Love. Everything about it is love. I love Susan Dennard’s writing so much; it just bring happiness and joy while ultimately punching you in the face.

The Luminaries tells the story of Hemlock Falls and Winnie Wednesday. The town itself is a character in the story with its dangerous Forest and ancient traditions. Amidst this back drop, we are introduced to Winnie, who is facing prejudice due to her father's misuse of magic. In order to prove her family's worth she joins a trial to become a Luminary, a hunter of an ancient order. We follow her through three trials as she works toward this goal.

The book is a little slow to get started, but picks up quickly.

Magical realism is not my favorite, and the story starts out slow, but as the book progresses I enjoyed it thoroughly. Definitely recommend.

An intriguing start to a new series that I'm sure to recommend to the teens at my library. Dark, but romantic -- and ultimately very beguiling.

As always, really appreciated the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book! I originally requested an ARC because I thought that this would be a good book to stock in our shop, and after reading the book I still find that to be true! However, to my personal tastes, I don't think this book lived up to the expectations I had for it.

My biggest complaint is definitely that this work read oddly younger than I expected. Maybe this is because other YA books are reading older these days, but I felt that the style of writing, if not the content itself, fit more as a middle grade book. The choice to group the families by last names corresponding with days of the weeks felt very juvenile; again, as if were written for a younger audience than its marketed audience, and was overall really distracting to taking the characters or their narrative arcs seriously, especially as we got a lot of information about the characters in exposition but weren't really shown any of these details in action.

The atmosphere was not quite there, either. While the pacing and plot held their own, the ambiance really wasn't there, and though the creatures and situations themselves were often rather nightmarish, there wasn't enough world-building to really catch my attention, either. Some of the tropes felt like reused elements from dystopian 2010's popular literature, which both failed to really bring anything new to the table and came across as rather overused as well.

Overall, I do think this will appeal to a specific target audience and will be happy to order a couple of copies for our shop! However, I personally was not a fan of some of the bigger elements of this work and would not re-approach it myself.

Absolutely spellbinding and a clever play on magical realism. I devoured this book in one sitting, The story pulls you into it immediately, opening as we are about to join Winnie Wednesday on corpse duty as the hunters come off patrol. She comes from a family that have been outcast for four years after her father was discovered to be a traitor. She is looking to earn back her families honor by taking part in the hunter trials.
The cultish undertones, subtle commentary on classism and the difference between being in favor or out of favor give the story nuanced layers. The characters themselves are flawed and imperfect, making them all the more relatable and credible. Winnie's struggles and that of her family are deeply relatable and show the impact that choosing to stay in a toxic environment can have. The shattering loss of friends and family in the wake of the betrayal contrasts beautifully with the discomfort Winnie and her family feel as they move back into the fold.
The concept of the hunt, the nightmares they are hunting all feature smart twists on lore that we all recognize. The "big bad" is unique and I am deeply looking forward to finding out more about it throughout the rest of the series.
All in all, Dennard has given us a book (and hopefully a series) that will be read for many, many years to come. Very much looking forward to the next book.

The Luminaries is so good, Susan Dennard always write some amazing adventures but this one begin as a Sooz your own adventure on Twitter. It was already incredible but this story is even more amazing.
The characters are great, the story is creapy and very nice, it's a good book for autumn season, it's spooky and has some Halloween vibes.
The writing style is perfect, at the end of the book we have so many questions but there will be a book two so yeah to that.

Before I get into the bulk of my review, I want to say a quick thank you to both NetGalley and the publishers over at Tor Teen for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Luminaries tells the story of Hemlock Falls, a town unlike others. You won’t find it on a map, your phone won’t work there, and the forest outside town might just kill you. Winnie Wednesday wants nothing more than to join the Luminaries, an 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. We follow along as she faces ridicule for her father’s choices and faces the three challenges that will determine if she gets to fight another day. The Luminaries comes out on November 1st and is available for preorder now.

I came into this story not knowing much but knowing that I’ve enjoyed other things this author has written in the past. I was a little concerned when I saw she was writing YA, but I needn’t have worried. Susan Dennard has done it again. This is absolutely the perfect book to read in the Fall because the author builds such an amazing atmosphere and setting. I love this world that she has built and I’m already ready to jump back into it. I also find the characters to be relatable and well rounded. I especially like Winnie’s family and her friend Jay. It feels like real people dealing with real problems and not just puppets moving around a stage. I love the fact that they have their own secrets that they’re protective of and their own desires. And I think the author does a great job with taking monsters we know from our real world stories and turning them on their heads. Especially the basilisk. That fight scene was intense.

I struggled a little in the beginning with getting my footing in the story, but I think if you just keep reading you’ll get it. I think it didn’t help that I came in with my own preconceived notions of the author’s writing. And this is just so different from the Witchlands series.

