Such a fast paced read and I loved being dragged into Winnies life. I haven't read much paranormal fantasy before but this made me so intrigued to read more of this genre and of Dennards writing! Highly recommend.

This book is a really fun, dark paranormal YA with all of the best things about early 2000s YA paranormal fantasy books. I really enjoyed the atmospheric descriptions and mysterious characters (even if they do all have surnames based on days of the week). I can’t wait to find out what happens in book 2!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

To be honest, this is one of those books where I only got engaged at the very end. It has a beautiful cover but the contents disappointed me a bit. There was some telling-not-showing that still didn't clarify much in the story and the stakes didn't feel high enough. It's very... basic? in its construction of characters, romance, magic, and whatnot. Not that that's always a bad thing, but it didn't spring to life for me.
Younger teenage readers might still find this very fun, especially if they haven't already read a dozen books with similar premises (which is my own fault, not the author's).

I really enjoyed the first in this new series by Susan Dennard (although I would also like more Witchlands please?) about a spooky town in mid-Western America where a spirit slumbers beneath a wood, and manifests their dreams in the form of nightmares and spooky beings. Winnie, our protagonist, is about to take the trials to become a full-fledged Hunter, despite her family being outcasts for the past four years. I thought this was Dennard on top form, even if the book did originally start as a choose-your-own adventure on a twitter thread. It's a nuanced and detailed story, with plenty of nods to the original thread and its inspirations, My one complaint, though, was that the narrative consistently referred to the compound bow as having bolts. This is actually the opposite of my usual complaint, which is that crossbow ammo is often referred to as arrows (it's bolts or quarrels), Still though, this came up so frequently that it really irritated me, particularly because the rest of the detail was spot on with the release aid, etc. I took a whole star off for it.

I’m a fantasy lover so was very excited to read this. I loved the world, the story, Winnie was a great character and the slow build romance with Jay was very well done, usually I love a full on romance in my fantasy but this was done really well.

It took me a lot longer to get through than I liked, but that was definitely a ME problem as I was in a reading slump but I’m very intrigued for the rest of the series!

Fantastic book. Susan Dennard has once again written a book that fans will love. I can't wait to see where the series goes from here.

I went into the Luminaries with high expectations, since I’ve heard great things about Dennard’s other series (The Witchlands). The Luminaries didn’t quite live up to my expectations, but I think it is a solid first instalment for a YA fantasy series.

The premise of this book was fascinating and the world building was a particular strong point. I especially enjoyed the lush and evocative description of the forest (which ended up being a central aspect of the narrative).

I found the main character, Winnie a bit underdeveloped and I wished that her personal backstory was more fleshed out. Throughout the book, I kept questioning why she and her family felt so ostracised and outcasted. I’m hoping that we will see more of Winnie’s character development in the sequels.

Overall, the book was medium paced and relatively easy to get through. The plot revolved around three big trials (as stated in the synopsis) but nothing else really happened.

I would recommend this series for those who enjoy adventurous fantasy stories. I could see middle grade readers enjoying this series as well.

The Luminaries rides on nostalgia, familiar tropes, especially with the hint of romance which follows a very well-trodden path, shady organisations, shadowy forests, dark creatures, and somehow I'm here for it!

I really enjoyed reading this, a new guilty pleasure, think about it too much, and it' can be easily dismantled, but I still gobbled it up, it's like a tribute to Hunger Games, meets L J Smith, meets Buffy, and I didn't care how familiar and shallow it all was, I just really liked reading it, it brought me back to the books I read as a young teen.

The Luminaries are an organisation that protects the unaware rest of the world from monsters that have been made manifest from a spirit's nightmares.

The world building will hopefully be a bit more in-depth in upcoming books, there's a lot that's still hazy, but since the main character is literally an outcast, and not privy to the secrets of why the world and the institutions they have been outcast from are the way they are, maybe the veil over the details is deliberate at this stage.

