emily Wilde, #2)

Hello, all!

This time last year I read Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett (review here) and loved the cozy light academia-ness of it, so I was thrilled when I got the second book, Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands. Big thanks to the publisher for the copy!

*Potential spoilers ahead*

Pub Date: 1-16-24
Adult - Historical Fantasy

Emily Wilde is a scholar and one of the most prominent minds regarding faerie folklore. She successfully wrote the first-ever encyclopedia of faeries, which includes information gathered from her many adventures with the help of her colleague, and former rival-turned-sweetheart, Wendell Bambleby. Now, Emily is gearing up for a new project focusing on mapping all the faerie realms, but once again finds trouble at her door.

Wendell Bambleby is different from your average Cambridge professor. He's an exiled faerie king on the run from assassins sent by his blood-thirsty stepmother. All Wendell wants is to find a backdoor into his kingdom, and for Emily to finally accept his marriage proposal. Emily knows that certain dangers come with being involved with the fae, but she's determined to help Wendell. With the help of friends, both real and lost in time, Emily and Wendell must race to find the door to his realm before it's too late.

The first book in this series was one of my favorite reads of 2023, so I was looking forward to picking this up. I'm happy to report that it more than delivered on the cozy fantasy vibes. Everything about the writing is so atmospheric. I liked getting to dive more into Emily's character. She comes across as cold and grumpy, but it's somehow endearing. It makes me like her more despite how prickly she is. I love the dynamic between her and Wendell, who is essentially like the human equivalent of a cinnamon roll. Their banter is always top-notch, and I loved seeing their romance develop. I also liked learning more about the different types of fae. They add a darker element to the story that helps balance it out. The only slight issue I had was with the pacing of the plot. The beginning felt slow, and it wasn't until about halfway through that I started to feel invested. I still adore it because I love this world and these characters, and I can't wait to continue the series.

Rating: 3/5