I really cannot wait to see what happens in the next one because I’ve got theories and I have to know if I’m right.

Thank you so much to Tor Teen for sending me an early copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a refreshing YA Fantasy! Plus you don't see too often anymore with a main character that kills monsters and wears glasses. I loved Winnie and loved how fiercely loyal she was to those she cared about. This was such a good cozy read and i loved the world and all the side characters actually had personality to them and didn't feel so one dimensional to me. I actually felt like i was in the story alongside Winnie and i'm very excited for the sequel! that ending!

This book was an absorbing start to what will surely be an amazing series I am so excited for!

This was about a group of people who keep their lifestyle a secret from the rest of the world. The Luminaries are a society of ancient guardians and Hemlock Falls is their home. Our story focuses around Winnie Wednesday, a girl who, along with her family, has been outcasted from their whole world because of the betrayals of her father.

Now, it’s the week of her 17th birthday and per the rules, Winnie can still participate in the trials to become a hunter. She has help of a very unlikely source. Jay Friday, the best friend who abandoned her four years ago, is the one to help her train.

Getting back into the good graces of The Luminaries is all she has wanted… until she starts to get it. There is something in the forest, something worse than the nightmares they hunt. Something that kills the nightmares… and Winnie is the only one who has seen it, the only one who knows what it is capable of. And she is terrified of it.

This was great from start to finish. The world building and the character development was inventive and Winnie as our main character was awesome. She is strong and brave and just wants to be part of a community again, yet is still furious with the people who cast her aside four years ago and doesn’t want to let them off the hook for it.

I am THE demographic the marketing was aiming for bc I saw a cool cover and Leigh Bardugo blurb and immediately added it to my TBR. I absolutely loved what I read, but this book felt kind of unfinished. There is absolutely no resolution and some of the things hinted at in the blurb aren't explored at all. The beginning has such a lovely melancholy feeling. I loved the characters, though. They all are named after days of the week, so the names sound kind of cheesy when everyone was first introduced.

Winnie - she's kind of the prototypical YA girl. Her name is literally Wednesday Wednesday. Wants to fight stuff, smart and loves learning about the creatures in the woods, starts off an outcast.
Jay - stoner boy but an amazing hunter. Used to be Winnie's best friend. He wasn't quite a love interest, but I would be shocked if future books didn't go in that direction. Has some secrets.
Darian - I wish he had a bigger part. Winnie's older brother, an administrative assistant. Cares about his family so much. Non-action guy.
Emma+Bretta - you know those nice popular girls you want to hate but can't because they're so nice? That's them. Also aspiring hunters.

For as much as I adore Susan Dennard this story just did not work for me. I hit the 34% mark and ended up giving up. Word choice doesn't normally bother me, but a repeated character trait that is said over and over and over really got on my nerves here (clicking teeth) and I can't believe an editor didn't say something to the effect of cut that out... it's not needed. I get character traits for sure but it was just so irritating to read every handful of pages.

Generally, I liked the plot of the story - I'm going to be honest I haven't been on twitter much in the last 2 years so I didn't see the bones of this play out there so I went in somewhat blind. I liked the characters but the story just didn't grab me.

I may go back to this someday, We'll see.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this early - i'm incredibly disappointed that it wasn't a fit for me.

I really liked The Luminaries! I was totally engrossed in the story, the pacing was fast and enjoyable, and I am 100% on board with Jay's character.

The world building unfortunately leaves a lot to be desired, there wasn't any real explanation regarding The Luminaries, the Dianas, and how the separation of Nons and Luminaries actually works.

With that aside, I enjoyed the story. I liked the characters, Jay was obviously a favourite, and I have plenty of theories about him. Winnie was a strong character, although her self doubt was slightly repetitive.

The plot with her Dad and his betrayal was intriguing, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book where this one left off. Lots of unanswered questions by the end of this one, so I'll definitely be picking up the next in the hopes of some resolutions!

DiAngelea Millar wrote this review for Lit Shit Podcast. Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

A pretty good spooky read!

I really like the concept of this book it is really creative and interesting. There’s a forest where a sleeping spirit creates and supports nightmares at night. The town near it is responsible for killing these nightmares every night and are broken into family clans, each named after a day of the week. The descriptions of the nightmares are really detailed you can definitely picture every monster and every character. I will say there’s some overuse of characterization with our main character who pushes up her glasses every few seconds and clicks her teeth in nearly every chapter. Less of that would have been good and maybe providing other things that align with some of the anxiety she clearly is experiencing.

