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faduma's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Abandonment
Minor: Gore, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic relationship
huldasif's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
It's a fast-paced YA fantasy/horror which was fun to read. Reading it actually felt like watching a teen TV show like Teen Wolf or something, although the athmosphere in the beginning of the book reminded me more of Twilight, because of the eery small town vibe with misty forest and the teenage angst, but otherwise the book has nothing in common with Twilight. Anyway, the book was really easy to read and I quickly flew through it. It was interesting, creepy and a little gory. I was thankful for the lack of romance. It just wouldn't have fit in. The only thing that bothered me was that it felt a little unresolved in the end. I wished we had be able to catch one of those big monsters we spent all of this book talking about in this book and not have to wait for the next book to catch them, hopefully. Thankfully I do want to read the next book, but if I didn't I would have felt cheated and been really mad. (I would have rounded it up to 4* stars if not for the end).
On a side note: I really enjoyed the pictures from the nightmare compendium. I only wish there had been more!
On a side note: I really enjoyed the pictures from the nightmare compendium. I only wish there had been more!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gore, Bullying, and Death
Moderate: Abandonment and Drug abuse
Minor: Death of parent
luceeefur's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
All around the world, the Luminaries live near fourteen sleeping spirits. Each night, when the spirits dream, their nightmares come to life. And each night, the Luminary hunters guard the world against those nightmares, one clan for every day of the week. Last night belonged to the Wednesdays—Winnie’s clan.
A book that began as a story created by twitter polls is a really interesting and unique concept. This was enjoyable, but like most other reviewers pointed out the actual ending was 'meh'. The story concludes but doesn't really wrap up any of the storylines.
I would have liked a little more world building and a little more history of the Luminaries and their societies as well as the Dianas and a little less descriptions about clothing. I did enjoy both Winnie and Jay (obviously I like the brooding love interest) as characters. I appreciated when Winnie snapped at both Lizzy and Jay to say "HELLO I'VE BEEN AROUND THE LAST FOUR YEARS WHILE WERE ALL IGNORING US" - it needed to be said and really showed Winnie's growth from trying to prove herself to being able to say WHAT THE HELL and question things about how the society is functioning.
I'm not frothing at the mouth for the sequel but may check it out at the library to see if things are wrapped up and get some answers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Bullying and Abandonment
auteaandtales's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Maybe more of a 3.5?
And thank you, Netgalley, for the review copy!
Whoop, read it just in time to start fresh in 2023! I don’t read a lot of fantasy so I don’t have much to compare it to, but it did make me appreciate how easy it was to read. It was fast paced, lots of adventure, and I loved Winnie. I also loved the little inserts of fact sheets on the monsters that exist in this world.
Saying that, as much as I’m not a fan of extensive world building, I think this could have done with a bit more because I didn’t really know very much - who are the Luminaries? Who are the Diana’s? Why is everyone separated into days of the week? How did this enchanted forest come about? What is the actual world like beyond the trials and the mythical creatures?
I’m still looking forward to the next book in this series. Hopefully, a lot of the questions I want to know the answers too will be revealed in the rest of the series. Plus, I hope to get to know some of the supporting characters a bit more as well!
And thank you, Netgalley, for the review copy!
Whoop, read it just in time to start fresh in 2023! I don’t read a lot of fantasy so I don’t have much to compare it to, but it did make me appreciate how easy it was to read. It was fast paced, lots of adventure, and I loved Winnie. I also loved the little inserts of fact sheets on the monsters that exist in this world.
Saying that, as much as I’m not a fan of extensive world building, I think this could have done with a bit more because I didn’t really know very much - who are the Luminaries? Who are the Diana’s? Why is everyone separated into days of the week? How did this enchanted forest come about? What is the actual world like beyond the trials and the mythical creatures?
I’m still looking forward to the next book in this series. Hopefully, a lot of the questions I want to know the answers too will be revealed in the rest of the series. Plus, I hope to get to know some of the supporting characters a bit more as well!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Minor: Bullying
lizgriffinwords's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Fun, fast-paced, and authentically teen! Winnie is such a relatable protagonist, and the world is rich with lore and creepy monsters. It feels like a teen-centric TV show like Buffy or Smallville back in the day.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment and Grief
Minor: Violence, Gore, and Drug use
maregred's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Violence
rusereviews's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The Luminaries by Susan Dennard is a YA fantasy novel with horror elements and the first book in a new series. I listened to the audiobook, which clocks in at a little under ten hours and is narrated by Caitlin Davies. We follow our main character with a solo third-person point-of-view.
Hemlock Falls isn't your typical rural town. The city is protected by the Luminaries, an ancient order that saves the world every night by killing the monsters that appear in the surrounding forest. Winnie Wednesday's family was shunned after her father was exposed as a witch and a traitor years before. To get her family back into their good graces, she decides to take on the sometimes-deadly Luminary hunter trials on her sixteenth birthday. But she might need a bit of help in training from her ex-best friend Jay Friday, aka the resident bad boy.
When I started reading this book, I wasn't aware it was the start of a new series, so please keep that in mind if you're like me and like to binge series. I do plan to continue with the series, as the world seems pretty cool and I have a few theories I'd like to see if I'm correct about.
I'm still a little confused on how the monsters here are formed, and on the "big bad" Dianas--a group of witches who appear to be the mortal enemies of the Luminaries. I'm guessing we'll get more information about those things in later installments of the series.
