I’ve been a bit hit and miss with Susan Dennard’s work in the past. I was first introduced to her several years ago at a panel at ALA, and I really liked what she had to say about writing young adult fantasy fiction. But I’ve never quite connected to her actual work. But it had been a few years since I’ve given her a shot, and I thought this new book sounded interesting. Plus, it had the kind of dark fantasy, spooky cover that I’ve been into lately.

When Winnie’s father was exposed as a spy and a traitor, her life went off the rails. Now, she sees only one way to restore hers and her family’s reputation: she must enter the Luminary trials and reclaim her place as a hunter of monsters. But the trials themselves are deadly, even without the fraught internal politics of the hunter families. And this year, something even darker is lurking in the woods. An unknown evil that no one has faced before.

So, I’ll just get it out of the way right away: this book wasn’t a hit for me. But there were also several factors involved that skewed my opinion, so I’m definitely not saying that it was a bad book in and of itself. For one thing, when I picked this book up, I somehow missed the reference to phones in the book summary and was completely taken aback to discover it was a contemporary/urban fantasy story. So maybe it was just a mood thing or my general preference for non-contemporary fantasy stories, but right of the bat I did struggle to immerse myself in this mash up of a world with an evil forest but also kids riding around on 4-wheelers.

Secondly, the book is written in third person present tense. This has to be one of my least favorite styles of writing. It ends up with the story reading in this bizarre tone where you have sentences like “Winnie tells Mom that she’s heading to school.” That’s…just weird sounding, not least because of the strangeness of the “Mom” thing. If you’re going to do third person, then do third person! Only a first person narrator would refer to the mother as “Mom” in the general telling of the story. So, yes, as you can see, I had a hard time getting past that.

But, of course, that wasn’t really the book’s fault, and readers who enjoy contemporary/urban young adult fantasy and don’t mind this style of writing will likely not struggle in the same way I did. I will say, the summary does an effective job here. You really know about all you need to know about the book from what you see above, and the story neatly checks off plot points as it goes along. I didn’t find much in the way of shocks or real twists to the story. I thought most of the reveals were fairly telegraphed early in the book.

If I did get caught up with questions, they had more to do with some of the mechanics of the world-building. For example, it is emphasized that maintaining the population of hunters who can fight these monsters is paramount, so everyone understands they are expected to marry and have kids early. But then, on the other hand, you have teenagers participating in these deadly trials. Which…just logically makes no sense. Teenagers aren’t fully grown physically, and they also, naturally, have less experience under their belts. If there are concerns about keeping up a dwindling population, it seems counter-intuitive to choose this age for a deadly trial system, an age that sets your own kids up for a higher mortality rate.

Anyways…yes, this book wasn’t for me. But I know there are a lot of fans of this author out there, so I’m also not saying this book won’t appeal to a lot of general YA fantasy fans. The story is action-packed, and I did like the commitment to the body horror of these monsters. There’s also the rather typical YA romance at its heart, which may also appeal to many readers. If you’re a fan of YA urban fantasy and like stories focused on trials and competitions, this might be for you!

Rating 6: Perhaps if it hadn’t been written in third person present tense, I would have liked it more. But I just found myself getting caught up on too many things to enjoy this one.

I wanted to love this one so much and while I really enjoyed it parts of it fell a bit short for me. Here is what I loved about it. I loved the magic system and this society of monster hunters that Dennard created. The action sequences were fast paced and intense and I loved the descriptions of the creatures. I liked that it stretched further than just their town. The characters were just ok for me. Winnie was complex and had some really interesting parts but her constant circling around her father and his betrayal got a bit stale. I don’t know if this will play a bigger significance in the next book but it was too repetitive in this one. In the end I was left with so many questions and no real resolution to anything. I will be reading the next book to see my inquiries through.

As someone who participated in the create your own adventure story the Luminaries originally began as on Twitter a few years ago, I was so, so excited to receive a copy of this book. While it was different than what I’d expected, I absolutely loved all the little easter eggs and teasers for those of us who participated in the polls. (The nose boop!!!)

I liked the way the world was developed. We got a lot of descriptions through Winnie’s anxious habit of reciting facts in her head when she’s nervous, which is definitely a clever way to info dump without actually making it annoying. The rest was revealed through Winnie on corpse duty and during the hunter trials. Hemlock Falls is rich with paranormal creatures lurking in the woods during the night. It was cool to see the different creatures—some familiar and some new.

