First, a thank you to Netgalley for letting me read a copy of this book - and later, to Owlcrate, for including a beautiful edition of this book in one of their boxes.

I really waffled between 2 stars and 3 stars for this book, and decided to err on the side of generosity. Overall, I found it a bit of a slog and a bit hard to get into. A lot of times, I found Winnie in relatable and bit grating; but I’m also an adult and not a teen. Maybe thirteen-year-old me would have been more enamored with her and found her aspiring? Who knows.

The last 10% piqued my interest, but of course that was only the very end. I’m not sure if I’ll read the next one, I feel like curiosity will get the better of me and I will, but I’ll only grudgingly do so.

This was such a fun read! I enjoyed the journey and the characters. But I will say that the writing wasn't perfect. I mostly enjoyed this book, but at times the writing did feel a little off.

Still, I'll definitely be carrying on with this series.

Susan Dennard is one of my favorite authors so I knew I had to try this book. I followed the Twitter adventure several years ago so my excitement was already high. However, I am glad that this book wasn't just a novel version of the Twitter story. Most of all, I loved learning about all the different monsters in Hemlock Falls. Overall it was a quick, fast paced read with a really unique storyline with characters you absolutely love!

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.

If you happen to stumble into the town of Hemlock Falls, you'll find that here your phone doesn't work and not a single map will show you the location. Winnie Wednesday knows that the forest outside of town can kill you, but she wants nothing more than to fight the monsters that rise nightly. She wants to become a member of the order that protect her town. She wants to become one of the Luminaries. Unfortunately, this path seems closed to her. Her family has been shunned since her father was discovered to be a traitorous witch. However, Winnie can try to take on the dangerous Luminary hunter trials on her sixteenth birthday. If she can complete it and prove herself, Winnie can finally clear her family name, If she wants to survive, she'll need the help of her ex-best friend and to keep her eyes open.

Book Summary:

Winnie Wednesday comes from a line of monster hunters. Like many of her kind, she lives in Hemlock Falls. Unlike most of her kind, Winnie's direct family has been shunned. They bear the brunt of the guilt, as her father was declared a traitor (and worse).

All Winnie ever wanted was to become a hunter, and she's not going to let this exclusion stop her from trying. In fact, if she tries and succeeds, she could make the lives of her brother and mother so much better. She has to try. No matter the risk or the cost.

My Review:

Like many other Susan Dennard fans, I have been counting down the days to the release of The Luminaries. The excitement began a couple of years ago when Susan Dennard read a choose-your-own-adventure of sorts on Twitter, with readers getting to vote on Winnie's actions. It was a blast – it was also something we all needed at the time (think about the timing).

Now we have the first novel in our hands, and it feels amazing. Was it what I was expecting? Yup, I would have to say! A lot is going on in this world, and I'm not just talking about the monsters. We have several hunter families, internal politics, and more than a few mysteries.

Naturally, world-building is one of my favorite elements. I'm also particularly curious about one mystery, but I won't share my theories at the moment (spoilers! If you want to discuss this privately, send me a PM).

Winnie is a young and determined protagonist, which I know some readers cherish (while others avoid). Personally, I appreciated her drive and thought she made several good points. Even if she was a bit reckless on more than one occasion, I guess that's a Wednesday trait, huh?

I hope the second novel will answer some of these questions, though I have no idea how long we'll have to wait until then. Regardless, I'm sure it will be worth it.

Highlights:
Magical society
Young Adult Fantasy
Urban Fantasy
Monster Hunters
Based on interactive tweet thread
Quest for Justice

Trigger Warnings:
Bullying
PTSD
Exclusionary Behaviors

After faithfully following along with the original Twitter choose-your-own adventure thread that Susan Dennard did, I couldn’t wait to read The Luminaries. There’s a lot of callbacks to the thread in this book for the Luminerds, but it also stands completely on its own for those new to this world!

