Susan Dennard

From Susan Dennard, the New York Times bestselling author of the Witchlands series, comes a haunting and high-octane contemporary fantasy, about the magic it takes to face your fears in a nightmare-filled forest, and the mettle required to face the secrets hiding in the dark corners of your own family.

Hemlock Falls isn't like other towns. You won't find it on a map, your phone won't work here, and the forest outside town might just kill you. 

Winnie Wednesday wants nothing more than to join the Luminaries, the ancient order that protects Winnie's town—and the rest of humanity—from the monsters and nightmares that rise in the forest of Hemlock Falls every night. 

Ever since her father was exposed as a witch and a traitor, Winnie and her family have been shunned. But on her sixteenth birthday, she can take the deadly Luminary hunter trials and prove herself true and loyal—and restore her family's good name. Or die trying.

But in order to survive, Winnie enlists the help of the one person who can help her train: Jay Friday, resident bad boy and Winnie’s ex-best friend. While Jay might be the most promising new hunter in Hemlock Falls, he also seems to know more about the nightmares of the forest than he should. Together, he and Winnie will discover a danger lurking in the forest no one in Hemlock Falls is prepared for.

Not all monsters can be slain, and not all nightmares are confined to the dark.

The Luminaries

I don’t think this is meant to be funny but, I find it hilarious. 

Victoria Sutton

Fog coils around her, an octopus embrace. 

Fiona dakin

I loved the creepy forest and the nightmares that lived there, the language and world build was light and easy to understand which made the book a fun and quick read which could easily be finished in one or two sittings. The plot was pretty simple and a classic example of “like it says on the tin.” The story didn’t really stray from the blurb at all but that being said i still enjoyed reading about Winnie going through the hunter trials. 

I think my biggest complaint is that I wanted a few more chapter that would give a few more answers than we got in this book, it feels like there are just as many questions at the end of the book as there was at the start. The ending felt a little sudden and wasn't as satisfying as I had hoped, i get that she is setting up the sequel but the mystery element ended up feeling a bit drawn out. 
I also found the constant teeth clicking which seemed to happen every other page increasingly irritating throughout the book. I get that it was when Winnie was anxious, I just don’t feel it needed to be mentioned as often as it was. Overall a 4 star read, hopefully the sequel will answer a few more questions than this one did.

I really liked this! short, interesting, good characters, and very cool world building! will be reading the sequel immediately 

fris🐝

Melissa Palmer

A decent young adult read with lots of magical creatures, Winnie's family became outcasts when her father was discovered as a traitor to the Luminaries--hunters of supernatural creatures. I could have done with the author's description of the main character's "teeth clicking" every few pages; that annoyed me quickly. I believe this is the first in a series, not sure yet if I will continue.

i am quite simply am throwing a fit and not so patiently waiting for the next book to come out. i really didn’t anticipate liking this so much and wish i hadn’t let it sit on my TBR shelf for so long

samantha lias

I’m sorry, but the way this book ended just ruined it for me. 

The entire book is about Winnie trying to proof herself as a hunter by completing the trials. Which is one of the 3 major plot points. The other two are ‘who or what is the Whisperer’ and ‘what happened with het dad’. By the end of the book the last two plot points still remain completely unsolved, yes we now know that her dad was framed but that’s all we get to know. 

It feels as if this book was all world building for the next one and that the actual story will begin then. Nevertheless I give this book 2.5 stars, because up until the final trial I was really invested in this book.

Jara

I’m sorry, but the way this book ended just ruined it for me. 

The entire book is about Winnie trying to proof herself as a hunter by completing the trials. Which is one of the 3 major plot points. The other two are ‘who or what is the Whisperer’ and ‘what happened with het dad’. By the end of the book the last two plot points still remain completely unsolved, yes we now know that her dad was framed but that’s all we get to know. 

It feels as if this book was all world building for the next one and that the actual story will begin then. Nevertheless I give this book 2.5 stars, because up until the final trial I was really invested in this book.

i need more!!!!! what a wonderful fantasy novel

Ralie Sutton

If I never see a reference to someone’s teeth clicking again, it will be too soon. 

Bayly Hepburn

Kimberly Burgess 

For me personally, this was one of those books where I think it's best to not know about the plot beforehand. It had some great hunger Games vibes in the messed up society, and the fantasy and paranormal monster mashup in it was really well done and interesting. I found the characters entertaining and am really looking forward to the next book!

