The luminaries was a bit of an expected read for me. I am not sure what I was expecting but overall I found it to be an enjoyable read.

I don't typically read fantasy, but I enjoyed the fantasy overlap with paranormal feel that this book gave off.

The luminaries is fast paced and definitely a quick and easy read. My main complaint is that the ending was a bit rushed and It left me a little unsatisfied. I honestly wouldn't mind reading more from this series if the author decides to continue it.

As always thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review of

DNF @ 26%

This reads on the younger side of YA, particularly its use of teen stereotypes and tropes. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because I am not the target audience. Some of writing was very heavy handed. I found the concept of each clan being named after a day of the week pretty cheesy.

I absolutely LOVE Susan Dennard and am a huge fan of the Witchlands, so when I heard about the Luminaries I knew I had to get my hands on a copy (or 4).

What I loved about this book was the immediate intrigue I felt when I saw the cover and read the synopsis. I mean monsters, mystery, and mahem with a dash of romance? Sign me up!

Unfortunately, the book fell a little flat for me. I wanted to love this one, but I wanted more from the story. I wanted more character-building, more world-building, I wanted the story to be darker.

I will absolutely be continuing this series to see where it goes and any other books Susan writes because her Witchlands series means so much to me and I wouldn't want to miss out on what she does next.

Winnie wants to join the ancient order that protects her town, the Luminaries, from monsters and nightmares that stir every night. She doesn’t want to join to protect humanity - she is also determined to restore her family’s good name.

To have a chance to survive, she turned to her ex-best friend, Jay Friday. With his help, Winnie has a better chance at surviving. Together they end up discovering someone no one in Hemlock Falls is prepared for.

I was so excited for this. The paranormal mystery with some high stakes life or death situation sounded right up my alley and like it was made for me. Unfortunately… this was not for me and I ended up DNFing it at 72%.

While YA, the plot is something that easily allowed for it to be on the darker side - this was not. It seemed to skim over everything. The world-building felt non-existent to me. There was so much here that I wanted to know more about, but we either got the bare minimum for it or nothing at all. It wasn’t just the world-building that seemed to be skimmed over, but a number of the plot points that didn’t get resolved. I understand that this is a series, so that could help, but the amount of unresolved points feels like a lot going forward.

Winnie as a main character was not someone who really pulled me into the story. She was naive and seemed to be relying more on others to get her through things that figuring out something herself. I felt frustrated by her more often than not.

I wanted to like this so bad. Mystery, paranormal, I came in eager to eat it up and be obsessed over. This fell short for me and I left so disappointed to have DNF’d it so late in the story.

Such a fun read that had me nostalgic to the 2010's era of YA paranormal fiction. Susan Dennard perfectly blended a youthful tone of our MC while also making the plotline have a grounded and serious level of stakes.

While it will have a place in library collections where low fantasy/urban fantasy circulates well, it isn't a must-buy in the genre. There is a potential for interesting worldbuilding, but the book gets mired in the story it is trying to tell and ends up feeling rushed/unfinished, or like the first half of a whole book. While I found myself itching for the rest of the series immediately after finishing The Luminaries, I forgot the book existed until writing this review, months after my initial read.

At first, it took me a little to get into it. I loved the storyline and enjoyed following the characters throughout.

But I hated that they all had last names that were of a day of the week. It was annoying and took me out of the book more than once. It was a distraction from the interesting things going on with the trials and the dark creatures.

I wish it had stuck more with first names and not always stating everyone's last names, too.
I get that everyone was part of a different clan, but for a fantasy, it struck me as odd to use something so common as a day of the week. And the constant repetition....

Thankfully, the story itself was good. I liked Winnie and how, with help from a friend, she was able to overcome a lot of the obstacles. It's one thing for a character to be strong or weak, but it's always nice to see when characters can accept help. Not all stories have to be about being the best and not needing anyone, and this was the perfect example. It worked well for the story. I always enjoy a good friendship.

This book gave me Wednesday (the TV show) vibes, which is funny, since the MC's last name is Wednesday....

