I don't actually know how to objectively rate a Susan Dennard book (RNB4 no review is ever actually objective! The subjectivity is the point!), partly because as an artist, the ideas she follows all just click well in my brain, and partly because the execution on those ideas is pretty much tailor made for my reading tastes. But The Luminaries especially is a story of my heart, because I feel like I was there for it from the very start of its public-facing existence. The Choose-Your-Own-Adventure twitter romp was am absolute delight and taking part of it with so many other fans every day for, like, 6 months, was a special experience that I don't know is repeatable literally ever. There were factions between Messy and Sensible Winnies, a sense of good-natured camaraderie, and just this overwhelming joy of feeling like you were doing collaborative storytelling on a massive level.

All this to say, I've been anticipating The Luminaries in novel form since that first tweet, and I've felt connected to Winnie and Jay and Erica from the jump, so diving into this book felt less like embarking on a new adventure and more like coming home to a familiar one (a spooky, deeply atmospheric home, but home all the same), so some of my feelings are going to reflect that.

The atmosphere of The Luminaries was really where the story shone for me. The woods were spooky, foreboding, and fraught with peril; the different Luminary estates were well delineated and the various political factions therein felt fully realized, especially when their desires were in conflict with Winnie's; Winnie as a character was deeply complex, and I particularly enjoyed her internal struggle between wanting to rejoin the society that rejected her and her family and being sort of disgusted with them all when they do, as well as the complexity of her feelings about her father (who was the reason they were shunned in the first place, or was he?). I'm really excited to learn more about the Dianas and pick up the easter eggs that were dropped in this installment of the series ... all of it. The underlying tension, both externally and internally, made both the social dynamics and the Hunter Trials feel fraught from start to finish, despite Winnie getting stronger/more equipped as the story went on. The emergent mystery of What's Going On with the strange new monster is intriguing, the reunion of (Ugh) Jay and Winnie is full of promise, and the rebuilding family dynamics of the Wednesdays is poignant and will not be resolved without some pain and tears. Absolutely delightful all the way through. The easter eggs from the CYOA were truly just icing on the cake. If there's one point that sort of threw me off, it was the ruling of Winnie's first trial. She survives a night in the woods solo that first day... which is task number 2. And then during task 2 she kills a monster solo, which is task one... I was a little confused as to why she felt impostor syndrome as strongly as she did given the above, but also, she's a teenager and feelings are hard. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait to continue with the series.

In a world where nightmares exist, Winnie and her family is living their own. As an outcast from the community she live in, Winnie has to fight to regain some semblance of tolerance (not to mention respect) from the other members of the community. When she goes against others her age, and wins, her life seemingly gets easier.

Hemlock Falls is a mountain town where cell service is spotty, nightmares hide in the forest, and the greatest weapon anyone has is their mind.

Solid characters and world-building, but weak pacing of the plot. Rooted for Winnie and wanted to be a Hunter myself. I'm looking forward to book two.

I can never go wrong with a Susan Dennard book. From Truthwitch to her steampunk debut, The Luminaries is another feather in her cap. Campy, fast-paced, and unrelentingly fun, this was the sort of monster-hunting book that you whizz through and want more of. A whip-smart protagonist and a love interest teens will swoon for, I high recommend. Eagerly looking forward to the sequel.

Completely hooked by these first 100 pages. I want to know more about the Dianas and Winnie’s father. Really loved the vast array of monsters and this small town community of hunters. Winnie’s determination is endearing, and her family and community dynamics are intriguing. So excited to read more!

Fast paced - not a single wasted word and all of them are a masterclass in pacing and craft.

I’m completely enthralled with Hemlock Falls, the clans, #UghJay, and of course cheering Winnie on. Though Lordy I do kinda wanna smack her mom for her full name (haha it’s hilariously cringe but perfect).

I highly recommend this if only so you can see the threads you KNOW Dennard will like a true threadwitch weave together before the series is over. I have several theories and will wait on baited breath until I get to read the second book to see any of them to fruition.

I read most of this book within 24 hours. It’s a fast read that is absolutely perfect for a foggy autumn day.

One of my pleasant memories of the pandemic was participating in the “Sooz Your Own Adventure” aka the book whose plot was determined by a daily Twitter poll. So when I heard the author would be releasing a novel version of it, I had some hesitation. After all, Twitter hive mind led to some occasional, uh, interesting choices, as well as lots of #ughJay hilarity. But this book is mostly completely rewritten, not to mention it’s only part of the story.

After her dad was revealed as a traitor to the Luminaries, Winnie and her family were banished from the order. The Luminaries are responsible for dealing with the creatures, called nightmares, that appear in the forest every night. Considering that nearly everyone in Hemlock Falls was involved in the secretive group, that made for a lonely past four years. Her only hope is to take the first of the Hunter Trials on her sixteenth birthday and convince them to take her back. But the forest is nothing like she remembers it and neither are the Luminaries. When Winnie sees evidence of strange things happening in the forest, no one believes her, except for Jay, the town bad boy and her former best friend. With a new nightmare lurking in the forest and little help, can Winnie survive the Trials?

