Book Review of The Hunting Moon (The Luminaries #2) by Susan Dennard

Cover Story: Still Death
BFF Charm: Heck Yes
Talky Talk: (Not) Nightmarish
Bonus Factors: Not a Bridge Book, Mysterious Loner Dude
Relationship Status: Still Excited

Red alert! The Hunting Moon is the second book in the Luminaries series. If you have not read the first book in the series (The Luminaries), man your battle stations turn away now, as there might be spoilers in this review. If you’re caught up, however, feel free to continue below.

Cover Story: Still Death
I really love the macabre beauty of this series’s covers, and this is no exception. The juxtaposition of life and death is a perfect representation of the book’s contents and the relationship between the Luminaries and the nightmares they battle in the Hemlock Falls forest.

The Deal:
Winnie Wednesday is thisclose to getting everything she’s wanted for four years: to become a Luminary hunter and to be welcomed back into Luminary society along with her mother and brother. So she’s not sure why she feels the way she does, like the success isn’t actually what she wanted after all. No one believes her about the Whisperer. She has no idea why her dad sent her clues about him being framed in birthday cards, and she doesn’t know why her mom would keep them hidden away in the attic. And then there’s Jay … Ugh, Jay.

Winnie isn’t sure what the future will hold, but there’s plenty to figure out in the meantime.

BFF Charm: Heck Yes
Although Winnie’s a bit more uncertain about herself in The Hunting Moon, thanks to the many uncertainties she’s facing, she remains a super cool person who I’d love to be friends with. (And I wouldn’t have shunned her as an outcast for four years, Luminary societal rules be damned.) She’s clever and witty and even when she feels so overwhelmed she wants to just curl up in a ball under covers and let the world pass her by, she is willing to do what it takes to find out the truth. And stand up for those she loves.

Swoonworthy Scale: 6
The relationship between Winnie and Jay is a slow burn, but Dennard doesn’t stretch it out too long (and make it annoying rather than exciting). There’s the right amount of heat building while Winnie’s working toward the truth, and she comes to some realizations toward the end that ratchet up the swoon.

Talky Talk: (Not) Nightmarish
The world of Hemlock Falls is a strange and mysterious place that also feels familiar. It’s a small town filled with small-town problems and people with big personalities. The fact that some of their problems revolve around nightmarish creatures stalking the woods at night, a werewolf on the loose, and maybe some witches hiding amongst the Luminaries are certainly different from those of any small town I’ve known, but I can’t be 100% sure that a place like Hemlock Falls doesn’t exist somewhere in the world. (There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio …)

Additionally, along with the excellent worldbuilding, I love the wit that shines through in Dennard’s writing and her lovely descriptions.

Bonus Factor: Not a Bridge Book
Although it’s the middle book of a trilogy (I think), The Hunting Moon doesn’t just serve to bridge the gap between them. It’s a solid story in its own right and even ramps up the action and suspense, leading to continued anticipation for what’s to come. There’s actual plot progression and character growth. Can you imagine?!

Bonus Factor: Mysterious Loner Dude
Jay Friday continues to rocket up the rankings of my personal MLD Hall of Fame. I couldn’t care less that he has secrets.

Relationship Status: Still Excited
I have been waiting for our second date since the moment the first ended, Book, and it didn’t disappoint. We’re really good together, and the chemistry just keeps building. I can’t wait to see where our third date takes us.

Sooz has done it again! This book opens up with a host of mysteries and it ends with them as well. I don't think we were ever supposed to struggle to know who the werewolf was, that's pretty obvious, but there are some other things happening that are really blowing my mind.

I love the creatures in this series and how the nightmare compendium, especially Winnie's, plays part in her adventures.

Great follow up to The Luminaries. I can't wait for the conclusion to the series. It was great to see Winnie start to put together the bigger picture now that she's reclaimed her family's place in the clan. I also loved getting to discover some of Erica and Jay's secrets.

Winnie is now a local celebrity. Everyone knows that she is the girl who jumped … and the girl who was bitten. She should be happy that she is now accepted, but it doesn’t feel right and there is a new nightmare that is hunting the hunters. Everyone believes the werewolf is at fault, but Winnie believes differently. It doesn’t help that Winnie is also trying to unravel the weird clues her father left about the Dianas. Who can Winnie trust? How many people will die before the questions get answered?

