"The forest is dangerous for a Luminary untrained"

Hemlock Falls is home to monster hunters trained to take down monsters that come out of the evil, sentient forest each night. The main character, Winnie Wednesday, and her family have been marked as outcasts after a betrayal of her father's four years ago. Now Winnie must participate in three trials to become a Luminary hunter to restore her family's status--but things don't go as planned.

This book is a fun, easy to comprehend paranormal YA. It reminds me of things like the Mortal Instruments and the Vampire Diaries, but skewed a little younger. The world is simple and mostly familiar with plenty of monsters and descriptions to keep things interesting.

Overall, this book is a quick and enjoyable read with a determined MC, a brooding romantic interest, and lots of action and mystery. It's a solid start to a promising series with an interesting setting and strong characters.

The reason I didn't give this book five stars is because, at first, it seems to struggle with the atmosphere it's going for. It is at once a young teen novel with slang thrown in (like "low-key and high-key") but also skews towards the dark and macabre with a first chapter opening with Winnie on "corpse duty" picking up monster and human corpses alike. However, as the action picks up and the mystery develops, the book finds its stride and becomes easily devour-able.

If you're a fan of YA, urban fantasy and the paranormal, and monster-hunting, you'll like this book. It reminds me of earlier YA books in the best way. It also promises lots more mystery, action, and romance in further books, and I can't wait to read more.

I love the author's series The Witchlands but The Luminaries was an okay read.

The clans and the witches were so intriguing! The nightmarish and gothic tones were really added to the story with the inclusion of some horrific monsters lurking in the town. The world, Hemlock Groves, reminded me of OUAT but much, much darker, in the sense it's undiscoverable on any map and his hidden except to the inhabitants. The atmospheric forest is perfectly created for this witchy environment

Understandably this says it's a contemporary witch novel, and that was one of its downfalls for me, I am not overly in love with contemporary elements in fantasy novels, that's just my personal preference. There seemed to be more telling rather showing in regards to the characters actions which was distracting to the story. The plot was acceptable but has so much more potential

I would definitely recommend this read to my fellow bookwitches and those who enjoy urban fantasy I feel like I might try this read again later down the track.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Teen for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

It's got promise for those that will stick with the series and want to dive into the magical world that includes corpses, haunted woods, and defending the town but there wasn't anything in particular that was able to pull me in, including the droll layout of the book.

I would have been pulled in with a little more whimsy and some lush setting with a mood to match it but neither of those things were present for me to engage with Winnie though the relationship with her mom and deciding how to proceed with the lost reputation of her dad sustained me to the end.

I want to thank NetGalley and Tor Teen for providing me with a copy of this e-book to read and give an honest review.
I've long wanted to read something from Susan Dennard. And I love anything witchy So now was the time!
Let's talk about the set up . Using Days of the week as last names for the witch clans? GENIUS! Having a place totally off the map that no one can find/know about? LOVE IT! A place with it's own little invisibility cloak! The forest, an interesting choice. I enjoyed how Dennard incorporated many different monsters and how she made them come alive. You feel the fear they induce and you cheer on Winnie the whole time. It was like watching a bit of a Supernatural episode (and I love me some Supernatural - Team Sam)! Of course the most interesting of all the monsters is the one we truly cannot picture. The one Winnie knows is out there but no one wants to acknowledge. A monsters so terrifying in it's being, it surrounds and just eats up anything in its path. How do you fight something you can't even really see?
Third person, this one is hard for me. It really has to be done right. And I understand the need for it. It makes things so much easier to see when it's not coming from just one character. And it really did work for this book.
Winnie Wednesday? Typical teen with typical teen angst who also happens to be an outcast for something her father did long ago. Her plan? Prove she can be exactly what all the other kids in town are, and prove it well by being VERY brave (though she'll tell you the whole time she's not).
The friendships, interesting to say the least. Some love Winnie despite her outcast status. Others, well, they treat her just as such. Still others have put a wall up because they are not sure where they should stand with it. But Winnie proves them all wrong by showing she has what it takes to be just like all the other 16 year olds who face a trial beyond anything you can imagine.
Overall, saying more would kind of ruin the book. Or at least it would give you too many spoilers. I definitely enjoyed it. I loved the friendships that were built. The retribution that was achieved. And I'm looking forward to how this plays out when book #2 arrives.
Overall it was a fun read. Not the best witch book I've read, but not at all the worst.
If you're a fan of witches, of supernatural creatures, of spine tingling thrill, and heroines who aren't what you think they might be, pick this one up when it releases and enjoy the ride!

