Content Warning: violence, bullying

I’ve only read two books from Susan Dennards Witchland series and I didn’t stop because it wasn’t good. I just think I forgot about the series because there were just so many other books I was reading at the time. So I was curious about the blurb from this book, The Luminaries – a forest that could kill you? Sounds perfect for fall reading and I was right! This is what I liked and didn’t like about the book:

+ I love all the tropes in this story: a mysterious, dark forest that filled with monsters or nightmares as they are called, a girl trying to redeem the scandalized family name, a girl lacking in skills who wears ill fitting glasses but filled with passion and drive, a boy who was a best-friend and first crush who shunned her and is now training her, a secret…I loved the intensity and the action that moved that story.

+ The world-building is fascinating and creative. There is a secret society called The Luminaries and they are monster hunters. Monsters are called Nightmares in this story though and basically they are the stuff of nightmares like werewolves, vampira, melusine, kelpies, banshees – every monster of myth and legend but there is something new in the forest. The Luminaries go into the forest each night and kill Nightmares. Winnie interestingly enough is assigned to clean-up duty, she picks up what’s left in the forest when it’s morning and the mist is gone. The hunter clans are interesting and their last names correspond with a day of the week (Monday, Tuesday…etc…) they all have their own niche and expertise.

+ Winnie Wednesday is that kind of heroine that you can easily cheer on. Her appearance sounds mousy because she’s not wealthy, she wears glasses that need to be updated, she never sounds put-together and yet she is brave and a natural hunter instinct even with a lack of training. She is determined to get back into the Luminaries good graces and don’t underestimate this girl, she can kick butt when she needs to! There is a lot of growth in character and I look forward to seeing what happens to her in book two.

+ The friends to enemies to lovers trope is teasing us in this book. I want more of Winnie and Jay. I love their interactions and the spark between them, the intense emotions that’s going on under the surface. I’m invested!

+ There are a lot of interesting characters in this book, like Mario the lab guy and Erica, Winne’s ex best friend. There is so much more to uncover in this world, that I’m looking forward to the next book.

~ This is just the beginning of the world building and it sounds like there is so much more to learn about The Luminaries and the different families. I did have some questions about the forest and how it works all over the world with different Luminaries – there is mention of international Luminaries. We need more information about the Dianas who are witches and Luminaries enemy.

~ It ends with a cliffhanger where many things are revealed but nothing resolved…but makes me want book two ASAP. It’s definitely not a bad thing, I just need more info!

Tropes: secret society, girl trying to redeem her family reputation, friends to enemies to lovers, monsters in the forest, a trial,

Spice Level: (there is no kiss, there is no romance…but there is intensity!)

Why you should read it:
*world building, story with scandal, redemption, secret society, monsters and a girl who has a desire to belong again
*budding romance between Winnie and Jay
*diverse characters, lots of action, mystery

Why you might not want to read it:
*I feel like the world-building for this series is going to be huge, but we are only getting the tip of the iceberg for now. So much more to learn about the Luminaries, the Dianas, what happened to Winnie’s dad and Erica’s sister, what is up with the daywalker, what is the Whisperer… so with that said…you may want to wait until more books are out to binge it?

My Thoughts:

This story is fun and exactly what I was kind of looking for in a contemporary with fantasy elements. I love the scary forest and the mist and monsters that come in the night. There was lots of action because Winnie is taking part in trials to become a hunter and that was fun because we get to see her fight or try to monsters. Winnie is a heroine I can root for as she tries to redeem the family name, but there is more to the story – a mystery about her father and some other characters in the book. I love the intense interactions between Winnie and Jay and I just want to learn more about this world about Luminaries! The only issue I had was that I wanted more information about everything and now I have to wait for book two. This is a great start to what seems like an exciting new series.

I sort of remember the twitter thread that started this book, but not enough to really have any context. It occasionally felt like I was missing details. I know this is normal for a first book but it felt like I was missing more than normal. I liked the setting and a town that’s off the map, but the plot moved too slow for me. I might wait until there are more books so that the first one doesn’t end in such an odd spot with nothing until the next book.

