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amyregina's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 (rounded up) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you so much to Daphne Press and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.
I knew as soon as I got approved for this e-arc I had to move it to the top of my (out of control) TBR. I couldn’t find a recap (I annoyed Susan Dennard and Daphne Press on Twitter and Susan said it’s something she will look at for a future newsletter) so I quickly reread The Luminaries to make sure I was all caught up on what I needed to know.
I’m glad that this book had some answers, no spoilers but I thought one of twists was quite obvious, but what will be another twist is something I’m still not sure about, I have ideas but I couldn’t say with confidence I know what will happen.
I do hope the next book explains more about the world of the Luminaires, how they function as an international society within countries etc, but with international visitors I feel like that’s something we will see more of.
I really like the way the author writes, I find their characters interesting and engaging and their ideas super interesting. I really like the MC in this series, I find them realistic whilst still being capable and strong.
Thank you so much to Daphne Press and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.
I knew as soon as I got approved for this e-arc I had to move it to the top of my (out of control) TBR. I couldn’t find a recap (I annoyed Susan Dennard and Daphne Press on Twitter and Susan said it’s something she will look at for a future newsletter) so I quickly reread The Luminaries to make sure I was all caught up on what I needed to know.
I’m glad that this book had some answers, no spoilers but I thought one of twists was quite obvious, but what will be another twist is something I’m still not sure about, I have ideas but I couldn’t say with confidence I know what will happen.
I do hope the next book explains more about the world of the Luminaires, how they function as an international society within countries etc, but with international visitors I feel like that’s something we will see more of.
I really like the way the author writes, I find their characters interesting and engaging and their ideas super interesting. I really like the MC in this series, I find them realistic whilst still being capable and strong.
mj213's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
4.0
_emilialou's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
lightofsomekind's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoy the uniqueness of this fantasy world! Reading the Luminaries series, I feel like a detective in a fantasy world. The book really picked up about half way through and I could not put it down! Excited for the third book!
mandypurv's review against another edition
4.0
Disclaimer: I received an advanced audiobook copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and have voluntarily written this review with my honest feedback.
The Hunting Moon continued to give me everything that I wanted from that nostalgic, early 2000s YA vibe that I loved in The Luminaries. I can't delve too deeply into the plot because it picks up right after a pretty major cliffhanger/spoiler at the end of The Luminaries, but Winnie is still an outcast...just now in a totally different way. She's the center of attention, sure, but no one actually believes anything that she says. She's just the cool girl who, well...[REDACTED], who might have gone a little crazy in the process. At least, that's how everyone seems to justify her ramblings about the new development in the forests around Hemlock Falls.
This second book was everything I've been hoping it would be for a year! I did not re-read The Luminaries before diving back into the world of Hemlock Falls, but even with a brain full of cobwebs after a year, Sooz did an excellent job of filling in the gaps and reminding you just how high stakes everything was before The Hunting Moon started. For the romance lovers: It's still a slow (slow slow slow sloooooow) burn (if you can call a thoroughly YA book a burn) but in the best ways, with the tension between Winnie and Jay Friday remaining a major and frustrating (we know we love it) all time high. There's enough mystery and intrigue to keep you invested in the goings-on in the forest, as well. At times I found myself frozen, hanging on every one of the narrator's words. The story went to places I absolutely didn't expect, and some of the reveals were shocking! In true YA form, there were also reveals that were predictable, which I think is important--you have to let your readers win at some point, and what better way than to give us those "aha!" moments where we get to figure *the situation* out before the characters do. My only complaint, if you can call it that, is that I felt like the book was still building up when it was over...like, I was genuinely shocked to look up and see that I only had minutes left in the audiobook. But I feel like, even if that's an issue with pacing, it's the mark of a well written book that the reader doesn't realize how much time has passed while they've been reading.
The narrator was exceptional, and did such a great job of bringing Winnie to life.
