This really expands on the world from The Luminaries. I think Winnie's character arc in this book was excellent. It also sets up some interesting reveals for the final book in this trilogy! Very excited for how this story wraps up!

The Hunting Moon was a fantastic sequel! I loved The Luminaries and this follow-up was even more intriguing and mysterious 👀 I flew through his book in an entire day, as the plot was fast-moving and the main character compelling in her trauma, grief and struggles to fit into the mold of her society!

Winnie remains a compelling heroine who’s trying to find her way ➽ She has just been through a traumatic experience that left her shaken and questioning everything she thought she knew about the Luminaries. Meanwhile, everyone else is sensationalizing her trauma and worshipping her as a hero. I loved how this was discussed, as Winnie is appalled that everyone is so blase about her near-death experience and hailing her as the ‘Wolf Girl’ as if there isn’t a different, dangerous nightmare out there that could kill all of them. Her friends quickly catch on, but most of the Luminaries leave her feeling alienated from their culture. It feels like they aren’t taking the right danger seriously and are too caught up in turning her trauma into a spectacle to notice. Winnie always wanted to be back in their good graces, but she’s not the same person she was before or even during The Hunter Trials. Now, she’s questioning the core of her society, such as the rigid clan rules about what you should value and their insistence that all a Nightmare like the werewolf should be killed. Their fixation on the wolf especially bothers her, as no one is facing the real danger – the Whisperer – and no one takes her warnings seriously. Caught between being a local celebrity, but knowing what it feels like to be an outcast, Winnie’s still processing her family’s banishment. She’s now a hero to them, but it frightens her how quick their favor can change and how brutal their punishment was for something neither of them did.

In The Hunting Moon we’re discovering more about the Whisperer and the Dianas! ➽ Ever since Winnie found out that her father was framed and left her clues, she’s chasing his mystery and the dangerous Whisperer, that no one wants to believe in. While everyone else is fixated on the werewolf, Winnie knows that there’s a much bigger danger – a brand new nightmare that annihilates everything in its path. She’s got to keep her search hidden from her loved ones, as no one can know she’s close to committing treason in the eyes of her society. I was on the edge of my seat, as Winnie uncovers all the connections and we feel the foreboding sense of danger all around her. We also learn a bit more about the Dianas, the elusive archenemies of the Luminaries, who dabble in forbidden magic. There are some answers, but even more questions in the end and I’m excited to see all the reveals in the next book 👀

Winnie’s relationships with Jay and Erica are also in focus this time. ➽ She’s been training with Jay for the trials, but now there’s chaos in the wake of the hunt for the werewolf. Jay’s just been named Lead Hunter for the Fridays after a tragic death and there’s still so much unspoken hurt between them. There was just the right amount of chemistry and angst between them! Jay wasn’t there for her when her world was falling apart, but he’s also been through more than he lets on. Their conflict is because Winnie’s loyalty to her family and Jay’s honesty about everything are at odds with all the secrets they are hiding. Winnie’s research is dangerous and she knows that if anything gets out, her family will be the ones paying the price for anything Diana-related, even though they had nothing to do with it. Erica and Winnie also keep warming up to each other, though barely. Their dynamic keeps shifting to be much more civil, even though their history still lingers with them.

This was a fun follow up to The Luminaries, the first in the series by Susan Dennard.
Winnie Wednesday has gotten close to achieving her goals. Her family is no longer considered outcasts, she has passed the trials to become a hunter... but nothing is quite right. There are still so many unanswered questions and so many secrets.
Nobody believes Winnie about the mysterious Whisper haunting the woods, everyone is still hunting the werewolf... despite her insistence that it must be something else. Winnie is also determined to figure out what the clues her dad left behind mean.
While I enjoyed the second book, it definitely had that middle of a trilogy book feel. There were some plot points that moved along Winne and Jay's relationship progressed a bit, Winnie seemed to begin to accept that he new friends were actually her friends, but a good bit of it could have moved faster and felt a bit like background.. interesting but also not moving us along well.