Winnie Wednesday is my hero.ni absolutely adored "The Luminaries." It was a fun adventure going along with Winnie on her hunter trials in a forest of nightmares. But the nightmares could also include some people in her hometown that completely mistreated her family for the past few years after a scandal touches he family. But did her father really do what he is blamed for?? Will definitely recommend this book to my followers and friends.

Have you ever read a book that you make excuses to stop what you're doing to read? This is that book. What world building! I am hooked. Get the second one out as fast as possible please and thank you! #NetGalley

There's definitely a lot of worldbuilding happening here! Between the different monster fighting clans, the monsters themselves and then the secret society-ish thing that serves as something of the opposition, there's a lot going on. But the complex worldbuilding is integrated pretty seamlessly, and there is still time for the main character to get some good character development (the side characters could be better developed, especially the twins). Everything that bothered me from a worldbuilding perspective (which mostly hinged around "why would you put up with this crap from the townspeople") was addressed at some point in the book. There's a blooming romance that I found enjoyable, although their main source of romantic conflict could be solved with some communication which isn't my favorite romantic trope. But that said, I think teenagers are going to love every single second of this book - it's fast paced, the main character is very relatable/likable, the romantic interest is broody, and the worldbuilding is super creative and a lot of fun. This is a promising series opener for sure and I'll be recommending it widely.

WHERE IS BOOK 2?! I NEED STAT!!! Cheers to this being my first ever approved ARC because I will never forget this book! I can't stop thinking about this cast of characters - I can't stop thinking about the way the scenes played in my head as I read and I can't stop thinking about the mystery and what's next for Winnie. This book is like the best episodes of Supernatural but with an awesome female lead who kicks butt and needs to trust her instincts more than she realizes...while she did decide to keep her first trial to herself (no spoilers) this made me like her even more - for the family, for their lives and the decisions she made moved the story further. I NEED more!!!

Recommending this book to anyone who is a fan of Supernatural, October Faction and the like. I haven't read many books with this type of genre so I'm choosing TV shows to compare it to. Whenever I look at a forest, I'll think of Winnie, the monsters that might be out there and who is fighting them.

I can't remember when was the last time when I read a book in which the whole plot was 100% equal to what was written in the blurb and nothing more. There was no surprise there, no resolution to any of the plot threads and the whole story was blatantly predictable and painfully dull.
We know that the main character has to go through three trials to become a hunter... and she does exactly that. And that's when the book abruptly ends, leaving no hooks to convince me that I should read a sequel. I'm actually baffled by it's poor structure, because I understand that there might be books where I don't like characters or plot, but I can't recall an example of a book where there is no resolution whatsoever, and the time I invested in the story seems completely wasted. There are several main plots within the book apart from the trials: the love story, main love interest true identity, Dad's betrayal or this new type of monster that all adults seem to deliberately ignore, but none of it (maybe apart from Dad's plot) is resolved in any way, even a little, and just keep hanging there in the void.
Also we don't learn much about Luminaries as an organization, so the world building here is very poor. And we learn even less about the main antagonists, the Dianas, who are described only as "those bad guys that want to take over the world" and that's it.
All in all a very disappointing read.

I love this author’s other work so I was excited to read this one. Well I did like it, it is definitely very different from her other books and not as good for me. I found this book to be more YA. I found Winnie whiney and annoying. It had this high school, vibe that for some reason I was not expecting. It bothered me how happy they were to get the people who treated them badly for four years to treat them well again. I did like the eeriness and the different monsters. I like how the plot has a mystery part. I do sometimes not mind Winnie and the other character interactions are pleasant to read. I love mysteries so I am wanting to read the next.

