Each night, when the spirits dream, their nightmares come to life. And each night, the Luminary hunters guard the world against those nightmares, one clan for every day of the week. Last night belonged to the Wednesdays. Winnie's clan.
Or it was Winnie's clan until the incident, when her family was sentenced to be
outcasts.

Thus:
Winnie's plan is a simple one: pass the three hunter trials, restore her family's status in the Luminaries, and become a nightmare hunter like she has always been destined to be.

I loved the premise of this - of using days of the week to distinguish the different families of hunters.
And there’s a school, training grounds, cliques based on family groups….
Also, I just have to mention the wholesome friendships and the development of Winnie from an isolated, paranoid girl to one who is willing to surround herself with others her age and venture outside her comfort zone.
Not to mention an urban fantasy with Winter vibes despite the changing of seasons. It’s the perfect mix of horror, gothic and fantasy.

I also liked that Winnie, our heroine, wore glasses. I hardly read this in fantasy books and the details paid to this felt important to me. A representation that seems so minor but I know will be good for some people to read.

Overall, this was a fast-paced urban fantasy where the romance is subtle and young and fresh and mostly just hinted at to begin with - my favourite!
This is a perfect creepy read for Autumn time.

First off, thank you to the author and to netgalley for the opportunity to read this arc in return for an honest review/feedback.

This was dark, fast paced and intriguing. Imagine if supernatural was mixed with annihilation and then you also had a monster hunting settlement with some serious cult vibes. There is a touch of romance, a whole lot of intrigue and some absolutely killer illustrations peppered through the book- and… it was an absolute joy to read, the writing style was whimsical and really fed into the world the author was trying to create, I’d definitely recommend this if you’re looking for something creepy and weird but at the same time has bucketfuls of charm.

I am a bit of a newbie when it comes to the fantasy and mythology genre, but, I am widening my perspectives and so far loving it. The author has done this brilliantly. The story is beautifully written, the characters come alive on the page, the settings pop and all characters have a believable voice. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Having lived the Luminaries twitter moment during lockdown, it was a joy to be back in Hemlock falls with Winnie and Jay. Even though I was familiar with the story there were plenty of surprises to be had and I can't wait to read more!

This book was an anticipated read, and it makes me beyond sad that it just wasn't for me at all.
The biggest issue for me was that I was unable to get into the story. I felt like I had too little information to properly visualise it in my mind.
Since I couldn't do that, I was constantly distracted, and the whole book just fell flat. I might try to pick up the finished copy and see if I like it better, but for now it just wasn't it.

I was so excited when I was approved to read this book and it did not disappoint.
I absolutely loved it from beginning to end. The plot pulled me in from the first page until the end. I enjoyed all the twists and turns throughout the story.
The world building was amazing and truly set the picture for what was going on through the story. I loved how descriptive the nightmare creatures were and i enjoyed seeing the illustrated pictures too. They really helped you too understand the characters fear of them. I wish more books did this!
Winnie Wednesday is the main character and she is fantastic. I love her determination and loyalty even when faced with the black mark over her family. She has her flaws but I feel that’s what makes her such a likeable character.
The other characters throughout the book are great and are well developed too. I can definitely see some romance coming in the next book!

This book has definitely lived up to the hype that I’ve been seeing and I absolutely can’t wait for the next book in the series. The ending was so good as I did not see that coming! I felt I was left with a few questions at the end which I hope to get answers to in the next book.

Thank you to Netgalley, Daphne Press and Susan Dennard for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I found this a satisfying easy read, and enjoyable genre fantasy book. Aimed at YA readers. Hemlock Falls is not the sort of town you want to visit. A horrible death will probably quickly follow. But to the locals, including Winnie, there is no where else they want to be. Hunting monsters to protect her town is all she wants to do. Winnie has lots of challenges to overcome and a mystery or two to solve. The story has many familiar fantasy themes, but that isn’t a bad thing as you can settle easily into the story which is wrapped in a unique package. There is a cliff hanger. I look forward to reading the next book in the series. Thank you to Daphne Press and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

I loved the continual motif of having the surnames of the characters be days of the week. Characters from different countries that were visiting also carried these names but in their own mother tongue really pulled together the idea of luminaries and their mission beyond Winnie's story. I'd rate this story 3.5/5 because the plot point was unique and the moral of telling lie + watching it snowball out of proportion was a great cautionary tale to include. The angst between Winnie and Jay was too much (absolutely loved it!)- so clear to see that Jay had feelings for her but winnie was blind to it (just like everything else beyond her tunnel vision). The only criticism i had was that the last few chapters rushed through the ending and there wasn't much depth to the conclusion. There really needed to be few more chapters to conclude this book in a good place.