Can not wait to see where the story goes next though.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the perfect followup to The Luminaries. The pacing was great, not too fast, not too slow. We get even more world building and I love this world. I love the spooky, fall vibes. I love the families and their values and how they stick to them and how we see, as Winnie is thrown back into it all, that maybe they don't quite stick to them as much as they appear to, showing a depth to the world. While Winnie's teeth clicking isn't one of my own anxiety tics, her anxiety and tics are super relatable to me and I like that she isn't hunky dory after the events of book 1. I like the contrast between her thoughts on all of that and the apparent nonchalance of the town. It helps build tension. I liked the unraveling mystery of the Whisperer. We finally find out what it is in this book and I'm excited to see how it's all resolved in the last book. I love Winnie and UghJay's relationship and how it develops. It's perfectly awkward. I love them both so much. There's a reveal that I've seen some complaints about being too obvious and I don't mind. Yes, it's obvious but I greatly enjoyed watching Winnie piece it all together and seeing her reaction to it. I thought that was very satisfying. And besides there's another reveal that's *VERY* interesting that I didn't see coming and I'm very interested in seeing what happens with it in book 3. I'm definitely going to listen to the audiobook when it comes out because the narrator for book 1 was fantastic.

★ 4.75 / 5

I read The Hunting Moon in roughly a day, and I don't know how I'll be capable of waiting for the third book. These first two books in the trilogy overall have been a breath of fresh air for me. They remind me of nostalgic YA from my youth, and that's such an indescribable, wonderful feeling to behold. So I truly treasure these books.

The relationships were my favorite part of The Hunting Moon, notably Winnie's friendships and romantic relationship. Darian and Winnie's mother didn't really shine bright in this sequel, but that's because they are so wrapped up in the possibility of their banishment from the Luminaries being rescinded that they don't notice Winnie acting weird and hunting for clues. I do believe Winnie's immediate family is going to have its moment in the third book. Her dad, while never physically on page, will probably make his first appearance there, and it's gonna cause chaos for this particular Wednesday family. I'll talk more about Winnie's dad later though because the reveals around him started slowly streaming into the plot.

Back to the friends/romance though—I really appreciate Winnie opening up in this book. She was extremely isolated during The Luminaries because of her trials and desire to become a hunter. She hid that from everyone, and even though Jay was teaching her hunter skills on the side, Winnie still didn't give him much room back into her life. The Hunting Moon is not significantly different, but it's enough to show her growth, particularly after what happened during the last trial with Emma/Winnie falling into the waterfall due to the Whisperer/werewolf event. Fatima, Emma, and Bretta are closer to Winnie than before. They are actually the first people period to notice Winnie's resistance to Luminaries cheering her on for going up against a werewolf. When the hunters howl at Winnie, her friends see her discomfort (PTSD honestly) and support her always after that first initial display of trauma. They're her backbone as she starts questioning the Luminaries ideologies too because they humanize the hunters that ignore the death and destruction of every night hunting. When the girls help Winnie write her paper in the Sunday library even, you can see how its these moments where Winnie is able to catch her breath and relax.

Which somewhat and kinda also applies to Jay Friday.

The difference in his and Winnie's relationship throughout this sequel is APPARENT. Winnie officially comes clean about the clues her dad left behind to Jay. He's the only one who knows the full situation, and thankfully, he respects her decisions not to go forward to the Tuesdays or any hunters. Even though Jay is the new Lead Hunter of the Fridays, he chooses her over the Luminaries (LOVE HIM!). His willingness to hear Winnie and trust in her instincts was wonderful. It made the cracks in their relationship start to heal over—not fully but we're getting there at least—and this secret ultimately gives readers some of the best scenes in the books so far.