There's a lot still unknown, who are the Dianas? Why are they called Dianas? What are the main points of conflict? Who decided on the trials and why? What are the spirits? Why do their nightmares become real? It's unclear if the unknowns are deliberate and will be answered later, or if the world is just a gloss for an entertaining, if shallow, YA story.

I haven't read any of Susan Dennard's earlier work, but I will look out for it now, because I think in terms of plot, and pace, she writes an engaging story.

The other note I have is that the ending felt pretty abrupt, there is a hook for the next book, a rather sudden cliffhanger, but again, for me, it's still enough to bait me and I'll be looking out for the next book.

I have read books by this author before. As someone who needs a good world building, I loved this. The writing was very good and the character stories were interesting.

Really liked this book. Winnie just tries so hard to make things right for her family and throws herself headlong into dangerous situations which she only thinks about later. Her story is very interesting and exciting.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free ARC in exchange for a review.

I think Wednesday gave me a complex about the word outcasts being used like it's a concrete class of people. I hate it. Say traitors or something with an actual meaning!!!

The book is in present tense as well, which I don't love. Also, the people on the Council totally suck.

I had real trouble here. If you don't have my Wednesday issues, you will probably enjoy this more than me.

I did not know what I needed to expect from this story, nonetheless I did enjoy it.
It was slow most of the book, I did sometimes think that Winnie was a bit annoying, a bit whiney.
The use of creatures that we know, tweaking them a bit and turning them into nightmares was such a good idea. I loved the pages out of the Nightmare Compendium.
So excited for the 2nd book!

The Luminaries by Susan Dennard

3 STARS

I hadn't read any other of Dennard's work so had nothing to compare this to, other than other fantasies.

A solid enough book - you can never go too wrong with a creepy wood - but something felt lacking. Whether it's because it felt like familiar, well-trodden ground or due to the characters lack of originality, I can't tell.

Worth a read but unsure if I'd read a sequel.

⭐⭐⭐.5 -- Love the cover on this book!

Luminaries by Susan Dennard is a captivating contemporary YA fantasy that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. The story takes place in Hemlock Falls, a town that harbers many secrets, and follows Winnie Wednesday, a young girl who dreams of joining the Luminaries, an ancient order that protects her town from terrifying creatures that emerge from the forest every night.

Dennard skillfully weaves together themes of fear, family secrets, friendship, and courage to create a truly compelling narrative. As Winnie trains for the deadly Luminary hunter trials with the help of her ex-best friend Jay Friday, readers are drawn into a world filled with danger and darkness. Winnie is a strong and determined protagonist who fights to prove herself worthy of becoming a Luminary, and Jay is an equally compelling character with secrets of his own.

Overall, Luminaries was an enjoyable read that will appeal to fans of YA fantasy novels.

**ARC Via NetGalley**

For me 3.5/5 stars.
It was an interesting book. The world development is amazing, and the drawings of the monsters and their descriptions helped me enormously to follow the story. I did get a bit confused with the characters, but they are well developed and the story has intrigue to make you want to keep reading.
My only downsides might be the fight scenes and a bit of the book's pacing.
Recommended for people who like mythology and monsters.

Thank you Black Crow for inducting me as a member of the Saturday clan!

The Luminaries by Susan Dennard is your next book addiction! Fans of fantasy books rejoice! The Luminaries is a dark, mysterious fantasy, very much like a rated R Twilight mixed with Brothers Grimm!

I hadn’t come across Susan in my time reviewing and didn’t quite understand the magic that she had created with this story. It turns out that the foundations of this novel were laid during lockdown on twitter with follower participation! The threads are incredible to read and it’s such a unique way to build a world. It was fantastic.

The Luminaries is an absolute triumph of a novel packed full of intriguing characters, coming of age adventures and deliciously violent fights. The main character, Winnie, is an impressively deep and interesting character who will burrow into your heart and proceed to live there throughout your read through. You will feel her emotions, bleed with her, cry with her and celebrate with her! The supporting cast will continue to bring depth throughout the novel and each has as much of a place in the novel as the others.

I really enjoyed the references to the hunters guide in the book which details the monsters, their traits, appearance and much more. I would love to see this as a supporting book. Susan has put so much thought into it that I would quite happily read it independently, there is that much detail!