Dennard’s prose was light and easy. She was able to immerse the reader in the world while still keeping the structure simple. This made The Luminaries a quick read that can be digested in one or two sittings. My only complaint with the writing was how many times Winnie’s teeth clicked. It was definitely some kind of stim done when anxious, but I feel like we didn’t need to know her teeth were clicking nearly every other page. I almost wanted to make a drinking game out of it since it was mentioned so much.

While the side characters of the Luminaries didn’t get much page time or development, Winnie and Jay were really well rounded and explored. I was already attached to Jay from the Twitter polls, so I definitely enjoyed his character a lot in the story. There’s a lot of intrigue and mystery surrounding Jay, which I’m pretty sure I’ve guessed what it is, but I’ll have to wait till the next book to see!

Speaking of mystery, there was a lot of suspense built during the Luminaries. Something is definitely not right in Hemlock Falls, but Winnie’s suspicions fall on deaf ears. Only a few people believe she’s seen a strange and deadly monster, so she has to fight to be heard. I was constantly tense and curious about what was happening.

Unfortunately, by the end of the story, we have no more answers than we did at the start of it. Just when the action starts to build, the story ends. Thankfully there will be a sequel, but I was a little disappointed by the lack of answers. There’s still so much we don’t know (even if I do have some guesses!), and now we have to wait for the sequel to find out.

Even though I had issues with it, though, I did enjoy the Luminaries. It was a fun and quick read. I’ll definitely be reading the sequel, cause I desperately want those answers to my questions. I still recommend reading this one, even if the ending is lacking a little bit, but as long as you know that going in, it should be fine.

The true downfall of being able to read these advanced copies is that when you absolutely love a book, and it’s a series, you have to wait FOREVER for the next book.

The Luminaries was amazing! I loved it so much & flew right through it. I found it to be pretty original with the nightmares & hunters. However the Hunter Trials gave me some Hunter Games vibes. There’s still a lot of unsolved elements of the plot which I hope will be addressed more in the next book.

A surprisingly fun and fast paced read. I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did and I look forward to there being more in the series.

Winnie is part of a large and old group who help protect the world from monsters. This group is called the Luminaries and they are located all over the world, protecting an unsuspecting population from death and terror. The Luminaries actively hunt the various monsters of the world. The clans within the larger group have a very strict moral code. Those who break the code are essentially shunned from the rest. Winnie’s family was shunned because her father was essentially found to be a traitor. While he escaped, the rest of Winnie’s family had to stay as outcasts.

This all changes when Winnie turns 16 and begins the trials to be one of the hunters. Once she passed the first trial, her family’s outcast status changed.

Winnie must quickly learn how to become a hunter in order to pass, and survive, the last two trials. She will learn many secrets about her family, mainly about her father. Perhaps he isn’t a traitor?

I was grabbed from the first chapter with this book. I've been interested in it since Susan Dennard's Twitter thread years ago, and this did not disappoint. The characters were intriguing, the writing gripping. A true page turner, this was such a treat to read!

-I tried Truthwitch before and could not get into it and I like Susan as a person as I follow her on Instagram
-I tried this and I feel like Susan’s writing is not for me
-Gorgeous cover though
-Great premise, but is so boring

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to pre-read this book and share my opinions on it.

Who doesn't love a dark and spooky story set in a dark and spooky forest, featuring a plucky heroine who fights dark and spooky monsters? I certainly do! This book was a chilling peek into the world of nightmare hunting, perfect for giving you that goosebumps-on-the-arms feeling when you're reading just before bed. Winnie was a spirited protagonist with a lot of courage, wit, and determination, and I loved following her journey.

I'm also a sucker for folklore, so anyone with any amount of familiarity with monsters and beasties from folktales and mythology should enjoy their encounters with banshees, werewolves, basilisks, and more. The combination of this dangerous fauna and the mood of the gray and eerie forest makes it a great choice for spooky reading season.

I waffled back and forth between 3 stars and 4 stars, so I guess this is more of a 3.5er, but I decided to round it up because I overall enjoyed the story so much. The reason I went back and forth so much is because there were a few things I felt a little unsatisfied about at the story's end. I wanted more clarification on the Whisperer, for instance. And I felt like the subplot with Winnie's father was missing some sort of emotional punch to make it fully impactful. I also had a hard time tracking all the names and which families had what reputations, trying to figure out if Luminaries and hunters were the same thing, etc., so a little bit of clarity from time to time would have been helpful.