The Hunting Moon is the second book in The Luminaries series. This supernatural thriller will keep readers guessing as the protagonist uncovers lie upon lie. Dennard takes the world she created in the first book and expands into more intrigue and additional family drama. I will tell you the truth … I don’t remember much about the first book, yet I was fully able to enjoy this story. I don’t know if others will have the same experience, though. A strong second book with many more possible.

The Hunting Moon is the second book in Susan Dennard’s The Luminaries series, following Winnie Wednesday, a young hunter-in-training who desperately wants to be welcomed back into the clan and find out what happened to her father. At the end of The Luminaries, Winnie had just passed the hunter trials though she narrowly escaped with her life and the town now fears a werewolf walks among them. She can’t seem to get anyone to believe that there’s something else hunting the hunters in the woods around Hemlock Falls so Winnie begins investigating the Whisperer on her own. Well, with the help of Jay Friday who seems to keep showing up to save her.
In my review of The Luminaries I pointed out that this book is good, classic young adult from when I was actually a young adult, but dressed up with a somewhat more modern style. I stand by that and The Hunting Moon is a solid, well-written sequel that kept me hooked page after page. I think I’ve grown too used to the darkness in many of the adult fantasy books I read because everytime something potentially good was about to happen, I got super nervous that it was all going to go horribly wrong. This may be a mild spoiler, but for the most part, everything turned out exactly the way Winnie wanted it to and there wasn’t any gut-punch awfulness to sour the mood.
That being said, Winnie is growing as a character and she’s beginning to question some things and see that life isn’t as black and white as she initially assumed. She looks at the traditions of the hunters young and old, and really starts to wonder why things are the way they are. I appreciate this is any coming of age story because it is in fact an important part of life. The adults aren’t always right and don’t always know what to do!
The supernatural element and the hunter traditions take a bit of a back seat in The Hunting Moon, mostly because Winnie has gotten through her trials and is now being a sneaky teen and going off into the forest to investigate the Whisperer. There are still a few cool interactions with the creatures that arise from the Mist around Hemlock Falls and it makes up for in quality what it lacks in quantity. This installment also focuses on the Dianas much more and I believe in the third book they will be a primary focus.
I admit, I’m a little disappointed this ended up being longer than the duology I thought it would be, but that’s because now I have to wait for the sequel. I think this is a cool fantasy world and honestly can’t wait to see where things go next!

This was everything I needed. I love this series and how dark it can be while still being light, fun, and dealing with issues. It’s clearly YA, but the fun type that is an excellent palate cleanser, well written and just a great time every page.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 4/5 stars.

I just....really like how this is set up in the story. The first one was hauntingly beautiful and yes, it's not amazing world building, but this sequel still drew me in. The beginning was a bit meh with the results of the first book coming through for Winnie and her mom and Winnie and Jay's friendship...but it grew in action. The ending 1/4 or so of the book had me going OH NO and then the very end had me also going OH NOOOOOOOO! I do really like this unique urban fantasy world, but I hope the world is built more in the next one in the series.

A solid sequel but not the best, which is unfortunately common in a trilogy. It has all the slow burn YA romance tropes which make it a fun read but it's just too slow and I think could have easily been a duology and read much better with better pacing that way. This just doesn't have the action of the first, so it took much longer to get through and didn't hold my interest, especially in the first half. But there were enough twists that I want to keep reading into the next book.

4/5 stars.

I really enjoyed this quick read. The plot is very engaging and Winnie continues to be a compelling main character. The layers of mystery really develop throughout the book and some are revealed by the ending. Definitely one of the best paranormal YA reads I've delved into lately.

In Book 2 of The Luminaries, we pick up right where Book 1 left off. Winnie's near-death experience has shifted her perspective on her goals, and the whole community is hunting the were-wolf among them.

As Winnie struggles through these events, she shows growth in her relationships and makes decisions about doing what is right. The struggle of being a teenager in such a difficult society is clear on the page and the small hints of what more is to come made me excited for the next book as well. This book has great atmosphere for a fall read as well.


Thank you to Tor via Netgalley for my eARC.

4*

After reading the Luminaries earlier this year, I was excited to get my hands on the second novel in the planned series.

