Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
This utterly delightful historical fantasy told through journal entries is the perfect book to cozy up with this winter. It takes place in an alternative version of the early 1900s where fae are real. Though Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is at least twice as brilliant as all the other professors in fae studies, she's yet to reach academic acclaim in the field, not because of her lack of knowledge or ability, nor even because she's a woman in a male-dominated field — though that certainly does play into it — but because Emily simply cannot socialize. She is a proud curmudgeon who lacks charm and social awareness. Her giant dog Shadow is, generally speaking, her only companion, and she prefers it that way. Enter her rival, fellow Cambridge professor Wendell Bambleby, who epitomizes charm, grace, and charisma. It doesn't matter that he rarely conducts his own research; scholars consider him the first and foremost academic in the field merely because he's so very likable. More perplexing yet, he's the only person (besides Shadow) who genuinely enjoys Emily's presence, even though she openly scorns and mocks him. She absolutely cannot stand him.
Emily has a plan to prove she's the leading authority in the fae: She's going to publish the first-ever encyclopaedia of faeries. She's nearly completed it, but she has one more location to investigate: the remote, snow-laden village of Hrafnsvik, where people report dark stories of the fae, yet no fae academic has ever formally studied them. She and Shadow have rented a derelict cabin right outside the village, which she struggles to keep warm, yet she doesn't want to ask the village folk for help. She needs information about the fae from the villagers, yet every time she tries to socialize with them, she says or does something wrong, and the villagers seem to want nothing to do with her. She's finally made contact with one of the fae when lo and behold, Wendell Bambley arrives and ensconces himself and his two research assistants in her cabin, promising to help with her research — and by help, he means send his assistants out to do all the leg work. Emily could not be more furious, but she can't deny that Wendell is more effective at talking to the villagers than she is. Within days, he's transformed the cabin into a cozy bungalow, and he's gleaned information on the Hidden Ones — the most elusive of all fae. However, Emily is the one who first bargains with the fae, and the closer she gets to the Hidden Ones, the more dangerous her fieldwork becomes. If she gets too entwined with the fae, she may never be able to leave, much less complete her encyclopediea. Meanwhile, Emily finds her unequivocal hatred of Wendell softening against his constant charm and admiration.
Emily and Wendell's relationship dynamic is absolute perfection; I just love the curmudgeon meets the cheerful charmer romantic vibe. The worldbuilding and character development are also fantastic. Though many fae novels have been published recently, this is one of my all-time favorites. —Margaret Kingsbury
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