Anyway, I can't wait to see what happens in the next book. But I hope there is less of the weekday last names in this upcoming book

One of my favorite authors and this book did not disappoint at all. I was even able to get the Owlcrate edition for my shelves!

I love how beautiful her writing is and it just pulls you in!

Give me creepy magical woods, sinister creatures, and angsty outcast protagonists any day and I’ll fall madly in love with the story just how I did with The Luminaries.

This YA Fantasy novel is quirky just like the beautiful human who wrote it…and not to mention Susan Dennard garnered the input for the plot from all her readers and followers on Twitter! What an amazing way to have your fans be a part of the stories you create.

I truly fell in love with the side characters too, and a found friendship that will have a special place in my heart forever.

I’m obsessed! I’ve enjoyed the authors works in the past but this title in particular I flew through. I adored the lore of the world presented and soaked up any piece of information offered. Winnie is a fantastic MC and I enjoyed her POV. Not once did she become whiny or irritating and I sympathised with her treatment by the fellow luminaries. I loved that she wasn’t overpowered and allowed be flawed and weak at times. It not only helped to amp up the drama and danger but also made her more relatable.
My one major criticism of Winnie however is how often she was described as “clicking her teeth”. This drove me absolutely wild and I had to immediately skip lines as soon as she started. How anyone close to her could stand to listen to that all day I don’t know!
My other criticism was how abruptly it ended. I felt let down and disappointed but I guess it’s a tactic to get you hyped for the next book which I will definitely be reading!

I haven’t read the Witchlands series yet so this is my first book by Susan Dennard. I won’t lie, I was impressed. I really liked this book.

It wasn’t what I was expecting, plot-wise but I enjoyed it nonetheless. There’s a really interesting world and the mystery kept me on my toes the entire time.

One thing I didn’t love was the way the mystery was kind of left unresolved at times. Characters brushed off facts and incidents that they probably shouldn’t have or rather wouldn’t have if they were actually thinking about it.

Overall, a solid 4 stars and a series I’m excited to continue.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I absolutely LOVE Susan Dennard work, she's just so amazing with words.
I've read this is consider low-fantasy but the world was really good constructed, AND it's fast paced without being weak!! I feel that's just something Dennard can do.
The MC was cool too, though all the aplauses go to Jack becase he stole my attention everytime he appeared. I really liked their relationship.
The plot of the book is exactly what its promised, it didn't let me down and it caught me from the first moment.
This is a solid 4 just because I feel like the next books are going to be even more amazing.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

4.5 stars,
Oh. My. Gosh. Y'all are sleeping on this book.
I don't think I've ever been so drawn in by the premise of a book. A girl wanting to redeem herself in a way that could get her killed? Friends to strangers to...? A strange new danger that not even the hunters of the woods have expected? The moment I read the blurb I knew I had to get my hands on a copy of this ASAP.
And was I disappointed? No.
I want to start with the worldbuilding of this book because, despite it being a low-level fantasy, the world Dennard constructed was so exquisite and rich in sensations that I could have sworn the world was created in the highly technical manner of books like Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones. Every aspect of the world added a new dimension, from the forest to the town to the characters and the mist and the nightmares. The experience of this book was deeply immersive and part of the reason that I couldn't put it down.
Moving onto the characters. Winnie was a spirited young girl that reminds me a bit of Katniss Everdeen and the likes of other dystopian/fantasy female MCs. This similarity is in no way a bad thing, even making me feel a bit nostalgic about my own early-teen-years-dystopian-fiction-obsession. While I did really like Winnie, I didn't connect with her as deeply as I do with some other MCs, which is the only reason this book loses half a star.
Now Jay. Jay. Jay. I know exactly what Susan Dennard put into this book to make it so un-put-down-able and it is Jay Freaking Friday. Everything about him made me swoon so hard I saw stars and every time he and Winnie were on page together I swear I screamed at the romantic tension. Not to mention his motorcycle (hot), his romantic 'subtle confessions' (hot) and just him (hot).
The side characters also felt well-developed and real, not just thrown in there. Every one of them had a distinctive personality, history and their own relationships, which added to the realness of the book.
The plot. Grabbed me. By the neck. And wouldn't let go. I was immersed in the plot from beginning to end and could barely breathe half the time with the tension in the hunts, not to mention the tension between Winnie and her family and the town over the course of the story. There was just enough mystery and intrigue to keep me interested without making me feel like I was drowning in a world I barely knew anything about.
If you don't go buy a copy of this right away when it releases then it's your own fault that you miss out on one of the best books of this year!