The Luminaries is a relatively quick read with plenty of action. Winnie is a great main character, and Jay is an excellent love interest (fair warning though - this is very much a slow burn romance!). Dennard did a great job of showing how Winnie’s family was shunned because of her father’s actions, and how difficult the experience is for Winnie. The atmosphere of the forest was also amazing. I loved the balance between spooky and wonder. My favorite part of the book though was the magical creatures! However, the ending felt a bit abrupt.

I would recommend this one for fans of YA fantasy who are looking for magical creatures, plenty of action, and secret societies! I will definitely be picking up the next one.

3.5 stars

This was one of my anticipated reads of the year and I enjoyed this haunting tale. After Winnie's father is labelled as a traitor and her family is shunned from the community, Winnie is determined to become a hunter and reclaim her family's reputation. Focusing on the want to belong and to prove herself, Winnie is faced with more challenges than just the hunter trials.

I was gripped by the spooky atmosphere, different monsters known as nightmares as well as the three trials that needs to be completed. The world-building was executed perfectly and Dennard created a magical world where nightmares come to life, where magic is hidden from people and determination is the driving force behind every trial.
I am looking forward to the next book.
Fans of Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunters will enjoy this.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for gifting me an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars. Interesting story but a tad repetitive. The ending left a lot open so if you want any closure, be prepared to wait for book 2. I can’t wait for it to be released. I must know what is going to happen next and what Winnie is up to.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Teen for this digital arc in exchange for my honest opinion which is not affiliated with any brand.

Lots of monsters, which are well thought out and developed for the story. I really need book two as I loved Winnie's character acr through book 1 and cannot wait to see how she is propelled forward in book 2!

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! It was such a fun and quick read, I loved the concept of the monster hunting and the world that Dennard created. Can't wait for the rest of the series!

“She imagines what tonight’s trial will be like. How it will feel to hunt a nightmare instead of just read about it.”

The Luminaries has a story concept that I feel is very fresh, and not one I’ve personally read before. The modern world mixed with fantasy elements is something I love, and nightmares being real and alive quickly caught my interest and held it.

There were parts that I struggled with, knowing there is a whole section of this world that we have not covered in any detail, including all mentions of Winnie’s father. But I know that as the first book of a series, these questions may be answered at a later period. However, I had a hard time focusing because my mind kept wandering to the unanswered questions.

All of the characters seem to have layers to them, that I really want to find more about. And while we focused mostly on Winnie, who is extremely impulsive and made decisions that stressed me out, I enjoyed her character, and want to see more of her.

I enjoyed this book for what it was. I thought the atmosphere was good and the plot was intriguing although a bit predictable. I was really invested in the main character and her fight to redeem her family name. I enjoyed all the different monsters as well.

I felt that in part of the book that the pacing was off and certain things were repeated a bit too often for me. The ending was abrupt and I know there will be a second book, but I just didn’t feel like I got enough answers. I hope to see more world building in the next book.

A fantastic fantasy story that is honestly not like anything I've read before, Dennard transports you into a world of monsters and darkness so effortlessly. Her style is quite simple, but I think that lends itself to this story, it doesn't need a lot of flourish as it stands on its own very well. Winnie makes stupid decisions at times, but overall she's a fun protagonist to read. She struggles, both with trying to become a hunter and with being a literal outcast from the society that she knows. If you like monsters, dark foggy nights, swoon-worthy guys and strong girls who take back their destiny, please give this book a go!

Winnie Wednesday lives in a town that is unique. It’s not found on maps but it plays a role in keeping the evil creatures at bay. Winnie wants to become a hunter, one who hunts the monsters during the night. But to do so, she must pass a series of tests or trials to prove she is capable. Her attempts are not welcome because her father has been ostracized, after being deemed a traitor, and now her family shares in his shame.