On the whole, though, this story was exactly the kind of thing I wanted to read during my yearly spooky reads, so full steam ahead on that if you're one to enjoy spooky books with elements based on folklore and fantasy. Very fun book!

The plot for this book was super interesting and kept you reading! Love how it included Winnie’s internal debate of societal expectations and norms vs her own moral compass and beliefs. Add on the paranormal twist and it was a fun and exciting read!

This book initially was part of a sort of “Choose Your Own” Adventure project on Twitter so I was curious to get my hands on it and see how it turned out written into an actual novel, rather than a hive-mind fever dream. And I was pleasantly surprised to find an exciting and engaging plot. It’s not groundbreaking for the Contemporary “Haunted Small Town” Fantasy genre, but I was still easily swept up into the story and often at the end of my seat.

Winnie is one of the most relatable protagonists I’ve read lately. While she does make some decisions that make me want to head palm, overall she’s just a normal teenage girl, sometimes overly confident and driven by an intense need to prove herself. I saw a lot of myself in her and loved seeing her character grow. Additionally, the supporting characters, including Winnie’s ex-best friend Jay, were enjoyable and added a lot to the plot and world of the book.

The author has created a detailed world within the confines of a small town and as everything in this town revolves around the Luminaries and the nightmares in the forest, there’s a lot the reader needs to learn quickly to get caught up to speed. I did find myself a bit confused by many of the people in town having the same last names based on their jobs, rather than their families, as well as the stipulations of Winnie’s trial, but the plot was engaging enough to keep me moving forward and everything is explained in its own time.

The Luminaries is not author Susan Dennard’s debut novel, but it is the first in her new series. If you’re a fan of contemporary fantasies in small-town settings, this book will be a fun read for you. While there isn’t anything on paper that makes the plot stand out from other books in this genre, the author’s writing is engaging and there are multiple moments of tension that will keep you turning the page.

When I first saw the cover for "The Luminaries" and read the blurb I knew I had to read it. As well as the assigned trope: a haunting and high-octane contemporary fantasy.
Joining "The Luminaries" is a dream of Winnie Wednesday and by joining their ranks she would become a fully pledged hunter in this small community. They are there to protect Hemlock Falls and the world from monsters in the forest. Winnie, not her fault was treated like an outcast - so her life was not exactly easy as well as in school and town. The first trial can change her life (and her family's as well), and while taking part in it she has to kill a nightmare - sounds easy, right? But what will happen when she will see an unknown monster, and now no one believes her? Generally, I liked our protagonist as she was playing cards she got from destiny.
The world setting created by Ms. Susan Dennard is intriguing as imagination was about to start working on a good level. It happened but while doing so... I was not feeling entertained and to say in an easiet way (with a heavy heart) I was bored - which I'm not saying easily...
I wanted to explore a lot of cases when it comes to this story as this would answer some questions, but instead of that, I got them in a way where we listen and do not participate in the story (and this is not the best feature). I thought that there should be more events here and something to add proper pace to the story as it was lazily following what was said in the blurb.
To be honest, I'm wondering what more will come to light in the next story (especially about Jay), but to be honest, I don't know if I will read it as I'm not feeling exactly excited about book 2.

While this isn't my favourite Susan Dennard book, I really enjoyed this start to a brand new series. I liked Winnie as a character and I'm definitely intrigued by all of the unsolved mysteries introduced in this book. I'll be picking up the sequel for sure.

I was really excited to read this because the premise sounded fun; however, it just didn't live up to the hype. The plot felt very long and boring with brief bits of action sprinkled in. I also found the character names to be a little too cheesy. Winnie Wednesday, really? Some of the major plot twists were pretty easy to point out and it didn't leave a lot of surprise to the book. I did like the descriptions of the creatures and the premise that there are people hunting them to keep this town safe. Each "family" has a role in protecting the town and members fall in line pretty easily. I think this book sets up the sequel well because it has a clean ending, but still enough open questions to leave the reader wanting more.

This was so good. I enjoyed the atmosphere, the plot, and the characters. I liked that Winnie was just a normal girl thrown into these trials in order to bring your family back into favor among the Luminaries. There was mystery throughout the entire storyline and it left me with so many questions. I'm glad we'll get more of this story because the world is intriguing and I need to know what happens next!