Notably this scene—Winnie and Jay investigate the smaller x marked on Winnie's dad's library map (Winnie forgot to mark this x on her drawn version and the big X represents where Grayson Friday died allegedly by a werewolf at the end of book one), and it leads them to this random granite hole in the earth. There appears to be similar trauma to the scene like what happened to Grayson Friday, so the two believe the Whisperer may have murdered someone else in that spot. But the granite is not in Grayson's death area. While the two run into a completely different nightmare while in this scene, the Whisperer does eventually appear in the granite hole. The two left before witnessing this because Winnie is poisoned by the previously mentioned nightmare (a stag nightmare but can't recall the name). Jay has to drag/carry her miles and miles back to the Friday estate where she ingests melusine liquid/venom, which completely heals her wound and makes Winnie incredibly high. I did cringe at first during this scene because Winnie was not acting like herself, but I also cackled and screamed, kicking my feet in the air with a deep gleeful giggle. It was TOO GOOD. I think that moment is still my favorite of the entire series so far. It allowed Jay and Winnie to break down their barriers because all of their history was semi-removed since Winnie was so giggly and high.

Plus, Jay's werewolf status is officially confirmed at the end of this book. Susan, I was starting to think you'd pull another fast one on us and not confirm it, but thank the heavens, she did. Winnie has to throw caution to the wind and essentially high tail her ass through the forest to save Jay in his werewolf form after he is tranquilized essentially by six volts to the chest by Winnie's aunt. This entire scene will make everyone so anxious. Winnie runs into a changeling, which was such a traumatic scene to watch. She's getting sucked dry as the changeling ingests her blood to turn into her, and once she escapes, she sees her naked body behind her because the changeling got soooo close to killing her. Then, Dianas appear (again, I'll talk about this later in the paragraph about Winnie's dad) in the forest searching for the werewolf. Now three separate people are looking for him: Luminaries that shot him, Dianas for some scary reason, and Winnie to save him. I was expecting Winnie to be clumsy or get attacked by another being and be revealed to the Dianas, but LUCKILY they don't bother her until the near end when she's arguing with Aunt Rachel over what to do with Jay in his werewolf form.

By the way, still don't know how I feel about Rachel Wednesday. She fibs and stretches the truth when it fits her goals, and even though she let Jay go this time, I don't know quite were she falls. Is she wholly loyal to the Luminaries like she previously did, or does Rachel now feel protective over Winnie and her family? Your guess is as good as mine. She did take the two pieces of Diana magic to the torso to protect Winnie, but I'm still unsure.

Finally, the main event.

Winnie's dad is single handedly the most interesting character of these books. He has so much mystery to him, and I want answers stat! The fact that he only left clues for Winnie is interesting. Are he and Winnie just that similar that she'd be the only one prepared to hunt for the clues, or is Winnie somehow different to the rest of her family? Does she have magic of some sort? I've had this theory for a while that Winnie's dad comes from both Diana and Luminarie ancestors, so he's a mixed bag. Maybe the magic doesn't transfer to descendants always, so only Winnie has it? We find out in this book that the Whisperer is actually a piece of Diana magic meant to destroy anything in its way. Currently, its target appears to be Winnie because it only appears when she is in the forest but that isn't confirmed. Just my alleged theory. That leads me to think the Dianas want Winnie or someone close to Winnie (partially why I think they went after Jay besides the fact that he's a werewolf). But also the Whispere may not even be a full Diana mechanism—more on that later. The biggest surprise, besides the Dianas, was the final chapter in this book where a crow watches over the ongoing confrontation/conversation between Winnie, Jay, and Erica before traveling to watch Winnie's mother at the diner. Obviously, we assume it is Winnie's dad, but whether he was turned into a crow permanently or uses the crow to see his family from afar... we've yet to learn.

