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mrs_meg_walsworth's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood and Gore
Minor: Alcohol, Body horror, and Blood
snipinfool's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
3.0
Nightmares that arose from forests all over the world were kept in check by age-old defenders, called Luminaries. Within these forests, fourteen spirits lived and slept. The monsters created from their dreams were exterminated each night so the rest of the world could live in peace. In the US, Hemlock Falls was the town nearest the forest where the spirit was found. Hemlock Falls was hidden from maps, landlines did not work there, cell phone service was sketchy, and the overall feel was different from that over the normal world. Luminaries were born into a house named after a day of the week. Each house had specific duties within the society. Strict rules were in place to keep the residents safe and their purpose hidden from the rest of the world. Winnie Wednesday came from a family of hunters. She wanted to follow in the footsteps of her mother, grandmother, and great grandmother and become one as well. Unfortunately, Winnie's father had broken a serious Luminary rule and disappeared shortly after. Winnie, along with her mother and brother, were cast out of the Luminaries for a period of ten years as punishment. They were found to be negligent of knowing about Winnie's father's activities. They could still live in Hemlock Falls, but they were no longer able to hold certain positions/jobs or attend any family activities.
At sixteen, Luminaries could participate in three successive hunter trials to become a nightmare hunter. If one failed a trial, they lost their only chance of completing the tests. Winnie planned to enter the trials in hopes of restoring her family's name by becoming a hunter. There were no rules stating an outcast could not participate. Because they had been exiled, Winnie did not have the benefit of the training the other participants had. She hoped the training she did on her own would be enough to keep from being killed by the nightly horrors. When Winnie wandered the forest looking for monsters in the first trail, she encountered a creature that she had never seen in the Nightmare Compendium, a listing and description of all known nightmarish creatures. Would anyone believe what she saw?
This was just ok. The plot was an interesting premise, but the story was dull and somewhat one note. I didn't feel connected to the characters. Most of the book focused on Winnie and her anxiety about participating in the three trials. The reader got to know a little about her mother and brother, but I wanted to know more about them. The additional characters only served to show how poorly Winnie and her family were treated and how their life was miserable. There was mention of Winnie's father and potential contact, but that goes no where in the story. Maybe that will come up in a sequel. The story seemed to glide along the surface without the details that would make one want to pick it up again once you set it down. I might not have finished it had it not been a book club selection.
At sixteen, Luminaries could participate in three successive hunter trials to become a nightmare hunter. If one failed a trial, they lost their only chance of completing the tests. Winnie planned to enter the trials in hopes of restoring her family's name by becoming a hunter. There were no rules stating an outcast could not participate. Because they had been exiled, Winnie did not have the benefit of the training the other participants had. She hoped the training she did on her own would be enough to keep from being killed by the nightly horrors. When Winnie wandered the forest looking for monsters in the first trail, she encountered a creature that she had never seen in the Nightmare Compendium, a listing and description of all known nightmarish creatures. Would anyone believe what she saw?
This was just ok. The plot was an interesting premise, but the story was dull and somewhat one note. I didn't feel connected to the characters. Most of the book focused on Winnie and her anxiety about participating in the three trials. The reader got to know a little about her mother and brother, but I wanted to know more about them. The additional characters only served to show how poorly Winnie and her family were treated and how their life was miserable. There was mention of Winnie's father and potential contact, but that goes no where in the story. Maybe that will come up in a sequel. The story seemed to glide along the surface without the details that would make one want to pick it up again once you set it down. I might not have finished it had it not been a book club selection.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Bullying, and Death
Minor: Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, and Alcohol
disnelyse's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, and Gore
Moderate: Death, Abandonment, and Bullying
Minor: Drug use and Alcohol
bookish_paws's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Alcohol, and Death
Minor: Bullying and Emotional abuse
bookcaptivated's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Blood, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying and Abandonment
Minor: Alcohol and Vomit
taryn_g's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Alcohol, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, and Drug use
Minor: Medical content
the_b00kreader's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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? N/A
5.0
Winnie Wednesday, our main character, is such a strong and independent role model fighting for both herself and her family, eager to redeem their image.
Once an outcast, now welcomed back as though she was never an outcast.
Susan Dennard wonderfully wrote a story that was tense, a story that dealt with feelings of all sorts and a story in which let one know that home can certainly be where the heart is. There's no need to spend time reminiscing on what could have been, instead look at what you have now, what you could have.
For Winnie, it was friendships and also herself. She learned more about herself along the way and it was really beneficial to the story to have been able to get such a deep insight into Winnie's character.
The story itself was so so good! I loved it! The trials to become a Luminary hunter were certainly intriguing, but oh my! That third trial was certainly something. The tension while reading was crazy!
But...I am now left looking for answers and eagerly waiting book 2 after having a curve ball thrown at me (thank you Susan Dennard for that lovely 'what the f**k' moment towards the end!)
All in all, I highly recommend you all to read this book ASAP, you won't regret it!!
Once an outcast, now welcomed back as though she was never an outcast.