First thank you to Tor Teen for the eARC of this beauty!! I was a part of the Twitter Luminaries many moons ago and was so excited when word spread that it was becoming a book!! I especially loved that this book wasn’t just a remake of the Twitter story but it’s own dedicated story with some glorious UghJay moments thrown in!! I loved learning more about all the monsters that haunt the forest and the people that hunt them!! I was so entranced in this book that I didn’t even notice I had reached the end until I flipped the page and there were the acknowledgements!! I just kept saying no, no, please no!!! I need so much more of this story and have so many questions left unanswered!!! Overall it was a fast paced, super unique and creative storyline with characters you absolutely love!! I cannot wait for book 2!!!

I remember when Dennard was making this story on Twitter all those years ago. At the time I didn't want to be involved because not knowing which way things would go stressed me out. Oh how I regret past Laura's decision! But I am super grateful for the chance to read it early and shout about how great it is now!

Winnie Wednesday is a badass and I'm so excited to have a badass character who is also a rep for something that is frequently ignored in books. Winnie has glasses. Do you have any idea how RARE it is to have a character wear glasses, especially one who fights with the supernatural? I didn't realize how much I needed a character to worry about the state of their glasses until I read Luminaries. I related to Winnie hardcore because of her glasses but also because she was kind and eager and wanted to do what was best even if it cost her.

I love the whole premise of the Luminaries. I love that there's a whole network of people protecting us. I feel like the Luminaries is just the tip of the iceberg for how big this world that Dennard has created will become. She's so good at world building that it was easy to forget that I was just reading a fiction book!

When Winnie Wednesday’s family is exiled as a result of her father being revealed as a traitor and spy, she knows her chances of joining the Luminaries are all but lost. Winnie will stop at nothing to take the Luminary hunter trials even if it means disobeying those in charge. On her sixteenth birthday, Winnie enters the forest alone and confronts the terrors lurking amongst the trees. By sheer luck, she survives the first trial but, must seek help from an estranged friend, Jay Friday,

Dennard explains in her acknowledgements how this story evolved from a sort of “choose your own adventure” on Twitter to a full-fledged novel which only makes me appreciate this story even more.

I am a fan of Dennard’s Witchlands series so I came into this expecting excellent worldbuilding and this definitely delivered. The Luminaries is definitely an easier story to digest than the Witchlands books in the Witchlands series are. Primarily because this story is only told solely from Winnie’s point of view, it also helps that there is a smaller cast of characters, and the story only takes place in one town. This story also unravels at a quicker pace. I felt like I had just cracked open the first page, blinked and the book was over.

The forest was full of the things staring in your nightmares and things that your nightmares haven’t even dreamt of yet. I have zero interest in being a Luminary but I liked Winnie’s determination and love a good underdog story, so I was willing to support her efforts. Winnie’s journey is one that explores change. She fights for her family to regain everything they lost but learns that along the way her family has changed and picking up where they left off might not be so easy or really what they want anymore.

This novel is definitely a set-up for future things to come. There is a lot that was left unanswered and I think a lot more story to be told and, I for one, can’t wait to read it!

Thank you to Tor Teen for providing an advanced reading copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Winnie Wednesday lives in the tiny town of Hemlock Falls. You can’t find it on a map and outsiders never find their way to the town. The town is populated almost entirely by seven clans who protect the larger world from the nightmares that spawn in the forest each night. Each night, one clan sends hunters (or luminaries) into the forest to keep the monsters under control. Winnie wants nothing more than to become a hunter, but ever since her father disgraced the family, she and her mom and brother have been outcasts. When Winnie gets the chance to prove her mettle, she finds a danger far greater than she could ever have imagined.

The Luminaries is a fast-paced, action-packed start of a fantasy series that I can’t wait to share with my students. I’ve already pressed my copy into the hands of my 14-year-old and and hoping they start reading it soon! I recommend The Luminaries for grades 7+; this would be a great addition to all middle and high school libraries. Hand this to fans of The Hunger Games, Fablehaven, Legendborn, or All of Us Villains.

