Praise for The Luminaries:

“Will draw you in and leave you begging for more. Rich with tension, atmosphere, and finesse, you'll want to get lost in the world of The Luminaries again and again.”—Leigh Bardugo, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Shadow & Bone and Ninth House

“I lost myself from page one in Hemlock Falls and its deadly forest, as vicious as it is inescapably alluring. Winnie Wednesday is the sort of outcast-turned-monster-hunter you can't help loving and rooting for.”—Marissa Meyer, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Gilded

“Readers will want to don a motorcycle jacket and join the nightmare hunt.”—Kirkus Review

“Enthralling from the first page, The Luminaries lures you into a misty darkness rife with thrills and romance. Living nightmares may stalk across the pages, but this book is a paranormal fantasy dream. The forest calls, and you will love every second of devouring its mysteries.”—Alexandra Bracken, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Lore

“Dennard's newest begins with a triumphant success, heralding her third sensational series filled with delectable worldbuilding and dynamic characters.”—Buzzfeed

“The Luminaries is exactly the thrilling, dangerous, heart-pounding fantasy I needed, with an incredibly original world and a heroine who knows and fights for her worth. Prepare yourself accordingly—I devoured this in a single sitting.”—Marie Lu, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Skyhunter

"Dennard’s newest is overflowing with action, adventure, and mystery with a sprinkling of romance that will keep readers turning the page."—Booklist

“The Luminaries is your next obsession. Part family drama, part fantasy procedural, part helpful guide to monster hunting, all with a dash of romantic tension—this book is all my favorite things combined.”—Olivie Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six

“A richly realized tale about monster hunters that explores family, community, and a whole lot of female rage.”—Paste

“In The Luminaries, bestselling author Susan Dennard kicks off a darkly magical, action-packed new series and introduces a mysterious world filled with monsters. . . . Plenty of gasp-inducing thrills, monstrous gore and empathetic soul-searching—plus a little tentative flirting—bring The Luminaries to a satisfying conclusion.”—BookPage

“The Luminaries is a chilling, gripping contemporary fantasy. . . . readers can only hope that the nightmares induced by The Luminaries will be vanquished by someone as brave and real as Winnie Wednesday.”—Shelf Awareness, STARRED review

2023-08-26
Readers return to the supernatural town of Hemlock Falls for more mysteries and monsters.

Winnie Wednesday’s story resumes soon after the events of The Luminaries (2022). Now a local celebrity, Winnie has the social approval she’s lacked for so long, but it doesn’t bring her any closer to solving new questions and mysteries. She’s still the only one who knows about the Whisperer, while everyone else is after a werewolf, but she can at least talk to her friend Mario about tracking the elusive nightmare. Winnie’s grief over a death in the prior novel leads to some creatively morbid turns of phrase, while Jay continues to drink and vape through his anguish. Clues and memories from Winnie’s missing father give her more leads to chase. Her renewed social and school lives are heavily dominated by her simmering relationship with Jay and his blindingly gorgeous abs. The familiar rising mist takes its time to appear, but once it does, dangerous magic and monsters are back in the mix. Watching Winnie doubt her status as a Luminary and repeatedly refer to her life as a “clusterfuck” could make readers impatient to see her kick some butt already. Winnie and Jay are cued white.

Too slow to ramp up: Only committed series fans may stick with this one. (Fantasy. 14-18)