The Luminaries is a fast-paced supernatural mystery with lots of creepy monsters and a bit of romance. Susan Dennard has created a town surrounded by a forest full of monsters that creep around at night. Clans are separated by days of the week, and each has its own culture ingrained in its blood. Winnie Wednesday’s family was part of the Wednesday Clan tell; her dad betrayed them, and they were forced to become outcasts. As a result, for the past four years, her brother, herself, and her mom have been treated as the ghost who live and try to survive in the town they once were a huge part of. Winnie is determined to rise above and become the best hunter to restore respect to her family.
I was engaged while devouring this tale; Dennard knows how to grip her readers and keep them on the edge of their seats. Then, of course, there is the entire plot of Winnie taking on the Hunter Trials but underneath that is a puzzle left by her father, who has betrayed everyone. I can’t wait for the next book.

4.5 ⭐️

I’ve been really looking forward to reading something by Susan Dennard because so many of my book friends love her writing. I figured The Luminaries would be a great start for it as it’s the first book in a new series!

The story starts off quite slowly and the situation of Winnie, who's an outcast, is painted very clearly. You immediately understand what drives her to change the situation and I immediately connected with Winnie and sympathized with her.

The worldbuilding was very intriguing and I understand the spooky and atmospheric reference hahaha. It really felt like that. The nightmares that appear in the forest are really interesting and I really want a Compendium to learn about all the different ones! It was really apparent as well that this book is part of a series, since some things were mentioned, but not really explained yet. The Dianas being the biggest example. And knowing there are more communities around the world als well. I'm really excited to learn more about the world in the sequel.
The characters were sooo good! I loved them, all of it hahaha. Winnie is such a believable character. Her luck isn't annoying or comes across as convenient. It actually makes her that much more believable and connectable. Jay as well is very mysterious and I'm curious to see his secrets revealed. personally I think he's the werewolf after seeing what happened in the last trial!
I liked the connection Winnie has with the different Luminaries and how it compliments her journey and growth during the trials. So much happens and it was hard to grasp that the timeline of the whole book is actually a little over a WEEK!!!

The ending was really gripping! I had such a hard time putting the book down because I wanted to know what would happen next! The stakes were super high and loved the way those stakes were raised throughout the story. while a lot is still unknown who's the werewolf, what's the whisperer, why does it seem to help Winnie, was her dad really set up etc. We have so much that’s still left unrevealed and it has gotten me really excited to get to the next book!!

Overall, it was such a good start to a new series with compelling characters and a really intriguing world and forest full of spooky creatures. I can't wait to find out more about all that!

The Luminaries is a gripping contemporary fantasy that weaves magic and suspense into a thrilling adventure. With vivid descriptions and a unique setting, Susan Dennard takes readers on a journey into the dangerous forest of Hemlock Falls. The characters are well-developed, and the dynamic between Winnie and Jay adds depth to the story. Packed with mystery, action, and unexpected twists, this book kept me hooked from start to finish. I really liked it!

Thank you to netgalley for an arc. The Luminaries was a very fast-paced book with monsters and a sprinkling of romance. The world the book is set in is our world, which not a lot of fantasy books do. The chapters were short and had only one POV. The tropes and themes in this book are monsters, coming of age, family drama, and fantasy. This was a refreshing change of pace from the books I usually read.

Wasn't a fan of this read. Didn't feel like it really went anywhere, the world building was ok. The main character wasn't that likeable. Felt like it was a lot of build up to nothing remarkable.

This book is an okay book. The premise was interesting but I just could not really get attached to characters or the plot. It didn’t suck me in and make me want to forget everything but reading.

I really really liked this book! The writing is phenomenal, the twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat, and overall I really liked the world of the Luminaries and can't wait to keep reading!