As other reviews may mention, the Luminaries started as a Twitter Choose Your Own Adventure story lasting 6 months. Susan Dennard has taken the heart of that adventure and turned it into something even better. Atmospheric, intense, creative, mysterious; this book has all the markings of a Susan Dennard novel, with a little dash of creepiness thrown in. You root for Winnie Wednesday, even as she doubts herself. It is about trying as hard as one can to achieve ones goals, no matter how many setbacks you have, but also knowing when to ask for help. The only unfortunate thing about this book, is that Book 2 will not be immediately published afterwards.

I would love to immerse myself into this book, but don't forget, the forest is dangerous for a Luminary untrained...

I devoured this book! And I cannot wait for the sequel. I have so many questions and predictions. Winnie is a likeable and strong character, and the forest imagery with the nightmares is vivid and original. Romance, loyalty, action... a broken friendship. Great tropes for YA. My students will love this one.

*Netgalley provided me this book in exchange for an honest opinion.*
This book was such an amazing read. I absolutely adored this one. It's world, it's atmosphere, the characters and the plot everything felt so unique and well thought out. This book was so good I kind of feel bad reading it because there's no second part of this book. This one hasn't even released yet! Oh my god, waiting for the second book will be torture! I usually don't like YA books but this one changed my mind.
The book had a spooky kind of element which I loved. The forest and its 'nightmares' were so interesting. The characters were so mysterious and intriguing. All of this made this an unputdownable read.
I definitely recommend this book, if you like YA fiction, spooky vibe kinda books and a well narrated plot.

I really loved The Luminaries. This is a super fun and interesting new fantasy series by Susan Dennard. I also loved her Truthwitch series so I had high expectations going into this book and I'm so glad that it met those expectations. Following Winnie, we learn about the society of the Luminaries who guard the world from Nightmares, creatures like manticores and werewolves and so much more. Winnie is a young girl who dreams of joining the Luminaries groups of hunters who go into the woods to hunt down the Nightmares but has to face a lot of push back after her father was discovered to be a traitor, leaving the rest of the family behind to face a new, harsh life as outcasts in their society. I really loved Winnie as a main character, she isn't perfect and badass immediately but she really grows into her own and learns to trust her own instincts throughout the story. I'm interested to see where this series will go but I do admit I wish there had been a bigger and more exciting climax at the end of the story to wrap everything up.

not my fvaourite book, i didn't love the characters and didn't feel connected to them. probably wouldn't read this book again.

Thank you to Netgally for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I honestly enjoyed this book so much, it's been ages since a YA Fantasy has gripped me so thoroughly. Atmospheric settings, monster hunters, a mystery killer creature, and broken family dynamics, what's there not to love?
This is the first in a duology and I need the second book asap!!! The first installment covered a decent amount of creature and hunter lore, which I appreciated tons. Character development, plotting, and pace were suburb. It really has set itself up for so much more in the second book.
It's going to be a long wait for the next installment which has me slightly broken. But all good things come to those who wait, right?

Haven't had a "one more chapter" book in a long time. So I did stay up a little late to read this one. I'm all in for the series; it's a well crafted story with a lot of depths to explore. Winnie is a good lead character and the struggle with the clan, her family and the way of life is well constructed. Now we have met Jay, we need more Erica time. I need to understand more of what happened, what's a Diana, the deal with Jenna, what Mario really knows and just so many questions! I'm glad the Banshee venom that went off in the first act shows back up in the third. Don't know why but I was watching Harry Potter knowledge with the descriptions here. It felt a little like walking back in time with that trip (ahh we were so innocent then) so I'm eager to see if the clans align like Houses do and what it all means!

I really liked this book and the world that are just like our world, it just happens to also have different kinds of monsters. I feel that I get a pretty good picture of the world, even though the main focus of the story is the struggle and emotions Winnie has to deal with when she is trying to restore the relationship with her former relatives and friends.
It is fast pasted story that honestly leaves me with more questions than answers. I want to know more about the world, about Winnie’s father and how everything come together. The second book can’t come soon enough.