Get ready to enter this brand new world of witches, monsters and some secrets along with a cute young adult romance plot. This was a fast, fun and cute read perfect for spooky season and I liked the trials part of it. The whole world building was quick actually but the first half was slow in pace. The major action/drama actually occurs right at the end and I expectthe next installment to be more action-packed than this one now that we are already introduced to his interesting new world.

This one was really weird. Never have I read a book where the synopsis exactly describes the plot of a book and nothing else happens. The story was good, although the pacing was a little off and at times the story dragged. Still, I expected more from the ending. It seemed like there was a big build up and the payoff was less than stellar. The cliffhanger was so abrupt, I thought there was something wrong with my ereader, it ended exactly where the synopsis said it would, without tying up any loose ends or answering any questions. I’ll probably read the next one because I’m still curious about the story but I don’t think I’d recommend anyone read this until the series is out in its entirety.

SUMMARY: The book starts off with Winnie and her family being shunned by their town; they are completely ignored— unless they are being made fun of. We soon find out that the reason they are shunned is because Winnie’s father was a spy for another clan, and because they were associated with him, they were equally as guilty.

Winnie is tired of being made fun of, tired of not being able to see her old friends, and tired of doing “corpse duty”— cleanup of dead nightmares and non’s in the morning after a hunt. She’s found a loophole in the Luminaries bylaw; though she’s an outcast, she can enter the trials on her birthday; however, she only gets one shot to not only change her life, but her families as well.

REVIEW: Without giving away spoilers, I will say that this book kept me engaged and entertained. I loved the dark ambiance of this story, the relationships between Winnie and her peers, the vivid descriptions, and I love that this book ended in a way that it seems there were be a sequel coming. If you’re looking for a one-off spooky/dark read with closure, this isn’t it; however, if you’re looking for a quick, fun, dark academia type book that will lead into a series, I think this is worth a read. I do wish that the book had illustrations/drawings of these “nightmares” (ex. Winnie’s drawings, from the compendium, etc), but I’m also a sucker for anything illustrated. 🤣🙈

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

The Luminaries is a spooky read full of witches, dark secrets, and monsters. The story is captivating and the world is lush and eye catching. You will be kept on your toes and guessing the entire time. I also loved that the romance sub plot wasn’t overwhelming.

Luminaires is a fun contemporary fantasy YA novel, with an ominous atmosphere and a great introduction to the series.

Luminaires does a great job of throwing us into the novel and explaining everything on the way. There was not a moment where I felt confused. I really enjoyed the little bits where Winnie remembered passages from the textbooks about the nightmares that lurked in the forest, so we could get more information about how these monsters worked.

The worldbuilding was a little lacking; Dennard references the different Luminaire families that live around the world, from # to #, but went no further to explain how differently they worked to the Lumairies in town. However, just the knowledge of them made the world feel bigger, and I hope it was setting up an exploration of Luminaires across the world in the future books.


Our main character, Winnie, and her family has been an outcast for the past 4 years due to the betrayal of her father - who was revealed to be a spy for a rival clan. We’re quickly made aware of how difficult* life has been for Winnie, being a pariah and having no friends, and how this has deeply effected her mother too. Winnie’s ambition to win back trust of the Luminaires is quickly made clear to the readers - she is entering the trials to become a Hunter and is determined to get through it alive.

Winnie is definitely the most developed of the characters; she is both brave and naive about the dangers that lurk in the forest. Jumping into the hunter trials with such little training is a foolish thing to do, but I can’t help but admire her tenacity for it. Part of her reason of trying to become a Hunter is selfish for sure, because she no longer wants to be outcasted, but really who can blame her?

I found some of the other characters lacking in depth, though I have to remind myself that this is the first book in a series so will hopefully develop them later. Jay was one of the most intriguing - the “cool, mysterious” boy of Hemlock, who is really just super awkward with speaking to people thus keeps his responses monosyllybic.

One of my biggest qualms with the novel is that it ended at a strange place. I had hoped there had been more to the story past the trials that Winnie had to endure, but it ended quite abruptly. Nonetheless, I'm curious to see how the series will progress.

The Luminaries is a captivating young adult fantasy book with interesting characters and a captivating story line. Witches, monsters and dark secrets - if you’re looking for a Halloween themed read, this book has it all. And if you aren’t that into spooky November reads, well, give this one a chance anyway. Because it’s a really good story with unexpected plot twists that are sure to keep you on your toes and a cute romance subplot. All in all, a really good young adult fantasy book that is very much worth reading!