**3.5 STARS**

Content Warning: violence

I have finally finished this series! Here is the last book in the trilogy and here are my thoughts:

Likes:

+ Winnie and Erica work together finally which was nice to see. Winnie is thrown into the spotlight in this book and I liked that for her. There is more growth for her character.

+ I think a lot of questions were answered especially about the Dianas. There was a lot of action too but mostly in the second half.

+ When Jay was in the book, I thought he and Winnie were the sweetest couple. I just wish there was more of them but I know she had to have her personal journey.

Dislikes:

~ I felt this one was slow in the first half, kind of like book two, and then it picks up. But it took me awhile to get into this one, unfortunately. This one is mostly mystery in the beginning and just not something that was hooking me.

~ Jay mostly appears in the second half, which again, I wish he was there throughout the book. I was missing him and Winnie together.

Final Thoughts:

I loved book one of this series, but by this third book, I feel like I aged out of the series? If that makes sense. I do think the people who loved books one and two will love this third book! It’s a great conclusion.

I couldn't wait for this third and final book in the trilogy . I am grateful for the review copies I received an Ebook and an audiobook. I often read then listen to books I really enjoy. Thank you publishers and Netgalley
The last book had me sitting on edge, thankfully this one pulled me off and gave me some answers I was craving. Fantastic ending ! There were lots of little bits that I missed on my first read that I picked up through the audiobook. I recommend this audiobook highly the narration is fantastic !
Winnie and Jay, she grew up a lot in this series as does their relationship. It’s nice to have a couple you can believe in.
The Diana’s well there is a story you’ve got to read. We find out some really interesting history on them and a couple twisted twists !
What happened to Winnie’s father ? What was the real story. It’s in this book, read it. You’ll have a good time finding out.

I have been waiting for the conclusion for this series and it did not disappoint!!! I love the easy grace with which the story has unfolded and the twists and turns along the way!!! Winnie Wednesday will forever have a place in my favorite book list!

A fabulous conclusion to the Luminaries trilogy. Things get explosive as Winnie, Erica and Jay try to uncover what is happening in Hemlock Falls, Will Winnie finally figure out her dad's mystery? Will her mother get to be a hunter again? and what will she wear to the Nightmare Masquerade. All will be revealed.

Amazing book. Love the character development and plot line will definitely recommend to friends and family

I am always nervous for book 3 of a trilogy, as I don’t want to be left unsatisfied. Thankfully, The Whispering Night was not that book for me. All of the things I loved about the first two books (mystery, adventure, suspense, and a boy named Jay) are here. This book started off quickly and never really slowed down. There were a lot of questions about who Winnie could actually trust, along with people who never let her down (said boy named Jay). We finally learn what happened 4 years ago and get to see Winnie use her intellect to solve the mysteries. There are a few things I am not 100% sure got resolved, but I feel like that keeps the door open for future books in the Luminaries/Diana universe. Overall, I am really glad I read this series and am so glad Winnie gets the ending she gets in this book.

Series Info/Source: This is the 3rd (and final) book in The Luminaries trilogy. I got this on ebook from NetGalley to review.

Thoughts: This book had a lot of the same issues as the second book in the series. The beginning is slow, and then there is almost too much action in the second half. I don't think I fully understood what happened at the end, and it left me feeling fairly unsatisfied. I guess it wrapped the story up fine but the pacing was just so all over the place.

Winnie and Hemlock Falls are looking forward to the Midnight Masquerade, a celebratios that will have Luminaries world-wide visiting Hemlock Falls. However, Winnie is getting pulled into more and more secrets around the battle between the Luminaries and the Dianas. Some of these secrets are leading back to the disappearance of her father.

The first half of this book is flat out boring. Winnie is getting pulled into a number of responsibilities for the Midnight Masquerade that have her attending different random events. To add to this, she is re-starting her hunter training. There is a whole lot of things going nowhere for the first half of the book. Then, for the second half, Winnie starts to uncover from more secrets around the Dianas and things get very fast-paced.

I almost stopped reading this about 30% of the way in, I was just so bored with it. A lot of people complimented the amazing ending, so I decided to stick with it. The ending was incredibly action-packed but it also felt so action-packed that it was scattered. The ending ties up the series fine, but overall I could have done without reading this book. I am still not sure I completely understand what happened and why despite reading some of the chapters over multiple times. It all seemed a bit forced and contrived to me.

My Summary (3/5): Overall this wrapped up the series but I didn't really enjoy the journey. The pacing of this final book was incredibly slow to start and then too fast and contrived at the ending. Dennard has been very hit and miss for me lately. I loved her Something Strange and Deadly series. I started reading Witchlands and thought the first couple books were okay but then started to find them very boring. Same with this series; I loved the first book but then started to lose interest in the second book. I guess if you loved the second book in the series, you will probably love this one as well. I plan to take a break from Dennard for now.