Dennard continues to deliver a novel full of the same rich and complicated characters, in a world that isn't as black and white as the ride-or-die by their house motto members of the Luminary clans would have you believe.

Seeing more of Winnie and her growth, the way she continues to challenge expectations and push boundaries was a great way to continue to the story. Plus, we're always happy for more of Jay.

The Hunting Moon is a real solid follow up to the first in the series, Luminaries. While the pacing is pretty slow for the first half of the book, it's well worth trudging through to get to all the action in the second half. The last part of the book will have you eagerly waiting for the next book.

Winnie is a strong character. She's smart, intuitive, and resourceful. The best part is she feels genuine. Her point of view and voice seem very realistic. I think for this reason, I was very engaged in the character and looked forward to the continuation of her story.

Dennard fleshes out the world building as well. Readers will learn more about the Luminaries and the Diana's. I think it did a lot to help flesh out the world and the story as a whole.

Overall, a good read and a wonderful follow up in the series. It is very much a Young Adult read. While adults may enjoy it, the overall feel of it appeals very much to a teen/early adult audience. Either way, this is one that we will add to our collection.

The Hunting Moon, by Susan Dennard, is the second installment in the authors The Luminaries series. The story follows a group of people who live in Hemlock Falls. These folks are trained to hunt and kill the monsters (nightmares like changelings, and harpies) that are spawned each night in the forest, before these monsters escape and kill innocents. 16-year old Winnie Wednesday has passed her hunter trials but now has the infamous reputation as being the girl who jumped as well as the girl who was bitten by a werewolf.

She is also the only one in Hemlock Falls who seems to know about a new nightmare called the Whisperer, but she also lost part of her memories. To make matters worse, Winnie worries that her Aunt Rachel, who knows about her trials and the reality of what Winnie did, will go back on her word to allow Winnie's family back into the Luminaries after they were banished 4 years ago after her father was accused of being a Diana (Witch). Winnie's trials are not over. She still must put together the pieces that her father left behind for her.

Secrets that could finally give the family piece of mind after 4 years of being treated like malcontents and traitors. To make matters worse, the lead hunter, Grayson, is murdered which makes Jay Friday the youngest lead hunter in Hemlock Falls. Jay, Winnie's former best friend, has been keeping secrets, and so, it seems, is her former friend Erica. Her refusal to simply blame the werewolf, despite popular opinion, is a testament to her strong moral compass.

*Thoughts* The mystery surrounding the Diana's (Diana – a member of a witchlike society that is the Luminaries’ mortal enemy), their magic, and the events in Hemlock Falls four years ago deepens, adding layers of intrigue. I do think there's more the author has not explained about the events of what really happened to Winnie's father. While you can presume, that something awful happened, you also have to consider that there may be others who are involved. And, just how many secrets are Jay and Erica keeping from Winnie? I guess we have to hope for a third book to find out.

The Hunting Moon proves to be an extraordinary and worthy sequel that captivates readers with its intricate plot and unexpected twists. From the very first page, the narrative unfolds with suspense, drawing readers into a world where each chapter reveals new layers of mystery. The author skillfully weaves together a tapestry of suspense, intrigue, and unexpected turns, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats throughout the entire journey. The characters are compelling, their development adding depth to the overall narrative. The pacing is impeccable, creating a relentless momentum that makes it nearly impossible to put the book down. With its cleverly crafted storyline and suspenseful atmosphere, The Hunting Moon is a must-read for those seeking an enthralling and immersive literary experience.

Now that Winnie Wednesday has passed her hunting trials, she's a small-town celebrity, especially after being bitten by a werewolf and not turning. No one believes her that the real threat is the Whisperer, since no one's seen it in action except Winnie. Only she believes the werewolf is innocent, but the town is on the hunt and is testing everyone. She's still trying to figure out what happened with her father and the Dianas, but the clues are difficult and it feels like she's getting nowhere. The only person who believes her, that she can turn to, is Jay Friday, her childhood friend who might have become more since the trials. Unfortunately, the longer it takes Winnie and Jay to convince the rest of the Luminaries that the Whisperer is real and figure out how to stop it, the more danger everyone is in . More and more Luminaries are found dead, mutilated by the Whisperer, and Winnie feels powerless to stop it. Can Winnie and Jay save Hemlock Falls before it's too late?