Some of the world building as definite promise. The hunters are divided into families, each taking the name (and corresponding hunting night) of a day of the week. Each family specializes in certain things, whether that’s training the next generation of hunters, developing new gear, or managing the bureaucracy. While the Luminaries are focused on containing the spirit in the forest by ridding it of nightmares every night, another group, the Dianas, seek to use its power for their own ends. The Dianas were the weakest part of the world-building for me, as it’s never quite explained why they’re so evil. The “never quite explained” bit is unfortunately true of the rest of the world-building, though. How do they manage to keep their towns so secret? How do they manage family trees when literally everyone has one of seven last names? Why is the position of Lead Hunter so important?

“She belongs in the forest. She belongs as a Luminary. She belongs as a hunter.”


Part of that could be explained by Winnie’s character. At times, Winnie read a lot younger to me than sixteen. Of course, she’s suffered without any friends for the past four years, watching her family fall further into poverty while her mother works herself to exhaustion. But the Wednesday line prides itself on loyalty and Winnie never seems to question her family’s banishment, instead rebuking herself for not realizing her dad was a Diana. She trains by herself in secret and refuses to accept any future for herself that doesn’t involve her being a hunter. Of course she accepts the Luminaries’ worldview without any questions as she’s never known anything else!

“So what if last night didn’t go according to plan? So what if everyone was right and she hadn’t been ready for the forest? She still got what she wanted and what her family needed. There’s no reason not to keep going.”


It’s only when she passes the first trial that her thinking starts to change. After four years of shunning, the rest of the Luminaries suddenly act like the intervening four years never happened. She’s welcomed back into hunter training, the kids who were bullying her a few days ago now act like her best friends and her mom and brother get job promotions. It’s exactly what she wanted to happen, but the whiplash is too much for Winnie. Why does she have to risk her life – because Winnie does nearly die, several times – before they decide her dad’s actions don’t matter anymore? How could her supposed best friends have turned their backs on her four years ago? Why is she so unhappy even though she everything she thought she wanted?

“It is disconcerting that he can be so extremely well-proportioned while also being, ugh, Jay.”


After she’s welcomed back, Winnie also starts connecting (or reconnecting) with some of the Luminaries. Some of the other prospective hunters reach out to her, but there’s still a distinct chilliness between her and one of her former best friends, Erica, that leaves Winnie hurt and confused. But the biggest chunk of time is spent with her other former best friend, Jay – who’s also her former crush. There’s the barest start of a romantic relationship, along with a lot of anger and confusion, because he falls somewhere on the enemy to friend spectrum but she still trusts him, even though it’s obvious Jay’s keeping secrets of his own.

The plot was fine as well. What it says in the blurb? That’s exactly what you get, Winnie trying to make it through the three hunter trials. It felt like there was a lot of choreographing of future plot points. I’m not sure whether that’s because I knew the original plot (so I have a general idea of where this version might be headed) or if it really was that predictable. Some things were so blatantly obvious that I was banging my head against the wall going “ugh, Winnie”. All that – and the fact that it’s told in third-person present tense – could be forgiven because I honestly enjoyed the majority of the story, except for this last point. The ending was ridiculously abrupt, like I kept trying to turn the page on my ereader in confusion. In a way, it makes logical sense where the book ends, but the structure of the book and the pacing left me hanging. Most (almost all) of the subplots are unresolved, including one introduced near the end of the book. It felt unfinished in a way that really rubbed me wrong.

“You either trust the forest or you don’t, Winnie.”


Overall, 3.5 nostalgic stars. Without that nostalgia, this would be more solidly a three thanks to that ending. Either way, I know I’ll read the next book just because I want some resolution to, uh, any of the plot points.

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

With creepy monsters, painful family dynamics, and a determined protagonist, The Luminaries feels like a love letter to Dennard's faithful fans. With a richly built world that's intricately intwined with the magic system, The Luminaries is perfect for fans of the TV show Grimm.

Although this sneak peek is only 100 pages in length, it was enough of an introduction to this new Contemporary Fantasy series to whet my appetite.

The worldbuilding is absolutely phenomenal and the protagonist is likeable but not too likeable (if you know what I mean.) Winnie Wednesday is turning 16 and her goal is to restore her family honor and to become a full-fledged Nightmare Hunter.

I do not want to give too many spoilers so I won't write much more. Suffice it to say that this book will become as popular (if not more so) than Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games series.

I foresee blockbuster movies in the near future based on these books. I know that would be a movie that I would have to go see.

Compelling and taut, with non-stop tension and characters you'll love as well as some you will love to hate.