The Hunting Moon continued to give me everything that I wanted from that nostalgic, early 2000s YA vibe that I loved in The Luminaries. I can't delve too deeply into the plot because it picks up right after a pretty major cliffhanger/spoiler at the end of The Luminaries, but Winnie is still an outcast...just now in a totally different way. She's the center of attention, sure, but no one actually believes anything that she says. She's just the cool girl who, well...[REDACTED], who might have gone a little crazy in the process. At least, that's how everyone seems to justify her ramblings about the new development in the forests around Hemlock Falls.
This second book was everything I've been hoping it would be for a year! I did not re-read The Luminaries before diving back into the world of Hemlock Falls, but even with a brain full of cobwebs after a year, Sooz did an excellent job of filling in the gaps and reminding you just how high stakes everything was before The Hunting Moon started. For the romance lovers: It's still a slow (slow slow slow sloooooow) burn (if you can call a thoroughly YA book a burn) but in the best ways, with the tension between Winnie and Jay Friday remaining a major and frustrating (we know we love it) all time high. There's enough mystery and intrigue to keep you invested in the goings-on in the forest, as well. At times I found myself frozen, hanging on every one of the narrator's words. The story went to places I absolutely didn't expect, and some of the reveals were shocking! In true YA form, there were also reveals that were predictable, which I think is important--you have to let your readers win at some point, and what better way than to give us those "aha!" moments where we get to figure *the situation* out before the characters do. My only complaint, if you can call it that, is that I felt like the book was still building up when it was over...like, I was genuinely shocked to look up and see that I only had minutes left in the audiobook. But I feel like, even if that's an issue with pacing, it's the mark of a well written book that the reader doesn't realize how much time has passed while they've been reading.
The narrator was exceptional, and did such a great job of bringing Winnie to life.
hookerdaughter's review against another edition
5.0
So good!! I was lucky enough to get the ARC and I devoured this! It was so captivating!! A must read!
eilidhbrownie's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
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
4.0
brooksie03051's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Jumping from a waterfall to escape imminent danger and being bitten by a werewolf, Winnie Wednesday is like a cat with nine lives. Or do the dark creatures in the forest aid her when needed? The latter seems to be the case. The local hunters in training treat it as if it were the coolest thing and not a nightmare she wants to forget. It seems the only people who understand are her ex-best friend Jay and the friend she tried to save the night of their 3rd and final trial.
Book 2 in this trilogy uncovers more about the whispers that seem to only come around when she is in the woods. Her father has hidden some clues about what happened before he was driven out of town away from her and her mother. As Winn gets closer to finding out who set her father up, she and Jay run into more issues that they must work together to resolve. They also have to fix the previous 4 years when Jay appeared to abandon her when she needed him most.
I’m enjoying this series, but I wish it was a little longer to explain how this magical world works and the characters' roles in managing the town and their lives. I just feel like some things are missing that could have had more backstory to make them fall into place, as well as what people do now in this urban world of paranormal creatures.
Perhaps the physical books have more information, such as a family tree and maps, that you don’t get listening to the audiobook. Regardless, I still enjoyed the story, and nothing made me want to stop listening to it.
Book 3, The Whispering Night, is set to release on 11/19/24, and I will be reading the ARC prior to release for the conclusion of this series.
Book 2 in this trilogy uncovers more about the whispers that seem to only come around when she is in the woods. Her father has hidden some clues about what happened before he was driven out of town away from her and her mother. As Winn gets closer to finding out who set her father up, she and Jay run into more issues that they must work together to resolve. They also have to fix the previous 4 years when Jay appeared to abandon her when she needed him most.
I’m enjoying this series, but I wish it was a little longer to explain how this magical world works and the characters' roles in managing the town and their lives. I just feel like some things are missing that could have had more backstory to make them fall into place, as well as what people do now in this urban world of paranormal creatures.
Perhaps the physical books have more information, such as a family tree and maps, that you don’t get listening to the audiobook. Regardless, I still enjoyed the story, and nothing made me want to stop listening to it.
Book 3, The Whispering Night, is set to release on 11/19/24, and I will be reading the ARC prior to release for the conclusion of this series.