I enjoyed this a lot, it definitely answers some questions from The Luminaries but leaves you with even more. Dennard builds a creative world, with horrors, romance, and mystery in turn. I think this was even better than the first, and I can't wait to find out what happens next!

I received this ARC courtesy of NetGalley, in return for my honest opinion and review.

That ending! Action-packed and still on my mind. This deserves all the stars, though the first quarter started a bit slow I couldn't wait for the pace to pick up. But then all that build-up got us to where we are now, wishing we had a third book to jump into. The build was worth it even if it was slow. Cannot wait for more!

The Hunting Moon continued to give me everything that I wanted from that nostalgic, early 2000s YA vibe that I loved in The Luminaries. I can't delve too deeply into the plot because it picks up right after a pretty major cliffhanger/spoiler at the end of The Luminaries, but Winnie is still an outcast...just now in a totally different way. She's the center of attention, sure, but no one actually believes anything that she says. She's just the cool girl who, well...[REDACTED], who might have gone a little crazy in the process. At least, that's how everyone seems to justify her ramblings about the new development in the forests around Hemlock Falls.

This second book was everything I've been hoping it would be for a year! I did not re-read The Luminaries before diving back into the world of Hemlock Falls, but even with a brain full of cobwebs after a year, Sooz did an excellent job of filling in the gaps and reminding you just how high stakes everything was before The Hunting Moon started. For the romance lovers: It's still a slow (slow slow slow sloooooow) burn (if you can call a thoroughly YA book a burn) but in the best ways, with the tension between Winnie and Jay Friday remaining a major and frustrating (we know we love it) all time high. There's enough mystery and intrigue to keep you invested in the goings-on in the forest, as well. At times I found myself frozen, hanging on every one of the narrator's words. The story went to places I absolutely didn't expect, and some of the reveals were shocking! In true YA form, there were also reveals that were predictable, which I think is important--you have to let your readers win at some point, and what better way than to give us those "aha!" moments where we get to figure *the situation* out before the characters do. My only complaint, if you can call it that, is that I felt like the book was still building up when it was over...like, I was genuinely shocked to look up and see that I only had minutes left in the audiobook. But I feel like, even if that's an issue with pacing, it's the mark of a well written book that the reader doesn't realize how much time has passed while they've been reading.

Somehow better than the first book!! I was so surprised by how much more I liked this book cause it’s a second book and some second books fall and are boring

I enjoyed this follow-up to The Luminaries and its further exploration of Winnie's world and her place in it. There is a "twist" at the end that I saw coming from the first book (I'm not sure how you wouldn't) but it definitely hits for the characters and nicely sets up the next book.

The Hunting Moon is a solid second installment in this fun YA contemporary fantasy series. Fans of the first book likely will not be disappointed as mysteries from the first book are solved, more questions are asked, Winnie grows as a character, and there are some great developments with her relationships with other characters (particularly Jay). The slightly spooky vibes of Hemlock Falls and the fascinating Nightmares that Susan Dennard crafted in the first book continue in this installment making this series the perfect fall read.

Like the first book, The Hunting Moon is fast-paced and hard to put down. I suspect that when this series is completed it will be a fantastic one to binge read as not much time passes between installments. There are quite a few elements that feel a bit predictable - a major plot twist that gets revealed toward the end of this book was something I predicted in the first book and so the fact that it took so long to be revealed irked me a bit but overall it didn't detract from the reading experience too much since I overall enjoyed the journey getting to that point. I loved Winnie's character arc throughout and I'm excited to see how this story ends.

There are two things I love in particular about The Luminaries that make this series stand out to me:
1. The books are quite short, under 300 pages
2. They fit firmly in the YA category - Winnie is a teen protagonist who feels like a teen protagonist.

I think a lot of YA these days (particularly in the fantasy genre) tends to be long and written with older (18-20 year old) protagonists to fit in that YA/Adult crossover space. YA Fantasy geared toward the younger teen crowd (13-17) tends to be harder to find and recommend and so I'm happy this series exists - especially because it has great characters and fun worldbuilding with lots of interesting magical creatures (something it has in common with Susan Dennard's The Witchlands series).