Another fun, scary, unique installment in this series!

I really enjoyed book 1 in this series, but had been left a bit unsatisfied by the ending and all the questions that went unanswered. This one took a bit longer than I wanted to get moving, but I was SO happy to have come to the end and gotten a lot more definitive answers to certain plot points, suspicious events, as well as relationship building tidbits. I really enjoy the premise Dennard created here of the sentient forest that is. filled with nightmarish monsters every night, and the culture that has grown over time of the Luminaries and the lifestyle they live in order to keep the world safe from it.

This definitely does read as a YA novel, so if youre one who likes NA & Adult fantasy, or who can only do your YA with a mature edge, this might not be for you. However, going into this knowing what to expect was enough for me to get into the headspace where I could still enjoy not only the fantasy aspects of the plot, but also the interpersonal drama that sometimes arises. I really enjoy Jay & Winnie's dynamic, and found myself feeling swoony and smiley at certain reveals and scenes. More than anything, though, I loved the way this story is going with the werewolf and the Diana's, as well as the mystery surrounding Winnie's dad.

The only qualm I have with this one is that I felt like the first 35ish percent could have been spent more productively, but ultmately everything did end up going where I wanted it to. I also really liked the audiobook narrator, and found that I didn't have the same amount of difficulty focusing on the story as I sometimes can with audiobooks. Overall I think this is a great, eerie feeling book series to pick up for fall, and for if youre looking for action and a unique world/plot!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audiobook copy of this title!

I enjoyed The Hunting Moon just about as much as I enjoyed The Luminaries. Like both books are just fine. I enjoyed that we learned more about Winnie’s dad and the lore of Hemlock Falls. However, something felt missing that I can’t quite put my finger on. I feel like for how short this book was, I never really felt any sense of urgency until the very end. So much happened in the middle that felt kind of unnecessary to the plot.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great sequel to The Luminaries. It raised and answered questions and it drew me more deeply into Winnie's world. I am enjoying this series immensely-- the magic, mystery, and darker themes are perfect for a fall read.

Return to Hemlock Falls where Winnie starts to unravel a handful of mystery as others bubble upon the horizon. Focus is mostly on Winnie and her old friend, Jay. Good series for lovers of the ‘Twilight’ series. Romance, and drama, and mystery…oh, my! Awaiting the next in the series as I am sure several other readers are.

One of the best things an author can do is start book 2 in a series pretty much right after the events of book 1. I appreciate being able to dive right back into this world as if I never left it.

Something I figured out in book 1 is FINALLY revealed during book 2. But you are going to have to wait until a majority of the book is finished to get the confirmation.

In this one we are going to dive a little deeper into the mystery of Winnie Wednesday's father. Winnie is learning who she can and can't trust in this world.

The only thing I still can't stand is all her teeth clicking. It's mentioned maybe slightly less than book 1 but I feel like maybe we could've fluffed the story more without all the clicking.

I forgot that I loved the first book as much as I did. I was so excited about this one!
The narration was perfect. I am a huge fan. I loved the drama. I loved the creepy stuff. I would have hated doing corpse duty.
What a wonderful experience I had listening to this one.

Winnie Wednesday has survived the trials, become a hunter and is on track to get her family reinstated as a part of the Luminaries. It is everything that she wanted, but yet it doesn't feel right. She still is constantly driven by the mystery of her dad's disappearance. The fame of being the girl who survived a werewolf isn't what she wanted. And the feelings she harbored the last four years of being shunned are hard to shake. As Winnie works to puzzle out unanswered questions and adjust to her new normal, more questions arise and more players are drawn in. How will Winnie work things out without drawing negative attention?

This audiobook of a pretty great novel was well done. The narrator captures Winnie's smart, spunky and sarcastic nature perfectly. She keeps the pacing lighthearted, flowing and enjoyable to listen throughout. No distractions, just great narration through and through.

As mentioned, this is a pretty great novel. The second book of the series, it picks up right where book one left off. So if you can take the time for a re-read, do so as the small details won't slip past you. I ended up spending some time playing catch up to the story as it had been a while since I had finished book one, which is a little bit tricky when its the audiobook you are listening to. But ultimately this was a great second book. There was progression in the story and puzzle pieces further click into place about the greater mystery in Hemlock Falls. 4 stars.

Review based on a Advanced Audiobook provided by Macmillan Audio and NetGalley. Thank you!

The Hunting Moon, book # 2 in The Luminaries series, picks up where book # 1 left off in Hemlock Falls with Winnie Wednesday. She is still trying to convince her fellow clans about the existence of a new nightmare and trying to interpret the clues that her Dad left for her. This story has Winnie examining where her loyalties truly lie and what it means to be a Luminary.

The audiobook is well narrated. I found the pace of book 2 to be slower than book 1. Also, I feel like this book is really about setting up the next book. Overall, I enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series and what will ultimately happen to the Luminaries.

Thank you @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for allowing me to listen to this audiobook ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

I really liked this book. I actually liked it much more than the first book. The audiobook narrator is fantastic. Highly, highly recommend!

The Hunting Moon picks up shortly after the end of events in The Luminaries. Winnie Wednesday is back where she has wanted to be after her family was shunned due to the actions of her father. She passed the trials and is being included in events she wouldn't have been allowed to attend before. Hanging over what should be a massive win for her and her family are the clues left to her by her father and the menacing force that she calls the Whisperer. Winnie is also attempting to patch up her relationships with her former best friends Jay and Erica. She is also beginning to wonder if everything they have been told about the creatures in the forrest is really true.

I really enjoyed this. It was slightly better than the first book in the series. I liked finding out more about the creatures in the forrest and the Dianas. There were a few thing that got slightly repetitive. I didn't need to hear what Jay smelled like in every chapter. The plot moved fairly quickly. Caitlin Davies narration was excellent! I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

I felt a little shafted in book one bc I felt like non of my questions were answered - however, I let it go because they were all going to be answered in the sequel? Right? uhhhh no. So I felt as if all of the risks were for not, because there was no reward. This was spectacularly average. Everything you need/want to know about the ending of book one is in the synopsis of book two and your imagination can fill in all of the blanks.

I loved The Luminaries, so I was very exited to get early access to its sequel. The Hunting Moon is an eerie young adult fantasy that will keep you guessing at every turn. Winnie is a great main character that struggles to find her place in the world that she has grown up in. After being an outcast for so long it is hard for her to trust her new friends and feel like she belongs. I love the idea of the magic forest where nightmares come to life every night. I listened to the audiobook for this one and thought the narrator did a fantastic job capturing and relaying the emotions of all the characters. Listening to this book felt like listening to a ghost story by a campfire.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I’m not entirely sure what is going on here and I’m not sure that it’s just a “me” problem. Reading the synopsis of it book has done more for me understanding the plot than reading the actual book did.

I feel like this series leans more toward the juvenile/middle grade end of YA - the name of the week groups and the main character being named Winnie Wednesday definitely feels middle grade.

Overall the first book was alright with the trials being a great plot for action. But this sequel just isn’t holding my interest enough to continue.

Lastly, I did not enjoy the narrator’s inflections. It kind of felt like a news anchor was reporting it.

I DNFd this book at 26%. Thank you Netgalley and Tor Teen for the ARC.