The Whispering Night is a full throttle, action-packed book, filled with more surprises and even more Nightmares than before. Winnie now knows about the truth about the Whisperer and the werewolf, but not how to keep Hemlock Falls safe from the encroaching Dianas and the Whisperer. It doesn’t help that the town is more focused on the Nightmare Masquerade than anything else. Without giving much away, The Whispering Night is a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, readers uncovering all the secrets of Hemlock Falls and watching as Winnie trusts her instincts and follows them to save her town.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy for this review. All opinions are my own.

The third and final (question mark!?) book in the Luminaries series is fast paced and action-centered. Immediately following the events in book two, Winnie doesn't have much time to figure out what is going on with the large number of Diana's in Hemlock Falls. Everyone is continuing to believe her act about what happened on her trial and now, what happened in the woods. Her and Jay's relationship grows deeper, but can they trust Erica - who chose to be a Diana?

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. I am obsessed with this trilogy, and this book was SUCH a great conclusion. There was a ton of action and I feel like the whole arc wrapped up really nicely. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads for release.

A massive thank you to Tor for allowing me to read and review this title.

The Whispering Night is the third and final instalment of the Luminaries series by Susan Dennard. I have been following along since before the beginning of this series, when Susan Dennard was posting prompts for the audience to choose on Twitter. And since she is also one of my favourite authors, I could not wait to get into this book and catch up with all the characters again.

Since this is the final book, I'll try to keep the review as spoiler free as possible. We pick up with Winnie after she learns the secrets that her childhood friends have been keeping from her, and we see her trying to mend the bonds with these friends. But the Dianas are not done with their meddling. One of them manages to find Winnie and give her a task, or else everyone she loves will be in danger.

Still seeking answers to how and why her dad became entangled with the Dianas, Winnie must trust her instincts and her newly mended friendship with Erica Thursday to try and stop what's coming. And the forest is also growing restless...

I absolutely loved this series. It's quite different from Dennard's Truthwitch series, but it has its own atmosphere that draws the reader in. It's especially fitting as a Halloween read, as all the monsters and the misty, dark forest are described so vividly.

The characters in this series have grown so much, especially when realising how important friendships can be, and that a support structure can make or break you as a person. I love that this was one of the major focuses of the series. Winnie being an outsider at the start, trying to find who she can trust as she slowly starts to gain her status in the town back from her family's scandal.

There are a few loose strings that weren't fully wrapped up, but in general I am quite happy with how it ended. I would highly recommend this series to anyone looking for a fun, monster hunting series about friendships and redemption. And of course, I look forward to seeing if Susan Dennard will be releasing more books in this universe! Once a #DenNerd, always a #DenNerd!

The Whispering Night was in my top five anticipated reads this year and, while I’m sad to leave these characters, I’m happy with the way their journey ends.

Reviewing book three in a series is difficult without giving away spoilers, so this will be brief. Winnie believes her life has finally settled down and is back on track. She and Jay are together, no one’s hunting the werewolf, and her friendship with Erica isn’t quite as shaky as it was. She should have known not to get too comfortable.

New foes arrive, and when shocking secrets involving her own family come to light, Winnie digs deeper. Family has always been her first priority, and she’s determined to learn more about what happened to her father. As with the prior books in this series, I love Winnie’s very logical approach to problem solving and the way she stays true to herself rather than cave to the expectations of others. Her growth over the course of the series is outstanding, and I felt a kind of parental pride for her by the end.

Quick pacing, loads of action, and extremely high stakes make for a compelling read. Recommended for readers who enjoy urban fantasy, a slow-burn romance, and characters that steal your heart.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Whispering Night is the conclusion to Susan Dennard's Luminaries series. Things are looking up for Winnie Wednesday; she is back in the Luminaries, is at a good spot in her (sort-of) friendship with Erica, and she and Jay Friday are finally solid in their relationship. But Winnie is still seeking the truth about what happened to her father. The week of the Nightmare Masquarade arrives, where all things Luminaries are celebrated. Luminaries from around the world come to Hemlock Falls for the celebration. But as the celebration begins, things begin to unravel. Winnie is approached by a masked Diana, who gives her an impossible task. Winnie soon finds herself digging even more into the history of the Diana's in Hemlock Falls and how they are connected to her father's disappearance. But as she does so, Winnie discovers information about her family and friends that could change things forever.

The Whispering Night is a great conclusion to the Luminaries series. Dennard's playful, yet suspensful writing style really shines through. We see Winnie, Erica, and Jay's characters grow and come to life even more as their relationships and loyalties are tested. The creatures of the forest are just as haunting as in the first two books, and Dennard's descriptions draw you right into their world. The Whispering Night wraps up this series with a nice bow.

This series has been one of the stranger reading journeys. I really struggled to enjoy the first book, so much so that I had mentally written off the idea of continuing the series altogether. But then I received an ARC for the sequel and thought I’d give it a second chance. While it still wasn’t my favorite, it was also a marked improvement on the first. And, well, here we are, finishing off the trilogy with the release of the third book! And, to continue the trend, I think this one was the strongest of the lot!