I was pleasantly surprised by this book, and liked it more than I was expecting to. At first I wasn’t loving it because the storyline was a bit similar to Beasts of Prey, which I read not that long ago. Although there’s some similarities throughout, it was also very different. I’d never heard of this book when I first saw it on NetGalley, but now it’s one that I’ll definitely be recommending! I believe it’s book one in a new series, and I’d love to read the rest of the series. The writing was really easy to read and although the storyline was a bit slow at times, the action definitely made up for that. The characters were very likeable. I did struggle with Winnie at times, but I also enjoyed reading about her. I’ve been left with a lot of questions which is sometimes annoying, but this time it just guarantees that I’m going to read book two as I need answers to these questions. A very enjoyable book and a great start to a new series! I’ll definitely be looking out for more books from this author.

Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley for the ARC! This was really unique and enjoyable. Winnie is part of a society that protects the world from nightmares that come to life in the forest. She’s always dreamed of being a Hunter, but her family was outcasted when her father was caught spying for the enemy witches. Winnie decides she’s going to take the trials anyway and enlists the help of her ex-best friend Jay to train her.

This was a really quick read that made me want to keep reading to find out what happens. I liked how the author combined the fantasy elements with realistic ones like high school drama and how hard relationships with friends and family can be. My favorite parts were obviously the ones with Jay and I can’t wait to see more of him in the rest of the series. I liked Winnie and her determination to complete the trials and redeem her family - could have done with less teeth clicking though.

I had so many questions I was dying to have answered but there actually weren’t really any big reveals and the ending was a little abrupt. Ultimately I think this will be a good series though and I will definitely continue.

Shout out to Net Galley and the Publisher for the E-Arc!
Have never read this author before and it was a slow start but after a few chapters I was hooked. I like the magic system in the story and I know I’m aging myself by the name Winnie just takes me back to The Wonder Years *re-runs* 🤣. The mythology and world building are top notch and I cannot wait for the next book! I missed the whole twitter choose your own adventure excitement but it sounded super cool. Good book overall and I’m going to go and lookup all her other books now. 🏃🏻‍♀️🏃🏻‍♀️🏃🏻‍♀️

I was provided with an eARC of this book in exchange for a fair review.

Like many of us, I was an avid follower of Dennard's Luminaries Choose Your Own Adventure over on Twitter and, as such, have been eagerly awaiting the release of this book. While the plot of the book differs greatly from our internet adventure, there were just enough nods (*boop*) to keep me happy, and the "new" story was just as good. I did find it a little bit predictable - maybe because of the aforementioned dip into the world - but thats not a bad thing! Winnie is a great MC and I am going to need infinitely more Jay in the next book. All in all, loved it and can't wait for the next!

Did you know this book literally started as a Choose Your Adventure on Twitter? Like, what?!? Amazing!!

Winnie Wednesday wants, no, needs to join the Luminaries. She has to redeem her family's name after *the incident*. Not ready to turn to her mother or brother, Winnie turns to an old friend - Jay Friday - one of the few people in town who still talk to her. But there's more lurking in the forest than the hunters know. Can Winnie and Jay unravel the secrets and save the town? Will Winnie become a Luminary? Does she even want to?

This book reminds me so much of the Alice in Zombieland series in all the very good ways. It's fun, it's well paced, it's got complex themes without being too convoluted or difficult. I love the familiar complexities and societal pressures demonstrated in the book. While it's a YA book, these are complex issues that so many of us manage well into adulthood.

There's clearly a lot more coming and I'm fully intrigued!

There is a lot to like about this book: it was a great concept and a really interesting world, but something about the writing kept me from getting truly immersed in the story.

First, the good:

- I loved the forest and the Nightmares, that is a really cool idea and I wanted to know way more about the sleeping being that creates the forest magic.
- I liked the Luminaries, and the idea that they all had different roles to play in their society.
- I liked the backstory with the dad and how that affected Winnie’s family and friends.
- I liked Jay! Of course I liked Jay.

What I wanted more from:

- I know this is the first book in a series so there will be unanswered questions, but I really felt like more needed to happen in this first instalment. I know from other reviews I’m not alone in thinking that it ended in an odd place. I was expecting to at least have the reveal of the werewolf before the end of this book, even if it would have been a bit of a cliffhanger.
- I feel like Winnie backed down from things sometimes and it drove me crazy. When she found the letters and didn’t immediately try to solve the cipher I was yelling at my book. How could she just sit on that?? I would need to know immediately.
- I felt like Winnie spent a lot of time telling us about her clothes and transportation, and I just didn’t need so many details on that!
- The world building was given in small pieces— I feel the author might have been trying to avoid info dumping—but I felt like we needed more.

Also to me it read more middle grade than YA (not sure if that was the intention or not).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 ⭐

An absolutely magical coming of age story, not at all what I was expecting!

I requested an arc of this as I love the Truthwitch series, and while this was entirely different the author still manages to inject a sense of mystical whimsy into an urban setting. Perfect for readers who enjoyed Akarnae and the Night World series.

This was a really great one! Loved Hemlock falls, and adored Winnie Wednesday. Writing was amazing, as well as plot-development, and I can’t wait for more from this author. 4/5 stars!