Susan Dennard wonderfully wrote a story that was tense, a story that dealt with feelings of all sorts and a story in which let one know that home can certainly be where the heart is. There's no need to spend time reminiscing on what could have been, instead look at what you have now, what you could have.
For Winnie, it was friendships and also herself. She learned more about herself along the way and it was really beneficial to the story to have been able to get such a deep insight into Winnie's character.
The story itself was so so good! I loved it! The trials to become a Luminary hunter were certainly intriguing, but oh my! That third trial was certainly something. The tension while reading was crazy!
But...I am now left looking for answers and eagerly waiting book 2 after having a curve ball thrown at me (thank you Susan Dennard for that lovely 'what the f**k' moment towards the end!)
All in all, I highly recommend you all to read this book ASAP, you won't regret it!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Bullying, Abandonment, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol
takarakei's review
adventurous
dark
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? Yes
3.25
- 1st in a duology (second book out in Nov)
- Monsters of all kinds (and amazing illustrations!)
- Deadly competition/trials
- Creepy and mysterious
- School setting
- Glimmers of a romance (Ex best friends)
- Outcast girl who suddenly becomes popular
- 'Slacker' boy that everyone crushes on but he only cares about working on his motorcycle
- Yes they ride the motorcycle
The audiobook for this was fantastic, really enjoyed the narration! This gave me a bit of Scholomance vibes, even though they are VERY different series (and Scholomance is way better imo). Just similar in terms of the youth being in this insane situation (trials/being a hunter) that they might die in and have to like save everyone (aka the adults). It's a very quick read, but I also wasn't completely in love with the story and felt like things were just starting to get good when it ended. Feels a bit like it was written as one long book that got split into a duology instead of getting a good edit and remaining one longer or standard length fantasy book.
0/5 🌶️, but I think it will get somewhere (it is YA) in book 2.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, and Death
Minor: Drug use, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
moonchild_cos's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Drug use, Alcohol, and Drug abuse
adancewithbooks's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Thank you to TOR Teen and Netgalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.
A few years ago I started reading The Witchlands series by Susan Dennard. It did not work for me at all. But never one to give up on an author for just one series I was very intrigued by The Luminaries. Luckily for me I really enjoyed this first installment.
Winnie Wednesday is an outcast in Hemlock Falls, the unique town that has Luminaries stand between the town and the nightmares that rise each night. Her father betrayed them to their enemies, and despite not knowing anything about this, their family become instand outcasts. Winnie isn't satisfied with that. She wants to become a luminaries hunter for the Wednesdays. But will the town except her as an outcast to the trials? And what happens when Winnie lets a lie slip about what really happens in the forest?
The Luminaries is a quick moving story that navigates us through the basic workings of Hemlock Falls and the Luminaries. It is very much an introductionary tale to a bigger story. And there is nothing wrong with that. We all need a story to start somewhere. My only complaint is that I would have liked just a bit more world building. A bit more on The Luminaries. A bit more on their rivalry with the Diana's. A bit more on Winnie's relationship with her father (and mother, and other relatives more the outcast).
Regardless of that, I enjoyed following Winnie around. She really believes she can be a hunter with barely any training (unlike the others). And when it hits that no, she really can't but a lie makes everyone believe she is amazing, well she just barrels on through. While mentally smacking herself for it along the way. But she is a teen. Just 16. It was all very fitting for her age and her personality really.
I also loved the emotions that barreled through this book with Winnie and her father. And Winnie and her family with the relatives that treated them like outcasts and then just acted as if none of that happened. It is an emotional whiplash and I felt that.
A few years ago I started reading The Witchlands series by Susan Dennard. It did not work for me at all. But never one to give up on an author for just one series I was very intrigued by The Luminaries. Luckily for me I really enjoyed this first installment.
Winnie Wednesday is an outcast in Hemlock Falls, the unique town that has Luminaries stand between the town and the nightmares that rise each night. Her father betrayed them to their enemies, and despite not knowing anything about this, their family become instand outcasts. Winnie isn't satisfied with that. She wants to become a luminaries hunter for the Wednesdays. But will the town except her as an outcast to the trials? And what happens when Winnie lets a lie slip about what really happens in the forest?
The Luminaries is a quick moving story that navigates us through the basic workings of Hemlock Falls and the Luminaries. It is very much an introductionary tale to a bigger story. And there is nothing wrong with that. We all need a story to start somewhere. My only complaint is that I would have liked just a bit more world building. A bit more on The Luminaries. A bit more on their rivalry with the Diana's. A bit more on Winnie's relationship with her father (and mother, and other relatives more the outcast).
Regardless of that, I enjoyed following Winnie around. She really believes she can be a hunter with barely any training (unlike the others). And when it hits that no, she really can't but a lie makes everyone believe she is amazing, well she just barrels on through. While mentally smacking herself for it along the way. But she is a teen. Just 16. It was all very fitting for her age and her personality really.
I also loved the emotions that barreled through this book with Winnie and her father. And Winnie and her family with the relatives that treated them like outcasts and then just acted as if none of that happened. It is an emotional whiplash and I felt that.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol and Bullying
PTSD