3.5 cause I think there is a lot of Improvement that can be made but this was totally enjoyable. It’s not particularly remarkable and it felt relatively predictable (kinda hoping it proves me wrong in the next book) but the world was pretty cool and it was an easy read so I’ll go in for the second one. The illumicrate edition is also stunning. 

Laura Wilson

Deborah Kerr

This book was really mid YA for me. I wasn’t terribly interested in the plot, I read it mainly because it was gifted to me. Relies on a lot of YA fantasy tropes and while I think there could be an interesting subplot concerning her father, it’s not enough to get me to finish the series. I understand it was originally written through crowdsourcing on Twitter? Which is an intriguing concept, but it got a bit repetitive in certain parts. Honestly, nothing terribly wrong with this book, it’s just not for me. 

Katie Allard

Samantha 

my main complaint about this book is that it was really slow paced. it also leaves a lot unanswered, from smaller to larger questions. i also just need to pick at the brains of everyone who did a total 180 in how they treated winnie and her family 😭 it’s a really interesting concept, though, and i’ll probably pick up the next book to see how it all wraps up.

🌙

Fun, fast-paced, and authentically teen! Winnie is such a relatable protagonist, and the world is rich with lore and creepy monsters. It feels like a teen-centric TV show like Buffy or Smallville back in the day.

Liz Griffin

I was able to get an ARC of this audiobook (ALC? 😂) from NetGalley, thanks! 

This is a fun YA fantasy, the world is unique and interesting and the story progresses a lot like you would expect. Not a lot gets resolved in the end and is definitely a lot of set up for more in the series. 

I did enjoy it, it was quick and a unique concept while also using tropes found in lots of YA fantasy. 

The narrator, Caitlin Davies, is one I’ve listened to many times before and I really enjoy their style. It did take me a while to get acclimated to their narrating style but I think they do a great job. 

Overall, it was a pretty average read for me but I am looking forward to seeing where the story goes. Also, I absolutely love the cover. 

Megan BV

I was able to get an ARC of this audiobook (ALC? 😂) from NetGalley, thanks! 

This is a fun YA fantasy, the world is unique and interesting and the story progresses a lot like you would expect. Not a lot gets resolved in the end and is definitely a lot of set up for more in the series. 

I did enjoy it, it was quick and a unique concept while also using tropes found in lots of YA fantasy. 

The narrator, Caitlin Davies, is one I’ve listened to many times before and I really enjoy their style. It did take me a while to get acclimated to their narrating style but I think they do a great job. 

Overall, it was a pretty average read for me but I am looking forward to seeing where the story goes. Also, I absolutely love the cover. 

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Daphne Press, for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Winnie Wednesday is desperate to be part of The Luminaries, an ancient order of secret monster hunters. However, when her dad was exposed as a witch and traitor, Winnie, her mum and her brother, were all exiled and shunned. On her sixteenth birthday, Winnie can enter the deadly Luminary hunter trials. If she succeeds, she can prove herself loyal and restore her family's name. If she fails, it could mean her death.

The premise of this book sounded deeply fascinating. The whole concept of these monsters, referred to as nightmares, really put a new twist on the age old tales. However, I found the first half of this book extremely slow paced, which I realise should be expected as the world building is developed and explained. The second half of the novel, once the story was in full swing, really picked up the pace and I didn't want to put it down.

The characters are relatable and wonderfully developed. I found it so refreshing having a MC with nearsightedness, being severely short sighted myself!

The ending left a lot of unanswered questions, some of which I was a little frustrated at as they didn't even get mentioned in the final two chapters. I guess this means I need to read the sequel?

Victoria Justice

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Daphne Press, for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Winnie Wednesday is desperate to be part of The Luminaries, an ancient order of secret monster hunters. However, when her dad was exposed as a witch and traitor, Winnie, her mum and her brother, were all exiled and shunned. On her sixteenth birthday, Winnie can enter the deadly Luminary hunter trials. If she succeeds, she can prove herself loyal and restore her family's name. If she fails, it could mean her death.

The premise of this book sounded deeply fascinating. The whole concept of these monsters, referred to as nightmares, really put a new twist on the age old tales. However, I found the first half of this book extremely slow paced, which I realise should be expected as the world building is developed and explained. The second half of the novel, once the story was in full swing, really picked up the pace and I didn't want to put it down.

The characters are relatable and wonderfully developed. I found it so refreshing having a MC with nearsightedness, being severely short sighted myself!