The Luminaries by Susan Dennard is the birth of a new potential series that will be talked about in fantasy book circles for years to come! Jump on board now, don’t miss out!

I’m a big “character girl”, if I don’t enjoy the characters I probably won’t enjoy the book as a whole, and I think this happened with the luminaries. I DNF this book at 78 % but I’ve tried for too long to finish it that I couldn’t fight the last bit.

I came in with high hopes but unfortunately it fell a little flat for me. I didn’t enjoy the characters, they didn’t feel new and exciting and I just couldn’t feel any connection to them. Small detail, but their Weekday names was annoying me haha. Didn’t feel magical. Another small detail that threw me out of the “illusion of the book”, the constant repeating of words such as “Click, click, click. Click, click, click”. That is an quote.

However, I think this is a book that a lot of people will enjoy, a fast paced fantasy with monsters and mystery. This was more a “me thing” with not feeling it. I think I will try to read it again at some other point.

Thank you Netgalley and Daphne Press for the eARC!!

This fantasy/Supernatural mystery YA novel is fast paced and exceptionally readable. I flew through this in one sitting.
An intriguing premise with great atmosphere and a likeable main character, I found this more enjoyable than I expected. I enjoyed the trial storyline and the folklore of the nightmares. This definitely gave me Buffy vibes! I look forward to reading the next instalment.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this fun book.

A brilliant YA novel - I can't wait for the next instalment. I had high hopes for this book and it did not disappoint. The premise and world building were so interesting. It made me feel nostalgic for older TV shows like Buffy and Vampire Diaries.

I loved everything about The Luminaries and was so involved in this world that as soon as it ended, I wanted more and knew I would miss Winnie (and yay, there is more – a trilogy with the sequel The Hunting Moon coming out November!).

Something I wanted to mention straight off the bat, although Winnie is 16 I think everyone will be able to identify with her experiences (some of which happen no matter how old you are!). Don’t let her age put you off.

It can be difficult for me to feel a connection with characters in a 3rd person narrative but it works really well in this story.

Winnie is a fab character. Her experiences from being shunned to being in the limelight makes her question things she wouldn’t have thought of before. Even though she wanted to belong to her clan again, this quick shift shows her how false people are. Instead of following blindly, she’s developing her own ways of thinking. I loved her idiosyncrasies! Her lack of confidence is endearing and her strength in the forest is inspiring.

The action is heart pounding! The first trial left me wanting more (but of course fits into the story perfectly), the second ramps it up but OMG, the third! I felt fearful and scared for Winnie but most of all, I felt alive from bursts of adrenaline. These trials were so visual for me – I was fascinated with the nightmares and monsters.

It’s clear from being in the forest that not all is how it should be. And with no one taking any notice of what Winnie is trying to tell them (apart from Marco and Lizzie), the council are definitely hiding something …

There are a couple more interesting threads in the story (it’s not all fighting monsters).

Romance. The spark of emotion between Winnie and Jay is at first subtle. One scene at the party was quite electric (even though it was innocent). I’m looking forward to seeing where this romance goes.

Jay’s otherworldly character is portrayed so well. I’m excited for when his purpose is revealed (and what it actually is)!

Intrigue. As well as ‘the Whisperer’ there’s intrigue with Winnie’s dad that comes quite close to the end of the story and left me wanting to know so much more. There are more clues to come for Winnie to work out, I’m sure.

Talking about clues, I felt that our attention was drawn to the same thing a couple of times that I can only think means monsters aren’t only in the forest … and this clue tells us who and what it is. I could be wrong but I have a feeling I’m right! There’s no other reason for this ‘throwaway’ observation to be in the story.

I loved the clans and the estates (each have a different purpose and their own motto) although I do agree with Winnie’s dad – humans can’t be pigeonholed so neatly. However it’s got to be said, Thursday fits me very well :))

The Luminaries is fascinating. The world building is brilliant, the pace is just right and the plot is unique. One of my top reads this year.

Highly recommended!