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Emily Wilde Reading Order.

Expert Guideby Heather Fawcett
3 Entries
Ongoing
Quick Answer

Start Emily Wilde by Heather Fawcett with "Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries", then follow the publication sequence. This order preserves the intended narrative twists and world-building progression.

The complete reading order for the Emily Wilde series by Heather Fawcett. Below you'll find the authoritative guide on how to read the books in order, including publication dates and chronological timeline placements.

Official Verdict

Short Answer:
Start with "Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries"

To experience the narrative as intended, read the main sequence in Publication Order.Ignore novellas and side stories until you finish the first 3 core novels. This resolves all timeline confusion and preserves every major twist.

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Community Consensus

Medium Debate

"The comments do not mention "Emily Wilde." Instead, they provide broad recommendations across classic and contemporary Science Fiction and Fantasy (SFF). Strong consensus exists for prioritizing influential authors (Le Guin, Ted Chiang, Ian M Banks) and accessible standalone novels (Andy Weir, Good Omens, Susanna Clarke). A significant portion of the discussion critiques the ranking methodology used in the original source material, noting that many users did not provide ranked lists, rendering the resulting 'order' questionable."

Key Reddit Advice

The primary ordering advice is to prioritize standalone novels first, and when selecting series, ensure that only the first book in the sequence is obtained (e.g., Pandora's Star, Children of Time, Red Rising, or A Fire Upon the Deep) before considering sequels.

Why This Order Is Confusing

Many reading lists for Emily Wilde conflict because early publishers often labeled short story collections as standalone novels, or rearranged internal chronologies for marketing. This guide follows original author intent and narrative continuity to settle the debate for good.

Can I skip the short stories?

Technically yes, but we strongly advise against it for Emily Wilde. The shorter volumes often establish the core character motivations and world-building that the main saga assumes you already know.

I watched the show/movie first — where should I start?

Ignore the screen adaptations' timeline. Start with "Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries" to see the original depth of the world. The books offer a significantly different (and usually more complete) experience than the on-screen versions.

Why do people disagree on the order?

Disagreement usually stems from the conflict between purely chronological order and publication order. Most long-term fans recommend publication order to preserve the emotional arc and mystery reveals.

Curator's Strategy

Recommended Reading Order Strategy

The authoritative way to read the "Emily Wilde" series is in Publication Order. Start with the first published book. It's the way the author intended the world to be revealed.This ensures you experience character reveals and plot twists exactly as the author intended.

Start with "Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries"Explore all by Heather Fawcett

Complete Series Reading Order

Publication Order

Preserves character reveals and plot twists exactly as the author intended. Compare →

Chronological Order

May spoil surprises but improves timeline clarity for fans. Compare →

Publication Reading Order3 Titles

Why Publication Order?We recommend reading in Publication Order (default). This follows the author's release schedule, ensuring you experience plot twists, character growth, and world-building exactly as intended without spoilers.
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1

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries

Pub: 2023★ 3.96

A curmudgeonly professor journeys to a small town in the far north to study faerie folklore and discovers dark fae magic, friendship, and love in the start of a heartwarming and enchanting new fantasy series. “A darkly gorgeous fantasy that sparkles with snow and magic.”—Sangu Mandanna, author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular WitchesCambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world’s first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party—or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people.So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, muddle Emily’s research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones—the most elusive of all faeries—lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she’ll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all—her own heart.

2

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands

Pub: 2024★ 4.25

Plot details hidden until you finish "Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries".

The second book in the Emily Wilde series. Emily goes with Bambleby to the Austrian Alps to release him from his family’s plans.

3

Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales

Pub: 2025Optional★ 4.09

Plot details hidden until you finish "Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands".

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The third installment in the heartwarming and enchanting Emily Wilde series, about a curmudgeonly scholar of folklore and the fae prince she lovesEmily 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 yet: 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 world: 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.Book Three of the Emily Wilde SeriesDon’t miss any of Heather Fawcett’s charming Emily Wilde series:EMILY WILDE’S ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FAERIES • EMILY WILDE’S MAP OF THE OTHERLANDS • EMILY WILDE’S COMPENDIUM OF LOST TALES

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it okay to skip books in the Emily Wilde series?

We recommend ignoring novellas and short stories until you finish the core sequence. However, main sequence novels should never be skipped as they contain critical character development and plot progression.

What is the best order to read Emily Wilde?

The final answer for the best experience is to start with "Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries" and proceed in publication order. This sequence preserves character developments and plot reveals exactly as Heather Fawcett intended.

Can I read Emily Wilde books in any order?

No. The main narrative is strictly sequential. Skipping volumes or reading out of order will lead to significant plot spoilers and confusion regarding character arcs.

Are there spin-offs or companion books?

Yes, the Emily Wilde universe includes several companion works. These are marked as 'Optional' in our guide and can be read at any time without disrupting the main storyline.