The Luminaries is first part in a new series by Susan Dennard, who you might know from the Witchland series. It is the first book of Daphne press which will be featured in an Illumicrate box. This young adult fantasy is already a great succes and has won multiple prices. I was really curious about this book, and couldn’t wait to start reading. Will this book be as good as I suspect?

Not all monsters can be slain, and not all nightmares are confined to the dark.
All Winnie wants is to join the Luminaries, an ancient order that protects Hemlock Falls against the monsters and nightmare that live in the forest every night. But she is an outcast ever since her father was exposed as a witch and traitor. On her sixteenth birthday she can join the trails to become a Luminary hunter, and there is no rule in the rulebook which can stop her. Winnie is determined to take the three trails and restore her family’s name, even if she dies trying this. But in order to survice she needs the help of Jay, her ex best friend and most promising new hunter. Can Winnie survive the dangers of the forest and the trails? Will she restore her family’s name? What dangers lurke in the dark?

Susan Dennard has a really nice writing style and a nice pace. She takes the readers to a cosy town, with a dangerous forest on it’s edges. Both the town and the forest have a great worldbuilding. The forest has a lot of nightmares and monsters, which you will be introduced to. Susan Dennard has even added some pictures of the monsters, and descriptions about them in the book. This makes you will have a good image of the dangers that lurke in the forest.

Winnie is a strong-headed main character, who knows what she wants. Even though she is an outcast, she does have some friends who you will also get to know in this book. Every character that is introduced to the readers plays an important role, and are worked out just enough for their roles. I really liked this balance.

This story is mysterious and compelling. I really feel like I was in Hemlock Falls while reading this book. It certainly has a lot of potential to become a really great series. This book is really something which all fantasy readers would enjoy reading. I loved reading The Luminaries and can’t wait what else is waiting for Winnie. I give this book a 4,5 star rating.

This is a great book to curl up with on an Autumn night. A fantasy world of creatures and magic is cleverly created by Susan Dennard, and the story draws you in. The characters are well developed and it sets itself up for a sequel, as not all questions are answered by the end (which was where it dropped a star for me, as I would rather read a standalone).

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

it's difficult to write a review for this book,. if you don't know, in 2019, the author used the premise of this story for a "choose your own adventure" game on twitter, for six months a lot of us played with susan dennard and her characters. having the actual book now, even with a different story but with the same characters and setting, is so exiting and scary at the same time.
This winnie is not the same winnie i knew, but i loved her a lot. her circumstances are different what her core values are the same, the love for her family, the loyalty, her spirit and, obviously, her stubbornness. same old winnie who has to make difficult decisions, learn to live with difficult choices and accepting new and old people in her life. the author does female friendship so well, i was so happy to see the start of another beautiful friendship here too, and i have high hopes for the sequel. i can say the same for the romance, or, the start of the romance. this is a slow burn, we don't get love confessions or dates, but we see two characters reconnecting, two people who learn to trust each other again, to be friends again. it's the perfect start.
and the plot? it's so intriguing. there are a lot of secrets to uncover, things we don't know and truths that we start to doubt. the whole concept of the luminaries and the dianas is something i really want to know more about.

The Luminaries is a wonderfully magical book, perfect for those cosy nights when it's raining outside.

This book started as a choose-you-own-adventure on Twitter, and has developed into an atmospheric novel with a sympathetic character we can root for. Hemlock Falls is a charming yet spooky town, where the Luminaries fight against the nightmares in the forest. Winnie Wednesday is shunned due to her traitor father, and plans to prove herself by taking part in the hunter trials, so that she too may become one of the hunter Luminaries! But there is something deeper at stake, as new nightmares surface, and Winnie enlists her ex-best friend and hunter extraordinaire, Jay Friday, to train her.

This book has an intriguing concept, but remains fairly light-hearted through the majority of the book, and there seems to be no serious conclusion to many of the mysteries. I am hoping the next book will engage more deeply with some of those plot points! Nonetheless, I would still recommend it, as it has a little of everything that you want in a book - great writing, spooky happenings, and a friends-enemies-tentative allies romance.

Winnie Wednesday is desperate to be part of The Luminaries, an ancient order of secret monster hunters. However, when her dad was exposed as a witch and traitor, Winnie, her mum and her brother, were all exiled and shunned. On her sixteenth birthday, Winnie can enter the deadly Luminary hunter trials. If she succeeds, she can prove herself loyal and restore her family's name. If she fails, it could mean her death.