Now I want to talk about Erica's role in this book. She is in second place behind Winnie's dad now as the most mysterious character. Winnie and Erica have two good interactions in this sequel where the two try to help the other, but it is revealed that Erica has ties to Dianas... Kinda. She is most likely the unnamed opening chapter of this sequel, and she declares that she wants to crush both the Dianas and the Luminaries, particularly after the death of her sister Jenna. She blames both groups for Jenna's death and seems to seek vengeance. Her sister also appears to have been a Diana before her death. Her sister passed away roughly three weeks or so after Winnie's dad disappeared/ Winnie's family banishment. Erica's sister could definitely have been a part of the Dianas who framed Winnie's dad. Maybe he found out about the Whisperer spell (Erica mentions using her sister's spell that was left behind as a way to hurt the Luminaries) and needed to be stopped, so Erica's sister did so. I'm curious if Erica knows part of Winnie's dad's past because of his ties to Jenna possibly. There's a lot of IFs going on right now, but that truly shows how lacking we are in Erica's situation/goals. We do know that Erica stole the dampener/source, Winnie's Venn Diagram notes, and her dad's birthday clues from Winnie's bedroom, and I think that's enough to show Erica has something to do with the Whisperer. Although, I'm currently leaning towards the Diana and Whisperer being separate plots. I think Erica is controlling the Whisperer with her sister's instructions, but she's also doing something to hurt the Dianas, which is why they're in the Luminaries forest. Not a perfect theory but it feels right for now.

I'm completely at a loss for the Dianas plot. I don't know who the woman with the grey hair in the crow mask is. My best guess would maybe be Erica's mom, but also, I cannot recall anyone with grey hair. It's a small detail to remember and also try to find back in the book without rereading. Maybe I'll look out for it during a reread before the third book's release.

Lastly, I have one mini complaint about something. I'm getting a bit annoyed with the adults reading and reviewing YA books on social media. I've seen a number of people comment negative reviews because this series does not have the same tone/feel of The Witchlands. To that I say—it's younger YA! The lead is newly 16, turned 16 right at the start of The Luminaries. Don't read this trilogy then if you don't like the age range. It's so annoying for people to expect all of YA to be the same, particularly upper YA.

Now that I got that off my chest, this sequel was somehow even better than the first book. It's definitely more research and theory-based rather than hunting-based like the previous book. I could see some people getting bored because of the bias into thinking vs. hunting, but I still think the plot pieces coming together are far more interesting than just Winnie hunting some more. And even then, we still get some kick-ass scenes of Winnie battling some nightmares. But we also see some moments where Winnie realizes some nightmares may not be the monsters Luminaries make them out to be—notably the will-o-wisps, werewolf, and melusine. She's starting to question the Luminaries ideologies, so it makes sense that this book centers on her internal indecision.

Thank you to Tor Teen and NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have been so excited to read this sequel, and it didn’t let me down. This is such a fun young adult story. I’d gladly let my kids read this one!

I loved the 1st Luminaries books, and I was really really excited to get to read this one early! I really liked the new information on the Dianas and learning a little bit more about how the clans function within Winnie's world. Overall I enjoyed this book a lot, but I kinda feel like maybe book 1 and 2 should have been combined into one larger book? The big twist is something I guessed reading the 1st one so having so much of this one build on the mystery of that made a lot of this seem like nothing was happening.

Winnie Wednesday has gotten her wish, but it’s come with a high price, and more questions than answers. As bodies pile up, and secrets are discovered around every corner, Winnie has to define for herself what Loyalty truly means, and who deserves it most.

This book is incredible, but three things about this story stand out most:

One, the tension between Winnie and Jay is palpable. We get so much payoff in terms of their relationship growth. It’s so satisfying, and also leaves you wanting to see where it goes.

Two, the mysteries deepen to the point where you want to scream at the story to reveal more than it does. Yes, you get answers to your questions from book 1, but you also get more new questions than ever once you find those answers. Not just about the Dianas, either, but about who the Luminaries really are, what the creatures in the forest might actually be, and why does everything about this society feel like there’s a massive cover-up happening?

Three, the forest is still something to fear, but also…not? It reminds me a lot of fantasy shows where the creatures you start out being scared of become more sympathetic, and less threatening, than the humans walking around you. In book 1, we were told to trust the forest. In book 2, we learn what that means…at least, to start with.

Being a Susan Dennard book, there’s always more than what meets the eye. I am so grateful that I got the chance to read this book, and I am yearning to know where it all ends up!