Stop whatever it is you are doing and read this book now! If you are a fan of YA fantasy, this book is such a fresh unique niche of the genre satisfying that need for something new and exciting while falling in the realms of the paranormal. I typically am not a fan of present day fantasy, but this book is outright changing my feelings on the matter. I've been scouring the internet all afternoon, trying to figure out when book 2 will come. I need more!
This book takes place in the town of Hemlock Falls, which seems completely unconnected to the rest of the world and a hub for paranormal activity. The town is plagued by nightmares, that are revealed by a mist every evening. It's the job of the luminaries to hunt these monsters each night, protecting the town from their wrath. The luminaries are divided into clans. Each clan's family name is a day of the week subsequently, their last names coincide with their night of their hunting duty.
Winnie, our main character, wants nothing more than to be a luminary, but thanks to her dad's involvement in the rival group the Diana's, Winnie, her brother and her mom are left outcasts, stripped of any luminary activity for 10 years. Winnie's best friends Jay and Erica also abandoned her, leaving her with a lot of free time to study the Compendium. A book detailing all the monsters that roam the forrest in Hemlock Falls.
However, Winnie's 16th birthday rolls around, and even outcasts can participate in hunter tryouts. So Winnie attends, finding more than she bargained for in the forest.

Well this certainly exceeded my expectations! I’m a huge fan of contemporary fantasy and the fact that Dennard skillfully had modern flair but still managed to create a unique setting is no small feat. The concept of the book was interesting, different, and totally had me hooked. I really liked the main character, Winnie! She is scrappy and someone you will definitely root for, it was nice watching her character grow confidence throughout the book. Overall, I didn’t feel there was a ton of resolution in this one but it certainly does a fantastic job setting up the series (Trilogy? Duology? Not too sure.) and I will absolutely read on! The awesome twist, albeit unsurprising, at the end has me soo mad that I need to wait forever until book 2! Highly recommend to all YA fantasy lovers.

WOW I read this in one sitting and really loved it! Winnie was such a scrappy main character and I really loved reading from her. The romance didn't blow me away but was fine.

World-wise, this was really unique with a slightly secret society and a lot of information that came across really easily. I was shocked by a few of the twists at the end and I can't wait for book 2!

This was a YA fiction novel with a dash of dystopian flavor. I found that while the world building was very full and detailed, the story itself at times was a little flat. That being said, I really enjoyed this book and think now that the groundwork is in place that the next novel will be even better. I look forward to reading this series.

The Luminaries is a YA contemporary fantasy that is addictive and captivated me from the first line. The characters are relatable and likeable, the pace and plot were well done. The world building was incredible and oh my if you love your monsters there is plenty in this book. The authors imagination is incredible. I’m very excited to continue this story in the next instalment. Also Jay is adorable. 😍

I LOVE this book! Thank you, Susan Dennard for a fantastic read. While I typically prefer first person, I didn't mind reading The Luminaries in third person. I still felt a great connection with Winnie's character. Her feelings, motivations, and obstacles all felt realistic and difficult--and I couldn't keep from reading once I'd started. The other characters, ranging from Winnie's family to her ex-friend Jay and her group of new friends brought the world to life. This story felt unique and exciting, and I was definitely disappointed when it ended. Reading the first of a series is always a little hard when the next book(s) isn't out yet, but this was still worth it! I am excited to follow Winnie and Jay's story as it progresses. There is an element that I feel like will soon be turned into a big plot twist that feels very obvious to me, but I don't think it impacts the quality of the book. Dennard's writing is inviting, charming, and believable. I can't wait for this series to progress! Highly recommend!

**Thank you, Netgalley and publisher, for giving me an electronic ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

Reading The Luminaries by Susan Dennard felt like a werewolf bit me and didnt let go, I was obessed and read it every spare moment. Culture runs thicker than blood. In Hemlock Falls there is a forest that holds monsters, or in the book they are more aptly named nightmares. Winnie and her family are outcasts until Winnie brings them back into society through her Hunter trials. At sixteen, they are thrown into the forest to kill a nightmare, Winnie does that too. But there is one thing that separates her from the rest of the victors. It's all a lie. There is something else, something that consumes the nightmares. Although there is one group of creatures in the forest that I completely love. And those are the ghost deer. Mentioned in multiple chapters but this one on chapter twenty-seven was my favorite "It is a ghost-deer— a ghost-doe actually, with two ghost-fawns beside her."

This was such a fun story and now I’m mad I have to wait for the next book!

Winnie’s family have been labeled as outcasts for ✨reasons✨ but Winnie is doing what she can to try and get back into the good graces of the Luminaries. To do so, Winnie must become a hunter. And not just any hunter… a hunter of nightmares.

This story has action, monsters, misfits, family bonds, friendship and more. It was a truly delightful story and I am looking forward to what comes next! Thanks to NetGalley for this advanced readers copy!