An old friend from childhood may be the one person who could help her succeed in the trials. Jay Friday is a gifted hunter and he might advise her on strategies to success. But Jay had turned his back on her and she is now reluctant to ask for any favor. In the meantime, there is a growing threat from a new kind of monster whose existence only Winnie seems to be aware of. Even with some help, Winnie may not succeed, or even survive, the trials.

Dennard has created a magical world within our world. It’s much like Harry Potter living in a world of Muggles who are oblivious to the monstrous creatures. The families, all named after days of the week, are intriguing and Winnie’s own family is especially fascinating. Her family has been shunned because of the father, but things change after she enters the trials. Winnie herself is brave and determined, yet her status is a complicated. Her relationship with Jay offers potential but she has enough problems just surviving. The monsters are continual threats but it is the mysterious elusive one that only Winnie has encountered, that leaves plenty of room for conflict in the next book of the series. There is a fascinating hint at the end to whet the readers’ interest for what’s coming and leave them wanting more. A great start to another fascinating series from Dennard.
3.5*

Susan Dennard knocks it out of the park with The Luminaries. This is probably my favorite thing Susan has ever written! Excellent. Easily five stars.

Can't wait for the next books in the series!

Thanks to NetGalley & Tor Teen for the copy in exchange for an honest review. Sadly, I was unable to finish it and left it at 20% of the way through.

I really wasn't a fan of the writing, it felt like it kept telling us stuff rather than showing us and it was very fast paced. Wasn't a fan of the world building either. I usually like urban fantasy but something about this wasn't clicking for me.

I loved it!

It was amazing to read and really kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters were fun and the story was great.

I think this is my first book by this author, and I’m definitely going to read more now.
This is a ode to the old urban fantasy novels of the early 2000s. Winnie is an outcast in a clan of hunters after an event that happened four years ago. When she plans to go to one of the trials, to reinstate her into the clan, she encounters beasts she has barely any training to go up against.

The twists are predictable, I do wish we had more romance between her and Jay, but I’ll be reading the second book when it comes out to see if that continues.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the early ARC!

The Luminaries follows Winnie Wednesday as she works to earn back her family's place in The Luminaries, a secret society of monster hunters who protect Hemlock Falls. It's a fun and fast paced story and quite enjoyable.

Winnie may not always make the best choices but it's understandable why she does what she does. When she faces her first hunter trial things don't go quite as expected and things sort of go off the rails from there.

Thankfully Winnie has the help of former friend Jay (#UghJay) to help her survive. Their relationship was probably one of my favorite parts of the books and honestly I wish there had been more of it in the book. I'm excited to hopefully see more of it in the next 2 books. It's obvious there's more to Jay than meets the eye.

This story is spooky without being horror and it's exciting enough to keep you on your toes. But the most interesting part isn't the monsters in the forest, it's the human relationships that unfold. Can't wait to see where everything goes!

The one thing I might change is the mention of clicking teeth because it happened one too many times for my liking haha.

Also if you don't know the how the idea of this story started, go look it up cause it's quite unique and fun!

I adore Sooz, participated in the first few months of the Twitter polls, and was beside myself with excitement when it was finally in my greedy hands.

I am heartbroken that I didn't love this book.

I think I liked Winnie. She's driven and inquisitive and loyal. She also obsessively clicks her teeth and pushes up her glasses, both which are mentioned eleventy billion times. There are a lot of characters here and I could have done with about a million more pages of Winnie's brother and his boyfriend. Ugh Jay is present in an offhand, almost forgotten way and I'm most interested in his storyline.

Plot wise, it was a bit boring. There's a lot a lot a lot of long passages without dialogue (seriously, no one talks) and that was a struggle. It felt like I had been dropped into the middle of story and should have already known everything about this super secret society, the families, and the baddies. I did love the nightmares, the imagery of the forest, and the possible set up at the end.

Overall, I'm definitely going to be reading book 2 because there are a lot more questions than answers (and a lot of shit that doesn't make any sense); however, I'm not sure I'll be clamoring for it.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**