The ending also could be better. It’s VERY abrupt and doesn’t end in a good place should have ended after her meeting with her friends. Other reviewers have complained about this and also that we don’t get enough answers and they’re right. We do need more solid answers by the end of book one to make things make sense. I know a second book is expected but overall the ending is a disappointment.

Spoilers follow:
Winnie and her family were ostracized after her father was found out to be a Diana, a witch who uses the nightmare forests for magic and power. Ever since everyone treats them terribly and she decided to do the Hunter trials to prove to the town that her family can be trusted. Her mom now works two jobs to support them. The kids at school bully her and her brother works a menial job too. When she makes it through the first trial everyone is shocked they think she killed a banshee but she didn’t. She can’t correct them either because all of a sudden her mother and brother and even herself are treated a lot better.

But she saw a nightmare no one else has seen. Like a mist but killer of all things including other nightmares. The werewolf and others run from it. Most people don’t believe her and she knows it’s a matter of time before it takes out one of their own. She needs up figuring out her dad was framed (she hasn’t opened the rest of his letters, which is dumb). Also she’s setting up a meeting with former best friends Erica and Jay. And that’s where the book ends. DUMB.

I suspect that Erica or Jay are the werewolf or the whisper thing Winnie has named.

I loved this book! It was intriguing and well written. The plot had me guessing - still guessing a bit, because there's clearly a second book coming- and it was just terrifying enough to be readable. Winnie Wednesday is a believable character, whom her town exiled for 4 years. I appreciate that the author wrote her fury at the town's blind re-acceptance of her family when she survives the forest. The emotions, family drama, friend drama, and the horrors in this book were interesting and well done. I'm already chomping at the bit for the second book!

──────𝔖𝔭𝔬𝔦𝔩𝔢𝔯 𝔉𝔯𝔢𝔢 ℜ𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴──────

So, first of all I want to thank the author, the publisher and @netgalley for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Let’s start by the best thing here: 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫. This is one of the most beautiful covers I’ve seen in the last times!

I admit that I saved this book for September/October because I wanted to feel those chilly/autumnish vibes… and it didn’t fail me there at least. I was totally not the biggest fan of this book and that obviously makes me sad, but it was totally not awful – also, NO, I don’t think you should stop wanting to read this book because I didn’t love it.

In my opinion there are a lot of interesting subjects here and I find the 𝐋𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐎𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 really amazing, on the other hand, for me, a lot is missing. I never read a book by Susan Dennard before this one so I have no clue what kind of book she normally writes, but this one was CERTAINLY a 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 directed for young adult people.

I don’t think I will be reading the rest of the series. Once again, this was totally nor horrible, but it wasn’t enough to keep me interested.

This is one of the best YA fantasy I've read recently. I love a creepy mysterious forest! The dark atmosphere of the story is balanced by the sweet and complicated friend and family dynamics. Winnie is an excellent heroine who isn't perfect, but works on achieving her goals even when they seem impossible. The world is so vivd and excellent. The little clues to the mysteries and the humor sprinkled through the story are true gems.

I know that my students will love this story because they enjoy a darker fantasy story and mysteries. I can't wait to share it with them!

I’m not a huge fan of stories written in third person, but this was an interning enough story.

Winnie’s internal conflict does get a bit long winded and repetitive. I would have liked to see more story in those pages.

There is a good amount of detail throughout the story. You definitely get the feeling of how Winnie’s family was outcast and her redemption through the story.

Multiple POVs would have been excellent for this story. Clearly Jay is going to be a character we see a lot and I’d love to see his POV in the next book. Clearly we didn’t have that in this one for a reason *wink *wink but maybe in the next book.

A solid and engaging beginning to a highly promising new series. I adored Winnie and the friendships she made and it was a wonderful experience to follow her along the beginning of her journey.

I have never heard of The Luminaries before or the viral Twitter story poll it was created from but nonetheless, this book and story intrigued me, especially coming up to spooky season. This story is filled with a forest full of unique monsters and interesting rules with a splash of classic young adult tropes that we can’t help but enjoy.

The pacing was good with no part of the book seeming boring or slowing down and the writing made it easy to breeze through the story. I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading The Luminaries and am kind of disappointed that the second book isn’t readily available as I can see myself binging this entire series in one go.

However, I did find the book a little lacking in plot. While I enjoyed my time and I was glad that the pacing was quick, it felt like there was chunks of the book missing. It felt like the story needed a bit more development and the book abruptly ended without resolving certain plot points. While I understand the need to create anticipation for future books, it still needs to give us something, otherwise people are just left disappointed and not caring about the story at all. Some of the characters also ended up feeling a bit one dimensional and even the monsters could have used a bit more description and depth.

Overall, despite my problems with the book, I did really enjoy my time reading The Luminaries and would eagerly pick up the second book to see how the story develops.