Part of the strength of this one comes down to the fact that it is benefitting from all of the leg work done in the first two books. Here, the romance has been thoroughly explored and established, with Winnie and Jay feeling fairly sure of one another. This allows the love story to playout in a supporting role, there as a minor subplot and to bring some heart and humor to the story, but without needing to get bogged down in too much drama or angst.

Further, much of the world-building has been done. Not only are readers familiar with this world, but the first two books set up a number of secrets and reveals that could be finally explored in this last installment, giving this book all of the payoff that was sometimes lacking in the first two books. Further, the action was markedly increased in this book. I’d say there is about twice as much action here than in the second book, perhaps even more. Again, because we don’t need to spend as much time with the drama of the romance, the plot is allowed free reign to run wild!

I also feel like Dennard’s writing style is benefitted most with this more plot-forward type of storytelling. Much of my frustration from the first book (and even the second a little) had to do with the characterization and the drama that played out in these aspects. She also did a good job wrapping up dangling mysteries from way back in the first book, and, for the most part, I think all of these revelations and resolutions landed well.

Overall, this was a very satisfying end to a roller-coaster ride of a trilogy. Now that it is wrapped up, and wrapped up well, I’d definitely feel more confident recommending it to teen readers. I do think it lands solidly in YA, however, and isn’t necessarily one of those YA novels that has great cross-over appeal to adult readers. Nothing wrong with that! But it is worth noting since many adult fantasy fans also check out YA titles.

Rating 8: Full of action and suspense, this book serves as a solid ending to the trilogy, stabilizing the entire series into a worthwhile endeavor for YA readers!

Link will go live on The Library Ladies blog on Nov. 22

This was a strong conclusion to the Luminaries series, it had that feel that I was looking for and does a great job in finishing this story and had that writing style that I was expecting. Susan Dennard was able to weave a great writing style and that the characters were everything that I wanted. I can’t wait to read more from Susan Dennard and was invested in what was going on.

This might be my most anticipated book of the year, and I’m grateful to have read it early. Writing this review has been really hard for me because I've struggled to find the words that truly capture my thoughts and feelings. I've been a fan of Susan Dennard and her books for years, and watching her growth as an author has been incredible. She has a remarkable ability to make you feel as though you're right there in the story with Winnie, battling the nightmares.

This is such a satisfying conclusion to the series! It picks up just one week after the events of the previous book, immediately immersing us back into the world of the Luminaries. The last book left us with a lot of unanswered questions, and those mysteries are front and center in this one. The story is filled with twists and turns and plenty of revelations. The pacing is quick and action-packed without feeling overwhelming. The last 30% of the book was a roller coaster, and I loved every second of it.

The character development throughout the series was very enjoyable, especially Winnie. She has come a long way from the girl we met in the first book. I absolutely adore the cast of characters. Winnie and Jay have my heart and soul. Watching their growth over the series was a true highlight. All the other characters were equally fantastic. My only complaint is that I wished we had seen a bit more of the twins and Fatima in this book. But I understand why Winnie didn’t seek them out or involve them in the dangers she faced.

This book delivers an exhilarating and heartfelt finale that ties up loose ends while keeping readers on the edge of their seats. There were so many Easter eggs for the original twitter poll! And I think some references to Supernatural. I'm not sure if these were intentional but I was very happy to see them!

Thank you so much to the publisher, NetGalley and the author for an early copy in exchange for an honest review

This wrapped up the Luminaries series so nicely! I love that we finally got the answers we've been dying for and the ending gave me the warm fuzzies.
This whole series has been an enjoyable ride.


Thank you, Netgalley, for the advanced copy!

I had to quit this one. I absolutely loved the beginning of this series, but I realized that what was holding my interest was the monsters and forest, and I was reading it in SPITE of the teenage drama. I think I’m just too old for this honestly. If high school me were reading this, I would love it. But I’m 35 and it’s just too young.

The Whispering Night is the final book in The Luminaries trilogy, and it was the finale I needed it to be. This book was everything I hoped for and more. It was an absolutely satisfying conclusion while still leaving the door cracked for future spin offs. I loved that Dennard managed to still keep readers on their toes while dropping mind blowing revelation after mind blowing revelation. I’m impressed by the number of twists and turns this book took while still being satisfying. The plot pacing will have you dreading having to put the book down because it’s so fast and amped up with action. The tension is palpable and will leave you on the edge of your seat hoping the characters survive. I read this via ebook and audiobook, and I can’t recommend the audio enough. Caitlin Davies was amazing in her role. You could easily feel Winnie’s emotions in Davies’s narration from her excitement to panic. It was an amazing performance worthy of this series conclusion.

Great conclusion to the trilogy! Gets fully going by 50% and does Not Stop! Satisfying wrap ups of all the important things while leaving a bit open :)