Let me start by saying I am a huge Susan Dennard fan. I loved the first book in this series. I thought it was the most original, well thought out book I had read in awhile. That being said, I was really excited to read this second book in the series. I could hardly contain myself. It started off great, where the last one left off with excitement and not a little violence and mayhem. The problem is that it fell...flat. That magic that was in the first book was just not there for this one. This was especially so in the middle of the book where the pace of the book was slow and plodding. I know that the title character is unraveling a mystery surrounding her father and the Whisperer, but good Lord. Also, she is very whiny about becoming popular and getting everything she asked for instead of being thankful she's no longer an outcast. It does get better towards the end and, a warning, it does not end. There will be another book. Hopefully a better one. I'm not saying this book is bad. I actually thought it was a good book. I think thatIi was just spoiled by the first book and I am hoping I will be spoiled again by the third.

This book was one of the best sequels I have ever read. The way that Winnie thinks and feels about thing is super similar to how my brain works so it's so easy to fall into this book and get lost. While I don't typically like third person books this one is so well written that I could not put it down and I finished it within a day. I absolutely love this series and I can not wait until the next one comes out. The ending to this one is satisfying enough that I don't feel like I had a book hangover but I am excited to see where this story line goes in the next book!!

Winnie has gone from being an outcast to being famous in the Luminary community and she’s starting to discover that it may not be all that she was hoping for. Still trying to navigate her father’s clues and what to do about the werewolf and whisperer, Winnie is overwhelmed and doesn’t know who she can turn to for help. She’s about to discover everything is much more complicated than she thought.

So much of this book is about Winnie realizing that being back in the good graces of the Luminaries isn’t necessarily what she thought it would be. Navigating friendships, old and new. Dealing with the fame that she’s acquired from her last trial. She’s doing all this while trying to follow the clues and understand what her dad was trying to lead her toward. The last third of the book really picks up as Winnie has some epiphanies and some shocking secrets are revealed. The end was absolutely stellar! I’m already waiting for the next one with bated breath!

Thank you to Tor Teen and NetGalley for an ARC.

I did enjoy the first book in this series, I even said it had some supernatural feel to it. I thought that this one would be more of the same. And it was in a way. However, I also felt that it fell a bit short for me as a reader. I didn't feel that this book had as much tension or heightened sense of mystery as the previous book did.

We're still following plot lines from the first book (some of which are still not resolved). I didn't mind this, because I love overarching plot lines, but what I didn't love was the pacing of this book. I felt that the pacing was slow, especially in the beginning and it took a while to pick up. By the time it did, I was less interested in finishing the book.

We do get to see more of Winnie and Jay's relationship, which I thought was super sweet. I did enjoy those aspects of the book, because I thought they were well done.

I also believe that Dennard is an excellent writer, and that the writing was lovely. This book definitely still had atmosphere to it, but I just felt something was missing.

I can't quite put my finger on what I felt was missing, I just wasn't as in love with this book as much as the first. I think it was a solid entry in the series, but it isn't one I have a desire to go back and reread at any point.

I will be curious to find out what happens next.

What I liked:
Diving back into the world of The Luminaries was like putting on my favorite pajamas. It was like I never left it. I picked up right next to Winnie Wednesday as she embraced being accepted back into The Luminaries and all the crazy stuff like corpse duties, nightmares in the forest, and puzzling clues left by her father. I liked that we learned much more about Diana in this second book. You also need to remember that as a constant in this series, You either trust the forest or don't.
Final Verdict:
With this second book, Winnie Wednesday has become one of the most unique fantasy characters I have read about. The secrets around her and this mysterious Whisperer that no one else can see or smell. What exactly does her dad want her to figure out with all these clues she finds? Also, what in the heck will happen with her and Jay now that we know what we know. Also, I think her Aunt knows a lot about what is happening, and I can not wait to unravel it all.

A thrilling sequel to The Luminaries. More mysteries abound as some get solved. Relationships were tested and boundaries were crossed. I thoroughly enjoyed this second book and was happy to see some things come to fruition or be resolved. Look forward to the next book!