The pacing goes at a good clip, so if you're looking for some YA to scratch a thriller itch, this could satisfy that craving for you. There's also a wee bit of romance to curb that want as well.
If you dislike repetitious sounds, I want to briefly mention that several characters--including our main character--seem to have a habit of them. Our main character clicks her teeth together, which makes me worry for her dental bills, and another character consistently blows bubbles with bubble gum. I'm guessing these were supposed to be quirks for the characters, or maybe signs of OCD/stims? That's unclear, though.
Tropes in this book include: supernatural creatures, nerdy FMC, FMC with glasses, outsider
CW: body horror, death, murder, gaslighting, abandonment, anxiety, panic attacks
The publisher provided a audio ARC of this book for me to review. All opinions contained herein are my own.
Hemlock Falls isn't your typical rural town. The city is protected by the Luminaries, an ancient order that saves the world every night by killing the monsters that appear in the surrounding forest. Winnie Wednesday's family was shunned after her father was exposed as a witch and a traitor years before. To get her family back into their good graces, she decides to take on the sometimes-deadly Luminary hunter trials on her sixteenth birthday. But she might need a bit of help in training from her ex-best friend Jay Friday, aka the resident bad boy.
When I started reading this book, I wasn't aware it was the start of a new series, so please keep that in mind if you're like me and like to binge series. I do plan to continue with the series, as the world seems pretty cool and I have a few theories I'd like to see if I'm correct about.
I'm still a little confused on how the monsters here are formed, and on the "big bad" Dianas--a group of witches who appear to be the mortal enemies of the Luminaries. I'm guessing we'll get more information about those things in later installments of the series.
The pacing goes at a good clip, so if you're looking for some YA to scratch a thriller itch, this could satisfy that craving for you. There's also a wee bit of romance to curb that want as well.
If you dislike repetitious sounds, I want to briefly mention that several characters--including our main character--seem to have a habit of them. Our main character clicks her teeth together, which makes me worry for her dental bills, and another character consistently blows bubbles with bubble gum. I'm guessing these were supposed to be quirks for the characters, or maybe signs of OCD/stims? That's unclear, though.
Tropes in this book include: supernatural creatures, nerdy FMC, FMC with glasses, outsider
CW: body horror, death, murder, gaslighting, abandonment, anxiety, panic attacks
The publisher provided a audio ARC of this book for me to review. All opinions contained herein are my own.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting, Body horror, Death, Abandonment, and Panic attacks/disorders
art_books_chemistry's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I feel like it isn't often these days that a book can surprise me with a world that I've never seen done before. Some of the concepts in The Luminaries harken to Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunter world but with completely different world building. There are a lot of ways for Dennard to expand this world in future novels as well.
I do have a couple of cons that are making this not a 5-star read for me. For one thing, I really don't love any of the characters. I like Winnie but she is also annoying, the same way I found Katniss in Hunger Games annoying. Protagonists don't have to be perfect but there's a balance between regular self doubt and near crippling doubt. But I was happy with how part of that aspect wrapped up near the end. Major spoilers if I go further so I'll just leave it there. xD I also found Winnie's teeth clicking to be very odd. I'm assuming it's a nervous tick of some sort but it wasn't really explained per se which for me made it awkward.
My last con is really just my frustration with needing to wait for the next book! So many open endings I expected to be resolved that weren't! It is however obvious also a pro that I'm so excited for the second book to be released when I'm literally reading an Advanced Copy of the first!
I enjoyed the different versions of classic monsters and how descriptive they are as well as the whole concept of the spirit and forest. The different "families" is also an interesting concept and I'd like to learn more about the history of "The Luminaries" and how the whole system (cult?) started. I appreciated that by the end of the book, Winnie had developed into a more enjoyable character than she was in the beginning as well as the mystery aspects worked into a standard fantasy tale.
If YA Fantasy is your thing, especially if you're a Cassandra Clare fan, definitely check this out. I see the series only getting better from here!
I do have a couple of cons that are making this not a 5-star read for me. For one thing, I really don't love any of the characters. I like Winnie but she is also annoying, the same way I found Katniss in Hunger Games annoying. Protagonists don't have to be perfect but there's a balance between regular self doubt and near crippling doubt. But I was happy with how part of that aspect wrapped up near the end. Major spoilers if I go further so I'll just leave it there. xD I also found Winnie's teeth clicking to be very odd. I'm assuming it's a nervous tick of some sort but it wasn't really explained per se which for me made it awkward.
My last con is really just my frustration with needing to wait for the next book! So many open endings I expected to be resolved that weren't! It is however obvious also a pro that I'm so excited for the second book to be released when I'm literally reading an Advanced Copy of the first!
I enjoyed the different versions of classic monsters and how descriptive they are as well as the whole concept of the spirit and forest. The different "families" is also an interesting concept and I'd like to learn more about the history of "The Luminaries" and how the whole system (cult?) started. I appreciated that by the end of the book, Winnie had developed into a more enjoyable character than she was in the beginning as well as the mystery aspects worked into a standard fantasy tale.
If YA Fantasy is your thing, especially if you're a Cassandra Clare fan, definitely check this out. I see the series only getting better from here!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Violence, Gore, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Blood
Minor: Alcohol, Grief, and Drug use
laynemandros's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Violence, Abandonment, Bullying, Death, and Panic attacks/disorders
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