The ending left a lot of unanswered questions, some of which I was a little frustrated at as they didn't even get mentioned in the final two chapters. I guess this means I need to read the sequel?

Winnie is part of the Luminaries- a group of people internationally who fight against creatures that threaten everyone. Though she's been person non-grata number 3 (after her mother and older brother) following her father's betrayal of their secret society. She's lived the last four years being an outcast, having no friends, being made fun of an mocked by every student (except a very few who just didn't stop the others and she saw that as a kindness and then literally two girls her age) her old best friends even writing her off. Meanwhile she's also been practicing the last four years- practicing for the trials. A test every Luminary takes at 16 to see if they can survive the life they are called to lead. It's three tests, and no second chances. And Winnie is going to participate, no matter what anyone says. 

I loved this book. There's so many things I loved about it. First, I was a big fan and participant in the initial twitter thread that started the whole thing, even voted in the very first poll. It was so much fun, and the highlight of my day for months as I followed along. It helped me feel connected after I had recently moved to a new country, and discussing it with my local friends every day after voting helped us bond as well- starting so many conversations about reading preferences and the like. For that alone, I had been interested in this book when it was first announced. Seeing how it's been translated, seeing what's different, and wondering what will remain the same (side eying Erika's hands and Jay's shadiness) Also seeing all the moments that at least spiritually made it from the thread. It was so much fun to read again, and having read the thread there was an extra layer of excitement and analysis as I read. 

There are some things that are very frustrating, like the council/people in charge being obtuse and unwilling to listen just for story sake and not because it makes any sense. They're the newest collection of Luminaries in the world, and know they have responsibilities, and yet are unwilling to even acknowledge their location might be forming its own location specific monster- despite knowing this was something that would eventually happen. And in fact regularly say things like "Its not in our list of known monsters so you must be wrong."  While other issues (the whole community icing out children for their father's mistake but not outcasting the woman who vetting said father for instance) are also present within the world building and story telling, they also seem easily excused should more information come to light as more books are published. This oversight, however, seems like the kind of thing in a children's book- being a bad guy or a roadblock for no other reason than "because". 

I also had an issue with how much this first book only established the world and general characters. It is, in every sense, the introduction. Except it's an entire book. Very few aspects are extrapolated upon, there's very little story progression or connection to further books beyond a couple lines in one of the very last scenes of the book. As though the fact it's a first in a series is only an after thought. It gives the book a very solid "stand-alone" vibe throughout. I was actually shocked when I realized I was over half way through the book, because so little had happened, while I had been entertained the entire time. It was all set-up, and entire book of just set-up. It was fun, like how getting ready with your friends before a night out is fun. But it's not the main event. I'll obviously have to wait until the series is complete to pass full judgement on this choice, but I have a feeling I won't find multiple books necessary story wise. 

I know it sounds like I have a lot of negative things to say, but I honestly had so much fun reading this book, and finished it in under 24 hours. I loved seeing the characters again, in a new way, and I loved being able to get further immersed in this world than the original twitter thread originally allowed. It's so reminiscent of the old school early YA books I read as a teen myself, but with more modern sensibilities and less offensive stuff. If you love a good CW show, this is for sure the book for you. 

Christine Bruce

Winnie is part of the Luminaries- a group of people internationally who fight against creatures that threaten everyone. Though she's been person non-grata number 3 (after her mother and older brother) following her father's betrayal of their secret society. She's lived the last four years being an outcast, having no friends, being made fun of an mocked by every student (except a very few who just didn't stop the others and she saw that as a kindness and then literally two girls her age) her old best friends even writing her off. Meanwhile she's also been practicing the last four years- practicing for the trials. A test every Luminary takes at 16 to see if they can survive the life they are called to lead. It's three tests, and no second chances. And Winnie is going to participate, no matter what anyone says. 

I loved this book. There's so many things I loved about it. First, I was a big fan and participant in the initial twitter thread that started the whole thing, even voted in the very first poll. It was so much fun, and the highlight of my day for months as I followed along. It helped me feel connected after I had recently moved to a new country, and discussing it with my local friends every day after voting helped us bond as well- starting so many conversations about reading preferences and the like. For that alone, I had been interested in this book when it was first announced. Seeing how it's been translated, seeing what's different, and wondering what will remain the same (side eying Erika's hands and Jay's shadiness) Also seeing all the moments that at least spiritually made it from the thread. It was so much fun to read again, and having read the thread there was an extra layer of excitement and analysis as I read. 