This is the second book in the Luminaries series. I was lucky enough to be part of the twitter adventure that helped this series become published, and it holds a special place in my heart. Winnie Wednesday survived the three trials in the last book to become a hunter and in this one her family can finally be accepted back into the society they were exiled from. But Winnie's experiences through the trials left her questioning a lot about the Luminaries as a society and about many people in her life. She tries to find answers in this book. There are some reveals and still more questions to be answered in the next one. I liked that she's starting to question if the good guys are all good and if the bad guys are all bad and hope to see more of it in the next book. I think this is a fun series that many teens would like.

This second book in Susan Dennard’s Luminaries series brings more paranormal threats and even higher stakes. Winnie grapples with her new-found fame and has to reconcile her present with her isolated past. Now that she is reintegrated with her Luminary society, she must battle creatures both known and unknown, all while trying to keep up her friendship with the mysterious Jay Friday. Recommended for fans of paranormal romance, thrillers, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Appropriate for 14 and up, with an emphasis on teens finding themselves.

"The Hunting Moon" by Susan Dennard is a thrilling and captivating sequel that delves deeper into the world of the Luminaries and brings a new layer of mystery and danger to the story. Picking up where its predecessor, "The Luminaries," left off, this book continues to follow Winnie Wednesday as she navigates the complexities of her newfound life within the Luminaries and uncovers even more secrets and challenges.

One of the strengths of this novel is its complex and well-developed protagonist, Winnie Wednesday. Her internal struggles and external conflicts are palpable, making her a relatable and engaging character. As she tries to balance her family's history, her place within the Luminaries, and her desire to protect the innocent, readers are drawn into her emotional journey. Her determination to uncover the truth about the Whisperer and her refusal to jump to conclusions showcase her strength and conviction.

The plot of "The Hunting Moon" is tightly woven and expertly paced. The mystery surrounding the Whisperer, the murders, and the secrets of the Luminaries keeps the reader hooked from beginning to end. The world-building is richly detailed, allowing readers to immerse themselves in a unique and captivating magical world. The author's ability to create suspense and tension heightens the stakes and adds depth to the overall narrative.

The secondary characters are equally well-crafted, each contributing to the story in their own unique way. The relationships, both platonic and romantic, are nuanced and realistic, adding depth to the characters' interactions and emotional arcs.

Susan Dennard's writing style is evocative and vivid, painting a vivid picture of the world and its characters. The dialogue is engaging, reflecting the characters' personalities and motivations. The author's attention to detail and her ability to create an atmosphere of both danger and intrigue enhance the reading experience.

In "The Hunting Moon," Susan Dennard successfully builds upon the foundation laid in the first book, expanding the mythology and deepening the characters' arcs. The novel combines mystery, fantasy, and emotional depth, making it a satisfying and immersive read. Readers who enjoyed "The Luminaries" will find themselves enthralled by this sequel's exploration of family, loyalty, and the pursuit of truth in a world filled with magic and danger.

A stellar sequel, this book reminds me of my high school summers spent watching the Vampire Diaries and Teen Wolf, and this series is a fantastic, yet fresh, return to the mid 2000s paranormal YA era. Secrets kept and revealed, stakes raised, and a simmering romance behind it all this book had me turning the pages almost faster than I could finish reading them.

Solid second book for the series!

I was very excited to get a copy of The Hunting Moon. I fell in love with Winnie Wednesday and Jay Friday in book one and absolutely needed answers immediately. There wasn't a ton of action going on in this book as far as dealing with the nightmares, but there is so much more information about the werewolf and the Diana's.

Somethings in Hemlock Falls are REALLY not as they seem to be.

I DNF'd at 56% unfortunately because nothing was capturing my attention, and it shouldn't have been taking me that long to read a book under 300 pgs. I enjoyed the first book and was intrigued by this sequel, but the intrigue wasn't enough for me to push through, especially because I found out it's going to be a trilogy.