10 out of 10
5 out of 5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Susan Dennard is one of my favorite authors! I was so thrilled to receive an extended excerpt as one of her newsletter subscribers. Winnie Wednesday is determined to risk it all for the love of her family as she attempts to take part in the trial. After her father brought disgrace on their family, Winnie has struggled with the town’s hatred and dismissal. To succeed, Winnie will need the help of her ex-best friend Jay. I loved the interactions that were seen so far with Jay! The Luminaries feels action-packed, unputdownable, and filled with mystery. The writing immediately drew me in; I can’t wait to find out what happens next! Looking forward to reading the rest of the book! Thank you to Susan Dennard, Tor Teen, and Netgalley for a free extended excerpt in exchange for honest feedback.

An immersive and thrilling sneak peek into The Luminaries! The first 100 pages are full of revamped characters (different from the CYOA thread, but mostly recognizable) and an intriguing peek into the Luminary families and their politics. Winnie’s determination to pass the Hunter Trials is vivid… and so are the monsters she finds in the forest that first night. Can’t wait to read the rest!

This was a very enjoyable peak into what I know is going to be a really exciting story. I took part in Dennard's "choose your own adventure" twitter story a couple of years ago. I saw a few easter eggs from that story.
This is a very different story for obvious reasons, and I can't wait to read the full book when it comes out.

In the space of a hundred pages, Susan Dennard sets the stakes, the characters, and an immersive world.

Hemlock Falls is different from other small towns in the United States. There's an alarm set for witches, teenagers recover dead bodies from the woods, and monsters lurk in the space between nightmares and reality. For Winnie, this is normal, and as for everyone else who is a part of an ancient society of monster hunters. To them, Hemlock Falls is their home, their training ground and research facility...and something about it is changing, As Winnie claws her way back into Luminary society in the hunter trials, she'll have to confront the fact that not all monsters hide in the shadows.

Sharp-eyed readers will recognize the premise from Dennard's CYOA-styled Twitter game about a girl on her sixteenth birthday fighting monsters. There are clues scattered around the excerpt: names of characters and hidden artifacts, that will offer nothing but glorious outcomes in the end. I cannot wait to see how certain clues will set up even bigger stakes and twists for the protagonist!

Seasoned fans of the urban fantasy genre, will appreciate Dennard's spin on the usual tropes. A town that is actually in on the monstrous surprises and a secret society that has administrative roles to keep themselves hidden are only the first of several changes. Dennard knows how to weave new life into old tropes and conventions, making The Luminaries an absolute joy to read.

Excellent for fans of classic YA books!

This book, about an outcast Luminary named Winnie Wednesday, who is working to regain her community's respect by passing the Hunter Trials, is just incredible.

While it is a slower story from the typical supernatural YA novel, you won't be able to turn the pages fast enough because the things you learn about Winnie and her fellow characters makes you hungry for more. You'll be desperate to know if she's really ready to take on the Nightmares in the town forest. You'll be fascinated to learn that the Luminaries have enemies! And you'll cringe with Winnie as she navigates her life as an outcast, trying desperately to fit in while not letting the others know how much their teasing bothers her.

It is more action-packed than it lets on. It is heavy with atmosphere, and mystery, and you'll want to reach in to scoop out both, just to savor them for a little while longer. If only it was that easy to do such a thing with books!

This is supernatural YA for people who know what it is to fight with your friends. For people who like being thrilled and horrified by nightmare creatures. For people who were disappointed by their parents, and seek to be seen as nothing like them. For people who got handed the short stick in life, and are driven to show everyone just how worthy they are of being respected.

This is exactly what you love most about Susan Dennard's books, and if you've never read her work before, this is a perfect place to start.

Oh man. I cannot wait for November! I have been a fan of Susan Dennard's" Witchlands" series for a while, and I follow her on social media. so when she announced that this book (based on an old story idea, turned into a twitter choose your own adventure, and then rewritten and published) I was beyond excited!
AndI enjoyed this excerpt quite a bit. I have always been a fan of the paranormal genre, there was something about this (Beyond the fact that I was there for the Twitter thread) that just clicked for me. The setting is mostly in this dark, mist filled, forest, that at night is filled with terrifying and mysterious creatures. And learning a bit about all these creatures was part of the fun. I love lore, and though this book doesn't have the most complicated of lore, I still found it quite compelling.
This excerpt was only about 1/3 of the book, so I didn't get a good feel on the characters yet. so we will see how I feel about them after I read the full book in November.
But this really got me excited! I can't wait to have the full story in my hands!

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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OMG! This book is everything that I have ever wanted in a YA paranormal book. The world is so real, I could instantly picture life in Hemlock Falls and all the various people who inhabit it. The story of Winnie Wednesday is a extremely compelling one. She spends the novel fighting for what she wants, wondering if she is doing the right thing, and discovers so many things about herself and the world that she has been born into. This is part one of a plan to duology, and the ending has me clamouring for more.
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As a long time fan of Susan Dennard’s I can honestly say that this is the best thing that she has ever written. The world is immersive and expansive, the characters are flawed and true and wonderfully diverse in every way, and the story is just freaking fantastic.
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It is a 5/5 for me!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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I can’t wait to reread it once it comes out in November!