There are some things that are very frustrating, like the council/people in charge being obtuse and unwilling to listen just for story sake and not because it makes any sense. They're the newest collection of Luminaries in the world, and know they have responsibilities, and yet are unwilling to even acknowledge their location might be forming its own location specific monster- despite knowing this was something that would eventually happen. And in fact regularly say things like "Its not in our list of known monsters so you must be wrong."  While other issues (the whole community icing out children for their father's mistake but not outcasting the woman who vetting said father for instance) are also present within the world building and story telling, they also seem easily excused should more information come to light as more books are published. This oversight, however, seems like the kind of thing in a children's book- being a bad guy or a roadblock for no other reason than "because". 

I also had an issue with how much this first book only established the world and general characters. It is, in every sense, the introduction. Except it's an entire book. Very few aspects are extrapolated upon, there's very little story progression or connection to further books beyond a couple lines in one of the very last scenes of the book. As though the fact it's a first in a series is only an after thought. It gives the book a very solid "stand-alone" vibe throughout. I was actually shocked when I realized I was over half way through the book, because so little had happened, while I had been entertained the entire time. It was all set-up, and entire book of just set-up. It was fun, like how getting ready with your friends before a night out is fun. But it's not the main event. I'll obviously have to wait until the series is complete to pass full judgement on this choice, but I have a feeling I won't find multiple books necessary story wise. 

I know it sounds like I have a lot of negative things to say, but I honestly had so much fun reading this book, and finished it in under 24 hours. I loved seeing the characters again, in a new way, and I loved being able to get further immersed in this world than the original twitter thread originally allowed. It's so reminiscent of the old school early YA books I read as a teen myself, but with more modern sensibilities and less offensive stuff. If you love a good CW show, this is for sure the book for you. 

I've never read anything by Dennard before, but the cover and synopsis intrigued me, so I wanted to pick this up. Sadly, I wasn't impressed. I found the writing to be a little too juvenile and, at times, had that early-2010 Tumblr feel to it. You don't need to read this book because the synopsis tells you everything. Nothing new or surprising happened. I think Dennard nailed the concept, but her execution was lacking. I loved the idea of watching Winnie go through these trials to become a hunter, but there was no excitement to them. I wanted to feel the action and feel the tension of if she'd make it or not, but it wasn't there. There are also a lot of different plot lines going on here, but nothing ever felt resolved. It had all the potential to be an atmospheric, creepy read, but it fell flat. I wanted more from the characters, more from the plot, just more in general.

Heather Harrington

Rebecca Raven

The Luminaries is the first book in a new YA fantasy series by Susan Dennerd (author of the Witch lands series). Set in Hemlock Falls this story follows Winnie Wednesday on the day of her 16th birthday where she enters the deadly hunter trials. Because in Hemlock Falls nightmares are real and only the hunters - the Luminaries - can stop them from spreading to the outside world. Winnie Wednesday wants nothing more than to reclaim her family name after her family is shunned when her father is outed as a witch. She enlists the help of former best friend and badboy, Jay Friday, because she is woefully unprepared. But Winnie will have to face more than just her fears if she even wants to survive. 

I became a fan of Susan Dennard's earlier this year at YALLWEST when I went to a panel she was moderating. I loved how she explained her writing process and when I heard about her upcoming novel I immediately added it to my TBR. Imagine my surprise when I got an arc of it through Netgalley! 

The novel opens up straight away introducing the reader to Hemlock Falls and the eerie woods. I believe this was a perfect introduction and set the mood wonderfully! Winnie's motivations are at the forefront of this novel and propel the story forward. She's an easy character to understand and side with and I loved her! Sometimes urban fantasy is hard to understand but Dennard blends the real world and the fantasy world of this novel nicely and it makes perfect sense to the reader. I think the only things I was confused about were things that hadn't happened yet, things that the reader is supposed to wonder about! 

As most YA novel, there was a sprinkle of romance, and I mean how could there not be? I love it though and the subplot of romance in this novel did not distract from the main story, if anything it enchanced it. I'm excited to see where this romance plot goes in the series! 

Overall, I think the Luminaries is a very strong start to this new series and I can't wait for book 2! I'd recommend this novel to anyone with a taste for the dark side of fantasy but still wants it to be set in a modern world. 


Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Teen for a review copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

The Luminaries

Reviews

Highlights