The premise of this book sounded deeply fascinating. The whole concept of these monsters, referred to as nightmares, really put a new twist on the age old tales. However, I found the first half of this book extremely slow paced, which I realise should be expected as the world building is developed and explained. The second half of the novel, once the story was in full swing, really picked up the pace and I didn't want to put it down.

The characters are relatable and wonderfully developed. I found it so refreshing having a MC with nearsightedness, being severely short sighted myself!

The ending left a lot of unanswered questions, some of which I was a little frustrated at as they didn't even get mentioned in the final two chapters. I guess this means I need to read the sequel?

Thanks to Daphne Press for providing me with a review copy via NetGalley.
I loved this book! The world build and pacing of the story is perfect and kept me hooked from start to finish! It is the perfect atmospheric read for autumn months and keeps you asking questions all along the way- I thoroughly enjoyed it and am desperate for the sequal so that I can finally get some of my questions answered!

So, who do I need to bribe to get the sequel? I just need to know what happens next and see if Jay is the werewolf:)

Thank you Daphne Press and NetGalley for providing the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review, so here we go 💖
Rating: 5/5⭐️

Hemlock Falls isn’t like other towns. You won’t find it on a map, your phone doesn’t work here, and the forest outside town might just kill you.

Winnie Wednesday wants nothing more than to join the Luminaries, the ancient order that protects Winnie’s town - and the rest f humanity - from the monsters and nightmares that rise in the forest of Hemlock Falls every night. Every since her father was exposed as a witch and a traitor, Winnie and her family have been shunned. But on her sixteen birthday, she can take the deadly Luminary hunter trails and prove herself true and loyal - and restore her family’s good name. Or die trying.

But in order to survive, Winnie enlists the help of the one person who can help her train: Jay Friday, resident bad boy and Winnie’s ex-best friend. While Jay might be the most promising new hunter in Hemlock Falls, he also seems to know more about the nightmares of the forest than he should.

I loved this book! It was by far, my favourite read of October and I’m so happy I had the opportunity to read this amazing book! It’s packed with mystery, fantasy, action - and trust me, you will not be able to put this book down. I haven’t felt like I couldn’t put a book down in a while and this book totally made me want to cancel whatever plans I had to finish it!

Winnie is such an amazing character, she’s super smart, loyal and perseverance is her middle name for sure! I loved reading her thoughts and see what she was going to do in all situations. The nightmares are so fascinating and I loved how there is dedicated pages on the book with information on the nightmares which is super awesome to read and visually see the nightmares.

There is definitely some romance cooking between Winnie and Jay and although the focus is not necessarily on it, I can’t wait to read the next book to see where that will bring them - and obviously, to see if my theories about Jay’s secrets are right! The book also ends on a little bit of a cliff hanger - that doesn’t necessarily needs to be a cliffhanger - and it’s honestly so well done and it really makes you want to read the next book as soon as it’s out!

Make sure you keep an eye on my bookstagram (@maria_bookshelf) during the release month (Jan/2023) as I’ll be sharing a fantastic post with it!

This is what I love about YA fantasy. The teenage “love”, morally grey characters amazing world building. I need book 2 asap!!!

Okay I feel like this sets up well for the sequel, maybe it'll be more intriguing to me. This wasn't anything like I thought it'd be. I didn't get the right vibes off the Trials, it wasn't a competition as such. I didn't like the author's constant use of repetition and onomatopoeia. Nor did I like the constant mention of Winnie's teeth-clicking, it grated on my nerves. Overall solid 3.5 stars.

The Luminaries drew me in from the very first page. The world building is fantastic and the descriptions of the forest, the nightmares and Hemlock Falls that we get through Winnie's eyes made me feel like I was there with her. I completely loved this world
The main characters were so relatable. I quickly and easily warmed to them all.
I appreciated how Winne wasn't perfect and doesn't excell at everything she tries. She is so much more relatable because of this. She is strong willed and upfront with people for how they used to treat her, after her family were named outcasts from the Luminaries for something her father did. Once they are welcomed back to the Luminaries, after Winnie takes the first test to become a hunter, she doesn't just let go of her feelings because she got what she wanted, and people are nice to her again. She questions them and let's them know it wasn't right.
I loved watching her open up and form friendships again. The slow burn between her and Jay was perfection.
I found this book to be so enjoyable and kept me turning the pages well into the night. I can not wait for book two!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Daphne Press and Susan Dennard for letting me read this one.

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

This is very much YA - that's not to say it isn't good, just to say that it's predictable, and the language and character qualities are very similar to other YA books.

It is however atmospheric, spooky, intriguing and fantastical. I enjoyed reading it, it was entertaining and fun, and it's certainly a book that could grab you and pull you out of a slump.

Roll on pretty Illumicrate edition!